#im just going to go to a coffee shop when i have the layover in amsterdam & then im just going to …. chill outside THAT airport & smoke wee

[bibleofficial]

so can’t go thru tsa for another 4.5hrs 😭😍

[peachymhaechan]

“You know, you have pretty good taste.”

Genre: fluff, a tiny bit of angst I suppose, travel!au

Pairing: Hyuck x reader

Warnings: language, my guy

A/N: i’m uploading this after junior year is finished, hell yeah!! also, happy birthday my full sun, we all love you so much!! unrelated but im trying something other than bullet point scenarios for once?? who IS she

   It was four in the morning, the sun wasn’t out and the birds were not chirping. Instead, the sun was in the process of rising and all that could be heard was shitty airport music and the overpowering sound of airplanes taking off. The people passing by you were an odd mix: some passing layover time by getting drunk off their asses, some hustling to the next gate, some excited to go on vacations (Example that everyone has seen before: that middle class family of four headed to Disney World with matching Mickey and Minnie Mouse T-shirts with their names on the back) or see their families. You, however, happened to be in the group of people who had just finished vacation and were now back home, and dreadfully so. Who would want to go back to the boring and mundane after being at the beach with a group of friends for two weeks? 

   Taking your time to pick up your luggage, you stopped in the bathroom to pass time, as you wanted to avoid the initial rush to at the baggage claim. The first ten to fifteen minutes at the baggage claim were the worst because you had to deal with cranky tourists, crying babies, and overly loud people talking on the phone. After it felt like enough time had passed, you went to the baggage claim for your flight and waited to pick up your suitcase. It was black, with a hard exterior and no really notable qualities other than a yellow tag with your personal information written on it. 

   The bags all went around the conveyor belt a few times and you finally spotted your bag. Well, what you assumed to be yours; it was the exact same suitcase with a yellow tag, so there was no real need to be suspicious of anything or doublecheck the tag. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a boy who appeared to be your age grabbing a suitcase that matched yours to a T. He looked tired, like he had been running nonstop and was extremely exhausted, so you thought of complimenting his choice of travelling bags but stopped yourself. Just as you were about to leave, you felt a pair of eyes on you so you turned and found the boy with the same suitcase staring at you. He blushed at being caught but still gave you a small smile and bowing his head in a sleepy greeting. You did the same to him, giving him a small wave and saying, “You know, you have pretty good taste,” and gesturing to the bag. 

   He chuckled cutely, the noise making you blush immediately, and said, “You too.” With that, you both went on your merry ways, not thinking anything of the encounter or the fact that neither of you checked the damn tags to see if you took the other’s bag. Plot twist: you grabbed the wrong bag. 

   About one hour later you closed your apartment door behind you, slipping off your shoes and collapsing onto the couch. You threw your phone onto the charger and placed it onto the coffee table and as soon as your head hit your pillow, your eyes shut and you fell into a deep slumber, your body trying to get rid of the major jet lag. 

   The sun shining through the window and warming your skin woke you in the middle of the afternoon. Deciding that the amount of sleep you had gotten after getting home would be substantial enough for the time being, you got up and started to unpack. Laying the suitcase on your bed, you opened it up and it took you a second to realize it, but boy oh boy were you shocked. 

   That was not your suitcase. 

   How did you know? Well, because the last time you checked, you didn’t wear boxer briefs, especially not ones with lipstick kisses all over them. 

   “Fuck. Shit. Ass. Piss,” was all you could say as you closed it back up and went to check the tag tied around the handle. Lee Donghyuck, the name read, with a phone number scribbled next to it. You went into the living room to go and text the ever mysterious Lee Donghyuck, when the screen was illuminated with a text message from an unsaved number. 

   Hey Y/N, this is Lee Donghyuck from the airport. We had the same bag, remember? Well, I think you’ll find out pretty soon if you haven’t already that we have each other’s bags. Let me know when you’re free so we can swap, please!

   Sighing a breath of relief at the fact that at least the boy was polite and respectful about this awful situation, your fingers started moving over the keyboard to send a message back. 

   Hi Donghyuck, this is Y/N! I’m free all day, where would you like to meet up? We can go to a coffee shop by my house if that is okay with you. If it’s too far, no worries! We can just find somewhere else to go :)

   Not even seconds after you sent the message, Donghyuck sent a response asking which coffee shop you had in mind, and to send him the address. You happily obliged, wanting nothing more than to sort out this mess and get your stuff back. 

   Alright sounds good, I’ll see you there in about an hour !!

   It had almost been time to meet up when you started to head to the coffee shop you guys planned on. It was a little hole in the wall, mom and pop place that had stolen your heart (and money) ever since you moved to that little neighborhood. The best drink on the menu was their caramel macchiatos, the warmth from the beverage warming you to the core on the coldest winter days, and the ice in the cold version cooling you on the hottest summer afternoons. 

   The little bell above the door rang when you walked in, and the barista at the counter gave you a warm hello. “Y/N, how was your trip?” Jaehyun, the fulltime sweetheart and halftime barista, asked you, immediately making you your usual. Taking a seat at your normal spot by the window, you flashed him a grin and said, “Amazing. It felt so good to get away and worry about nothing other than putting on more sunscreen.” The tall boy handed you a steaming cup and before he could say anything else, the bell rang again. 

