Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

You bought what?” Aubrey screamed as she slammed her bedroom door shut.

“A ring,” Chloe managed as smoothly as possible.

“Chloe? What? Where did you get that?” Aubrey rambled out every question that was going through her mind. She definitely could not process this one.

“Well, technically it’s from my family but I got a new band that would suit her better,” Chloe added matter of factly.

“I can’t believe this,” Aubrey blurted out.

“Really?”

“No, I can totally see you guys getting married at some point but I definitely didn’t expect it to happen anytime soon,” Aubrey clarified.

“Well, I’m not doing it for another couple of months. I just got the ring,” Chloe defended.

“Okay. Okay, that’s reasonable then. Okay,” the blonde breathed out as she moved over to sit on her bed. “When are you planning to do it then?”
“After her graduation. Not like the same day or anything because she would probably kill me if I do that but I’m going to do it shortly after,” Chloe declared proudly.

“Woah. Okay.”

“And doing it on our anniversary is a bit cliche so,” the redhead drifted off.

“Just a little. Alright, I understand your timing. You want it to have it’s own special day not sharing a special day,” Aubrey decided.

“Exactly. Something like this deserves it’s own day,” Chloe echoed.

“I can’t believe that annoying alt girl who you made audition for the Bellas came to mean this much to you. I never would have anticipated her having this much of an impact on either of our lives. I’m just happy that you convinced me to let her join the Bellas now because if that never happened where we you be now?” Aubrey confessed.

“I think we would have crossed paths again. After all, that did happen remember? The fact that she blew off our initial attempt to get her to join,” Chloe corrected herself upon the harsh glare from the blonde. “Well, my initial attempt to get her to join. And then I just so happened to hear her singing in the shower and decide to invade her privacy and make her audition. I think we would have crossed paths again even if she didn’t join the Bellas.”

“Actually, I think that’s a really fair point. The two of you just have some weird connection then. At least that helps to support your insane decision here,” Aubrey replied with a hint of enthusiasm.

“Hey!” Chloe swatted the other girl’s arm. “It’s not insane.”

“I’m kidding, relax,” Aubrey laughed as she deflected another attempt to hit her arm. “But still. The alt girl has come a long way.”

“She really has.”

“And so have you,” Aubrey adds.

“Really?”

“For sure. You settled for that tiny alt girl. I never thought that I would see the day that Chloe Beale would settle down with anyone. Let alone someone like Beca,” Aubrey clarifies proudly. What she saw in them made her believe so many things she had doubted her whole life. The two of them taught her so much without even realizing it and seeing Chloe settle down was one of the best sights she ever could have hoped to see.

“Yeah,” Chloe whispered in reply before pulling the blonde into a tight hug. She knows exactly what Aubrey is talking about and there are no other words that can help her to express this.

I want all of it.

Chloe wants every single part of Beca. Every single silly moment they share. Every single good mood. Every single bad mood. Every single grumpy early morning where Beca refuses to leave bed. Every single late night debate over something absolutely ridiculous. Every single nitpicking at the tiniest of habits. Every single memory, good and bad. Every single late night drive. Every single vacation. Every single dream and thought that crosses their minds. Every single 11:11 wish. Every single up and down they may face. Every single worry. Chloe wants all of it. Every little thing.

Your sleepy mumbling.

Chloe’s alarm goes off promptly at 7:00 am during the weeks. And 9:00 am on weekends. Usually Beca sleeps through them but sometimes, sometimes she wakes up. Only just enough to roll over with a grunt and a gentle shove to Chloe’s side as a way to get the ungodly noise to stop disturbing her sleep. On morning’s like these Chloe giggles happily before turning off the alarm and promptly pulling the smaller girl close to her. She’ll smile and watch as Beca mumbles an incoherent sentence that only makes Chloe’s smile grow more. Then she’ll kiss Beca’s forehead and sometimes her eyes will flutter open and the moment they catch the redhead’s she beams a sleepy smile up at her. And she’ll mumble a slightly sleepy “I love you” before kissing her shoulder and falling right back to sleep. Mornings like these are Chloe’s absolute favorites.

Your drunken embarrassment.

“Beca can you stop being so handsy for one minute?” Chloe sharply whispered into the younger girl’s ear.

“But why would I want to do that?” a slightly drunken Beca questioned.

“Maybe because my dad is about two seconds away from telling you to sleep in the guest bedroom,” Chloe responded as she looked over at her father from across the room.

“Wait,” Beca’s gaze shot up. “Is he really gonna-”

“Look at him and tell me yourself,” Chloe replied with a nod in his direction.

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Chloe why didn’t you tell me?” Beca stumbled out.

“Relax, Bec.”

“No, he’s going to know,” Beca hiccuped.

“Sweetie, he already knows,” Chloe laughs at Beca’s drunken train of thought. This always happens.

“He does?” Beca hiccups again. “Since when?”

“Since two and a half years ago.”

“Two - two and a HALF,” Beca raises her voice. “But - but it’s only been two years.”

“Well, he saw it coming pretty early on,” Chloe adds with a laugh. She loved when Beca was like this. Especially with hiccups like these because it was the perfect opportunity to make fun of her for it and get the best reaction.

“Oh, oh well that makes sense.”

“A lot of people saw it coming,” Chloe says gently.

“I know,” Beca hiccups.

“Sounds like the rubber ducky stage is kicking in?” Chloe taunts.

“It is not,” Beca whines her statement only to be defied a moment later with a high pitched hiccup.

“Oh, yes it is.”

“Fine,” Beca whines instantly putting on her pouting face.

“You’re admitting to it already?” Chloe asks with an amused tone to her voice.

“No point in arguing it,” Beca mumbles in a failed attempt to defend herself.

“I’m so not going to forget this,” Chloe declares. She may have been drinking too but she wasn’t that drunk to forget this. She could never forget the day that Beca admits defeat so quickly.

“Chloe,” her dad’s voice beams as he approaches his daughter. “Seems like Beca here has had a bit to drink.”

“Yeah, she has,” Chloe agrees with a smile knowing just what he was about to do.

“I was thinking it might be better for her to sleep in the guest bedroom then. Wouldn’t want any trouble now, would we?” He questioned giving a quick wink to his daughter.

“But-” Beca tried to cut in only to be cut off by a hiccup. “I haven’t had that much, sir.”

“It seems like you may have. Let’s not forget the fact that I just witnessed you all over my daughter not too long ago,” Chloe’s dad beamed with a stern voice that was lacking conviction.

“I - I promise to be good. I swear,” Beca began to ramble. “I won’t do anything you wouldn’t approve of, sir. Please.”

At this point Chloe couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore. “Oh my god, Bec. I’m not going to let you forget this in the morning.”

“It’s okay, Beca. Relax, I was joking,” Chloe’s dad laughs with a huge smile. He pulls her in for a small hug when she gives him a confused look.

“So that was a joke?” Beca asked once she was released from his arms.

“Yes, it was a joke. It’s too amusing to mess with you when you’ve been drinking,” he clarifies before chuckling to himself.

“That’s cruel,” Beca replies still slightly confused.

“But hysterical,” he declares before walking off to talk to someone else.

“He’s right, Bec. It is just way too entertaining,” Chloe declares with a huge smile plastered on her face.

“It wasn’t funny,” Beca whines with her eyes fixated on the ground.

“Alright, c’mon grumpy I think it’s time we head upstairs,” Chloe decided before taking Beca’s hand and leading her to the stairs. “You’ll find it funny in the morning.”

“Or just really, really embarrassing,” Beca piped up when they were halfway to Chloe’s room.

