#sambucky meta

[samuelwilsonbarnes]

as much as I'm a "they were openly in love here" *points to literally any frame of Sam and Bucky on screen together* truther, willfully oblivious but not ignorant Sam is something that can be sooo personal. I get why Bucky gets that look sometimes cuz I would be pressed too if I was in love w Sam Wilson, a man simply too cool to catch my very unsubtle hints. Bucky was just like hey so I'm not a big fan of personal space but only when it comes to you okay. and I'm saying I hate you but I would follow you blindly. and I'm going to. and Sam was like okay <3 I could read into that but I wont bc you're already so goddamn weird <3

Sam tells Walker you get used to Bucky's staring. Thing is the type of stares that Sam get and the stares that Everybody Else get are two different things, but how would Sam know that? When Bucky's staring at anyone else, Sam's putting up a united front, committed to the bit. But when Bucky's staring at him, Sam's busy staring back, or busier saving the world.

Bucky straight up calls them partners mid banter and Sam doesn't miss a beat. I would throw my hat on the ground and jump on it.

tldr potential only reason they didn't kiss on screen in tfatws was because Sam had enough on his plate and was locked tf in to the tasks at hand

[siancore]

Obsessing over the sartorial themes in TFATWS. Thinking about Bucky’s outfit, him showing up to Sam’s workplace without wearing said outfit, and then wearing it for the first time on the mission with Sam (like he was saving it to wear in front of Sam). Know how I know it’s the first time Bucky wore that outfit? Well, it still had the left sleeve on the jacket.

Remember this?

Bucky cut the sleeve from that jacket in CACW. He doesn’t like having a sleeve over the arm when he’s in action, as we’ve seen before:

Can safely assume he asked for the sleeve to be left off his Infinity War outfit and has no problem giving input into what he likes.

Safe to say Zemo probably pulled this outfit out of his ass without Bucky having a say in it:

What I’m getting at is this outfit with the sleeve still intact means a couple of things:

1. It was Bucky’s first time wearing it.

2. Sam probably had it made and set aside for Bucky.

Why would Sam do that? Well, the jacket is leather. Bucky doesn’t need much more protection than leather. Likes it even. The colour is similar to what he chose for himself in Wakanda. Sam knows Bucky likes to gear up before a fight. And maybe he held onto it the hopes that if Bucky came to him wanting to join in him the same line of work, then they could get right down to business. It would also explain why Bucky had the Cap outfit custom made for Sam later in the series (as a way to repay his thoughtfulness).

The shipper shit that’s keeping me up at night is this: If Sam had the jacket made for Bucky, he had it made with an interesting sartorial choice i.e. the small highlights of red that matches the red in Sam’s Falcon outfit that draws the eye and makes us unconsciously associate them as a team or partners:

The colour-matching was overt with Walker and Lemar:

But with Sam and Bucky, it was subtle. You’d miss it if you weren’t looking and it was only really evident when they’re standing side by side:

Now, the shipper in me doesn’t know whether or not I like this conjecture better than the other thought that’s keeping me up: Bucky had the outfit made for himself and got the highlight of red to match Sam’s outfit all of his own accord. Why did he get it made with the sleeve still in place? Well, it’s obvious: He wanted to do some Hot Girl Shit and tear it off in front of Sam 😂

[staying-elive]

I so wish Figaro had been in TFATWS. Would've been so easy even if Hollywood doesn't like working with animals.

I can imagine it though.

Figaro chilling in the kitchen as Sam and Sarah talk...

Sam could've given him a cute little boop or a little forehead kissy kiss like he does to the boat. 🥹

Speaking of the boat, Figaro could've been chilling in the background while Sam worked by himself...

*bonus points if he gets another little kiss boop after Sam kisses the engine. (He's so cute 🥹😭)

(I'm just imagining him sleeping on that shelf in front of the window)

Figaro chilling while watching Sam and Bucky work...

(This would be his audition process for future fellow Cat Dad Bucky 😆)

Bucky waking up and Figaro's just chilling on top of him...

('Congratulations, human, you've made it through to the next stage.')

