The @sambuckylibrary will be holding a Valentine's Day week-long event! While the event will start on February 10th and the prompts will end on the 16th, the event will continue to accept entries until February 28th. During that time, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog.
You can post fanfiction, art, fic rec lists, comments, moodboards, podfics, edits, etc. It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckylibrary in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #sbvalentine2025 for reblogs.
If you are posting on AO3, please add it to the SamBucky Valentine's Day Week 2025 Collection.
There are also badges for each fill. For those badges, as well as the FAQ and rules, check the information under “keep reading”.
FAQ
What is this?
It’s a SamBucky week-long event.
Is there any pressure?
No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all thirteen prompts at once. Do however many you please.
Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?
Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all thirteen prompts during the week at once with one piece of art or fic. You can do any number in between.
Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?
Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.
Is it just SamBucky?
Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.
How long will this event run?
It will run from February 10th and run until February 28th.
I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?
There are! The badges will also appear each day of the first week of the event, but here they are just in case:
RULES AND GUIDELINES
What are the guidelines for the bingo?
I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.
For Everyone:
1. Remember to @sambuckylibrary in the post as well as #sbvalentines2025.
2. Please also tag the prompt you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Redwing”, use “#redwing” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).
3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:
a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.
b ) Add it to The SamBucky Valentine's Day Week 2025 Collection (SamBucky_Valentines_Day_Week_2025).
For Artists:
1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.
2. All visual art forms are welcome:
a ) Gifsets, at least 2 gifs.
b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.
c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.
d) Fan video.
e) Graphics edit.
For Authors:
1. At least 500 words.
2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.
3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.
For Podficcers:
1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.
2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.
3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.
For Fic Rec Lists:
1. You must have at least three fics or podfics on the rec list.
2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.
For Commenters:
1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji (“❤️”) to an essay.
2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.
Things to be mindful of when creating:
For Sam
Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).
Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.
In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.
General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.
For Bucky
Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.
For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.
Specific Tags:
Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.
Have fun and we look forward to your Valentine's Day fics!
Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie at the 82nd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on January 05, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/GG2025/Penske Media via Getty Images)
The @sambuckylibrary will be holding a Seasonal Bingo! The event will start on December 1st and run until January 15th. During that time, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog.
You can post fanfiction, art, fic rec lists, comments, moodboards, podfics, edits, etc. It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckylibrary in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #sbseasonalbingo2024 for reblogs.
If you are posting on AO3, please add it to the SamBucky Seasonal Bingo 2024 Collection.
The Bingo Cards are:
There are also badges for each fill. For those badges, as well as the FAQ and rules, check the information under “keep reading”.
FAQ
What is this?
It’s a SamBucky bingo event.
Is there any pressure?
No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on every bingo card. Do however many you please.
Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?
Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all nine prompts on the card at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single bingo card in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.
Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?
Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.
Is it just SamBucky?
Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.
How long will this event run?
It will run from December 1st and run until January 15th.
I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?
There are! Here they are:
1) Family Bingo Badges
2) Romance Bingo Badges
3) Mission Bingo Badges
RULES AND GUIDELINES
What are the guidelines for the bingo?
I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.
For Everyone:
1. Remember to @sambuckylibrary in the post as well as #sbseasonalbingo2024.
2. Please also tag the prompt you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Redwing”, use “#redwing” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).
3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:
a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.
b ) Add it to SamBucky Seasonal Bingo 2024 (SamBucky_Seasonal_Bingo_2024).
For Artists:
1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.
2. All visual art forms are welcome:
a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.
b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.
c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.
d) Fan video.
e) Graphics edit.
For Authors:
1. At least 500 words.
2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.
3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.
For Podficcers:
1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.
2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.
3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.
For Fic Rec Lists:
1. You must have at least three fics or podfics on the rec list.
2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.
For Commenters:
1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji (“❤️”) to an essay.
2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.
Things to be mindful of when creating:
For Sam
Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).
Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.
In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.
General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.
For Bucky
Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.
For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.
Specific Tags:
Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.
Have fun and we look forward to your Seasonal Bingo fics!
The @sambuckylibrary will be holding a Summer Bingo! The event will start on June 1st and run until August 31st. During that time, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog.
You can post fanfiction, art, fic rec lists, comments, moodboards, podfics, edits, etc. It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckylibrary in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #sbsummer2024 for reblogs.
If you are posting on AO3, please add it to the SamBucky Summer Bingo 2024 Collection.
The Bingo Cards are:
There are also badges for each fill. For those badges, as well as the FAQ and rules, check the information under “keep reading”.
