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Sam Wilson’s apartment
Day
Bucky Barnes barely resisted the urge to sigh, messaging his temple. He’d been here for twenty minutes, and it felt like they weren’t getting anywhere.
“Why is this so important to you, Sam? Do you really care about being an Avenger that much?” Bucky asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
“It’s not about being an Avenger, it’s about the public. They need something to believe it,” Sam told him.
“And they can’t believe in me and my team, is that it?”
“I didn’t say that, Bucky,” Sam denied.
“You didn’t have too. Is it really so outrageous that people could actually believe in my team?” Bucky demanded.
“Walker, two ex-KGB assassins and a former SHIELD assassin? Come on, Bucky,” Sam said like Bucky was being unreasonable.
“You really want to start that conversation, Sam? What was the body count between Romanoff, Stark and Barton?” Bucky shot back and Sam grimaced but didn’t have retort. “They all managed to turn their lives around and become heroes. Why are you so against my team doing the same?”
“I’m not. I just-”
“Don’t think we deserve to be Avengers,” Bucky said, his voice growing cool. “Let’s get down to what this is really about. You don’t think we’re good enough to be Avengers.”
“Well can you blame me? Walker murdered a man in broad daylight and the rap sheets of Belova and Shostakov-”
“Are nothing compared to my crimes,” Bucky shot back. “You really have let being Captain America go to your head.”
“Don’t do that, Bucky. Steve would make the same exact call,” Sam argued.
“If that were true, Wanda Maximoff would never have been an Avenger,” Bucky said bluntly and Sam didn’t have a response. “Don’t give me that crap, Sam. Steve would have welcomed all three of them with open arms. And he certainly wouldn’t care about some damn name!”
“If you don’t care, why does it bother you so much that I’m suing for the copyright?” Sam challenged.
“The Avengers are about second chances. Steve knew that. Walker, Yelena…these people need that right now. They need a purpose, something to help them rebuild their lives. But why do you care about that, right? You’re just the lap dog for the government now,” Bucky spat.
“That’s not fair, Bucky.”
“I’m not trying to be. You saw what The Accords were about; you know what the government did with Walker. And you’re still trying to work with them,” Bucky shook his head in disgust.
“Says the former congressman,” Sam shot back.
“I was trying to take down De Fontaine. Only way I could do that was from within the government. But I never trusted it, even the ones I knew I could count on, I never let my guard down; let them know what I was really after. You’re jumping in full throttle, with no safe guards. What if the government doesn’t approve of the way you choose to be an Avenger? What then?” Bucky challenged.
“I will handle it,” Sam dismissed.
“And how many people will suffer for how you do?” Bucky challenged and Sam didn’t have a response. “You sign on with the government; they will always have a hand on you. Steve understood that, but he had faith that you’d make the choices. That you’d honor the mantle of Captain America.”
“And you don’t?” Sam asked after a moment.
“I did. Until you decided to sue for a name out of entitlement. Until you looked down on people trying to make for their pasts. Until you decided to let the government decide who could and couldn’t be an Avenger,” Bucky said, the anger from earlier leaving him, only disappointment left as he looked at his friend. “Steve wouldn’t care what he called himself, whether it was Captain America, an Avenger or anything else. He’d have been happy that being an Avenger allowed people to put their lives back together.”
“I’m not Steve, Bucky.”
“No, but you did claim to honor his legacy. And you’re not. You’re betraying what he stood for,” Bucky said bluntly and Sam froze. “Steve gave you the shield because he thought you deserved it. I haven’t seen it.”
“So are you gonna try and take it from me?” Sam asked, looking at him sharply.
“No. I believe you’re a good man; you’ve just lost your way. I hope you can find it again, be the man Steve thought you were. But if you don’t, if you continue down this path…yeah, then I’ll take it,” Bucky warned him.
“Get out,” Sam said after a moment, turning away from him.
Bucky nodded; turning and walking out the door. Sam seemed like he was thinking about what Bucky said, so Bucky hoped that Sam did the right thing and became the man Steve knew he could be.
But if he didn’t….Bucky would not allow him to dishonor Steve’s memory any longer. Even if it cost him Sam’s friendship, even if he was hated for it. For Steve had always seen the best in people, had always tried to do the right thing, even if the government had disagreed.
Bucky would not allow his best friend’s mantle to be used by someone who looked down on people trying to rebuild their lives and only let people the government approved of be Avengers.