ROLEPLAY HQ - je-taime

* It was a nice May day, it wasn’t too cold, and it wasn’t too hot thanks to the connivence of the spring time. Midas had just finished his final year of high school, and instead of going off to college or to the other world, he decided to travel. Midas had never really had a stable friend group anyway, most of them did their own things as time went on, and eventually stopped talking to him, leaving him practically alone. However, he didn’t mind not having friends, but he felt as if he was missing something. He had watched some of his friends go off and find love, thinking that one day the right one would find him. However, he did wish he had more confidence to himself out there, that is why he went to Paris, after all, to find love. Midas was quietly strolling through a historical village in the outskirts of Pairs, one that was maintained by both humanoids and creatures alike throughout time. He admired historical settings and loved to adventure, so it was perfect for him. Later that day, he quietly resided outside of a café, sipping on a cup of Jasmine tea, and reading a historical fiction based novel, casually flicking through the pages and greeting people who passed by. Midas was surely enjoying himself, he had talk to a few women here and there but nothing special had happened, so he just decided to take a few moments to relax, unknown to him he would soon experience a trip of a lifetime.*

Sophia had soft, curly brown hair tied into a messy bun on the back of her head, pinned in such a way that random strands fell carelessly around her face and bare shoulders. The breeze picked up a few of her gorgeous locks, blowing them around her gentle features which tickled her upper arms and back. She was wearing a strappy yellow sundress with ruffles on the edge that moved around both knees when she walked. Her big, unusually brown eyes were adorned with thick black eyelashes, batting shamelessly at cute men and women. Paris was full of attractive people! She didn’t regret coming here for two weeks on her own, because so far, it was the best choice she’d ever made. Smooth cheeks that would occasionally blush every time a guy or girl looked her way soon paled as she waited for her coffee…. “Did you order a rose latte?” a sweet barista asked from behind the cafe counter. Her red hair was braided down the sides of her head and tied with pink ribbons. She wore a green apron and held onto a white teacup with latte art swirled into the foam. A heart! This made Sophia smile. “Yes, thank you! I mean merci,” she blushed heavily. Learning the language had been tricky, but at least she was trying. Sophia took the latte and went to find a seat…. just to realize there were none. The only chair that remained was tucked under a table that was already occupied. She wandered over to the seat and set her latte down on the table, “Excuse me,” she said with a smile, “May I sit with you?” Sophia wasn’t known for approaching random strangers but this was her favorite go-to spot for coffee in the morning. Her free hand rest gently on the chair’s edge just in case he agreed to let her sit with him.

Midas had been minding his business, too preoccupied at first to process Sophia’s question. A small breeze blew across the table, causing his brown wavy hair to be caught in the breeze, causing a covering of his facial features partially as his hair began to settle. As she had continued on, Midas looked up, his eyes locking with hers as he seemingly paused for a moment. The first thing that seemed to catch his eye was her eyes, as it took him a few seconds before he scanned her up and down. “I-Uh…why of course, I don’t see why not considering that there aren’t any seats available.” Midas then quietly closed his book—but not before placing a bookmark on the page he had left off on. He then quietly placed the book down, moving what appeared to be a medium sized backpack and a large sized black coat from the base of the chair. He stood up carefully, placing the jacket on his own chair and placing the backpack on the side of it, before extending his arm and gently pulling the chair out for Sophia before sitting back down. “I’m Midas, and who might you be?” Midas asked with curiosity and interest, his tone of voice was soft and gentle, almost as soft as a cloud. He carefully reached for his cup of tea, putting the cup to his lips and taking a small sip, before placing it back down into the table quietly. Midas then leaned forward a bit, seemingly putting all his attention for the moment in case she had wanted to indulge in a conversation. If Sophia had chosen to instead just enjoy her drink and chose to be alone, then Midas would continue on with his book. He slowly pulled the in front of him, the title on the book reading ‘Salt to The Sea’ by Ruta Sepetys.

“Thank you,” she said with absolute relief in her voice. If Midas had turned her down, she would’ve had to go back into the cafe and begged for a to-go cup. Not that it would have been a terrible thing to drink her beverage on the go, but to be able to sit and enjoy the bustle of the streets was something she enjoyed doing each morning. Her fingers slipped over the chair as she pulled it out from under the table, then her hands went behind her dress and tucked the silky fabric under her knees as she sat down. Crossing her legs gently one over the other. She had some manors. Like offering Midas a genuine smile for his hospitality. “There weren’t any seats left inside, I really appreciate this,” her hand went to her latte, bringing the rim of the cup to her lips where she took a tantalizing taste of the foam. Oi! It was so good. That delicious first sip hitting her like rocket fuel. She knew there was a strong chance she’d probably get a second cup if…. how silly for her to think like this after just sitting down…. if the conversation with Midas was pleasant. He was easy on the eyes, and Sophia couldn’t help but sneak looks at him from time to time while pretending to observe the world around them. “My name is Sophia. It’s a pleasure to meet you....-?” she let the end of that sentence imply she was curious about his name. Gently, she set her latte down to give them a chance to talk. A couple sitting next to them started to laugh. They showed tender affection for one another. Ahh, Paris. Everything about this place made her heart melt. The man fed the girl a piece of strawberry tart and this for some reason made Sophia blush. She did her best not to notice the flirty couple and tried to keep her attention on the gentleman allowing her to sit with him.

M: “Midas, it’s nice to meet you too.” Midas had held his soft and gentle tone, watching as Sophia placed her latte down. He flashed a warm smile, before letting out a small, lighthearted chuckle, shaking his head slowly from side to side. “Yeah, it usually gets a little too busy in there for my liking. So, I just come out here, watch the people and the sounds whilst enjoying a good book and nice cup of tea.” The laughter of the couple had thrown him off, causing Midas to glance over and noticing the couple and watched how they showed each other affection. A small sigh escaped Midas as the man had fed his partner a piece of strawberry tart, wishing to have had someone to do that with. He was a rather lonely individual, as his friends had all moved on to bigger and better things, leaving him in the dust by himself whilst they all thrived. It was a bit unfortunate to think about, and as Midas pondered on his thoughts of said friends, his smile faded temporarily. After a few moments it had quickly returned, as he had realized he’d been frowning and didn’t want to alarm Sophia. “So, tell me Sophia, are you here on vacation or do you reside in Paris?” Midas asked with genuine curiosity and interest—since she had asked for his name he had assumed she wanted to have a simple conversation, and so didn’t mind necessarily talking to her. Midas then reached down again and took his cup of tea, putting it to his lips and taking a large drink of tea before placing the cup back down. He then took his book, carefully sliding it off the table and placing it into his lap for a moment, before carefully unzipping his backpack and placing the book onto the pocket carefully. Zipping it back up, another breeze flowed through, picking up some of his hair and revealing beautiful hazel eyes, and a few scars becoming visible on his cheek. Midas then glanced back up towards Sophia, in case she had began talking without him paying attention. He had appreciated that she gave time out of her day to talk to him however, not a lot of people have and it had made his day improve a bit.

A child began laughing with such joy the unexpected sound pulled Sophia’s attention away from her conversation with Midas, staring just over one of her bare shoulders to watch the scene on the curb unfold. The little dude was so precious! She couldn’t help but notice how happy the mother was just by holding hands with her small four year old. The toddler carried a teddy bear under one of his bent arms and repeatedly suggested they eat ice cream for breakfast. Sophia sat back in her seat and took another sip of her latte with a grin. She’d been known to be the “cool babysitter” in her day, definitely would have caved in and given the kid some sherbet. Who could resist a smile like that! “It’s nice to meet you, Midas,” she said softly. She dug into a bag she’d brought with her. It was big enough to store a laptop, camera, drawing book, and some pencils. Finding what she was looking for she pulled out her DSLR and set it on the table in front of them. “I’m what they call a lifesaver,” she chuckled. “I work for a company that scouts locations for independent contractors. They hire me to go to their new home and observe the pros and cons of the area, to make sure it’s exactly what they want before they decide to pack up and make the big move. I check out their potential new home, where their new office will be, the activities around the neighborhood, nightclubs, cafes, schools, restaurants….” She fiddled with her camera until it turned on. Sophia showed Midas a few photos of a luxurious condo, an upscale private office, and a few snaps of a lobby leading into an executive lounge.

16:56

“I send the photos back to our clients so they can make a choice if it’s the right call. No need to bring the whole family out when you can have someone else plan the details beforehand. What about you, Midas?” Sophia suddenly blushed. She liked how easy it was to talk to him. As if she’d known him longer than ten minutes. “How did you end up in Paris on this beautiful Tuesday morning?”

Midas couldn’t help but notice the laughter of a child, looking over to the curb and smiling warmly. It was nice to see the innocence of a child before they were tossed into the harsh realities of the world. He quickly lost his attention on the child, looking down at Sophia’s DSLR and then at her as she began to talk about her job. Midas seemed interested in what her job entailed, tilting his head to the side a little bit as a curious smile creeped onto his lips. As Sophia began to fiddle with her camera, Midas glanced down and saw the screen flick on, watching as she show him the photos. He was blown away by how beautiful each building was, especially the executive lounge, listening to Sophia continue on about her job as he continued to flick through the photos. Midas had been too enticed by each photo to process that Sophia had asked him why he had been in Paris, and after a few moments he looked up and locked eyes with her. “I’m sorry wha-oh, that’s right. I ended up in Paris by the will of the gods.” Midas then let out a small chuckle, before quickly composing himself and clearing his throat. “I’m here on vacation, I recently graduated and so my parents were kind enough to fly me around Europe.” It was then when he noticed the blushing on Sophia’s face, becoming a bit flustered himself as he hadn’t had a woman seemingly blush over him. Midas quickly looked away for a moment, blushing slightly as he looked back to Sophia. “I’ve been here since Sunday morning, and I leave this coming Sunday for Greece—and what of you? What brings you to Paris?” Midas then took another sip of his tea, realizing he had ran out. He’d get another one before he left, as he had a busy schedule ahead for himself. However, he felt an odd sensation to stay and have a conversation with Sophia to see where it led. It had felt like Midas had known her forever, and not only ten minutes.

