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“I know you’re angry but I’m not trying to replace Steve,” Walker said.
“Yes I’m fucking angry but not because you replaced Steve. I’m angry because the government took the shield out the hands of a black man and gave it to fucking WASP,” Bucky snapped.
“That wasn’t my decision, Sam handed the shield over and the government thought it was more appropriate for some else to be the symbol of Captain America. Some who would help unite the country."
Jesus Christ. Jesus fucking Christ, Bucky thought as he felt Sam squirm beside him, had he just transported back in time.
“What and a black man can’t do that!” Bucky retorted fiercely. "You know it’s 80 years since 1943 and it feels like nothing has changed. For such big fans of Captain America you should know that the Howling Commandos were the first integrated unit in the US army and Gabe Jones and Jim Morita were also seen as inappropriate by the government. But Steve fought for them to be on that team because they were good men and excellent soldiers. I spend most my leave defending them from racist assholes within the army so much that I was arrested and threatened with court martial for assault."
Sam turned to look at him then in some sort of awe but he simply shrugged. Walker and Hoskins looked taken aback but Bucky felt like he roll now he wasn’t going to stop.
“There’s the things about Steve Rogers that the government doesn’t want you to know," Bucky said, willing him not to get choked up when he talked about him. “ And since unlike you Walker I actually knew him so I feel like it’s my duty to correct the historical record. Steve Rogers wasn’t a fucking WASP, he was the son of Irish Catholic immigrants who fled oppression from the British Empire.”
Walker eyebrows went up at that, clearly the government decades later we’re still pushing that lie. “That’s not what his dog tags say. I've seen them with my own eyes. Bucky there are printed with a P for Protestant."
Of course Walker has seen Steve’s Dog tags, the Smithsonian has probably given them to him. Bucky remembers the argument with the curator to get his own back.
“You know why they are printed with a P instead of C because the government thought it would be inappropriate for a Catholic to be Captain America so they changed for their own propaganda purposes because of how much they hated Catholics. They didn’t think they could be loyal American citizens. When the world thought Steve had died in the ice he didn’t even get a Catholic funeral because of how much the government wanted to push their bullshit that Steve was Protestant. This country is a hard place to live if you aren’t a white heterosexual upper class man because the system is specifically designed to be against you.”
Walker scoffed, “Are you telling me you’re oppressed too?”
“I’m half Italian on my mother’s side who grew up at a time where Italians were hated because we aren’t Protestants. At a time where I was dismissed at work as a ‘labor agitator’ just because I cared about workers rights while we were all being exploited by a capitalist system. Along with the Irish immigrants and the African Americans I was being paid half of what the ‘real Americans' got paid for doing the same fucking job. It was because the bosses knew we could be exploited as we didn’t have a union and we weren’t going to strike to get one. It was the 1930s I was lucky to be in a job albeit a shitty paid one."
“Are you telling me you’re a communist now?” Walker asked.
“I’m a socialist not a communist. There is a difference you know. The Great Depression racialised me, millions of Americans were out of work but millionaires still existed. Socialism is about economic equality. The Global Repatriation Council would fare a lot better for the post blip recovery if they also redistributed the wealth as well as the resources. It baffles me that in 2023 Americans don’t have universal healthcare because we are still scared of the ‘reds’. I can tell you how many times Steve nearly died because he couldn’t afford to see a doctor. Surely you’re also aware that the USSR were our Allies and we only won the war because of them."
Walker’s face darkened and looked like he was about a launch into an angry tirade about Stalin and how the actions of one authoritarian dictator somehow discredited communism as an ideology. Bucky wasn’t going to have it, “Stop the car,” he yelled. The jeep pulled to stop at the side of the road and Bucky stood up but before it got out he turned to Hoskins.
“You want some advice NCO to NCO. The government and the military are using you to make itself look better because a black man is Captain American’s sidekick but I ain’t falling for it. I know how shitty the government is. Leave, you're better than that."
With that Bucky jumped out the jeep and started heading up the other road not sticking around to hear what Walker said to Sam.
“Hey man. Wait for me, this isn’t fair you’re a super soldier,” Sam called.
Bucky stood and waited for Sam to catch up with him. They fell into an easy step with each other, the silence was comfortable. It was Sam that broke it first.
“What changed you were giving me shit for giving up the shield and now you’re just annoyed Walker’s got it."
“Look I’m annoyed that you gave up the shield because Steve believed in you” And I believe in you too but he didn’t say it. “If Steve was wrong about you then maybe he was wrong about me," Bucky said, hating the way his voice cracked at the end.
“Bucky,” Sam started in a soft voice. He couldn’t be doing with any of Wilson's therapy bullshit right now.
“Sam, please just let me finish," he begged and Sam just let him talk. “When I was in New York it was Halloween and two kids knocked on my door one was dressed as Gabe Jones and the other dressed as you. You know better than I do what a black Captain America would mean to people. But I do get it why you would give up the shield or I’m trying to as I’ll never understand what it’s like to be black in America."
“For a man born in 1917 you seem to get more than other white folks I know," Sam said.
“Thanks, we aren’t all horribly racist,” Bucky said It’s the flag too, we’ve done some shitty things in the name of that flag.”
Sam nodded, “Its different being Cap after Iraq and Afghanistan too. Know one was going argue with Steve and by extension the US government that it wasn’t right to fight the fucking Nazis."
“I'm sorry,” Bucky said, “I can’t imagine what it was like to fight in a war you didn’t believe in. At least in my war there was a front and if you could shoot straight you’d be fine."
“You don’t need to apologise man,” Sam said ignoring the weirdness of a man who looks in his thirties describing World War Two as my war. “You didn’t tell President Bush to illegally invade Iraq.”
Bucky suddenly looked uncomfortable and broke eye contact with Sam. Something now made sense about the US invasion of Iraq.
“Fucking hell. It was HYDRA wasn’t it? That put pressure on Bush.”
Bucky didn’t reply directly saying instead “We’ll achieve order through chaos,” in an over dramatic voice.
Sam laughed because he didn’t know what else to do.
“Can I ask why you joined the Military?” Bucky asked after a moment.
“Sure. I joined up after my Dad died. I ran off to join the Air Force so I didn’t have to deal with the grief. The bonuses were good pay, college education and healthcare. I thought my Mom was going to kill me because of what Dad was like after Vietnam."
Bucky raised his eyebrows, “Your Dad was a veteran?” He was surprised to find out how much him and Sam had in common.
“Not that he had any choice about it. Drafted. He was a working class black man and had no way to get out of it. Mom said he was different, he wasn’t the man she fell in love with. Not that I knew any difference,”
“Same with me. I was four when my Da came back from France my Ma used to say he lost all of his gumption in Europe. Another example of working class boys being forced to fight in an imperialist war. I suppose he was suffering from PTSD we just didn’t call it that then.”
The air felt suddenly heavy between them after talking about their parents. Sam must have noticed it too as he changed the subject.
“You know you talking about socialism was kind of hot,” Sam commented and Bucky felt some of the tension leave his chest.
Bucky felt himself blush. Come on Barnes be smooth, you used to be smooth. What would you do in 1943.
“Well you’re not bad yourself, Wilson, he managed looking at him semi seductively.
Sam laughed, “History did you so wrong man. What else don’t I know about you?”
“Why don’t you find out?” Bucky challenged.