Chapter Text
Switzerland, or Little Switzerland, North Carolina as it were, is five hundred miles and a few convoluted train transfers south of Areala’s Gap. Ava, quite comfortable with both passenger and hobo use of trains, settles into the window seat of the car without a second thought. Beatrice has only ventured a few hours beyond the Gap by truck since her arrival over a decade ago, and finds herself ill at ease with the size and noise of the locomotive. She feels unmoored and Ava takes note after her third visit to the privy in half as many hours. Upon her return, Ava links elbows with her and begins chattering away about what she’d learned about trains in her numerous conversations with conductors and engineers after being caught rail jumping, sweet talking her way out of being kicked off at the next stop. Her rambling is soothing to a degree, but Beatrice still stiffens each time another passenger passes through the car. Despite Ava’s efforts, she’s unable to relax until they’re well into the final leg of their journey. She takes a slow walk through each of the carriages of their last train and, finally satisfied that she has seen all the other occupants, settles in next to Ava who has made considerable progress in her latest acquisition from Mateo’s small collection of books, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. As Beatrice sits Ava loops arms with her again, turns to the beginning of the book, and begins to read quietly aloud to her. Aside from offering the occasional pronunciation guidance, Beatrice is able to sink into the story and the remaining four hours of their journey pass without incident.
It is well into the evening when the train reaches Little Switzerland, and Beatrice wastes no time finding lodgings for them. A growing vacation town, the Switzerland Inn is clean, new and upon speaking with the proprietor— a tall and stressed mustachioed man who asks they simply call him Hans— the next morning, more than willing to offer them a smaller staff room in exchange for work. With the beginning of the season approaching, the only remaining staff positions to fill are for a waitress and an assistant to the proprietor, as the first assistant unexpectedly fell ill and would be unable to work for some months. The lack of an assistant appears to be the main cause of anxiety for the man, who inherited the Inn unexpectedly. Ava offers to take the waitressing position without hesitation, saving Beatrice the trouble of pretending she wouldn’t be driven to madness by the social nature of that work. Employment secured, the pair move their belongings to the staff wing. Hans apologizes as he opens the door saying,
“We usually do not have staff share lodgings. Part of the wing was damaged over the winter, however, and we are short rooms. I hope you will not mind the close quarters, considering you are already traveling together.”
“We are quite used to community living. This will be fine, Hans. Thank you for your assistance.” He nods and offers a hand for Beatrice to shake. A woman approaches from further down the hallway, and begins speaking rapid-fire German, gesturing towards the kitchen. Hans passes a hand over his mustache with a sigh.
“Please, take the morning to unpack and make yourselves comfortable. When you are ready, I will introduce you to the rest of the staff and show you the grounds.” He departs, tripping over his boots as he turns too quickly to follow the woman. Beatrice enters the room first and immediately freezes, causing Ava to bump into her. She pokes her head over Beatrice’s shoulder.
“Bea, what is it?”
“When Hans said close quarters, I would not have imagined he meant there would be only one bed. I will find extra blankets and sleep on the floor.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Beatrice. That bed has plenty of room for both of us.”
“I would prefer to do so anyway, please.” Ava opens her mouth to argue, but the set of Beatrice’s jaw tells her it would be an exercise in futility at this point. After a few uncomfortable nights on the floor, Beatrice would be much more amenable to sharing. If not, Ava wasn’t above using her feminine wiles to convince her to take turns on the floor. Ava shrugs and says,
“Suit yourself.” Honorable nature appeased, Beatrice ventures deeper into the room and begins unpacking. Ava takes the wardrobe, hanging her dresses haphazardly. Beatrice opens the small chest in the corner and neatly organizes her shirts and trousers. She sucks in her lip as she looks at her shirts.
“I may need to purchase more appropriate clothing for this business. Your dresses are fine for service, but I don’t believe farm clothing is suitable for the management of a hotel.” Beatrice takes out her cleanest and newest shirt, a heavy, white cotton piece with an attached collar, and her nicest pants, corduroy that had seen better days despite her maintenance, and Ava hums in agreement.
“I saw a tailor on our way here. We’re essentially unpacked, we could go look at what they could fit for you.” Beatrice looks at their now empty bags and nods.
“That would be logical. Suzanne gave us money, in case it was difficult to find work initially. I believe it could be justified.” Ava smiles.
“Shopping trip!”
