Disclaimer: I own nothing

Author Note: Set after 'Captain America: Civil War'.

TURN THE EARTH

The first thing they did was head to Wakanda, because even though it hadn't been that long, Steve needed to check in on Bucky again. Stark and the General had gotten into his head. Sam was okay with the continual movement; after being stuck in prison for choices he'd make again, he needed to move. He needed to fly too but that wasn't possible right now. If it wasn't possible forever...Sam wasn't thinking about that outside of nightmares.

It turned out Bucky, with a new arm and flesh sleeve, could move too. T'Challa's people had been working on the triggers and had help that T'Challa wouldn't stick a name to yet.

Bucky and Sam eyeballed each other but neither complained.

Now they were back in the States, they had to work on finding a house. One day early on, when the search hadn't even begun, Lang's creepy-crawly buddies showed up with phones. They just appeared with cellphones, out of the scrub grass at a roadside. Bucky looked amused by the insect train and Steve looked fascinated. Sam took in the view and wondered what level of crazy his life had reached that he wanted to thank ants for a phone delivery.

Lang had texted all the phones, leaving their numbers and the numbers he'd given Wanda and Nat. It was a narrow bet if Nat would actually use it but she was more likely to thanks to the lack of Stark technology involved. Lang said his daughter was drawing pictures of all of them for decoration. He'd split after the prison break, having the best shot of any of them at remaining undetected.

The phones helped with researching houses that were far from foot traffic or main highways. Bucky only knew HYDRA boltholes and wanted a place with good sniper sightlines and Steve's only worry was that it was somewhere Bucky wouldn't be found. Sam reached out to ex-service buddies. It wasn't like he was the first one to seek a place off grid. They didn't ask questions, some told him to keep running.

The three of them used cash at any cheap motel that didn't have security cameras and split two beds unevenly. Sam and Steve had been sharing bedspace for months now and Bucky took the single. He stared at Sam; Sam could feel those eyes at the back of his head, especially when he was drifting to sleep. It was deliberate; Sam had caught Bucky smirking more than once.

Whatever room they stayed in, there was the smell of salted caramel. Bucky hoarded it every chance he got. It made his fingers sticky and his smile, whenever it came out to play for real, small and pleased.

Barton was the first to text regularly – Lang had gotten a phone to him too. Smart thing as it turned out Barton and his family had given up the farm. Stark knew where it was. Steve frowned; explaining to Bucky that Barton had successfully hidden his family for years, only Nick Fury had known about it until Barton had taken the Avengers there.

"HYDRA didn't know about his family," Bucky replied with casual surety.

Because he'd been a weapon programmed with the facts and Clint Barton had been someone on HYDRA's radar. So Tony Stark had succeeded where HYDRA had failed.

Barton told them his family was on the move. He was with them off and on; his wife could handle whoever the General sent.

Where'd you think I met her, Cap? He asked rhetorically.

"Does Stark know?" Sam asked.

Steve texted thoughtfully. "Clint didn't say anything before."

Since meeting Barton, Sam had heard stories about his wife; about three kids and running a farm single-handed, then later, after the fighting started, there'd been talk of target practice, five different languages and a mind for detail. Maybe all Stark had seen and heard were the kids and the farmer's wife. A SHIELD agent hiding in plain sight.

Barton's messages were always to Steve or Sam, cheery or sarcastic or both, offering updates on Nat because she kept in touch with him and his wife. He let them know about SHIELD teams he spotted or military or government suits. He told them about Tony still not climbing down from his pedestal on regulation. Steve wasn't surprised. Rhodey was on his feet thanks to Stark's tech.

Barton texted Sam asking which frown Cap was wearing; the one where he was beating up on himself or the one where he looked like he needed a drink or a drowning or a couple of rounds with Banner. There was a soft amused exhale; Bucky was reading over Sam's shoulder. Sam didn't bother turning to glare, seeing as Bucky could spot his mood without any help. Yup, and Bucky stayed right where he was.

He was close enough for Sam to smell caramel. He still didn't turn but when he caught Steve's eye, Steve's frown was gone.