FAQ
What is this?
It’s a SamBucky bingo event.
Is there any pressure?
No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on every bingo card. Do however many you please.
Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?
Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all nine prompts on the card at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single bingo card in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.
Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?
Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.
Is it just SamBucky?
Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.
How long will this event run?
It will run from June 1st and run until August 31st.
I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?
There are! Here they are:
1) Vacation Bingo Badges
2) Mission Bingo Badges
3) Loving Bingo Badges
RULES AND GUIDELINES
What are the guidelines for the bingo?
I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.
For Everyone:
1. Remember to @sambuckylibrary in the post as well as #sbsummer2024.
2. Please also tag the prompt you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Redwing”, use “#redwing” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).
3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:
a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.
b ) Add it to SamBucky Summer Bingo 2024 (SamBucky_Summer_Bingo_2024).
For Artists:
1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.
2. All visual art forms are welcome:
a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.
b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.
c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.
d) Fan video.
e) Graphics edit.
For Authors:
1. At least 500 words.
2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.
3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.
For Podficcers:
1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.
2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.
3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.
For Fic Rec Lists:
1. You must have at least three fics or podfics on the rec list.
2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.
For Commenters:
1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji (“❤️”) to an essay.
2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.
Things to be mindful of when creating:
For Sam
Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).
Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.
In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.
General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.
For Bucky
Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.
For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.
Specific Tags:
Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.
Have fun and we look forward to your TFATWS Anniversary fics!
The @sambuckylibrary will be holding a two-prong Valentine's Day bingo event!
This event is not just for the creators, but for the commenters. You may either fill your bingo card by creating for the event, or fill your bingo card by commenting on your favorite SamBucky pieces.
The event will start on February 1st and run until February 29th. During that time, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog as well as any comments you post about.
If you're a creator, can post fanfiction, art, moodboards, podfics, edits, fanfic lists, etc. If you're a commenter, post about the piece you commented on.
It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckylibrary in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #sbvday2024 for reblogs.
If you are posting on AO3, please add it to the SamBucky Valentine's Day Bingo 2024 Collection.
The Bingo Cards are:
FAQ
What is this?
It’s a SamBucky bingo event.
Is there any pressure?
No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on every bingo card. Do however many you please. The only thing we ask is mark your comment fills on a commenter bingo card and mark your creator fills on a creator bingo card.
Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?
Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all nine prompts on the card at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single bingo card in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.
Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?
Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.
Is it just SamBucky?
Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.
How long will this event run?
It will run from February 1st and run until February 29th.
I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?
There are! Here they are:
Bingo Card #1:
Bingo Card #2:
RULES AND GUIDELINES
What are the guidelines for the bingo?
I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.
For Everyone:
1. Remember to @sambuckylibrary in the post as well as #sbvday2024.
2. Please also tag the square you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Mutual Pining”, use “#mutual pining” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).
3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:
a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.
b ) Add it to SamBucky Valentine's Day Bingo 2024 Collection (SamBucky_Valentines_Day_Bingo_2024).
For Artists:
1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.
2. All visual art forms are welcome:
a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.
b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.
c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.
d) Fan video.
e) Graphics edit.
For Authors:
1. At least 500 words.
2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.
3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.
For Podficcers:
1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.
2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.
3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.
For Fic Rec Lists:
1. You must have at least five fics or podfics on the rec list.
2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.
For Commenters:
1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji ("❤️") to an essay.
2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.
Things to be mindful of when creating:
For Sam
Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).
Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.
In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.
General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.
For Bucky
Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.
For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.
Specific Tags:
Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.
Have fun and we look forward to your SamBucky Valentine's Bingo fics!
HIKING | 700w | Mature | nwa | established sambucky; kissing and other stuff; 1 million nicknames.
AN: this will be a little interconnected Tumblr drabble series, but each drabble should read perfectly on its own too. thanks to @sambuckylibrary for organizing this bingo!
God knows Bucky loves him, but sometimes Sam’s got some terrible ideas.
Hiking? Great! Camping? Yeah, fantastic. Sam in a t-shirt two sizes too small, sweating through it? Couldn’t imagine a better view. Bucky couldn’t be more excited about spending some time in the wild outdoors with his best guy this summer, just the two of them in the sunshine, soaking up some vitamin D. That’s the truth, it is.
