《When We Were Young [H.S.]》13. Paris
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Wednesday looked at her unkempt appearance in the airport toilets, her lip curling in slight disgust. She'd been travelling for half a day straight, from LA to Berlin and from her slightly greasy hair to her undereye bags and dry skin, it wasn't hard to tell. She brushed her teeth quickly, something she always needed to do after a long flight, before picking up her bags and going back outside to where Harry waited.
It was the dead of night and they were only going to be in Berlin for 24 hours for the fan album listening party, before moving on to Paris. Though Harry had asked once again if she wanted to come along with him for the two-day trip, she'd been reluctant. She was dangerously low on clean clothes, even having to borrow Harry's hoodies at one point and she'd begun to miss her home comforts, such as the slightly polluted London air, electric kettles and her own bed. But as always, Harry had managed to persuade her to add an extra two days onto her trip and join him, promising her a fun night in her favourite city—Paris.
By the time they got to the hotel in Berlin, it was the early hours of the morning and both of them were too exhausted to say anything more than 3 words to each other before heading to bed.
Wednesday tossed and turned most of the night, 3 weeks' worth of jetlag wreaking havoc on her body and she felt no better when she finally woke up at around 9. Crawling out of bed, she croakily ordered breakfast to her room and made herself a coffee, hoping it would provide some liquid energy.
Once she'd eaten and got showered, putting on makeup to make herself look human again, she called Harry.
"Are you busy today?" she asked, looking out of the room window to the busy streets below. The Brandenburg Gate was only around the corner, making the area a hotspot for tourists.
"I've got a few things to do before tonight's listening party, yeah" he replied apologetically.
"Oh, okay. That's fine. In that case then, I'm gonna go explore for a few hours and see some sights."
"Yeah, do it. Go have fun" he replied. "And take some pictures for me to look at."
Promising pictures, she said her goodbye and hung up, leaving her room and exiting out of the hotel. Walking towards and through the Brandenburg Gate, she turned to look at it with intrigue. She'd seen it so many times, but never really looked before. Grabbing her phone, she snapped a quick photo before heading to the Starbucks next to it and ordering an iced coffee to go.
Once she'd got her drink, she bought a Metro ticket and after figuring out her route, got on the train to the Berlin Ostbahnhof stop. Getting off, she didn't need to walk far; as soon as she walked out of the station, she saw the first tourist attraction she wanted to visit. The east side gallery. A vast collection of murals had been painted onto the remains of the Berlin Wall by various artists from across the world and they were available for anyone to come see in all their glory. She'd seen the pictures and wanted to visit for years but had never had the chance until now. Throwing her empty cup in the bin, she crossed the road and began walking by the side of it. Although the start of it seemed to be more graffiti laden than actual murals, Wednesday still eyed the words and phrases with curiosity.
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The further she walked, the more murals started popping up, each more artistic than the last. Despite the cold November weather, there were still a fair few tourists lining the pavement, looking at the murals themselves. Slowing down to look at them properly, she got out her phone and snapped a few photos of the ones she knew Harry would especially like. She was surprised at how thought provoking the majority of them seemed to be, furrowing her brows at one that listed the number of people murdered whilst attempting to cross the wall when it was still up. She stopped in front of another that had the words 'Wer will dass die welt so bleibt wie sie ist der will nicht dass sie bleibt', smiling when she looked at the English translation of 'He who wants the world to remain as it is doesn't want it to remain at all'. Fitting for the current climate, she thought. The colours and styles of the paintings were captivating, and Wednesday spent some time just looking before feeling a familiar grumble in her stomach.
Crossing the bridge, she followed google maps to a burger place she'd been recommended by a friend. Finding it hidden under a raised road, she ordered a burger and fries, taking it over to one of the standing tables before demolishing the whole meal within a few minutes.
She spent the rest of the day traipsing about the city and admiring the culture. On a whim, she entered the Fernsehturm to see if there were any remaining tickets—within 15 minutes, she was travelling up to the top in the lift, nausea swirling at just how high up she realised she'd be. Walking out, she felt the slight sway of the structure in the wind and grabbed onto the pole tightly, not letting go. Despite the height and her extremely clammy hands, she admired the 360 view of the whole city, never letting go of the railing as she walked around it and feeling slight proud of her accomplishment, excited to tell Harry what she'd achieved on her own today.
Getting back to the hotel, she quickly changed into her nicer clothes, applying some more makeup before meeting Harry in the lobby and getting into the car on the way to the secret venue.
As they entered and walked the corridor, they could hear the excited voices of the girls and boys in the room, discussing the new album in the headphones they'd been given. As Harry pulled the door open quietly and stepped in, Wednesday following behind excitedly, it didn't take long for cries of excitement and amazement at his presence to sound out.
He interacted with them all, asking how they were and their opinions so far. Wednesday smiled as she watched them interact so effortlessly, seeing the love in their eyes. She too chatted with a few of them, her stomach filling with butterflies as they complimented her and joked about Harry. They both grabbed a pair of headphones and listened with everyone else, the songs they were so familiar with playing into their ears.