“Yeah, or really embarrassing. But it was worth it,” Chloe decided with a smile.

“Or just embarrassing,” Beca replied fixating on the fact that it was embarrassing. And she would probably find it absolutely mortifying by morning once she’s sobered up.

“But still so worth it,” Chloe declared again nudging the younger girl towards where her pajamas were thrown across the bed from this morning.

Beca puffed and whined the entire time she got dressed for bed. And continued to do so even after they were settled in bed only to stop when Chloe began kissing her.

Your silly faces.

That scrunched up face that Beca makes as she works on a mix is one of the most entertaining of her faces. Chloe can see the sheer determination to get the beats to match up just the way Beca wants them to. She can see Beca’s brows furrow when something isn’t matching up the way she wants. She can see Beca bite on her lip as she makes a tough decision. She can see how her face lights up when it sounds just the way Beca imagined it.

Whenever someone has shocking news or makes a comment no one was expecting Beca was usually the first to make a face. She would bunch up her eyebrows as if it would help answer the questions that just arose from someone’s comment. And she would glare at them with a questioning look and just look so painfully confused and filled with questions that it would make Chloe laugh any time she saw it.

And ever since the two became good friends Beca would make a point of making faces at Chloe to make her laugh. She would make some ridiculous face at a highly inappropriate time to get Chloe to laugh. There were far too many occasions Chloe had to come up with some bullshit reason for her laughing in the midst of an important or serious situation. Beca made a point to do this regularly. It became a game between the two of them. Beca would find the best and worst times to try to get Chloe to smile or laugh by making a silly face. And after Beca’s first few successful attempts Chloe began to fight back. The redhead would find opportunities to get Beca to break her composure in the most serious or important situations. One of which was a final presentation for one of her classes about music and it’s therapeutic uses. It was a serious topic that Beca was taking on and Chloe couldn’t let the opportunity pass. So she snuck into Beca’s classroom and found the perfect spot to execute her plan. And execute her plan she did. Beca wound up catching her eye two minutes into the presentation and instantly Chloe made one of the silliest faces imaginable. So ridiculous that Beca wound up choking out laughter and had to excuse herself for a moment to cough and try to regain her composure. Which she did flawlessly after that little incident that caused a full on war between them. Beca got an A on the presentation regardless of her outburst but that still didn’t settle the war between them. After this point things quickly progressed from making stupid faces to each other to actual full on pranks.

Your anger.

“Beca, calm down,” Chloe repeated for the fifth time as the younger girl paced across their bedroom at a rapid pace.

“I can’t calm down, Chlo. It’s so frustrating,” Beca shot back without even looking at Chloe who was sitting calmly on their bed just watching her freak out.

“Yes, you can. And yes it is. But it’s going to be fine,” Chloe assured. In all honesty Beca was overreacting a little bit but she always tended to when it came to her father.

“It’s really not,” Beca shot back with a bitter laugh.

“It really is.”

“Ugh,” Beca grumbled as she pulled at her hair. “I can’t believe him.”

“I can. Beca, you’ve been spending Christmas with me two years in a row so of course he wants us to spend it with him for once,” Chloe declared. Honestly she was surprised he hadn’t asked sooner. Ben was always a kind man but still she was surprised that after he started repairing his relationship with Beca that he let her celebrate holidays elsewhere every single year. It was bound for him to ask eventually.

“That’s the point, Chloe. I’ve been spending Christmas with you and your family for the past two years!” Beca shot back with a slightly bitter tone. Chloe knew that she was just thrown off from this revelation. She wasn’t genuinely mad just thrown off and frustrated.

“You need to relax, Bec. It’s just Christmas at your dad’s,” Chloe sighs as Beca huffs and continues to pace the room again.

“With the stepmonster.”
“Sheila’s not that bad. You said so yourself,” Chloe laughed gently.

“Remind me not to admit anything to you ever again,” Beca retorts.

“Now, we both know that you don’t mean that,” Chloe chastised.

“Okay. You’re right, I don’t. But still, Chlo.”

“I know. You don’t want to have Christmas at your dad’s but guess where we’re having Christmas?” Chloe asked sarcastically. Beca stopped pacing then and just stared at the wall in front of her for awhile.

“My dad’s,” Beca sighs with defeat having finally calmed down.

“That’s right. Christmas at the Mitchell’s this year,” Chloe declared enthusiastically with the clap of her hands and a cheery grin.

“You’re way too excited about this,” Beca decides as she collapses on the bed next to her.

“Or you’re way too bummed out by this. It’s going to be great,” the redhead nudges Beca’s side. “It’ll be a good change for the holidays.”

“Whatever you say, Beale. Good luck telling your father that,” Beca shot back knowing just how much the holidays meant to her family.

“About that. We might have to do a ‘Four Christmases’ kind of thing. Except just two and hopefully not as much of a train wreck,” Chloe laughs and there’s just something in the way that Chloe says it that sends horrible images through her mind.

“You’re kidding?” Beca pleads.

“Nope. Not kidding,” Chloe leans in for a quick kiss as if that would make up for this new revelation. “We’re going to my house on Christmas Eve and then your dad’s on Christmas.”

“You already have a plan?” Beca questions disbelievingly. “You already had this all planned out didn’t you?”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Chloe responds with a playful grin.

“I can’t believe you,” Beca shoves Chloe gently who just starts laughing in response. The younger girl is offended by her laughter and takes a pillow to begin hitting the redhead with it which only elicites more laughter.

“And I can’t believe you either, Mitchell. Attacking me with a pillow. How very childish of you,” Chloe breathes out in between bouts of laughter.

“Well, I don’t see you fighting back, Beale. So it must be effective.”

“Oh, come on. This is far too entertaining to interrupt,” Chloe scoffs.

“Oh yeah? More like you can’t fight back,” Beca retorts.

“No, I so could. Total piece of cake, Mitchell.”

“I dare you, then,” Beca shoots back without much thought to it and continues to hit her with a pillow. But before she knows it she’s being flipped over onto her back and Chloe’s leaning over her in that way of hers that makes Beca’s heart stop.

Beca closes her eyes as Chloe leans in only to be greeted by a pillow smacking her right in the face followed by uncontrollable giggling.

“You so fell for that, Mitchell. And you so asked for it,” Chloe declared bouncing up and down on the bed like a giddy child.

Beca huffs in defeat as Chloe continues to celebrate like a little child would. But then again Beca is acting like a little child who got their favorite toy taken away from them during play time. They were both acting like little children and it definitely was not the first time that something like this has happened.

Chloe continues to jump around on the bed before finally Beca kicks back into action and takes the redhead off guard with a pillow thrown right at her face. To which Chloe immediately took that pillow and started an all out war with the younger girl.

Your dance moves.

Her dance moves are...mediocre. Clearly it wasn’t her strong suit but she can manage if need be. Like for choreography for the Bellas that Beca can handle pretty well but she’s no master and she knows it.

Chloe has learned over the years that Beca can easily fall into a pleasant slow dance if the chance arises. She’s also learned Beca’s classic drunken dance moves. Which typically involve her flailing around her arms and jumping along to the beat of the music. And because she’s drunk it also includes many funny facial expressions and hair flying everywhere not caring who’s face gets hit with it. Any time that happens Chloe can’t help but laugh even if it’s her that’s fallen victim to getting hit with Beca’s hair.

The redhead has learned to appreciate every single moment that Beca finds herself carelessly dancing along to a song. These moments were far and few between so Chloe has learned to cherish every single second of them. She’s even gotten lucky enough to catch a few of them on video much to Beca’s dismay when the younger girl would find them. Or better yet catch Chloe watching them weeks afterwards.