   Your eyes drifted to the door and you found yourself staring into the same eyes you had stared into earlier. Donghyuck stood in the doorway, not as recognizable, having changed from that morning. Rather than wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, he donned ripped jeans, a loose sweater, and clean sneakers. Rolling your suitcase right behind him, his eyes scanned the room for you, and you could pinpoint the exact moment he saw you. 

   “Y/N?” he hesitantly called, walking towards you. Jaehyun retreated to behind the counter, leaving you two to it. “Yes, hi, hello!” you confirmed, waving hello to the boy and finding yourself in shock when your heart skipped a beat at the sight of him running a hand through his faux golden locks. 

   “Ah, I’m sorry we had to meet like this,” he sheepishly told you, rubbing the back of his neck. He took a seat across from you, changing the view you normally got in your spot. Never in all your experiences at the shop had something or someone changed the view you had: the window to the outside, showing the little alleyway and any locals walking to some of the other shops. It came to you, then, that maybe you didn’t mind a bit of change if it was that cute. 

   “Oh, I don’t mind, really. I’m glad it happened with someone as respectful as you, though. You never know how people can be nowadays,” you said, taking a sip from your drink. “Would you like something to drink? Jaehyun is really good at what he does,” you said, nodding over to the barista who stood behind the bar, seeming bored out of his mind. 

   “Hmmmm…. what would you recommend?” he asked, stealing a glance at the bit of froth that gathered above your lip. 

   “The caramel macchiato is what I normally get. Both iced and warm, its great,” you said, gesturing to the beverage in your cup, a small smile on your face. 

   “Alright, then. I trust you. I’ll take a large caramel macchiato...” 

   Once Jaehyun had made the drink and refused any payment (and gave you a wink from behind Donghyuck, thank God he couldn’t see that), you two chatted for hours. The sun was starting to set before it dawned on you that you had been there for almost three hours, stomach sore from laughter and cheeks burning from smiling. Talking to Donghyuck felt like talking to an old friend, despite knowing him for less than twenty-four hours. In the short time you had spent together, you gathered that he was a sweet and caring boy, as he took care of his younger friends and his younger siblings, but that didn’t stop his whip-like tongue from throwing out witty remarks any time an opportunity arose. His sense of humor was very similar to yours, and his interests were the same as yours, so you two had endless topics to discuss. 

   “Oh my God, what time is it?” you asked, falling out of your stupor and dragging your gaze away from the boy’s beautiful curled lashes and the way they rested upon his cheekbones. You heard Jaehyun dramatically yawn behind the counter, causing you to roll your eyes as Donghyuck checked his watch and said, “It’s almost nine o’clock, I’m about to miss the next bus to get back to my house.” 

   “Well, I guess we should be leaving, then. Good night, Jaehyun, thank you for everything! The macchiato was great, as always.” You both stood up and gathered your things, switching suitcases and checking the tags this time just to be safe. You both shuffled out of the shop, sending a smile and a wave over your shoulder to the barista before standing in the middle of the doorway. 

   Standing there, you weren’t sure what to do or say, but then Donghyuck spoke up. “Thank you for agreeing to meet up with me, I appreciate it. A lot of people nowadays would have just mailed it to me or something, so I’m pretty grateful that you met up with me right away. Oh, and you’re pretty nice, too, so, um... maybe we can meet here again? If that’s okay with you, of course.” There was a crimson tint to his cheeks and you found it outright adorable that the boy blushed at the thought of seeing you again. 

   “I’d love that, Donghyuck! Thank you for not being a serial killer or something and recommending your house instead,” you told him, trying to lighten the atmosphere around you two and succeeding when you heard a little giggle escape his lips. “You really should be going now if you don’t want to miss that bus,” you said, giving him a smile. 

   “Yeah, you’re right... text me when you get home safe, okay? I feel terrible that I can’t walk you home.” He kicked at a rock on the ground, a small pout forming on his cherry red lips. 

   “I will, don’t feel bad! Have a nice night!” you exclaimed and, feeling particularly bold, leaned up to place a feather-light kiss on his already dusted cheeks. The seemingly outgoing boy froze on the spot, skin heating up and eyes widening and watching you pivot and wheel your suitcase away with energy in your step. 

   As soon as you got home, you flung yourself down on the bed and let your actions sink in finally. The memory of kissing his cheek made you all giddy and start giggling, before inevitably squealing into your pillow. Remembering what he told you before you were ever so adventurous, you pulled out your phone and sent him a quick text. 

   Okay, I’m glad you made it home safely! :)

   A few seconds later, you received another text, not giving you any time to recover form the first one.  

   Would you like to hangout tomorrow? If you’re available, that is! 

   Fingers flying over the keyboard and heart leaping out of your chest, you sent a reply right away. 

   I’d like that a lot, Hyuck

[barnesthesarge]

Here For You (2)

Bucky X Enhanced!Reader

Summary: The Avengers have a new enhanced on their radar when they run into you during a HYDRA extraction mission.