After the listening session had finished and photos had been taken, they left in high spirits at the success of the surprise.
"That was fun" Harry grinned, looking to Wednesday.
"I know. The looks on their faces as you entered was priceless."
They discussed their favourite moments and fan interactions, before deciding on where to go for dinner.
"So, where did you visit today?" Harry asked once they were seated in the quaint little vegetarian restaurant they'd chosen in Alexanderplatz.
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"The question is, where didn't I visit" Wednesday grinned, grabbing her phone and pulling up all the pictures she'd taken.
She showed him the pictures of the east side gallery first, letting him swipe through as he looked at each one with an interested smile, his eyes zoned into every detail.
"I like this one" he said with a grin after looking through them all, holding one up that Wednesday had taken a particular liking to.
On one side of the mural, was a yellow background with a black female silhouette in the middle of it. To the other side were the words 'How is god? She's black'.
"Me too" she nodded.
She then showed him a picture of the burger and chips (insisting they visit next time they were back in Berlin, especially since they had veggie options), before showing him the photos of the tourist hotspots she'd visited, such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and the Holocaust Memorial. Getting to the photos of the TV tower, she bit her lip and looked to him.
"You're going to be proud of me for this next one" she smiled excitedly, before turning the phone around to him and showing the picture she'd taken of the view over the city.
As he leaned in to see the photo, he quickly realised where she'd been and opened in mouth in happy surprise, his face lit up. "You went up there on your own?!"
"Completely on my own" she replied, smiling satisfactorily.
"Woah..." he replied, smiling down to the phone as he swiped through her photos.
"I mean, my hands were extremely sweaty, and I didn't let go of the railing once while I was up there, but still."
"You still went up there alone" he grinned, handing her the phone back. "I'm proud of you. It's worth it for the view."
As jetlag hit once again when they'd finished their meals, they went back to the hotel, Harry coming straight to her room to relax.
"I feel like I'm asleep but, also in a dream, I'm that tired" he yawned, lying onto the bed with one arm behind his head and the other resting on his stomach.
"Me too. I could probably pass for one of the zombies in the Walking Dead at the minute" Wednesday smiled tiredly, lying on the other side of the bed.
"Can guarantee you as soon as I close my eyes though, I won't be able to get over" he grumbled, rubbing his face.
"I know. Jetlag's a bitch."
Wednesday found the TV remote and scrolled through the options, before loading up her Netflix account and sticking on her favourite comfort show for the two of them; New Girl.
As she watched quietly, laughing at the episode, she heard gentle snores coming from beside her not long after and saw that Harry had fallen fast asleep. Turning the volume down, she debated waking him up and walking him back to his room, but she could see in his face how exhausted he was, and it didn't seem right. Instead, she gently took the sunglasses from the top of his head and placed them down on the side table, pulling the cover over his legs so that he wouldn't be cold.
As she continued to watch the episode, she looked back at him every five minutes or so with a small smile, just to check he was still sleeping peacefully and when he hadn't woken an hour later, she quietly turned off the TV and leant over to him.
'Harry?" she whispered, waiting for a response that didn't come.
"Harry?" she whispered again and this time he let out a small gentle moan, his body moving slightly.
"Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?" she asked quietly, watching as he nodded ever so slightly, his body moving further down onto the bed.
She got up at this, moving to where his feet lay and started gently undoing his shoelaces, pulling each trainer off. Grabbing the duvet cover, she pulled it up to his chest and tucked him in at the sides, knowing he'd never let her live it down if he'd caught her.
Walking into the bathroom, she got ready for bed herself, washing her face and throwing on a pair of joggers and a hoodie before chucking her hair up into a messy bun.
As she walked back into the room, she smiled upon seeing that he'd shifted positions and was now lying on his front, his arms stretched under his pillow as the side of his face lay on top it. He slept the way she slept.
Padding to the other side of the bed, she quietly got in and once she'd gotten comfortable, she turned out all the lights.
With a yawn, she spoke into the blackness.
"Goodnight Harry."
She'd once again awoken to an empty bed but didn't have any time to question Harry on where he'd gone. She got a quick shower and packed her items up, making herself presentable before they were to check out and fly to Paris.
The flight was short, thankfully, and they got to Paris a few hours or so before the listening party. After getting changed and ready, they were both in the car and on their way to the venue again, Wednesday looking out into the Parisian streets quietly.
"Where did you go this morning by the way?" she asked casually, looking to Harry.
"Oh, I woke up early" he replied, shooting her a small smile before looking away. 'Didn't want to wake you."
Nodding at his answer, she looked back to the window, sensing that there was another reason for leaving he wasn't mentioning.
A few minutes later, they got to the listening party and the same reaction greeted them. Fans screamed when Harry walked through and after chatting, they all listened again to the album through their headphones and chatted afterwards about their thoughts.
Once the listening party had ended, they'd got back into the car, smiling at the fans lined up outside before driving off.
