Atop the Monteparsse Tower (Grayson & Victoria)

"I'm sure!" Victoria replied to the man beside her when he asked. There would be another time, of that much Victoria was sure. And, of course, to pass up on the opportunity she was being presented was simply one Victoria could not, and would not, let go of.

Taking Grayson's arm, Victoria followed him out of the Palace grounds, and around the corner where they found an alleyway to be out of sight. After a moment's consultation, Victoria asked Grayson to side apparate her away from the grounds to the Tower because she was not overly confident with this form of transportation. Thankfully, Grayson didn't seem to mind, and moments later they were stood outside the Tower.

Admission was bought by Victoria and they headed up to the roof together, still arm in arm because Victoria felt quite comfortable holding on to the man beside her.

"So, what is your favourite part of France?" Victoria asked, allowing Grayson to lead her to the viewing point of the Tower. "I know you said you've stayed here, so you must have something of a deeper knowledge of the country than the tourists..." Victoria added, showing that she had listened to him when they'd been talking before.

"And, dare I ask how many ladies you've brought up here before?" Victoria added with a soft laugh to show that she didn't think that Grayson was trying to impress her, or something like that. She was just having fun. Grayson had not -- in Victoria's mind, at least -- shown any of the signs of flirting with her, so she was not, in the slightest, bit worried for accepting this invitation. They were, after all, just friends.

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They slipped out of the crowd quietly, and soon Grayson had apparated the both of them to a relatively secluded spot next to the Tower. When they entered, Victoria insisted on paying, and Grayson let her, not wanting to argue. He figured if they planned to spend time together in the future, they'd probably both pay for each other at some point, so there was no point in trying to keep track of who owed whom what.

They entered the elevator, and Grayson pressed the button for the top floor. When asked his favourite part of France, he thought for a moment.

"Well, there's still much of France that I haven't seen. In Paris, I lived in a quaint little neighborhood near the Seine. There was a café down the street that I liked to visit. It was nice, very picturesque. Outside of the city...well, the Jura region is spectacular. And if you ever get the chance to go to Hauterives, the Palais Idéal is a remarkable work of art." Knowing that Victoria would probably appreciate the story behind it, he explained. "A postman named Ferdinand Cheval collected rocks on his rounds for thirty-three years and slowly built a palace out of them. He inscribed his poetry into the walls. I'm sure you can find photos of it online if you want."

They reached the top of the tower and exited out onto the viewing deck. Grayson smiled softly at Victoria's implication as they walk toward the guard rail.

"No ladies, I'm afraid. Although..." He trailed off. He realized he didn't really know Victoria that well, despite feeling strangely comfortable around her. Perhaps it was a bit too early to go into the details of his love life.

Victoria listened to Grayson explain how he'd stayed in Paris once upon a time, by the Seine river. His explanation created a quaint little picture inside the younger witch's head, and she smiled softly at the idea of the place. "That sounds wonderful..." Victoria offered softly, falling silent as Grayson continued on with his tales of other places.

The witch had not heard of Hauterives, in truth, but she made a mental note of the name with the certainty that, later, she would look it up, and ensure she came back to visit in due course. However, as Grayson continued on with his explanation of what was in Hauterives, Victoria's eyes went wide as she looked up at him, wondering if he was serious about that much. "Are you... serious? That sounds amazing! I didn't realise..." The witch shook her head at the idea of collecting enough rocks to build a Palace. That was just... no, the American witch couldn't quite fathom how that was possible. "I will definitely look it up, though!" Victoria insisted. And, of course, the witch would, because her thirst for knowledge had always been insatiable.

"No ladies, I'm afraid. Although..."

Victoria placed a hand on Grayson's arm in a comforting manner. "Don't worry, I was only teasing." The witch told him, the smile on her lips showing she hadn't meant anything untoward with her words.

