#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023

[sambuckylibrary]

TFATWS Anniversary Event

The @sambuckylibrary will be holding a The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Anniversary Event! The event will start on March 19th and run until April 23rd. During that time, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog.

You can post fanfiction, art, moodboards, edits, podfics, etc. It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckylibary in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 for reblogs.

If you are posting on AO3, please add it to TFATWS Anniversary Event 2023 Collection.

Each week will have a different theme with prompts from Monday to Friday. Each prompt will also come with a badge you may use for it when you post. The weekly themes and their prompts will be:

For the text version of the information above as well as the FAQ and rules, check the information under “keep reading”.

Pre-TFATWS Week: March 19th-March 25th

Monday: The Steering Wheel Incident Tuesday: Searching for Bucky Barnes Wednesday: On the Run Together Thursday: In the Soul Stone Friday: Six Months of Ghosting Sam

TFATWS Week: March 26th-April 1st

Monday: Plane to Germany Tuesday: Rolling in the Field Together Wednesday: A Night in Madripoor Thursday: Fixing the Boat Friday: The Cookout

AU Week: April 2nd - April 8th

Monday: Royalty AU Tuesday: Sports AU Wednesday: Angel/Demon AU Thursday: Social Media AU Friday: Vampire/Werewolf AU

Romance Tropes Week: April 9th - April 15th

Monday: Getting Together Tuesday: Enemies to Lovers Wednesday: Hurt/Comfort Thursday: Fake Dating Friday: First Time

SamBucky Week: April 16th - April 23th

Monday: Redwing Tuesday: A Couple of Guys Wednesday: I Would Be His Roommate, But Thursday: Costco Tub of Lube Friday: Best Friend's Best Friend

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a SamBucky event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts in a week. Do however many you please.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all five prompts that week at once with one piece of art or fic. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Is it just SamBucky?

Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.

How long will this event run?

It will run from March 19th and run until April 23th.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There are! They will be revealed on the Sunday of each week.

Rules and Guidelines

What are the guidelines for the bingo?

I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.

For Everyone:

1. Remember to @sambuckylibrary in the post as well as #tfatwsanniversaryevent2023.

2. Please also tag the square you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Sports AU”, use “#sports au” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to TFATWS Anniversary Event 2023 Collection (TFATWS_Anniversary_Event_2023).

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 10 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

For Bucky

Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and "Bucky Needs a Hug".

Have fun and we look forward to your TFATWS Anniversary fics!

- The Mods

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #tfatws #tfatws anniversary event #sambucky fanfic #sambucky art #sambucky edit #sambucky moodboard #mod: thatmexisaurusrex

[thatmexisaurusrex]

Here are the movie posters and info for my "Fake Dating" fill for the @sambuckylibrary's TFATWS Anniversary Event. The film is Just My Type, a story about childhood rivals and frenemies All-Star Hitter Sam Wilson and Local Weatherman Bucky Barnes finding themselves in the precarious position of fake dating. However, these two find love with each other as they fake date, and begin to truly date by the end.

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #sambucky art #sambucky cover art #fake dating #rivals to lovers #frenemies to lovers #getting together #modern au #baseball au #baseball player sam wilson #weatherman bucky barnes #sarah wilson #ayo #joaquín torres #Just My Type

[sambambucky]

yipee! to be good for you (would be the end of me) is finally finished!

Angel/Demon AU | 5.2k words | T a lil excerpt:

Steve takes a breath, fills his entire body with it before exhaling, slow and deliberate. He reaches out with the entirety of his soul, lets everything around him fall away, and prays, “Samuel.” Bucky stays where he is when he arrives, only tilting his head back to meet Samuel’s eyes with a hooded gaze. “I guess my alarm was not without merit,” Samuel says. “Hey angel,” Bucky says, his voice back to that syrupy drone. “Was hopin’ you’d be too busy to show up.”

#lmao making moodboards is so fun what the heck why didnt anyone tell me #dont look at the published date dont worry about it dont think about the timing of the last chapter #just dont think just enjoyyyyy just let demon bucky and angel sam wash over you like a fog #or dont! #WE'RE CLEANING OUT THE DRAFTS OK CLOSING UP THE WIPS NO MORE COBWEBS IN ME BRAIN #jo do be writing or whatever #onlysambucky #tfatwsanniversaryevent2023

[abarbaricyalp]

Written for the @sambuckylibrary anniversary event! Rated G, no CWs.

