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Sam waited for Bucky anxiously on Zemo's ridiculously nice stools in Zemo’s ridiculously nice house that Sam isn’t even 100 percent sure belonged to Zemo. God knows what Bucky was actually doing, and Sam wasn’t gonna try to find out. Whatever it was, it seemed pretty important. “You’ve been quiet, Sam. Something on your mind?” Zemo questioned from the kitchen, being creepy as always. “You shooting someone is pretty up there, but other than that, I’m good.” Sam said with a shake of his head. Zemo only hummed, which was just as confusing and frustrating as him saying anything. Sam couldn’t even believe he was here, sitting with Zemo, in Zemo’s house. This man went from trying to brainwash Bucky again, split the Avengers apart, and now he owned scented soap. And a fur coat. What the hell was going on?
The doors opened with a small thud, and Sam turned to see Bucky walking into the house. He noticed the way Bucky’s eyes travelled around the room, and the way he mouthed What the hell. Sam bit back a smirk and paid attention to whatever he was about to say.
“Well, the Wakandans are here. They want Zemo.”
Of course they do.
~~~~~~~
“You really think this is the right move?” Bucky muttered to Sam as they walked through cobblestone streets, GRC posters plastered to every brick wall. Sam sighed, shrugging. “I think it’s our only move. Whether we’ll get anything is up in the air.”
Bucky nodded, turning a corner. Zemo was a few feet in front of them, and they figured that was the best course of action given that both of them were getting increasingly frustrated with him. “I just hope the Dora get here sooner rather than later.” Bucky whispered, and a small smile spread across his lips. “I’ll second that.” Sam replied, catching a glimpse inside one of the buildings. Kids who looked between 10 and 17 were learning basic math, spelling, and Sam knew Karli was right. She just wanted a proper life for these kids, some kind of justice for them. Sam knew it now, her fight was right, she just needed guidance. Needed someone to help her understand what she was doing.
~~~~~~
“You still think this is a good idea?” Sam muttered as they left Zemo’s house and into the streets of Riga. “Listen, I didn’t think we’d get here.” Bucky replied, still snappy and on edge from the small confrontation with Zemo. “It’s Zemo, what did you think would happen?” Sam paused, “How many hours did you say we had till the Dora got here?”
“6 hours now.” Bucky answered, his voice hushed to a whisper. Sam nodded, and a familiar voice made both their eyebrows stitch together. “Karli Morgenthau is too dangerous for you guys to be pulling this shit.”
“Ah! How’d you find us now?”
~~~~~~~
“And he’s not my partner? Wow, could you be more petty?” Sam whispered as they followed Zemo and the little girl (Sam doesn’t even want to know why), shaking his head. Bucky rolled his eyes, turning to glance at Sam. “You’re upset about this now? Sideburns just showed up and that’s what you’re concerned about?” Bucky shot back, and Sam had to bite back a laugh.
“Did you just call him Sideburns?”
Bucky was smirking now. Sam had an amused smile on his face, but it left as soon as he caught another glance inside a refugee building. Sam knew she was right. He knew that she was so in the right. But no one could see it. No one could understand her fight. She reminded Sam of himself, or maybe of Sarah. Deep down, she’s scared. Sam knows that. And she has hope. She knows what she’s fighting for, Sam just wished she didn’t have to do it alone.
~~~~~~~~
Bucky rolled his eyes at Walker. It was laughable how he thought he had any power over him and Sam. If they really wanted to, they could both take him in a fight and come out on top. Maybe not easily, but still. Bucky couldn’t help but feel a sense of worry drown him. What Walker said wasn’t far off, Bucky knew Sam could handle Karli, but he couldn’t help worrying, couldn’t help wondering what would happen if he let Sam go do an opp alone and something goes wrong. He doesn’t think he’d let that happen, let an opp go so wrong that Sam doesn’t make it out, but he never really knows.
He watched as Walker paced up and down the narrow room, how he looked more on edged than Bucky. Why Walker couldn’t just shut up and let them do what they had to do, Bucky would never understand. Sam was probably asking the same question about Bucky.
~~~~~~~~
“Do you really want his blood on your hands?” Bucky could feel emotions bubbling out of him. Walker really knew how to hit him, didn’t he? He kept his face neutral, not to let his panic bubble out of him completely. “Listen, I don’t know what you think you can pull here, but you’re wrong.” Bucky’s tone was cold and sharp, watching as Walker raised an eyebrow at him, not buying his front.
“I know what you think of Sam. You care about him, don’t you?” It felt he was dangling Sam’s worth in front of Bucky, like Walker knew too much, and he knew that. Walker was using Bucky’s love for Sam as a weapon, a way to get what he wants. And it was working. Jesus was it working. “If you don’t act fast, it might be too late.”
Bucky sucked in a breath, shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He knew Walker was lying to him. He knew manipulation. But he couldn’t help but think that he might be right. And if he was, Bucky would never forgive himself.
“Don’t lay a finger of harm on Karli or so help me god it will not end well for you.” Bucky warned him, his jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed on Walker. Bucky could tell that girl meant a lot to Sam, and he definitely was not gonna let Walker kill her in cold blood. She deserved a chance, if Sam was anything to go by.