And look, Captain America’s really fucking great at basically anything. This guy’s got balls the size of Jupiter on him, takes on just about anything with those wings and that shield. But walking ten miles uphill in peak midday heat, Bucky learns, is Cap’s kryptonite.
anyways (I say this as someone who is deeply critical of the united states government, military, unchecked capitalism, police, etc) I am SICK of people treating america as if it has no cultural value or positives so….. I love u 85 million acres (bigger than italy) of national parks. I love u harlem renaissance. I love u groundhogs day. I love u sweet tea and fried chicken and jambalaya. I love u apple cider donuts and maizes on crisp autumn days. I love u 95k miles of coastlines and new england fisherman and hand knitted sweaters. I love u halloween where millions of people dress up and give candy to strangers and carve jack o’lanterns. I love u small talk and small towns and potlucks and bringing over casseroles to your struggling neighbors. I love u cowboys and ranch hands and arizonian cactus. I love u appalachian trail and dirtbikes and divebars. I love u sparklers and fireflies. I love u mark twain and toni morrison and emily dickinson and henry david thoreau. I love u rock n roll i love u bluegrass and hippies i love u jimi hendrix and nirvana and CCR and janis joplin. I love u victorian houses and jonny appleseed and john henry and mothman and bigfoot. I love u foggy days in the pacific northwest and neon signs and roadside attractions. I love u baseball and 1950s diners and soft serve. I love u native american art and pop art and poptarts. I love u blue jeans and barbecues and jazz musicians
I love you electric slide, brooklyn block parties and f*cking nyc DRIP. I love you venice beach. I love you antelope canyon and taghkanic state park. I love you navajo and cheyenne, cherokee and blackfoot nations. I love you new orleans. I love you metropolitan opera house and apollo theater. I love you mlb, nba, wnba and nfl. I love you southern and east coast and cajun accents. I love you chicken and waffles, bacon egg n cheese bagel, and sweet potato fries. I love you juneteenth and governors ball and coachella.
The @sambuckylibrary will be holding a Summer Bingo! The event will start on June 1st and run until August 31st. During that time, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog.
You can post fanfiction, art, moodboards, podfics, edits, etc. It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckylibrary in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #sbsummer2023 for reblogs.
If you are posting on AO3, please add it to the SamBucky Summer Bingo 2023 Collection.
The Bingo Cards are:
There are also badges for each fill. For those badges, as well as the FAQ and rules, check the information under “keep reading”.
Keep reading
FAQ
What is this?
It’s a SamBucky bingo event.
Is there any pressure?
No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on every bingo card. Do however many you please.
Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?
Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all nine prompts on the card at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single bingo card in one fill, that'd be wild but it's okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.
Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?
Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.
Is it just SamBucky?
Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.
How long will this event run?
It will run from June 1st and run until August 31st.
I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?
There are! Here they are:
1) Pride Bingo Badges
2) Beach Bingo Badges
3) Camp Bingo Badges
4) Delacroix Bingo Badges
RULES AND GUIDELINES
What are the guidelines for the bingo?
I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.
For Everyone:
1. Remember to @sambuckylibrary in the post as well as #sbsummer2023.
2. Please also tag the square you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Hiking”, use “#hiking” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).
3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:
a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.
b ) Add it to The SamBucky Summer Bingo 2023 Collection (SamBucky_Summer_Bingo_2023).
For Artists:
1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.
2. All visual art forms are welcome:
a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.
b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.
c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.
d) Fan video.
e) Graphics edit.
For Authors:
1. At least 500 words.
2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.
3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.
For Podficcers:
1. The podfic should at least be 10 minutes long.
2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.
3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.
Things to be mindful of when creating:
For Sam
Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).
Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.
In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.
General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.
For Bucky
Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.
Specific Tags:
Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.
Have fun and we look forward to your TFATWS Anniversary fics!
For the @sambuckylibrary TFATWS Anniversary Event 2023 Sports AU prompt. Sorry, there's no plot here, only vibes 🤷🏽♀️ Rated M
*posted on the right day this time with some minor changes
⚾️ ⚾️ ⚾️ ⚾️ ⚾️
Bottom of the 8th inning, runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs; the Avengers have a 1-0 lead over the Hydras
Sam steps off the bag, removes his cap, and wipes the sweat off with his forearm. If he can get this out, then the Avengers still stand a chance of winning. He replaces his cap with a deep breath and steps back on the bag. The roar of the crowd fades to silence in his head as he focuses on Rollins at the plate. He sets, glances at Sitwell's lead off third, rears back, and lets the ball fly.
Curveball, inside. Ball four. With a smirk, Rollins tosses his bat and heads to first. Bases loaded.
"Shit," mutters Sam as Fury emerges from the visiting dugout and gestures with his left hand to the bullpen. Torres trots up to Sam before Fury, lifts his mask, and claps Sam on the shoulder.
