A breath that shudders out of Bucky as Sam touches him, talks to him. Recognizes him aloud as something that belongs to the fathoms. He knows now why Sam smells like home, to him.

Sam's people knew. They understood.

His eyes are blue, when Sam looks into them, but there are also lightning storms on the horizon. The vastness of the ocean in his eyes.

"You don't understand," Bucky responds, and it may be then that Sam realizes that while Bucky has power? He's young. "Without them I'd be... mad. Uncontrollable." He touches Sam's arm, runs his hand across soft skin. "They don't really believe. But. They're helping me be more human."