Chapter Text
"Hey hungry Ava, you ready to go?", JC calls out as Randall impatiently rings the dinner bell.
"Yeah, I'm just trying to decide between leggings and short shorts!" Ava yells back.
"Definitely the leggings," Chanel replies, "You're likely to scrape your knee on the rocks otherwise."
"We love a practical fashion guru," Ava says as she struts down the stairs, bright orange Yeti bottle in hand.
Randall is, not surprisingly, still ringing the dinner bell, "Remember to bring a bottle. We are all hydrated homos here."
"We're not all gay, Randall," Zori rolls her eyes.
"Okay party pooper, we might not all be homos, but we are all homo sapiens," Randall retorts.
"I think I'm kinda homo," Ava mumbles. No one hears because Randall is still ringing his bell to rush the group out the door.
They settle into the car as JC searches up the directions to B is 4 Bouldering. Interesting choice of name for a rock climbing club. Ava notes to ask the workers there about it later.
The windows are rolled down, letting a generous breeze into the car. Pocketful of Sunshine is blasting on their stereo, and before Ava even realizes it, they arrive at the gym.
The squad struts in, and they're greeted by a worker that seems to be giving them a death glare. Greeted is... a generous description.
Seemingly out of nowhere, another worker pops up with a greeting (a real one this time), "Welcome to B is 4 Bouldering! My name is Camila. Have you climbed here before?"
JC chimes in, flashing a charming grin, "We're all experienced climbers, but Ava is new to the squad."
Camila shifts her gaze to Ava, "Great! I'll bring over someone to give you a brief safety course. She'll guide you through all the basics and with using the harnesses for top rope." Ava isn't sure why Camila smirked, and she suddenly feels nervous about the whole ordeal.
JC, Chanel, Randall, and Zori head off to put their belongings in lockers and, more importantly, to stretch.
Ava tries to remember the stretches for later.
"Hi Ava, I'm Beatrice. Are you ready to get strapped?"
Ava gapes. Did this beautiful woman with pretty eyes and long eyelashes....? Ava's train of thought wanders along with her gaze. Arms. Abs. Legs. She's definitely purchasing an annual membership here. Ava briefly wonders about Beatrice's butt before shaking her head to focus. Did this beautiful woman just ask her if she's ready to get strapped?
"I was born ready"
Beatrice chuckles, and Ava thinks the sound is delightful. Beatrice is delightful.
Beatrice hands over a harness, "Great, now get your harness strapped on nice and snug. " Ava concluded that Beatrice was absolutely trying to kill her.
Ava fumbles around with the harness and grumbles, "Why are there four holes? I have two legs. Where do they even go?"
"Would you like a hand?" Ava looks up and sees Beatrice's eyes twinkle in amusement. Ava is embarrassed, but getting help would definitely be better than letting Beatrice watch her stumble around.
Beatrice closes the space between them and kneels down to get to work. Ava forgets how to breathe. Ava tries to rummage through her brain for something to say.
"I bet everyone calls you BEA-utiful." Shit. If her face wasn't red before, it certainly is now.
Beatrice looks up at Ava, amused. "Are you calling me beautiful, Ava?"
"I mean, objectively, you are very pretty. Anyone with eyes could tell you that."
"Eyes on the mounds, Ava." Ava chokes. "The mounds on the wall," Beatrice continues, "You're all set. First, I'll show you how to safely fall."
Ava was definitely going to fall, alright. Her body would be okay--the ground is padded. Her heart however? Not so much.
Ava completes the orientation, and is disappointed that Beatrice has to leave. That is, until she looks down, and confirms that Beatrice's butt is just as nice as her abs.
Ava looks for the squad, and spots them on the other side of the gym. JC whistles, "Nice flirting, Hungry Ava." Ava punches his arm and is mortified that they bore witness to her hot mess of an attempt at flirting.
Randall gestures over to the rope wall, "Let's do some top ropes!" Ava thanks God. Or Randall because Randall is a lifesaver.
Or not... Ava is currently stuck 10 feet up in the air, and somehow, she has managed to tangle the rope with her harness and limbs.
"How on earth did you manage this?" Ava looks down--just her luck--it's the grumpy one from earlier.
Ava protests, "Beatrice told me to kick off the wall during orientation."
The grumpy one takes a picture with her cellphone. She decides to post it on the gym's Instagram page. "I'm going to let Bea deal with this one."
A few moments later, Beatrice approaches. Her eyebrows are dark and scrunched up in astonishment. "Ava, I told you to gently kick off the wall so that your face and body wouldn't collide into it. I didn't tell you to launch yourself off the wall, and spin around like Tarzan."
Despite her teasing, Beatrice elegantly climbs up the wall where Ava is situated to assess the situation.
"I might have to spin you around a little bit to get you untangled."
"Is it too late to mention that I don't like heights?"
"I'm afraid so. Why'd you decide to come to a climbing gym if you don't like heights?"
Ava thinks for a moment and mumbles, "I heard that a lot of wuhluhwuh like to go rock climbing."
"What."
"You know, women loving women? I'd say I was pretty successful since you put a harness on me and held me against a wall with rope."
Beatrice pauses, then deadpans, "I'm leaving you up here... Harnessed and roped since that's what you're into."
Despite the threat, Beatrice untangles Ava from the rope and they descend in one piece. Two pieces, actually... But from the way Ava is latching onto Beatrice, you could totally count them as one piece.
Unbeknownst to them, Camila the master of stealth, sneaked a photo for the gym's Instagram page. Sneak attack style.
Beatrice decides that she'll keep a wary eye on the group, mostly in case Ava decides to ricochet herself off the wall again. That's what she's telling herself, at least.
Instead, she notices Ava's leg...gings. They're black, and they are clearly concealing some nice legs. Nope, they're just nice leggings. Beatrice is only looking because they have pockets and she needs to know where to get them.
She takes note of the way Ava's white tank top clings to her chest. Beatrice reminds herself again that she is looking out for Ava's safety.
She notes that Ava's bright orange sports bra matches her bright orange water bottle. A water bottle with surprisingly no stickers on it. Beatrice decides she can change that.
A few hours go by, and Ava successfully conquers the beginner bouldering routes without any mishaps. Beatrice is proud of her.
The group agrees that they're all spent from climbing and are ready to hit the showers before heading home. Ava decides to refill her water bottle while she waits for the others.
Beatrice walks up to Ava, one hand suspiciously behind her back. "I noticed that your water bottle is void of stickers."
Ava tilts her head, "Yeah it's new and I haven't quite gotten the chance to put any stickers on it."
Beatrice bashedly hands Ava a B is 4 Bouldering sticker, "Can I be your first?"
Ava is flustered. Is Beatrice flirting or does she just innocently make innuendos?
Before she can respond, Beatrice has walked off to her next orientation. Next time, Ava thinks.
The group gets back in the car, all showered and smelling fresh. Ava leans back, admiring the sticker Beatrice gave her. The logo looks surprisingly good for how strange the gym name is.
She smiles and peels the sticker to place on her bottle. It's really cute and reminds her of Beatrice.
Ava is about to put the sticker backing in her pocket to throw out later, but she notices there's writing on it.
Looks like I'm your first, Ava.
- A woman loving women xx
Okay, so Beatrice was definitely flirting. And she has beautiful script.