tysmmmm. of course i was going to do it anyway, but asking did help me decide/realize what flavorrrr cliffhanger would actually work. so. 100/10 recommend using polls as an external brain function
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Riley/Sam Wilson
Characters: Sam Wilson (Marvel), Riley (Captain America movies)
Additional Tags: Love Confessions, Angst, Dreams, Minor Character Death, Unrequited Love
Summary:
What’s more cruel - a nightmare filled with fake monsters and confusion or a dream of a life stolen and the lingering pain of a love never fully realized?
Hi, Sam squad! ♥︎ We're back again for Samtember 2026!!!
As always, the event will run from September 1st to September 30th, with a prompt for each day. You can find the rules and guidelines below the cut. If you have any questions, feel free to drop us an ask or leave a comment below!
See you in September! ✮
✪ THIS IS A NO-PRESSURE EVENT!
Do one prompt, do ten prompts or do all thirty if you're super fired up. We're just happy to have you celebrating Sam with us. You can also combine multiple prompts into one work, and mix and match them as you want.
✪ ALL KINDS OF FANWORKS ARE WELCOME!
Fanfic, gifsets, moodboards, fan art, fan videos, graphics, edits. If it's celebrating Sam, we'll take it.
✪ DON'T FORGET TO TAG US!
Tag samsseptember and/or use #samtember2026 so we can find and reblog your work.
✪ ALSO TAG THE DAY(S) OR PROMPT(S) YOU'RE FILLING.
For example, if you're doing the Day 5 prompt, "Mentor," you can use #day5 or #mentor.
⊹ POSTING TO AO3?
Please include which prompt you’re filling in your notes.
We'd also love it if you'd add your work to our Samtember 2026 collection! You can find it here.
⊹ A FEW IMPORTANT THINGS TO BE MINDFUL OF:
✪ KEEP YOUR WORK SAM-CENTRIC
Please avoid framing Sam solely as a caretaker or emotional support for other characters.
We also encourage avoiding AO3 tags like "Sam Wilson Is a Gift" or "Sam Wilson Is a Saint," as they reinforce this harmful trope.
While ships and dynamics including other characters are absolutely welcome, this is a Sam Wilson event, and he should remain the focus of your work.
✪ NO RACISM OR BIGOTRY WILL BE TOLERATED
Please be thoughtful about how race shapes Sam's experiences and his interactions with other characters, law enforcement, and the government in his role as Captain America.
Avoid writing Sam in ways that rely on harmful racist stereotypes, including the "angry/sassy Black man" trope.
If you're creating fan art, please avoid whitewashing Sam's skin or depicting him with exaggerated features that reinforce harmful stereotypes about Black men.
We want Samtember to be a welcoming, respectful, and joyful space to celebrate Sam Wilson together. ♥︎
WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE EVERYTHING YOU CREATE. HAPPY SAMTEMBER!✮
blakekathryn
theartofmadeline
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