Basically, Figaro would be all of us! 🥰🥰🥰

Also, sets up nicely Bucky going... "Yeah, I want one of these too. This is nice." (Enter Alpine!)

Seriously though, from a more meta angle, Sam being a cat dad would've been a subtle hint to him not being the extrovert open book many people mistake him for. He doesn't open up easily until the time and effort is taken for him to trust someone. Plus I've always headcanoned that Sam adopted Figaro after he left the air force and Riley died. Like he became a support animal that helped Sam get up in the morning and take care of himself because he had a little buddy to also take care of.

Because I also imagine Figaro chilling in the background of Sam's CAWS home...

(Of course Nat would trust Sam right away. He's a Cat Dad! 😁)

And then during Endgame, Nat could've had Figaro with her! (Maybe Sam's neighbour who'd looked after him after Sam was a fugitive also got blipped and Figaro was sent to the Avengers Compound...)

Especially since this scene between Nat and Steve reflects on the people they've lost. i.e. SAM! The missing third person of their fugitive trio 😭😭

Basically what I'm saying is... I want more Figaro! Everywhere. He represents love and grief but also healing.

Love is stored in the Cat. Thank you.

[trickster-archangel]

Adding @nevermindirah tags because they absolutely complete this meta and character analysis:

Redemption and Understanding: The Apology That Defined Sam and Bucky's Journey

One of the most significant moments in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is Bucky’s apology to Sam in Episode 5, a scene that is deeply rooted in the show’s exploration of legacy, race, and understanding. To fully grasp the weight of this moment, it’s important to consider the context and backstory leading up to it.

Early in the show, Bucky introduces Sam to Isaiah Bradley, a Black super soldier whose story is a tragic mirror of Steve Rogers’—but with a devastating twist. Isaiah was a soldier and a good man, just like Steve, but was unwillingly subjected to human testings of the Super Soldier Serum. But instead of being celebrated as a hero, Isaiah was imprisoned and experimented on for 30 years simply because he was Black. His existence was erased, with Isaiah only gaining freedom because he faked his own death. By showing Sam Isaiah’s story, Bucky unintentionally highlighted the harsh reality of how America treated a Black man who dared to embody the ideals of Captain America.

However, despite introducing Isaiah’s story, Bucky failed to connect the dots. He didn’t grasp why Sam felt the weight of taking up the shield or why he chose to give it up. That lack of understanding led Bucky to push blame onto Sam throughout the series. Bucky constantly insisted that everything happening with the shield was Sam’s fault—John Walker getting the shield, parading it as Captain America, and even Walker brutally killing a man and staining the shield with blood. Sam wasn’t fully convinced that he was to blame, but Bucky’s relentless accusations—paired with Sam’s own internal conflict—caused doubt to creep in. Bucky’s refusal to listen to Sam and acknowledge the complexities of his decision was not just frustrating; it was cruel.

This is why Bucky’s apology in Episode 5 is so important. When Bucky says, “Whatever happened with Walker, it wasn’t your fault,” it’s more than just an apology. It’s an admission of his own ignorance. For the first time, Bucky acknowledges that he didn’t understand the implications of a Black man becoming Captain America. He recognizes that his anger and frustration blinded him to Sam’s perspective, and he apologizes not only for blaming Sam but also for failing to support him.

This apology is critical to Sam’s journey of accepting the shield. It shifts the narrative away from blame and toward understanding. It validates Sam’s experience and shows that even Bucky—a man who knew the shield better than anyone else—needed to learn and grow. This moment isn’t just about clearing the air between them; it’s about giving Sam the space to embrace the legacy of Captain America on his own terms.

The scene’s significance lies in how it reframes Sam’s journey. It underscores the importance of empathy, of listening to perspectives beyond our own, and of recognizing the weight of systemic inequality. Bucky’s apology is a turning point—not just for their relationship but for Sam’s eventual acceptance of the shield. It’s a moment that deserves more recognition for its role in the show’s narrative and its message about understanding and accountability.

