A Place for You & Me ・Bucky Barnes

a meet

Ever since Zoe mentioned James to her mom, Angela had secretly been wanting to meet the man who made her daughter blush. She did not make a big fuss, but it had been two months and she was ready to meet him. 

~

"You don't have to if you don't want." 

"Why wouldn't I? She's your mom."

"I know, I'm just being anxious." Zoe sighs, sinking into her couch, looking up at the ceiling. 

"There's no reason to be." James places a kiss on her forehead from behind the couch. "When do you want to go over?"

"She said whenever is fine."

"Okay. Just let me know. I'm excited to meet her."

Bucky knew their relationship had been strained in the past, but he was happy to hear of how close they were getting recently. He truly was excited to meet the mother of the amazing woman he had fallen in love with. 

"How about we go now and grab some lunch with her?"

"Sounds great."

Zoe texts her mom and they all meet up for lunch. 

~

Upon seeing Angela, James immediately saw the resemblance. They shared the same brown eyes that seemed to melt your heart. 

"Nice to finally meet you, ma'am." James goes to shake her hand, but Angela opts for a hug instead.

"Likewise. So nice of Zoe to let me finally meet you." Angela pokes fun. 

"Mom.." Zoe is bashful. 

"And you're handsome, too. I see why she didn't want me to meet you. Scared I might take you for myself, haha." Angela and James laugh while Zoe tries to hide her smile from them. "Oh, I'm just kidding. You are handsome, though."

"Thank you," James gives his dashing smile. 

"Where you from?"

"New York. Enlisted in the Army. Did some tours, got this metal arm, and now I'm here."

"That's it?" Angela raises an eyebrow.

Zoe chimes in. "Well, a lot of others things happened, but the important thing is, he's here." She grabs his hand and smiles. Angela nods for a second, then it dawns on her.

"Aren't you that assassin guy--"

"Mom-"

"Let me finish. Assassin guy who eventually started working alongside the Black Falcon?"

"Falcon."

"What?" They both ask simultaneously. 

"It's not Black Falcon, just Falcon. I'm sorry, yes, to answer your question. I was the Winter Solider, but I got my mind back and I did start working with Sam aka Falcon."

Angela and Zoe look at each other for a few seconds.

"So you mean to tell me this whole time his name was just Falcon?" Angela asks, surprised.

"Yep." James nods.

"Well I'll be."

"Kinda lame if you ask me." Zoe adds, her mom agrees. James could do nothing but chuckle to himself. 

"Okay. So, you're no longer an assassin. What do you do now?"

"I help Sam whenever he needs me. Thinking about getting a job soon, but not sure yet." 

"Oh, so you're broke?"

"Mom! He is not broke. The government pays him for his services. Right?" Zoe looks at James.

"Oh, yeah. I'm not saving the world for free. I mean, I would, but gotta pay the bills, ya know." 

"Hmm," Angela ponders. "Well, one thing I've always told Zoe is to not fall for a scrub, so I trust you, James. And I also trust that you're taking care of her, too."

"Of course." He smiles and squeezes Zoe's hand gently. The waiter comes and takes their order. 

~

After their outing with Zoe's mom, the couple return back to Zoe's apartment. 

"So?" Zoe asks.

"So..?"

"What did you think of her?"

"Oh, she's great. You two are exactly the same. I think it's cute."

"No we're not!"

James just nods his head. "Okay, if you say so." He walks to the bedroom and Zoe calls after him.

"We are not the same. I mean, we might look the same, but--" she hears a small chuckle from James, who is now in the bedroom, and goes after him. "James Buchanan Barnes." She jumps onto his back. 

"Oh, government name, huh?"

"Take it back." She tugs at the front of his shirt from his back.

"Why? It's not a bad thing." He rolls them over into her bed. 

"I am not Angela Gray." Zoe positions herself on her side, facing him. 

"What's so bad about being like her?"

"She's so.. so.. stubborn!"

"And.. you're not..?" He tries not to laugh, only showing a smirk. Zoe rolls her eyes. 

"Ugh. Whatever." She lays on her back and smiles to herself. 

"In all honesty, though. She's a great woman. I can only imagine the pain she has gone through losing your dad and sister. She's strong." He pauses. "And so are you." 

Zoe felt his words and took them to heart. She is stronger than what she believes herself to be, and her mom for that matter. As a response, Zoe simply hugs him, pushing him onto his back. They hold each other in this embrace, enjoying this part of their world.