“I’m on the clock right now technically. I’m in Paris for a new client, scouting a home they’re interested in. It’s really pretty actually. A condo not far from here with a view of the Effiel Tower. In the daytime it’s beautiful, but at night, oh my God! You can’t imagine all the twinkling lights of the city with the tower lit up. It’s wonderful, I-” Sophia paused as her phone interrupted her, ringing loudly. “I’m so sorry, please excuse me for a moment, Midas." Sophia set her latte down and started rummaging through her bag. She slid her thumb over the home screen to unlock the call and placed it against her ear. “Bonjour, Mr. Allopmose,” her voice was soft and sweet like honey. Clearly, she knew how to handle clients. Most of them were power hungry executives with too much anxiety racked upon their shoulders, so when they spoke to Sophia, it was like a breath of fresh air, because all she did was make things easier for them…. “Yes! I did see the condo last night. I’ll have the photos ready for you by the end of the day. I think you’re going to love it! The complex has a hot tub and a tennis court. I can get you the number for their spa since I know you were interested in weekly massages.” She glanced to Midas and smiled, stroking her finger along the rim of her coffee cup. “Okay, no problem at all, I’m glad you called. I’ll be sure to send the pictures in a couple of hours. Oh, well thank you! I’m not sure that’s such a good idea, but I appreciate the offer…..” Her face went uneasy but the professional side kicked in and soon she was back to smiling. “Goodbye, Mr. Allopmose.”

19:47

Sophia put her phone away and folded her hands in her lap. The yellow sundress she wore gently tossed around her legs as a breeze blew through the city. “Midas, I’m sorry, but I need to go….” she sounded disappointed, but even with the news of needing to leave, somehow she still looked beautiful through the sadness of these emotions. “I was wondering if you’d be interested in joining me for a drink tonight? A glass of wine? There’s a place called Le Baron Rouge down the street, I could meet you there around 8pm tonight if you’re free? I won’t take no for an answer! Hand me your phone and I’ll give you my contact information.” Her brown eyes sparkled as she looked into Midas’s alluring hazel gaze, unsure if he’d take up her offer to meet again.

“Paris at night has such a wonderful energy to it, I personally love it. The Eiffel Tower so beautiful at night, they lights that light it up just seem to make it pop. I assume you’re here on a business trip then?” Midas was about to start another sentence until the ringing of Sophia’s phone interrupted him. He glanced down at her bag and watched as she rummaged through her bag and took out her phone. As Sophia had placed the phone to her ear, Midas slowly began to pack up his things, for he knew this would’ve been the end of their conversation. As Sophia spoke to her client, Midas picked up any trash on the table and or glassware he had and brought it back inside. He handed the cup and plate to the barista with a warm smile, and headed back outside, returning to his table with Sophia. Midas didn’t bother to sit back down, as no sooner did he return did she say she needed to go. He nodded, understanding that she had been on a work trip and she couldn’t vacation like he could. However, as she mentioned the idea of a drink, Midas blushed a little bit, stuttering a bit as he was taken back by the question. “That would be lovely, 8 PM works perfect! I’ll be in the area around Le Baron Rouge so I’ll come by and enjoy a drink.” Midas seemed to grow a bit excited, a small smile appearing on his face as he began to rummage through his pockets. He then pulled out a phone, unlocking it and handing it over to Sophia as he grabbed his jacket and placed his right arm into the right sleeve, and his left arm in the left. He then adjusted the jacket, before bending down and grabbing his bag and putting it over his shoulder. Midas could tell that Sophia had been saddened and disappointed she had to go, as it was evident in her voice—however her beauty still prevailed, which caused him to blush a bit more. He was happy to take her up on her offer, wondering where all this would lead him.

Sophia entered her number into Midas’ phone, making sure to put a yellow heart emoji next to her name, then handed his device back to him with a smile. "Here we go!" She stood up teetering on her short flats, pressing her hands against her dress to flatten down the flowy fabric so the wind wouldn’t put her through a Marilyn Monroe moment. Whoosh! She could picture it now. Purchasing this outfit was the best choice she’d made in Paris. She’d been given tons of compliments already and felt extremely pretty while wearing it. “Well, Midas, it was a pleasure meeting you! I’ll see you tonight and we’ll get to know each other a little better? I hope you like cheese. I have a habit of ordering a plate of assorted du fromage when drinking wine.” She grimaced after she tried to add french into her vocabulary. Telling herself it was the effort that counted, right? Her cheeks reddened with a soft glow as she came to terms with her frequent blushing, something she did often when speaking with Midas. Sophia grabbed her bag and swung it over her arm, holding onto her DSLR in her right hand. Before slipping around the corner she made one last look over her shoulder to wink at Midas. He was so cute! She was excited and nervous all at the same time, feeling those tiny butterflies in her stomach, she couldn't wait to see him again. If she had enough time on her lunch break, she was going to go back to the shop where she bought her dress and pick out something new. Maybe something that wasn’t yellow? Her mind and heart raced as she disappeared into the crowds of Paris.

M: As she had handed him his phone back, Midas kind of paused for a minute and stared at the yellow heart on the screen. It was a bit shocking to him still that a woman had been taking such an interest in him, for he had never necessarily been on a true date or anything of the sorts. As Sophia talk about their plans, Midas looked up from his phone and nodded happily, a small chuckle also escaping at her attempt to add French into her vocabulary. “It was a plea-pleasure to meet you as well Sophia, yes we will I can’t wait! I love assorted du fromage, but I’ve never personally had wine with it.” There was a hint of nervousness on his voice as the two chatted, and how could he not be? It was not only the first woman to be this straightforward about wanting to meet him—and it was the first time Midas had been curious enough to pursue. He then watched as Sophia stood up, his cheeks glowing a bright red as well due to her overwhelming beauty. Midas appreciated the esthetic of her outfit, as the yellow of the sundress reflected her seemingly positive attitude—almost like the sun on a sunny day. As she began to pack her things, Midas made sure he had everything and was ready to leave and go about his day. Although, he did feel a bit saddened that she and to leave so soon, as they were just getting ready to have a wonderful conversation. As she walked away and looked over her shoulder, Midas blushed a bit more and smiled. He waved goodbye, and as she disappeared behind the corner he sighed quietly, thinking that’d be the end of that. Midas then exited the area as well, walking onto the side walk and beginning his plans for the days the first stop had been a lovely view of an old village outside of Paris. He had been excited, and all throughout the day his kind had been preoccupied from thinking about his interaction with Sophia. Every time he’d think about it he’d get butterflies in his stomach, hoping that as the time grew closer she’d contact him, for he hated starting conversations first. At 6 PM, Midas had returned to his hotel room after he had completed his touristic day in the city. He appreciated the culture, fashion, and historic value of France, and was glad he chose it as his destination to travel. He soon remembered that he had something with Sophia, gasping and quickly looking on his phone to see that there was no text. Midas sighed quietly, opening his phone and clicking on her contact—hovering over the text bar wondering what to send. After a few moments, he began to type, asking if they had still been on for the night. Once that was sent, Midas then grabbed a pair of black slacks and a lilac colored shirt from his suitcase, thinking that he should shower beforehand incase she did still want to go out. He then walked into the bathroom, turning on the water and allowing it to warm up before stripping naked and stepping in, beginning his shower as he awaited Sophia’s response.

The day had been a total whirlwind! From meeting Midas in the morning to scouting a new location that afternoon, she barely had enough time to head to the local shop to pick out a new dress. The women in the store were excited to see her again. They complimented her on the dress she purchased a couple of days ago, telling her how nice she looked. They were the ones who convinced her she looked good in yellow and Sophia still wasn’t entirely sold on the color, but she liked all the attention it brought her from men and women. Her fingers ran over the fabric of several different dresses until one of the employees walked over and handed her a purple gown. It was lovely! When she tried it on in the back room the dress fit her like a glove. She ran her hands down her body looking in the mirror with approval. “I’ll take it!” she said with a happy smile. She paid for the dress and went back into the streets with her shopping bags. The day had flown by and it was only a matter of hours before she’d get to see Midas again. So she hurried back to her small condo to start getting ready. First a shower, then redoing her makeup, followed by fixing her hair into a messy bun, then the fun part! Slipping on her silky purple dress that felt soooo good against her skin. She had music blasting as she made the final touches on her appearance. Only then did she notice Midas had text her!

12:07

She felt a rush of excitement spark in her heart as she unlocked her phone to read his message. Texting back: “Yes! We’re still on. Can’t wait to see you there at 8!” Followed by a little yellow heart emoji because it was her thing, she couldn’t help it. Sophia made it to Le Baron Rouge on time. She’d called ahead to reserve a table for them outside. A nice table sitting under hanging lanterns, nuzzled up to a brick wall with green vines climbing up the side. The waiter helped her take her seat and from that point, she kept an eye on the street to people watch, and also to keep a look out for Midas.

M: Midas had stepped out of the shower after 20 minutes, and had dried himself off with a towel. He walked out of the bathroom, looking around as he wrapped the towel around his waist and walked over to his suitcase, bending down and grabbing a pair of boxers. It hadn’t dawned on Midas to check his phone just yet, and as he slipped on his boxers he walked over to the bed, removing the towel from his waist and grabbing his phone that had been right next to his clothes. Midas then opened his phone and let a small squeal of excitement escape him as he saw the text message from Sophia, replying: “Sounds good! I’ll be there soon!” *Midas then noticed she had sent a yellow heart, and chuckled a bit. He found it ironic that she sent a yellow heart, after having a yellow dress on when they met. Even if it was her thing, Midas found it rather adorable and was excited to see her after the day went by. He first put his shirt on, placing both arms in both sleeves at the same time and allowing gravity to assist him with pulling his shirt down. Midas then grabbed his slacks, placing them on one foot at a time before buttoning and zipper them up. “Ah shoot, did I pack my belt?” He asked himself worriedly, looking over to the suitcase and sighing, as he had indeed forgot to pack it. That was no matter however! Thankfully, the slacks were snug around his waist and had no chance of falling off tonight. Midas then made sure his outfit was presentable, straightening it out where it needed, before applying some cologne on himself, he thought it looked good, and so walked over to the bed and put a pair of socks on, followed by some nice slide on shoes. Midas checked the time, realizing it had been 8:15 by the time he had completely gotten ready. He quickly grabbed his coat, spraying it with cologne before tossing the bottle on the bed, and rubbing out the door. Midas had been too paranoid about the time that he’d forgotten his card to get into the hotel room. He quickly made his way down to the lobby and out the door. Thankfully, Le Baron Rouge was a few blocks away from his hotel, so he didn’t have to call a cab, and instead decided to walk. It took Midas about another 20 minutes to get there, turning a corner and panting a little bit as he looked around for any sign of Sophia. After seeing Sophia sitting outdoors, Midas smiled warmly, and walked over to her and the table. He was attempting to calm his breathing and stop panting but his nerves were beginning to show, as he had been a bit embarrassed he showed up like this. Once he approached her, Midas shot a small shy and nervous wave, sitting down across from Sophia with a smile. “It’s go-good to see you again Sophia!” Midas had sounded nervous as well, which made him a bit more nervous about the whole situation. He didn’t want to make a first bad impression on Sophia, especially since she had been the one to ask for this. Midas cleared his throat, looking around the area and seeing how busy and beautiful it was, and then locked eyes with Sophia once more, before quickly glancing away and inside towards the restaurant.