~~~~~~
“I lost her.”
“This place is a maze.”
They were both lost in this confusing building, not knowing what was up or down. “I can’t believe you let him go.” Sam said after a beat of silence. Bucky sighed, shaking his head. “Look, I get it, but it’s not like I wanted to.”
Sam scoffed, shaking his head. He started to walk down the hallway, Bucky on his heels. “How’d he convince you?” Sam asked, his voice laced in mockery. When the older man didn’t respond, Sam stopped walking all together. “How’d he convince you?” Sam repeated, an eyebrow raised in confusion.
Buck sighed, closing his eyes. “He- he kept insinuating that if I didn’t let him interfere, something would happen to- to you.” Bucky mumbled, not meeting Sam’s eye.
“I’m your weakness, aren’t I, Barnes?” Maybe Sam hadn’t forgiven him, maybe Sam could never forgive him, but the way Sam said ‘Barnes’ made Bucky’s heart flutter. He looked up at Sam, bashful as ever, and he caught Sam smiling softly at him. “C’mon, let’s go.” Sam said, and they both took off down the hallways.
~~~~~~~~~
“Sam.”
“I know what you’re gonna say.”
“She threatened your family, Sam, there’s nothing redeemable about that.” Sam knew Bucky was right. She definitely crossed a line. Hell, she crossed a lot of lines already, but this was personal. She knew she’d cut deep and she did.
“I’m not letting you come with me.” Sam muttered, because he knew Bucky would get all ‘Bucky like’ and cause a huge outrage, but he wasn’t gonna drag Bucky into the line of fire. God knows what Karli would do.
“Sam-”
“I’ve fought her before, Buck.” Sam interrupted, frustration seeping into his tone.
“But now it’s different. You’re angry, she’s obviously gotten angrier. I know why you don’t want me to come.” Sam opened his mouth to speak, but Bucky started talking before he could get a word out. “But please, Sam, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Sam sighed. He was not getting out of this one. “Fine.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“Oh my god.” Bucky muttered, staring at Walker towering over a Flagsmasher he had just murdered. A chill was sent up both of Sam and Bucky’s. They locked eyes, the same worry in each other’s eye. This was really not good. This was horrible. In a flash, Walker took off down the path, and neither of them thought twice of sprinting after him.
“I gotta take the shield.” Sam muttered as they turned a corner. “Ya think?” Bucky replied, eyes wide.
Sam couldn’t believe what had happened. This’ll send Karli in a downward spiral. This was the last straw. Well done Walker. That shield, that symbol has always been bloody. The red that runs around the star, the blue, and the white has been flowing through America’s veins for years, but the blood was never Americas, because it was always on America’s hands. Sam wanted to change that. He’s always wanted to change that. Sam wanted to wipe the blood from the foundations and help rebuild. Now he has to.
~~~~~~~
Sam watched as Bucky walked away, watched as his hand moved across the vibranium shield, watched as his hand became coated with blood that wasn’t his, blood that belonged to an innocent kid. An innocent kid who was trying to do what he thought was right was killed by Captain America. That kid could’ve been AJ or Cass. It could’ve been everyone who wanted to do something right. And the symbol of America murdered them in cold blood.
“Sam!” Bucky’s voice could be heard from outside the warehouse, making Sam look up, wiping his tears that had mixed with blood away. He stood up, finding Bucky’s form outside the building, perched on a motorcycle. Oh, god please no.
Sam griped the shield tight in his hand, walking over to the door. As he gets closer, the rumbling of the engine got louder.
“Where did you even get that?” Sam yelled over the engine.
“Rental. Hop on.”
Sam sighed, and gestured to the shield. “My wings are in there, too.” Sam shouted, and Bucky rolled his eyes.
“I already took care of that. That kid, Torres? Yeah, he’s coming to grab your stuff.”
Sam looked at him expectantly, and Bucky sighed. “Just, hop on.” Bucky invited, his eyes almost pleading. Sam sighed this time, shaking his head. He secured the shield onto his wing pack, not wanting to leave without it.
“You said this was a rental? When are you planning to come back to Riga?”
“Alright so I stole it, but whatever, I don’t have all day.” Bucky said impatiently, and Sam walked towards him, settling himself on the motorcycle. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around Bucky’s waist, desperately trying to not make this awkward. He was doing a swell job at it, obviously. As if Bucky could sense Sam’s hesitance, Bucky brought his hand down and squeezed one of Sam’s hand, before speeding off into the city of Riga. As if on instinct, Sam held onto Bucky a bit tighter.
Sam set his chin on Bucky’s shoulder, the violent wind hitting their faces, and for a minute, everything stood still. Everything was okay. The shield on Sam’s back wasn’t a murder weapon. Bucky didn’t break Sam’s heart into 1000 pieces and never bothered to pick them back up. Sam’s hands weren’t soaked in a childs blood. Bucky never lied. Sam never believed those lies.
Maybe everything was fixed. Or at least on the way to being fixed. Maybe they could preten