[logicheartsoul]

if you like it, maybe you should put a pin on it

Based on this post where Bucky finds Sam's board that's filled with pictures of Bucky with strings pushed into it when he was trying to find him back in 2014-2016 and Bucky puts post it notes grading him if he was correct or not. People in the tags commented about this spinning off to a proposal and this was born.

This is my first finished fic in years so, I may be rusty. I hope y'all enjoy!

One day, Sam looks over at the board again— amongst all the chaos and dangling string and pinned up pictures and paper…

He tilts his head, squinting, before blinking his eyes.

There, on the map, is a new picture, stuck through with a blue pushpin.

Familiar brick, that doormat given by his nephews, the dark wood door.

Home.

100%, scribbled in black sharpie, across the surface of a bright yellow post it.

But what catches his eye—

“Will you marry me?”

Sam turns his head, footsteps creaking the wood underneath Bucky’s feet. He’s wearing a suit, not uncommon these days, but something different than the typical navy and grey suits he’s pilfered from Sam’s closet along with his ties.

No, there’s a svelte silhouette to his form, as if it’s important the fit is right. He’s in a three piece wearing a pin attached to the lapel.

And in his left hand is a small, velvet box.

The words on the post it note ring in his head as Bucky steps closer toward him.

“You found me,” he says, close enough his heat emanates from his body, seeping deep into Sam's own.

His eyes, those nowadays soft eyes, hold a glimmer of trepidation, but also hope.

“I sure did,” Sam replies, smile smug. “I’m good at what I do.”

Bucky’s other hand is warm when he reaches out, his thumb resting over Sam’s knuckles in a solid grip. There’s a slight tremor that seems to ease and settle when he brushes his thumb over Sam’s skin.

“Wouldn’t want anyone else to try and find me.”

“Well, you said I was 100% right on the last time I found you. No one can top that.”

A smile blooms across Bucky’s face, his eyes glowing.

“You’re right.”

Sam laughs, the joy bubbling through him, light and airy and warm.

“Can I get that in writing? Or better yet, on video?”

With a flick of Bucky's vibranium thumb, the box gently opens.

“Only if you say yes.”

Sam shakes his head, the line of his grin softer but no less strong, his eyes peering down at the ring gleaming in the lights of their home.

“You drive a hard bargain there.”

Bucky releases his hold, the absence creeping in, until he pulls the ring out of the cushion. Sam’s hand is still hovering in the air when the cool metal slides along his finger.

”What, do you want me to beg?”

The box snaps closed; Bucky’s hand slips into his pocket before drawing it out, resting his left hand on Sam’s waist. His other is holding Sam’s, thumb resting on top of the ring.

Their bodies draw closer, not quite a dance, but movements of a beat they’ve done so often, it’s like breathing.

Sam’s lips brush against Bucky’s, not quite a kiss.

“That could be a start.”

Their foreheads are pressed together, touching, gaze so focused all they can see in the reflection of their eyes is each other. Their hands warming the other’s waist.

“Say yes and I’ll do anything,” Bucky declares.

He tries one more time.

“Marry me?”

He strains to hear in the silence but his enhanced senses register Sam’s whisper like a yell.

“Yes.”

The taste of triumph, of victory, of finding peace and home, is on their lips, and steals their breath before they part for air.

They don’t move far away, foreheads still leaning against each other. Sam’s smile is a bit devious now, a cheeky twinkle in his eye.

“Gonna hold you to that, husband,” he says, and Bucky just laughs.

“Whatever you want, sweetheart. Whatever you want.”

_

If you like my writing, feel free to check out my writing tag!

[firstelevens]

Hello, hello! I’ve been binge reading ALL of your SAMBUCKY fics and I was wondering if you ever planned to write ‘six evenings at Barnham Court’ as a full Sambucky groundskeeper-royal fic? Idk I’m invested in it after reading the parts in ‘steering my heart like a wheel in your hands’.

Hi!!! I'm gonna be real, this message was an absolute delight to receive because I, too, am invested in Six Evenings At Barnham Court and I have to stop myself from throwing references to it into all my F1 AU fics.

