|| SamBucky (WinterFalcon Oneshots) ||

Royal AU (pt 1/?)

"Prince Samuel, the Queen and King await your presence..." A soft voice calls out. "Thank you.  You are dismissed." The prince says with a warm smile, watching as the servant bows before scurrying off. Sam sighs, staring at the photo in his hands. It's a photo of two boys. Sam and a blonde kid, bright smiles on their face. Sam remembers the day like it was yesterday. It was filled with laughter and outrageous screams from those poor souls who had the misfortune of getting in their messes. They had just finished stirring mischief with one of the other princes, a pompous bastard who thought he was above everyone else.  Placing the photo back on his night stand, Sam makes his way out of his room, closing the door behind him quietly. 

He wonders what his parents may want from him. He hopes it's not another guard. They've been trying to replace Riley since he died a few weeks ago, and it enrages Sam to no end. Because how dare they act like Riley wasn't nearly his everything? Getting a new guard feels like a betrayal on Riley's behalf, like Sam isn't allowed to move on. It was his fault he died, was it not? 

"Mother, Father." He acknowledges, giving a polite nod to his parents before his eyes land on a man who stands a little off to the side. Sam's heart sinks. The man is is about his height, striking blue eyes and a jawline that you could cut a diamond with. Dragging his eyes away from the rather handsome man, his eyes narrow at his parents. 

"No." He says, not giving his parents the chance to speak. "I will not be having another guard." His shoulders are tense, fists clenched. "You can't be serious. Why won't you guys just let it be?" He doesn't even dare to look at the guard again, resisting the urge to scream. "Get out." He demands. The guard tenses, but after a nod from Sam's father, the man walks out of the room, his eyes watching the darker man closely. 

"You know what happened last time. I lost Riley. You think I want another guard who will die on my watch?!" The pain of losing Riley still affects Sam to this day, leaving the man struggling to even get out of be most days. He remembers the way Riley crumpled to the floor like a bag of potatoes, viscera staining everything red. It keeps Sam up at night, torments him in his waking hours. The way a scream tore from his throat as he watched his best friend bleed out in front of him, taking a bullet that wasn't meant for him. He remembers being roughly pulled away by others, their main goal getting him to safety. He swore he saw Riley breathe.

"Sam." His mother starts, her voice gentle, like she's pitying him. And that makes Sam angrier. Because he doesn't want to be pitied. He wants to be allowed to grieve the loss of his guard, of his friend, of his brother. "Losing Riley has taken a toll on all of us. You have to move on, sweetheart. The enemies are getting bolder, there have been reports of camps nearing our kingdom. We just want you to be safe." She pleads. Being the queen is tough, because she has not only her son to look after, but her kingdom as well. 

Sam's father speaks up, his voice warm but firm. "Son, you know as you go through life, you'll meet obstacles. You'll face new challenges and losses. Losing is part of living-" Sam scoffs, a hysterical chuckle spilling from his lips at the absurdity of it all. "Please refrain from giving me the speech, it's useless. I know how life is, I've been shown it ever since I was a little boy. I'm not that defenceless little kid anymore. I can defend myself!" Sam argues, hating the way his mother looks at him sadly. 

"For goodness sake, Samuel! Why must you be so damn stubborn? We're trying to keep you safe. We're not trying to replace Riley in any way." His father speaks, resting his hand on his wife's arm, his touch gentle and grounding. The sight makes Sam falter, and his shoulders slump in defeat. 

"I really don't have a choice in this matter?" He asks, his voice tired. Sam just wants to go to his room, curl up into a ball, and cry. "I'm afraid not, kiddo." His mother says, stepping from her throne to embrace Sam in a hug. "We're just keeping you safe. Please give the man a chance." She whispers, pressing a soft kiss to Sam's head. Pulling away, she smiles sadly. "You're free to go. We only wanted to inform you." 

Sam's heart warms at the gentle kiss, his lips trembling as he struggles to keep his composure. "Okay." He says, steadying himself. He dismisses himself and walks out, giving a simple wave before heading to his room.

James watches as the prince, Samuel, storms out, his shoulders tense. He looks like he's about to blow a fuse, and for a moment Bucky wonders if he did something wrong. 

"Sergeant Barnes, you may come in."

Bucky startles, stepping into the room and bowing. "Your majesty." He greets, standing at attention.

"I would like to apologise for our son's behaviour. He's had a rough few weeks and is still mourning the loss of his friend. All you need to do is keep an eye on him, and report back to me if you see anything amiss. Do try and not take Sam's words to heart, he's grieving." The king says, trying to appease any worries Bucky might have. 

Bucky nods, his lips twisting into a frown. He wonders what has the prince so upset. Did he lose someone? Bucky knows how that feels. Having failed once, he got kicked from his kingdom, and hasn't seen his brother since. "Sam was supposed to show you around, but I'll get Gideon to show you instead. During your stay here you'll be given a room with all the necessities you may need. If you do need anything, just ask a servant and they'll get whatever you need." James nods, swallowing thickly. Looks like this is the real deal. 

"Gideon!"

"Yes, father?"

"May you please escort Sergeant Barnes to his headquarters?"

Gideon nods, inquisitive brown eyes watching James closely. It makes the man uncomfortable. He doesn't like to be inspected like a bug with its wings pinned. He swallows his discomfort. Gideon hums, walking off with Bucky on his coattails. "So you're the new guard, huh? I bet Sam's delighted to have you." He says, his voice filled with false cheeriness. Gideon himself isn't very fond of how his parents have decided to give Sam a new guard after losing one not too long ago. This guard is different from the others. He seems humble, quiet and alert. Others were always full of themselves, trying to impress Sam in some way.  

"Anyways. My name's Gideon, and this is your room." He says, opening the door. "Oh, a little warning too. Sam might take a while to warm up to you, so if he says anything rude, please try and not take it to heart. I promise he has a heart of gold, he's just grieving." 

James nods, giving a quiet nod of appreciation before he's left to his devices. Bucky sighs, taking in his new room. It's right next to the Prince's, he realises. Though that's to be expected. 

He doesn't see the Prince until it's dinner time, sitting at the grand table awkwardly as everyone around him converses with each other. He's sitting next to Sam, the other man not bothering to start a conversation. Bucky doesn't know what to say, so he stays silent, watching everyone quietly. All Bucky knows is that this going to be one hell of a ride.