Work Text:
Joe and Nicky met each other an early fall morning
In Paris in the hotel lobby.
Joe was 23 years old.
Nicky just 19 but four days from turning 20.
Both were searching for freshly baked croissants.
Joe and Nicky decided to help each other
In their search for freshly baked croissants
Because Joe could read a map
While Nicky spoke French
But also because they like the other one.
Joe and Nicky couldn't help it
But during their search for freshly baked croissants
They fell in love with each other.
It was just as easy as breathing is.
Joe and Nicky each bought five freshly baked croissants.
Joe, three plain and two with raspberry jam.
Nicky, two plain and three with chocolate
Before sitting down on the grass next to The Seine
Where they could see The Eiffel Tower in the distance.
They both took off their shoes
And dipped their feet in cold water
But they didn't care at all about cold feet.
All they cared about was each other
And that was enough to keep them warm.
Joe and Nicky each asked the other if
Nicky wanted to taste one with raspberry jam,
Joe wanted to taste one with chocolate.
They both said yes.
Joe and Nicky kissed each other
After feeding each other the freshly baked croissants.
They couldn't stop kissing each other.
It was the first time they had kissed someone
But they knew they wouldn't kiss anyone else
For the rest of their life.
Joe and Nicky spent the entire day together
With Walking Around Paris holding hands.
Joe told he was in Paris
To look at art and old buildings,
While Nicky told he was in Paris
To eat French cakes and croissants.
They did both things together that day.
Joe and Nicky spent the entire night together.
They kissed.
Made love.
They kissed.
Made love.
Over and over again,
Not carrying about sleep.
All they cared about were each other.
They knew after their first night together
That the only one
They would ever share a bed with
Was with the other one
For the rest of their life
Because they loved being held
By the other one.
It felt so good
To lie in each other's arms.
During the next week, Joe and Nicky
Did the same things while staying in Paris:
Eat Freshly baked croissants.
Walked together hand in hand.
Looked at art.
Ate cakes.
Looked at old buildings.
Ate dinner.
Made love.
And kissed each other in between
While falling even more in
love with the other one.
When the week was over,
They woke and looked at each other.
They knew today they would
Go in different directions.
It was clear to them both
It was breaking their hearts.
In the hope of preventing a broken heart,
Nicky asked Joe if he believed in destiny.
Joe said yes because it was destiny
That had brought them together.
Nicky then asked Joe
If it was silly that he wanted
To marry Joe today and take him to Rome.
Joe said it wasn't silly
And that he would marry
And go home to Rome with Nicky.
Joe and Nicky got dressed.
Joe decided to wear a
Salmon coloured shirt
And his finest white shorts
On His Wedding Day.
Nicky decided to wear a
Green t-shirt
And his finest cotton pants
On his wedding day.
They both laughed
When they decided
To get married in flip flops.
Joe and Nicky went to the city hall
And got married placing a silver ring
On the other finger
With a big smile
That told the other
They didn't regret saying yes
Before kissing the other
Before eating freshly baked croissants
At their favourite spot.
Then they went back to their room
And made love again.
When Joe and Nicky left the hotel
Joe went home with Nicky to Rome.
It was there they told
Their friends and family
That they had married their soul mates.
Said they didn't regret their choice.
As the years went by
All that loved Joe and Nicky
Accepted their marriage.
All the while
Joe and Nicky's love grew stronger.
Every fall Joe and Nicky would return to Paris
Where they did the same things again for a week:
Stay in the same hotel room.
Eat Freshly baked croissants.
Walked together hand in hand.
Looked at art.
Ate cakes.
Looked at old buildings.
Ate dinner.
Made love.
And kissed each other in between.
As a way to renew their love
And fall in love all over again.
Just before Joe's 104 year's birthday
His heart stopped at the same time
As Nicky's heart did.
Nicky was 100 years and 4 days old.
It was a promise Joe had given to Nicky.
That they would have 80 years together
and one day they would go to bed together
and sleep forever.
Nicky had given Joe the promise
That their love would never die.
They called each other incurable romantics
But they kept the promises
They gave each other a long time ago.
Just as they always had done
When they promised the other one something.
Joe and Nicky's families and friends
Kept the promise they gave Joe and Nicky
A long time ago that they would:
Put Joe and Nicky's ashes in the same urn
Because they wanted to make
Their last journey together.
A journey to Paris
Where their families and friends
Would scatter their ashes over The Seine
At their favourite spot overlooking The Eiffel Tower
Before they would eat freshly baked croissants
With Raspberries and Chocolate.