Warnings: language, VIOLENCE, flirting

Instead of going to your friends house like you originally planned, you went to one of your safe houses, deciding against putting her in danger. When you unlocked the door, you found the house just as you left it.

“Safe house sweet safe house.” You said to absolutely no one. You turned the TV on and put on the news, making a warm cup of coffee to soothe the coldness currently in the house. You groaned at the lack of any milk of cream, and groaned louder at the thought of grocery shopping.

You turned the heat on, lighting candles on the way, and whined, seeing it was now raining. You went into your bedroom and grabbed clean clothes, taking a hot shower, and leaving the house to get groceries.

Your new phone buzzed, showing that Tony had texted. Hi Y/N, I hope your flight was well. I put the whole team’s numbers in your phone. Don’t hesitate to contact any of us if you need to.

You shut it off and went about shopping, deciding to just order food rather than cook. It wasn’t long until you were snuggled on your couch, paying attention to the news, and eating. A weeks worth of groceries stocked.

A story about HYDRA came on and you stopped eating to listen. “Witnesses say Iron Man saved a woman from the van, and when authorities arrived every member that was in the van was taken into custody. There’s speculation about who the woman kidnapped could be. However if she’s wanted by a terrorist group, it’s safe to say that she’s relevant with them. We reached out to Tony Stark but so far there’s been no answers. We’ll let you know when we find out more.”

You rolled your eyes, going back to eating and flicking through channels, leaving on a dramatic soap opera. You finished eating and cleaned up. Your phone buzzed again.

Hello Y/N, it’s Bucky. I’m not very good at using these things, but I’m here if you need anyone. I know how lonely it is to be on the run. I don’t know if you know anything about me, but I was holed up in Bucharest for a while until I was forced to come out of hiding. While it’s nice to be on your own and not have anyone to worry about, it’s also isolating and lonely. I remember hearing creaks and groans of the structure of my apartment and thinking it was my last day alive. It wasn’t until Steve helped me that I finally felt okay around other people. Make sure you keep your eyes open for anything suspicious and remember the SOS button Tony showed you. Again, I’m here if you need anyone.

You shut the phone off again and rubbed your temples, you hated that you found it endearing that he was worried about you.

You opened it back up, Thanks Bucky. All is well here, just cold.

Where are you? If I’m allowed to ask, Tony has access but I don’t.

Who’s to say these aren’t traceable by HYDRA (; I wouldn’t want them knowing I’m in London.

Ha-ha, very funny. Man if I was in hiding right now I’d want to be somewhere warmer than London. FRIDAY says it’s raining.

I have a safe house here. Otherwise I would’ve fucked off somewhere tropical, trust me.

Maybe if you start rain dancing it’ll go away. Think warm thoughts, maybe hula dance. You never know (-;

You grinned at the device, I’ll keep that in mind.

How long do you plan to stay in London?

You sighed now, closing the phone, that was enough of updating until the next destination, you peaked out the curtains to see it was already dark outside, and got ready for bed.

———————————————————————

“Barnes, she’s completely fine. She’s been in the same place for a week, and has shown no signs that she’s in danger. So what she hasn’t answered your text.” Tony was in the middle of finishing a 3D blue print.

“What’s that for?” Bucky asked, it looked like a bedroom.

“Well, if Y/N ever decides to stick around, I’m making a room for her. Or if she ever comes to visit of course. I offered that to her.” He shrugged and Bucky bit his lip to hold back a smile. “You like her, don’t you?” Tony turned around abruptly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I know nothing about her. I’m just being friendly.” Bucky lied, the truth was that he already knew he was whipped, you could kick his ass with just your attitude, and he found it endearing.

“Mmhmm, yeah okay Bucky. When you’re done drooling about her maybe you can convince her to stop traveling around the world and join us.” Tony paused, “if you score a date with her someday, I’m gonna be livid.” He chuckled and turned back to his work. Bucky took it as a hint to get lost.

His phone buzzed, Im leaving London today.

Bucky smiled proudly, he was finally getting a reply, Going anywhere fun? (-:

You ask too many questions.

His face fell, shit that was why she didn’t reply. I’m sorry.

Bucky felt dumb when he didn’t get an answer, and instead of thinking about it went to go workout. He was in the middle of starting a ten mile run when Tony appeared behind him.

“Barnes, since you seem to really care, Y/N is leaving and heading somewhere else.” He flashed him a smile that didn’t quite reach the eyes.

“I know she’s leaving London, where’s she going?” Tony cocked his head.

“How’d you know she’s in London? Are you snooping my office when I’m not around?” Bucky blushed.

“No, I-um, I asked her and she told me.” Bucky could feel heat radiating off his cheeks.

“So you know where she’s going then too?” Bucky shook his head.

“She told me I ask too many questions, and hasn’t spoken to me since.”

“Darn, I was gonna ask you to be on her security detail. She’s heading to Arizona, and she has a layover for two hours, but if you aggravate her I don’t want to send you.” He shrugged, “I’ll ask Steve.”

“What-no! Tony I was texting her days ago too! You said it yourself I actually show I care!”

“Maybe a little too much..” Tony trailed off, “I’ll ask her who she wants me to send. It’s not safe for her to be alone in New York.”

