Lies and Empty Promises

here

A/N: words: 1813. hi. this feels awkward. anyway. i feel so bad bc like iTS ALMOST DECEMBER AND THIS THING STILL ISNT DONE. anyway, enjoy!

Sam was still running off a high of anger from the banker a few days ago, so this really wasn't a good addition.

"Join me in welcoming your new Captain America." Sam bowed his head, tears welling in his eyes. They gave it away. It wasn't theirs to give away. He put it in that damn Smithsonian 5 goddamn days ago. They couldn't have found him in 5 days. Sam realized what happened. They wanted him to give the shield away. They needed that shield so they could prop up the next white boy they could find. Sam knows exactly what happened. Maybe this is why Bucky didn't want him to give the shield away. It's too late now, though. The shield is gone. Really gone.

He felt Sarah's hand squeeze his shoulder, and he still can't meet her eye. She probably knew this would happen, he could feel the anger, the frustration radiating off of her. He felt the exact same. "Ain't your fault." she said softly, and left the room, knowing that Sam would need some space.

Sam should've seen this coming, he should've known that they would've turned around and handed it to the next guy in line. He didn't know why he expected anything different. He knew the government, he knew how they acted, he knew how they were. But he really thought that maybe, just this one time, they'd keep their word. They'd let the shield become a part of history, like it deserves to be. John Walker isn't what people need. They don't need an action figure to stand up there and carry around a shield. They need a real hero, shield or no shield. Sam has a feeling Walker isn't that. They need someone who is Captain America, not just someone named Captain America. That isn't Walker. Sam couldn't do it. Walker shouldn't. God, Sam normally can give people benefit of the doubt, but this, not this. The government went against his direct wish and handed it off. That couldn't be forgiven, shrugged aside.

~~~~~~~~

Bucky clenched his jaw. "Your new Captain America." really? Steve never mentioned him. Bucky knew it wasn't a good idea. He knew it. He didn't know why Sam was so blind to what could've happened. Bucky thought Sam should've kept it for a lot of reasons. He would've been Captain America. Sam is what Captain America stands for. Bucky just didn't get it. And now, now John Walker has the shield. Bucky can't grasp as to why Sam gave it away, why he couldn't see this coming. Why he couldn't see that he was the clear choice, the only choice to do it.

God, Bucky was angry. Bucky was fuming. He took out his phone and snapped a picture of John Walker, who was shaking hands with random people Bucky figured were important.

Buck: Funny, Steve never mentioned him

~~~~~~~

"Are you kidding me?" Sam said aloud, staring wide eyed and angry at the phone.

Sam: Are you serious right now

Sam had enough, if Bucky was gonna come at him with that, then he should be ready for Sam has to say. The phone rings two times, and Bucky picks up.

"You're so stupid." Bucky spat out bitterly, and Sam scoffed, shaking his head. "And you're a petty coward. What, ignore me for months on end, and then come whining to me when something you don't like happens?"

"If you had kept the shield, none of this would've happened." Bucky was yelling now, his voice was shaky. Sam felt sick, felt like he wasn't really him. Like he needed to crawl out of his skin. "There it is again. Seriously, you really can't let this go, can you? This doesn't concern you, Barnes." Sam knew that'd sting. It hurt him to say it, but he was beyond frustrated, beyond angry, beyond hurt. He was fuming.