A Place for You & Me ・Bucky Barnes

a day out

The next morning, Bucky wakes up giddy and anxious. He could barely sleep the night before, worrying about how today might go. He showers, and forces himself to eat a small breakfast. He glances at his phone. It's only 9:45. He needs a way to kill time, since he didn't want to arrive too early. 

~

Zoe wakes up to the birds singing and jumps out of bed ready for the day. She hasn't been this excited in years. She feeds Atlas, tends to her plants, and proceeds to get ready for the morning. As she looks in her closet, she realizes she needs a dire upgrade in her wardrobe. A yellow shirt stands out, and she grabs that to wear with an older pair of carpri jeans. After styling her hair into a cute bun, she prepares her breakfast. Two eggs, some toast, and fresh fruit. Having ate, she packs a small bag with a few snacks and a water bottle. She glanced at the clock on her wall. 9:40. She still has plenty of time until James arrives. What to do in the meantime? 

~

To kill some time, James leaves his place and walks around town for a bit. He passes by a flower shop and notices the many colors and aromas. Some deep purple irises catch his eye and he enters the shop to see them. After looking around for a bit, he grabs some irises along with baby's-breath and heads towards Zoe's place.

~

A text alert dings. Zoe checks it. 

Hey, it's James. I'll be there in 10. 

Her heart skips a beat when she reads it. She anxiously gets her things together and waits those ten long minutes. 

~

As James nears her apartment, his stomach begins to fold. He stops himself before walking up to her door and takes a few breaths. You're fine, it's gonna be fine. He knocks on the door and waits for what feels like an eternity. 

Zoe is startled by the knock, but calms herself before she approaches the door. When she opens it, James greets her with the beautiful bouquet of flowers. 

"I saw these and thought you might like them," he admits shyly. 

"They are beautiful!" 

She grabs them and smells them before letting him in. "Come on in, I'll just put these up really quick."

James walks in and takes in the scenery. It feels just like the coffee shop. Her dining table is small but welcoming, with its worn wooden areas. The kitchen is quaint but has a few paintings to make it feel homey. As he walks in a bit further, he is greeted by her brown tabby, Atlas. Meow. 

"So you must be the famous Atlas?" James bends down and Atlas sniffs his gloved hand. Immediately, Atlas rubs up against his hand. James smiles and pets the cat a few times. 

He watches Zoe put her flowers in a clay vase, one that looks hand-made. 

"Did you make that?"

"No, it was given to me by my father before he passed. He loved making clay vases."

She places the vase on a window sill in her living room. The room itself is like a safe haven and makes James want to stay forever. Zoe turns and sees Atlas rubbing against James' legs. 

"I see Atlas likes you," she smiles. James looks down to see the cat. 

"It would seem so. He's not so bad after all." 

Zoe picks Atlas up and puts him in her room. "I will be darned if he tips that vase over. You ready to go?"

"Yep." 

Zoe leads him out of her apartment and they begin their way to the zoo. 

"So the quickest way there is to take the subway. Is that alright with you?"