Bucky stepped off the treadmill and walked upstairs into his room, pulling his phone out. He had no new messages.

———————————————————————

I was to send a security detail to protect you during your two hour layover. Do you have any preferences on who I should send? I’m thinking Steve, Bucky, or Wanda. Your choice.

You stared down at the text, you wouldn’t be in New York for another 6 hours. Now you had to think about who you’d want to be there. Definitely not Wanda, you had a feeling you were off to a rough start with her. While you did collapse a roof on her, you felt it was fair since she prodded in your head. Steve was honest but you worried that maybe he was a bit too concerned, he always had his eyebrows knitted. And Bucky, he asked too many questions, he tried to get you to stay with the Avengers, he had his foot in your door. You couldn’t stand how much you almost liked talking to him. He was the only Avenger besides Tony to reach out and text you.

Send Bucky. You replied, shutting off your phone and deciding to sleep the rest of the way. When you woke up, the captain was telling everyone to fasten their seatbelts, as it was time to land.

Hey Y/N, I’ll be waiting at the gate for you (-:

You blushed, oh god Bucky was going to see you after you just woke up. You patted your hair down and within a couple minutes the plane was landed, and everyone was grabbing their bags and getting off. You grabbed your duffle and followed the slow pace of everyone exiting. You met Bucky’s bright blue eyes and he grinned, you forced yourself to watch your feet in order to disguise the butterflies you were getting.

“Hey, nice to see you in one piece.” You met his eyes again.

“I’m not in one piece yet, I could really use some coffee.” He barked a brief laugh and grabbed your bag.

“Here let me get that for you, I saw a Starbucks on my way here.” You followed him in silence, scanning the crowds of people for anyone suspicious.

You ordered a drink and sat across from him, he set his phone down and folded his hands together, “Arizona, huh? Are you taking my advice about warm weather?” He had a mischievous smile.

You finally cracked a smile, finding his to be much too contagious, “No it’s a bit too hot there for my liking. I’m meeting up with someone I haven’t seen in a while.” He raised his eyebrows.

“Oh—“ your order was calling and you hurried to grab your drink, sitting back down, and eating a pastry you bought. “Just so you know I’m scheduled for a mission tomorrow, I’ll be gone for a week. Sam, Steve, and Natasha will be with me. Anyone else is fair game to talk to.”

“Where are you going?” You asked, not knowing why exactly you cared.

He chuckled, “Afraid I can’t tell you.” You nodded, frowning, “how long are you staying in Arizona, do you have any plans on where you’re going next?”

You bit your cheek, “No, I plan on where I’m going based on who I feel like seeing, or rather if someone texts me. I have lots of friends around the world, and all of them always miss me.”

“So you use them for places to stay?” He teased, “Do’ya have a boyfriend or something?”

You raised your eyebrows, “I don’t have time for boys. I’m too busy saving the world every once in a while.” You blushed at the thought that he cared.

“That’s fair. I have a feeling even if you did you move too fast around the world for him to keep up. You seem like you sure know how to keep people on their toes.” He winked at you and You furrowed your eyebrows.

“That would be his problem.” He opened his mouth but you cut him off, “You’re asking too many questions already. Enough of those.”

“Yes, of course. I’m gonna go get a drink for myself.” He excused himself and got in line, metal hand gleaming in the sunlight.

You pulled out your phone and saw that Tony had texted, How’s everything with the Terminator?

Fine, you replied, putting it back in your pocket. Bucky sat back down, “Man this stuff is expensive. All I got was a black coffee and it’s still like $4..”

“Welcome to the 21st century.” You mumbled, staring around the cafe, “Say, you see that guy over there?” Bucky subtly turned his head and looked to the guy you were indicating. “He’s been hovering quite a bit, wouldn’t you say?”

“He was lingering at the gate too, but it doesn’t seem he followed us here alone.” He paused, “He has a comm in his ear, we have to go.” Bucky grabbed your duffle and the man stood up, whispering something to his earpiece.

“FRIDAY, cancel Y/N’s flight, and tell Tony we’re coming to the compound right away. There’s an agent following us.” Bucky grabbed your arm and rushed you.

“Bucky he has a—“ you quickly put up a purple shield between you and the man, who just tried to shoot Bucky. “Gun.” You growled, using the same powers to slice the mans hand clean off, “But he can’t use it.” Bucky looked to you in shock, and then smiled. You ignored the mans howls of pain and continued running, while more men appeared out of nowhere.

You lost track of who was an airport security agent, and who was a HYDRA agent. Bullets were flying now from all directions, and now you kept a shield all around you, taking the time to injure each HYDRA agent. Bucky pulled you into the parking garage, and everything got quieter. It wouldn’t be like this for long.

“It’s gonna be an awkward fit, but come on.” He dragged you in front of a big motorcycle, handing you your duffle bag. He opened the seat and handed you a helmet. You heard the door open and lots of footsteps. You put the helmet on and squished the dufflebag between the two of you, holding on tightly.

The engine roared to life and Bucky sped off, you blocked more bullets, Bucky veered out in traffic and swerved around people aggressively. You could feel your heart racing, as you held on to Bucky’s chest the best you could with the big stuffed dufflebag between the two of you. By the time you got to the compound, you were shaking from adrenaline, and holding Bucky so tight you were sure it hurt him.

