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Sam didn't understand why Steve left. He is touched and overwhelmed and awed by Steve giving him the sheild. And he knows, of course he knows that Steve is tried of running, tired of fighting, knows Steve needed to find somewhere he would be happy.
But still some part of him just can't understand why Steve left, can't come to terms with a world in which Steve is gone, cant come to terms with a world in which he, Sam is somehow Captain America?! (I mean it's about time a brother got the job but still!)
Surprisingly Bucky does. Sam was always amazed at Bucky and Steve's friendship... they would go through so much, fight so hard to be at each other's side, but yet content to let the other be alone.
Steve lost everything to get Bucky back, but then happily left him alone in Wakanda. And it seems like Bukcy perfectly understood Steve wasn't coming back to this century, even before he left. He doesn't understand but it works for them.
*
Bucky knows if he tells Sam all the reasons why he is Captain America: good and pure and badass and not willing to take shit from anybody, never willing to back down from a fight, I can do this all day... even if he tells Sam all those things Sam would never believe him.
So he has to show him instead. He conveys it with his eyes and his hands (yes both of them) and his mouth. He kisses hard and touches softly, reverently, and looks at Sam in awe. In the same way, he doesn't pull his punches when they spar and train. And after each one he lands Sam complains, but he knows Sam appreciates that he treats him as an equal. He doesn't slow his stride to run next to Sam until the last lap (they always do the last lap together).
And slowly over time he hopes that Sam can understand, that Sam will know why he deserves to be Captain America and why Steve *needed* to be with Peggy.
*
On his first mission as Captain America Sam turns to him, and Bucky knows what's coming; Sam and Steve really are cut from the same cloth.
He can't see the raised eyebrow through the mask but he knows it's there, he sees the lift of Sam's lips to the right and knows this expression all too well, all through Sam's teasing and flirting.
"You ready to fight alongside a black Captain America?"
Bucky smiles wide, and knows Sam can see all the love written all over his face, "Nah. That gorgeous asshole who wouldn't put his seat up? That's who I'm gonna stand with."
He can't see Sam's face flush with happiness but he knows it's there.