As soon as Midas turned the corner the butterflies in her stomach began to flutter all over again. She started to fidget in her seat with excitement. The moments waiting for him to join her at the table were almost unbearable! She didn’t know what to do with her hands so she kept them in her lap, folding them over, then tucked some of her dark hair behind her ear. He was more handsome from what she remembered and that prompted her to grab her bag sitting at her feet. She dug out her DSLR and held it in her lap, “Hi, Midas!” she said with genuine happiness. “You look amazing, and I’m not just saying that, you really clean up nicely.” Sophia couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across her face. She loved the way Midas smelled and looked. He was the perfect blend of mystery, seduction, and charm all bundled up into one. There was jazz music playing over the restaurant speakers and Sophia tapped her foot on the ground. “Midas do you enjoy dancing? I thought after dinner we could stop by a nightclub I’m scouting for my client to see if it’s anything to write home about. I heard they have three dance floors and can be somewhat of a maze. It’s also quite hard to get into, but I have special access, so if you wanted to go just keep it in mind.” Sophia wanted to tell him more, but the waiter came over and set two glasses of red wine down in front of them. They also set down a plate with an assortment of cheese and meat, charcuterie was her favorite whenever she traveled and took the liberty of ordering this for them before Midas arrived. “Merci!” she said and cringed. She still felt weird about trying to speak french when everyone knew she wasn’t from around here.

20:53

Sophia picked up a piece of cheese and slipped the orange cube of heaven into her mouth. The flavor instantly melted on her tongue. “Oh my God, this is divine!” she was starving, in all honesty, but didn’t want Midas to know how hungry she actually was. She’d forgotten to snag some lunch during her shopping escapade for a new dress. “Cheers, Midas, to meeting new friends and starting new adventures together!” The wine sitting in front of her was cradled into her hand as she picked up the glass and waited for Midas to join her in a toast. It was their moment to celebrate finding each other out of all the people in Paris. What were the odds? She pulled her lower lip under her teeth nervously waiting to take her first sip of what she considered truth serum. Wine had a funny way of bringing out the side of people that most kept hidden, and she was looking forward to getting to know Midas so they could have some fun tonight.

M: As Midas approached and realized the excitement of Sophia by reading her movements, he quickly began to calm down. A small lighthearted chuckle escaped his lips, shooting a small wave to her and blushing as she complimented him. Midas grew all warm and fuzzy, realizing that she had true intentions behind her words and they weren’t just false hopes to rope himself in. Midas then looked down and noticed Sophia rummaging through her bag before pulling out her DSLR. “Good evening, you lo-look lovely. The dress compliments your hair very well. I love the color purple.” Midas then chuckled again, sitting down as the jazz music played. He glanced back occasionally, tapping his foot and humming along to the tune quietly, as he had heard it somewhere before.* Midas was surely already enjoying himself, and had calmed down significantly as he sat. Dancing was something that he rarely did, but still knew how to dance nonetheless which caused him to nod in agreement. “I don’t dance often, but when I do I make sure it’s either jazz or some form of slow dance.” At the mention of the nightclub, Midas raised an eyebrow in curiosity, his thoughts racing. His cheeks soon became red, and a nervous clearing of the throat could be heard. “That sounds lovely, I’d love too.” Just then the waiter had arrived, causing Midas to shift gazes to the waiter. As he placed the two glasses of wine down in front of the two, Midas gasped as he thought it had been a bit much. As they also set down the assortment of meats and cheeses, Midas carefully pinched a piece of cheese and brought it up to his mouth and placing it gently on the base of his tongue. He nodded his head as a way to say thank you. The cheese melted into his mouth as he chewed. The flavor was out of this world, as he hadn’t had cheese straight from the country before. Midas had also been starving, skipping lunch as he was planning on buying the two dinner. He quietly grabbed his cup, cradling it between his index and middle finger and twirled his hand and causing the liquid to spin a little. “Cheers, to meeting new friend and starting adventures.” He then clacked his cup against Sophia’s, putting his lips to the cup and seemingly pulling the liquid out of it. He then placed the cup down, before quickly changing his mind and drank the rest of the cups. He then looked down, chuckling a little as Midas noticed he has drank up all of his wine. “So, how was your day? Find any good pictures?” *Midas asked with interest as he seemingly sat up and looked around the area, before looking back over to her dress. “You look amazing today, and I’m not just saying that.”

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“The truth is I went out and bought this today,” she said softly as a rush of blush cascaded over her cheeks, running a hand down the length of her dress in a way that was not meant to be seductive, yet ended up being just that. She toyed with the dress’s strap on her shoulder, giving it a slight tug before releasing it back to carry the weight of her breasts. Sophia finished her first glass of wine and proceeded to handle her camera with affection. She flicked through a few photos from her day then turned the camera over to Midas, leaning into him - at this angle, her perfume carried in the air bathing Midas with a splash of rose and vanilla. The glow of the camera’s screen caressed them both, mixing within the soft lighting of the restaurant’s lanterns hanging overhead. “This photo here,” she said with a smile, “...is one of my favorites.” The photo was relatively simple: an elderly couple sitting on a bench looking at the Eiffel tower. Sophia’s smile lasted for a few seconds before she turned her naturally sparkling eyes to gaze adoringly at Midas. Their faces were inches apart and for a split second she considered leaning in to kiss him - damn that wine. “Shortly after taking this picture the man wrapped an arm around her shoulder and leaned his head on hers. I think I managed to get a shot of it…” she flicked through a few more pictures until landing on the pose she was looking for. “Here it is, aren’t they sweet?”

11:23

The waiter returned with two fresh glasses of wine, swapping out the empty vessels, and disappeared once more. “Maybe after dinner I can take your photo, Midas?” It was only then she realized at a certain point she might not ever get to see him again - there was a touch of sadness resting within her dark eyes, which lowered as she turned the camera off. The glow of the candles sitting on the table returned to illuminate the scene between the two of them. She took her wine and held it near her lips, waiting for Midas’s answer, curious if he’d trust her to take his picture or not.

M: Midas couldn’t help but notice the way Sophia hand moved her hand up her dress seductively. He quickly became flustered, stumbling over his words as he was trying to form a sentence. “P-Purple is my favorite color.” A rush of blush came over his face as she tugged in her shoulder strap, causing him to quickly turn away as he cleared his throat. Midas had almost finished his first cup of wine as Sophia finished her first cup, glancing over towards the camera as she flicked through the photos. As she leaned onto him, Midas smiled warmly, almost leaning into her as the air carried her perfume into his nostrils. The sweet scent of rose and vanilla made him sigh in relief as he continued to watches she flicked through the photos. Midas was always one for pictures as they always held such unique backstories to them. There was so much to think about when looking at a picture; from the scenery to the history in the background of such photos. The soft lighting of the restaurant mixed with the cameras screen made it feel a bit romantic to Midas. As Sophia landed across the photo of the elderly couple, he chuckled lightheartedly, finding it rather sweet. “That’s so sweet, I can only imagine the history the two share together. Everything they’ve seen, everything they’ve experienced. It’s just so lovely.” Midas had them felt Sophia’s eyes gaze at him, which made him look over towards her and smiled at her. He then cupped his glass of wine, finishing his cup as she described what happened afterwards. “That’s really sweet, I wonder how that feels. I mean, feelings wise of course.” It had seemed Midas never really had an affectionate experience yet with a partner, as evident by his sentence. He then glanced down back towards the camera, nodding and chuckling once more. “It is adorable.” He then thanked the waiter as they replaced their drinks. He immediately took the cup in his hands and took another large sip before nodding in agreement. “Of course, I wouldn’t mind at all.” Midas always loved being photographed, and so didn’t decline the opportunity to do so. He then cleared his throat, pausing for a moment before glancing away. “What are you doing after this? Would you like to come back to my hotel room and watch a movie? I understand if you don’t want to, but I thought I’d extend the invite.”

Sophia grinned. The thing was, Midas made a suggestion that caused her to blush. Going back to his hotel room? Oh my. She shoved the camera into her bag to be used at a later time. Sophia was determined to get a picture of Midas so she’d have something to remind her of him when they were no longer together. She crossed her legs under the table and placed an elbow on the surface next to her glass of wine, which she gingerly took into her grasp. The purple liquid swirled in the cup as she rotated it in her hand, playing with the idea of taking another sip. Should she? She was already slightly tipsy. “After this, I think you should come with me to take a look at the nightclub. I promise you’ll have a great time, and something tells me I’ll find the perfect opportunity to take your photo there.” “Have you two decided what you would like to order?” asked the waiter, now standing next to Midas with a notepad and pen. Their thin, brown mustache twitched with a patience that had slowly worn off over the years. “You know, we haven’t really had a chance to look over the menu. Perhaps you can grace us with the chef’s special this evening? What do you think Midas - are you up for a little adventure?” Her dark eyes were searching Midas for an answer. He was so shy. So timid. And cute. Normally Sophia went after the opposite - the type of person who made her end up regretting their encounter after the first date because their moral compass was completely nonexistent. But Midas was kind, sweet, and gentle. She knew if he took a chance to spend some time with her, especially at the nightclub, he’d have an evening to always remember. Sophia used her fingers to tuck some of her dark hair behind her ear, then leaned back into her chair, as if she were posing for a photo herself.