Tony and Steve ran out of the compound to meet you, Bucky parked the bike and you stepped off, he caught you when he saw how wobbly your legs were.

“What the hell happened?” Tony barked, you pulled your helmet off and Bucky took it back.

“HYDRA agent, he seemed to be alone but when we noticed him he came after us and others came out too, some dressed as airport security.” Bucky kept a secure arm around your middle.

“Y/N, you need to stay here.” Steve said, “Come on I’ll take you to your room, Tony and Bucky need to talk about what happened.”

“No way, I’m not letting her out of my sight. I’ll bring her to her room and then we can talk.” Steve raised his eyebrows.

“Barnes, you’ve done enough. Y/N, follow Steve.” Steve grabbed your bag and you hesitantly stepped out of Bucky’s grasp, you hated that somehow Bucky was now in trouble.

You followed Steve inside, and he led you to the elevator, “All of our rooms are on floor five, there’s six above floors, and as you can see, several below. There’s a gym, rec room, track, pool, spa room..” he trailed off, “just about anything you could want. We have state of the art kitchens..” you stopped listening and grabbed the elevator railing, stabilizing yourself.

The doors opened and you realized Steve was still talking, “Oh and Tony has a nice party once a month, we do weekly movie nights, weekly training sessions together—“

“Steve please just take me to my room, I think I’m gonna be sick.” You pleaded, he nodded and brought you down a hall of many doors, down at the very end he opened a door and dropped your dufflebag on a king sized bed.

“That’s the bathroom, and the closet is over there. You’re welcome to stay as long as you want. Just talk to FRIDAY if you need anything.” You nodded and went straight to the bathroom.

You stayed in the bathroom until you knew you weren’t gonna vomit, so instead you pulled out a pair of pajamas from your bag, changed, and crawled into bed. You sighed at how comfortable it was. You pulled your phone out and sent a text message to your friend saying you wouldn’t be there, that you had a family emergency.

You shut your eyes and just about fell asleep when a voice overhead piped up, “Hello Ms. Y/N. I’m FRIDAY. Mr. Barnes is at your door and is requesting enterance.”

“Let him in.” You commanded, sitting up. Bucky came in, looking weathered.

“Hey Y/N, I just wanted to see how you’re doing.” He stood at the doorway and you patted the bed, he came over and sat down to face you.

“I’m doing better, just tired from my flight and everything that happened.” He scratched the back of his neck.

“I’m sorry. I got distracted. I should’ve realized that the HYDRA agent was there before you pointed him out. I failed my duty to protect you.” His jaw was clenched, and now he bit his cheeks.

“Is that what Tony made you think?” You chuckled, “I don’t think either of us are hurt, are we?-“

“That’s because you put shields around us.”

“Bucky, you agreed he was suspicious, and that you noticed him beforehand. We wouldn’t have made it out alive if you hadn’t of driven so well.” You reached over and rubbed his metal arm reassuringly.

“I’m no longer going on that mission tomorrow, Tony thinks it’s a better idea if I hold down the fort and stay here. We can do something around here if you want.” Bucky stood up and sighed. “Thank you for not berating me.”

———————————————————————

Bucky didn’t sleep as well as he’d hope to. He felt dumb, dumb that he let Y/N distract him when you weren’t even trying to do that. You could’ve gotten hurt, or worse killed. He was too absorbed with how little time you guys would have together he didn’t even think to look around. You didn’t see it but he did.

Everyone had already left, and he was the first awake. He kept hearing Tony’s word in his head. “You can’t let your feelings get in the way of your job.” “She could’ve died and it would’ve been all your fault.” “This was a failure on your part, you’re lucky she’s a quick thinker.”

Bucky was just happy you didn’t feel the same way. Speaking of you, you came out of your room in your pajamas, wandering into the kitchen.

“Good morning.” Bucky tried super hard not to think about how cute you looked when you had just woken up. “Coffee?” He had brewed a whole pot in case you wanted some too.

“Mornin’, I wouldn’t mind a cup. Thanks.” He poured some into a mug and handed it to you.

“There’s sugar and creamer right here.” He pointed on the counter and you didn’t hesitate. Bucky made note of how you made your coffee, and watched you take a seat at the bar. “Are you hungry?”

You met his eye and grinned, “Are you always this chipper in the morning?”

Bucky’s cheeks turned red, “chipper?” He paused, “are you teasing me?”

“I wouldn’t be caught dead teasing you.” You shot him a wink.

Bucky readjusted his stance to seem taller, back straightening, “I would never let that happen.” He bit his lip to try and hide a smile, “although I would’ve never predicted you’d be so flirty in the morning.”

Your cheeks turned red this time, “Flirting? You think this is flirting?” You crossed your arms and stood up, leaving your coffee sitting and returning to your room.

You shut the door behind you and leaned against it, were you flirting with him? Why are you offended he called you out on it? Isn’t that good?

You opened the door and came back out, sitting back down, Bucky put his newspaper down. “Back so soon? Did you miss me too much?”

