Off they went, the plane ride was long and there was some turbulence, but Eve loved the view from above the clouds and Irene watched a movie she had been meaning to watch. Nothing could sour their moods. 

They arrived safe and sound at their destination. All the gear and their huge backpacks they had with them made their hike up the mountain strenuous, but the crisp air and beautiful view was worth it. Eve had gotten used to working out during her journey towards sobriety and so the sweat and soreness in her muscles felt rewarding rather than gross or frustrating. Irene didn’t usually exercise a ton, but she did enjoy hiking and nature, so even though her hikes normally weren’t this extreme she didn’t mind at all. Eve took a lot of pictures of the view and of Irene while they walked. Irene marveled over the flowers she had only seen in pictures before, now that she had them before her, she felt they were even more beautiful than she could have imagined. Everything was more beautiful and breathtaking than any picture could capture. Maybe it was the altitude getting to her head, but Irene just felt so light and happy, she couldn’t stop smiling. Eve thought Irene was the most wonderful creature to ever walk this earth as she tried to capture the radiant glow her girlfriend was emitting. 

They found a perfect spot to set up camp before it got dark and although they struggled a bit to actually get the tent built and a fire going, they just laughed and Eve felt it was the most fun she had had in a long time. She hadn’t felt this free and content in so long, she hoped this was the start of something good and not just a fleeting moment. Eve got the campfire going and Irene found some sticks to roast their marshmallows on for dessert after they had heated up and eaten some soup and bread they had brought with them. As Irene toasted her marshmallow to perfection, she was a master chef even when it came to marshmallows, Eve hummed a melody she had been writing. Everything was peaceful and the fact that there wasn’t any sound of traffic or people really healed something in you. That night Eve and Irene slept cuddled in each other’s arms in the tent, tired but so very content. Sleep came as soon as they lay their heads down. Eve hadn’t slept this well in years. 

The next morning they woke to the sound of birds and a glorious sunrise. As Irene sipped some coffee and looked out at the view before her, she felt a happiness that couldn’t be contained and so her smile spilled over her face and as she turned to look at Eve, a smile spread over her face as well, mirroring her own. 

They wandered around near the place where they had set up camp, exploring the area. Large areas of the ground were covered in the yellow glacier lilies that Irene so adored and they found a clear mountain spring as they walked on. Irene crouched down to touch it and squealed in glee at how cold it was. They both drank from it and felt refreshed. Irene filled a bottle with it as well for later. 

After walking around for a couple hours, they returned to their camp to eat. Irene knew a lot about glacier lilies and so she wanted to be respectful and only picked a few as she had made sure it was okay in the area they were in. She made sure to use the whole flower, so that none of it went to waste. Irene cooked the corms, seed pods and leaves. The green seed pods tasted like string beans and she knew that the corms would be made sweeter by cooking as well. She used them along with their other foods they had packed and it made for a delicious meal. Eve was in awe of her girlfriend. Of course she had always known that Irene was an incredible cook and had been served more than a few spectacular gourmet level meals during their years together, but seeing her make use of the flower in the way she did and with such expertise was impressive. After enjoying the tasty meal they decided to take a break and just sit among the flowers and take in the view. 

Irene was interested in flowers and so Eve asked which one’s were okay to pick. Then Eve picked one and put it behind Irene’s ear. Eve thought about how good she had it, she used to pick her poison and now she got to pick flowers to put in her girlfriends hair instead. She thought about how beautiful, how radiant, Irene looked in the warm spring sunshine. She could have sworn her view of Irene was more breathtaking than the majestic view of the mountain landscape before them. She felt so warm in her soul; warm from the glimmering sun, from the meal her girlfriend had cooked, from the love she felt in her heart and from their intertwined hands and her girlfriend’s loving gaze. She felt so content and light, she felt so healed from that warmth, from her gentle care. She felt whole. 

.

When it got late, they stayed up to gaze at the starry night sky. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many stars!”, Irene exclaimed in awe as she bent her head back to take in the view of the dark, vast sky, speckled with stars. 

“I know right! It’s hard to see them in the city…”, Eve agreed as she looked up at the stars. They looked on in silence and the moment felt so peaceful and there was something so captivating about the view that they got lost in the moment, losing track of time, it felt like forever, but also like time wasn’t moving at all. Eve suddenly felt that they were so small in the scheme of things, in the universe, but instead of it scaring her she felt free. 

They let their thoughts wander freely as Eve rested her head on Irene’s arm as they lay down so they wouldn’t have to break their necks trying to look up at the stars. Irene turned her head and kissed Eve’s forehead. When they were close to dozing off they made their way into their tent. They lay cuddled up together, looking into each other's eyes. 

“Body and mind.”, Irene murmured. 

“Hmm?”, Eve asked quietly. 

“I was just thinking that, I’ve known and loved every version of who you’ve been and I want to get to know and love every version of who you’ll become. And as we grow, our bodies and minds change, so let’s grow together.”, Irene said quietly as she looked into Eve’s eyes that were twinkling like the lights from the stars, containing whole universes.

“I want to get to know every new stretch mark, wrinkle and gray hair… I want to know all your serious thoughts and hopeful dreams. I want to know you, always.”, Irene said with such reverence that Eve almost felt overwhelmed by her love for her. Eve kissed her, slow, but passionate. 

Irene knew every inch of Eve’s body like the back of her hand, the familiarity brought forth feelings of comfort and naturalness, it felt so right, and at the same time she was filled with excitement knowing that she would get to explore and find new things about her as they grew older and their bodies changed. Irene’s hands and mouth explored Eve’s body and they left a trail of warm bliss everywhere they touched. Eve’s hands were just as eager and her breathing heavy. In that moment Eve realized that she could easily get drunk on her love and attraction for Irene. Alcohol could warm her and give her a flushed appearance, but so could Irene. Her cheeks were flushed from the passionate heat between them and her hair sweaty at the nape. Irene could make her feel warm inside or make her blush just from sweet or naughty looks or words. The head rush Eve got from kissing and touching Irene mimicked the tipsy feelings she got while drinking. The endorphins and dopamine she got from being with Irene were so much stronger than what she got from being high. She got the same dopey smile and overwhelming waves of bliss from the orgasms with Irene, but without the harmful chemicals. Even the withdrawal symptoms were there; without Irene she felt lost and anxious, nauseous and heartbroken. The best part was that she didn’t have to resist Irene, there was no fear of a relapse or an overdose, she could love Irene to her heart's content.

The nights in spring up in the mountains were still cold, but that night was steaming hot in the tent as Eve and Irene ignited a fire in each other, through burning touches, heated gazes and blazing hot kisses.