’Night club?…surely, she can’t mean that.’ Midas thought to himself quietly. He looked hesitant, and a little anxious as he lifted his hand to his mouth, beginning to chew on his nails as he thought. Midas wasn’t necessarily a people person, sure he’d interact with people here and there, but to go off to a nightclub with a crowd of people seemed off putting to him. However, as Sophia reassured him that he’d have a great time, he glanced over, locking eyes with a small grin and blush, moving his fingers away from his mouth. “Well, personally I don’t like…” He then paused for a moment, swirling his cup of wine before putting the cup to his lips and taking a sip. After taking a sip, he let out a small sigh, looking away almost as if he was embarrassed. “…crowds, I don’t like crowds. They make me rather anxious, however I’d be more then happy to go to a nightclub with you.” Midas then let out a small, lighthearted chuckle, Sophia wanting to take his picture to him was adorable. He had never had a woman want to spend so much time with him, and so that caused him to open up a little more—that and the wine. Midas was already feeling a bit tipsy as well, not really drinking so much as he chose to indulge at social gatherings with his family. As the waiter came by, Midas looked at him, beginning to stutter until Sophia chimed in. “The Chef’s special would sound lovely, I’m always up for an ad-adventure.” The waiter then nodded, scribbling down their order as they sighed walking off to send their orders to the kitchen. Midas then looked back over to Sophia, blushing a little more heavily upon seeing her pose. “Y-You look like a model.” Midas teased sweetly, his eyes shimmering in awe as he examined her up and down. Midas was looking more at the dress color, and how it complimented most things Sophia had on. Looks were the last thing on his mind, as he just couldn’t help looking at her.

A faint breeze moved past Midas and Sophia causing the warm lights glowing from the swinging lanterns to sway gently above them. After a while, the waiter brought the Chef’s special to their table, and the food was, how to put it - délicieuse. Sophia raved over the salmon en papillote, yet her favorite part of the meal was the french onion soup. “I love this place so much!” she exclaimed. Her long strands of dark hair continued to pull against her shoulders as the night carried a familiar current of air their way. She was beautiful in the faint light. Her features were lit with romance, and when she looked at Midas, it was easy to pretend they were falling for each other. That was Paris, though - if Sophia were going to have any sort of adventure, now was the time. “Midas, I’m paying for our dinner. And by me, I mean my company,” she handed the waiter a credit card, to which he immediately scanned with his personal device. They proceeded to bow to Midas and Sophia, grateful for the tip she left them, and helped Sophia out of her seat by scooting the chair back for her.

18:09

“Come on,” her words were filled with excitement. Maybe that was the wine. Either way, she grabbed Midas’s hand and pulled him to his feet. She continued to hold his hand as they walked down the streets and alleyways. And when people glanced in their direction, she leaned into him. They were both relatively attractive, and Sophia was used to receiving praising looks - but with Midas at her side, it was as if every man and woman were looking in their direction to check them out. “We won’t stay long since you don’t like crowds, but I think you’ll like this place...do you trust me, Midas?” she asked quietly. Sophia pressed him against a brick wall to close the distance between them, making that purple dress hug her body in all the right ways. Her lips were soft and trailed closer to his as her hands went to his shoulders. They were standing outside the venue, next to the entrance. Her gaze slowly rose to look him in the eyes. Daring him to play this little game with her. Take a risk. Have fun and get lost in Paris. Was he ready?

M: As their food had come and the pair began to eat, Midas couldn’t help but continuously compliment the salmon en papillote. The salmon had been prepared just right, and as he ate he’d watch Sophia from time to time, before glancing around his environment. He seemed be enjoying himself, for one who said he wasn’t a social person he had surely been acting social. As she complimented the place, Midas took another look around, and nodded in agreement. “I agree, the salmon is out of this world, it’s so tasty! And the French Onion soup? To die for!” Midas seemed to be opening up a little more to the woman, as his tone had been exaggerated a bit and joyful. He paid attention to her features, admiring how the lighting made her stand out more. Although the lighting wasn’t the greatest on him, it still brought out some of his features as well, such as his eyes. “You’ll…what?” Midas asked worriedly, before looking down at her company’s credit card and gasping. “No, d-don’t, I’ll pay for it.” He said quietly, but it had already been too late, as the waiter immediately swiped her card, which made Midas put his wallet away into his pocket. As Sophia stood up and pulled him up, he smiled, nodding in agreement as the two began to walk towards the club. Midas couldn’t help but notice that their hands had been intertwined, and each time they passed someone she’d always lean into him. It felt nice, making Midas feel all warm and fuzzy, noticing that people had been staring at them as if checking them out, which also made him feel good about himself. Midas also appreciated the fact that she wouldn’t stay long due to the fact that he didn’t like crowds. Weather or not they stayed passed that was up to Midas and how much of a good time he had. “I appreciate you not staying long for me, most of the time I was forced to stay, or forced to pay for everything.” He mumbled, before looking a bit surprised as Sophia pressed him up to a brick wall. “I…I trust you, Sophia.” He sounded a bit nervous, but was more taken by surprised and heavily flustered. Midas noticed how her purple dress hugged her body in all the right ways, and blushed immensely at the sight. He then locked eyes with her, his hazel eyes meeting Sophia’s brown eyes. Midas then noticed she had been leaning in, and her lips were coming closer to him. With no time to react, his arms wrapped around her waist, and his lips connected with hers gently. His lips were also soft, and as they trailed closer to hers Midas had closed his eyes, he wanted to embrace it as this is something he hadn’t done with his life yet, and after a little bit, he pulled away, a small, giddy giggle coming from him as he looked at Sophia.

The moment Midas pushed into her she met him halfway and sealed their kiss. It was sweet. And warm. Just like toasted honey on a hot summer’s eve. She tasted the wine on his breath and even that was appealing. So when they pulled away from each other there was unbelievable excitement energetically exchanging between the two of them - each suppressing nervous laughter that eventually turned into unspoken chemistry. “Come on,” she said with a big smile, “they have me on the list.” The bouncer at the door checked for Sophia’s name. He crossed it off a notepad, and opened a large metal door for them. Loud music poured into the busy street of Paris, and Sophia dragged Midas by the hand into the darkness of the nightclub. There were long, red velvet curtains hanging from the ceiling to separate the different sections within the space - keeping the tables private, and the bar secluded from the dance floor. The walls were lined with faux candlelight that flickered mechanically. Larger than life mirrors were propped everywhere, making the venue appear larger than it was. The entire first floor reminded Sophia of Walt Disney’s Haunted Mansion, and she loved it. Once or twice she glanced over her shoulder to see if Midas was doing alright. The music was loud, but the beats were slow and easy to dance to if they wanted. She kept hold of his hand so they wouldn’t get lost within a sea of people.

13:04

Sophia told Midas to stand beside one of the mirrors and wait for her there. She quickly returned with two drinks, handing him one, “It’s wine, don’t worry, we won’t be mixing our alcohol tonight!” She clinked her cup against his and offered him a cheers. “I want you to stand right there, but lean against the mirror, and look in my direction.” There was a nearby table waiting next to them that she used to rest her drink on, placing a napkin on the top so no one would be temped to slip something in. Her hands dug into her bag and pulled out her camera. She ushered Midas to stand a little closer to the mirror, then aimed her lens in his direction. Smiling. Her hands adjusted the rings of the dslr until the shot came into focus. For a second, Sophia paused, looking to Midas from behind the camera - taking in the moment of their time together before she clicked and took her shot. “Okay in this next one I want you to close your eyes and when I count to three, I want you to open them, okay? One...two...three!”

As the metal doors opened, and Midas had looked inside, a huge wave of anxiety came over him. He quickly scanned the environment, already being dragged in by Sophia as he did so. Everything was so new to him, the red velvet curtains, the loud music, the people, and especially the private tables and the candlelit areas. It was surely a lot to handle for Midas, and when Sophia had told him to stand on the side of the mirror, he nodded, not really wanting to go off alone himself anyhow. As Sophia disappeared, he continuously scanned the area, noticing a few other women were eyeing him down, he would occasionally flash a nervous and awkward smile. He grew uncomfortable when a few simply walked by and stuffed a piece of paper into his pockets, quickly ripping them out and placing them on the table. Once Sophia had come back, Midas glanced down at the two cups of wine, hesitantly taking his, before taking a long sip before looking around again. He was obviously a bit uncomfortable, his hands were trembling a little bit and as he looked back towards Sophia, choked on his drink a little bit. “Like this?” *Midas asked quietly, yet loudly enough for Sophia to hear him. He then leaned back against the mirror, smiling faintly, yet sweetly, before looking into Sophia’s direction. As the camera shuttered, Midas let out a small chuckle, before listening to her instructions and closing his eyes, and opening them and smiling as Sophia said “three!”

The photo of Midas was perfect, and not because Sophia was a skilled photographer. She brought the glow of the camera’s screen over to Midas so he could see himself. See how attractive he looked, even in an environment he mentioned he was uncomfortable with. The darkness of the nightclub was nothing more than a blur of bokeh, and Midas was front and center, highlighted like the model he was, posing next to the ornate mirror that brought a touch of elegance into the composition. Sophia leaned into Midas with a smile. She wrapped her arm around his lower back and cuddled into his side so they could both admire the picture together. “The only thing missing in this photo is me,” she said, and turned the camera off, placing it back into her bag. Her hands, now free, grabbed her drink from the side table while the other slipped around Midas’s. Keeping their fingers interlocked as she guided him through the crowd. They approached a set of stairs that led up to the second story of the club. It was less busy up there with the same type of interior design as below, only the lighting was dimmer, if that were possible, with couches scattered about. She walked past the many couples lounging and enjoying their night on the velvety furniture until her and Midas reached a section in the back where a door waited. Her hand pushed against the heavy frame and a gust of refreshingly cold air hit them sweetly. Soon they were outside standing on an open rooftop where the music was quiet and laced with remixes of jazz classics. She took Midas to the edge of the roof to claim an empty table with two chairs. There was a small bar in the corner with string lights lining the roof. From here, they had a decent view of Paris, “Not too bad, right?” she asked, hoping Midas was still in good spirits about coming here with her.

Midas examined his own picture carefully. A smile creeped up onto his face as he saw how beautiful he looked in the lightning, and although it was dark he was front and center on the photo, which made him feel good about himself. “These photos are lovely, could you send those to me if you digitally process them?” He then noticed how Sophia leaned into him, blushing once more as she mentioned that she was the only thing missing. He was happy to see that for once he wasn’t a sort of side character that he always thought he was, and was beginning to feel like a main character for once. “Truly, it is a shame that you are missing from this picture.” Midas added warmly, watching as Sophia put her camera back into her bag and went to grab her drink. He glanced around the room, noting all of the people in the area before noticing that she had taken a hold of his hand. As they walked Midas made sure to keep his eyes on Sophia, however he’d occasionally glance around and behind him as he felt eyes upon eyes staring at them. Once beginning to climb the stairs Midas then focused on the change of lighting and how much people were on this floor. It was obvious that he had calmed down a bit upon seeing significantly less people on the second floor. Midas realized that it was more for couples to enjoy the end of their night a sober up before leaving, and as the two walked into the back room and towards the door, Midas smiled and sighed in relief upon feeling the cold gust of air. The sound of quiet music and the rooftop view made Midas quite ecstatic. As the two approached their table, the grin on Midas’s face had grown so large, that he couldn’t contain his excitement for the view. “This is beautiful…” Midas had shock in voice as he looked back towards the table, walking towards Sophia and scooting her chair out for her, before going back and sitting down on his side. He truly didn’t have anymore regrets coming to this club with Sophia, feeling intoxicated.