"You know, he's not half so scary in person," Carlos said from Sam's far side.

Sam finished crushing trash further into a garbage bag before he followed Carlos' gaze across the party to the table where Bucky was regaling many, many children with an, undoubtedly, dramatic story. There were enough swooping hand gestures and mimed explosions at any rate.

"Yeah, the TV adds seven layers of hostility," he joked. "He's actually just a good actor."

Carlos snorted and rolled his eyes at Sam's ribbing. "You always were the first one to offer a second chance to anyone and anything. Do you remember when you--"

"When that stray bit me three separate times and I still cried when animal control caught it and took it away?" Sam finished for him. The story had followed him along since he was thirteen. If someone wanted to boil Sam Wilson down to his essence, that was the story they told. "To be fair, someone told me while I was in the hospital getting stitches for the last bite."

"You spent weeks afterwards tryin' to borrow anyone's home phone to call and ask about it 'cause your mama wouldn't let you use y'all's phone," he continued.

"He wasn't a bad dog. Just scared," Sam chuckled softly. He moved his fingers over the textured edge of a paper plate. "It wasn't his fault."

Carlos just smiled at him like he and Sam were on the same page, which was never true. Carlos was usually seven steps ahead of Sam. It's probably what had made him and Paul Wilson such good friends, even though they were otherwise very different men. He clapped a hand on Sam's shoulder and then moseyed away.

Sam looked over at Bucky, still in the midst of his story, and wondered when the last time was that he'd had teeth bared at him as he offered out a helping hand. And, honestly, cold shoulders and sarcasm aside, he couldn't remember. DC all those years (and not years) ago, probably. Even watching the Winter Soldier work again a few weeks ago hadn't been enough to remind Sam that Bucky could be that kind of dangerous. Especially not when it only took a touch and a look from Sam for him to draw back out of the character again. Sam was in no danger of being bit. No good person around was. Definitely more like the kind of dog that wanted to be a lap dog despite being a hundred pounds of muscle.

Sam made his way over to the table, just to make sure he didn't need to offer Bucky an escape. From the angle he was coming at, and the way Bucky's head was on a constant swivel to keep up with all of the laughing and teasing and questions around him, Sam got a chance to just look at him. The sun was bright on his face, making his eyes look like they were lit up and painting his hair more of an auburn than Sam had ever seen it. There were curls forming close to his head, brought out by the humid salt air and Sam had never seen that either. It kind of knocked the breath out of his chest.

Finally, he stepped closer, about to interrupt whatever exaggerated story Bucky was telling, but the man's words stalled him before he could.

"And Sam came out nowhere!" Bucky exclaimed, miming a sudden flight dive with his hand. "He took out a whole bunch of bad guys without breaking a sweat. Steve told me it was the coolest thing he's ever seen."

"Steve Rogers thinks Uncle Sam is cool?" Cass asked, all wide eyed. Sam would be offended, but it was less that Cass was in disbelief and more like he wanted to hear Bucky say it again.

"Steve thinks Sam is the coolest!" Bucky assured. "That's why Sam's Captain America and not someone else."

Sam raised an eyebrow that no one was going to see, but he supposed that the simple version was best while Bucky recounted glory days with a bunch of kids. Bucky reached out to catch a girl by the back of the shirt as she worked on climbing to the other side of the table so she could stand on the bench. She struck a dramatic pose and stared off in the distance for a moment.

"I wanna have wings. How do I get wings?" she asked.

"Well first, you have to eat all your vegetables. And you have to make good grades," Bucky explained, tugging her down to sit. "But you also have to be kind and not selfish, right? Gotta behave like Sam does."

"Even to my brother?" she asked with a frown.

"Even to your brother," Bucky agreed with a solemn nod.

When Sam couldn't stand it anymore, he came over to put a hand on Bucky's shoulder and tug him back from the table. "Hey, mythmaker, you're gonna have to help clean at some point. Come on, let's go," he encouraged, pulled Bucky's shoulder until Bucky dramatically flailed backwards.

"I'm not a mythmaker," he argued as he carefully extricated himself from the table. "I don't exaggerate."

"I do not believe you," Sam promised lightly.

Bucky clicked his tongue and then waved at the kids around the table who had quite eagerly taken his spot, clambering over each other even as Sam and Bucky walked away.

