How many times can you have your heart broken before you give up on the whole idea of love? Well, whatever the answer really was, once felt like enough for (Y/n). Real love was a hard thing to come by in a city like New York. A city that was big, anonymous, and often bleak. (Y/n) knew that the vast majority of its inhabitants out there were just simple people like she was. All trying their best to survive. But she also knew that there were those that seemed to want nothing more than to screw everyone else over. And from what (Y/n) could tell, it was those kinds of men that she seemed to attract.

"You're better off without him, honey. I never did like him. If you ask me, there are rats in the alley back there, that are more likable than Brad. I'm sure that there is a lovely guy out there, that's just meant for you." Mary said, as she came up behind (Y/n). Joining her at the counter as they both looked out onto the damp street.

Since (Y/n) had started work at Solly's diner, she had grown to like the much older waitress. And she and the owner, Solly, made it worth dragging herself from bed every morning to come to work. They were a sweet couple. (Y/n) sure that the two had been married longer than she had been alive. And in a strange way, the three of them had become like a little family. And now her work, and time with multitude of weird and unusual characters that patronised the diner, felt like the only highlight in (Y/n)'s life.

(Y/n) knew that neither Mary nor Solly had liked Brad. And in hindsight, everything that they had said about him was right. Yet love, or at least what you think is love, can make you blind to the other persons glaringly obvious faults. But ever since they had broken up a month ago, (Y/n)'s eyes had been opened. And she was determined to never be treated so disrespectfully again.

"I don't think I want another man, Mary. I know that is may be a sweeping generalisation, but all men are assholes. And I'm better off without one." (Y/n) sighed. She and Mary turning around as they heard a cough from the kitchen.

"Okay. Every other man apart from you, Solly." (Y/n) chuckled, as she looked at her boss. The older man puffing out his large chest proudly at (Y/n)'s comment.

"I know it may seem like that at the moment, honey. But I promise you that there are good men out there. A man that deserves you. I used to go around with a boy by the name of Eddy. He was the most handsome boy in town. He always dressed well. Always smelled good. Now I thought that he was the best thing since sliced bread. And it didn't matter what my friends or other people tried to tell me about him. That he was a slippery customer and shouldn't be trusted. I didn't want to listen. But one day I walked in on him kissing my best friend, and I was devastated. Not just by his betrayal, but more by hers. And just like you, I swore off boys. But then, out of the blue, came this new boy. He was the big lovable quiet type, always polite, always sweet, and he made me feel like a princess. And he still does to this day." Mary told (Y/n), as she looked over at her husband and smiled fondly.

"Yeah. Well, you were lucky. I mean, what are the chances of me finding my own loveable quiet type, that treats me like a princess, around here?" (Y/n) sighed again. As she returned to lean on the counter. Placing her chin in palm of her hand, as she contemplated life.

                                                     >>-------------------------------<<

Bucky made his way absentmindedly down the sidewalk. He always needed this time away for the others. Time to collect his thoughts. To try and get back his memories of before he had been turned into the Winter Soldier. Even though he was getting used to things, this new world was certainly different to the one that his few recollections could recall. The city was so much bigger. So much louder. So much more impersonal. When he had grown up, life seemed to move at a slower pace. People seemed more polite. They had more time for one another. They..........

"Oh, sorry." A young woman chuckled, as she apologised for bumping into him. A soft smile pulling at her lips as she looked at Bucky. The old soldier nodding at her apology as a man came up behind her. Taking her hand and pulling the happy girl back into the faceless throng.

If he had been his old self, he would probably have already had charmed the girl and whisked her off himself. But now, now it was a different story. After all he had been through, after all he had done, he wasn't the same James Buchanan Barnes he had been. Bucky not sure that he ever would be.

There was part of him that would give anything to find a girl that would understand. A girl that would appreciate his old fashioned ways. But meeting someone and then trying to explain to them that he was not only an Avenger but had also been a brained washed assassin for more decades than he cared to mention, was never going to be an easy thing. But that didn't mean that he had given up hope. Hope for a life beyond killing and surviving. A normal life that he could look forward to retuning to after missions. A life that was a million miles away from the Avengers. A life just like Clint had on his farm.

Finally looking up from the sidewalk, Bucky realised that he was close to Solly's diner. He had found the small 24 hour place by accident one night when he had needed to get out. Normally he would find himself there at the strangest times. Often it would be after missions, or even in the middle of the night when he couldn't sleep or had had a nightmare. But no matter what the time, he always seemed to receive a warm welcome from the same smiling faces. And at the moment, that was just what he needed.

                                                       >>---------------------------------<<

(Y/n) looked up as the small bell over the diner door rung out. A man that she had never seen before, walking in and making his way over to one of the booths. He had a baseball cap pulled down so that it shadowed his eyes. Dark hair sticking out from under it and a fine stubble kissing his cheeks. The man dressed in some of the dullest clothes that (Y/n) thought that she had ever seen. Yet there was something about him that made her want to smile. Made her want to find out more.

"Oh, James? I wonder what he's doing here. He's earlier than he normally would be." Mary commented, as she looked over at the rather stoic looking man that was waiting patiently to be served.

"You know him?" (Y/n) asked. Confused that she had never seen this James before.

"Oh course, you've never met him, have you? James has been coming in for a little while, but it's usually when you're not here. He seems like such a sweet thing. A little quiet, and sullen at times. But he's a real dahlin. A real gentleman." Mary replied, as she looked between (Y/n) and James. The older woman noticing that (Y/n) was smiling for the first time since she had split with Brad.

"Why don't you go and see what he wants, (Y/n)? Go introduce yourself." Mary continued, as she pushed (Y/n) out from behind the counter and over to where the quiet man sat.

                                                     >>----------------------------------<<

"Hi. What can I get you?" A voice asked. Bucky looking up to see a beautiful woman smiling down at him.

"I, er............coffee. Coffee would be good. Please." Bucky managed to eventually say. Sure that his heart had just skipped a few beats.

"Coffee?............Oh yeah. Coffee. No problem. I'll bring it over for you. If you need anything else, just let me know." (Y/n) replied, forgetting what she was supposed to be doing for a moment, as she looked into his bright blue eyes.

"I'll..........I'll.........just. Yeah. Coffee. Sorry." (Y/n) continued. Desperately trying to get her legs to move away from the booth. Her body seeming to refuse to want to go anywhere.

"Hello James, nice to see you again. I see you've met our beautiful (Y/n)." Mary said, as she came up behind (Y/n) and smiled at Bucky. The older woman chuckling to herself as she watched the pair continue to look at one another.

"I tell you what. Why don't you take a seat and tell James all about yourself, (Y/n)? I'll go and bring him his coffee." Mary told (Y/n), as she manoeuvred her into the seat across from James, leaving the two to talk. Mary sure that (Y/n) might have just found her very own lovable quiet type.