Chapter Text
Cara opens her eyes.
Her gaze meets a sea covered by the gray of a thick marine layer. Around her, the sheets of an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar bedroom. Someone’s arms are wrapped around her, warm bare skin against her own, her face resting on someone’s soft chest. As her mind drifts towards the waking world, she remembers and smiles, curling up a little closer to her new husband, her heart, Perpetua. She feels his hand move, as if he’s waking up as well.
“Cara…?”
“Shh, five more minutes.” She murmured. “We can sleep in now, without the Clergy bothering you for early morning meetings.”
“It’s ten in the morning, sweetheart. I was actually thinking about breakfast.” Well, she can’t deny him that. Cara let out a sigh as she rolled off him, letting him free from her weight and the sheets. “Waffles?”
“With the chocolate hazelnut spread, please.” She added. “There should be fruit in the fridge as well.” Cara stood up from the bed, walking over to the dresser to pull out something to wear for the day.
“Do we have any plans for today?” Perpetua asked as he got out of bed after her.
“No, today’s just us. I’ll elaborate once we get breakfast in us.” Cara said, pulling out a white tank-top and loose shorts to wear for lounging around. She felt his hand slide across her back as he walked around her, poking through the drawers as well.
“You separated them between us?” He asked approvingly.
“Of course. I think I’d accidentally rip your button-ups or something. You’re a size too small for me.” Cara said idly as she got dressed. She walked to the living room, picking up her phone. She expected Aurora or Siena to give her the aftermath of the wedding party and, after quickly plugging it in (she had completely forgotten about it, more focused on…more carnal activities), she opened her phone and-
Oh. Oh dear.
“Perpetua.” Cara said, noticing how he had entered the room with nothing but his own silky lounge pants (and she had to resist the urge to stare too nakedly). “Has Dewdrop always had a liking for imbibing too much?”
“It’s how he got his foot in a boot in the first place.” Perpetua replied effortlessly. “Why?” Cara turned her phone, letting Perpetua see Dewdrop appearing to be completely unconscious under a table surrounded by bottles of booze. Perpetua laughed at the picture and walked away, heading into the kitchen to make the promised waffles. Cara let out a sigh and returned her attention to her phone, to the photos. In her email box, the photographer sent her, Perpetua, and Copia a drive link containing all the photos from their post-wedding photoshoot. She opened the drive, looking at the photos. Draped in golden light, there were some of her on her own, some of him on his own, and the ones together are gorgeous. She can’t help but smile as she scroll through the pictures.
It doesn’t feel real. But the cool ring on her finger, Perpetua humming in the kitchen of the cottage, the photos in the shared drive, was proof enough that it was real, the wedding was real. She saved one of the photos of Perpetua, a candid shot of him laughing at something unseen, and made it her phone background. She smiled at the photo on her phone before looking up, watching Perpetua in the kitchen for a few moments before putting her phone back on the side table and getting up. She walked into the kitchen, pulling out bottled cranberry juice to put on the counter. Perpetua made a face, a face Cara was immediately reminded of cats when they smelt something they didn’t like.
“Don’t give me that. It’s good for you.” Cara said, trying not to giggle at his reaction.
“But it tastes like piss.” Perpetua said. “I don’t understand how you drink it.”
“Sounds like a skill issue, as the kids say.” Cara replied dryly. Perpetua laughed, the disgust of her choice of cranberry juice forgotten, and it pulls a smile from her as well.
“I’ll just have water then, darling.” He said. Cara nodded and pulled out a bottle of water for him, resting the bottle on the counter. Closing the fridge, she placed the bottles at the bar stools of the island for Perpetua to place the plates of waffles at. She went to the small bookshelf next to the TV, pulling out a map of the area. She sat down at the island of the kitchen as Perpetua laid the plates of waffles down next to their drinks. He sat down next to her, watching her carefully.
“Alright.” She began. “I’ve done a little planning but nothing too serious. There’s plenty of places for us to visit from museums to state parks to piers in the Monterey Bay area. The only one that I booked for us is Hearst Castle, because my father went there once. It’s just walking around a dead rich guy’s fancy mansion park but it’s beautiful from all the pictures I saw online. The guy had his own private zoo at some point before the animals were sold or left to fend for themselves. They now roam the hills, we might see them on the way up.” Cara explained. “But that’s not for a couple of days. There’s also a handful of wildlife viewing spots along the highway. But we can just stay around the local towns or choose between Morro Bay or Pismo Beach for a day trip. If you’re up for it, I can see about doing something in Yosemite that doesn’t require a long hike.” She paused, thoughtful. “I’d like a nice hike…”
“We can go visit Yosemite.” Perpetua said as he took a bite of his waffle. “I’ve never been.”
