Lost and Found

everything

A/N: words: 1641. i dont know why im making them sad, specifically sam, but thats not the point. we're all doing fine here. OH ALSO (that was aggressive) im finally on ao3, so yay. anyway, enjoy!

"Avengers-" Steve announced, as Sam, Wanda, Vision, Rhodey stood in front of him, with Nat beside him. "Assemble." Nat interrupted, jumping in front of him. Sam cracked a smile, shaking his head. He's been down in New York for a few days, and he couldn't stop stressing. Mainly about Bucky, but also about becoming an avenger. He knew his entire life was a risk, but this, this was a big one. He's not just fighting for himself, or America, but he has the entire world on his back. It was a lot. And without Bucky beside him, it was gonna be a lot harder. But this didn't look too bad.

"Alright, alright, everyone, this is the new team of avengers." Steve explained, gesturing to the group. "This isn't an easy job, there are risks, so if you're standing here with us, I expect-" Sam braced himself for another Steve Rogers speech, but it was short lived.

"Yeah, Cap, I don't have all day." Rhodey called out with a grin, earning a chuckle from the entire room. Steve, on the other hand, crossed his arms. "You got a new crowd, Rogers. It isn't Tony watching your every move with utter adoration." Nat told him with a sly grin. With a sigh, the pettiest man alive they call Captain America walked out, muttering something about how Tony does not do that, Romanoff.

"Welcome to the avengers." Nat said, gesturing for them to follow her through the doors. Sam looked around the room and headed up the stairs. Yeah, this wouldn't be too bad.

~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, what's up?" Sam heard Natasha's voice from behind him as he set his stuff up in his room. He turned from his bed to face her at the doorway. "Unpacking." he said with a sigh. Nat raised an eyebrow at him. She shut the door behind her. "Look, I can see it on your face. You miss him." Nat said in a hushed voice. Sam nodded. "I do, yeah." Sam admitted, because he misses Bucky. God does he miss Bucky. "Sam, you don't need to be here." Sam looked down. "I know I don't. But I should be. It's not like he's gone forever. And-"

"And if he was with you here, he would be gone forever." Nat finished for him. Sam sighed. "Yeah." he breathed out, almost sounding surprised. But he knew that. And Bucky knew that. That's why they were on other sides of the world. "Even if he wasn't, you know, an ex assassin who'd probably be locked up the moment he stepped into the country," Sam began, "I don't know if I could do it. I mean, I've seen the reaction online, people aren't too pleased with having 2 Black superheros. Doubt they'd be too happy to hear about a pansexual superhero who fell in love with an ex assassin." Sam said, all his fears coming out in one moment, and looked up to find Natasha looking at him not with pity, but with care. "Don't let them go to your head. What they say doesn't matter. It's horrible to read what people say online, I almost threw my phone one time scrolling through a thread on twitter." Sam chuckled at that. "But always know we got your back. Barnes the most out of all of us." Sam smiled at her, a wide smile. "Thank you, Nat."

She smiled at him and made her way out the door, already starting to yell at Steve. Sam smiled, and laid down on his pillows. This was going to be hard, but Sam had to overcome a lot of things in his life. This shouldn't be much different.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Sam, dinners ready if you're hungry." Wanda told him from his door frame. Sam nodded to her. "Alright, I'll be out in a bit." Sam prayed she didn't see the redness of his eyes, but alas, she was pretty observant. "Hey, is everything alright?" she asked, inching into the room. Sam sighed, rubbing his eyes. "It's nothing, I just, I'm missing someone right now." Sam confessed. Wanda smiled in sympathy, in knowing. He watched as she fiddled with her hands. "Can I sit?" she asked, inching closer. He nodded, patting the spot beside him.