Chapter Text
It all started off innocently enough. Joaquin had posted a TikTok, and it inadvertently went viral.
“Do they know it’s legal now?” sat in a caption with no tags.
The video was simple. Sam, laughing at something Bucky said. And Bucky staring at Sam like he was born with stars for teeth and the sun for eyes.
Okay. So maybe not that innocent.
But how could Bucky not look at Sam like the entire world revolved around him? He was beautiful and funny and treated Bucky like a person and not an extension of Steve or an ex-assassin or a shell of his former self or-
“Buck? Hello?” Sam had been waving his hand in front of Bucky’s face for about 20 seconds before he could get a response. It was only a blink, but for the eternal staring machine, that was something.
“Did you know we’re going viral?” Those words were floating around Bucky’s brain somewhere, courtesy of Sam’s pretty mouth.
“Viral?” Of course he’d seen the video. He was the first person to see it. Joaquin didn’t know that; he didn’t know about Bucky’s secret account. No one did. Because how was he supposed to explain that he had a burner where he shipped himself with his best friend?
“You cannot be that old. Here, look.” Sam’s holding out his phone, and sure enough, it’s Bucky staring at Sam like he was seeing in color for the first time. Some sappy love song was even playing in the background.
“The best part is the comments, though.” Sam opens them up and the first thing Bucky sees is his own account. Joaquin had pinned it and it had more likes than the original video.
“Need someone who looks at me like how Bucky’s gay ass looks at Sam.”
Sam reads the comment out, chuckling. He’s not looking at Bucky, so he doesn’t notice how his face is bright red, how his pupils are blown wide, how his breathing changed just slightly. He thought it was funny. He laughed. It wasn’t weird; it was comical, at worst. And suddenly, images are flashing through Bucky’s head: him confessing, Sam getting flustered before agreeing to date him. Dating for a few years before Bucky drops to one knee and asks Sam to make him the happiest man in the universe. A wedding in Delacroix. Sarah walking Sam down the aisle. Rhodey and Joaquin fighting to be Sam’s best man. Isaiah in his favorite suit. A few years to themselves, without the chaos that being superheroes inevitably caused. Maybe some kids…eventually. Probably not. Bucky would be a horrible father, or at least, he thought so. Imagine a child parented by the Winter Soldier. He couldn’t.
But maybe some pets. Cats. And plants. And seeing Cass and AJ every other weekend. That could be nice. Could be enough for him.
“Oh. Sorry man; didn’t know you were uncomfortable with this kinda stuff. I just thought it was silly. Forgot how you grew up.”
And before Bucky could correct him, Sam was slipping his phone back into his pocket and patting Bucky’s shoulder as he left.
Uncomfortable? Is that how he looked? All wide eyed and frozen in place? That’s how this read to Sam? Not like he was trying to force down every desire in his mind before they spewed out of his mouth, out of control and bringing the downfall of the best thing he ever had?
“Uncomfortable…” The word barely left his mouth. He couldn’t fathom the thought of being uncomfortable around Sam. Sam radiating comfort; he was like chicken soup for Bucky’s soul.