#maybe steve isn't showing sam the faces he's drawing because he's drawing sam (samsteve vibe) or he isn't showing sam the faces he's drawin

[fandomfluffandfuck]

Thinking about Sam asking Steve, "What makes you happy?" And when he doesn't have an answer, Sam starts paying attention to try and parse out little pieces of happiness from him. Once, he sees Steve doodling with a pen on the back of some extra receipt paper when they go out to lunch, Sam leading the charge to get him used to non-boiled future food 😉 They're waiting for Steve's card to be returned to him and, okay, damn, the history books left out that Steve's a pretty decent drawer. Sam can work with that... watching the quirk of Steve's mouth as he doodles.

So, Sam gets him some nice art supplies. No dollar-store pens or regular #2 pencils. Some expensive, apparently high-quality (according to the Internet, it really is helpful sometimes, ha) graphite pencils, a set of micron pens, and the appropriate watercolor paper, brushes, and pigment. The final cost is eye-popping to Sam in spite of his understanding of modern pricing. It's worth it, though. Because Steve uses them. He starts carrying a sketchbook along with his list book. And, eventually, he shyly shows Sam some of what he's worked on.

The sprawl of Central Park...

A broken section of sidewalk, grass creeping through the space made by the roots of an elder tree...

The skyline view from Steve's apartment...

A dog...

A potted plant sitting on Steve's balcony with a label that reads "my sadness buddy" (a gift from Natasha)...

An empty folding chair from the VA...

A steaming cardboard coffee cup.

Sam is blown away by the beauty of what Steve can create. He wonders, but he doesn't ask if Steve's ever had nice, vivid art supplies before. There's something impressive about the colors and way he experiments, pulling beauty out of nothing, with his new art supplies. But, also, there's something especially impressive about what he can do with any old pen or pencil lying about. Sam finds himself smiling, thinking about that old saying he's heard, a poor craftsman blames his tools. Steve is bluntly a master craftsman--in everything he does, he puts his entire heart into it. It's strange he hasn't drawn any faces or people, though. (There's definitely something there. Sam's gonna have to see what that's about, too.)

#read this as samsteve or as sam being the deeply caring and loyal friend he is #idk either way #i just couldn't stop thinking about it #maybe steve isn't showing sam the faces he's drawing because he's drawing sam (samsteve vibe) or he isn't showing sam the faces he's drawin #because all the faces are bucky #and its every moment from before the fall that steve remembers in perfect clarity but steve won't show him because it hurts #and he doesn't want to remind sam of riley in such a visceral way #idk #it's up to you #steve rogers #sam wilson #fandomfluffandfuck #samsteve #stucky #artist steve