At this point in the night, Sophia set her drink on the table and slid off her chair, that purple dress gradually slinked down her body until it shaped her figure in all the right ways. She smoothly wrapped her hand around Midas’s and slowly pulled him towards her. Gently. Making sure she didn’t move too fast or else she feared Midas might bolt and leave her on the rooftop alone. She knew what they were doing wasn’t his jam but she was convinced if he spent a little time with her he’d change his mind and find tonight exhilarating. Maybe. As she guided Midas into the center of the rooftop she eventually pulled him close to her so that her arms could wrap around his neck. She started to move to the music, just enough so their bodies would sway together. A couple dancing next to them smiled in their direction. They seemed eager to speak with Midas and Sophia, but she wasn’t interested in talking to them. All she wanted was to spend time with Midas. Knowing eventually their evening would come to an end and all she’d have left to remember him by would be her memories of this moment and the photo on her camera. Sophia moved her head back to look at Midas. Her gaze climbed to meet his. Staring into those hazel eyes with adoration and passion. All the emotions that fueled their night up to this point were now captivated by her physical attraction to him. She stayed like this to give Midas an opportunity to tap into the moment. To remember the way she looked. So if he wanted to take advantage of their closeness on the dance floor - he could.

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Midas watched as Sophia stood up, watching her purple dress gradually slink down onto her body, making him blush. As she gently took his hand, Midas tightly gripped her hand, looking up at Sophia as she gently pulled him closer. He stood up slowly as she did so, making sure to look around carefully before noticing that they had been heading to the dance floor, which caused Midas’s heart to sink. “Sophia?…” Midas whispered as the two approached the center, a shaky inhale coming from him as he looked around the room, before feeling the arms of Sophia wrap around his neck. Midas locked eyes with the couple next to them, and as the two began to sway against each other. Midas then shifted his gaze down to Sophia for a moment, before wrapping his arms around her waist. He then looked back towards the couple, realizing they were staring and smiling, which made him uncomfortable. “Why are they staring at us?” Midas mumbled quietly into Sophia’s ear, looking back towards her and realizing that she had been looking up to him. After a few moments Midas used his hazel eyes to examine Sophia’s beauty. The uncomfortable feeling suddenly going away and being replaced with love, which made Midas blush more. His grip tightened and after a few moments, looked away nervously, before seemingly composing himself. He then looked towards Sophia again, before closing his eyes and leaning in slowly, placing a gently, loving kiss onto her lips. After a few moments, he pulled away, before look back towards the couple and grinning. “Do you want to go back to my place now? We can watch a movie, fall asleep.” He added with a small chuckle, and since he had been a bit intoxicated, he didn’t wait and soon took her hand and beginning to look around for an exit on the rooftop. Midas then found a staircase that led down to the street below, and so took the opportunity to open it and head down the stairs. He then began to head back to his rental home, stumbling occasionally.

It all happened so fast. They were dancing, sort of. There was a kiss, briefly, one that gave her butterflies in her stomach. The couple wanted to speak with them but the moment had come and gone - Midas found the exit, and soon they were on the sidewalk leaving the loud music behind. As Midas stumbled Sophia reached out to catch him, laughing, she thought his intoxication was quite adorable. “Midas!” she grinned, running her hand along his chest. She pushed him against the wall of a cafe they were passing by in order to catch her breath. Her eyes once again danced over his features. Slowly, her heart rate returned to normal and she breathed his name again, this time more sweetly, “...Midas.” Her hand brushed away some of the hair covering his face, tenderly stroking his cheek with the tips of her fingers. “...this is one of our only opportunities to explore Paris - no, I don’t want to go back to your hotel room and watch a movie. I want to explore the city with you and make memories you’ll never forget. Stay here.” She’d gone into the cafe and returned with two large bottles of water. Drinking hers within the span of a few minutes, she would make sure he drank his as well, “...there are a few places I want to go tonight, things I need to see before I leave France. Will you come with me?” Being here with him was like a dream. Everywhere they went was a snapshot out of a romance novel and they were the main characters. Sophia’s eyes pleaded with Midas to join her on this adventure, the night was still young, and she wanted to take advantage of that.

Midas looked back as she called his name and laughed a little bit, shaking his head gently to clear his vision. He had been all disoriented from drinking, and being pushed against a wall didn’t help any of that, yet Midas didn’t seem to mind, as another laughed escaped from his lips. “Sophia! You can’t…” He was interrupted by another laugh, rubbing his eyes gently with his two hands as he tried to compose himself. “…You can’t do that while I’m drunk.” As Sophia brushed some of his hair away that was covering his face, Midas smiled widely. “This feels nice…” He commented as she stroked his cheek. However, once she declined going back to the hotel room, internally he was upset. However, externally, he listened and thought for a moment, suddenly changing his thought and smiling more. “Of course I’ll stay here, I don’t wanna forget this…” Midas would of course forget some of the night, it had been one of the few times he had drank alcoholic beverages. So, he was extremely on the fence between tipsy and drunk already. As she went into the café to grab them water, Midas drank his bottle in the few minutes they stopped to rest. As Sophia brought up that she wanted to explore a few more places, Midas smiled warmly, noticing that her eyes had been practically begging him to join her. As he was about to agree, he felt a small tap on his shoulder, and when he turned around, he was met by the same couple who had been staring at them. Confused, Midas raised an eyebrow, before looking back to Sophia nervously. “What do they want? Why have they followed us?” Midas whispered to Sophia quietly, not wanting to look back at the couple incase they wanted to cause problems.

“We’re so sorry to interrupt,” said the woman. She had short, curly blonde hair stopping just below her jawline. Her cheeks were rosy but not as pink as her full lips. She had dazzling brown eyes that kept glancing at Midas. Her partner standing right behind her was a tall man with his hands shoved into the pockets of a pair of black trousers. He wore black suspenders, though one of the straps hung off his right shoulder leaving his white collared shirt to fend for itself. He arched a brow in Sophia’s direction following up the gesture with a short, but seductive smile. “I saw you taking photos of him in the club, and we wondered if you were a professional photographer? My name is Gloria, this is my husband Roy. We’re from Alabama and only here for a couple more days…” Sophia set her bottle of water on the ground and shifted her weight as she dug through her bag, pulling out her camera, “I’m not sure I would call myself a professional, but I do enjoy taking pictures, mainly for work but also as a hobby...why?” The couple seemed unusually happy to hear this. Gloria even touched Midas’s shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze. Her flirtatious laugh caught Sophia off guard and a sting of jealousy hit her unexpectedly. To which she swallowed down the unusual emotions with a forced smile that eventually turned into a genuine one. Midas was attractive, and he deserved to feel wanted.

09:56

“We were wondering if you would take our photo near the Eiffel Tower? And in payment we could get you into a private tour inside the Atelier des Lumières this evening - we are friends with the owner...it should be fun.” Sophia’s mouth dropped slightly and she grabbed onto Midas’s other arm, simply to keep herself from falling to the ground. This was an opportunity she wasn’t going to let her or Midas miss. “Yes, absolutely! I would love to take your photo. As long as Midas is alright with it? My name is Sophia.”

As Gloria began to explain the reasoning behind the two following them, Midas began to feel bad. It was noticed by Roy, who chucked and patted the man’s shoulder gently, taking out his hand stuffed into his pocket. “Don’t worry, we won’t do anything bad to ya, we could tell you felt that way young man.” He whispered, before both men chuckled, with Midas chuckling nervously. As Gloria continued to speak and glance over to him, his grip around Sophia’s hand tightened. Midas had never been this admired before, and to him it was uncomfortable, except for when Sophia flirted. Occasionally, throughout the conversation he’d lift up Sophia’s hand and kiss it gently, trying to relax as the conversation went on. “Sophia is a phenomenal photographer. No matter how much she says she isn’t, she is.” Midas then let out a small playful chuckle, and feeling the other woman’s hand on his shoulder, glaring at Gloria. He then looked down at her hand, and as it moved away Midas cleared his throat, his grip tightening a bit more. Hearing about the L’Atelier des Lumières made the mouth of Midas drop as well. He had always loved art, and the opportunity to go to one of the most prestigious art galleries was right in front of his face. “I would love too! It’d be a pleasant experience for everyone.” Although, he had been quite nervous about the couple, as they seemed rather odd. “Wait, how do you kn-know the owners…if you’re from Al-Alabama?” Midas questioned with a bit of curiosity, looking over to Sophia before back at Gloria, a feeling in his stomach growing as he then glanced over to Roy, who had seemingly been minding his own business.

“The owner is my brother. I grew up in this part of town and moved away when I was eighteen to take a job that led me to Alabama. That’s where I met Gloria. We were different people back then but I finally managed to bring her back here with me. Always said I would. Hoping to convince her to move to Paris. Unfortunately, she still likes her small house back in the states.” Sophia stood there with Midas glancing back and forth between Gloria and Roy. “What a sweet love story. If you don’t mind, we can start walking and you can tell us how you two met?” “Sure!” Gloria replied, linking arms with Sophia as they walked along the curbside. “I was brand new to law school, and it was my first day. I was lost, because you know, that happens a lot for me, and Roy appeared out of nowhere to show me where my class was being held. He was so sweet!” Gloria turned to look over her shoulder now grinning at Roy and Midas. “He asked me out on a date and how could I say no?” “You did say no,” Roy reminded her. Gloria laughed. “Oh right, I did at first, didn’t I?” She held up her hand, which had a wedding ring on it. “We’ve come a long way since then.”

14:17

By the time they reached the Eiffel Tower the couple had told Sophia and Midas nearly all their past history together, which had intrigued Sophia, “Alright, since you two are clearly in love, why don’t you two stand next to each other embracing.” Her hand waved in the air, “A little more to the right, yeah - just like that. Now lean in.” Sophia aimed her camera at Gloria and Roy, took a shot, then snapped a few more. She showed them the photos and they were overjoyed. “Here,” Sophia said to Gloria, handing her the camera, “Hold this and point it at me and Midas, the settings will allow you to take a similar picture of us.” Sophia grabbed Midas’s hand and brought him close to her so the background behind them was nothing more than the Eiffel Tower rising in the distance. She looked him in the eyes and smiled, continuing to hold his hands, “Hey you, look like you’re happy to be here…” she whispered as Gloria tried to figure out which button took the photo.