“No, I’m hungry. I would sell you for food.” Bucky flashed a beautiful smile, you felt your heart rate quicken, it dropped just as fast.

“And how much do you think I’m worth?” He stepped closer now, you could almost smell his cologne, you tried your hardest not to notice his stubble on his jawline. Or the way his shirt hugged his body, the way his hair was pulled back into a bun, just one stubborn strand you were dying to push back.

“At least enough for breakfast.” You concluded, “So about...French toast, bacon, and hash browns.”

He stood right in front of you now, “Of course doll, the metal arm itself could get you lots of that. I’m sure a couple of my super soldier organs could get you a lot on the black market.” Your heart rate was only climbing.

“Well get to it then. I won’t ask for your body parts again.” He grinned excitedly and walked back around to start making breakfast.

Did you really just flirt with Bucky, willingly?

———————————————————————

A/N: I hope you guys are liking this so far (: I’m really enjoying writing it! My inbox is always open!

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[greenbagjosh]

Monday 11 November 2002 - daytime stroll in Copenhagen before returning to Germany - windmill sightings - the night train to Switzerland

11 November 2002

EN   Hi everyone.  Twenty years ago today, I took the night train to Zürich, Switzerland, through Bremen and Baden in Aargau.  I had to take a 9:30 AM train from Copenhagen to Hamburg and have a layover for a few hours to see whatever I did not see on the 8th and 9th.  When I boarded the train about 8 PM in Hamburg Hbf, I had a nice first class compartment to myself.

DE   Hallo allerseits. Heute vor 20 Jahren bin ich mit dem Nachtzug über Bremen und Baden im Aargau nach Zürich in die Schweiz gefahren. Ich musste einen Zug um 9:30 Uhr von Kopenhagen nach Hamburg nehmen und ein paar Stunden zwischenhalten, um zu sehen, was ich am 8. und 9. nicht gesehen habe. Als ich gegen 20 Uhr in Hamburg Hbf in den Zug einstieg, hatte ich ein schönes Erste-Klasse-Abteil für mich allein.

DK   Hej allesammen. For 20 år siden i dag tog jeg nattoget til Zürich, Schweiz, gennem Bremen og Baden i Aargau. Jeg var nødt til at tage et 9.30-tog fra København til Hamborg og have en pause i et par timer for at se, hvad jeg ikke så den 8. og 9. Da jeg gik ombord på toget ved 20-tiden i Hamburg Hbf, havde jeg en fin førsteklasses kupé for mig selv.

SE   Hej allihopa. För tjugo år sedan idag tog jag nattåget till Zürich, Schweiz, genom Bremen och Baden i Aargau. Jag var tvungen att ta ett 9:30-tåg från Köpenhamn till Hamburg och ha en paus i några timmar för att se det jag inte såg den 8:e och 9:e. När jag gick ombord på tåget vid 20-tiden i Hamburg Hbf hade jag en fin förstaklasskupé för mig själv.

FR   Salut tout le monde. Il y a vingt ans jour pour jour, je prenais le train de nuit pour Zürich, en Suisse, en passant par Brême et Baden en Argovie. J'ai dû prendre un train à 9h30 de Copenhague à Hambourg et faire une escale de quelques heures pour voir tout ce que je n'ai pas vu les 8 et 9. Lorsque je suis monté à bord du train vers 20 heures à Hamburg Hbf, j'avais un joli compartiment de première classe pour moi tout seul.

Guten Morgen!  Good morning!  God morgen! It was Monday 11th November 2002, and I had to go back to Germany and then on to Switzerland for my second part of the November 2002 journey.  I woke up about 7 AM, decided not to have breakfast at the hostel, took a shower and checked out.  I took the metro to Nørreport and the S-Tog to København H.  I left my wheeled bag in a locker.  I was able to find some place selling pastries and coffee.  I wanted to also see Tivoli Gardens, or whatever I could, and have a daytime view of Rådehus, Rundetaarn and a part of the Kongens Nytorv and Rosenborg Slot, or Rosenborg castle.    

After I saw the Rådehus, Rundetaarn, Kongens Nytorv and Rosenborg Slot, I took the S-Tog to Svanemöllen.  There was not much to see, I just wanted to ride the S-Tog as far as I could.  I went back to København H and did a little more shopping.  I managed to buy some CDs, "Da Capo" by Ace of Base and "Another Chance" by Roger Sanchez.  The prices were a bit more reasonable, about $22.00 per CD as opposed to $30.00 in Sweden.  After putting those in my green backpack, I went to collect my wheeled bag, and boarded the IC3 diesel train to Hamburg Hbf.  

The train left about 9:30 AM for Høje Taastrup, Rødby Færge, Puttgarden, Lübeck Hbf and Hamburg Hbf.  The weather was kind of chilly, maybe in the mid 40s, about +7 C, sometimes with rain.  Along the way, I saw several windmills.  The train was at Rødby Færge about 10:30 AM and rolled on to the ferry after dropping off passengers.  About 10:45 AM the ferry departed for Puttgarden.  It took around 45 minutes to cross the Femer Bælt, which to me, seemed like a part of the Baltic Sea.  The Duty Free shops were open around 11 AM until 11:20 AM.  The train rolled off the ferry around 11:35 AM and stopped to pick up passengers at the Puttgarden rail station right outside the ferry terminal.  Until we reached Lübeck, the train would be relatively slow, probably the train might not arrive in Lübeck until 12:15 PM.

