[ the familiarity of their scenario pokes at the back of his mind. and then sam says okay, and it hits him.
how many times has he sat by steve, back in the old days, when they were both still innocent, dumb kids in brooklyn, and sussed out his silences? how many times did he look for clues in steve, on whether he should press an issue, leave him alone, or just take him out to eat? god, it must've been hundreds of times, over the years. steve had such a tendency to get lost in his own head, to think no one could understand.
but bucky understood. he just didn't have the words to articulate it with. there were some things, you just didn't say.
so you'd say okay.
he closes his eyes at the memory, trying to rein in the wave of emotion, and the silence stretches once more. he has no idea how long he's been standing out there, trying to pull himself together, but eventually, he straightens up from his spot leaning against the rail. ]
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how many times has he sat by steve, back in the old days, when they were both still innocent, dumb kids in brooklyn, and sussed out his silences? how many times did he look for clues in steve, on whether he should press an issue, leave him alone, or just take him out to eat? god, it must've been hundreds of times, over the years. steve had such a tendency to get lost in his own head, to think no one could understand.
but bucky understood. he just didn't have the words to articulate it with. there were some things, you just didn't say.
so you'd say okay.
he closes his eyes at the memory, trying to rein in the wave of emotion, and the silence stretches once more. he has no idea how long he's been standing out there, trying to pull himself together, but eventually, he straightens up from his spot leaning against the rail. ]
I could eat.