--

Beca wishes she could capture every time that Chloe dances but it’s not an easy task. Sure, she could get the older girl back by taking a video when they’re out but those aren’t what she wants. She wants the dances that Chloe saves for herself or Beca. The ones that aren’t seen very often and are really only meant for her own entertainment.

When Chloe finds herself getting into a song or is singing to herself she’ll just start doing little dances around wherever she is. Beca’s seen it happen pretty much anywhere the girl could go. Even in the middle of the mall or a store in front of strangers. The location doesn’t matter to Chloe she just wants to be able to let it out. It’s her own form of expressing herself as weird as it may seem to strangers. These little dances are Beca’s absolute favorite. Sometimes they only last a couple of seconds but sometimes they lead to impromptu dance sessions for the entirety of a song. But whenever they stop Beca can’t help but feel her heart flutter and wish they could go on for longer.

This, this is why Beca wishes she could capture these moments. So that when she hasn’t seen one in awhile she could sit down and watch a video of it and let her heart fill with adoration for the redhead over and over again.

--

Their dance moves are mediocre but that sure as hell isn’t going to stop either one of them.

Your anxiety.

Beca knows damn well all about Chloe’s anxieties and what can trigger them. She knows damn well but she slips up sometimes. Or something happens that Beca can’t control but she knows. She just knows that it’s going to make Chloe anxious. The only thing Beca knows more than that is how she can help to calm Chloe and make her feel less anxious about whatever situation is at hand. Dealing with her own anxiety has helped greatly with that because now she can help her girlfriend as well. And there’s one thing that helps them both with their anxiety. Music.

Whether it be working on music, singing, or just jamming out and carelessly dancing along to some dance music it helps them calm down. Music helps take away a lot of their anxieties. It’s part of the reason that music is a huge part of both of their lives. It’s part of the reason why Chloe is considering changing her career.

She realized a long time ago how much music saved and helped Beca. And she’s realizing now how much music has helped herself. And she wants other people to realize this as well. Chloe wants to be able to provide a musical outlet to other kids who need it. She wants to help other people with anxiety the way that Beca adjusted to help her. She wants to be able to feel like she has actually done something and helped someone in this world. She wants to help more than just her immediate circle of connections. Chloe wants to help near strangers and really make an impact. And that is why Chloe is considering going back to school. But that is what’s causing her anxiety now.

Chloe can’t help the thoughts that are currently racing through her mind like wildfire. Every single doubt she’s ever had about going to school and changing her career is running through her mind at a persistent pace. She’s pacing across the apartment mumbling to herself desperately trying to kick some sense into herself but she knows there’s no use. There’s no use. There’s no stopping these thoughts. There’s no way she can go back to school...again.

She knows. She knows that she has to go to school again. She knows that she needs to get her Master’s to actually make an impact on others. She needs to go back to school. Get her Master’s. Become a music therapist. She knows this but she can’t stop the doubts from filling her mind. She needs Beca. But Beca is at her internship and won’t be back until at least 6 pm.

“You can do this. Only a little over an hour to go,” Chloe mumbles to herself as she laps the apartment for the umpteenth time. She continues to pace it for another couple of minutes before she feels the tears rolling down her face. Chloe takes in a deep shaky breath as she pulls out her phone and dials the number she knows all too well.

“Chlo?” Beca calls the second she picks up. She just knows that something is up because Chloe rarely ever calls her when she’s working unless something has happened.

“Hey,” Chloe chokes out.

“Oh god, Chloe. What’s wrong?” Beca asks as she, presumedly, starts collecting her things from where she was working. Chloe can hear items shuffling around and she can only assume that Beca is about to skip out on the last hour of her internship. And Chloe can’t help but feel bad. She can’t help it.

“It’s - nothing,” Chloe manages. “I just needed to hear your voice.”

“Chloe, that’s not nothing,” Beca responds quickly and Chloe can hear her boss in the background. “I’m going to be home in five minutes, okay?”

“No, Bec, it’s fine. Finish up your last hour,” Chloe insists even though she’s starting to break.

“It’s not fine. I was probably going to get out early anyway,” Beca responds quickly.

“Okay,” is all Chloe can manage because now there’s even more thoughts being thrown about in her mind that are adding onto everything else. She knows deep, deep down that Beca might have actually been able to get out early but she can’t help but think that she’s lying.

And she feels like such a burden. She’s just this huge burden on everyone else. Always changing her mind and always needing help. Always needing Beca. Making Beca leave her internship early to come help her. It’s all too much. She’s just a huge burden.

Beca finds Chloe on the floor of the living room exactly five minutes after she hung up the phone and left her internship. Chloe doesn’t recall ever sitting down on the floor or when exactly her crying got so hysterical. All she knows is that soon enough she’s wrapped up in small arms and being shushed by that wonderfully pleasant voice she’s grown to love so much. And shortly after her tears began to stop Beca began softly singing a song that Chloe couldn’t quite make out in her current state but it was definitely soothing. Beca could sing any song like this and Chloe would still find it soothing.

“Chloe?” Beca asked her voice cutting through Chloe’s thoughts in a matter of a second.

“Hmm?”

“Do you wanna talk?” Beca asked awkwardly. She may have gotten better with her feelings over the past couple of years but the younger girl still had some situations that made her entirely too awkward and unsure of what to do. Chloe crying was usually one of them especially because it didn’t happen all that often.

“I don’t know. I guess,” Chloe decided after taking a deep but still unsteady breath.

“Maybe not on the floor though,” Beca nudged the older girl still curled into her.

“Definitely not on the floor,” Chloe says lightening up just the slightest bit.

Beca lets out a gentle laugh before pushing herself off the floor and offering her hand to the redhead who was smiling up at her. She effortlessly pulls Chloe onto her feet effectively causing Chloe to giggle because honestly she forgets that such a tiny person is actually pretty strong.

“How about a cup of tea?” Beca asks motioning towards the kitchen.

“Sure.”

Beca takes off for the kitchen with Chloe slowly following behind her. The redhead pushes herself up onto the countertop as she watches Beca struggle to reach the mugs. Eventually she grasps them enough to safely bring them down.

Chloe observes as the younger girl methodically takes the kettle and begins filling it with water. She listens to the song she begins to hum as she places the kettle onto the stove and turns the stove on. She smiles as Beca goes into the jar that contains assorted tea bags and hesitantly picks around for just the right one. She smiles even more when Beca scrunches up her face when she pulls the wrong one out of the jar and goes back to fumbling through the tea bags until she finds just the right one. And by the time Beca puts both tea bags into the two separate cups she’s ready to talk.

“Bec, I’m not a burden am I?” Chloe asked her voice extraordinarily and uncharacteristically small.

“What?” Beca turned around with a look of complete shock. “Chloe, never.”

“I just - I made you leave work early,” Chloe continued.

“Chlo. You know I would drop anything and everything for you and that’s my decision. Just because I’m willing to do that does not make you a burden,” Beca replied softly now standing in front of the older girl who had her gaze fixed to the ground.

“I - okay,” Chloe resigned. Deep down she knew that but she needed the reassurance.

“I’m here for you. Through thick and thin, Chlo. No matter what,” Beca admitted.

“What are you proposing? Because that sounds like wedding vows,” Chloe let out a half hearted laugh.

“Shush you,” Beca replied hesitantly as the blood began to rush to her cheeks.

“Look who’s blushing,” Chloe joked nudging the smaller girls shoulder.

“I am not,” Beca shot back trying to turn away to hide the fact that she actually is. Really bad.

“Sure, shortstack.”