The train arrived in Hamburg around 12:45 PM.  Everyone departed the train, and the cleaning crew got to work, before the next departure to Copenhagen about 1 PM.  I on the other hand, took my wheeled bag and placed it in a locker.  Then I had some time to do a little sightseeing of Hamburg until about sunset.  I walked along the Reeperbahn and then near Rathaus and Dammtor.  About 4:30 PM, the sun was about to set, so I went back to Hbf.  The train would not leave until 8 PM, so I took an S Bahn to Harburg, which is the furthest south station in Hamburg before crossing the Ländergrenze into Lower Saxony.  I explored there for about half an hour, and bought myself a hamburger without cheese, at a snack bar in the station, to prove that I actually ate a hamburger in Hamburg.  I went back to the train platform for Hamburg Hbf, and I saw this youth that was either drunk or under the influence of some hard drug, sleeping on the stairs.  The police were on scene and had nudged the man to see if he were still alive.  My train to Hbf came in time so I did not have to continue watching.

At Hbf, I bought some reading materials, before collecting my wheeled bag.  It was about 7:45 PM when I went to the platform and car where I would sleep for the next twelve hours.  The train that I booked the first class cabin, was a EuroNight train.  My compartment had two beds but the top one was not booked.  I had a sink in the compartent but was asked not to drink the water, for that reason, they gave me a bottle of water free of charge.  The bathrooms were down the hall.  About 7 AM they would serve me breakfast.  The train staff took my passport for the evening, and they would give it back at breakfast time, prior to arriving at Baden AG.  

The train left at 8:05 PM.  Its first stop was Bremen Hbf, southwest of Hamburg.  I had never been to Bremen, and the stop was so far my only visit up to November 2022, though I plan to visit it in February 2023.  Bremen is, like Hamburg, a Hanseatic city-state.  Berlin, to some degree, is its own city state within the Bundesland of Brandenburg.  About 8:45 PM, the train left Bremen to head south.  About 9 PM I went to sleep, waking up on occasion to go to the bathroom.  Sleeping in a moving train has its merits and faults.  One of the concerns is the feeling of moving laterally in the compartment bed.  The train did not stop in Hannover or really anywhere else in Germany, except Basel Badischer Bahnhof.  Then it crossed into Switzerland, but that will be for tomorrow.

Please join me again tomorrow, for when I arrive in Zürich HB, and then take the train to Bern and also to Frauenfeld in Thurgau and back.  

Gute Nacht!  Good night!  Godnat!

[thesecrettoadventure]

23 and me

And what a year of ambition it was. On my birthday last year I was becoming a NYC real estate agent and now one year later I’m working for the New Zealand government. In between that I’ve helped open 3 cafes, worked at many more establishments, began the process of becoming a Canadian and Australian citizen, moved across the world and began a healthier lifestyle.  

Beginning the year of 23 in the best city of the world becoming a real estate agent, at the height of its lucrativeness and excitement. I joined one of the top firms in the city, and damn did I learn so much. Commission is so very much about consistency and perception, there is no such thing as an easy client. Also, this isn’t the business of playing nice, a lot of the aggression and hustle that I carry now is from telling landlords, building managers and other agents how I wanted things done. My managers told me things I didn’t want to hear everyday that I was in the office, I wasn’t in the office everyday because I was also opening NY’s latest gluten free and vegan cafe and working at one of LES’s best cocktail bars that was mentioned as one of the worlds best bars more than once. A lot on my plate, a lot of ambition, a lot of good ideas. 

Not too much later, 20 days into being 23 I was walking to the newest Australian owned cafe in the Financial District with my utmost supportive housemate Morgan, and it was there under the scaffolding when I heard the *swoosh* of an incoming email, that email was from Australian immigration. My heart rushed, we walked a little faster to the cafe, was sat down to a beautiful sunlit corner booth and just some of the best waitstaff. We rushed to order coffee and connect to wifi to read further on the email from immigration. It read: your invitation to apply for permanent residency has been granted. When the coffee arrived to the table so did the tears, so there I was explaining my two year battle with Australian immigration to the waitstaff, my new found friends. The call to dad and mom were made, it was happening! A call to my immigration lawyer later that week and so so many happy tears later reared an ugly truth...this was all a false alarm. Without boring you with the details about Australian visa and every legal term there was a false approval with one of the steps necessary to apply for the permanent residency visa. Instead of being absolutely crushed(as I previously have been, it’s been a damn journey) I decided to take it and keep pushing, I’m now well on my way to good news from Australian Immigration! 

