Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

It usually happened slowly. It would start with one or two beers, followed by maybe one of Amy’s concoctions (those were usually what did the trick because they were potent), and then she somehow would do a few shots offered to her by Stacie, then she was drunk. 

A Bellas drinking night was also a Bellas game night. Usually, truth or dare was the go-to, but Beca had put her foot down tonight. Too much had been shared in the past and she was too far gone to preserve any of her dignity. Instead, she was watching Stacie and Fat Amy argue about who had the most lip strength.

She wasn’t sure how the two got on the subject, but then again, she wasn’t really surprised. 

“Obviously it’s me,” Amy said with a pucker of her lips. 

“Have you met me?” Stacie asked as she rested one hand on her hip. “I’m a pro.”

“How can you be a pro at lip strength?” Chloe asked before she downed the rest of whatever was in her cup. She made a face, so Beca assumed it was handed to her by Amy. “I don’t get it.”

“She’s not the pro because I am,” Amy informed Chloe. Beca wondered how they weren’t as drunk as she was. 

“I’ll prove it,” Stacie said with a raise of her eyebrows at Amy. Beca watched as Stacie looked around the room. “Legacy, hand me those books,” she said making grabbing motions towards Emily who was perched on the couch. 

Emily grabbed the two books on the end table and passed them to Stacie. One was a novel, Beca wasn’t sure who the hell was reading it, and the other was a textbook. 

“Since Amy and I are dueling this out,” Stacie said tossing the novel towards Chloe. “We’ll take the textbook. Legacy, you be the judge.”

“What’s happening?” Emily asked as she got up from her spot on the couch. She straightened her shirt a bit and stumbled over the shoes strewn about. She hadn’t had anything to drink, and Beca chuckled a bit at her natural clumsiness.  

“We’re gonna put the book between us and see who can hold it the longest with our lips,” Stacie explained as she lined up with Amy. Amy poked her chest out and hit it with both hands in a Tarzan manner. 

“Oh! Beca! Be my partner,” Chloe said as she got up. She sat her now empty glass on the end table and grabbed Beca’s hand.

“No thank you,” Beca said but she didn’t protest. She couldn’t say no to Chloe. It had been impossible since meeting her four years ago. The big-time crush she harbored for the redhead weakened her usual stubbornness.

“Come oooonnnn. It’ll be fun!” Chloe chirped as she stood directly in front of Beca and held the book up to her face “Pucker up, buttercup!”

Beca hesitated, but finally, with a huff, put her own glass down and did her best to stand steadily in front of Chloe. 

“I’m still confused as to what I’m here for,” Emily said as she looked at Stacie who already had her lips pressed to one side of the book and Amy’s on the other. 

“I think you’re supposed to judge whose lips are the strongest,” Cynthia Rose said as she studied the book closely between Stacie and Amy. “If you ask me, this is a missed opportunity for a make-out session.” 

“Ready?” Chloe asked as she peeked around the book at Beca. She was wearing a goofy grin and her eyes were glossed over in their usual drunken way. 

“Whatever,” Beca exhaled. She shook out her arms and tried to ignore the tingling feeling that was spreading throughout her body. She stretched her neck out on each side and when she looked back at Chloe, she was met with a raised eyebrow and an even bigger grin. “What? If we’re going to do this, I’m in it to win it.”

“Game on, Mitchell,” Chloe giggled and held the book in place again. 

The two girls stepped forward and pressed their lips to the cover of the novel. Chloe dropped her hand and the book was then being held by both pairs of lips. 

Beca couldn’t help but think about how stupid it all was. How in the hell did she continuously get roped into things like this? Why couldn’t they just have one normal night at the Bellas house?

But then again, she really didn’t mind this. She was so close to Chloe, and, well, she’s always close to Chloe, but not in this way. Not in the way their bodies brushed against each other because there was literally only a book between us. Beca was thankful that it wasn’t that thick of a book, too. 

She felt Chloe’s hand brush hers. She would kill to see Chloe’s eyes right about now, but it was impossible. The book came up between them, so all she was looking at was a brown cover. 

She closed her eyes because trying to look at something that close to her face was making her dizzy. She focused instead on how surprisingly tired her lips were growing. She really didn’t think this would be any kind of endurance test, but damn. 

