"Thank you, have a nice weekend," Combeferre took the paper bag from the woman behind the counter. The smell of fresh bread and warm eggplant rose from the bag and tickled pleasantly at his nose. He was about to step into the lovely summer's evening, when the phone in his pocket began to beep. Combeferre hastily shoved the sandwiches into his messenger bag and pulled out the phone to check his texts.
Hey. I'm here. Outside. ~JP
He pocketed the phone and looked up. Sure enough, Jehan was waving at him from the sidewalk. Combeferre grinned and exited the hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop; the door chimes clinking in his wake.
"Right on time," Combeferre walked towards his boyfriend and wrapped his arm around him. Jehan kissed him sweetly, and rubbed his nose against Combeferre's stubbly cheek.
"I was worried I'd be late," Jehan admitted as they clasped hands and walked down the street. "There was a terrible delay at the Bastille Station."
Combeferre grinned and caught Jehan's eye. "Well, you're here now. I got eggplant sandwiches, thought we could eat by the water."
He had also a purchased a bottle of fancy rosé, but he was keeping it a surprise. It was certainly too expensive for a Philosophy Major's budget and honestly too sweet for Combeferre's tastes, but Jehan adored it so Combeferre chose to suffer in silence.
"Sounds wonderful," the blonde man said gently.
The sun was just beginning to set as they reached the Seine River.
"This way," Combeferre guided Jehan towards the Passerelle des Arts.
"Are you sure?" Jehan shot him a puzzled look. "We'll have to battle our way through the tourists to cross that way."
"C'mon," Combeferre squeezed the poet's hand. "Trust me."
Jehan sighed and allowed Combeferre to lead him down the road.
They made their way up the slanted bridge, cutting through tourists taking photos and putting locks onto the bridge. The young couple paused in the middle to look across the river.
"We're supposed to write our names on a lock and chain it to the bridge," a middle-aged woman beside them told her seemingly bored husband in rapid English. "Then we throw the key into the river and it means we'll always be together!"
Jehan watched as the man accepted the lock and signed his name half-heartedly. Why would he act so displeased in the company of someone who obviously had eyes only for him? He was not deserving of his wife's love.
"Do you want to do it?" Combeferre's voice pulled Jehan from his reverie.
"Huh?" Jehan pushed his fair hair from his face as the wind blew it around. Combeferre's eyes were sparkling and he procured an old-style lock and key from the pockets of his jeans. "Seriously?"
"Yeah," Combeferre shrugged and looked back across the water. "I thought it would be fun, y'know, your kind of thing."
Jehan laughed and began to dig through his bag for a pen. "Yes! Yes, of course!"
Combeferre passed the lock to Jehan, who scrawled his initials and handed it back. Combeferre added his own, as well as a wonderfully cheesy 'plus' sign between the letters. They knelt and hooked their lock onto a free part of the fence.
"You and me, forever?" Combeferre pressed the key into the smooth palm of Jehan's hand as they rose to their feet.
"Forever," Jehan agreed and dropped the key into the Seine. They leaned over the side and watched as the key was swallowed by the water. Jehan squeezed his eyes shut, overwhelmed with love.
"Let's go eat," Combeferre said with a jaunty grin. "We may have forever together, but I'm half-starved right now."
"Yeah, just one more thing," Jehan said, enveloping Combeferre's lips with a happy kiss.
A/N ~ I was able to visit Paris last summer, and I was so excited to see the Passerelle des Arts. It was very tourist-y but also really romantic. I took so many pictures. I can't help but think that modern day Jehan would think it to be one of the most perfect parts of his city.