Midas listen to Roy and Gloria's love story. He had been silently judging them throughout the night, thinking them to be some type of murderers, or some other negative image of the two. However, what struck him with curiosity was Roys line, "we were different people back then." what did he mean? What was so different about the two that it had to be brought into the discussion? Whilst he wanted to ask, Midas knew better, and so decided not to ask any questions that may be personal or upsetting to them. "It was indeed a nice love story, I haven't had it happen to me yet." Midas seemed to sarcastically tease, before wrapping his arm around Sophia's neck. "Well of course, that's been changed, since I met Sophia, isn't that right Sophia?" He asked, blushing before Gloria linked her arm around Sophia's and the two began to walk. A small chuckle escaped his lips, following behind the two females side by side next to Roy. As Gloria went on to explain her side of their love story, Midas glanced over to Roy and cleared his throat. "What did you mean by you were different ba-back then?" It had been the first time Midas had spoken to anyone outside of Sophia. he had been dying to know and understand what he meant, and wanted to make a little light out of the situation. As of that moment, Midas was clawing at himself internally to go home, and something had felt off. But, he ignored it and decided to stay for Sophia's own sake. "You aren't murderers or anything like that, right?" As the four approached the tower, Midas looked up and gasped in amazement. Never had he been able to see something so magnificent in his life yet, and it was amazing. He then looked back down to see Gloria holding up her hand to reveal a wedding ring, which made Midas sigh in relief a little bit. "That is truly lovely." Midas then got an idea, and if the couple seemed to be good people, he'd ask for their help.

11:11

As they actually arrived at the tower for their photo, Midas too had become rather interested in their history, having gained a rare likeness from Midas. He watched as Sophia and the two began to do their photoshoot, looking around the area quietly out of curiosity. He then looked back at Sophia, admiring her, her dress, everything about her. 'I'm gonna marry this woman one day, and we'll be a Gloria and Roy. I promise.' Midas thought to himself quietly, his eyes widened for a moment and he began to blush a bit. "What? I-I'm not ready for a pic-" Midas was quickly interrupted by the feeling of Sophia grabbing his hand and pulling him closer, causing him to smile. The feeling of her hand in his made him feel comfortable and safe, and it caused him too blush a little more. Midas then looked behind themselves, seeing the Eiffel Tower in the distance, and the scents of the city were making him feel ecstatic. "This is truly lovely, I'm glad I came." Midas said partly to himself as he then looked Sophia in the eyes as well and let out a warm giggle. "Of course I'm happy to be here, I'm with you silly" Midas said with sweetness in his tone, and a large smile appeared on his face. "Can I tell you something, Sophia?" He asked with curiosity, looking towards Gloria who had been struggling to take a picture. It was now or never, if he didn't tell her how he felt now, then he wouldn't say it at all, even with the help of the couple. "I'm gonna say it quickly because I don't know how long she'll take. But, I think I'm falling for you, and I'd like to be with you till we're old." And with that, Gloria had been ready and so Midas quickly turned and smiled brightly, hoping for a nice reaction photo.

Roy slapped Midas on the back of the shoulder, “We are not murderers, and even if we were, we wouldn’t tell you.” The grin on Roy’s face held until Midas could see he was only kidding. They were good people, him and Gloria. But trying to find a decent photographer in Paris on such short notice was nearly impossible, and when Sophia entered the club taking photos, smiling, and showing Midas her work - they figured God had sent them a bit of luck. “She’s cute, that one,” Roy said, nodding in Sophia’s direction. “I can tell you got a real thing for her. Don’t let the good ones get away.” And maybe that’s why Midas decided to tell Sophia his true feelings. How he was falling for her. The words were spoken in the dark, under a blanket of stars, with the glowing tower at their back. And it was a moment to remember, caught on camera for all to see. The picture Gloria took would be one they’d frame for years to come - only, Sophia wasn’t ready to tell Midas that. Even so, her expression on the photo would give him a hint that she too, was falling for him. Sophia bat her eyes at Midas. Thick, long, dark lashes covering her eyes slowly lifted so her gaze could gently rise to meet his. The smile curving her lips grew and grew. She leaned into Midas feeling content. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she pulled him in and kissed him in front of Gloria and Roy.

14:30

“Oh stay like that! Just like that!” Gloria said. She was clicking maniacally hoping to get the perfect photo for this moment. Time went on...and on...until Sophia opened her eyes, lips still pressed against Midas’s, and glanced to Gloria, who was still clicking. She couldn’t hold back a laugh, which broke the kiss once and for all. Gloria gushed. She leaned into her husband, Roy, “Why don’t you ever kiss me like that anymore, huh?” To which Roy scooped her into his arms and laid a big one on her. Gloria squealed. And Sophia ran towards them, afraid she would drop her camera. Sophia brought the camera over to Midas so they could look at the photos together, “Oooh, look, you’re so handsome in all of these!” She was only half way through the pictures when Gloria interrupted. “Thank you for the picture, Sophia! We love what you took and I can’t believe we ran into you, out of all the clubs in Paris, it was meant to be. Are you two ready to go to the gallery? It should be a really fun experience without a crowd.”

Feeling Sophia wrap her arms around his neck and pull him down, Midas gasped in shock. As their two lips pressed against each other, he smiled and closed his eyes, hearing the shutter of the camera. Once Sophia had pulled away to laugh, Midas glanced over to Gloria and Roy, letting out a little laugh, before it turned into a true laugh. He found it extremely funny that she had been taking so many photos of him, and seeing the two be overly affectionate made in funny. Midas would only laugh harder as Sophia ran over once Gloria squealed, knowing she was afraid for her camera to break. As she returned to Midas, he wiped his eyes gently, getting any tears he may have had away as he tried composing himself. It had been the first time he had laughed in a while, and as Sophia began to go through the photos, Midas would occasionally stop her and point out a few pictures. “Look at you, though! You look so unbelievably gorgeous it’s insane.” Midas then looked up as Gloria interrupted. He had forgotten that they had offered to take the couple to the art gallery, and was ecstatic to go off and see it, especially without a crowd. “We’re ready! It should be really fun, I love art personally.” It had also been the first time Midas had been so outgoing, as he had felt a special connection growing with the two now. Thanks to Sophia, Midas had been opening up to new people, and he actually enjoyed it. He then leaned down into her ear, blushing before shakily saying: “Thank you for this, I really appreciate it.” He then looked back over to the other couple, smiling excitedly.

Gloria and Roy led the way. They weren’t far from the art gallery and what made this place special were the digital pieces that illuminated against the walls. Every inch of this place looked like some sort of psychedelic dream - and Sophia loved it. She didn’t feel out of place in her new purple dress, seeing as how her, Midas, Gloria, and Roy were practically the only people in there. She held Midas’s hand as they wandered the foreign space. Moving pictures were projected along every inch inside the art gallery, drawing Sophia’s imagination into places she had never explored before. Occasionally she would stop and watch one of the moving pieces transform right in front of her eyes. It was beautiful. The whole thing. The men at the front had told her no photos, and out of respect, Sophia kept her camera tucked away in her bag. “What do you think, Midas? Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?” Sophia looked to him with an adoring smile. Gloria wandered over to Midas and Sophia, “So...we have been offered to have drinks in the back with one of the managers, are you two interested?” Gloria’s expression was filled with excitement, and just incase they were on the fence about joining, she added, “It’s inside a secret room not many have seen!” That seemed to work. Sophia squealed and squeezed Midas’s hand, “Yes! We’re interested.” Even if Midas wasn’t interested, Sophia was going to make sure he jumped on this opportunity of a lifetime so when he was old and grey he’d have adventures to look back on. Gloria laughed, “Great! Follow me. Roy is already with our friend, Paul. They’ve worked here for several years. I think one of the artists who did that digital piece over there is actually going to drink with us. I’m not sure who we’re going to meet so make sure to keep your cool.”

Midas was blown away by each art piece they walked by. The digital art pieces especially caught Midas’s eyes, stopping with Sophia and visualizing himself in each. “Holy shit…” Midas mumbled quietly, his voice full of shock, and wonder as if he were a child on Christmas. Roy chuckled, seeing the two have fun before heading off to meet Paul. But before that, he walked over to Gloria and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a gentle peck on the cheek. “I’m going to head to the back for drinks, invite the two because a few of the artists will be back there. I’ll meet you there.” He then looked at the couple, before heading off to the back room for Paul. Midas meanwhile had let go of Sophia’s hand, and walked across the hall, entering an exhibit dedicated to Vincent Van Gogh, which made Midas squeal in excitement before running back and grabbing Sophia’s hand gently. “It’s beautiful! They have a whole Vincent Van Gogh exhibit and it’s beautiful! Starry Night was all over the floors and walls, and then more of his work came up!” Midas then looked over to Gloria, before an even bigger smile appeared on his face. He nodded in agreement, seeing how Sophia had verbally agreed for him. As Gloria mentioned one of the artists, a rush of excitement hit, causing him to squeeze his hand around Sophias. As the two followed Gloria, Midas couldn’t help but look around once more at all the interesting digital paintings. He had never seen such a thing before, and was amazed by it all. However, upon feeling a vibration, Midas pulled his phone out from his jacket pocket, and sighed quietly. “Ah shit it’s my grandmother…why is she calling now? It’s late in Greece.” He then answered it, stepping away for a moment to talk to her, in case it was something urgent. Judging by the facial expressions of Midas, it didn’t seem to good.

Sophia wanted to give Midas his privacy so she told him she’d meet him with Gloria and Roy whenever he was ready. She gave him one fleeting look over her shoulder as the couple whisked her into a secret room located in the back of the gallery. Inside this space was nothing short of mesmerizing grandeur. Every wall, and there were many, had been lined with bookshelves, books, and candles. Sophia took a closer look and was relieved to see the candles were fake. Tiny plastic lights flickering much like they did at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. In fact, the entire room gave off a similar spooky, yet charming vibe. The lighting was dim, minus the angelic glow from the pulsing candlelight. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, twinkling as Sophia wandered around the empty room. She trailed her finger over the binding of one of the books. The leather slid cooly under her the pad of her digit. Sophia grabbed it off the shelf, weighing more than anticipated, and since it was in french, she understood none of it. That wasn’t why she picked it up though. She opened the book carefully, to which the spine creaked with it’s age, and placed her nose close to the pages as she thumbed through a few. The smell was nostalgic somehow. Gloria and Roy waved Sophia over to the bar where a gentleman in a suit waited. They introduced her to the man, who claimed he produced a majority of the digital art in the gallery during that month. Sophia took a seat at the bar and propped her elbow on the cold counter. When the bartender asked what she was having, she ordered a simple glass of red wine, and politely kept the conversation up with the group until Midas was available to rejoin them.