Although I've learned to never say never when it comes to fics, I would say that the odds of me writing Barnham Court are pretty low. I did, however, think about it a lot when I was writing 'steering my heart', and I was just riffing on it the other day with executive fic producer extraordinaire @sesamestreep so here's some lore under the cut to tide you over:

in the last quarter of the book, Simon gets engaged to a wealthy heiress to save Barnham Court and Jack is devastated and returns to New York, and Bucky who was "definitely not invested in this book, Sam; it's just vacation reading" was so obviously upset that he refused to finish it and Sam ended up reading the last few chapters to him

a character based on Steve does appear in the original fic as the housekeeper's child, but she was gender-swapped so it wouldn't be wall-to-wall dudes, so people who only read the book and not the fic don't realize who she's supposed to be

they adapt Barnham Court to a miniseries, naturally, and Sam live-tweets the finale because 1) he believes in causing chaos and 2) Freddie isn't old enough to disown her dads for being embarrassing on main yet

The Barnham Court miniseries features (for literally just like one episode) the actor from the F1 movie who took one (1) picture beside Sam and led to Bucky flying halfway across the world to make their relationship public. His character hooks up with Jack. Bucky claims that he's just annoyed because it didn't happen in the book but we all know better.

the book was selected for Oprah's Book Club, as canonized by the cover that Emma made for it and you better believe there were some horrified F1 girlies watching their moms pick up a book at Target that they knew was just smutty RPF

the Barnham Court roses that get referenced in the excerpt from 'steering my heart' are a recurring theme from the book (that's why they're on the cover!) and Jack plants them around the cottage he moves into upstate when he leaves England and the novel ends with Simon selling Barnham Court and coming to New York to find that Jack rescued the part of his home that he loved the most and surrounded them with it so Simon would never have to go without it, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK!

[fandomfluffandfuck]

Help, i fell down a Marvel rabbit hole.

So the Endgame dilemma with Steve's decision had me thinking about other 'happy places' for Bucky and of course there's the obvious with Sam after TFWS but can we just for a minute think about Bucky maybe refreshing something nice from his time in recovery in Wakanda?

I found not a lot of fics but the thought of Bucky getting back there and kinda warming up with M'Baku again? This pairing just has something to me, especially with the whole grumpy but secretly subby White Wolf meets sarcastic domineering great Gorilla M'Baku...

Why would I help, lmao? I'm at the bottom of a very similar hole. The more the marrier! Welcome to the trash pile 💀💀

All good options, all good options, but I will say, anon, I welcome you to fully embrace the exhilarating option of: completely ignoring the events of Endgame.

As captivating as the idea of subby white wolf and domineering gorilla M'Baku is 😮‍💨... as much as I love all the ship content that has come out of Sebastian's and Mackie's banter as Bucky and Sam... I am weak for stucky. It's 🤌🏻everything about them🤌🏻 The childhood best friends to lovers, the wartime sweethearts, the going against the whole world for each other, the dying for each other, the living for each other.

Okay, so I'm laying my cards fully on the table to say that I hate Endgame, explaining why I like to ignore it. And with that being said, here are some anti-Endgame (some of them also straight up anti-steggy/anti-peggy) related metas that I find thought-provoking that I think you might, too. They're just to kick around the idea if you're interested in a different perspective that comes from what I see as deeper in the fandom (idk how true that is,though, lol)--something you might not have come across yet if you're new to this rabbit hole. Obviously, you don't have to read these, though! And I'm not saying you can't ship sambucky or Bucky x M'Baku. You're totally welcome to! I see the appeal myself 👀

Anyway, here:

Bucky's insecurities

No mourning of Steve

Secrets between Steve & Peggy

Endgame destroying Steve's character

More character destruction

Steve choosing Bucky

More stucky devotion

I'd rather Steve die

The no-homo-ing of gay ships in Hollywood

Steve and loyalty

Steve, the shield, Bucky, and Peggy

Steve's ending doesn't make sense (essay)

The Bucky Steve leaves behind

The look on Bucky's face

Uhh... I may have gotten carried away with the links. Listen, I just feel strongly, okay 💀💀

If you do find any good M'Baku and Bucky fics, feel free to send them my way 👀

[trickster-archangel]

Adding tags by @logicheartsoul

and by @jaguarsp0tted

Because they are a fundamental part of this excellent meta and character analysis.