"You can never let me have the spotlight," Bucky sighed. When Sam glanced over at him, Bucky already had his eyes on Sam and he was grinning easily.

"I'm really jealous, what can I say?" he jokingly admitted. They walked for another moment, past all the trash they really should be taking care of, before Sam jostled his elbow against Bucky's side. "It's not like they were listening to stories about you anyway," he teased gently.

"Well, just the last one. Or the last two, depending on when you showed up," Bucky defended. It was unconvincing, especially when he snickered to himself anyway. "Your stories are more family friendly."

"You were sounding pretty bragadocious of those stories."

"Oooh, there's a vocabulary word," Bucky laughed. He nudged Sam towards an empty pier and sat down so he could dangle his legs over the edge of it. Sam followed suit and watched the water lap at the old wood. Algae and barnacles clung to the supports and drifted in the repetitive current.

"I'm proud of you," Bucky eventually said, barely audible over the water. The noises of the party were far enough away that Sam could almost believe he was underwater, with the way his head went light with the compliment.

"Thanks, man," he said back just as softly. "You're not doing too bad for yourself either."

Bucky knocked his shoulder into Sam's and then stayed leaning against him as he stared out over the water. Sam let his own head come to rest on Bucky's, tucking his cheek against Bucky's sun warmed hair. The birds called overhead, waiting for their chance to swoop in on discarded food and open trash. Music started up from somewhere near the heart of the party. The water continued to gently keep time with the wind and the current. And Bucky was warm and solid and constant beside him.

Sam was pretty damn proud too.

#sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #captain america #sambucky fanfic #the falcon and the winter soldier #writing #tfatwsanniversaryevent2023

[livingincolorsagain]

somewhere in the haze

(T, 1.8k)

sequel to if we survived the great war

for @sambuckylibrary

It was raining outside still, or maybe again, the lightning momentarily brightening the room, and Sam thought that was what disturbed his sleep, but then the sound of footsteps registered, and his heart skipped, his body jerking in shock. He tried to push off the bed, grab the gun underneath it and investigate, but his body refused to comply, sore and raw as he felt.

The footsteps grew closer, until Sam heard the creak of the bedroom door opening, and the steps stopped and light poured in from the hallway, and it was only then that Sam realized the footsteps were familiar.

“Jesus, sweetheart,” Bucky said, sounding faraway.

read on ao3.

#sambucky #sambucky fic #sam wilson #bucky barnes #a writes sambucky #tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #hurt/comfort

[katatonicimpression]

Make Me Feel Like a Good Man Should

A canon-compliant exploration of Bucky's mental state before the start of TFATWS.

----------------------------

Rating: Teen and Up

Words: 1,187

Ao3 Link

@sambuckylibrary

#sambucky #winterfalcon #tfatws #six months of ghosting sam #TFATWSanniversaryevent2023 #bucky is an ass in this #but in a canon compliant way #Katatonic_State

[concupiscence66]

My submission for the prompt "Best friend's best friend". I am a day late, because the story got out of control as per usual, but I'm excited to be part of the event!

Sam may or may not be feeling jealous that Bucky is leading the Thunderbolts and spending all kinds of time with Sarah.

He is not jealous of Alpine. She deserves all the love.

@sambuckylibrary

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #winterfalcon #sam wilson #bucky barnes #my fic

[thatmexisaurusrex]

This is a what if Bucky and Sam started to low key date and were completely awkward about questions about it. This is also for the @sambuckylibrary's TFATWS Anniversary Event for the prompt "I would be his roommate, but..." Enjoy! 🥰

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #sambucky edit #and they were roommates #roommates to lovers #ignore me i'm being goofy #my edit #the daily bugle presents the scuttlebutt

[sambuckylibrary]

In honor of the 2023 TFATWS Anniversary Event, below is a list of AU SamBucky fic recs for your enjoyment!

you're my river running high (run deep, run wild) by notcaycepollard

M | 9.9k | nwa | shapeshifter AU

The third day after SHIELD falls, Sam finds a crow with a broken wing on his doorstep.

What My Hands And Body Done by Fool_for_love

NR | 10.3k | ccntw | soulmates AU

Bucky had resigned himself to a life without a soulmate. After Steve, he didn’t really want another one. Even though Steve had moved on with Peggy, Bucky didn’t see himself doing the same.

After all, if the damage done by Hydra had been enough to scare off Steve, make their soulmarks fade, how the hell was someone else supposed to accept him? Who would even want to?

