Author's Note - Slight spoilers for Falcon and the Winter Soldier, all Captain America movies, Infinity War, and Endgame. Comments are always welcome (and they definitely encourage the author to write more stories...). Also posted on AO3 under my user r_n_g_are_dead. Thanks for reading!

"Hypothetically speaking, when I get married, you'll be my Best Man, right?" Bucky asked.

Sam looked up from the tackle box he was digging through with a quizzical expression etched on his face. Not that Bucky could see it anyway, as the man with the metal arm was busy casting his rod into the river behind Sam's sister's house. The lure hit the water with a satisfying smack. "Excuse me?"

As he reeled in ever so slowly, Bucky turned to face Sam, his facial features locked in a neutral guise. "Did you not hear me? Or did you hear me, but want me to repeat the question?"

"The latter," Sam replied. "Because if you're asking what I think you're asking, you're also asking for an ass-kicking. So you better be real sure about the words coming out of your mouth."

Bucky's eyes slid into a glare and he yanked on his rod, pulling the lure out of the water. He tossed the rod to the ground and approached Sam. "You're always threatening me, Sam. You know that? It's not very brotherly of you."

Sam glared right back at the man walking toward him, knowing Bucky could rip the arms off of anyone he came across if he wanted to. "So she said yes?" With a shake of his head, Bucky flopped down in the folding chair next to Sam and grabbed a beer from the open cooler between them. Sam's whole body reacted with utter shock. "She said no?!"

"No," Bucky said with a grin and a laugh and as he easily twisted the beer cap off with his left hand. "Didn't ask yet."

Sam reached over to smack Bucky's head, but the super soldier dodged the attack as he took a sip of his drink. "What is the hold up, man?"

"I wanted to talk to you first," Bucky chuckled.

"This isn't the '40s, Bucky. You don't need my permission to marry my sister," Sam said, rolling his eyes. "She does what she wants, regardless of my opinion. You do what you want, also regardless of my opinion."

"No, I know," Bucky replied. "And I'm asking her tonight while you're taking the kids to the movies. Which, thank you, by the way." He put his elbows on his knees and cradled his beer bottle between his hands. "But I still wanted to talk to you."

After a moment, Sam shut the tackle box and grabbed himself a beer. He twisted off the cap and threw it into the cooler among the other (mostly empty) bottles, caps, and ice. He'd need to get more at the combination bait shop/liquor store later. But for now, he took a sip and settled into the back of his chair. "I'm all ears."

Bucky let out a heavy sigh. "I love Sarah—"

"—well, I should hope so—" Sam interjected.

"—but I wanted to make sure you and I were still cool. And that you're really okay with me potentially joining your family," Bucky said, powering through his thoughts.

There was a time about a year ago when Bucky thought Steve's shield was pretty much the only family he had left. But the shield wasn't Steve's anymore. And while Steve would always be his family on some level, Bucky learned to let a few more people into his heart. Though as much as he was in love with Sarah Wilson and wanted to marry her, Bucky was still afraid it was going to jeopardize the working relationship and genuine friendship he found in Sam.

"'Potentially joining your family'… Do you hear yourself?" Sam asked. "You've been part of this family for months, man. You may as well be Bucky Wilson. My brother from another mother. And father, since you're basically a melanin-free zone, but that's besides the point. What I'm saying is you're already family. We're kin, okay? You and me are cool, so long as you keep treating my sister and nephews right."

"Will do," Bucky said, trying and failing to bite back a smile.

"All right." Sam smiled back. "Hey—what ring did you end up going with?"

Bucky reached into his pocket, pulled out a small navy box, and handed it to Sam.

Sam's eyebrows furrowed. Though as large as the ring boxes he saw at the store, this one was worn out. He flipped open the top and saw a silver band with a simple leaf-like pattern etched around it.

"It was my mom's," Bucky said as he watched Sam inspect the ring. His sister had saved it all these years, not wanting to part with the one thing that connected her to her parents. Bucky was surprised she so easily handed it over to him, but forever grateful at the same time. He couldn't think of a better way to honor his folks and hoped Sarah would understand. "I know it's not flashy, but…"

"It's perfect," Sam said, almost choking up. And it was. He knew his sister would love it. Something big would get in the way when she was on the boat. This would mean more to her anyway. He smiled as he handed back the ring box. "You did good."

Bucky nodded once firmly, unable to take the compliment for what he knew it was, and shoved the box back in his pocket. Now all he had to do was say those four little words that made up the biggest question he'd ever ask.