Wanda was looking for houses too. She'd gone it alone. Steve hadn't liked that but she'd wanted to keep out of Vision's way and if Vision was focused on finding her, it helped everyone else. Steve still didn't like it though.

She texted daily, letting Steve know her status and if she'd picked up anything that could be helpful. Sometimes she sent photos, of her feet, her hands, the skyline. Instagram stuff that she sent to them instead. She sounded good. Sam remembered how it'd felt to strike out on his own for the first time, how much he'd enjoyed it. It was one of the reasons why he'd joined the service in the first place.

Make sure there's good earth

It was her only request for a house. So she was planning on bedding down too.

There were a lot of motels and a couple of trial places – hell no to the places with water running down the walls and the one with broken air con – until they found somewhere that was a good trek off any kind of actual road. The paintjob was just sad but there was an overgrown garden out back. Bucky prowled around and Steve watched like he could do it for hours. Sam smirked and caught his eye, Steve didn't even blush.

Bucky moved with grace, despite the arm and the kind of paranoia that wasn't ever cute. Sam could stand to watch him a little too, as they moved in the contents of the car they'd boosted several state lines back. Bucky got hot water going somehow – he just smirked when Sam asked because of course - and Steve texted Lang to let him know the address. Lang responded that Hank and Hope were going to get all the amenities working for the house. Apparently a small price to pay to piss off Stark.

There were four bedrooms. Sam and Steve took one and Bucky took the room right next door without a comment or even a stare. He shut the door behind him. The air smelled like moss and mould but there was running water – not down the walls - and Sam curled around Steve to sleep without a problem. Not having to check out in the morning was a massive appeal. Sam kept waking up like he hadn't done in months though; he kept looking for Bucky when he opened his eyes.

Steve squeezed his hand.

There was a food delivery the next day – Lang worked fast. Sam let Barton and Wanda know where they were. Neither came running. Pym Tech were keeping the lights on and water running and were going to get the internet up. Wouldn't hurt to know what Stark was doing.

Maybe there'd be a way to let Sam's family know how he was doing too. Lang had sworn to make sure they knew the actual truth. Sam knew his Mom would get it and his sisters. Still, different to have a stranger telling them than him.

Bucky went walking, wanting to see how far everything was – people, food, gas stations. Sam wanted to go with him, to move. But Bucky probably wanted time alone too. How many years had he spent without company? He left without looking back; both Steve and Sam watched, then looked at each other. It wasn't jealousy that Sam tasted at the look on Steve's face. It wasn't surprise either. Bucky was gonna be unbearable. Steve smiled, hopefully.

"You know we're gonna need a bigger bed," Sam told him.

Steve kissed him, "Are you sure?"

"If you think he's not gonna steal all the sheets then-."

Steve kissed him again and Sam smiled into it. He was on the run with two super-soldiers completely in love with each other. He could stand to enjoy that and the way they both looked at him too.

When Bucky got back hours later, he had bags of salted chocolate caramel but his breath smelled like Red Vines. He probably tasted like all that too. Steve was the one that kissed him. Bucky raised an eyebrow at Sam after. Sam raised one back and took a bag of caramel. Bucky's smile had teeth.

They definitely needed a bigger bed – Bucky liked to stick his knees in Sam's back and his hair got everywhere. He ended up half on top of Sam by the time Sam woke up, like Bucky was making a point, though who knew what the hell it was. It was weird seeing Bucky out so heavily, emphasis on the heavy. All that muscle mass squeezed the air of Sam; it was a kind of trapped that didn't hurt though. It took a couple of careful jabs for Bucky to wake up. He stared down at Sam, like he was memorizing the view. His breath was disgusting.

"You're making breakfast," Sam told him.

"Pancakes?" asked Steve hopefully, waking up on Sam's other side.

He could go from sleeping to awake in less than five seconds and it still didn't seem right. Sam and Bucky's eyes met in a moment of sheer consternation. Then Bucky levered off of Sam using all his weight and got a thump to the back in retaliation that he probably didn't even feel. Fucker. Sam threw a pillow after him.

"This is working out well already," Steve observed dryly but clearly way too amused and happy.

"His knees are lethal even when he's unconscious," Sam replied.

Steve looked fond – of course he did – so Sam kissed him. He thought maybe he could still catch a taste of Bucky.