Her mind went from her lips to Chloe’s pinky that was wrapping around hers. It wasn’t fair for Chloe to do something like that. It was too distracting. 

Beca didn’t have time to register what was happening. There was a yank, and then the book was gone, and her lips were pressed against Chloe’s. 

“YES!” Stacie yelled as Beca pulled back from Chloe. She covered her mouth, the impact of the kiss was harder than she thinks her friends realized. 

“Bloe!” Amy added.

The two girls looked at each other. Chloe’s eyes were wide, and her hand flew to her lips. Beca could see what had happened register on Chloe’s face because the next thing she knew the redhead had tears in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” Chloe whispered as she backed out of the room.

Beca watched, confused, as everyone around her got quiet. She turned sharply towards Stacie, who was holding the book that had been between her and Chloe. She wanted to yell, and she wanted to put every one of them in their fucking place. Beca couldn’t understand why they just couldn’t leave the whole “Bloe” thing alone. 

Instead, she just huffed and ran after Chloe. She could deal with them later, but Chloe was her priority. 

The event replayed in her mind as she searched the house. She couldn’t believe she had kissed Chloe. It had been innocent enough, but still. She had dreamt of that moment for a long time and now it was ruined. Their first (and possibly only) kiss would forever be some accidental because of a prank their friends had apparently cooked up. 

For once in her life, Beca wished the music wasn’t turned up so loud. She hadn’t heard which door had slammed when Chloe ran out, she couldn’t hear the redhead no matter how hard she strained, and she was running out of options. Had Chloe left completely? She really hoped not, because that would just be terrible. 

Finally, she saw a silhouette through the window. It was Chloe, sitting on the front steps of the Bellas house.

Beca opened the door slowly, trying to figure out what she was going to say to make this better. She made her way carefully towards Chloe. She sat down and looked over at her best friend. 

Chloe looked back at her and attempted a smile. Her cheeks were streaked with tears and she was biting her bottom lip. 

“That bad, huh?” Beca asked. She closed her eyes momentarily in a grimace at her own words. That was not what she meant to say. 

But it made Chloe giggle. She looked down at her hands. Beca noticed she was spinning the ring around her thumb. It meant she was nervous.

“No, it’s not that,” Chloe giggled. Her face grew serious. Beca noticed the crease between her brows and had to fight the urge to take her hand. “Can I say something, and you not freak out?” 

“Yeah,” Beca said. She let the urge win this time and finally reached out. She interlaced her fingers with Chloe’s to keep her from twisting the ring more. “You can tell me anything, Chlo.”

Chloe took a deep breath. Beca could see the conflict on her face. She didn’t want to say what she was about to say, or maybe she did, and it was just too hard? Beca couldn’t help but think maybe this was it. Was she going to end the friendship? Had Beca been too transparent with the kiss? Had she not pulled away fast enough? The thoughts were killing her. 

“That’s not exactly how I wanted our first kiss to go,” Chloe finally spoke. 

Beca’s heart stopped. 

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for years now, and I know you’re not into girls like that, but I just…” Chloe stopped and shook her head. Beca couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “I just thought that if something ever did happen between us, our first kiss would be more–”

Beca didn’t let her finish. She surged forward and pressed her lips to Chloe’s tenderly. She let go of her hand to caress her cheek instead. 

The fireworks going off for Beca were amazing. The kiss sent warmth throughout her entire body. She wanted it to be perfect and the way Chloe’s lips felt pressed against hers was nothing less. 

Chloe finally reacted. She reached up and tangled her fingers into Beca’s hair, pulling her closer. She swept her tongue across Beca’s lip and she was more than happy to grant her access.

Chloe tasted like alcohol and chocolate. Beca couldn’t remember seeing the redhead eat anything, maybe Chloe was just naturally sweet. It wouldn’t surprise Beca in the slightest. 

The kiss slowed and Beca pulled back. She rested her forehead against Chloe’s, not wanting to open her eyes just yet.

“More like that,” she heard Chloe finish. A smile broke across Beca’s lips. Maybe the accidental kiss wasn’t such a bad thing after all.