The note glares up at Sam–inky black letters on yellow cardstock.
Mr. and Mrs. Rogers,
Y/N Y/L/N has had Sam Wilson erased from her memory. Please, never mention their relationship to her again.
Thank you.
Sam glares at Steve.
“Seriously?” he hisses. “How could you let her do this?”
A laugh flies out of Steve. “Let her? You have met her right?” Steve shakes his head. “Nobody let her do anything.”
Sam rolls his eyes, heart sinking more every second. “Still.” Sam gestures wildly, searching for words. “Someone should have stopped her.”
“Right. That would have gone so well.”
Sam sinks into the chair across from Steve, sighs. “What am I supposed to do now?”
Steve leans over, puts a hand on Sam’s knee. There’s a sympathetic smile on his face. “You just...you try to move on, get over her.”
Sam is sure Steve can hear the way his heart cracks. “I don’t think I can.”
x
It's not so much of a jump, really, for Sam to show up on Lacuna’s front step. If the name on the bottom of Steve’s letter had burned into his mind, who could blame him?
He pulls open the door, steps inside of the air-conditioned office.
The receptionist gives him a kind smile. “How can I help you?”
“I have an appointment with Dr. Stark.”
She types something into the computer, looks back at him. “It’ll be just a few minutes.”
Sam nods, takes a seat. It's no time at all before someone calls out his name and leads him down a hallway.
x
“Mr. Wilson, I do remember Y/N. She was...” He trails off, shakes his head. “She was extremely unhappy.”
“That doesn’t mean you just...erase a part of her life.”
He purses his lips. “That’s my job. People are downtrodden-miserable when they come to me. I help.”
Sam nods, licks his lips. “The procedure...it doesn’t erase anything else?”
“Only what we want it to.”
Sam sighs, tears pricking his eyes. “I want it.”
Dr. Stark picks up his phone, presses the record button. “Start talking whenever you’re ready, Mr. Wilson.”
x
Sam leaves Lacuna with a pill and a plan. He should feel lighter-should feel like something good is about to happen, but his chest just feels heavy.
x
The rest of his day passes in a blur, and before long, he’s popping the pill and going to sleep-completely terrified.
x
Your apartment door opens and your seething face is all Sam can focus on.
He feels himself bristling in response already.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” Sam starts. “I got held up-”
“Yeah, yeah.” You sigh. “Why don’t you go find someone else to save? I don’t want you here.”
“Baby, why don’t you just let me in?”
“It was our anniversary, and all I wanted was for you to come home.” Your eyes narrow. “I didn’t care what time it was as long as I got to see you before midnight.”
“I’m here now,” Sam tries. “We can spend the night however-"
“I want to spend the night alone.” You spit, venom in your words.
Sam sighs, shoulders sagging.
He's too tired for this.
His eyes fall to the ground.
“Leave!” You yell.
Sam’s head whips up, looks you dead in the eyes.
“You’re serious.”
“Yes, I’m serious.”
Sam cocks his head. “You know, next time I’ll just tell them I can’t help, my girlfriend is too selfish to understand that sometimes things are more important than arbitrary dates!”
You chuckle, a humorless thing. “Arbitrary dates, huh?” You shake your head, rage rolling off of you in waves. “If our relationship is so arbitrary to you, why don’t we just give it up?”
Sam goes still, chill running down his spine. “What?”
You shrug. “You heard me.”
“You don’t mean that.” Sam shakes his head, tries to move closer to you.
You back up, out of his reach. “I do mean that.”
Before Sam can get another word in, your door is slamming in his face.
He pounds a fist against it. “You’re really gonna act like we’re done? Just like that?”
Silence.
“Y/N...darlin’...” Sam sighs, forehead hitting the door. “Please, don’t do this.”
Sam gets no response. Deciding to try again tomorrow, he turns and makes his way out of your building.
Then, the scene shifts, floor falling out from under Sam. It shocks him at first, his first instinct is to fight back-thinks New York must be under attack again, until his day hits him like a ton of bricks.
Before he can process it, a new scene forms-the inside of your apartment this time.
It's almost like he’s watching himself, going through the motions of how this memory goes.
“You think I can just give it up? Tell ‘em I don’t want to be Captain America anymore?” Sam glares at you. “That’s not how it works! You saw what we got last time!”
“That’s not what I’m saying! Fuck!”
“Yeah?” Sam scoffs. “What’re you saying then?”
You’re quieter when you speak again. “It scares me.”
Sam softens, unable to hold onto his anger. “I know,” he murmurs. With a few steps, he’s in front of you, reaching out to wrap you in his arms. He presses a kiss to the side of your head. “It’s okay.” He runs calming fingers up and down your back. “But I’m here right now. We’re together now. Let’s enjoy it, hm?”
He feels you nod against him. “Okay.”
Then, the scene fades, going hazy until it’s all gone.
Sam can see Louisiana forming around him-his parents’ boat, his sister’s house, you sitting on the dock.
The sun is shining on you perfectly, makes you look like a mirage. Your feet are in the water, legs kicking occasionally.
You're honey sweet, Sam is sure. If he kissed you, his lips would come away sugar coated.
God, does he want to kiss you.
He walks over, toes off his shoes and rolls up the legs of his pants before sitting next to you.
Your thighs touch.
“Hi,” Sam says.
You smile. “Hi.”
“Whatcha doing out here?”
You look out onto the water, easy smile forming. You shrug. “Enjoying it. What about you?”
He makes himself speak, interrupts the memory. “Y/N, something is wrong. We- we broke up, and you had me...erased.”
You squint, chuckle at him. “What are you talking about?”
“This place-Lacuna, they just they got rid of me,” Sam babbles. “And I had them get rid of you too! And now...” Sam trails off, shakes his head. “Now we can’t stop it.”
You stare at him. Sam can practically see the wheels turning in your mind.
“I guess we’d better take advantage of this then, huh?”
You smile, seemingly unbothered, and take Sam’s hand.
He can’t understand it-the way you aren’t frantic. He's practically shaking with it, the need to save the two of you.
He can’t believe he agreed to this.
You pull him to his feet, wrap your arms around his neck. His come to your waist, naturally. You put your hand on his cheek.
Sam can’t not lean into the touch.
“Get out of your head,” you murmur. “I’m sorry I started this, but the way I see it we have two choices.”
The two of you start to spin around, dancing with no music playing, toes against the rough wood of the dock.
“Which are?”
“Worry about it, try to stop it, or spend this time together, if only in your memories.”
Sam leans in-can't help it. Your mouths move together and Sam tries to imprint it on his brain, tries to hold onto it.
He wants to wake up tomorrow and still have this.
You pull away far too soon, murmur against his mouth, “Remember me. Try your best.”
The trees begin to fade.
“Meet me here.” You smile. “Maybe we can try again.”
You press one last kiss to his lips. “Bye, Sam.”
x
Sam walks down the dock, breeze blowing past him. Sitting at the end, there’s a gorgeous woman. He sits down next to her, shoulders touching.
“Hi.”
You smile, prettier than Sam could have imagined. “Hi.”
“I’m Sam.”
“Y/N.”
Sam grins, “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.”