Ava should have assumed Beatrice would be particular about her clothing simply from the cut of her denim jacket she wore the night they met. The tailor, a round and short man with a booming laugh, is delighted to show them the few samples he has of the latest styles, but agrees with Beatrice that the more conservative, straight leg trouser suited her work. After more discussion, she settles on a navy suit and double-breasted gray vest for warmer weather and any outdoor work the hotel required. As Beatrice steps out of the changing stall for final sizing, Ava nearly chokes on her tongue at the sight. Beatrice is too busy adjusting her sleeves to notice, but the tailor does, and offers her a broad grin and a wink. To distract herself, Ava turns to the accessories and adds a pair of armbands and ties to the small stack of shirts. Beatrice tries to argue against the gifts but is overwhelmed by the sheer amount of positivity in the room between Ava and the tailor.
Upon their return to the hotel with the expectation that Beatrice’s wardrobe would be ready within the next few days, Ava and Beatrice find Hans in a fit of stress in his office. The Switzerland Inn, as it turns out, is in desperate need of the same logical mindedness that led Beatrice to spend forty-five minutes debating the merits of the fashionable Oxford bags with Little Switzerland’s tailor just an hour or so before. Beatrice steps in and shoos Hans away with Ava to meet the restaurant staff. When they return an hour later, the desk drawers and cabinets are reorganized, Hans’s task list for the next three days is rewritten, and Beatrice is working on several examples of new bookkeeping methods. Without looking up from the books, she hands Ava a short letter to post back to the Cradle with their address. Hans takes a long look at the new systems and the renewed state of his office, and when he turns back to her, Beatrice and Ava are both concerned he may kiss her, or begin to cry.
“Would you like to own a hotel? I’ll give it to you for free, truly. I’ll be the errand boy.”
Beatrice is surprised to learn how much she enjoys working and living in even closer quarters with Ava. As endearing as her chaos is, she assumed that in too close of proximity, she would find it stressful. Instead, after a few false starts in which Beatrice trips over Ava’s shoes in the middle of the night when she needs to check the mechanical room, she finds herself looking forward to Ava’s offkey, nonsensical singing, the little gifts Ava leaves for her in places, like the flower she finds tucked in between the pages of The Golden Fleece , and the perfectly smooth stone left on her small desk in Hans’ office, and the way she bursts into their room full of stories from the hotel guests after each night’s supper service. Ava even broaches the subject of learning to work with the Green on their first night in the staff quarters. Hans seems perfectly content to let Beatrice complete her work at her leisure so long as he doesn’t hear about the issues, so she takes time each morning to walk with Ava into the woods and assist her in growing her confidence in the Green. Much to Ava’s distress, they spend a good portion of these mornings sitting, or walking quietly if Ava simply cannot sit, and meditating. Beatrice had seen first hand how naturally the use of the Green came to Ava so there was little she could do in the way of teaching uses, but she had patience and stamina in droves, which would be the greatest tool for Ava to acquire as a conduit. She also hopes to address Ava’s fear of becoming paralyzed again by teaching her to recognize the feeling of the Green and its connection to her, so that she can recognize when she risks pushing too far.
Her only struggle is sleeping on the floor. After three nights, there’s an incessant aching in her back and hips. She still outpaces Ava on their walks, and her hip only twinges once or twice a day as she rises from her chair. She spends a little extra time in the mornings stretching and slowly adds more blankets to her mat on the floor. If Ava notices, she doesn’t say anything so Beatrice feels safe in assuming that she’s doing well to hide her discomfort.
She’s not, of course. Ava notices on day four that Beatrice’s gait is a little stiffer, but each time Ava asks how she slept and if she’d like to swap or share the bed, Beatrice says no. Ava gives her another week and a half to admit defeat and ask for different sleeping arrangements. At the end of their second week in Little Switzerland, Beatrice is dressed down in her corduroys and cotton one evening after the dinner service, with Ava seated at the bar subtly watching over the pages of her book, as Beatrice takes inventory with the bartender when her back twinges and she nearly falls off the ladder. She straightens with a grimace and attempts to get back to work, but the bartender shoos her away. After a moment of argument, she shakes her head and walks slowly down the staff stairs. Ava waits a few minutes before following her into their room, hoping to save her from any further frustration and embarrassment. She slips quietly into their room. Beatrice has stripped down to her cords and undershirt and is moving through a series of stretches, wincing with each new movement. Ava announces herself loudly as she enters from the hallway, hoping Beatrice won’t feel embarrassed being caught if she didn’t think Ava’d been watching.
“Hey, Bea, you doing okay? I looked up from my book and you were gone.” Beatrice straightens with another grimace.”
“Just a bit of soreness. I’m not used to this kind of labor. Ava struggles to hold back a snort.
“Hotel management does seem much more strenuous than mining coal, absolutely.” She deadpans. Beatrice blushes and tries another stretch.
“Beatrice, lie down. Let me help” Beatrice tries to protest, but Ava hears none of it, and gently pushes her face down onto the double bed. Ava sits beside her and begins gently kneading her shoulders. Beatrice tenses further at the touch, and hisses as the knot in her neck seizes. Ava makes a soft shushing noise and stills her hands.