"I'm tired" Wednesday smiled, propping her head up on her hands as she lazily looked out at the passing lights. The city of light truly seemed to only get more beautiful with each new trip.
"Well, you better perk up soon" Harry replied, and she turned to him to ask what he meant, but he'd already leant forward himself to the driver. "Could we go to Place Dauphine instead please mate, thank you."
Wednesday watched as the driver nodded, looking to Harry confusedly.
"I thought we were going back to the hotel?"
"I promised you a fun night in Paris, so a fun night in Paris is what you're getting."
She looked at him with a growing smile, feeling warmth in her cheeks as he smiled back at her, full of curiosity about what they were doing. Looking down to her rather casual outfit, she hoped they weren't going to somewhere fancy for food. As the car arrived, they got out into the little square, Wednesday looking to Harry for guidance.
"Come on, follow me" Harry stated, and Wednesday hurriedly stepped alongside him, following his lead.
"Where are we going?" she asked, looking to his face for any indication of where they were going.
"For a walk" he responded, and as they turned the corner, they came out to the side of the Seine river. The sun was just setting, painting the sky in a cool pink and purple hue.
Crossing the road, they walked down to the pathway directly alongside the river. Wednesday remained quiet, instead staring at the sights opposite them, recognising the Louvre museum as they walked on.
"I thought instead of just going for dinner, we could go explore the city a bit instead" Harry explained as they continued down the pathway, making room for cyclists and passers-by. "Plus, I knew there'd be a pretty sunset tonight."
"I like that" Wednesday grinned, keeping her hands in her back-jean pockets as she looked at the sky.
Walking further along, they eventually came to a piece of pathway by the side of the river, just before the Pont Alexandre bridge, where there were little outdoor tables and stalls for food and drinks. They walked down to it, eyeing up the menu boards before deciding on loaded fries and a glass of wine (served in a plastic cup) each. Once they'd got their food, they sat down on the river edge a bit further down from where the majority of people were sat, letting their legs dangle over the water below.
"This is amazing. Thank you" Wednesday remarked, placing a forkful of fries in her mouth as she smiled at Harry, looking back to the sight before them.
Boats cruised down the seine slowly as the honking of cars from the bridge and street behind them mixed with the sound of people's voices from the bars. The sun had nearly set now, the last of a deep pink hue painting the sky. Lights from the restaurants illuminated the area and the bridge lights burned bright, reflecting onto the water below in splashes of brilliant orange.
"I thought you might like it" Harry replied, grinning out at the view as he chewed his food.
"I feel like we never get to see the places we come to, not properly. Not like this, anyway."
Harry nodded, taking another bite. "I know what you mean. The perks of only ever visiting for work" he replied dryly.
They ate in contented silence, watching the world pass by. Harry took both of their cardboard containers to the bin once they were both done, before sitting down next to Wednesday again and having a drink from the cup of wine.
"You were talking in your sleep last night, by the way" he remarked, looking to Wednesday out of the corner of his eye.
"Really?" Wednesday asked, feeling instant anxiety in her chest at that crumb of knowledge. "What was I saying?"
"I don't know. Couldn't make it out" Harry grinned slightly. "Do you remember what you dreamed about?"
She did. It was the same dream she'd been having for years, only with different variations of it every time. Nodding, she looked to Harry before looking back at the passing boat, seeing the diners inside eating.
"It's the same type of dream I always have. I'm in an airport, waiting to get on a flight. But then something goes wrong. I lose my passport, or I get lost, or I'm late. I always end up missing the flight."
Wednesday wasn't stupid; she knew there was some sort of deeper meaning to the dreams, a reason for their repeated occurrences. She just didn't wish to find out what they meant.
Harry stayed silent, thinking this over before turning to her.
"Have you ever managed to get onto one of the flights before?"
Wednesday looked down to the water below her feet, pushing her hands under her legs as she smiled sadly.
"Last year...and the start of this year...I started to make it onto the flights. It's weird, I could feel the relief of finally catching the flight, even though it was a dream. But then..." she trailed off, biting her lip.
"Then what?" Harry asked, his eyebrows pulled together as he looked over at her.
"The plane would always crash. Every single time."
Wednesday smiled tightly at him, taking a sip of her wine, if not to fill the awkward silence more than anything.
"Do you still crash? In your dreams?" Harry questioned gently, looking at Wednesday with an expression she could only describe as worry.
She shifted, starting to wish she'd never brought it up. "Sometimes. It's a lot less than it was but...it still happens every now and then."
"That's shit Wednesday, I'm sorry. You should have told me" he replied, almost helplessly, as if he was blaming himself.
"What could you have done, even if I did?" she replied truthfully, shrugging. "It is what it is."
Harry looked at her with concern, before sighing.
"I hope one day the plane lands for you."
She turned to him, not sure why she felt a lump in her throat.
"Me too."
Looking to the river and the cars passing opposite, they both stayed silent whilst their minds were busy in thought, most likely for similar reasons. After a few minutes, Harry cleared his throat, standing up and holding out his hand for Wednesday to take.
"Come on, we've got more walking to do."
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