[Milliways]: An American in Paris

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus' flat in Paris is above a little boulangerie in the Latin Quarter, not too terribly far from Notre Dame. It's...very small, and that isn't helped by the musical instruments and half-finished, scribbled sheet music that are littered around the place. Everything is clean, just cluttered. It's a bit stuffy as well, though Orpheus has all his windows open.

As they step into the living room, Orpheus turns to Steve with a smile. "Bienvenue à Paris," he says.

Comments

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve smiles wryly. "It's not on the menu of your average diner."

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus smirks. "Not in your time maybe..."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Don't tell me it's common in yours."

[golden_lyre]

"It's not unheard of."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"The future is weird," Steve murmurs.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus laughs, sliding an arm around his waist. "Because we like duck?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Yes," Steve says. "I know tastes change, but--duck. Why duck?"

[golden_lyre]

"You really can't ask that question until you've tasted it," Orpheus says, tugging him into the patio of a little cafe.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Order for me," Steve says with a resigned wave of his hand.

Adventure!

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus grins and rubs his hands together as they're shown to a little table on the sidewalk and handed their menus.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve raises his eyebrows at the hand-rubbing. "Please don't make me eat something with tentacles."

[golden_lyre]

"Someday, I'm going to order you calamari," Orpheus says. "But not today."

He glances quickly at the menus and hands them back to the waiter. He orders Steve the duck confit, himself the croque-monsieur, an appetizer of warm camembert to share, and a glass of wine for each of them.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I understood vin," Steve says when the waiter has left.

[golden_lyre]

"Nothing has tentacles," Orpheus promises.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Thank you."

He looks around. "How long have you lived here?"

[golden_lyre]

"This time around? About a year."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve smiles. "When did you live here before?"

[golden_lyre]

"In the war," Orpheus says quietly, looking down for a moment.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Oh," Steve says softly. "Right. With your friend."

He reaches across the table to put his hand over Orpheus's a moment.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus smiles at him. "Once or twice before that as well. I don't stay anywhere long anymore."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I suppose people notice eventually when you don't age."

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus smirks. "Yeah, but I don't usually stay even that long anymore. I might stay here a while, though. Demeter's close."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve nods. "And it's a beautiful city."

[golden_lyre]

"It is. But there are a lot of beautiful cities."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Oh, I know. I'm growing quite fond of London, myself. Or the English. They're kind of...indomitable."