“If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll stop, but I’d really like to help.” Beatrice takes a slow, deep breath and nods for Ava to continue. Ava smooths her hands over Beatrice’s back, increasing the pressure in her hands each time, slowly warming up the muscles. She works on her neck for a while, but finds Beatrice’s undershirt cumbersome in working deeper on her back.
“If you’re comfortable taking your shirt off, there’s some mint tallow in the drawer I could use.” Beatrice thinks for a long moment, and sits up. As she undresses, Ava jumps to her feet to give her privacy. Keeping her back to Ava, she removes her shirt and bra, neatly folding them before laying back down on the bed. Ava takes a small amount of the infused tallow into her palms and clasps them together to warm it. She turns back to the bed and bites her lip at the sight of tan skin and broad, thick shoulders. She shakes her head, chiding herself for leering, and kneels beside Beatrice on the bed again. She’s never given any form of massage before, but with enough attention to Beatrice’s breathing, she figures out what seems to work. There’s a particularly tense spot in her middle back that Ava can’t seem to get enough pressure in her current angle.
“You’re hurting somethin’ fierce right here aren’t you?” Beatrice grunts in agreement.
“I think I can work it out, but I need a better angle. Is it okay if I kind of sit over you?” Were they facing each other, they’d find matching blushes across their faces. Beatrice lifts her face from the pillow enough to give her consent, and Ava gingerly straddles the back of her thighs. Immediately, she’s able to work deeper in the muscles and the effect it has on Beatrice is audible. There’s a vibration under her hands as Beatrice groans in relief and Ava smiles to herself. Ava breathes slowly and draws on a miniscule amount of the Green to warm her hands further and ease Beatrice’s muscles. The moments pass peacefully and Beatrice sinks further into the bed, lulled to the edge of sleep. She digs into her lower back in earnest and the loud whimper that escapes Beatrice catches her off guard. Her entire body flushes with heat, still unfamiliar desire and the shyness of inexperience a bit overwhelming. She feels Beatrice tense under her again, and the brief pause in her ministrations is enough to break her from her reverie. She shifts uncertainly under Ava’s legs, who swings off and sits at the head of the bed. As soon as she’s free, Beatrice bolts upright and distances herself from Ava. The panic in her face deepens as she realizes she’s still half naked and Ava hands her her shirt, turning her gaze as Beatrice dons her shirt and buttons it with slow breaths. Under her panic, Beatrice wonders if this is what it feels like to be in love.
“I’m truly sorry—”
“For what? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“It made you uncomfortable.”
“I wasn’t uncomfortable, just surprised. Why would I be uncomfortable?”
“Because you were being kind and l behaved inappropriately.” Ava turns back to face her.
“You did not. How else would I know that I was working those knots out?” Beatrice still looks embarrassed, so Ava approaches her slowly. She takes her hand, and looks into her eyes.
“I didn’t mind. At all. You’re sweet and imperfect and by far too thoughtful. You’re human, Bea. What you are is beautiful.” She squeezes her hand and lets it fall between them again, turning to remove her apron and change into her nightgown.
“Please, sleep in the bed. There’s plenty of room for us both, but if you’re not comfortable sharing, let’s at least take turns sleeping on the floor.” Beatrice is pointedly staring at the floor when Ava finishes changing but when she settles pointedly on one side of the bed and turns the blankets down on the other corner, Beatrice climbs in beside her without another word of argument.
When Beatrice wakes the next morning Ava is curled around her back like a knapsack. It’s the first time she’s woken pain free and fully rested in weeks.
Ava falls in love in Switzerland. Little Switzerland is charming and for once, she doesn’t feel like she wants to leave after a month. She’s able to meet people from all areas and walks of life without tearing up her admittedly shallow roots. The few permanent residents, mostly other employees of the hotel, are riotous after hours. Beatrice, and indirectly Hans, are good bosses. Many nights she finds herself in the office with Hans and Beatrice, bringing levity to Beatrice’s attempts to teach Hans to run his business. She’s happy here, and tells Beatrice as much.
More than anything, though, Ava falls in love with Beatrice in Switzerland. The days go by and she settles into herself and her role at the inn. Ava watches her interact and play with the numerous toddlers and primary school children who pass through the doors of the Switzerland Inn. Every crisis Hans brings to her, every lost little human, she treats with quiet understanding and even the occasional joke.