The universe seemed to think Sam might want to. Bucky disagreed. He and Sam tolerated each other. Sam was funny, sure, loyal, definitely, attractive, no doubt. But none of that screamed soulmate... right?

Ye Cannae Change The Laws Of Attraction by velvetjinx

E | 3.9k | nwa | star trek AU

There's a lot of friction--in more ways than one--between First Officer Bucky Barnes and Chief Science Officer Sam Wilson of the USS Avenger. But in space, things can change in a heartbeat.

we're awesome, totally genius by napricot

T | 3.9k | nwa | meet-cute, no powers AU

At this point, Sam’s scanning the coffeeshop for an exit strategy from this terrible date; maybe he can trip a customer into spilling coffee on one of them, or pretend like he’s seen a friend, something, anything. His eye lands on the white guy sitting at the table behind Mike, directly in Sam’s line of sight, but not visible to Mike himself. And okay, hello, stranger. He’s gorgeous, and he’s looking up from the stack of papers on his table, right at Sam. Hot Stranger’s thick-lashed blue eyes are wide, and a pen is dangling from his fingers as if the nonsense happening at Sam’s table has shocked him into interrupting his work.

What the fuck, mouths Hot Stranger.

Sam's on a first date that starts weird and only gets weirder. Thankfully, there's a hot bystander who's ready to be a hero and save Sam from the horrors of app-based dating.

A Chance by Siancore

E | 20.8k | ccntw | social media AU

Bucky Barnes is a Fuckboy. He exhibits Fuckboy Behavior. Everyone knows it. Especially his best friend, Steve Rogers. Then, one day, he sees one of Steve's social media post with a gorgeous guy named Sam Wilson. Steve's friend is hot and Bucky's interested, but the dude is still Steve's friend. Can Bucky quit his Fuckboy ways to have chance with Sam? Dad Friend Steve doesn’t think it’s such a good idea that they hook up because he doesn’t think Bucky can or wants to change, and more importantly, Steve doesn’t want to see Sam get hurt. Can Bucky change his ways and prove Steve wrong or is the whole thing a disaster waiting to happen?

Not Like I'm Counting the Days by yammz

E | 13.9k | nwa | civilian!bucky/cap!sam AU

Sam takes a deep breath, then nods, and Bucky feels like he just stumbled upon the combination for a lock that he hadn’t known was there. Sam nods as though he’s making the decision right then and there that this is happening, that they’re actually going to hook up instead of just talking about it. Maybe he is actually making that decision right then. He looks Bucky in the eyes. “Tomorrow, I’m being named Captain America.”

(The one where Bucky starts casually dating Captain America)

Sports AU by funsized-loser

M | 1.1k | baseball AU

Bottom of the 8th inning, runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs; the Avengers have a 1-0 lead over the Hydras

The Valk’bhòid by eden22

E | 20.2k | nwa | medieval AU

Uneasy is the head that wears a crown.

The First Gentleman by glittercake

M | 55.7k | gdv | first gentleman!sam/bodyguard!bucky AU

Sam knew what he was signing up for when he married a senator running for Office. He knew what Riley’s job demanded. He knew the hours, the stress, the milling, and the perpetual buzz. Living his life constantly surrounded by everything, by an entire nation.

But he had always dreamed of a quiet life. A place in the country with the man he loves, acres of greenery and trees, and flowers around them. A long winding road they could drive down on a warm Sunday afternoon. A big old farmhouse with a wraparound porch and a French kitchen. Some horses and a stable, and a little creek covered with a blanket of mist in the mornings.

He gets what he wants in the most horrible of ways.

Any Port in a Storm by swiftrax (wildtrak) for GodsDoggy

E | 9.4k | nwa | abo AU

Sam is the first to admit that he and Bucky have got issues. It would be fine if they could just ignore each others' existence and didn't keep getting paired up on missions... but the universe (and Steve Rogers) isn't going to let them off the hook that easy. Being an Avenger means sucking it up and pretending they can both be professionals to get the job done.

When a mission goes awry in the middle of the ocean, Bucky and Sam are forced to take shelter in a remote lighthouse as a storm rolls in.

Can they survive each other long enough to be rescued, or will their interpersonal friction come to a head...

there's a war inside of me by CapnWinghead

T | 5.5k | nwa | multiverse AU

When a portal drops another version of Bucky Barnes into their universe, Sam's adamant about helping her. Bucky's a lot less welcoming.

