That’s the problem - or at least, that’d been Sam’s problem. There was no one to take revenge against. They got the guy, the mission was successful, the enemy soldiers who’d shot the RPG taken out, and after that, there hadn’t been anything.

He swallows a little at Bucky’s reply. He’s… not sure about that, there’s times he believes it and times he thinks he’s fooling himself, but hearing Bucky say it is still worth something. It means a lot, actually.

“That your way of saying you believe in me?” He means it to be joking, and there’s a teasing curve to his smile, tone light, but even he knows he didn’t manage to keep all the genuineness out of it.