Chapter Text
When they returned to the boat, the Bucky from universe 192 looked at them with a sad smile.
"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, you know, super-soldier hearing and all that. Do you really believe Bucky doesn't love you? Because it's obvious he does, a lot. I know because he looks at you the same way I looked at my Sam every time I saw him. He's in love with you, Sam, and he probably loves you more than I loved my Sam. I've traveled between universes because I couldn't give up on Sam, but he's willing to give you up just to give you the chance to be happy, and I can't think of anything harder or more difficult than that. Do you know why I brought the photos?"
Sam shook his head.
"I brought them because I thought if you weren't together in this universe, it would be hard to believe you were in mine. That you wouldn't see yourselves as a couple, or maybe didn't love each other. But I couldn't have been more wrong. I thought you'd need proof, seeing to believe, but neither of you doubted for a moment that there were other versions of you two who were in love, together, and happy. I came here because I wanted to get back what I had with Sam, but now I know it's something I'll never recover, that I'll never have again, not even if I was with someone just like him. However, maybe this had to happen, maybe I had to come here so that you two could have that chance to be together. Maybe you're the lucky ones who will get your 'forever.'"
Bucky's voice cracked as he said this last part, and Sam stepped closer to comfort him.
"Thank you."
"Thank you, James."
"What are you waiting for? Go talk to him."
Sam nodded, squeezed the man's shoulder, and went off to find his Bucky. He found him making his way back to the boat.
"Hey."
"Everything okay?" Bucky asked.
"Everything's perfect, but I have a question for you."
Bucky gestured for him to go on, and Sam hesitated. He really had so many questions to ask him. Why do you want to switch universes? Do you love me? Torres and the other you think you love me, is it true? Can we go on a date? Do you want to go out with me? Would you like to stay in this universe and try to have what the Sam and Bucky from universe 192 had?
"I need to know what you feel for me," he finally said. Bucky's eyes widened; Sam wasn't sure if he was surprised or scared.
"Respect..." Bucky said awkwardly, and Sam tried not to feel disappointed. "Trust... Admiration... I feel safe with you and happy. We argue all the time, and yet you make me feel at peace."
Sam didn't know what to say. Unlike his other self, this Bucky wasn't a man of many words, but even the few he'd spoken moved him. However, those feelings could be romantic, or they could be friendship, or hell, even just professional respect. Bucky's response, while nice, didn't clarify much.
"Thank you. I feel all that for you too."
The smile Bucky gave him could have lit up all of Delacroix.
"Do you want to switch universes?" Sam asked, because that was what had brought them to this point.
Bucky just shrugged slightly in response. This wasn't leading anywhere.
"You have to be honest," Torres had said. Sam sighed. It seemed like he had no choice but to bare his soul to Bucky and hope the other man wouldn't be horrified or frightened by it.
"I know my earlier reaction wasn't encouraging, but if you want to go to universe 192, I'll support you. If you think you can be happier there than here, I really do support you."
"I could never be happy in a universe where you're not."
Sam's heart sped up at that.
"Then don't go. I don't want the happiness that the other Bucky could give me; I want the happiness you give me."
Sam saw that Bucky's eyes shone with unshed tears, and he tenderly stroked his cheek. Bucky unconsciously leaned into the touch. He could leave it at that, but now that he had started being honest, he was going to see it through to the end. If Bucky didn't want anything with him, he would accept it, and at least he would know.
"I'd love to have what they had, but for it to be ours. I'm in love with you, Buck, and I'd be happy if you were too and wanted to be with me. But if not, I'm happy to have you as a friend, like we are now."
Bucky said nothing, just stared at Sam in a kind of awe, as if trying to process what Sam had just told him.
"What's going on in that big cyborg brain of yours" Sam asked sadly, and for a moment, he thought Bucky was going to answer "It's computing" like he had that other time, long ago, when Sam had asked him the same question and then Bucky kissed him. It was a desperate kiss, intense, almost hungry, and Sam quickly responded.
They would have loved to stay kissing forever, but they knew they couldn't. They had work to do, so after a session of kisses and love confessions that lasted less time than they both would have liked, they returned to the boat.
The smiles and looks from Torres and the Bucky from universe 192 were enough to let them know they were aware of what had happened.
"I'm ready to go," said the other Bucky.
They untied him. They didn't think he posed any danger, though Sam noticed that Bucky tensed up beside him, preparing just in case there was trouble. But there was no need to worry.
Sam let go of his Bucky's hand and went to hug the one from universe 192.
"I'm going to see Sarah and the kids."
"Thank you," said Sam, hugging him tighter.
They let go, and the Bucky from universe 192 looked at Torres.
"It's been a pleasure meeting you, man," he said, extending his hand, which Torres shook.
"Likewise, sir," said Torres, and the other Bucky smiled at him before turning to his version from this universe, seeing that Sam and Bucky were holding each other around the waist.
"Take care of him."
"Till the very end," said Bucky, looking at Sam, who gave him a soft, brief kiss on the lips.
"Awwww," exclaimed Torres, making the others smile.
"I hope you two are as happy as Sam and I were," they both smiled and nodded.
"We will be," said Sam as the man disappeared.
"Safe travels," added Torres at the same time that Sam and the two Buckys said, "Goodbye."
A little tired and with some sadness for the other Bucky, but happy with how everything had turned out, they went back to Sarah's house.
"Password?" Sarah asked when they rang the doorbell.
"Pokémon Legends ZA," answered Bucky.
"Yes! It's them!" Cass and AJ yelled, opening the door and rushing to their uncles. Sam and Bucky let go of their entwined hands to hug the kids. Sam said nothing, but he was so happy and grateful that Bucky had found another way to protect his family that he fell a little more in love with him in that moment, if that was even possible.
"I see everything went perfectly," said Sarah, who had noticed Sam and Bucky's hands clasped before they let go.
"Better than I could have ever imagined," replied Sam, taking Bucky's hand again once they finished hugging the kids. Sarah smiled, and the boys looked surprised and happy.
"And the best part is that the other Bucky could hear their conversation, and he told me everything, so I can tell you all about how these two finally got together," said Torres proudly and joyfully as they entered the house. Sam groaned, and Bucky laughed softly.
"That's part of the super-soldier hearing, sweetheart," he said, giving Sam a peck on the lips.
"I can live with that."
They sat down to eat the cake Sarah and the kids had made. Sam didn't know what would happen next—maybe he'd die soon like his version from universe 192, and he'd make sure to put everything in order just in case. Maybe he'd live a few more years, or maybe he'd die an old man. But in that moment, surrounded by the people he loved most and with Bucky and him having confessed their feelings, he was happier than he had been in a long time, and he was ready to enjoy that feeling to the fullest and take life as it came.