#beatrice rolling her eyes as both olivia and ava giggle and giggle and giggle

[jtl07]

Love your writing! Something about your flow is so pleasant to read.

Prompt for your shenanigans, if you want: Ava and Beatrice (post war and happy and settled) meet a past almost-ex(?)/crush of Beatrice’s

aw thank you anon! also there were so many options for this prompt lol - i'm going to blame puppybusby's Love Thy Neighbour for the inspo. also shameless plug for the fic where Olivia's from: so live it

the sound of the front door bell followed by high-pitched squeals and muted screams is a regular occurrence and Olivia had learned early on to filter it out. still, she can't help but chuckle at the enthusiasm the latest visitor has entered with, having happened upon the aptly named Fluffy just inside the front door.

"let us know how we can help," Olivia says easily when the woman's gaze crosses with hers. she chuckles again when she gets a pair of finger guns in return.

it's a busy day with a new delivery of books to take care of and while the cafe side isn't ever full, there's a constant stream of customers wandering through the space that fills Olivia with a certain contentment. she does, however, have to tune out most of the noise as she takes care of the inventory and shelving, trusting her employees to let her know if there's anything that needs her attention.

Olivia's halfway down the ladder when she hears it.

she nearly falls off, has to grip the handles tightly as she whips her head around to locate the source. it's a sound she hasn't heard in over a decade now. a sound that, even back then, was rare. but she knows it. knew it well.

Olivia finds her sitting on the floor, hands hovering over a dark kitten making its way up her shirt. the woman who'd given Olivia finger guns earlier has her face burrowed into that long neck, both of them shaking with laughter.

Beatrice.

she's older of course - they both are, and Olivia's knees remind her of this fact as when she lowers herself back onto solid ground - still with that unique intensity about her. but there's an easy confidence that's replaced the stiffness that she'd always carried, an openness where there used to only be a cold wall. it had taken Olivia ages to be allowed in; is glad to see that she's allowed others in.

then she finds herself caught in a familiar gaze. ah, Olivia muses, remembers Beatrice's eerie self-awareness, i see that hasn't changed either.

recognition flashes over Beatrice's face and Olivia holds her breath; wonders just how she's being remembered. the woman next to Beatrice has taken notice - her partner, gauging by the way she's pointedly wrapped herself around Beatrice - and Olivia watches as Beatrice turns to speak. relief washes through Olivia when she sees a smile.

Beatrice presses a quick kiss to the woman's temple then stands with that easy grace that had captured Olivia's attention all those years ago. she straightens her shirt before she realizes what she's doing, barely keeps herself from reaching up to fix her hair as Beatrice approaches.

"Olivia," Beatrice says, soft and surprised. "i never thought - it's been so long."

she smiles easier now, Olivia realizes as she responds with her own. glances over Beatrice's shoulder where the woman is not-so-subtly watching. "it has," she says, because how else does one summarize a forced separation, a decade apart, living lives they've built on their own? "you look well."

the way Beatrice ducks her head is still the same, but then she straightens into a person she's proud of. "i am. well, that is. and you?"

"busy," Olivia gestures to the store, "but well."

Beatrice tilts her head, glancing from her and the store, taking in the words and its implications. connecting dots even when none were given, Olivia thinks. "this is yours?"

Olivia nods, allows herself to preen. "i wanted to give people a place to call home, even for just a little while." it's an answer she gives regularly, but here, saying them now to this person - Beatrice, who'd been her port away from the storm that had been her home; Beatrice, who'd held her hand and read her poetry; Beatrice, who'd kissed her and had been sent away - it feels heavier, yet lighter at the same time.

"it's wonderful," Beatrice says, and the tremulous smile that accompanies the words makes Olivia think she's also remembering, also feeling the same way.

"well, come now, introduce me to your wife before she explodes." Olivia chuckles at the surprised look on Beatrice's face. "you're not the only one who notices things," she says, gesturing towards the ring on her hand.

Beatrice hums then starts to turn - pauses, turns back to face her fully. "i'm glad we've met again." and Olivia knows what she means: i'm glad to see you happy, i'm glad to see you here, as you are now; i'm glad we have another chance to be friends.

"me too," Olivia says. she looks over Beatrice's shoulder at her wife and smiles; recognizes the gift they have have now.