An awkward conversation
"Mom! Uncle Sam and Uncle Bucky are on TV," Cass shouted. Sarah, full of fear, hurried downstairs to see what was going on. His heart was in his throat, thinking there was a new threat his brother and Bucky had to face. She believed that once again those two idiots were risking their lives in exchange for saving the world. Perhaps because of those thoughts it took him a second to understand what he was seeing. They weren't fighting, there was no danger, there was nothing to worry about. They were fine, they were sure, hell they were on the ride of pride, on a float, it was something unexpected, but he relieved her and a laugh came from her lips. And suddenly... Were they kissing? Sarah's mouth opened in surprise. Not because he missed the kiss, he knew that sooner or later it would come, the way they looked at each other and acted close to each other left no doubt, but he had never thought that he would see them on TV kissing when he didn't even know they were together.
"Mom, does this mean that Uncle Sam and Uncle Bucky are boyfriends?"
"I don't know, AJ, I hope so," Sarah replied happily.
When all the pride stuff was over a while ago, the woman took her phone out of her pocket and made a video call to Sam as she sat between her two children on the couch, making sure the 3 were in the frame. Soon she saw his brother and Bucky on the screen, they had barely finished the greetings when the children decided to get to the point.
"Are you boyfriends?" AJ asked.
"Are you getting married?" Cass said at about the same time. Sarah would have loved to have recorded that moment, the faces of the two men were a poem and she had to hold back her laughter.
"You've seen the kiss," Sam said finally and smiled in amusement as the 3 nodded. He and Bucky exchange a glance briefly before the man with the blue eyes says
Sam's smile wavered on his lips at his friend's words, he had to struggle to smile broadly again and ignore the sinking in his stomach, he knew that the chances of his feelings being reciprocated were practically nil, however, in his fanciful head, He had believed that maybe it was possible. He had seemed to see hints that maybe Bucky felt the same way and then there was the kiss, after the kiss his hopes had risen to 1000, but now he had none left.
It was difficult to keep the role and act normal, but he believes he got it. In fact, he did quite well, except that Sarah noticed how his smile was dwarfed and replaced by another one, just as she noticed how Bucky looked away when Sam continued with what he had said.
"Yes, guys, we thought it would help people see that they were free to love whoever they want, but it hasn't meant anything.—Sam swallows when saying these last words, nothing was ever so false and so true at the same time. That kiss hasn't meant anything to Bucky, but it's been a world to him.
Sarah rolls her eyes, she doesn't know who is more disappointed if her children or that pair of idiots so immersed in their own world that they are unable to realize that they have what they so desire at their fingertips.
"Well, but that doesn't mean you didn't enjoy it, you looked pretty good with the kiss," Sarah commented, determined not to miss the opportunity, which made Sam throw a murderous look across the screen that his sister didn't notice, or if she did, she just decided ignore it
"Did you like it?" AJ asked with amusement. With family as it is Sam did not need enemies, however, he was surprised by Bucky answering a shy and serious "Yes", he looked at him astonished, but the other is not looking at him.
"It's been fine," Sam agreed, and this time Bucky looks at him and Sam does too, but they're interrupted by Cass' excited voice.
"Then you can be boyfriends!"
"I don't think so," Bucky replied. These words made the atmosphere tinged with a kind of sadness or disappointment or maybe it was just Sam's perception of how he felt, but he tried to put that aside because he noticed, for the first time, how uncomfortable his friend was.
"Cass, a good kiss is not enough for two people to be boyfriends," he tried to explain to his nephew, but he felt that he had only burdened the atmosphere more.
"It helps a lot, though," Sarah interjected.
"Yes, it does. But you'll have time to understand all these things when you're older," Sam told his little nephew, making him frown a little sulking, he didn't like it when adults treated him like that, he wasn't a baby anymore.
"Hey, guys," said Bucky trying to divert the attention of the children and lighten the atmosphere "I've seen that a new video game of the saga that you like is going to come out, what is it going to be this time?
The children began to talk about the video game excitedly and Sam looked gratefully at Bucky who, at that moment, had all his attention directed to the two boys. Captain America 6 and his sister exchanged a glance and smiled, but afterwards they just listened. When the conversation ended, Sarah sent the children to pick up their room.
"It's been nice, to see you in the news for something good this time," he confessed, trying not to let there be any reproach in his voice.
"Yes," Sam agreed, "I guess it's a change from the previous times.
"I could get used to it.
"I don't think Bucky and I could do it," Sam laughed.
"I hate to be in the news for whatever reason," Bucky agreed.
"I know," Sarah said, "but since it's going to happen then...
Bucky groaned and Sam decided to intervene.
"Thank you for calling Sarah, even if it was only for gossip.
"Can you blame me?"
Sam thought about it briefly.
"No, the truth is that I don't.
They said goodbye and Sam turned to Bucky.
"I'm sorry for that.
"Don't worry, Sam, your family is lovely.
"I know, but it's been awkward, although I think my family is going to be the least of the problems," Sam commented worriedly, getting a slight shrug from Bucky.
"We knew what we were exposing ourselves to, but you said it was important, that we are an example," Sam nodded. Bucky looked into the distance and then looked back at his friend—do you regret it? —he asked with an expression difficult to decipher.
"No," Sam replied truthfully, "Not at all, what about you?"
"Not either.
Sam's stomach butterflies decided that this was a good time to flutter and he had to remind himself that even if he didn't regret it, it wasn't what Bucky wanted and that kiss wouldn't have existed if there hadn't been a great cause behind it.