Final Lap - Sambucky AU

61

Bucky put his visor down and booked it down the track. Sam stayed close behind.

Bucky only kept his Sam. He saw Sam copying some of the techniques he used in the past. He chuckle and just went faster.

"Try and keep up, Sam." He said as he made a turn and booked it during a straightaway.

Sam only had about two seconds margin between him and Bucky, but it was getting bigger.

Sam saw Steve coming up behind him, and Carol was behind him. Sam pulled in front of Steve, and wouldn't let him pass.

Sam wasn't going to let Steve take second again, and not even give him a chance to try and get first. Sam

"Sam, pick up speed. Focus on getting Barnes." His team principal said to him on the radios.

"Understood." Sam upped the speed and raced after Bucky who was about 6 seconds ahead of him.

Steve did the same. Soon Carol caught up to Steve. Those two battled it out for 3rd. Sam was just glad he didn't have to worry about those two coming after him anytime soon.

Sam picked up the speed and continued to try and close that margin between him and Bucky.

When the last lap approached, Bucky jumped on the radios. "When I win, I want to do something funny. Should I?" He said to his team principal.

"Yes you may. Actually... the pits wants to dare you."

"Oh? What do you want me to do?" Bucky said. There was laughter over the radios. "Your mechanic is requesting you do the tradition taking your shirt off in Monaco." Bucky chuckled. "Sure. Only if I win." He said as he as he saw Sam suddenly closing in on him. Bucky immediately pick up speed and pulled in front of Sam.

"Interesting." He said as he smirked. Suddenly Sam pulled to the side and Increased his speed. Bucky and him were side by side.

Bucky laughed a bit, excitement buzzed through him as he pulled past Sam, and then Sam pulled up.

Bucky overtook him on the turn and pulled in front of him. The two were like this until the last when Bucky pulled in front of sam and only beat him my 0.005 seconds.

Bucky fist bumped the air and then looked at Sam's car. He motioned to do circles as Carol crossed and got third.

Carol and Sam gave him a thumbs up.

The three started to do circles on the track. They all did them with no hands.

Eventually they parked and jumped out their cars. Bucky took his helmet off and put his hat on as his team principal came over to him.

"Are you really gonna do it..." he said with a chuckle. Both Carol and Sam looked at him. "Do what?"

Bucky looked at them. He just chuckled. "Back when I was younger and a bit wilder, I had a signature move for winning Monaco. Do you remember what it is, Sam?"

Carol looked at him.

Sam started laughing. "This loser is going to take his shirt off." Bucky nodded and smirked as they walked out to the podium.

"Is he in his prime now?" Carol asked.

"Carol, he never left."

They all got onto the podium and got their trophies and listened to the US anthems play before they start spraying champagne.

The moment they were allowed to spray each other with champagne. Bucky chuckled and pulled his shirt off. He suddenly got sprayed with champagne.

He laughed as he got soaked. His hair did as well as he laughed. He popped his champagne and sprayed his friends on the podium.

Eventually they all just cheered and took sips of their champagne.

They all stepped off the podium area and headed back to their paddocks. Bucky walked into his and was cheered on by his pits as they walked out to take care of the car.

He just turned the lights off and grabbed a towel and started to get some of the champagne out of his hair. He sighed and took a deep breath and just stood there tiredly. He had a headache was just drained.

He was about to just sit down when he heard a knock. He turned slightly and saw Sam. Sam walked over and handed him a bigger towel.

"Thought you might need this." He said. Bucky just smiled tiredly and nodded. Sam noticed and then took the bigger towel and wrapped him in it.

"You almost beat me today." Bucky said as he wiped champagne off of Sam's face. Sam chuckled and sighed.

"But I didn't. You got first. I got second, and Carol got third." Sam said with a soft smile.

"You could've beaten me... all you had to do was push the gas a bit more..." Bucky said as he looked at him. Sam looked at him and sighed. He just looked at him and rubbed his cheek with his thumbs and sighed.

"I'm... im worried about what would happen if I beat you..." Sam said. Bucky looked at him concerned.

"Why?"

Sam teared up slightly and looked at him. "I'm afraid of the people honestly... I'm afraid of the harsh things that'll be said. Yeah.. I get that I don't let it bother me, but I've gone through that and I don't want to deal with it again... so..."

Bucky looked utterly gutted by that. Sam just smiled tearfully. "... so, I'm okay with second."

"You have to..."

"Bucky you have no idea how they tore me to pieces for simply coming out. I can't... it was so mentally lonely- " Sam just started to move a bit, but then Bucky pulled him a darker part of the garage, away from the door and kissed him.

Sam teared up and kissed him back. Bucky backed him up against the counter before picking him up and putting him on the counter.

He broke the kiss and looked at him. "Sam. Look at me." Bucky just needed him to get out of his head, and to relax for a moment. Sam knew that, and knew just what Bucky was going to say. He teared up and just looked at him.

"I want you to beat me. Don't make me an undefeated champion... make me work for it, overtake me, knock me down, make me fight... I just want you on first." Bucky looked at him concerned.

"But.."

"Forget them.. okay? You don't have to feel alone. I'm right here. You understand? They mess with you, I will say something. Okay?" Sam sighed and just wiped his eyes.

Sam just leaned his forehead against Bucky's.

"You're strong..." Sam said. Bucky just chuckled softly.

"I was going to say the same to you."