First Class Action

An Afternoon in Paris

Gavin stared open-mouthed at the huge metal tower. It probably wasn't that special. He'd seen taller buildings in Dubai, and maybe it was a little old. It wasn't as grand as some of the other buildings around, but there was something alluring about it all the same. There was a nice park around it that stretched for quite a long way in front, with a huge fountain beneath. The air wasn't exactly fresh, but it was far fresher than in Detroit, and the park was also much larger than he was used to seeing. Nines let him have his tourist moment, waiting patiently with a warm look in his eyes as Gavin wandered around and snapped a few photos on his phone.

"Come here..." Gavin looked over his shoulder in surprise as Nines approached. He flustered a little as Nines hooked an arm around his waist and turned him away from the tower, plucking the phone from his hand as he did so. Gavin managed a sheepish smile as Nines leaned in and snapped a picture. It was a nice picture. They were both smiling. Nines head was almost leaning against his, and the tower stood in the background surrounded by blue skies and fluffy white clouds. It was a good day for the trip. It was warm. Right at the end of summer, before autumn arrived. "Will you send it to me?" Nines asked as he pulled out his own phone.

"Sure, give me your number," Gavin replied as he went to add a new contact. There was something almost giddy in his chest as Nines reeled off the number and it was stored in his phone. Had the picture been a ploy? An excuse to get his number? A guy can dream, right? He sent the picture and watched as Nines reviewed the message. He had an almost fond smile on his face as he tapped away at his screen. Gavin huffed inwardly. He was turning this into his own little whirlwind romance, pretending it was more than just a casual fuck and a friendly lunch afterwards.

"Alright, come on. We should head up. Cleo reserved a table for us on the way here." The drive had been insane. Gavin really didn't want to be reminded of the chaos. The motorway from the airport had been alright, but once they'd reached the square nearby it had been a roaring mass of cars turning this way and that with no clear direction. There were no lights or signals anywhere. Cars just took their chances whenever there was a gap. Gavin had never been so grateful for his brother's androids. He knew Chloe well enough to trust her sister implicitly. He'd gripped the armrest tightly anyway, only loosening his hand as Nines had chuckled and rested his on top, gently linking their fingers. He swore his heart had almost burst out of his chest as Nines' thumb had rubbed soothing circles across his knuckles.

The most impressive part of the drive had been the giant stone arch they'd driven around. The stone had likely been white once, but it was still pretty clean considering the amount of cars on the road. He wasn't really sure what it was supposed to show, or what it meant, but the statues looked Greek in style. Some of them even seemed to have wings. Whatever it was for, it looked quite beautiful. They just didn't have those sorts of things where he came from. Detroit was a pretty young city when compared to places like Paris. He loved seeing the mishmash of architecture all squashed together throughout the city.

Gavin followed as Nines led the way, talking about how this was a pretty nice place with a view of the city. He was surprised. He hadn't expected the restaurant to actually be inside the tower. He'd thought maybe it would be under it, or opposite. Nines listed off a few facts about the tower as he called the lift. That it had been named after Gustave Eiffel, whose company had built the tower for the World's Fair in 1889. The restaurant they were visiting had been revamped in 2022, but the chef had changed a few times since then. Apparently, the current chef was a good friend. Pierre Rochefort, a three Michelin star chef who'd run the restaurant for seventeen years now.

Gavin nodded along as the lift carried them up. It was glass, so he could see the city coming into view as they rose higher. The view was amazing. Grey stone and glass towers. Old and new standing together as one. There was a stone path leading out towards the main roads. Grass lined either side. It was a busy area, clearly a big hit with the tourists. Gavin was surprised Nines had managed to make a reservation at such short notice, but maybe being friends with the chef paid off. The money probably doesn't hurt, either...He hoped they hadn't bumped anybody out of a place.