“Hey!” Beca interjected. “No calling me that.”

“Why? Does it make you feel all warm and fuzzy, Bec?” Chloe asked teasingly.

“Most definitely not,” Beca mumbled making damn sure to have her gaze focused elsewhere.

“Oh, it so does,” Chloe realized after a moments silence. “It so does.”

“So what if it does?” Beca questioned hesitantly not fully wanting to admit to anything.

“You’re admitting it then? Sounds good, shortstack.”

“Stop calling me that,” Beca whined as she covered her face with her hands to hide herself for a moment.

“Never,” Chloe declared proudly. She was never going to let go of that nickname. She never has and she never will.

“Whatever,” Beca mumbled with a roll of her eyes. “Anything else on your mind?”

“Well, shortstack, now that you mention it,” Chloe starts quickly returning to her serious mood. “Am I making the right choice? With going back to school and everything?”

“Chloe, of course you are. This is something that you seriously want to do and that you’re going to be absolutely great at. This is definitely the right choice,” Beca replied confidently.

“Really?”

“Yes, really. You’re going to make an impact on so many people, Chloe,” she responded whole heartedly with a smile like no other. A smile that instantly made Chloe believe every single word.

“You’re right. I think I just needed to hear it again,” Chloe admitted shyly.

“And I will remind you everyday if need be, Chlo. You’re going to be amazing,” the younger girl beamed up at the redhead. “You’ve got this.”

“You know what? You’re right,” Chloe paused. “You’re right. This is going to be a huge milestone.”

“Indeed it is,” agreed the younger girl as she turned to tend to the now steaming kettle. “And I will be there with you every step of the way.”

“As I am with you,” Chloe echoed with a thankful smile as she took a steaming cup of tea from the other girl.

Beca simply smiled in response and began blowing on her tea in attempts of getting it to cool down faster. Chloe returned her smile and upped her with an adoring gaze. The younger girl’s eyes quickly dropped back down to her tea to avoid the blush that she could feel creeping up her neck again.

Your apologies.

“Shit,” Beca’s voice echoed soon followed by the smashing of glass. “Shit.”

Chloe’s eyes shot open the second she heard the smash. She wasn’t necessarily a light sleeper but it was pretty early in the morning which makes her more aware as she gets closer to when her alarm usually goes off. So a sound like that was bound to wake her right away.

The redhead immediately throws her arms out on the bed in search of Beca only to find no one was there. She bolted upright and looked around the room only to be greeted by darkness all around. Her phone was still sitting on the bedside table so she quickly pushed the button to wake the screen to be greeted by the ungodly time. 5:32 am. What in the hell was going on before 6 am? And where was Beca?
“Beca?” Chloe whispered gently. She waited several moments for a response but when she got none decided to investigate herself. “Beca?”

“Dammit,” Beca hissed.

Chloe could hear the rushed footsteps coming towards their bedroom door only for the door not to be opened.

“Beca?” Chloe questioned once she reached the door.

“I’m sorry, Chlo. Did I wake you?” Beca asked through the door.

“Uh, yes. What are you doing? Why are you talking to me through the door?” Chloe questioned her face scrunching up in confusion.

“No reason, really. I - uh, couldn’t sleep. Figured I should get up and do something productive and then try to sleep again soon,” Beca uttered quickly.

“Okay, but why can’t you come into the bedroom? And what was that crash?” Chloe asked furrowing her brow further.

“Um, I dropped a - a bowl,” Beca replied simply. And there was something in the way that she said those words that instantly alerted Chloe.
“Beca, no.”

“Beca, yes,” she replied ashamed. Chloe didn’t even need to see her to know that she was pouting and looking at the floor like an ashamed dog that got busted doing something they shouldn’t.

“Beca!” Chloe shrieked.

“I know. I know.”

“Let me out of this room right now,” Chloe replied as she began to jiggle the doorknob only to not be able to open it.

“Chloe,” Beca pleaded. “I’m so sorry.”

“Beca, I swear to god you need to let me out of here right now so I can see for myself,” Chloe replied sternly.

“Okay but don’t be mad,” Beca pleaded again.

“No promises,” Chloe replies stiffly as she pushes through the door.

The redhead is instantly greeted by Beca who gives her a shy smile. “Don’t kill me, okay?” Beca whispers as she pulls the older girl into an embrace.

“Now why would I ever do that?” Chloe responds sarcastically. “But if you broke what I think you did at this ungodly hour of the morning...I just might.”

“Right well,” Beca muttered and quickly pulled away from the older girl.

Chloe sighs dramatically once she sees the pottery smashed on the wooden floor, “You’re lucky you didn’t wake Aubrey.”

“I know. I’m pretty sure she’d have me staked the second she walked out that door,” Beca confessed.

“But seriously. I told you to be careful with that,” Chloe sighed again. “And that is not a bowl!”

“I know. It’s just that - it’s hella early, Chlo. I swear I was being as quiet and sneaky as possible and I just totally forgot it was there,” Bea admitted in a rush of words.

“Okay, I know it wasn’t the best place for it. But still - wait. Sneaky? Why did you need to be sneaky?” Chloe changed the subject.

“Oh, did I say sneaky. No, no. I meant like quiet and yeah,” Beca quickly backpedalled trying to cover her evident mistake.

“Beca,” the redhead fixed her with a stern gaze. It was only a matter of time before Beca would break.

“Seriously Chloe. It’s just really early, that’s all.”

“You know, it is really early. Beca, what the hell are you doing awake before 6 am?” Chloe questioned keeping her stern gaze fixed on the younger girl.

“Oh, you know, I just felt like giving waking up early a try,” Beca attempts as a cover.

“Bullshit. Cough it up, Mitchell. I’d like to get back to sleep sometime soon,” Chloe declares.

“It’s no biggie really. You just head to bed. I’ll clean up the mess I’ve made and come back to bed soon,” Beca attempts to loosen their gaze and move away from the older girl. But Chloe is not about to give up the subject any time soon.

“Not until you tell me what’s up,” Chloe replies.

Beca sighs and covers her face with her hands, “I’m working on something.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’m working on something,” Beca repeats after she’s dropped her hands away from her face.

“Working on something? At 6 am?” Chloe questions still not acquiesced.

“Please just accept my vague answer and go to bed,” Beca begs with a pout.

“You’re lucky I have a busy day ahead of me. You’re going to have a lot of explaining to do later today,” Chloe caves and heads back to their bed. “And make sure you get every bit of glass cleaned up.”

“Yes, sir,” Beca replies with a sarcastic grin.

Chloe turns around to fix her with a sharp glare before finally retreating back into the bedroom. Beca lets out a huge sigh once the door closes. She stands there for a moment to make sure that Chloe really did go to bed before finally getting back to what she was doing.

--

Beca quickly cleared the glass from the ground and was incredibly thankful that she decided to put the bins she was unpacking into the kitchen. If she hadn’t done that then Chloe definitely would have seen what she was up to.

She had made the decision to surprise Chloe with a fully decorated apartment for Christmas a couple of weeks before. None of them had ever decorated for Christmas before because none of them were around for any of the previous Christmases. Aubrey usually went home a couple days before and usually Chloe would decide not to decorate because they’d go with her parents for two weeks. But this year is different. This year because they are visiting both parents they’ll be home all the other times.

Chloe has complained every previous Christmas about not decorating so Beca decided to take the initiative for once. And her knocked over some stupid piece of pottery nearly ruined the surprise but luckily she was able to save herself from getting caught. It was her own little Christmas miracle.