After resolving the issue of shoes on the floor their first week sharing a room, they fit in their snug room together like lincoln logs. Ava learns first hand just how much Beatrice hates mornings, and begins waking up even earlier than she needs to in order to greet her with a cup of coffee. The few minutes she spends in the quiet of the kitchen preparing Beatrice’s coffee become some of her favorite moments of the day, second only to the time they still spend reading together in the evening. Beatrice picks up on the fact that after some particularly difficult days in the restaurant, Ava’s legs show sign of their long years of disuse and will cramp. On these nights, Ava sits in a spare chair Beatrice repaired for them and Beatrice kneels in front of her to work mint salve into her sore calves while she reads aloud. One such evening, Hans knocks for Beatrice and enters without pausing, and promptly falls over his feet in his haste to exit with his hand clapped over his eyes. Beatrice blushes furiously, but Ava simply snorts a laugh, kisses Beatrice’s cheek in thanks, and sends her out after him, shouting,
“Pull yourself together, man, no one was naked.” There’s a long moment of eye contact between Hans and Beatrice, after which they silently decide to never speak of the moment again.
No matter what she does, Ava is never able to forget how devastatingly handsome Beatrice is. She’s seen her up to her elbows in mechanical grease, cheeks smudged and hair falling out of its tidy bun, chewing her lip over an engine problem, and perfectly dressed in her navy suit, kneeling at eye level with a child and smiling at the incomplete joke they’re trying to tell.
One warm, quiet day in July, Hans insists they both take off and take his automobile to a nearby trailhead and hike to the waterfall at the trail’s end. Ava wears her new overalls and Beatrice is glad to have packed her favorite pair of worn denim as they push through a few thick areas of brush. The day is hotter than they anticipated, and by the time they reach the water’s edge, they’ve decided they will have to take a dip in the river before beginning the hike back to the automobile. The push through the last bit of brush and branches and both simply stop to take in the view.
“Wow.” Ava breathes
“Wow, indeed.” Beatrice agrees. After another moment catching their breath, Ava takes off, kicking off her shoes and socks and heading straight into the river. Beatrice smiles and follows slowly behind her. She places their picnic basket on a patch of grass and neatly sets her (and Ava’s) shoes beside the basket. After rolling up the cuffs on her jeans, she lays out their blanket and sets up the plates of sandwiches, cut fruit, and half a pie the cook had packed for them after Ava batted her eyelashes at him enough times.
“Ava, come eat so you don’t soak the blanket later.” Ava looks up from where she’s crouched in the river trying to catch a frog, overalls soaked up to her knees, and looks back at her pants with a chastened look on her face.
“I think it may be too late for that, Bea.” Beatrice laughs and gestures her over with a sandwich anyway.
“You get to help with the washing this week, then.” Ava grins and bounds over, taking the proffered sandwich. They enjoy their meal quietly, gesturing to different birds and animals without speaking, the pleasant intimacy sinking deep into their chests. After eating and drinking their fill, Ava meanders back into the river. She hears Beatrice follow after her, steady strides turning into small splashes. The misty air of the falls is crisp in her nose and she inhales deeply, closing her eyes. Behind her she hears,
“I think I’m water-falling in love with this place.” She turns and sees Beatrice not even two feet away, standing as she was a moment before, eyes closed, breathing deeply. The sun breaks through the trees at just that moment to bathe Beatrice in light and Ava loses her breath. At the sound of her splashing, Beatrice cracks one eye open and smirks.
“I think I’m water-falling in love with you.” Ava blurts out. Beatrice’s other eye opens slowly, and her smirk turns into a surprised smile.
“Oh.” She breathes out. There’s a long pause between them, before Ava closes the gap, kissing her cheek, again, again, again, before hovering, waiting, mere millimeters away from Beatrice’s lips. For a fraction of a second she fears she’s wrong, before Beatrice kisses her so softly it reminds her of a butterfly landing on her nose last week while she read on the patio. She kisses her back just as gently. Beatrice looks a little shell shocked when they part, but her expression quickly turns hungry when Ava kisses her again, firmly, and guides them out of the river to the blanket, fumbling with the buttons on her shirt. Beatrice’s tongue slides against Ava’s lips and the breathy moan that escapes as she opens her mouth sets Beatrice on fire. Her hands wander, cautiously but with increasing desperation as they fall onto the blanket.
The sun is close to setting when they return to the Switzerland Inn. Hans smiles as they enter, making note of Beatrice’s hair being not quite as neat as it had been when they left, and Ava’s overalls, just a little more disheveled and twisted in the back than they normally would be.
“My friends! Did you enjoy the waterfall?” They both smile, fatigued but happier than Hans had ever seen them.
“We did. Beautiful recommendation, Hans. It was just what we needed.”
“Wonderful. I am pleased to tell you that there were only two crises today, Beatrice, and I resolved them both in a most satisfactory manner. Oh! Before you retire, a telegram came for you today.”
The couple exchanges a tense glance as Beatrice takes the telegram and reads it quickly.
“ L and V with A. Come to JS ”
“Ava, I have to go home. Will you come with me?”