[ It's a great idea as far as Sam's concerned. Or at least - it's a great idea to pursue what makes you happy, except maybe this should come with some actual talking about things and figuring things out. The programming is its own brand of hell.
Sam's always at least subconsciously aware of it, as strong as his and Bucky's connection is, and there's a part of him that rears up protectively when he feels it trying to burn out Bucky's happiness, trying to take away what he wants and leave him empty. He wants to fight, to haul Bucky in and chase off the programming, but they've learned first hand that facing it head on doesn't always work, and they've always had better outcomes at trying to subvert it.
Bucky still wants to protect everyone else, and Sam - loves him a little bit more, right then, even as he feels a little nauseous. Sam knows exactly how good of a person Bucky is, how much he wants to help people and how much he doesn't want to be used to hurt anyone again, but having someone say the words to make sure that happens...
And part of him wonders, how much of this is just because the words are what Bucky's conditioned to see as safe? Just to keep him in check, because that's what he's always known? But Sam has never treated Bucky like anything less than a person, never like someone who was fragile and couldn't handle himself, and he won't start now.
He won't do this to tame Bucky, to make him safer - to take away his ability to protect himself and react when he sees a threat. But their symbiote bond is strong, growing stronger every day, and it's been enough to challenge the programming in the past. Combine it with the words, and maybe they can subvert the programming more, give Bucky more control of himself.
Sam opens his mind wider, tugging on their brood link and beckoning Bucky in towards his mind. It's safer in there, with the programming at work. ]
(Come here? We can talk about how we're gonna do this.)
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Sam's always at least subconsciously aware of it, as strong as his and Bucky's connection is, and there's a part of him that rears up protectively when he feels it trying to burn out Bucky's happiness, trying to take away what he wants and leave him empty. He wants to fight, to haul Bucky in and chase off the programming, but they've learned first hand that facing it head on doesn't always work, and they've always had better outcomes at trying to subvert it.
Bucky still wants to protect everyone else, and Sam - loves him a little bit more, right then, even as he feels a little nauseous. Sam knows exactly how good of a person Bucky is, how much he wants to help people and how much he doesn't want to be used to hurt anyone again, but having someone say the words to make sure that happens...
And part of him wonders, how much of this is just because the words are what Bucky's conditioned to see as safe? Just to keep him in check, because that's what he's always known? But Sam has never treated Bucky like anything less than a person, never like someone who was fragile and couldn't handle himself, and he won't start now.
He won't do this to tame Bucky, to make him safer - to take away his ability to protect himself and react when he sees a threat. But their symbiote bond is strong, growing stronger every day, and it's been enough to challenge the programming in the past. Combine it with the words, and maybe they can subvert the programming more, give Bucky more control of himself.
Sam opens his mind wider, tugging on their brood link and beckoning Bucky in towards his mind. It's safer in there, with the programming at work. ]
( Come here? We can talk about how we're gonna do this. )