The Way Out Is Through by samwontshare (Attaining)

E | 12k | gdv | zombie apocalypse AU

Sam and Bucky's love story in Wakanda is interrupted when Sam contracts a virus that makes him crave human flesh. Bucky will do anything to keep him safe. And fed.

Instead of The Blip, Thanos' minions brought the zombie apocalypse.

more TFATWS anniversary themed fic rec lists to come!

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #sambucky library #sambucky fic recs

[sambuckylibrary]

TFATWS Anniversary Event 2023 Week 1

Pre-TFATWS Week: March 19th-25th

Monday: The Steering Wheel Incident Tuesday: Searching for Bucky Barnes Wednesday: On the Run Together Thursday: In the Soul Stone Friday: Six Months of Ghosting Sam

It's the first week of the TFATWS Anniversary Event 2023! This week's theme is Pre-TFATWS Moments. Here are the badges for each prompt this week:

Click here to read the FAQ and rules about this event.

Have fun and we look forward to your TFATWS Anniversary fics and art!

- The Mods

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #pre tfatws #catws #cacw #endgame #tfatws #tfatws anniversary event #sambucky fanfic #sambucky art #sambucky edit #sambucky moodboard #mod: thatmexisaurusrex

[thatmexisaurusrex]

For the "A Couple of Guys" prompt of the @sambuckylibrary's TFATWS Anniversary Event 2023. Just a little edit for "a couple of guys" vibes. Enjoy! 🥰

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #sambucky edit #just a couple of guys

[thatmexisaurusrex]

The Love and Care of a Beloved Falcon

This is for the @sambuckylibrary's "Redwing" prompt for their TFATWS Anniversary Event. This is a little edit of a Modern AU idea where Sam and Bucky are roommates and Sam is Captain America (but Bucky doesn't know it). When Sam has to go away on a secret mission on short notice and Redwing isn't cleared for the mission, he bribes his roommate to take care of his falcon for a month (not knowing Bucky would have done anything for Sam already - a mutual pining scenario). Enjoy! 🥰

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #sambucky art #sambucky edit #mutual pining #modern au #captain america sam wilson #and they were roommates #redwing #The Love and Care of a Beloved Falcon

[thatmexisaurusrex]

Sources: | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |

This is for the "Plane to Germany" prompt for the @sambuckylibrary's TFATWS Anniversary Event 2023. Enjoy! 🥰

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #sambucky moodboard #plane to germany #moodboard

[thatmexisaurusrex]

| Top Middle Image | Middle Right Image | Bottom Middle Image |

For the "In the Soul Stone" prompt for @sambuckylibrary's TFATWS Anniversary Event 2023. Something about the soul stone gives me a dream-like, ethereal vibe, so I went with images that made me feel that. Something vibrant, yet foggy; dark, yet sharp. Enjoy! 🥰

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #sambucky moodboard #in the soul stone #moodboard

[abarbaricyalp]

For @sambuckylibrary TFATWS Anniversary Event! How late is this fill? Yes. I just couldn't get the idea out of my head.

CW: Grief and related discussions

Sam didn't jump when the door to his suite in Sharon's place opened. He didn't even turn off his phone screen, like a kid being caught up past their bedtime. Or like a superhero whose phone rang in the middle of a delicate mission. He did set the phone aside and turned to find Bucky in the dimness of the room. Despite the thriving nightlife and the pulsing neons of Madripoor outside, the room remained dark without the overhead lights on. One lamp, in the far corner, provided all there was.

Bucky paused halfway between the bed where Sam was sitting and the door he'd just come in. "Do... do you want to be alone?" he asked hesitantly.

Bucky was impossible to figure out. Every time Sam thought he had his temperament down, Bucky hit him with something else. Sam thought he was broody and a loner; Bucky made friends with strangers on the street. Sam thought he was confident and sure; Bucky deferred to Sam's judgement before answering. Sam thought the adrenaline would be coursing through him after running for his life; Bucky showed up in soft athletic shorts with a quiet voice.

Sam gave a quiet, bitter chuckle. "The opposite, actually," he answered. He picked up the phone and waved the lit screen at Bucky. "I wish someone very specific was here."

Bucky came over with padded, but heavy, foot steps and sat beside Sam on his bed. He took the phone and scrolled through the line of texts on it. "Romanov?" he asked in surprise. "Were you two...?"

