[ He doesn't have to, maybe, but he wants to. He'd fought for Bucky even before they were broodmates, and that hasn't changed except to make it more personal. If Bucky can throw himself back at the programming to try to protect him, despite everything the programming's done - Sam sure as hell can do the same for him. They're partners.
He's too distracted by the fight to be able to respond to much of that, but there's a jumbled of feeling of disagreement - Bucky is stronger, he's still here, there's a part of him that held on and that never would've happened when they first got here - as well as acknowledgement. He understands wanting to do more, and it strengthens his resolve to see this through.
Pain courses through Sam's body, vision going black as his mouth opens in a silent scream - and then it fades as his own ability activates, though it still leaves his nerves vibrating with the aftershocks. But it does nothing for the water he'd choked down or the lack of oxygen, and he starts trying to pull free.
They know exactly what happens when Bucky uses his ability, and it's an automatic response that has him burying himself more into their brood bond, twining around Bucky and holding tight to the pieces of him he's got, in case the reset tries to scatter them. At the same time, there's the background knowledge that now, he needs to do it now, say the words and take advantage of -
But he has to get them both to the surface and breathing before he can try again, and his hand clenches in the Soldier's shirt as he kicks, desperately trying to haul them both to the surface. ]
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He's too distracted by the fight to be able to respond to much of that, but there's a jumbled of feeling of disagreement - Bucky is stronger, he's still here, there's a part of him that held on and that never would've happened when they first got here - as well as acknowledgement. He understands wanting to do more, and it strengthens his resolve to see this through.
Pain courses through Sam's body, vision going black as his mouth opens in a silent scream - and then it fades as his own ability activates, though it still leaves his nerves vibrating with the aftershocks. But it does nothing for the water he'd choked down or the lack of oxygen, and he starts trying to pull free.
They know exactly what happens when Bucky uses his ability, and it's an automatic response that has him burying himself more into their brood bond, twining around Bucky and holding tight to the pieces of him he's got, in case the reset tries to scatter them. At the same time, there's the background knowledge that now, he needs to do it now, say the words and take advantage of -
But he has to get them both to the surface and breathing before he can try again, and his hand clenches in the Soldier's shirt as he kicks, desperately trying to haul them both to the surface. ]