“Neither have I, but nothing a few hours of searching can’t fix.” Cara said, digging into her waffles. Delicious, warm, covered in Nutella spread she liked so much but never admitted out loud (although she suspected Perpetua knew anyway), Cara focused on filling her belly before she spoke again. “But we can just park in the nearby town and walk. Mingle. Just exist. Enjoy a bar’s music and food and drink. That kind of thing.”
“I’m going to hold you to that last thing.” Perpetua said, taking a bite of his waffles. “We never had that first dance.”
“Look, I’m blaming that fucking Cardinal who wanted to see the garter that I was saving for you.” Cara huffed. Perpetua laughed.
“I imagine Dewdrop dunked him in the punch bowl. Or Aurora, given she was the one who helped us escape.”
“You know what. I’m going to pretend that’s what happened until we come back and get the story.” Cara said, closing up the map. “But for now, I just want to stay in with you. It took us what, two? Three? Hours to get here? I don’t know about you but-” Before she could continue, she felt something flicked onto her cheek. She blinked and looked to Perpetua, staring at him. He met her gaze so innocently but she wasn’t sure.
“Oops.” Oh, that wasn’t innocent in the slightest. A mock innocence, a tone he took when he was being mischievous and playful. “My fork slipped.”
“Sure, it slipped.” Cara felt a smile tug at her lips. Before she could get a napkin to wipe the nutella off her cheek, he moved forward, giving her cheek a kiss, a brief flash of the tip of his tongue against her skin to wipe the nutella off. Cara’s gaze flicked to his lounge pants, immediately clocking the arousal starting to make itself known. “It hasn’t been eight hours, Petra.”
“And?” He murmured against her skin, his hands finding a home on her sides, warmth seeping through the tank-top she wore. “We have nowhere to be anyway.” And any response is held at bay when he pecked her lips with a sweet kiss, chocolate hazelnut and the sweetness of fresh waffles.
“At least let’s take this to the couch if you’re going to-” And she’s pulled to the couch, Perpetua sitting down and guiding her to straddle him, still kissing her.
Well, it wasn’t exactly how she was planning to start her morning off but she was not going to object to it at all.
It was a beautiful day for a hike in Yosemite.
Well, a very easy hike, yes, but that was more for Perpetua’s sake. Cara, on the other hand, loved the great outdoors. In a different time, in a time where she hadn’t been tied up with debt and Bryce’s abuse, she could’ve spent weeks out here and not get bored. She would’ve taken the harder hikes, go off the beaten path, traverse the wilderness with only herself and her own skills and thrive. Bryce hated anyplace that was more than a couple hours away from the nearest coffee shop and, by extension, a city. Small towns bored him and going out to a state park anywhere close to Yosemite? He would never.
The hike she had chosen was Mist Trail, easy enough for him, but with the possibility of going deeper through the trail. She was at the head of the trail, in pants and a tank-top, her crimson hair braided tight in it’s bun. On her back was a small canvas backpack, prepared with first-aid supplies and trail mix. It was perfect for the possibility of a full day’s worth of hiking if they chose it….and by they, she mostly knew it was going to be Perpetua’s choice if they wanted to spend five to eight hours round-trip on the trail. She had prepared for the possibility because she was not going to let Perpetua falter and get himself hurt. Could she carry him down the trail? Probably. She would rather not, because she didn’t want to test if she could carry him back to their car half-way through the trail.
“You ready?” Cara blinked, realizing that Perpeuta was staring at her. Or at least, she was pretty sure he was behind his sunglasses, hiding his mismatched eyes and scarred face, fully trusting that she would help him if he faltered. Black loose pants, a white long-sleeve shirt, sturdy shoes for the trail, and black curls hidden by a floppy sun-hat were all suggestions from her for the trail, suggestions he immediately took to heart. The sunglasses were a compromise, to hide his scars and eyes when his mask would be too limiting. While the businesses around the Ministry were aware of Perpetua and accepting of him when he arrived, she remembered the cafe that he dragged her to when they first met outside the Ministry knowing who exactly he was, this far south from the Ministry would be less accepting of him. A small town?
