i sometimes wonder what tomorrow brings

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Who| Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson
What| trying to sell Steve on the idea of going to 13
Where| Capitol blindspot
When| backdated to before the binding plot
Warnings/Notes| None yet! Will update as needed


By now, Sam’s pretty used to the fine art of heading to a blind spot while pretending he has no idea what’s so special about the place he’s hanging out in, having one conversation while making it look like he’s having a completely different one. It’s easiest with Bucky and Clint, because he’s been the most times with them, and the back alley behind the club he pretends they go to a lot is pretty damn private even without being a blind spot.

But it’s far from the first time he’s done this with Steve, either.

It’s a restaurant this time, a booth in a back corner - the park bench is easy for him and Steve, with how often they go running, but they also run a lot bigger risk of someone coming by. This at least gives them an excuse for privacy.

He opens up with, “So Bucky and I’ve been talking," the smirk on his lips saying that he knows damn well the many ways that could be taken.

Comments

[aboveangrybees]

For all that Steve is pretty terrible at acting casual, he's gotten really good at getting to blindspots without being obvious about it. He's gone to enough with a number of people, most frequently with Tony, to get how to pull it off without suspicion. Though, with Tony it's usually acting like they're on a date or hanging out as a couple, often making it his default to go with something of that nature.

So he plays along with Sam pretty well, even jokes about Tony getting jealous that Sam is taking him out on a date.

But that opening line does catch his attention, enough so to make Steve unsure where this is heading. He wouldn't be at all surprised if those two started to conspire against him. And there is a lot he does for those two to feel the need to do just that.

"Something you two do a lot of," which he's glad about. Sam is a good man and Bucky needs friends and allies outside of Steve, because Steve is smart enough to know he won't always be here.

"So, what am I in for this time?" He says it with an amused lilt, his almost smile and eyebrows conveying the same.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

It's kind of Sam's default to end up going more date like behavior, too - though that might just be him rather than any conscious effort on his behalf. Either way, Sam takes the Tony comment in stride, firing back that Tony knows if he wants to join all he's gotta do is come with. Tony's teased him often enough about trying to make Steve jealous when they flirt that he could use some payback.

But of course they've started to conspire against him. By now he and Bucky've gotten close enough for Sam to consider him one of his best friends, and where's the fun if that doesn't mean they can conspire against the guy who more or less brough them together in the first place.

"Hell yeah," he agrees, smiling fondly. "Bucky's one of us. We got each other's backs, same as we got yours." Not the same, not really, but close enough for Sam. Especially with the conversation he's leading into.

"I could say nothing you won't like, but it's against my policy to lie that bad to you." He thinks for a moment, running his hand over his head, then lets out a huff of air. "I told Bucky I wanted to try to get him out of here and to 13."

[aboveangrybees]

Steve knew there was a small reason to regret letting Sam and Bucky become close, he knew it. Those two conspiring against him was never going to end well for him. Except, he doesn't regret it at all, he knows too well that any conspiring those two do will never outweigh the benefits of Bucky having a friend like Sam.

And hearing Sam having Bucky's back means the world to him, means if something happens, neither of them will be alone. Bucky will have someone. It's a relief too, for too long he's been worried about what would happen to Bucky if something happened to Steve. With Sam, he could trust the man to keep a level head, not to do something dumb in response, but, up until recently, he could only trust Bucky to get himself killed.

"And I have yours' as well," there's a tone of a gentle don't forget, even though he doesn't feel Sam needs the reminder, it feels good to say it.

His eyebrow goes up as Sam continues, the mention of him not liking it, of District 13, Steve is getting an inclination where this is going and the man is right, he won't like it. But for the moment, he keeps his thoughts on where this is going to himself, waiting to see where Sam leads this first.

