(a!a) Hah, yes, sorry if that was confusing—the chair was a different and earlier occasion. Re: sex pollen, the lab bench/bunker were actually specified in the prompt! This is a full service joint. ;)

I don't think we have enough information to say why Sam was mad, or if he even really was—Bucky's account is not the most reliable—but in my imagination Sam is by now thoroughly acquainted with and unimpressed by Steve's emotional masochism, and something less than shocked at his wanting to lie in the chair and imagine himself in Bucky's place. To the extent he was angry rather than just upset, I think he was angry at what was done to Bucky—angry right along with Steve, rather than at him.

...what I feel safe assuming is an established consensual relationship between Sam and Steve. Oh man, I love this comment—it makes me think of the sketch of a much darker story, where it turns out to be (a) not Sam, and/or (b) not consensual. (Maybe it's been decided that enhanced individuals can't be trusted to operate on their own, and need the supervision of handlers? A pretty small step for the government that went all floating-raft-prison at the least provocation. Maybe Sam stepped up as the least bad option? The lone and level vistas of fuckery stretch far away.) But naw, you're right, it's totally both. :D

Thanks so much for reading and commenting!