Beca worked quickly and efficiently to put up lights around the windows in the living room and to put up one of those small trees you can get from the store and plug in. She propped it up on the side of the window seat and promptly plugged it’s lights in smiling to herself as they lit up. She flitted around the apartment for another fifteen minutes setting up little elves that she found at the store that Beca just couldn’t resist buying. Then she took the pictures she had framed into little ornaments and went and put them on the little tree. One was a picture of Chloe and Aubrey that she knew they both loved. Another was of the three of them that was taken some time last year. And the last was one of Chloe and Beca which was one of her favorite pictures of them. Once all three were set up on the tree she smiled to herself and looked around the newly decorated apartment. Honestly she was entirely too impressed with herself for pulling this off. Sure she had to wake up at an ungodly hour in the morning to do it but it was so totally going to be worth it. And now that it was done she could head right back to bed and get at least another hour of sleep.

--

Chloe woke to her alarm going off and a very clingy Beca glued at her side whose grip only tightened upon hearing the alarm.

“No, sleep,” Beca whined.

“Nope. Time to wake up, sleepyhead,” Chloe whispered trying to pry her arms from around her waist. “C’mon Bec.”
Beca mumbled incoherently but eventually let go and began rubbing her eyes. Chloe smiled as she rolled out of bed and tried to drag Beca with her.

“Sleep,” Beca mumbles refusing to move from her place on the bed. Much to her dismay Chloe was able to pull her off the bed in a matter of seconds with very little fight.

“Up and at ‘em, sleepyhead,” Chloe beamed.

“Not before coffee,” Beca whispered and collapsed into Chloe’s shoulder.

“Oh, that’s right. Someone here was awake before 6 am for unknown reasons,” Chloe recalled as she wrapped her arms around the tiny girl’s shoulders. “Let’s get you some caffeine. Got a long day ahead of you.”

“Yeah. Caffeine.”

Chloe began to walk towards the kitchen leaving Beca to stumble forward in her sleepy stupor. The redhead stopped to laugh at the younger girl before grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the room gently only to abruptly be stopped in the doorway.

“What the hell?”

“Oh, yeah. Surprise,” Beca mumbled with a cheery smile despite how tired she is.

“Beca, you did all this?” Chloe asked in genuine shock.

“Well, yeah. It’s nothing much. Just some lights and decorations. I figured that it should be a little more festive this year and you always complain that we don’t so,” Beca drifted off and tried to pass Chloe to get to the coffee machine in the kitchen.

“Not nothing, Bec. This is amazing,” she declared refusing to let go of Beca’s hand. “I love it. I really do. I love you.”

“Well, I love you too, weirdo,” Beca replied with a smirk.

“Shush shortstack. Let’s get you some coffee,” Chloe declares before stealing a quick kiss and dragging her along to the kitchen for a much deserved cup of coffee.

Your childlike joy on Christmas morning.

“Beca, c’mon. It’s time to wake up grumpy pants,” Chloe squealed as she bounced up and down on the bed while nudging the younger girl.

Beca opened one of her eyes for a moment promptly clamping them shut when she realized that the room was still mostly dark. It was early. Way too early to wake up that’s for sure.

“It’s Christmas, Beca!”

Beca mumbled incoherently in response to the redhead’s cheerfulness. She knew that Chloe loved Christmas but that didn’t mean they had to wake up before the sun was even up to enjoy the day. Christmas, in Beca’s mind, could wait for a couple more hours after she’s had a reasonable amount of sleep but to Chloe the day absolutely could not wait any longer.

“Don’t be grumpy on Christmas, Shortstack. It’s time to get up. It’s present time,” Chloe cheered gleefully with a huge smile on her face.

“Sleep a little longer,” Beca mumbled as she rubbed her eyes.

“No way! It’s time to get up,” Chloe responded as she threw herself over Beca so she was straddling her. “C’mon sleepyhead.”

“Mmm,” Beca groaned throwing her arms down and, not so intentionally but much to her liking, landing on Chloe’s thighs.

“I see your responses are up and at it. Now how about that beautiful little face of yours,” Chloe laughed as one of Beca’s hands began rubbing small circles on her bare skin effectively awakening her nerves.

The redhead leaned forward to give Beca a quick kiss and when she pulled away far too soon Beca’s eyes shot open with a pleading look.

“Teasing so early in the morning isn’t nice,” Beca whined with a pout that made Chloe giggle.

“Who says I’m teasing?” Chloe asked jokingly. She knew just what she was doing and she wasn’t too sure where she wanted to take it yet. She may be awake and cheerful but her brain isn’t fully functional quite yet. So she wasn’t sure if she was just teasing to be a tease or if she was actually teasing to lead up to something right this minute. She didn’t know which would be better in this moment. It could easily go either way.

“Chlo,” Beca said with a smirk. “You’re straddling me at not even 5:30 am on Christmas morning wearing not a whole lot of clothing.”

“Yeah, so?” Chloe questioned as she repositioned herself and causing Beca’s breath to hitch for just a moment.

“This is just unfair,” Beca blurts out as she begins tracing bigger circles onto the redhead’s bare thighs.

“How so?”

“You caught me off guard. I was pretty much entirely asleep and you took sweet advantage of that situation,” Beca explained her smile completely betraying her words.

“Is this an official complaint?” Chloe asked feigning a serious face.

“Definitely not,” Beca caved with a smirk. “So, now that I’m awake -”

Chloe giggled leaning towards the younger girl who was now slowly pulling the redhead down towards her with a smirk that could kill. A smirk that instantly made up Chloe’s mind. She was definitely taking this somewhere right now. And honestly it was going to make for one of Chloe’s favorite Christmas mornings. Or at least it would be a close second. As Beca deepened their kiss and pulled Chloe impossibly closer to her Chloe decided that it would be a close tie for what her favorite Christmas morning was. And as soon as Beca began whispering “I love you’s” as she trailed kisses down Chloe’s neck it won out over all of her previous Christmas mornings. It would be her secret favorite Christmas morning because telling someone that her favorite Christmas morning was this one would be awkward to say the least. But it definitely won out in her mind. This was going to be something she would always remember and it’s not even 6 am on Christmas morning. They had their whole day ahead of them. And their whole lives, for that matter.

--

“How was your shower?” Chloe asked when she felt Beca’s arms wrap around her waist from behind as she was adding sugar to their coffees.

“How was your shower?” Beca shot back placing a gentle kiss on Chloe’s shoulder. She could just feel the younger girl’s smirk as she said it and it sent chills through her.

“I’d say it was okay. Effective for saving some water,” Chloe joked with a small smile.

“Agreed,” Beca replies as Chloe spins around in her arms holding two mugs in her hands. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, shortstack. How about some breakfast?” Chloe asked not realizing what she just set herself up for.

“Well, technically we’ve already had a breakfast of champions but I could always go for more,” Beca quipped with a wink. And the look on Chloe’s face was absolutely priceless in that moment. It made Beca proud of herself for having that effect on the redhead so easily.

“Right, well. I’m talking actual food. So I’m just going to, um, go make some belgian waffles and yeah,” Chloe stuttered out averting her gaze from the younger girl who was now nonchalantly sipping her coffee as if nothing happened.

“You do that, babe. I’ll get the toppings out,” Beca offered and Chloe was relieved that she hadn’t taken the opportunity to say something suggestive instead.

--

A half hour and two chocolate chip belgian waffles with extra whipped cream and powdered sugar later the two had collapsed onto the couch for a brief moment of respite.

It was now nearing 8:30 am and despite the early wake up call they still hadn’t exchanged presents and Beca is starting to question why they needed to be up so early. They were due to be at the Mitchell house around 10 am so they had a solid hour and a half to kill.

