Who | Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson
What | Sam keeps trying to protect Bucky
Where | the forest
When | week 6
Warnings/Notes | violence, talk of mind control and torture, will update as needed


Sam's maybe been taking more risks this arena than he usually does. It's not intentional, not really, it's just - every single one of his allies is either at a physical disadvantage or has a giant target shining right over their heads. It feels like the arena's been throwing shit at them near constantly. Hell, the arena has been throwing shit at them near constantly, both the usual arena stuff and launching a full on assault any time one of them uses their powers. So if he feels more protective of his friends than usual, if he feels like he needs to take more chances to keep them safe, it's not undeserved.

Especially Bucky. As soon as Sam realized this was a powers arena, he knew what that meant for Bucky. Another chance for Bucky's super soldier healing factor to kick in, to go into overdrive healing the damage done to his brain, and Sam will do whatever it takes to get Bucky as long as possible with it.

At this point, he's leaning towards doing whatever it takes to make Bucky win, even though he knows that's not what Bucky wants, even though they've talked about how they're both in this just to protect their friends. Normally Sam tries to do his best never to do something he knows Bucky doesn't want, but this isn't normally. It's not like Sam's in the best shape, either. He's hungry and exhausted and they never did figure out what the hell was up with all of them falling sick like that, and he's at the point where making sure Bucky doesn't reset after this, that all that healing isn't undone, is looking pretty damn good.

But that's the kind of long term planning that's a little beyond Sam at the moment. Right now, this late in the arena, it's a struggle just to get enough food for all of them, and his attention is split between hoping there's something left in the forest for him and Bucky to hunt, and keeping an eye out for anything in here that might be looking to hunt them.

Still, he hadn't exactly been expecting the trees to turn on them, and by the time he sees the roots of one of them in particular moving, it's almost too late.

"Bucky!"

Yeah, maybe Bucky's already spotted them, and yeah, maybe Bucky could move out of the way himself - especially if he used those super soldier reflexes - but Sam's not taking any chances. He launches himself at Bucky, pushing him out of the way at the same time as he twists to aim his wand at the roots. He's going to end up either on top of Bucky or with his ass on the ground with this stunt, he better have his weapon at the ready.