#war falcon

Under the cut, you’ll find 360+ mostly HD GIFs of Anthony Mackie, with and without text. None of these gifs are mine, so all credit goes to their incredible makers. Apologies in advance for repeats and/or if some of the gifs don’t work. Please do reblog/like if this helped you in anyway!

Watching Rhodey drop out of the sky while he once again was held hostage by wind resistance and physics.

He doesn’t hold Tony’s repulsor blast against him

Or, for a dark few days, does he feel his unconstitutional imprisonment in an unknown, underwater bunker is too much

Once again he’s let a fellow soldier, teammate, friend fall in his place

But then government agents start roughing him up for information on other empowered persons and Sam remembers exactly why the fuck he was fighting in that damned airport in the first place

He’s always respected Rhodey

hell, the last handful of months, they’d been friends...more than maybe

and while he understood Rhodey’s desire for accountability, he’d known from the get that:

The Accords were wrong.

Registration was wrong.

And a government that used loyal soldiers like James Rhodes to enfore their hidden agendas, well that was no government Sam could serve.

So, when Steve breaks him out, he scans the news for word on Rhodey’s funeral, prepared to sneak into New York and incognito his way into the service

What he finds instead is news of Lt. Col. Rhodes’ recovery at Avengers mansion where he’s under the supervision of Stark’s medical team undergoing the leading treatment for spinal injuries

Sam is -- relieved, ok. Sneaking Steve into a funeral with his ridiculous ball cap and sunglasses was going to be A Challenge.

Anyway - Secret Avenging becomes A Thing.

As does Shield Sharing

Mainly because Steve got himself kidnapped this one time and waking up Bucky had seemed liked the best idea - and Shuri was feeling generous with the vibranium (something about “you two are bound to get yourselves killed without a proper shield. Take it. Leave.”) whatever.

They’d worked out Bucky’s kinks (the mental ones, not the sexual ones. Sam was not prepared to hear that much 40s slang and whimpering coming from the room next to him. He’d made sure they slept at a proper hotel the next night. No conjoining rooms.) and he’d stayed un-thawed and shield-throwy since.

They mostly gear their efforts toward the Western theater (Western Europe, Africa, Asia.

That’s why Sam’s surprised when a familiar suit of armor comes flashing into one of their fights.

There’s a sudden scritch over their comms and an all too familiar voice cutting through Bucky’s gruff “on your 6″s and Steve’s quiet “we’re *not* killing the henchmen, Buck”s

“Oh, so the Captain’s Three do live. That’s nice. It’s wonderful knowing -- on your 4, Sam -- knowing that your friends are safe -- duck, Cap -- and sound. Apparently, enough to -- Barnes, behind you! -- Avenge. Secretly.”

“Didn’t he break his spine?” Bucky’s always so thoughtful in his mid-battle commentary. But his point stands.

“What the fuck are you doing out here, Rhodes? Aren’t you supposed to be resting?”

“You see, Wilson, that way you were able to have expectations about my condition because you had information about my condition. That’s a courtesy that friends extend to each other. Avoid Stark if you want, but check-in, asshole.”

And then the fight’s over - and they’re going through the complicated process of making sure no one follows them to their present safe house.

But Sam does get in touch with Natasha and sets up one of her complicated Spy Drop Thingies, through which coded post cards are exchanged - mostly there’s a lot of name calling and updates on each groups health/injuries post-Avenging

And then, the RAFT gets made public and Ross effs up pretty publicly, there’s some global protesting, and the Accords, as they stand, get scrapped

So secret-Avenging becomes not so Secret - and every so often the Caps or some combination of Caps + Natasha will swoop in to help out.

When they do, there’s always pretty epic quips exchanged

“Why don’t you leave the heavy-hitters to the big boys, Wilson?”

“Oh - think you can keep up, Tin Man?”

“That’s cute - just like your little bird costume.”

You’re gonna make me blush, old man.”

Some of these conversations take place during relatively populous battles.

It leads to the Internet having questions.

It leads to this

It leads to Rhodey’s tweet printed on to a postcard and mailed to their box

“Oh, yeah?”

Communicating through mail means responses take way too much time:

“Come home and find out.”

Dropping into Avengers mansion without Steve and Bucky on his six takes - a lot. More than a lot. But:

Rhodey sits at one of Tony’s huge bars

The place is completely quiet otherwise

“I’m sorry about Berlin.”

“I’m sorry about the RAFT. And you know - the exiling.”

Sam laughs. “It’s cool, man.”

“Is it?”

“I mean - I’m willing to let you make it up to me.”

“I’ve got just the thing.”

The new wings Tony’s had in storage for the last year leave Sam breathless. The wind, the speed, the company.

“Not gonna lie, this is a great start, Jim, but --”

“Yeah, there is something missing. Come here.”

And Rhodey kisses like he does everything else - with extreme competence and just the right amount of bite.

“If you think that’s all it’s gonna take to --”