“Do you want to do presents now?” Chloe asked as she ran her fingers through the younger girl’s hair gently.

“That’s probably best,” Beca decided as she thought of her present and how her father would react if he was given the chance to witness their gift exchange.

“True,” Chloe agreed with a nudge to Beca’s shoulder.

“Patience,” Beca replied as she pushed herself off the couch and onto her feet. “And to the tree we go.”

Chloe giggled at Beca’s comment but followed her to the window seat where there little tree was sitting with a few presents sitting nicely underneath or around it. She’s enjoyed watching the presents slowly starting to appear over the past week or so. The redhead could feel herself getting excited again at the sight of them and just knowing that it’s finally time to open the presents and find out what they are. And she just can’t wait. She absolutely loves Christmas.

Beca dropped down in front of the window seat taking a spot on the wooden floor and making herself comfortable. Chloe laughed at how small she looked but eventually joined her and pushed a present into Beca’s lap.

“Here you are,” Beca said passing the first present over to Chloe only moments after receiving a box from Chloe. “Ready. Set. Open.”

Chloe ripped through the wrapping paper and quickly threw it aside while Beca laughed at her excitement and neatly opened her present. The comparison was far too entertaining but Chloe’s excitement was distracting. And so very adorable.

And watching Chloe’s face light up when she realized what the box contained was absolutely precious. Beca could live in this moment quite happily. And it was only going to get better from here.

“Beca, this is wonderful. I can’t wait to use it,” Chloe beamed up at the younger girl who still hadn’t pulled the paper away from her own present.

“I knew you would love it,” Beca responds confidently. Because it’s true. She knew that Chloe loves to live in the moment and she wishes she can capture all of these moments. So maybe by having one of those Instax mini cameras she can capture some of them and be able to keep and cherish them forever. It was thoughtful but Beca wasn’t about to admit that.

“Open yours, you weirdo,” Chloe nudged the other girl with her foot.

Beca let out a small laugh but turned back to her present and threw the wrapping paper off to the side. She stared disbelievingly at the box in her hand almost unable to form words.

“Chloe,” Beca managed.

“Is it the right one?” Chloe asked nervously. “I couldn’t remember exactly which one you wanted or needed so I had to guess.”

“You guessed right but Chloe this is too much,” Beca chokes out. Honesty she definitely wasn’t expecting Chloe buying her DJ equipment. Especially not something so expensive like this one. This particular piece has been on her wishlist for ages and she’s just been waiting to have enough money to be able to buy it without spending everything she has.

“Nothing is too much for you,” Chloe responded with a smile. “Now, c’mon, smile.”

“What?” Beca asked confused because she was already smiling. Her question was answered the second she looked up because in the time it took Beca to open the present and speak was enough for Chloe to get the camera up and running. She snapped a quick picture with a smile of her own.

“It’s perfect,” Chloe declared putting the picture to the side for it to dry.

The redhead sets the camera down next to the picture and then moves to another box which is heavier than she remembers it. She winds up pushing it over to Beca instead of attempting to lift the thing. Beca fixes her with a questioning gaze but passes over another present to the older girl.

“You first,” Chloe decides with a nod and a smile.

“If you say so,” Beca breathes out unwrapping the present faster than the last. “I’m sensing a theme here, Beale.”

“Only a little bit,” Chloe replied with a laugh. “It’s not my fault music is a huge part of both of our lives. This is kind of for the both of us though.”

“I understand why. Do you, ya know, have some records to go with this new record player?” Beca asks with a raise of an eyebrow. The record player is absolutely great but having something to play on it would be all the more wonderful.

“Of course I do,” Chloe beams with a roll of her eyes. She tosses the next present over to Beca who looks at it’s size questionably. “Several, actually.”

Beca beams at the older girl before ripping through the wrapping paper to be greeted by a variety of vinyl records. Including some of their favorites like Florence + the Machine, Mumford & Sons, Sam Smith, Hozier, Amy Winehouse, and Twenty One Pilots to name a few.

“Holy shit, Chlo.”

“I know. You have no idea how hard it’s been to not be able to touch these over the past couple weeks. I wanted so badly to just say screw it and give it to you early,” Chloe confessed as she bounced excitedly on the ground.

“I see your excitement. This is amazing. Thank you,” Beca beamed and reached over to grab Chloe for a quick kiss.

“And thank you,” Chloe said as Beca moved back to her original position. She fixed the younger girl with another smile before turning back to her own present and ripping open the paper in a matter of seconds.

“Beca, this is -”

“Sappy, I know,” Beca cut in as she watched Chloe go through the photo album that Beca’s spent the past couple of months putting together.

“How long did this take you?”

“Not long. I mean I’ve been working on it for awhile obviously but not long,” Beca replied intentionally being as vague as possible. It was one thing to give Chloe a photo album of the highlights over the past couple of years but it was a whole other thing to admit how long she spent on it. And how much she dedicated herself to perfecting it.

“It must’ve taken forever. I love it, Bec. I really do,” Chloe looked up from the book for a moment with a huge smile plastered on her face. “Also you’re a huge sappy and adorable dork.”

“I am not,” Beca retorts.

“No matter what you tell me it doesn’t matter. You are a total softie. And a massive dork. And that makes you all the more adorable,” Chloe declares cheerfully.

“Maybe a little,” Beca caves with a shy smile.

“Uh huh. Now how about these last presents and then we’ll get on our way to your dad’s?” Chloe asks as she’s reaching for the last two presents.

“Sounds good to me,” Beca agrees taking the present that was offered to her. “Same time?”

“Sure, ready? Open,” Chloe squealed as she opened the rather small present as Beca opened hers with equal excitement. “Beca -”

“Don’t say anything yet. You actually need to open if first, Chlo,” Beca laughed as she watched Chloe examine the small jewelry box but not actually open it. It was the one present that Beca spent ages picking out because it needed to be just right for the older girl. And when she couldn’t find exactly what she wanted she had it custom made.

Chloe was clearly taken aback by it because before Beca knew it there were tears in the other girl’s eyes and was smiling as she looked at it. It was a silver ring strung onto a necklace but it’s what was engraved into the ring that really made it. Inscribed on the outer edge of the ring in cursive was “I am titanium” with a music note on the left side but on the inner edge it read “We are titanium” with a heart on the right side.

“Beca, this is beautiful,” Chloe whispered with a smile on her face that made Beca fuzzy inside.

“I’m glad you like it. I actually have a matching one,” Beca added shyly as she pulled the necklace out from under shirt and showing Chloe whose smile only grew more.

“When did you put that on?” Chloe asked. “I didn’t see that before.”

“Because I’ve been hiding it, weirdo. I put it on after I got dressed,” Beca replied with a smile.

“Wanna give me a hand?” Chloe held out the necklace to the younger girl who shimmied onto her knees and around until she was behind Chloe. She took the necklace gingerly and went to fasten it around Chloe’s neck once her hair was lifted off her neck. “Thank you, Bec.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I love it. I really, really love it,” Chloe declares before pulling Beca into a kiss.

“I’m glad you like it,” Beca admits once she’s caught her breath again.

“Where did you even get these?” Chloe asked in adoration as she looks at the inscription again.

“I, uh, may have had to find someone to make them custom. No biggie,” Beca shrugs and moves to open Chloe’s last present.

“No biggie? That’s some bullshit and you know it. It’s amazing. Thank you so much, Bec. I’m never going to take it off,” Chloe blurts out with a huge smile.

“I’m never going to take mine off either. And I love them too. Now, let’s get this last present out of the way so we can get ready to go,” Beca replies with a shy smile.