Midas nodded as Sophia told him she was going to meet Roy and Gloria. As the conversation went on, Midas soon became aware that his mother and grandfather had passed in an accident. This caused his heart to sink, and an intense, twisted feeling filled his stomach. He attempted to remain calm and did so, however he looked lost. Midas quietly walked towards the back of the gallery, the echoing of his footsteps fading as his ears began to ring. He had been in shock, unable to accept the fact he lost two important people in the same day. He entered the secret room, the voices of the four being muffled by the ringing of the ears. Midas then glanced towards Sophia, his eyes seemingly trailing for a moment before approaching slowly. Roy glanced back at Midas, noticing how distraught he looked. He tapped Gloria on the shoulder and seemingly whispered something, before continuing his conversation with Sophia and the artist. He would keep an eye on Midas, but for now wouldn’t pester him. “One Captain Coke please.” Midas said with a flat tone, looking to the bartender as they nodded. They pulled a bottle of coke from the apparent cooler, before pouring ice into a cup followed by Captain Morgan and Coca-Cola. The bartender then handed the drink to Midas, watching as he took a sip. Midas didn’t thank the bartender or say another word after that. His eyes were wide, looking as if he had been zoned out, and as he drank his hands appeared to tremble slightly. It wasn’t because he was nervous however, and was instead filled with other emotions.

When Midas walked into the back chamber Sophia was happy to see him. But, that smile on her face quickly changed. She immediately stopped speaking with the artist, who got to their feet and sauntered towards the other guests eagerly waiting to meet them. In fact, everyone in the room slowed their speech to watch Midas make his way to the bar. They whispered and eventually turned their backs on him so they didn’t come off as being nosey. Sure the room was dimly lit with candlelight, but even with the soothing ambience, Midas’s grief could be felt within the darkness. Lovingly, Sophia approached Midas at the bar and took a seat next to him. She eyed his drink and the way the tiny bubbles fizzled to the surface of his cup. She didn’t say anything at first. Her hand went to his shoulder and rubbed him gently there. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see how distraught Midas was. “Are you alright?” she asked him quietly. Strands of chocolate-colored hair fell against her freckled shoulders, brushing against the silky fabric of the purple dress that she’d bought just for him. Soft jazz music filtered through the space of the secret chamber. The door opened briefly, letting in a sliver of light and a few more people before closing again, comforting the room in a blanket of peace once more. For a moment, she thought she saw a glimmer of hope resting within Midas’s eyes, a light at the end of the tunnel, but she wasn’t sure - her hand continued to carefully massage the ball of his shoulder as if coaxing him to trust her with the information he’d just received on his sudden phone call.

Midas glanced over at Sophia, seemingly blinking for a moment before a warm smile appeared on his face. “It was nothing. Everything is okay, I’m sure my grandmother was just being overdramatic.” He reassure Sophia as he examined her body and dress carefully. “She said my mother and grandfather had passed. But, I was just talking to my mother earlier today, so I don’t believe it to be true. Plus, grandma is all the way in Greece, she can’t possibly know.” Midas then took another sip of his drink. A small chuckle escaping his lips as he felt her gentle hand massage the ball of his shoulder. A sigh was audible, before shaking his head slowly. “I truly, truly hope that isn’t the case. But, for now, let’s just have a good time, because if it’s not true I’m not letting that ruin this night.” He then looked down at the table, moving one of his hands to gently take her free one. “Thank you for checking on me. I truly do appreciate it.” He said warmly, pulling out his phone and opening the messages app, shooting a text to his mother before placing the phone down on the table. “So, what have I missed? Surely you guys talked about something whilst I was away.” Midas changed gears, looking over to Gloria and Roy, followed by the artists and other people who entered the room. He quietly took another sip of his drink, shaking his head quietly and looking back to Sophia, before placing a kiss on her cheek. “If you’d like, after this we can go to the tower. I hear the view during the night is to die for, and I for one am extremely willing to see the scenery.” He suggested, glancing back up to Sophia’s eyes and letting out another chuckle. Just then, his phone went off, and as he checked, a small sigh of relief came from him, as it had been his mother confirming that only his grandfather had passed, whilst she had been hurt. “Thank god, my moms alright. Hurt, but alright.” He then put the phone in his pocket, letting out a small chuckle as he shook his head.

“Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear this!” Sophia leaned into Midas and wrapped her shapely arms around his neck. She pulled him close to her. Hugging him. Her breasts pressed against his chest so he could feel her heart beat. The smell of rose and vanilla would kindly fill the air around Midas, as Sophia bathed in expensive soaps and perfumes. She held onto him for what seemed a few minutes, making sure he was alright before she let him go. And even then, she wasn’t far away. Her eyes traveled over her shoulder, glancing at Roy and Gloria - they were speaking with the “artist”. “No offense, but that guy is kind of a douchebag. He thinks it’s his destiny to design art for this place, like he’s some sort of God - and I’m not joking, I mean, his work is incredible, but have some humility.” Sophia paused. Her hand moved to Midas’s knee and squeezed. She wanted to make sure he was going to be emotionally taken care of while coming to terms with the loss of a family member. Her heart ached for him. Those big brown eyes were flooded with nothing but concern for her new friend, who she found so irresistibly attractive. Her sigh was soft and kind, debating how to ask him this next question… “Midas,” she said softly, “...what do you say we ditch these two and go to the tower? I’ve never been up there and I’d love to see it with you.” The bar tender standing behind the counter smiled, eyeing Midas and Sophia. Their sleek black hair gleamed in the candlelight as they cleaned one of the many glasses with a rag. “Best not to say no to a pretty lady.” He said, grinning at Midas, then winked at Sophia.

Midas paused, glancing up towards Sophia and blushing heavily as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. The smell of vanilla and rose filled the air around him, causing a large smile to appear on his face as he took a deep inhale in. “You smell so nice.” Midas mumbled quietly against her, closing his eyes for a few seconds until she pulled away. Noticing that Sophia had been looking over her shoulder, Midas quietly leaned the the side, glancing at Roy, Gloria and the artist. To him, the artist was coming off as a bit snobby, presenting himself as Sophia described him—some sort of god. As she voiced her opinions, Midas looked up, locking eyes and listening to Sophia, nodding in agreement. “I do agree. He presents himself with a god complex, and for what? His work is incredible, you’re right but it’s not incredible if there’s no humility.” There was then a pause feeling Sophia’s hand land on his knee and squeeze, which made Midas look down for a moment before looking up and taking another sip of his drink. Hearing her ask to ditch the art gallery for the tower made him grin, nodding in agreement. “Let’s get out of here before more people come. It seems that it isn’t ‘just us’ anyhow.” Midas quipped, glancing over to the bartender before turning into a full blown glare as he winked at Sophia. Midas then placed a five dollar bill on the counter and slid it over to the bartender. “Sorry buddy, I’m not gonna say no to her.” Midas winked back to the bartender teasingly before standing up and stretching. “Let’s pretend like we’re gonna go look around a little more.” He added, glancing over to Roy and Gloria quietly before glancing at Sophia, admiring her purple silky dress.

As Midas stood up, Sophia slid her hand around his and guided him to Gloria, Roy, and the pretentious artist who was made from God’s finger apparently. Her curly, dark hair swayed against her lower back as she moved across the candlelit space with Midas in tow. Sophia didn’t understand the word pretend when it applied to people. If she wanted to leave - she was going to leave. “Excuse me,” she said to the three of them, interrupting the conversation as politely as possible, “...Midas and I will be going now. It was so nice to meet you Gloria and Roy, and you as well -” she paused, having forgotten the artist’s name. Oof. How embarrassing. This moment was not intended to insult them, yet that’s exactly what Sophia accomplished. Oh well. Gloria pouted. She tried to convince Sophia and Midas to stay. “You can’t be leaving so soon! We hoped you and Midas might want to come back to our place for some coffee?” Sophia raised her brows with surprise. “Oh,” she replied sheepishly, her cheeks burned from embarrassment. “No, I’m sorry to cut our time together short, but it’s best if we leave. Thank you for inviting us here. You gave me your email, I will send the photos I took of you and Roy in the morning.” There was disappointment on both Gloria and Roy’s faces as they left. But it didn’t matter. The air outside the museum was...refreshing. And cold. Nothing to complain about, it was just a nice transition from being inside a room filled with clutter. “Midas…” she said, still holding onto his hand. She began to smile and turned to him with a bit of pink resting on her cheekbones. “I...I think they were swingers. I had no idea until right then, let’s get out of here, okay? We can laugh about this on the way to the tower.”

Midas had stayed relatively silent through most of their exit, smiling, nodding here and there, shaking his head here and there. However, as Gloria had tried to convince the two to stay, Midas raised an eyebrow, glancing down to Sophia. Midas was about to interject himself and decline the offer, raising a hand and leaning forward a little before hearing Sophia decline for them. He nodded in agreement, noticing the disappointment from the two but didn’t care for it. Midas had already gotten weird vibes from them the moment he had caught the two staring at them. As they left, Midas held onto Sophia’s hand a little tighter, a warm smile appearing on his face as they departed. He was glad that they were now leaving to head off to the tower, as around this time it was relatively quiet at the top. As the cold air hit his face, a sigh of relief escaped his lips as it truly was a nice transition from the cluttered room. As Sophia spoke his name Midas looked at her, and as she smiled, he smiled once, beginning to blush. At the mention of swingers, Midas slowly began to look a bit lost, tilting his head to the side. “Right, swingers? As in like…swingers that take others partners?” He asked quietly, looking back towards the doors before chuckling. He was trying not to laugh, and as Sophia recommended leaving, he nodded and began to pull her along towards the tower. “You know at this time of night, the tower is usually quiet, and the view I hear is to die for.” Midas commented as they headed towards the tower, occasionally looking back towards Sophia. “It’s amazing to know this towers been here for so many things, I wonder what stories it would have it could talk.” Midas then slowed his pace to walk besides Sophia, looking at her warmly.