Tfatws and all of mcu sambuckys canon relationship is actually a lot more interesting if you think of them as individuals who have thoughts and feelings about each other

You know, the way you do about people you've met

[hereintheskywithdiamonds]

late to this but can we make an actual sambucky tag or do we all just have to use the one crowded with Steve/Bucky content and/or just Bucky content.

[samuelwilsonbarnes]

my love for bucky's obsession/devotion over sam is just like. I really think it's beautiful for bucky to have a partner he gets/has to practice his rather newfound ability for restraint with that also fully trusts him and even encourages him to let go and be weird and intense and kind of fucked up with how deep his love and desire goes in equal measure. Who knows exactly what he is and wants him exactly as he comes. I think it makes him feel so alive which only makes his love deeper

i think its equally beautiful for sam to have someone capable of both grounding him and matching his freak, someone insatiable, but especially someone who sees sam, who's devoted to seeing sam and is hungry for him even when he's not "showing" himself. someone devoted to offering him the world instead of more weight to carry, I think it makes him feel so at peace which only makes his love deeper

something something freedom in ultimate fidelity. love a healthy wholesome relationship but I swear they become a next tier duo when they're just Not Normal about each other <3

[staying-elive]

A collection of my thoughts and headcanons to improve TFATWS

(Warning: Long post ahead!)

I was rewatching The Last of Us the other night and I really appreciated how, in a 9 episode (10 really with the 2ep pilot), it delivered so much plot momentum while still delving into multiple characters' backstories, with multiple episodes almost entirely devoted to flashbacks.

Like... with a somewhat modified plot and longer run time, TFATWS could've added so much backstory for both Sam and Bucky. Hell, they didn't mind spending CGI de-aging money on Fury in Secret Invasion so we could've used a little here too, no?

So, in a similar series structure, we could've had a 2ep opening pilot, really setting the foundational themes, then after Walker gets introduced as Walmart Cap, the next episode (after the recap) could've opened with an almost entirely flashback episode of Sam's time in the air force. (Walker might’ve even been in Afghanistan at the same time, depending on age/Blip years, etc. if you wanted to show them crossing paths, show Walker's always been entitled and a loose cannon, etc).

The episode could've A) shown Sam's awesome Falcon skills as a pararescue, B) given us Riley, whose loss we'd see echoed in Sam's grief and mixed emotions about Steve (and NAT!), and C) could've shown more Sam's reasons for being anti-authority and anti-institutional power, and a distrust in power structures that change their minds and agendas.

A headcanon I've had for a while is that even though Sam and Riley were trained and deployed as pararescue, eventually, maybe after their first tour trialling the EXO-7s, the military higher-ups realised that the Falcons could get in and out of certain regions/facilities, far better than a lot of other special forces crew. This meant that very quickly, Sam and Riley were being pulled from their pararescue unit and sent on more and more ops that weren't what they signed up for. Weren't of the 'rescue and recovery, saving people, bringing them home' variety. And this would weigh heavily on Sam's morals. Not only does he either not get all the info on these ops or doesn't agree with them, but he's also leaving his unit, the 58th, without him. Which could lead to guilt if some of his fellow soldiers are killed or wounded and not rescued in time, because the Falcons weren't there to save them. And of course, Riley's eventually death perhaps resulting from one of these dangerous ops. (Covered up officially as that 'standard night mission' which is all Sam's allowed to say.)

I think something like that could've shown Sam's disillusionment with government agencies and military institutions (especially when propped up by propaganda). And mirrored comments made by both Steve and Sam in Winter Solider and Civil War.

"The people giving me orders are down to zero..."

"Agendas change."

"What if this sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there's somewhere we need to go and they don't let us?"

"How long you gonna play both sides?"

