#i had to limit myself actually cause i have. so many headcanons about switzerland - as we all do...

[random-french-girl]

Hey @jimalim... I know it's been FOREVER but I have not forgotten about this, and I happen to have some time today, so, here are a few thoughts:

I think the first few days, maybe the first week, they don't do anything apart from figuring out their new life (finding the apartment and getting a job and working on their cover story and waiting for news or orders from the OCS and planning out Ava's training). But as they get settled, I love the idea of the two of them finding... not quite hobbies, but small activities to do in their downtime, that they enjoy?

a) Ava takes swimming lessons at the public pool, and when the class ends she keeps going to the pool, because she finds out that she loves the water - floating makes her feel free, strangely, weightless and peaceful ; she likes the burn in her muscles when she swims laps ; and she LOVES organizing cannonball contests with all the little kids she met in swimming class, and splashing everyone, even (especially?) when it ends with Bea scolding her and then wrapping her in a huge fluffy towel and offering to dry her hair.

b) Beatrice goes to the public library at least twice a week. She stays there for an hour or so, perusing the shelves, pulling out books that she's curious about, reading in the quiet room, in one of the comfy armchairs. She also brings back books for Ava - Ava gives her very broad directions, like "i want to read about mushrooms" or "get me the most romantic story they have" (that request makes Bea unreasonably nervous), and Beatrice loves trying to find the perfect pick for Ava - she misses research! - and loves Ava's delighted reaction every time.

c) They both start going to the farmer's market that takes place every Saturday morning in the town square. Ava chats up all the vendors, learns their names and their entire family history ; she makes friends with an old shepherd selling goat cheese, and with the woman who sells honey, and always comes back with gifts, and gossip. Beatrice wanders through the fruits and vegetable stalls, internally making their weekly meal plan as she goes, and allowing the purchase of small treats (fresh strawberries, a still-warm brioche, the most beautiful tomatoes) that she pretends are only for Ava's sake, though she enjoys them just as much as Ava.

d) They take turns cooking. I know a lot of people believe that Beatrice can't cook - not me! I think she can cook very well, she has all the technical skills, and she's used to it too, since meal preparation was part of the collective life at the convent. But she doesn't take a lot of pleasure in cooking - it's just a necessary chore for her. Ava, on the other hand, LOVES cooking, because it's so new, and it reminds her of Mary, in Matteo's restaurant. She's very enthusiastic, and creative, which sometimes leads to utter disaster, and sometimes to absolute masterpieces that she is completely unable to recreate.

e) Beatrice likes to pick flowers. The alpine meadows are filled with wildflowers, this time of year, and whenever she takes Ava out for a day of training, she can't resist plucking one, maybe two, on their way back, and inhaling the scent, and brushing her fingers along the soft smooth petals, and enjoying the vibrant colors. The beauty of flowers is one of the few things she still finds easy to praise God for. She doesn't think Ava notices, because Ava is either trailing a few feet behind her, grumbling and sweaty and muttering about very unfair training coaches, or distracted by a baby cow, or, more rarely, walking quietly beside her. But Ava does notice, and one day Beatrice comes home after a day shift to find an enormous bouquet on their rickety kitchen table. Ava spent the day picking flowers for her, she explains, both obviously very proud of herself, and also visibly flustered, for some reason, and Beatrice's stomach does a weird swoopy thing that she decides to ignore, but she's smiley and warm and fond all evening, and doesn't even protest when Ava makes her watch some dreadful Swiss reality TV.