"Good game, man. Barnes'll get us out of this. Your shutout is in good hands." He gives him a reassuring smile as Fury approaches. Sam just nods.
When he arrives, Fury holds out his hand for the ball. Sam drops it in his palm and walks off with his head down, ignoring Fury's "good game, son."
The walk to the dugout does nothing to calm his nerves. He was so close. Needed this game to go well after his last start. He tosses his glove in the corner and watches Barnes take a few warm-up pitches. His eye catches on the tattoo sleeve he has: hyper-realistic dark blue mechanical plates with gold seams, which makes it look like a cybernetic arm.
Rogers comes over and nudges his shoulder. "Don't worry, Sam, Bucky's got this."
They both tense as Rumlow is announced. There's history there. Sam would be lying if he said he didn't want the opportunity to wipe the perpetually smug look off his face by striking him out. He'll have to trust Barnes to get the job done.
Barnes' first pitch is high. 1-0 count. His second pitch is straight down the middle. Rumlow glares as he straightens back up after a huge swing-and-miss. 1-1 count. The next two pitches are both inside. 3-1 count.
"Fuck," hisses Sam. He ceases his pacing in the corner and Rogers shoots him an uneasy look.
Torres calls for a timeout and goes out to the mound. As he jogs back to the plate, he nods at Sam. Sam returns the nod and resumes treading a hole in the floor.
The next pitch is fouled back. 3-2 count. The two pitches after that follow the same path. Still 3-2. Barnes steps off the bag, rolls his shoulders, and catches Sam's eye. Sam just stares back, hoping the message is clear: strike this asshole out.
The eighth pitch of the at-bat is a perfect fastball down the middle. But the crack of the bat leaves Barnes with his head hanging low--doesn't even turn around to watch the ball land in the right field seats. Doesn't need to; he can just listen to the crowd go wild as the Hydras take a 4-1 lead.
Despite the noise, the only sound Sam hears is the ringing in his ears. He races down the steps into the tunnel, stomps into the locker room, and kicks the bench in front of him. He angrily pulls off his jersey and undoes his belt. As he sits to remove his cleats, he glances up at the TV in time to watch Barnes strikeout Ward.
Too little, too late.
Sam grabs his towel and heads to the showers. He lets the warm water wash over him and wash away the disappointment. He knows he's getting older, that his last few starts have been lackluster. That he needs to prove he deserves to be an Avenger, especially with his contract coming to an end. But there's nothing he can do about it right this moment.
As he heads back, he finds Barnes sitting in front of Sam's locker, head in his hands. Rogers is kneeling in front of him, but Sam can't hear what he's saying.
Sam clears his throat and they both snap to attention. Rogers pats Barnes on the shoulder as he stands. "I'll let you two talk," he says, glancing between Sam and Barnes.
When the door shuts behind Rogers, Sam steps in front of Barnes. Barnes reaches for him and pulls him closer by the hips. He rests his forehead against Sam's stomach. Sam runs his fingers through his hair, pulling it out of the low bun he keeps it in during games.
" 'M sorry, Sammy," he mumbles against Sam. "I know you needed today to go well. And you had it handled until you ran into trouble in the end...and like an idiot I just screwed up your ERA."
Sam sighs. "Yeah, it's not ideal."
Barnes looks up at him, brow furrowed. "You're gonna get that contract extension. We're gonna keep playing together, so we can keep playing together." He wiggles his eyebrows and Sam can only laugh.
Sam relishes the feeling of Barnes' fingers tracing the edge of the metal feathers of his tattoo that span his broad back. He silently ponders the fact that they both see themselves as machines at times, though Sam's wings go back to his days as an outfielder. They've both fought hard to be where they are, both professionally and personally, and neither of them want to lose this.
They stare at each other for what feels like hours. Sam's hands on either side of Barnes' neck, running his thumbs along his jaw. Barnes stroking the skin just above the towel wrapped around Sam's hips. He leans forward and places a kiss below Sam's navel. Sam sucks in a sharp breath and clenches his fists in Barnes' hair.
"Don't start something you can't finish, Buck," he warns.
But Barnes just grins with a wicked look in his eyes. "Oh, Sammy, we've got plenty of time. Need to make this up to you--pay for my mistakes."
"Mmhmm. And how exactly are you gonna do that?"
In a flash, Barnes stands and simultaneously lifts Sam off the ground. Sam instinctively wraps his legs around his waist as Barnes carries him back to the showers.
No one even notices their absence in the dugout as the Avengers rally in the top of the 9th and take a 7-4 lead.
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