She didn’t want to think about it.
“Sorry, I was just thinking about the trail.” She said. “Let’s go.” With that, she turned and began to hike up the trail, hearing Perpetua following her. As they traversed along the trail, Cara keeping a slower pace so Perpetua could keep up with her, the cool air of spring kept the heat of exertion at bay. As much as she wanted a nice camping excursion out here, she didn’t want to worry Perpetua. The last time she disappeared into the woods, even though she didn’t go very far and she didn’t intend to make the Ministry worry about her, Copia had to go find her and bring her back to the Ministry, where Perpetua was…half-way to inconsolable, to put it diplomatically. Tempest said that he looked like a very sad, very wet, creature.
“I’m thinking about the next album.” Perpetua suddenly began as they made their way along the trail.
“Please tell me you weren’t working on it on our honeymoon.” Cara gave him a look. Perpetua held up his hands.
“No, no! The songs are already recorded. I was working on that before our wedding.” Cara let out a soft huff. “The artwork’s done, for the album booklet, the album art, and the vinyls. I gave my approval before our wedding day so all my attention could be on you.”
“And you’re telling me this because…?” Cara tilted her head. Perpetua shrugged.
“Because I like involving you in my work? Because you were an inspiration to me? Because I was thinking of you while I was recording the songs?” Cara blinked.
“I…you were?”
“Of course.” He smiled a little. “How could I not think of you? You’re woven into the music itself, in lyric and in art.” She awkwardly pushed a strand behind her ear, feeling warmth burn her cheeks. He glanced back, hearing the laughter of young children behind them. He stepped to the side, letting the young family behind them walk by, their children already scampering up the trail. One of the adults glanced to Perpetua, brow furrowed as if they recognized him, but made no comment as they walked up the trail. Perpetua leaned over to her. “Do you think-”
“If they did, they were wise not to say anything with me.” She murmured. “They might think I’m a ghoul in disguise. Hell knows I fight like one.”
“But you don’t have to anymore.” Perpetua reassured, stepping to the side so he was in front of her. His hands cradled her face, pressing a firm kiss to her lips. “And you never will have to.” Cara smiled.
“Thank you. But I think we should keep going.” She continued up the trail, feeling the warmth of Perpetua’s love. “For one thing, we have more beautiful views of the park to see from here. And some waterfalls.”
“I wanted to ask you something.” Cara let out a hum at his question. “I remember that one story about that Christian summer camp you told me. Did that spark your love for the outdoors, despite…” He waved his hand.
“It didn’t deter that love.” Cara said. “There was a program by the city for the summer for getting the kids of low-income families out into the great outdoors for the day, some sort of day camp kind of thing where we’d get bussed to the woods for the day and then come back. I was pretty young so my father played chaperone while I ran around the woods, or so he said. But that’s what sparked it.” She shrugged as they came to a turn-around point. She ushered him to a makeshift log bench, to rest for a while. “But there was also my father’s paintings. You’ve seen one of them, after all. I think you can tell where my love of the outdoors actually came from.” Perpetua nodded, looking around. A comfortable quiet settled between them and the forest noises around them, of birds chirping and distant rivers babbling and the indistinct chatter of families and couples just beyond understanding, too far to catch out their conversation. Cara took a deep breath, a slow inhale followed by a slow exhale.
“Bryce hated the outdoors.” She began, softer now. “If it wasn’t an hour away from the city and a WiFi signal, he was not interested. He hated the pier too, the one we went too…fuck, it feels so long ago now. The one where we got trapped in a swinging gondola together.”
“I remember that.” Perpetua murmured, a soft pout on his lips at the memory. “Nightmare of a ride.”
“He always said the pier was full of cheap entertainment. But you and I know what he thought was real entertainment.” She felt Perpetua’s hand clasp around hers, tight, as if the memory was bitter. She leaned against him. “But he’s gone now. Just a bad dream.”
“I’m glad to hear. Because that means I can kiss those bad dreams away.” He turned, lips quirking into a devious smile. “Like now.” And he darted forward, closing the gap with a kiss. Cara couldn’t help but laugh into it.
“I would much prefer your kisses than dreams of the past, honestly.” Cara said, breathlessly so. “Ready to keep going? Or do you want to turn back?”
