Chapter Text
“You shouldn't have given up the damn shield in the first place, Sam!” Bucky yelled, his voice booming through their shared house.
“Why are you still on about this shit? I have it now! Calm the fuck down!” Sam yelled right back, heart pounding and cheeks flushed in anger.
“I get it, you miss Steve, hate him for all i give a shit cuz god knows i do! He left me to take care of you!” He shot. Bucky faltered for a second before huffing and grimacing.
“Fuck you Sam. I'm not some- some charity project!” Bucky's face was red as he yelled, growling as he walked away and slammed the door shut behind him.
Sam groaned and dug the palms of his rough hands into his eyes. He didnt mean for Bucky to think that. Bucky wasn't a charity project, some random guy that Steve left him to ‘deal with’. Sam genuinely saw Bucky as a friend. It had nothing to do with Steve.
He sighed and got out his old wings, making sure they were funcional as he slipped the harness over his shoulders. Putting on the whole Captain America suit was too flashy and too annoying, the old ones would do. Him and Torres had fixed em up after a certain John Walker tore the wings off in a fit of rage.
Sam made sure everything was fastened tightly and things were working okay before walking outside and taking off. It felt nice to be in the air, he felt weightless and free. He may have used the gear while in the military and while fighting, but using it on his off time now that he had the wings for himself was nice. Being in the air, doing routine flips or spins, was relaxing. It let his mind clear and refocus.
Before he could even register what was happening he was falling, one of the wings retracted back into the suit sending him spinning and headed towards the ground. Trying to get a grip on where he was, he felt the tiniest bit of hope seeing a pool under him. His heart and head pounded and regrets wiped through his mind. It was just like Riley, his heart hurt realizing the fear his boyfriend had right before he died.
--
Bucky had sat outside and watched Sam’s figure in the sky, sighing occasionally. He wasn't happy with himself, he knew he pissed Sam off again. He didn't mean to, he knew it was fine now. Sam had the shield, he was captain america and the past shouldnt have mattered. He didn't know what got into him. Maybe it was what Dr. Reynor mentioned he has? Bipolar? He thought to himself. He could work on that, explain it to Sam when he got the courage.
As his thoughts strayed back to Sam as he looked up to where he thought Sam would be, his heart stopping when he saw the small shadowed figure
falling
. He jumped up and started running, yelling a ‘shit!” as he did so, panic rising inside of him. As he ran he called 911, explaining as quickly as possible what was happening and that he needed an ambulance as fast as they could get there. They tried to get him to calm down, ask his name, ect. But the moment they heard his name, ‘Bucky Barnes’, they shut up and did what they were told. Ambulance as fast as possible.
--
Sam’s vision went black when he hit the water, the impact not lethal, but definitely painful. He was in the water, his body's natural instincts failing as he couldn't swim to the top. He’d drown if someone didn't save him, he was drowning.
Bucky huffed and gasped for breath before diving into the pool. Thank god for super soldier speed, able to get there less than a minute after Sam hit the water. He hooked his arms under the unconscious mans, pulling him to the surface. It was terrifyingly nostalgic when he pulled Steve from the water. But Sam didn't have the serum, he wouldn't come out of it unscathed. He got Sam out of the water and quickly started CPR, hearing the sirens in the distance.
“God damn it Sam, c’mon…” He muttered, tears in his eyes from the stressful panic of Sam's body underneath his pulsing arms. He sighed in relief as Sam choked, water spilling out of his mouth as his chest rose and fell every so slightly. He groaned as he came to, one fist clenching in pain.
Paramedics pushed Bucky away before he could say anything, tending to Sam's needs. His ears were ringing, watching his friend in such a terrifying situation. They put a neck brace on him, braces on his arms and legs that were surely injured, and made sure he wasn't hurt anywhere else.
Bucky flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder, looking down to see a woman, one of the EMT’s, smiling sadly towards him. “Are you coming in the ambulance or not?” She offered.
“Uh- Yeah- thanks.” He sighed and stepped into the large truck, sitting on the bench next to the stretcher Sam was on. His leg bounced, arms crossed as he watched them work on Sam. He didn't have his jacket on, metal arm on full display, and it unsettled him at how the one paramedic was looking at him. He’d have to go in the hospital without a jacket, deal with the scared stares. But none of that mattered to him, Sam was the only thing that mattered. His Cap.