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I said remember this moment
In the back of my mind
The time we stood with our shaking hands
The crowds in stands went wild
Bucky took a deep breath, looking away from the memorial and instead to Sam beside him. Taking his hand, they entered the building. Hand in hand, they strolled through the museum that held relics of their friends; Relics they had seen used in battle, or just ones their friends had valued. It mostly denoted the history of Steve, and thus of Bucky, though it was strange for Bucky to see himself in an exhibit. When it was first unveiled, the public was beyond excited. The crowds cheered as the red ribbon was cut, opening the exhibit for the first time. Bucky was terrified, his entire life was on display for anyone to read. What would they think? What would Sam think?
We were the kings and the queens
And they read off our names
The night you danced like you knew our lives
Would never be the same
The pair stood silently, listening to the speeches for their lost friends. It was bittersweet. They listed all the heroes, everyone who helped save the world. The words coming from the mouths of strangers felt diplomatic and left them wishing their friends could be here to speak it themselves. Hearing their own names alongside the fallen was strange, though something both men had grown used to, being veterans. Bucky himself was presumed dead for many decades. It left Bucky’s mind to wonder, why did he survive? All of these good people lost their lives, yet after everything, he’d done he was still alive. As if Sam could sense Bucky’s thoughts, he gently gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, glancing over to the man whose eyes hadn’t left the podium.
You held your head like a hero
On a history book page
It was the end of a decade
But the start of an age
Sam’s speech exceeded all of Bucky’s expectations. He couldn’t have been more proud. He watched Sam make history. Sam exemplified what it meant to be a hero, giving everything he had to better the lives of others. His entire life was meant for this. Bucky wished he could say the same. Nonetheless, he was proud. In a strange way, Sam becoming Captain America brought Bucky more closure than anything Steve could have said. The era of pain, suffering, torture and everything he lost had ended as he and Sam stepped into a new light. The 106 years of pure misery he had lived faded to a chapter in his story.
Long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming, "long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered
The legacies of their friends would never be forgotten. They saved the world over and over again, changing so much for the better. Children everywhere looked up to them, and celebrated what they’d done. There were paintings, Halloween costumes, and even lessons taught in school. Heroes became something of mythical proportion, yet most of them started as ordinary people living ordinary lives. Now, they were anything but ordinary.
I said remember this feeling
I passed the pictures around
Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines
Wishing for right now
Bucky was sick of it all. There were banquets, memorials, and even billboards of his lost friends. For countless weeks he was dragged from event to event about their lost friends, then had to see their faces everywhere. It was cruel. They shared many photos of their dear friends' lives, not daring to shed a tear and appear anything but what the media expected. They were celebrated, something they had been waiting on for years. It was a bittersweet victory masking the grief.
We are the kings and the queens
You traded your baseball cap for a crown
When they gave us our trophies
And we held them up for our town
And the cynics were outraged
Screaming, "this is absurd"
'Cause for a moment a band of thieves in ripped-up jeans got to rule the world
Sam was an inspiration. Becoming Captain America meant so much to so many people; many Americans that often felt forgotten finally felt seen. After Sam’s first appearance as Captain America and his speech to the media, people were upset. They were angry about the replacement of Steve despite it being Steve’s final wish. They refused to see through their own bigotted lens of the way things “should be.” Still, Sam rose victorious, and Bucky couldn’t have been more proud.
Long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life
Fighting dragons with you
I was screaming, "long live the look on your face"
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered
Bucky was tired of the hero thing. He wanted his legacy to last, but he didn’t like what it was. His favorite memories, the parts of the fight he held closest to his heart were the ones he fought with Sam. The unlikely team became something more. Something Bucky never thought he’d find. He never did the hero thing for the glory, but he knew their legacy would last. He silently promised himself that he would personally ensure none of his friends were forgotten as long as he lived.
Hold on to spinning around
Confetti falls to the ground
May these memories break our fall
There was one particular ball the pair was invited to, one honoring Steve. Not only did they honor Steve’s legacy, but they celebrated Sam. For the first time, Sam and Bucky danced together in front of everyone. The cameras flashed, but they didn’t seem to care. They knew the media would be angry, more than angry, but they didn’t seem to care. They had each other, and that was enough.
Can you take a moment
Promise me this:
That you'll stand by me forever
But if God forbid fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye
If you have children someday
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name
It was later in the night, long after all the celebrations had ended. Bucky was feeling particularly down, realizing his life may come to a close at any moment without warning. As he laid his head on Sam’s chest, he shifted his head up. “Sam?” “Yes, love?” “Promise me that you’ll stand by me forever.” “I promise-” Bucky cut him off “I wasn’t done. But if, god forbid, fate should step in and we have to part ways, if you have children, when they point to the pictures. Please tell them my name.” “I promise Bucky, but I’d much rather you tell them yourself. Our kids, that is. Promise you’ll try?” Bucky couldn’t stop the smile that crossed his lip. “I promise.”