“No, I can keep going!” Perpetua jumped to his feet and immediately began to head further up the trail. Cara got the distinct feeling that he was going to call it quits at the next turn-around point but let him go, standing up to follow after him. And when he would eventually call it quits and have to be carried back down the trail, she would take him back to Oakhurst for dinner, a walk around town, a little scavenger hunt for cannolis that were promised and yet unconsumed at their own wedding, and a wind-down back at the honeymoon cottage where...well, Cara felt that her cheeks heat up. It just seemed that Perpetua just had to smile and she still felt like a blushing bride, nearly three years since she moved into the Ministry, since Perpetua confessed her love, since-
“Cara!” Perpetua’s call pulled her out of her memories.
“Coming!” She called back, getting up from the bench and hiking up the path after him. Maybe Perpetua would prove her wrong. Maybe not. But she wouldn’t find out from sitting around.
“It feels like it went by too fast.” Cara mused, wistful and a little sad that the honeymoon was almost over.
“I agree. I would’ve loved one more day to put you in more nice things.” Perpetua replied with a tease in his voice. Cara shook her head with a smile.
“I know you’re associated with bats but I think magpies are just as appropriate, considering that you like nice things to hoard and to put me in.” Cara gently retorted, taking a sip of her sparkling water. Perpetua only shrugged.
“What can I say? I’m something of a hedonist.” And then he smiled at her. “And I like seeing my wife happy.” Cara shook her head once more, still smiling as she looked out to the restaurant they were eating at. It was dusk, the two at a restaurant with a dance floor that was just waiting to be danced on. Overhead, warm lights glowed on the dance floor and the band that was warming up on the stage. The two were having a nice dinner and Perpetua was right about putting his new wife in nice things. It was a reminder that Perpetua was just as capable of sneaking around behind her as she was sneaking behind him, because he produced an orange and white fluttery sundress with an open back and the only ‘sleeve’ being ruffles around her upper bicep and spaghetti straps over her collarbone. But it was soft and airy and, paired with a pair of ankle boots, she liked his choice. Perpetua was beaming when she stepped out with the dress.
And frankly, almost embarrassingly, she couldn’t help but let him dress her up in the pretty sparkly things he so liked himself. She couldn’t even form a defense.
She returned her gaze to Perpetua, in a loose linen shirt with a couple buttons undone at the chest, just enough to be tasteful to the public but even a tasteful exposure of his chest and the expanse of hair that she knew was soft was enough to have her staring. Perpetua only smirked, lowering his sunglasses to wink suggestively at her over the silver edge, and Cara returned to her dinner with warmth burning in her cheeks. The meal of choice, a sourdough bread bowl full of New England clam chowder, was something she was poking at now, the stew consumed and the bread bowl on it’s way. Perpetua was on the same pace as she was, poking at the remains of his dinner of well-cooked sea bass and vegetables. Their dinner cocktails were consumed, a warm heat settling in her gut from the alcohol and the warm stew. Cara finished the last of the bread bowl and opened one of the little chocolate-mint squares left for them.
“Can we dance?” Perpetua asked. Cara blinked, staring at him.
“I mean, if the band’s ready for us.” She said. “Are you still thinking about the fact we were forced to skip out on the first d-” Before she could finish her question, Perpetua darted out of the seat and strode up to the band. Cara watched him go, her mind split between being stunned at his boldness and staring at the way his pants just clung to his legs. He talked to the lead singer of the group, although the details she couldn’t quite hear. He had pulled out his phone at some point. It seemed that Perpetua’s eagerness won their hearts as he darted back to their table and took her hand.
“They’re willing to indulge in us. Come on!” His eyes were shining in eagerness. She can’t say no to him, not for this. She lets him pull him out of the chair and towards the floor, the singer smiling as the band swelled to life. The keyboardist began to play a familiar chord, the singer began to sing, and Perpetua pulls her close, her chest flush against his. Cara wants to ask how much they tipped because, out of the corner of her eye, she can see a little sign with a QR Code to tip them, but Perpetua’s hand rests on her side, the other taking her hand, and practiced instinct takes over. Perpetua’s grinning so wide, she can’t help but wonder if it hurts, crooked teeth catching the light, and she smiles in turn as he leads her into a dance that was stolen from them that night, two weeks ago.
The stars are out, it’s a beautiful evening, the music’s good, and her Perpetua is a vision under warm yellow lightbulbs that hang over the dance floor. And even if tomorrow, they have to pack up and make the drive back to the Ministry, back to work, she won’t forget this night anytime soon.