“Right, yeah. Go ahead,” Chloe motions towards the present with a smile.

Beca nervously opens the present very much aware of how Chloe is watching her in anticipation. And it makes her nervous.

“Can you maybe not look at me like that?” Beca requests hesitating to open the present.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know...however you’re looking at me. Watching me open this present,” Beca clarifies fixing her gaze on the wrapping paper.

“Okay,” Chloe says but still doesn’t look away. Beca just rolls her eyes and gets it over with.

“Is this? What is this?” Beca asks entirely too confused by the contents of the small box. “A key?”

“A customized key,” Chloe clarifies with a huge smile.

“What?” Beca asks disbelievingly as she holds it up in the air. It was a key with headphones etched onto both sides of the end of it.

“It’s a key,” Chloe said as if it were blatantly obvious.

“I know it’s a key, Chlo. But what the hell is it for?” Beca asked desperately needing answers.

“Well, it’s for our future apartment or small house or whatever we choose,” Chloe clarifies. “Not really for it. But metaphorically for it. I didn’t want to do anything permanent without consulting you and obviously like looking together. Especially because we don’t know where the next couple of months will take us. But it’s metaphorically for our future home.”

“What?”

“And when we do decide on somewhere and something I’ll make sure to get your key done just like that one with the headphones,” Chloe finished off her explanation.

“Chlo, this is -” Beca starts.

“A little insane I know. And maybe I should have like talked to you about this first instead of doing it this way but I thought it would be sweet,” Chloe begins to nervously ramble and it snaps Beca out of her reverie.

“Chloe,” Beca cuts in effectively silencing the redhead when her hands were placed onto the older girl’s cheeks. “It’s perfect.”

“It is?”

“Of course it is,” Beca assures the redhead giving her a passionate kiss. “I love your metaphorical gift.”

“Good. That’s good,” Chloe reassured herself.

“Merry Christmas, Chlo,” Beca said leaning their foreheads together.

“Merry Christmas, Beca. Now c’mon we gotta get a move on if we want to clean up and be at your dad’s on time,” Chloe announced before giving Beca another quick kiss and helping them both off the floor.

--

“Merry Christmas, Ben!” Chloe chirps the second he opens the front door.

“Well, Merry Christmas to the both of you too. Come on in,” Ben replies with a huge smile opening the door wider for the two girls to enter. He closed it gently behind them before continuing, “Everyone’s in the living room.”

“Sounds good,” Beca responds moving them all back towards the living room to join the others.

The next couple of hours go by in a blur of presents. Beca watches as her stepmonster, Sheila, gives presents to her dad and younger step sibling. She watches in complete awe when they all have presents for both her and Chloe. And she’s so incredibly grateful for their generosity and acceptance of Chloe in their family. Chloe exchanges a look with her that expresses all of the same emotions that she’s feeling.

They give her dad, Sheila, and the little munchkin presents of their own and are satisfied with their responses. Ben is shocked about the thoughtfulness behind all of the presents that they each received but then he thinks better of it and realizes he should have seen it coming. After all, Chloe and Beca are two of the most thoughtful people he knows even if Beca would deny it every step of the way. Chloe, on the other hand, would accept the compliment in all of it’s entirety and be thankful for it.

But they are both incredibly thankful. And incredibly happy. Having spent Christmas Eve with the Beale’s and now Christmas with the Mitchell’s. It made for a really great holiday season and made them both remarkably happy with where they are and having been able to see everyone for the holidays.

--

“I love the holidays,” Chloe confesses later that night once they were all settled in bed.

“And I love you,” Beca replies with a smile.

“Ditto weirdo but I’m talking about the holidays here,” Chloe giggles.

“I know. I love the holidays two. It’s been a busy couple days but they’ve been wonderful days,” Beca clarifies as she entwines her fingers with Chloe’s.

“Yeah, it has. I wouldn’t have it any other way though,” Chloe decides.

“Same here, weirdo.”

Your desire for bigger and better things.

“This is the right decision, right?” Chloe asked for the umpteenth time.

“Yes, Chlo. You and I both know it so hit that button,” Beca reassured from beside her on the couch.

“Okay, I’m going to do it,” Chloe takes in a deep breath and releases it after she’s hit submit. “It’s done.”

“Way to go, Chloe. We should celebrate,” Beca decides shooting up off the couch and into the kitchen.

“What? I only submitted the application. It’s not like I got accepted,” Chloe reasons.

“Yeah, but you’re going to be accepted. And, besides, this is a huge step and it deserves to be celebrated,” Beca says as she grabs a bottle of wine from the cabinet and popped the cork.

“If I get accepted,” Chloe corrects.

“When. When you get accepted we shall celebrate again. I believe in you, Chlo. I believe that you will be accepted,” Beca calls from the kitchen where she’s filling two wine glasses with copious amounts of alcohol.

“If you say so. Now bring me wine, woman,” Chloe jokes from her place on the couch. Beca laughs but hands over one of the glasses only moments later with a smile on her face.

“I’m proud of you,” Beca declares raising her glass for a toast. “To bigger and better things.”

“To bigger and better things,” Chloe chirps clinking their glasses together before taking a sip.

--

“Beca!” Chloe screamed through the apartment. “Aubrey!”

“What’s up?” Aubrey asked as she came out of her room in a hurry.

“Where’s Beca?” Chloe asked excitedly grasping an envelope in her hand.

“Right here,” Beca calls as she emerges from their bedroom with her headphones hanging around her neck.

“I got in!” Chloe squealed.

“What?” Beca and Aubrey asked in surprise at the same time. They glared at each other for a moment but quickly turned their attention back to the redhead.

“I got in,” Chloe repeated and started jumping around in front of the door.

“You got in?” Beca asked approaching the older girl.

“Yeah, I got in,” Chloe squealed again grabbing Beca’s hands and swinging her around in circles only stopping when she began to get dizzy.

“I told you, you would get in,” Aubrey chips in and pulls her into a powerful hug. “Congrats.”

“Thank you, Bree.”

“I told you so, weirdo. We both knew you would get accepted,” Beca agreed with a grin.

“We need to celebrate. I hope no one has any plans because we are going out tonight,” Chloe chirped as she ran off to their room presumedly to get changed. “Get a move on, everyone. We’re going out!”

--

“So, California?” Beca says right into Chloe’s ear just loud enough to be heard over the pounding music in the club.

“California,” Chloe confirms with a nod of her head.

“Wow.”

Chloe soon bubbles into laughter and dances impossibly closer to the younger girl letting the alcohol flood her system and enjoy her night even more. They were moving onto bigger and better things. They were literally moving. From one state to a whole other on the opposite side of the country. Bigger and better things were just on their horizon but tonight. Tonight they were going to dance.

Your love and adoration.

It’s been a really long and tiring day for Beca. She had been running around to her new classes of her final semester while also going back and forth to her internship. And to top it all off she now has Bellas rehearsal and they are seriously missing something this year.

“Guys!” Beca shouts raising her voice over the other girl’s banter. “We need to be pulling together not tearing each other apart. Does anyone have any ideas of what we can do to kick up our game?”

“Fire,” Lilly whispers with her gaze fixed on the whiteboard.

“No fire,” Beca cuts in quickly because she knows just what a disaster that could be.

“No, but some really cool pyrotechnics. That could help us step up our game. It’d bring us to a whole new level,” one of the other girls piped up.

“Alright, I’ll take it into consideration then. Anyone else?” Beca asked hopefully turning towards the other girls.

