They kiss for only the second time at the top of Lion's Head.
It's a hike Beatrice suggested and Ava agreed, always eager to experience things, and the two of them spend their early Thursday evening climbing the hill, Ava showing off a little along the trail, and Beatrice snapping about a dozen pictures of her.
There are other hikers, all of them rather friendly. They exchange quick greetings, some even stop and question where they're from if they catch Beatrice speaking, and Ava loves making up new stories for them every time.
In every one, they're a couple.
Ava doesn't notice any changes in expressions, but Beatrice does. Most people don't seem to care. Sometimes, they get bigger smiles, and other times the smiles fade. Nobody says anything, though, which is more than they could ask for. As long as Ava is happy, Beatrice is trying not to care, either.
When they reach their summit, Ava reaches a hand out for her, and they stand together, taking in the 360 degree view, water, city buildings, and forest all around them.
Ava slips an arm around Beatrice's waist, bringing her closer, and Beatrice holds her shoulders in turn. "I once went on an impromptu hike with Mary," Ava says, voice quiet. "When she found me. She kind of pushed me off the edge of a cliff, actually."
"What?"
"Really took advantage of my healing, huh?"
"She never said anything," Beatrice says, keeping her eyes focused forward, the two oceans ahead of them.
"She left me alone, you know?" she says. "After the ferry. After what happened to Lilith, she found me, and then she just let me go."
"But you came back?"
"Even then, being alone was the last thing I wanted," she says. "It terrified me. Existing in this world, tethered to nothing and nobody. It was already like Ava Silva never existed in the world. I really hate the idea of nobody remembering me. I don't want to not have existed, Bea. I don't want to be alone. I don't - " she stops, her head turning to look at Beatrice's face. "I don't want to be without you."
It's the moment Beatrice realises it has to be her. Ava has made it clear that she wants Beatrice to kiss her - to do all sorts of things to her - and she's just been waiting for Beatrice. Because it has to be her who makes this next move.
Which is why her gaze meets Ava's, silently questioning. They're here, almost at the top of the world, and Ava says yes with her eyes before Beatrice can even ask.
Beatrice leans down as Ava lifts up, gently pressing their lips together. Beatrice isn't as unprepared as the last time, but it does take her a few seconds for her brain to register that she is, in fact, kissing Ava.
It's closed-mouth, lingering and tender, and Beatrice pulls away to look at her face, just to make sure -
Ava chases her mouth, eyes still closed, and Beatrice can't stop her smile, extending the kiss until Ava is the one to pull away, eyes blinking repeatedly.
"Okay," Ava says. "Okay, yeah, uh huh."
"Are you okay?"
"I am immensely glad that we've already seen so much of the sights before you did that," Ava tells her. "We're never leaving our apartment, now."
Beatrice lets out a soft laugh. "But we have a whole sightseeing tour scheduled for tomorrow," she points out.
"Am I going to be getting more kisses between now and then?" Ava asks, sounding very serious. "Because you've started something now, Bea."
