[ His heart lodges itself up in his throat as he feels Bucky's shame, and he resists the urge to physically lean in to press his forehead against Bucky's only because the programming is still laid bare. It's a struggle not to just cover it up with ice and snow, leave it there and retreat into their mental link to stand more firmly next to him. To remind him that he's not weak, that Bucky is the strongest man Sam's ever known.
That it's okay to be broken, because Sam was once, too. That there's nothing wrong with needing help, because Sam needs him, too.
He's never used his ability like this before - it's always been through his hands, a conscious, focused thing. But now his skin heats up everywhere it's in contact with Bucky, even through the layers of their soaked clothes. It chases the singed feeling in Bucky's veins, soothes it with a brush of touch and a slow exhale.
Sam threads his fingers through Bucky's, presses their joined hands to his own chest so Bucky can feel the way it rises and falls. ]
(Breathe with me. You can do this, Buck, it's okay to remember.)
[ I'm always gonna come for you, he promises without quit meaning to, pulled from him as he feels Bucky's fear, as the memory of his realization that no one is coming makes him have to work a little harder to count his own breaths. You don't ever gotta do this alone. ]
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That it's okay to be broken, because Sam was once, too. That there's nothing wrong with needing help, because Sam needs him, too.
He's never used his ability like this before - it's always been through his hands, a conscious, focused thing. But now his skin heats up everywhere it's in contact with Bucky, even through the layers of their soaked clothes. It chases the singed feeling in Bucky's veins, soothes it with a brush of touch and a slow exhale.
Sam threads his fingers through Bucky's, presses their joined hands to his own chest so Bucky can feel the way it rises and falls. ]
( Breathe with me. You can do this, Buck, it's okay to remember. )
[ I'm always gonna come for you, he promises without quit meaning to, pulled from him as he feels Bucky's fear, as the memory of his realization that no one is coming makes him have to work a little harder to count his own breaths. You don't ever gotta do this alone. ]