sam wilson defender

My final reverse bang project! @sambuckyevents

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV), Captain America (Anthony Mackie Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Sam Wilson Characters: Sam Wilson (Marvel), James “Bucky” Barnes Additional Tags: Near Death Experiences, Near Drowning, Burns, Hurt Sam Wilson (Marvel), Bucky Barnes Takes Care of Sam Wilson, Hurt/Comfort, Getting Together, Sick Sam Wilson (Marvel), Pneumonia, POV Sam Wilson (Marvel), Pre-Movie: Captain America: Brave New World (2025)  Summary:

Sam burns, and he falls.

In a more poetic world, he would spend the descent contemplating his life, his regrets, the people he’s leaving behind.

The truth is that there isn’t time for any thoughts like that. He’s too busy trying to live.

(Sam grapples with his limitations after a near-death experience. Bucky just wants to help)

i have been so wicked excited to redo this comic since i first drew it cus this event means so much to Sam as a character n I don't want it to lose its importance

also ive redesigned Riley a bit and thrown in my own imbelishments to the story so it feels new n whole :)

i luv it n i hope u do too

they make a playlist. their tastes are so vastly different. sam introduces riley to Black artists who absolutely lights up and loves the new selection he can explore. riley laughs when sam cringes at the people screaming into their ears. they lie shoulder to shoulder with the wired earphones between them. they probably listen through an ipod. idk. somehow. and.

sam forgets about it. or rather. he makes himself forget about it. all the songs shared on dark quiet nights. all the songs he let riley convince him were good. all the songs sam’s kept safe in a separate playlist that’s catered for riley and him. for sam and riley. for them. there are love songs. songs to dance to. songs they both agreed would be great blasting in their ears while flying.

songs that remind them of each other.

he finds the ipod amongst all his things one day. it’s been years. he’s better now. getting better.

miraculously it manages to charge up. everything’s still there where he (they) left it. where else would the songs go? where else would their memories go?

sam takes a deep breath, does some technical things, gets the playlist playing through his speakers. he has to sit down. he brings figaro to his chest. he stays there on the couch as his hands move on their own, petting figaro’s soft fur.

it’s fine it’s fine it’s fine

(he doesn’t realize how much his throat hurts until ten songs later, until their song starts playing. until he has to take shaky breaths to calm himself down. until he closes his eyes and a single tear slides down because god— he remembers them dancing and singing. silly. stupid. riley was never a good singer, but god did he try his best and god did it make sam so giddy with fondness)

the playlist is the only one he listens to for the next week. until one month passes and he can smile at the memories associated with each and every song. until two months later he’s (happily) humming to the songs while he idles around the house.

until sam carries a cd with him and flowers to visit riley. until he’s singing quietly in front of ronald riley’s grave, wondering if riley’s still jealous about how sam’s naturally talented at singing (“perfect pitch? seriously, wilson?”)

Chapters: ½ Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Sam Wilson, James “Bucky” Barnes & Sam Wilson, Joaquín Torres & Sam Wilson (Marvel), Sam Wilson & Sarah Wilson, James “Bucky” Barnes & AJ Wilson & Cass Wilson & Sam Wilson & Sarah Wilson Characters: Sam Wilson (Marvel), James “Bucky” Barnes, Sarah Wilson (Marvel), Joaquín Torres (Marvel), AJ Wilson, Cass Wilson Additional Tags: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Town of Delacroix Louisiana (Marvel), Pre-Movie: Captain America: Brave New World (2025), Pre-Movie: Thunderbolts (2025), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Bucky Barnes Takes Care of Sam Wilson, Fluff and Angst, Sam is a yearner, So is Bucky, it’s peach season baby, Injury, My mans needs a chiropractor, First Kiss, Getting Together, Being Captain America is hard, Sam Wilson as Captain America (Marvel) Summary:

“You gotta tell me what’s going on, alright? I’m worried about my kid brother. Cuz even though he’s all grown up, he still gets that same look on his face when he’s hurt but doesn’t want to bug anybody.” Sarah’s eyes search his thoroughly.

Or

And it makes so much sense for Joaquin to be less cautious, a quick learner, eager to go bigger quicker. Sam and Riley were the test pilots for an experimental program; flight suits that had never been created before. The amount of red tape probably meant small incremental steps in training and progress and pushing the limits. Sam and Riley would've been more serious about it (outside of the sheer adrenaline) because the risks were unknown but potentially endless.

But Joaquin? He knows what is capable with the wings because he's watched Sam for years. It's seeing a master of his craft and wanting to replicate that too, be just as good as fast as he can, to prove himself.

And I think that Joaquin learning so quickly and wanting to go higher, further, faster would freak Sam out a lot.

I love them 🥺😭

I’ll go first: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33941125?view_full_work=true

https://archiveofourown.org/works/50887507