"Good. The further he is from the Capitol's grasp, the better," he's already had two friends get brainwashed, been killed by both of them, he doesn't want Bucky to be the third.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

If Sam ever finds out Steve's thinking like that, man, they're going to have to have some words. Sam couldn't say he wasn't worried about Bucky putting all of his sanity eggs in Steve's basket, either, but still. ...and in all honesty, Sam couldn't necessarily promise he wouldn't do something dumb, either.

"I know." His voice goes quiet there, an undercurrent of emotion that he doesn't want to go into at the moment. Steve was the first person since Riley that had Sam's back, that trusted Sam to have his, and that means more to Sam than he really knows how to say.

But they're not here to talk about that. They're here to talk about Bucky, and about a way Sam's trying to have both of their backs, even if Steve doesn't exactly like it.

Sam nods, leaning forward a little. "The kind of power the Capitol has, Bucky doesn't need to be anywhere near it. And if he's not in the arenas, they can't reset him every couple of months, undo the progress his brain's made in healing itself." He smooths his thumb over his jaw. "But I don't exactly trust 13. I think they'll try to use anyone who goes over there however they see fit."

[aboveangrybees]

Well, it's not that he thinks Sam wouldn't do something dumb, but he likes to think Sam wouldn't be so reckless as to endanger himself and others over it. He has faith that Sam can pull through the loss in the end. Not like how Steve worries for Bucky - their friendship is so dangerously co-dependent and Steve knows it, but he's at a loss for how to change it.

Steve nods as Sam continues. He does want Bucky out of the arenas, one way or another, for the man's head to finally heal and keep healing, for it to no longer regress after each reset, but he's with Sam 100% about the distrust in 13, Steve has long not been a fan of their sorta allies in this fight.

"No think about it, they will use us how they want, to them we're cannon fodder, nothing more than expendable allies in this fight, bodies to die in place of their own people," he's not blind to their intentions, though he doesn't believe that everyone in 13 is of that frame of mind, no, but he doesn't have much faith in the people in charge there. He's heard some rumors or them using off worlders before, he's been warned by people he's trusted in the past to be careful where 13 is involved. Honestly, a part of him gets where 13 is coming from, but that doesn't make it right.

"But, they're our best bet in this fight right now," how he says right now clearly indicates he doesn't plan to give up looking for a better solution, a better ally. He's fighting for everyone: the ignorant Capitolites, all the Districts (13 included), and the people from off world, they all deserve a better future, so he won't fight long with anyone who's willing to sacrifice one for another.

"13 is still Bucky's best chance of getting away from the Capitol, from the arenas," Steve pauses, "yours too. He could use a friend there with him," part of him figures he's beating Sam to his own punch.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Well. Steve’s right about one of those, at least. Sam’d endanger himself doing something stupid for Steve, but not the others.

His smile is a little grim when Steve voices his own opinions about 13. It’s far from great, but it’s what Sam expected, and it’s good to know that they’re on the same page. Both about what to expect from 13, and about them being their best allies for the moment, and Sam’s smile turns more determined when he picks up on that right now. Hell yeah. Not that he thought any different, really, but it makes him feel better knowing Steve isn’t planning on just working with 13. And it also makes him more sure that Steve needs to get his ass to 13.

Oh, Steve is definitely beating Sam to his own punch, and Sam can see exactly what he’s doing. “Yeah, he could, and don’t think I don’t know where you’re going with that. I’m not looking to get out of the Capitol and the arenas.” He shakes his head. “Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing I’d like more than to grab you and Bucky and the others and hightail it out of here, but that’s not how this works, we both know that. We need to go where we’re gonna to the most good. And I know you think that means you staying here, but I don’t agree, man, not for much longer.”

Sam leans in a little, voice lowering. “People follow you, Steve. Everyone can see it. The whole damn Capitol can see that you’re a better leader than any of them could ever even dream of being. And sooner or later, they’re going to realize that taking you down is the best way to make a lot of us lose a lot of hope. We need that hope, especially the guys over in 13. They need someone to stand up for them, someone who’s going to look out for them and work to keep 13’s leaders from using them the way they want.”