Chapter 2
Once I was told that all men get what they deserve, who the hell then threw this curve?
There are no answers
But who would I be if you had not been my friend?
Sam's suit is a dark navy, it reminds him of Steve through and through. He felt like he was going to throw up as he watched some of the Jabari tribesmen carry the Captain's body out of Bucky's house. T'challa had said the Wakandan citizens wanted to send him off with a quick ceremony before the funeral in New York. He stood at Bucky's side as they watched, too tired to squeeze out any more tears.
"We make quite the pair huh?" Bucky says as they're boarding the jet with the royal family and Steve's casket. He gestures to his deep maroon suit and then Sam's suit, he'd insisted during the planning that Steve wouldn't have wanted everyone in all black, he was an artist and they should honor that. "Let's hope Tony shows up in white." He jokes, but the laugh he chokes out doesn't quite reach his eyes.
Sam takes his flesh hand and squeezes and doesn't let go until he has to.
"Captain Rogers, Captain America, Steve- whatever you called him he always answered. A man so good, just being in the vicinity of him made you want to be better than you are. He made me a better man, I know that for sure. " Clint has to stop to clear his throat and take a breath before continuing. When he finished, Bucky pulled him into a hug with a watery smile and a whispered thank you.
They took turns, all the Avengers old and new, to share memories of Steve, to say thank you to him, to say goodbye. Tony took the podium last before Bucky.
"Steve Rogers, what do I say about the guy? A man I'd been hearing stories of since I was a kid, a man I felt I never could live up to. Clint's right you know, he made you want to be better. Steve is...was..one of my best friends, I wouldn't be here without him, I wouldn't be the man that I am today without him and I'll spend the rest of my life trying to be a good a man as he was." Tony stops, swallowing thickly and taking a shaky breath as he continues. "We had our differences just like every one does, we fought tooth and nail but Steve never..he was never mad at me, just disappointed. Always stood his ground but also always knew when to apologize. He really was the best of us and I'm- I'm gonna miss you buddy...."
Sam gives Bucky a gentle squeeze to the back of the neck, encouraging, grounding. It's what gives him the strength to make it to the podium. He looks out at the gathering of people, not very large but full of important faces.
"Steve was more than a best friend to me, he was my brother in arms and in life. Attached at the hip since we were kids, his ma used to say that we were two halves of one whole..one whole idiot." Bucky huffs with a small smile, and the chuckles from everyone give him the courage to keep going. "I'd follow Stevie anywhere, I did. From Brooklyn to Germany to the future. Seems like we were just intertwined always, destined to be at each other's sides, to have each other's back. He...he may be gone now but I'm never not gonna have him. Steve lives through me, through everyone who has a story about him, every one of you sitting here, every person who has the courage to stand up against what they know is wrong. Steve Rogers wasn't a perfect soldier, but a good man. I love you Stevie, till the end of the line."
Sam is cackling at the story, of Steve tripping over Thor's hammer in battle, that the god is telling him and Carol. He's abandoned his plate of food on the patio table, too busy socializing to eat, too busy trying to soak up every story of Steve he can get out of whoever is near him. The person he really wants to talk to, the man who holds the most stories is skipping stones with Clint and his kids and Peter Parker. Bucky had been pretty quiet since his eulogy, letting himself be hugged and coddled by everyone before going off to take a breather near the lake. Sam had been keeping an eye on him just in case the soldier got overwhelmed and needed an anchor.
"Hey Barnes, Tony didn't wear white and I'm kinda bummed." Sam says as he walks up to Bucky's side sometime later. He rests his hand on the soldier's bicep and squeezes. "You did great earlier, I'm proud of you, I know it was hard."
Bucky nods and it takes him a moment to find his voice. "It wasn't too short? I wanted to say more I just- I didn't think I could do it. Besides there's too many stories of Steve, we'd be here all night." He snorts softly, metal hand coming up to cover Sam's hand on his arm.
"Hey, I've got all night if you wanna keep talking." Sam chuckles although it's a little shaky.
They're stuck bunking together in one of Tony's guest rooms, none of the team really wanted to leave. The bed is big enough that they don't mind sharing, and it's not like they're going to sleep much anyways.
"Wait, wait, wait. You expect me to believe that you and Steve infiltrated a Nazi base in France by dressing up as girls and flirting your way in? No, no you're fucking with me!" Sam said, shaking his head and laughing.
Bucky is still laughing from Sam's initial reaction face as he continues. "No I swear! We're outta options and holed up in some half bombed brothel so Steve starts digging around and finds some make up and frilly dresses and shit. And so Stevie, you know him and his art skills, he says that if he can draw a dame with makeup what's the difference in putting it on? So me and Morita are wiggling into these dresses, Dum Dum's cryin' about shaving his mustache so Cap puts him on look out duty instead. We get all dolled up and smile a little and boom we're in the base! Rest of the commandos come in when we got the lay of the land and Carter nearly dies from laughter when we get back and file our report!" He's laughing harder now, remembering Peggy's face when they walked in.
Sam is laughing too, falling forward and knocking his head against Bucky's chest. His laughing fit turns to coughing and the soldier is patting his back soothingly before he sits back up. "Tell me another story Bucky, please."