You Were the First || Sam Wilson ✓

xii

Ever since Sam found out his aunt TT died he's been distant, Riley understands why but it still doesn't make it sting any less. Sam has been giving him one-worded answers and when they sleep instead of sleeping facing Riley's cot, Sam sleeps facing the tent which tells Riley that something is wrong.

Riley hasn't found a good time to talk to Sam about it though because they keep getting called out on missions. Riley knows that it pains Palmer to do this but it's their job so Palmer can't do anything about it, that's what they are assigned to do. "Hey." Riley is broken out of his thoughts by Lina sitting beside him. "What's up?" Riley asks looking through the care package that his family shipped him.

"Are you okay? I mean I know that you only just met Tamera but you still knew her. You made a bond with her." Riley opened his mouth to object but closed it when he found out he had nothing to deny what Lina said. "I- I feel sad." Riley sucked his teeth as he closed the box back up and pushed it off to the side. "I hardly knew her but I know what she means not only to Sam but also to their community in their town. When I met her I knew that she only wanted the best for Sam, she was kind and very motherly without even being a mother." Riley ran a hand through his hair, he sighed and put his hands in his head. "I understand what you mean, you're allowed to be sad Riles. Sure you didn't know her well but you're allowed to feel sad." Lina put her hand on Riley's shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly.

Riley opened his mouth to say something else but Palmer intrusted them. "Wilson, Diaz, you two in the main tent." Palmer gestured towards the bigger tent behind him, Riley opened his mouth but closed it and stood up. He looked to his left to see Sam standing up from where he was over by himself and walked next to Riley as Palmer led them to the bigger tent. "Sir, what is this about?" Sam asked sitting down in front of Palmer's desk when Palmer gestured for them to sit.

Riley could tell that this was an important situation because they used formalities instead of their first names. "I was told by the higher-ups to suggest two people to be a part of a government project." Riley and Sam looked at each other confused before looking back towards Palmer. "What does this have to do with us?" Riley kept his hands folded in his lap. "I wanted to suggest you two, but I know that you are in a relationship which I will not tell them but I wanted to make sure that if you get chosen that you two can be impartial. I don't know what the government project is, only you two will if you get chosen."

Riley opened his mouth to tell Palmer that he should suggest someone else when Sam talked before him. "We'll do it, like always do we will be professional." When Riley looked at Sam with confusion for going ahead and saying yes, Sam shook his head slightly which told Riley he would have to ask about it later when they're done here. "I had a feeling you would say that, I'll tell them that I want to put your names forward. Now it's going to be out of my hands if you two chosen or not to be a part of whatever project they want you to do." Riley nodded his head and started to twiddle his fingers that were in his lap, they sat in silence for a few seconds before Palmer nodded his head with a smirk. "You two are dismissed." Palmer folded his hands and brought them up to his mouth with his elbows resting on the desk.

Sam stood up quickly making the chair scoot back with a screech, he walked out of the tent and Riley followed. He had to walk a little bit quicker to keep up with Sam's phase. "Hey, stop." Riley grabbed Sam's wrist to stop him from walking. "If you want to talk we need to do it in our tent." Sam yanked his hand out of Riley's grasp and walked towards their tent.

Riley groans and grabs the care package where he left it and walks towards their tent. He walks toward his cot and places the box off to the side before walking over to where Sam was sitting on his cot. "You want to do this to take your mind off TT right?" Riley asks softly bumping their shoulders together gently, Riley saw that Sam was about to deny it but he nodded. "I want to do something together, If I don't I'll just be sad and out here we can't be sad. We have a job to do Riles, life goes on." Sam runs his hands over his face huffing.

Riley presses his lips together and bites his lip. "Okay, I understand. I'm sorry, I want you to know that whether you want to talk or not I'm here for you okay? Don't forget that." Sam nods with a smile and interlocks their fingers together, the tent flap was closed so they didn't have to worry about any other of the soldiers seeing them that wasn't Lina or Palmer. Sam lets go and brushes his hand across his face to wipe away the tears that Riley had just now seen welling up away.

Sniffing Sam looks at Riley with a half-smile. "Why don't you show me what your family got you, and share of course," Riley smirks and nods, he stands u and grabs the box before carrying it towards Sam's cot, Riley sits in the same place beside him before opening the box that he had placed on the ground in front of them. "So of course I got letters but I also got candy, they also sent some dulce de conserva de coco that Mom made." Riley grabbed the Tupperware and opened it, he handed it to Sam who grabbed one and ate one oohing at the taste. "Thank you," Sam said once he swallowed the treat.

Riley nodded with a smile on his face, he didn't speak but Sam knew what he was conveying. Sam gave Riley a slight smile and laid his head on Riley's shoulder intertwining their fingers. They knew that any minute someone could walk through the tent and catch them but the two of them needed this, Sam needed the comfort and Riley needed to feel like he was helping Sam.