“Well having some music sure would really help out,” Fat Amy burst fixing a stern gaze onto Beca. “Maybe if someone would stop making out -”

“Fat Amy don’t even finish that sentence,” Beca interrupted with a pointed finger.

“If someone would stop making out long enough to actually get some music put together I’m sure we would be doing much better,” Fat Amy finished with a daring look in her eyes. She knew that Beca’s threat was completely empty and she couldn’t just let her comment go. It was true. Or at least it was true in her mind.

“Amy, cardio! Let’s go,” Beca shouted pointing towards the bleachers and fixing her with a harsh gaze.

“No way,” Fat Amy shot back refusing to get up.

“Cardio, now,” Beca said through gritted teeth. The tone in her voice made Fat Amy get right out of her seat and hesitantly walk towards the bleachers. “Five times up and around. Let’s go.”

Fat Amy mumbled inaudible sarcastic insults before finally making her way up and around the bleachers. The other girls stared on in disbelief because they had never seen Beca actually force someone to do something as punishment. It reminded the other girls of Aubrey and the brutal exercises they were put through as punishment and for training.

“Little harsh, Beca,” Cynthia Rose chimes in looking towards her with a questioning gaze.

“Yeah, well. I told her not to finish that sentence and I meant business. We need to be working together and not putting the blame on anyone or anything. We need to step it up,” Beca replies turning back towards the whiteboard.

“Okay then.”

--

After another hour of their rehearsal and not really getting anywhere at all Beca was absolutely exhausted and beyond ready to go back to the apartment and just crash. But upon opening the door to the apartment she realized that crashing right away was not an actual possibility for her.

“Woah, Chlo. What is all this?” Beca asks looking around the apartment and taking in all of the various objects left about. There were bowls of candy on the coffee table, fresh flowers set on the kitchen counter, two bottles of champagne, and the record player was out and playing The Fray.

“An early and much needed anniversary surprise,” Chloe called from their bedroom. “I know that today’s been stressful so I figured why not celebrate a little early.”

“That’s actually a really thoughtful idea,” Beca smiled as Chloe emerged from their bedroom. “Thank you, Chlo.”

“It’s no problem, Bec,” Chloe replied with a smile of her own before leaning in and giving her a quick pec. “Now let’s get some bubbly and crash on the couch and binge watch some Netflix.”

“Sounds like a perfect plan,” Beca confessed tugging Chloe towards the kitchen with a smile plastered on her face.

--

It’s times like these that Beca realizes just how much she loves Chloe and how much Chloe loves her. Knowing just what she needs after a long and stressful day. Knowing just what could cheer her up when she’s having a bad day. How Chloe knows just what kind of snacks she would want and even what kind of alcohol Beca would want under every and any situation. Chloe knew it all. And Beca knew all of Chloe’s as well.

They knew each other well enough that they could practically read each other’s minds. They knew when the other was stressed or having an off day. They knew when the other had something on their mind. They knew when the other was nervous and how to get them to relax. They knew just what made them tick but sometimes did it anyway because that annoyed face of theirs was just all too priceless. Their love and adoration for each other was palpable. They both knew it and saw it on a daily basis. Even strangers could tell just by observing them for a handful of moments. They have been told by many a stranger just how perfect they are for each other and it always leaves the both of them blushing and with smiles plastered on their faces proudly.

Your frustrations.

“Bec, c’mon we need to leave,” Chloe called from the front door frantically watching the time tick away on her watch.

“I’m coming. Just one more minute,” Beca shouted from the bathroom.

Chloe stood tapping her foot for another five minutes still with no appearance of Beca. They really needed to leave or else they would be late and if there is one thing that Chloe hates the most it’s being late. Especially to something important.

“Beca! Let’s go,” Chloe shouted growing quickly irritated with the younger girl.

“Hold on,” Beca called back.

“Beca Mitchell. We need to leave right now. You’re making us late,” Chloe shouted growing more and more frustrated by each second that passed.

“I’m coming don’t worry,” Beca replied as she ran around their bedroom trying to find her phone and her shoes.

“I hate being late. You know I hate being late.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I just -” Beca dropped to the floor looking under their bed. “I can’t find my shoes. Or my phone.”

“Your shoes are out here, weirdo,” Chloe sighed from the door staring right at Beca’s shoes which were where they were normally left.

“Really?” Beca asked finally coming out of their bedroom. “Well, would you look at that they are.”

“Yeah. Now can we go?” Chloe asked impatiently hanging on the doorknob.

“Just one sec,” Beca blurted out before bolting into their bedroom again.

“Mitchell!” Chloe called after the younger girl. “Are you serious right now?”

“One second, I swear,” Beca shouted back in reply.

The redhead stood impatiently tapping her foot against the hardwood floors waiting for the younger girl. They were supposed to leave at least ten minutes ago and there was no way that they were going to be on time now.

“Ready?” Beca asked as she emerged nonchalantly from their bedroom.

“Been ready for a half hour. Let’s go,” Chloe sighed as she made her way out of the door.

“We’ll be fine,” Beca nudged the older girl as they made their way to the car.

“No, we’re going to be late,” Chloe clarified frustration evident in her voice.

“If we’re late you have full permission to blame me,” Beca decides.

“I was already going to do that, Mitchell.”

“Right. Well if we’re late then you get the first and final say in our future home,” Beca offers trying to cheer the other girl up.

“I get the final say?” Chloe asks immediately perking up at the thought of it.

“Of course,” Beca admits. “But only if we are late. If we’re not then it’s a mutual decision.”

“Hmm, okay. Deal,” Chloe agrees despite knowing that either way it was going to be a mutual decision anyway.

Your loves.

Chloe loves snow days. And skiing or snowboarding. And making snowpeople and snow angels but it’s a rare time when they can actually do those things. So Beca surprises her with a four day trip to Colorado for their two year anniversary. It seems weird but what’s better than spending a long weekend on some snowy mountains with the person you love.

--

To Chloe there is no better way to spend the last weekend in January than cuddled up next to a fire with the person she loves sipping spiked hot chocolate on a cold night in Colorado. The spiked hot chocolate was Beca’s idea but it might just be the best thing she’s ever had. Or at least the best hot drink with alcohol. She just can’t help but admit that she loves it. And she loves this trip and this moment. Cuddled up next to a warm fire with Beca was the perfect way to end this day.

They had two more days in Colorado. Two more days to enjoy the snowy mountains and fresh powder that would coat the trails by morning. Two more days of snowy entertainment.

The trip was all smiles and fun. Filled with snowboarding and skiing on the fluffy white powder that Chloe loved so much. Consumed with making snow angels and snowball fights midway down a trail ending in fits of laughter. Captured by many pictures that Chloe took with her new camera and a few snapped by strangers they encountered who were sweet enough to take their picture.

--

It’s on the last day that Chloe really wishes that she would have brought the engagement ring with her on this trip. Sure she originally hadn’t planned on proposing until a little while after Beca had graduated but there was something about this trip that made it seem like the perfect opportunity. And she really wishes that she brought the damn ring. But maybe it’s for the better that she doesn’t have it right in this moment. But still the redhead can dream.

--

“Thank you for this trip, Beca,” Chloe confessed shortly after their plane took off to return them in Atlanta.

“You’re welcome. It was a much needed long weekend. And it was a wonderful couple of days,” Beca replied with a smile.

“It really was,” Chloe agreed intertwining their fingers together and squeezing her hand gently.

“I love you,” Beca whispers just loud enough to be heard over the noise of the plane and placing a kiss on Chloe’s cheek.

“And I love you, weirdo,” Chloe chirps giving Beca a proper kiss.

--

I want all of it. I want all of you.