Characters: Bucky, reader, Steve.

Summary: After a traumatic injury and honorable discharge from the military, Bucky Barnes finds himself wanting to travel and get lost in some of the most iconic cities of the world. One night he stumbles upon a girl who sparks something inside him and he finds himself following in her footsteps. How far will he go to find her and what will he discover about himself along the way?

Warnings: Some strong language.

Song Inspiration: "She Lit A Fire" by Lord Huron

Word Count: 1.7k

A/N: Y'all ready for some London adventures?? :D I freaking miss this city so much, ugh. I've been there on two separate trips and there will definitely be more. How do you think Bucky will enjoy the city? Have you ever been? Where do you think Bucky will head next? I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on this chapter! 

_________________________________

April 13, 2014

Hey Stevie,

You know, you'd think that I'd understand a lot more of the language in a country where they speak English, but...not so much. I mean, England is great and London is an amazing city, but damn. The words may be in English, but they don't mean the same thing. I asked about a sweater in a shop and the guy called it a jumper? Huh? And don't get me started on chips. Fish and chips taste amazing, but the fried potatoes next to the fish are FRIES, man! Not chips! Also served with mashed peas, cause why not, England? And apparently, chips are "crisps". My head hurts.

I'm joking, Steve, I'm actually having a great time. The train arrived at Kings Cross Station and after studying the map for the "Tube", aka subway, I...actually tried it. You believe that? And you know what?

It wasn't bad at all.

I'm just as shocked as you are, pal. And call it blasphemy, but I think I like the Tube more than our beloved, questionably dirty, semi-reliable Subway back home. I know, I know! But seriously, the Tube is honest to god COLOR CODED. I mean...the Circle Line is yellow so the rails you hold on to in the train cars are yellow. Right?? District Line is green and Bakerloo is brown, it just...it makes sense to me. Miracle of miracles. And the signs are in English, so it's a lot harder to get lost. But not impossible. :)

Anyway, I've been in London for two days and I think I'm getting the hang of the British slang a little. It's easier to get around, so I've been able to see a lot of amazing things. First stop, Big Ben. Climbed the stairs from the Tube up to street level and BAM. There "he" is. Big Ben. Or more accurately, the clock tower that houses the bell named Big Ben. Check me out, learning new shit and all! The clock tower is actually part of Parliament, but you can't go inside if you're a foreigner. Lame.

Luckily, Westminster Abbey is just around the corner and that place is massive. It's where most of the royal family has been married and crowned and buried. A lot of other famous people are buried there, too, like Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and a ton more. Best not to think too much about all the dead bodies under your feet. Oops, too late. Passed through the gift shop on the way out, cause doesn't every church have a gift shop?? Hmmm...

It was raining as I stepped outside but for once, I was prepared with an umbrella. Progress! The rumors are true, it's rainy and grey in England, but I don't mind. The sidewalks empty when there's bad weather, which means it's the perfect time for a solitary walk.

I've got a few more tourist destinations in mind but might have to avoid a few of them. The London Eye that's like a huge Ferris Wheel where you're trapped in a clear capsule with 15 other people for 45 whole minutes? Hell no. Even if the views are good. I thought about the Tower of London and maybe avoid some of the torture stuff. Hm. We'll see. This city's got a good vibe to it, though. I like it.

Might take a train ride up north to see more of the countryside and the rest of the British Isles. So much to see, so many choices. Traveling solo is great but I'm missing you and the boys. I'll try to call tomorrow.

As for the girl, I think I might have lost the trail. It's just as well. It still sounds crazy that I've followed her across Europe but I'm grateful that I got to even see her and strangely enough, she gave me the push to get out more and talk to people. Even if I never meet her, she's been a big part of my journey. So thank you, Y/N, wherever you are.

We'll talk soon, pal, and I'll tell you this whole story. Tell all the guys "hi" from me. Stay safe.

JBB

_________________

April 16, 2014

Alright, Steven?

Sorry, that greeting has stuck with me. It's a frequent question here in England that seems to cover both asking "how are you" and also answering the same question, depending on the person. Bless the English and their funny colored money. Yes, I know it's to tell the difference in currency but there's something comforting in how American money is all green and basically made of cloth, confusing any visitors. But to be honest, I can't tell you how long it took me to realize a "quid" is just an English one pound coin so I guess we're even.

I've loved London the past few days. The way that old, historic buildings woven in with modern architecture is pretty awesome. We Americans have no sense of history, always wanting the new, shiny thing. Culture be damned. And why don't we have any castles?? Castles are fucking cool. I'm in search of more castles. Speaking of which, I did end of visiting the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels. No photos there, by the way. They are SERIOUS about their bling. I also saw Windsor Castle and walked the grounds. I mean, I'm not really into feudalism but I do love a good castle. Visited Buckingham Palace, too, which is not a castle. It's a big ass mansion. Still old as shit, though. 1703 AD. AMERICA WASN'T EVEN A THING. Not officially I guess.

Anyway. Hyde Park was cool to walk through. Reminded me of home a little, just nice to get away from the bustling city and soak up some nature.

Oh shit! I almost forgot to tell you! Guess who visited Abbey Road? THIS GUY. Yup. The famous crosswalk where the Beatles were photographed crossing the street outside of Abbey Road Studios is also just a crosswalk and cars will definitely honk if you linger too long in the street. Ha! Oops. I didn't get a picture of myself walking across but plenty of other tourists did so I snuck one of them, just to mark the occasion. Also, there's a low wall outside the Studios where Beatles fans have graffitied song lyrics all over it. I might have made my own mark, but I'll tell you what it was later. Kinda want to keep it to myself for now.

I also made it to Baker Street cause how could I not? I remember how obsessed we were with Sherlock Holmes mysteries after we graduated from the Hardy Boys. Got a standard picture of 221B and stuck my head into the gift shop. Those deerstalker hats cost a pretty penny. Quid. Pound. Whatever. My baseball cap will do me just fine, anyway.

I'm mixing up my days now but somewhere in there I saw the Tower Bridge (different from the London Bridge, by the way) and even walked across the high walkway. Luckily it wasn't too windy cause fuck that. Heights aren't too bad these days and as long as I have a good exit, I'm okay. Had a slight panic halfway across the bridge but I had no choice but to keep walking, so I did. Luckily I was on the other side and on solid ground when the bridge raised to let a ship through. I don't need to be above that, hell no.

Cutting this letter a little shorter cause I'm hopping on another train early tomorrow. I'm Scotland-bound, buddy! Excited to see more of the English countryside and hopefully more cool castles before reaching Edinburgh. Which is pronounced "Ed-in-burr-uh", by the way. I definitely pronounced it wrong when I called to buy my ticket. I have a feeling that Scottish will be another language I'll need to learn. I'll try to write from the train, if I can. And I'll call from the station cause I forgot I was gonna do that. Shit. Okay. Later, punk.

JBB

____

Part 5>>>

______________________________

Ahh!! You guys. I love London sooooo freaking much, I just had to go nuts on those descriptions. :D And I couldn't help myself from joking about the British slang and money. haha! Totally my reactions when I got there. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! Theres a lot more coming!! And get stoked about next week, cause there's something extra exciting happening! *wiggles eyebrows* Any and all comments are loved and adored! <3