Part of Sam's reluctance in taking up the shield could've been his past experience in his abilities being turned to something he didn't sign up for and ultimately misused. (Also a parallel to Bucky!) A conversation prior to Riley's death, between him and Sam, could've shown that growing distrust in what they've been made to do.

Anyway, then (this post's already too long lol), later in the season, there's an almost entirely Bucky-centric flashback episode (like Ellie's ep7 in TLoU). Maybe Sam's injured and in hospital after the fight with Walker for the shield (but also Lemar doesn't get killed, because i say so), and this leaves Bucky in crisis mode for personal and plot reasons.

I haven't nailed down the specifics of these flashbacks as much, but the general scope would include: Bucky being drafted (not freely enlisting), seeing his family happy pre-War (little Rebecca?!), Hydra (not torture porn, just as in he's turned into a weapon and ties in with his guilt/list later), hiding out post CAWS (bonus points if Sam DID find Bucky first, I can't help it 😉), isolation, but sees someone that embodies so much that's good and worth believing in (Sam), starting to heal in Wakanda (like with Ayo) (again, bonus points if Sam's there at least once).

All that to say, Bucky's themes could highlight his displacement and disenfranchisement from his time, all his family, himself, and that clawing back of identity and belief in Good Things. And because in my scenario, I have Sam incapacitated to prompt this time of Bucky self-reflection, these flashbacks show that Sam is one of those Good Things that Bucky has grown to believe in and gravitate to. Which shows onscreen WHY he's been so adamant that Sam take up the shield. (Even though he went about this is a counter-intuitive and unhelpful way, we can fix this too). Sam inspired good in him, 'brought him home' (pararescue parallel!), and Bucky believes Sam can do the same for a broken world.

*Sam obviously wakes up, plot continues, he goes home while Bucky (being unable to verbalise yet everything we the audience now understands) has gone off to find Zemo, beg Wakanda for a fancy, over the top, 'I'm sorry I've been a dick, but I love you, I believe in you, and this is here should you choose it and if you need it' apology proposal present.

(I jest. This can all be read as strictly MCU-approved platonic. But this is tumblr, and me, so let's be real 😉)

I also would add, in the last episode, when Bucky is in NY, a scene of him contacting an older Rebecca. (Maybe this is something Sam asks him early in the show if he's done yet and Bucky brushes off, aggravated. Showing that he knows he has family alive, but his fear and other issues have been keeping him from reaching out - like what's kept him from Sam.) Because then you have back to back scenes of Bucky reconnecting to his old family, leading right into the dock party with Sam (his new family!) Visually showing he's healing that bridge of displacement and isolation.

Anyway, if you've stuck around to the end, thank you! That's how I would've incorporated flashbacks into a rough approximation of a TFATWS show to flesh out Sam and Bucky in relation to the show's themes and each other. (Obviously, we could fix all the Flagsmasher, power broker, serum stuff too. But the general plot outline still works for the purpose of this idea.)

Thanks for reading 😘

[gyokujyn]

The arm has an integrated band on the left ring finger that represents his wedding ring, but he wears his actual band around his neck with his dog tags (or Sam's, if you are a swapped tags truther).

do you think bucky would wear his wedding ring on his robot hand, since that’s technically the correct one? or do you think he’d wear it on his right because he wants to be able to feel the metal against his skin

[logicheartsoul]

This meta has been a few years coming, but recently inspired due to: 1) Sian (@siancore) mentioning and incorporating into her amazing fic End of the World the moment that this meta is about, and 2) talking to Mexi (@thatmexisaurusrex) about this and then when she made that "share your fave sambucky moments that are canon" post, I knew this needed to finally been written and have its own proper post.

(Also, to @elektraking who wanted to be pinged when I finally wrote this, I finally did it!)

This post is long and image heavy but I didn't want to put it all under a read more.

We all know this scene from Infinity War, it's been all over people's dashes and giffed and etc etc. We also know it's a pretty quick scene, not necessarily a blink and you miss it one, but because it moves pretty quickly. If you're not paying too much attention to everyone else in the background, things will slip by.