As they moved towards the side of the tower, Victoria let go of the wizard beside her, holding on to the rails instead as she looked out across Paris in this new light. It was growing darker now, and the lights of the city twinkled back at them both. To say the sight was breathtaking would have been an understatement to say the least, and the wonderment of the moment showed clearly on Victoria's features as she looked out across the city.

"It's beautiful..." The witch breathed, not daring to take her eyes off of it in case it were to disappear from view. "Grayson, this is perfect!" The witch insisted, gratitude clear in her tone as she looked out.

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Grayson nodded in agreement as she said his old home sounded wonderful. "It was."

In truth, he missed it sometimes. Perhaps when he was older he'd retire in a similar neighborhood. It was very relaxing, offering both a taste of culture, and a bit of peace and quiet. He'd gotten quite a lot of reading done in that café.

Grayson nodded eagerly to show that he was in fact serious. He hadn't believed it himself when he'd first heard the story. Seeing it in person had amazed him.

"I'm sure there are plenty of other hidden gems like that here and there. I only lived here for about two years, so I wouldn't consider myself an expert by any means."

As they crossed the rooftop toward the edge and he responded to her joking question, he trailed off as he remembered his own first time up here. He'd been 29. He hadn't been in France for long at that point, but he'd met someone who had quickly become a close friend, and soon a bit more than that. Gabriel had brought him to see the view after Grayson had asked asked him his favourite part of the city. It was a good memory, one he hadn't thought about in a while. Thankfully, they had parted on friendly terms, and still kept in touch every now and then.

Victoria assured him that she was only teasing, and he returned to the present with a smile. "I know."

He knew Victoria wouldn't judge him at all for his sexuality. She had mentioned having a girlfriend herself at one point. He simply didn't feel like it was important to bring up at the moment, so instead he focused on the present as he watched Victoria move from his side to peer over the guardrail and gaze out across the city.

He couldn't help smiling as he watched Victoria's face light up with awe. He was sure he must have had the same reaction when he'd seen it for the first time, and it was gratifying to pass the experience on to someone else. He turned his own gaze towards the view as well and leaned against the railing as he admired the lights winking up at him.

"It is," he agreed. "Photographs never seem to do it justice."

Victoria offered Grayson a smile that said she knew he wouldn't know everything about France. Merlin knew that histories of countries, cities, cultures... there was simply too much in any country to ever know it all intricately. Victoria would not have expected that much from anyone, even Grayson who had had knowledge at his finger tips for years.

As Grayson commented on how photographs could not do this justice, Victoria couldn't help but agree. On her travels around the city she'd seen postcards with the view across the city, but Grayson was right, they had not done this moment justice. No, to understand the beauty of Paris, one would have to see it for themselves.

Or, perhaps it was just the company in that moment. The experience being made what it was because she was with someone that she cared about. Whatever the case, it was exquisite that evening.

The two spent the next few hours talking about the different landmarks, Grayson helping Victoria as they pointed out across the twinkling lights to the various monuments of France. How each of them had liked them, or how they had not liked them. They both listened intently to the other's stories as they were told.

Ten o'clock came, and ten o'clock went, nobody moved forth to move them, or anyone else on the roof. The time flew past, with Victoria snuggled in Grayson's side to keep warm without a second thought as they looked out across the city.

It was only as the fireworks came up out of the Palace, illuminating the sky and the city in all it's glory once more that Victoria realised the time. How they'd forgotten to return to the Palace because they were much too happy together on the tower. But Victoria did not regret their staying on the tower, no everything looked beautiful from up here...

By the time the display had finished -- Victoria had spent some of that time recording them to show Ivan and Adrienne -- Victoria knew it was late, and she turned to the man beside her with the soft suggestion that they head back to their hotels. Grayson, ever the gentleman, had seen her back to her own hotel, something she'd thanked him with a cuddle and a small kiss on his cheek before she'd wished him good night and headed in to her hotel, content with the world, and glad that she had Grayson in her life.

He was, without a doubt, one of the best male friends she'd ever had, and she hoped he stuck around.

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