I spent the summer experiencing NY between the moments I had between the countless jobs. The sunshine brought my first trip to the Hamptons, and a little pep in my step. Working at a world class bar, opening a gluten free, vegan cafe and dabbling into the newest Australian cafe that the Upper East Side has been gifted with. If not too much, way too much time inside of clubs with reeling hangovers the next day to be greeted with the bagel guy at our front door that we wisely ordered our second drink into the evening. Real estate was kicking my ass and teaching me things I never thought I’d learn. I’d gained so much weight that I was at my heaviest ever. Relationships if that’s what you want to call them came just as fast as they went. And somewhere among all of that I saw an opportunity to move to New Zealand, a mate of mine who I had lived with in Melbourne had recommended it and there I was after work(not sure which job) around 3am had me applying for my Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand, big breath in and hit apply. And there I sat and waited. But not for long.... 

Another Australian duo approached me to come and help their cafe in the Financial District, they heard about my work from the first project I worked on in New York. So, if you know me at all, you know what I told them. I told them yes, I’d love to help but I applied for a visa to move to New Zealand so I’ll be here until the end of August and that’s it. So we opened a cafe, I saw the first month of the project & I met another bunch of personalities and ran into new problems with opening cafes, yet so so rewarding. Emotions run so high when opening a new business and its cut throat out in NYC. But I left the venture to see the world knowing that Australia was well along the way for me and NYC got to have a taste of Australian coffee and cuisine.

A drunken taxi ride to Mexico, I had a very teary final evening in NY with my closest friends and from there I took a car to the airport with a few drinks in me and strings of goodbye texts that only lead to more tears. The plane that I boarded that night landed in Guadalajara, Mexico the next morning with my dad and his new retirement smile plastered on his face. When I left NY I packed all of my belongings but also knowing I’d be in Mexico for the first month, let me tell you that was an experience in its own and I have no advice for it. But from there dad and I toured many cities of Mexico preparing him for the long haul of retirement, we saw, we ate, we shook with the earthquakes, we drank, we beached, attempted fishing and we damn well conquered, I fell in love with Mexico City, its officially on the list of places I’d live, its bigger than NYC and its got a pulse and a hunger, the city does sleep unlike NYC, or should I say siésta! But I felt ready to get back to civilization and take a big breath before plunging into another hemisphere. A quick layover in LA included a Soulcycle class, Bouchon Bistro Beverly Hills and a drive down PCH to Laguna Beach, a trip that took me back and truly made me appreciate where I’m from, California is truly a slice of heaven.

New Zealand is called Middle Earth for a lot of reasons, I’m going to use it for the term being between the 20th and 21st century, they have Internet here, but it’s not far off from dial up, the Apple products are behind and some buses only come once an hour. My NYC pulse and plan of action got me settled within the first 24 hours, signing up for the gym, getting a library card, grocery shopping, having a phone plan, a tax file number and a bank account. But after that, my life came to an absolute halt with the pace that they move here, amount of breaks and minimum customer service my life had changed and it is very different than the life I lived a year ago. I’ve learned so much from being here about relaxing but found much frustration in it at the same time. I began working as a temporary chef, a new location everyday and different hours everyday, honestly it was perfect for me I’m not one for routine so it was great and I learned so much about the hospitality food scene at the same time. The food scene still to this day 6 months later has been uninspiring so far, so I’m still looking for innovation here but who knows where it’ll come from, I’ll keep looking and keep you posted. 

As long as my parents have been divorced, which is as long as I can remember. They always call me within 5 mins apart, text me at the same time, if I’m on the phone with one, the other will call. Even when in separate countries, all three of us! In January I received those two calls that no one wants to hear. My mom called me to let me know my grandmother passed away, we weren't expecting this at all and I was shocked. A heavy heart and teary eyes I texted dad while mom was on speaker to let him know I’d be stateside and the second call came in...my other grandmother in Canada was at this point in palliative care now with a brain bleed and not much life to spare. Broken is the only way I can describe that moment, I got those phone calls around lunch time and I was on a plane home before sunset that day, even surrounded by my closest friends in New Zealand theres no where else I wanted to be than home. Being surrounded by family and old friends patched my heart up the most it could. I left one funeral in my black dress and flew to Canada directly after to catch the red eye to make it on time for the next funeral. My heart still hurts, but I have so much strength instilled in me from both of them, I am so lucky to have known them for my 23 years. But I am still healing and grief is a part of me now, I take it as it comes, it’s usually a lot but the good memories keep me going.

I came back to a windy Wellington with a clear mind. I decided to stop cooking food I’m not proud of and working for businesses who’s operation I don’t find to be up to standard. So I sold out and got an office job, but you know what? I love it. I’m well aware that’s the unpopular opinion, but know I have a structured life(and paycheck!), I can make it to the gym everyday on my lunch and I am fully capable of managing office stress from all that I’ve been through in kitchens. Although I know I’ll be back in kitchens when Im in Australia for the time being It’s great, my mind, body and soul thank me. I have so much time to cook at home, work on personal projects and stay healthy. So now I work for a temporary office work agency that places me on assignments for a few weeks at a time, I’ve worked in private asset managing previously and now I work for the New Zealand government, so I’d say it’s been a fuckin’ year of ambition. 

In short, 23 taught me:

CAREER: Work smarter, not harder.

LOVE: The right time will come, it can not be predicted or planned.

LIFE: Don’t stop traveling 

So, what’s in store of the 24th year? This is the year of SUCCESS

success - /səkˈsɛs/ noun: the accomplishment of an aim or purpose

Stay tuned.....