However, watching things in 4K can really make things interesting because 1) you can zoom in and 2) you can zoom in and see some pretty clear detail, like the fact Sam and Bucky are looking at each other during this entire scene.

You can see here that everyone present except Sam isn't really watching Steve and Bucky interact -- either they're blocked from of the camera (Rhodey, Ayo, Bruce) or they're not looking at them (Nat has her eyes closed, T'Challa is looking at the side).

Sam is clearly in Bucky's line of sight, even if Bucky is looking at Steve (because we know Steve is moving closer to him and is about to talk to him)

On zoom in, we can see Sam is not zoned out, this is a very focused look at what is happening in front of him.

The next moment is where Steve goes in for the hug, but during this hug, a couple of things happen: 1) Sam moves closer towards them a bit, 2) he and Bucky actually DO stare at each other over Steve's shoulder

And for more than a few moments. Sort of significant if you think about the fact that Sam and Bucky seem to communicate a lot with nonverbal looks between each other. (We see this a few times in Civil War, and then later in this movie, but that will be even more apparent as fact in Endgame and, of course, TFATWS.)

And perhaps this could be passed off as "looking at each other coz we're looking in the same direction" except for the fact that Bucky makes a deliberate look at Sam when we get the pan over to his face.

When Steve backs away from the hug, we see Sam is still looking at Bucky, so we can assume during the entire exchange when the camera goes towards Bucky, Sam is still doing that.

Which leads us to when the camera pans over to Bucky.

(Yeah, yeah the cropping on this is kinda weird for me, but I wanted to make sure you could see his face.)

Steve proceeds to ask Bucky how he's doing. And of course, Bucky gives some kind of cutesy quip that fills space and time before going to the next big plot thing.

It's very interesting that Bucky pauses right after saying "uh, not bad", but as indicated by the arrow I put in the gif, he's staring in the exact direction where Sam would be. Because if you notice in the screenshots before this moment, above, when Bucky and Steve break away from the hug, Sam is in Bucky's line of sight but somewhat to the side, the same direction as the glance in the gif.

Now, as we know, the others are barely watching Steve and Bucky's interaction except Sam, who's still watching with focused attention.

If you were standing where Sam is standing, watching all of this, hearing Steve asking Bucky, "how's it going" and he responds "uh, not bad," and pauses WHILE looking at a glance in your direction, most people would consider that a moment.

And why wouldn't it be a moment? No one else is paying attention to Bucky or Steve except Sam. Bucky and Sam have before this comment were looking at each other when Steve brings in Bucky to a hug. Hell, Bucky could have just said "for the end of the world" without looking sideways and the scene would've worked as intended.

Yet, he gives that glance, and has a smile as he says, "not bad". While looking at Sam. It's so quick, yet it says so much. And considering how we know it's canon for them to be able to speak volumes by just sharing glances at each other (hello Sam looking at Bucky during Endgame), why wouldn't that apply here too? Because the glance wasn't really needed if you think about it.

And of course, Bucky deflects with his "for the end of the world" coz 1) he doesn't want Steve to try to make more small talk and 2) world ending shit is happening, they do NOT have time to stand around, they need to coordinate and they're on a time table. Because we all know Steve, he would want to know the reason why Bucky is actually smiling probably one of the first genuine smiles he's given on screen since TWS.

Anyway, we all know the rest: the plot moves forward, Sam and Bucky end up standing close to each other to witness Thanos' forces trying to get through Wakanda's shields, and then they end up being blipped.

Still, while a short, quick moment, on closer inspection, a lot can be said. Another in a line of Sam and Bucky's "saying things with a look" moments, but an underappreciated one.

[katatonicimpression]

🥭🍍🍈

Sorry I started replying to this yesterday then had to draft it bc busy

🥭 Rank from most enjoyable/fun to write to least: Fluff, Smut, Angst, Crack.

OK pedantry time. Crack is a meta category and the other 3 are tonal descriptors. I object to the question.

Anyway: angst > smut > fluff

🍍 What kind of AUs do you like? Are there any AUs you hate or just generally have beef with?