Everything was perfect. The soft yet slightly cold air rushing through the city streets. The city lights on the horizon. The smells. The sounds. And of course, Midas, leading her towards the heavenly lit tower. They walked hand in hand the entire way and for the first time in her life, Sophia felt...complete. She couldn’t stop glancing at him. The way he smiled whenever she said something amusing or laughed when she made a terrible joke. Midas was everything she’d been looking for, and exploring the city with him, so many new adventures, how could anyone live up to this? Her blush returned. It was terrible timing given the passing of his relative but that ignited a fire within her. Life was too short. She turned to Midas, determination shining in those pretty eyes. “I need to ask you something, and I don’t know what you’re going to say. But if I don’t say it I’m afraid I’ll lose the courage and who knows what will happen.” Sophia leaned against one of the railings leading up to the tower and reached out for Midas, pulling him towards her. Her gaze gently lifted to meet his. “I don’t think I can be without you.” She was falling for him and the way she stared into his eyes confirmed that. “I know we just met, but there’s something about you, Midas. Like I’ve known you my entire life, and I can’t imagine not having you in it. I-” Sophia swallowed hard. The wind curled some of her dark hair forward, pulling those soft strands in a loving breeze as if reaching for Midas, “...I want to marry you. Tell me you’ll fly with me to Italy tomorrow, and take this adventure with me...” She trembled at that moment. Swept away by the sudden strength it took to tell him the truth. To tell him how she really felt. And because she was nervous he’d say no, she leaned towards him and placed her lips onto his. Kissing him with the softest touch of her lips - there to satisfy the physical senses with a gentle reminder that she was made for him.

Hearing Sophia confess her true feelings, Midas blushed immensely. However, hearing her say she wanted to marry him made his whole world pause for a moment. It was like he could hear an internal record scratch, ’did she just…ask me to marry her?’ He thought to himself, his face beginning to look a little lost and confused. “Im sorry…did you just say th- hold on. You wanna ma- I’m sorry, marry?” Midas seemingly stumbled over his words, a look of confusion and panic overcoming his face. “Sophia I-I don’t know how to feel. I’ve never, ever had a woman ask me to marry her on the first date.” Midas explained, his voice full of shock and confusion. “Are you sure? Are you sure you want to marry…me?” Midas felt skeptical at first, why would she suddenly ask to marry him? He was going to ask more questions, however as she leaned in and kissed him, Midas kissed her back. After a few seconds, he pulled away, his look of panic turning into one of doubt. He swallowed loudly, beginning to tremble himself as Midas didn’t know what to say. “I-I’d love to marry you Sophia. I’d love to fly to It-Italy with you, but…” There was then a slight pause, a quiver of his lip occurring as he looked down. “Why would you want to…marry a person like me?” He asked, his doubtfulness coming over his voice. “I’ve never dated, my luck has been terrible. I’m a social mess, who can’t even been in a room with more than 4 people, and don’t get me started on mental health a such. Are you sure? Are you sure you want me, and not someone else?” He asked truthfully, moving his hand from her hand, to his arm as he rubbed it. “I share the same feelings though.” Midas then glanced back up to Sophia, his hazel eyes making contact with her eyes. “I do love you…and I’d love to marry you. But what if this is like a spur in the moment? Are you positively sure?”

15:32

He asked, a bit hesitant to agree, before almost immediately sighing once more. “If you’re actually serious, and positive that this is what you want, then yes. I will fly to Italy with you, and take this adventure with you.” His tone returned to its warm and gentle nature, smiling, and nervously chuckling as Midas really hoped this wasn’t a trick, or impulsive decision.

“Sometimes in life, you meet people who build you up. They make you feel like you’re on top of the world. Like you’re alive for the very first time. That you can fly over any obstacle. They’ll be your wings and together you can soar over any mountain. That’s how you make me feel, Midas. I have strength when I’m with you. Your warmth helps me see the world in a new light and I don’t want to lose you in a sea of darkness. Ever since we met, I’ve felt more happiness in our short time together than all my days combined. You’ll...understand why as you get to know me.” Sophia lowered her gaze. As if she didn’t want Midas to see the memories of her past playing within the dark pools of her lovely eyes, or uncover the secrets she kept hidden there - she couldn’t help it, her emotions had a way of conquering her stare, and often times it made people uncomfortable. This was one of those moments she wanted to spare Midas from experiencing. He didn’t need to know everything. Not yet. When the confidence returned to her heart she locked eyes with Midas, holding onto his hand, “If you could be my wings and start a new life with me, and I mean leave everything behind, everyone you ever knew - would you do it?” The city light caressed Sophia’s soft skin, highlighting her purple dress in all the right ways. The tower twinkled over them. Each star in the sky burned into her memory making sure this was an evening she’d never forget - even if Midas said no, Sophia was lucky to have met him at the cafe. There was apprehension on her features now. Afraid he wouldn’t take her offer to start a new life with her... Gently, she stroked the top of his hand with her thumb. Her heart pounded against her chest. She didn’t expect to care this much. Her desire to have him with her for the rest of their life caught her off guard, and she didn’t know how to explain her sudden feelings for Midas. All she knew is she didn’t want to lose her connection to him. He made her feel...loved.

There had been a long pause, with Midas blinking rapidly over the next few minutes. This was a lot to process, leaving everything behind to start a new life? He glanced down to Sophia, his grip around her hand tightening as he looked down, and then away. A lot tugging against his mind. “Even if we did drop everything, where would we live? In Italy? We’d have to get visas, then take the citizenship…it’d be a process.” Midas then looked back up, locking eyes with Sophia before explaining her purple dress, and how it fit her. He had been blushing immensely, and sighed. “Sophia, truly you’ve made my world turn into this bright one. One that I can see myself actually living in for once, and I thank you for that. As you get to know me more, you’ll also understand why I’m like this, and I hope in time you understand.” He then looked down, feeling her thumb stroke the top of his hand. Midas then took a few steps closer, a small smile appearing as he moved his hand away, wrapping both arms gently, and loving around Sophia’s waist. His heart had been pounding, and his nerves had skyrocketed, however he was still going through with what he wanted to say. “Of course I’ll be your wings and drop everything to be with you. You bring me joy, you’re like a light switch, and once you entered mh life, it seemed my world got more colorful, full of life.” Midas admitted before chuckling lightly and tightening his grip around her. Sophia also made Midas feel loved, and he didn’t want to lose the connection they had either, and if that meant marrying her, then so be it.

“It wouldn’t be as much of a process as you think, I-...” There was concern resting within Sophia’s darling gaze. She wanted to say something, but stopped herself from making a mistake she would end up regretting. And there it was. Wanting to enjoy the moment of just her, Midas, and the tower. Standing there in his embrace. Feeling wanted, adored, and loved all at once. It was everything Sophia dreamed of and everything that had been taken away from her. “...I haven’t been honest with you, Midas,” Sophia admitted. This was the perfect time for her cheeks to blush but the truth was so harrowing, so cold, that even in a moment of admission, she couldn’t bring herself to be ashamed of keeping things from him. “You deserve to know the truth. I’m not who you think I am. I don’t work for a company as a photographer…” Sophia turned to look over her shoulder as if expecting to find someone there. The midnight light caught her in just the right way so when she turned back to Midas there was mystery hanging off every delicate shadow cradling her face. “My family, they would never allow me to leave - to be with you. My father he...he is a dangerous man. I’ve wanted to escape, Midas, my entire life, I’ve wanted to be free. I just never wanted to do it until I met you. I came to Paris to run away, to disappear, and I want you to come with me. You don’t have to worry about money, or passports.” It was then Sophia brought her hands up to Midas’s shoulders and wrapped her arms around his neck. She rose against her tippy toes and placed a kiss on the side of his mouth. Softly. Gently. Her every move was poised compared to the information she was laying on him. “You have to make your choice, Midas, right now,” she whispered against his ear, “...to come with me and leave everything behind, or to forget me and leave this moment as if we never met…”

Midas listened as Sophia spoke, a look of confusion creeping on his face as she abruptly stopped. Hearing she hadn’t been fully honest was a little shocking, and in his confusion, Midas froze in place, his focus only on Sophia as she continued. “You don’t…work as a photographer? Well that’s alright, lots of people do it as a side business or hobby. I once lied about my.” Now wasn’t the time, looking at Sophia, he could tell this was serious, and soon enough, continued to listen to her. The shadow of mystery that surrounded Sophia, and the shadow on her face itself made Midas raise an eyebrow, before heading her continue. Her father wouldn’t allow this relationship? Who was he to determine their relationship? Midas was about to speak, until he heard the Sophia’s father had been dangerous. This made him curious, what did he do to make himself so dangerous? Hearing that made many thoughts rush to his head as he watched her move toward him. Feeling her hands on his shoulders and her arms wrap around his neck made him look away, before turning to face her and being met with a kiss on the side of his mouth. Slowly, Midas relaxed, his body less tense as he felt all his worries seemingly vanish with the kiss. “Well, if it’s right now…then, I’ll come with you…but, can we get some rest beforehand? I’ve been up since 4 AM.” Midas explained with a soft chuckle, looking towards the tower and it’s beautiful scenery. “Plus, if we’re going to fly then, we need to rest for the jet lag.” Midas added, looking back towards Sophia with a small grin. “I’d never leave you, don’t forget that. Even if it was something as big as this…I’m willing to follow you till the end.” Midas added with a sweet tone, his grip tightening around Sophia as he looked down at themselves, and then the city around them. A sigh of relief escaped his lips, realizing that Sophia truly felt the same way, and wasn’t just acting.

“No, Midas…” she said softly. It was true. They’d been up all night and even now the stars were beginning to dim against a rising sunset, but Sophia’s urgency, calm yet forceful, was unwavering within the depth of her serene stare. They were running out of time. A black car pulled up with tinted windows. It’s midnight paint was so shiny it looked like water reflecting the glowing lights of the tower. Sophia took Midas by the hand and guided him to the car. A man sitting in the passenger’s seat got out to open the door for Sophia...and Midas. He did not give Midas a look of judgment, or acknowledge his presence. The man’s attention was on the distance as if keeping an eye out for danger. Once they were in the car with their seat belts fastened the driver put his foot on the gas and sped off. They turned corners faster than the law allowed. Tires screeched. The tower soon grew small in the distance and Sophia did not look back. She kept her hand wrapped around Midas’s. She knew he was tired, but he could sleep on the plane. She cracked her window to let a cold rush of air sweep into the car, pulling wisps of her soft dark hair to float around her face.