Work Text:
as Bucky gazed at starry skies, entranced
Sam’s eyes were locked on Bucky, hypnotized
Innocent view, it was, but at a glance
a deeper look revealed what was disguised
a battle, wished to be long left behind
alas, the war went on, never ending
no longer physical, fought in his mind
he kept it at bay through careful tending
a tedious act, managing the dam
“the stars are much clearer out here,” he said
“it’s calmer and quieter,” he told Sam
and safer, here, between the lines, Sam read
“you know, you’re always welcome out here, Buck
“in fact, don’t ever leave again,” he tried his luck
and Bucky scoffed, though lacking conviction
but if he tried for a reason, why not
he didn’t find it; there was no mission
there was no excuse, nothing to be fought
except for a feeling, scary and new
of freedom, of agency, given a choice
it felt foreign, this shift, this change in view
this new ability to have a voice
a feeling, a lifted weight, a relief
but what to do, with the ghosts of his sins
and how to move past the mountain of grief
although, if Sam could see him, could love him
as if there was never anything else
perhaps, then he could learn to love himself