Nat texted Sam the next day – be careful, have fun. Sam wasn't even surprised. He showed Steve and Bucky – Bucky read it several times with a blank face, Steve laughed ruefully.

There was another delivery thanks to Lang – a whole mess of power tools and industrial-strength cleaner. Yeah. Lang messaged them drawings by his kid. She'd gotten Sam's wings down. The cleaner made Sam's eyes water but they all worked to clean out the property and then aired it out, working in the garden 'til everything smelled right again. Then they got to fixing all the crooked edges inside the property. It was gonna take a few more weeks. Sam was extra glad for the running water and for all that movement, when he wasn't aching everywhere.

Bucky smirked, because of course he wasn't ever tired, and he used up half a bottle of shampoo in one night. Sam made sure all shower products were gone the next time Bucky went to wash.

Steve got a phone call that week that made his eyebrows shoot up.

"Darcy?!"

Sam and Bucky both paused in their work on the kitchen floorboards, though Steve wasn't signaling that they needed to move out. They exchanged looks – you know her? Sure – before both focused on Steve. Sam explained without looking away.

"Darcy Lewis, her boss is how Thor got on the roster. Stark always wanted that science."

Bucky digested this. "Dr Jane Foster."

He didn't list her accomplishments or why she was considered important to HYDRA, like he would have done before. It was still listing in his brain though; Sam could tell. He pressed his foot against Bucky's, Bucky pressed back.

When Steve finished up the call, he was smiling. "Jane, Darcy and Erik left SHIELD."

Hold on. "Isn't that how they're funded?"

Steve was still smiling though. "Now they're being funded by Pym Tech."

Which explained how Darcy had Steve's new number. This was turning into something else. Sam couldn't help smiling too.

"Stark has got to be losing his mind."

Steve's expression turned rueful. "According to Darcy, he doesn't know where they are or who they're working with now. Mr Pym is able to keep them hidden."

"Stark will blame me," Bucky noted.

Right, because Bucky was on the run and was dragging everyone with him. Stark didn't want to blame Steve now so he'd pin it all on the guy he had a legitimate problem with. Steve sat down next to Bucky and gradually wrapped an arm around him. Bucky sort of sagged, his version of relaxing.

"I blame you too," Sam offered, which got a mouth twitch from Bucky and a little more sagging too.

Darcy was instantly a regular texter. She sent Sam pictures of the new hidden lab where she, Erik and Jane worked, though was careful enough not to include any identifying marks and Sam deleted the photos right after he showed them to Steve and Bucky.

She texted gossip about Hank and Hope and Lang and his daughter. She said there was work going on wings for Sam; Sam's heart squeezed and he knew he had to stay level about it but that wasn't going to happen. Wings. Darcy couldn't give details; Sam digested what he could. Darcy asked about Steve and Bucky and how the rehab was going and if they'd heard from Nat. She heard from Wanda daily, they'd gotten to know each other back when the Avengers all in one place hadn't meant an automatic fire fight.

Darcy missed her family but had gotten a message to them via Lang.

Jane and Erik didn't text. They looked focused or worried in Darcy's photos. Determined too. Sam wondered if they'd gotten through to Thor to update him. Maybe he'd stayed away deliberately. Him and Banner both.

Bucky wasn't there when Sam woke up. He was sat outside behind the house, on the steps, his arms bare. The earth had been turned yesterday and the smell was still thick in the pale morning air. Bucky was looking out beyond the garden though.

Sam dropped down beside him. The look on Bucky's face wasn't unfamiliar. Made Sam wish for his wings again; then they'd both be wearing the same look. He still wasn't getting more than morsels from Darcy about his progress towards flying again. So he watched the horizon with Bucky, pressed shoulder to shoulder.

He didn't have to look back to know the kind of shape the house was in. They didn't want to make it stand out, just livable was good. It didn't make sense to stay in one place forever anyway. Sam wondered how his family was, if his Mom was gonna see her sister today, how Teela's exams were going, how his niece was doing at school.

He wondered how much longer he would have stayed in DC before Steve, before Bucky.

His phone buzzed in his sweatpants. Bucky reached and squeezed his hand.

-the end