Sam shook his head and took his phone back. "No. We were just friends. And I really miss her ribbing right now. God, do you know how much shit I'd have to hear if she was around to find out about my phone ringing during that debacle with Selby?"

Bucky offered him a small smile and handed his phone back. "I didn't know her as well as you did. Tell me about it. Tell me what you wanted to tell her."

Sam turned the screen off, then tapped his thumb nail against the black box of it. "I told Fury once--after DC, when Steve and I were getting ready to find you--I told Fury I was more of a soldier than a spy. Nat found out I'd said it--swear it was Steve who ratted me out--and she made it her mission to train me in the ways of spycraft. It was usually silly stuff, things you'd expect out of a children's book, the fun, easy, practical stuff. But I think the first thing she told me was to always leave my phone on silent. As soon as it rang in there, I think I heard a thousand lectures all at once. Man, she probably would've made me take a bunch of laps around the gym for that."

"She made you exercise when you were a bad spy?" Bucky asked in amused confusion.

"Nah, because she woulda been chasing me," Sam corrected with a small laugh. "And then you in that club, when that guy tried to dance with you? God, I just wanted to take a picture and send it to her."

"He was brazen," Bucky agreed.

"It was the first time you really dropped character all night, y’know? The Winter Soldier woulda just pushed him away but you froze and got all wide eyed and old-fashioned."

"I am not old-fashioned," Bucky argued with a roll of his eyes.

"Nat would've agreed with me," Sam said with a total confidence in his voice. He watched his own reflection in the screen of his phone and then sighed. "She'd love all of this. I bet she had Madripoor on her map. I wanted to call and ask her about it when we first heard about it. Steve always called what she did 'intel gathering' but I think half the time she already knew what he was asking about. She was so smart and so sharp." A pang shot through his chest and he squeezed his eyes shut, swallowed away tears in his throat.

Bucky's hand came to rest on Sam's thigh, lower down by his knee. "I'm sorry she's gone," he said softly.

"I wasn't even there to say goodbye," Sam whispered back. "She died for us, to bring us back, because we failed in that fight."

Bucky's fingers tightened on Sam's knee, and then his arm moved around Sam's shoulders instead, pulling him into an awkward half hug. It was made all the more awkward when Sam collapsed against Bucky's side and hid his face in the meat of Bucky's shoulder. The day had been long and exhausting and exciting and terrifying. For so many years, he'd had people to fall back on after days like that. There were jokes and greasy foods and other people who had gone through it too waiting in a crappy motel room.

And now what he had was a fancy but empty room, a partner who didn't trust him, and a gnawing hunger in his stomach for something he was never getting back. The danger persisted in this country and a whole new crop of problems awaited him back home. Legacies and prejudices and desires and expectations, all coming from a thousand places, all pulling him in different directions.

All he wanted was to hear Natasha laugh at him and Bucky for tripping over their own feet on this one. He wanted to know what she'd say about the shield. He wanted her next to him no matter what decision he made. She'd instantly defied the Accords to be next to Steve when Peggy died and Sam could really use that kind of selfless, unconditional support right now.

Bucky curled closer to Sam, using his other arm to brace him upright. "I'm right here," he murmured. "It's going to be okay."

Sam nodded against his shoulder. Maybe that would be enough later. And maybe one day it would be enough to keep going in the future. For tonight, he let himself feel safe with Bucky and let himself miss Natasha with an ache so profound that maybes and optimism weren't cutting it.

And still despite that, an optimistic maybe lingered as Bucky rubbed his back and stayed right there, just like he promised.

#sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #captain america #sambucky fanfic #the falcon and the winter soldier #writing #tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #tfatws

[thatmexisaurusrex]

All-New, All-Different Magazine Sneak Peek!

This fic is for the @sambuckylibrary's "Sports AU" prompt. This also counts as my N3 "Free Space" fill for the @allcapsbingo card. Read the AO3 Version here for the transcript as well and see all the pages I made for this magazine sneak peek as well as the text for it under the read more. Thank you @runzu for the beta and help on graphic design. Enjoy! 🥰

WANT THE TRANSCRIPT? CHECK OUT THE AO3 VERSION!

#tfatwsanniversaryevent2023 #allcapsbingo2023 #sambucky #bucky barnes #sam wilson #sambucky fic #sambucky edit #sports au #getting together #magazine au #my fics #All New All Different Magazine Sneak Peek!