peace [bucky barnes]

8

a/n: thought i would treat u to an earlier update bc i'm rly excited for this chapter :)) enjoy besties!

Eden stared into the steaming hot mug of coffee clenched between her hands, still not quite believing what had just happened. Her mental coaching was in full force, trying to calm the nerves keeping her body set entirely on edge as he sat opposite her.

The walk there was slightly awkward; it was only about five minutes down the street from her work, but the conversation had been light, mostly about their days and the gloomy weather. As they reached the coffee shop, the heavens had opened, rain pouring down as Bucky ushered her inside.

Eden was a regular haunt of this place, often running inside in the mornings before work whenever she had a chance to. The exposed brick walls had fairy lights hung across them, alongside hundreds of framed photos, and shelves full of plants and trinkets. Mostly Eden loved the furniture, the colourful cushioned sofas with patterned blankets and pillows alongside the mixture of wooden and steel chairs and tables appealing to her personal style greatly. The whole place felt like home to her.

Bucky had insisted on ordering her coffee while she found a table, a pretty easy feat considering the place was practically empty; she settled on one beside the window, letting them observe as the rain poured down outside. He brought both mugs over with a shy smile, sliding into the tiny chair opposite, his massive leather frame looking out of place amongst the cosy decor. They were both still hesitant, still slightly on edge, but after a few moments together that initial surge of screaming panic had lowered to a background terror easily kept at bay.

She glanced up, watching as he craned his head sideways, jaw defined, staring out onto the busy Brooklyn street with furrowed brows. He nursed a black coffee between his gloved hands, gently tapping his finger against the porcelain as he watched the droplets drip down the window, seemingly deep in thought.

"So..." Eden broke the silence between them, trying her hardest not to look down. "Bucky? Where did that name come from?"

Bucky turned back to her, his gaze intense as he met her eyes. "My full name is James Buchanan Barnes, but everybody's called me Bucky since I was a little kid. I prefer it, much more to James anyway."

"Yeah, James doesn't suit you as much," Eden agreed, shaking her head with a playful smile. "James Buchanan Barnes. Sounds like something out of Cluedo."

Bucky's brow wrinkled, silence indicating he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Oh shit, sorry - the board game? I think it's called Clue here?" Eden explained, biting her lip as she tried to remember. "My grandma was British, so sometimes certain things slip through. I used to play it with her."

Feigning understanding, Bucky nodded, making a mental note to look up what the hell she was talking about later on, or at least ask Sam about it. He quickly diverted the subject, asking, "You were close to your grandma?"

"Yeah, very." Eden looked away for a moment, chewing the inside of her cheek. "She practically raised me - my dad died when I was 6 and my mom... my mom wasn't around much."

Bucky sensed a shift in her tone, a sadness lingering on her tongue as she eyeballed the table. He felt his chest swell when she looked back at him, her chestnut eyes slightly watery, bringing the mug to her lips to give herself a moment to gather herself.

"I'm sorry, that must've been tough." Bucky leaned forward, his voice soft. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

His movement meant his knees pressed against her leg, the contact making Eden blush, warmth spreading through her. She thought he would pull away, in fact she expected him to, but he kept his legs steady, sincerity etched across his expression as he smiled at her. Inside he was screaming, alarm bells going off that he was touching her, the woman who'd lived purely inside his head was here and he was touching her, but he was an expert at hiding his internal panic at this point.