I have an irrational dislike of sambucky aus where Sam is still cap and Bucky is some random civilian dude. It's a whole subgenre and while I'm sure there are good ones, I just associate it with annoying Bucky stannery and lazy "just clocking in at the captain America factory" writing for Sam.

I also dislike hannibal inspired "serial killer au"s because every single one I've encountered in every fandom has been bad. I think people don't realise why that show worked, how it got away with it's own silly premise.

🍈 Who’s your blorbo and what are some of your favorite headcanons/ideas about them that repeatedly show up in your fics? Free pass to rant about blorbo opinions.

Omg. Sorry all mcu Sam related but if you're who I think you are you won't mind:

Sam did gymnastics at school, competing at a regional level. This comes up in this fic! I have him specialising on the pommel horse and I think that kind of movement suits his flight really well.

Bi bi bi bi bi.

It's implied he has ptsd in canon, hc that the reason he wasn't medically discharged for mental health was part of the cover-up of the failed falcon project. They didn't kick him out and they kept him on in this counsellor job as part of some under the table deal. This has never explicitly come up in any of my fics but you bet its been in my head while writing them.

Honestly? Samtasha happened.

If he was real, he would follow bds.

[gyokujyn]

(via @takiki16 )

I have such strong and opposing feelings about FATWS because so often what they said and what they did or meant were in clear opposition, so often you needed to read between the lines to understand motivations (or make motivations make sense). This scene was a great example of the text being changed by the subtext.

Sam isn't telling Bucky he's guilty and he needs to make amends for all these people he wronged. Sam says, I see the guilt you are carrying, and if you want to feel better, you can't keep doing what you've been doing. Because guilt is not assuaged by selfish acts of revenge. Growth is not achieved by staying comfortable. It is achieved in vulnerability.

There's a lot of ways to let go of guilt, but if what you want is forgiveness, you have to make amends to those from whom you seek forgiveness. That isn't done by serving your own iddy self-satisfaction, but by serving others. (The scene with Yori makes me absolutely insane because we hardly get anything from Yori at all showing that this served him and his needs and it makes Bucky's confession to him seem just as self-serving as his other attempts at his "amends" except a thousand times more self-flagellating... But, I digress.)

Sam isn't Bucky's therapist. As much as they deny it, he's Bucky's friend and he meets Bucky where he is to give him some good advice in a way that he'll accept it. As much as I post a lot of Stucky content, Sam and Bucky's relationship development is a much more gratifying story within the MCU. CATWS told us that when Steve had nothing, he had Bucky, but FATWS showed us that when Bucky had nothing, he had Sam.

You up for a little tough love?

[abarbaricyalp]

Hi! for fandom ask game: 1, 2, and 5 (if you want to answer that many) 😊

Thanks for asking! More good questions. From this ask meme

1: List three positive things from your current fandom

a) We love Sam wilson. I've been trying to branch out recently and some people don't make it easy! 😬

b) Small but mighty! I love that there are so many constants in the fandom, even as interests shift. It's really nice to have an enduring community

c) The artwork (fics, art, gifs, meta etc all of it) that come out of sambucky fandom is RIDICULOUS. There's slightly more than 8 hours (generous) of MCU material and yet people are out here creating award winning things with so much obvious love. So thankful for artists of all ilk.

2: A headcanon you weren't sure about at first but now enjoy

Hmmmm. I don't change my mind very often 🫣 I think the closest thing is the kiddos calling Bucky 'Uncle Bucky.' I don't personally use it, but I do appreciate it more the more i see it now.

3: Something you see a lot in fics and love

Bucky being so stupid gone on Sam. I love every variation of it. I love the more Canon compliant "we're fighting but I still adore you." I love when Sam can't see it. I love when Bucky thinks it's unrequited and pines. I love it when it's 40s Bucky/ memory regression but he's still instantly into Sam. I love it when it's domestic and sappy. I love when it's angsty and causes that "one weak spot" moment. I love when he's goofy about it, especially in public or accidentally. Every variation, every scenario, every time.