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It wasn’t the first time Beca had found Chloe in her bed, but it was the first time it had struck her that oh, this is a thing now.
“Stacie has someone over,” Chloe murmured into Beca’s duvet by way of explanation, “I can leave if you want.”
“You’re okay,” Beca murmured, as she slipped an oversized shirt on over her bra and shorts, glad for the darkness hiding her. “The price I pay for not sharing a room.”
Beca had lucked out - they’d drawn straws when moving in, and she ended up without a roommate.
The room was smaller than others in the house, but the window had a good view of the sunsets, and it had a double bed, so Beca felt lucky.
“Kiss Me, Kiss Me?” Chloe asked after a minute, with amusement replacing tiredness in her voice.
“Uh. What?” Beca froze.
“Your shirt.”
“Oh - it’s an album - how did you read that in the dark - oh, dammit.”
“Gotcha,” Chloe chuckled. “You really like that shirt.”
Beca rolled her eyes, “It’s a good album,” but climbed into bed all the same, under the duvet, and really, she might complain, but the warmth of Chloe’s body was starting to feel familiar to her.
-
“Stacie again?” Beca asked, looking up from her phone to see Chloe holding pyjamas under her arm.
“Yep.”
“And you didn’t want to watch?”
“You’re so funny.”
“Voyeur Chloe, my oh my.”
“Just so, so funny.”
But Chloe was smiling, as she pulled off her shirt and trousers, and Beca was determined not to look.
Completely determined, as Chloe’s deep maroon bra followed. The light was low, cast from the electrics of the city, but Beca could still see the curve of Chloe’s breasts - not that she was looking.
Chloe finally slipped her pyjama bottoms on over her deep blue underwear, finally put the shirt on.
It was probably no more than a minute. But the time felt much longer to Beca.
“Who’s the voyeur now?” Chloe asked, with a wink, and Beca really did try not to blush.
“Cute pjs,” Beca said by response. “Very pink.”
“I could go without if you want?” and Chloe was definitely grinning now.
This was payback, Beca assumed, as well as Yes please.
“Just get in the damn bed, Beale,” she drawled, rolling her eyes but shuffling to make space, and giving Chloe a pillow.
-
“So. You two have been sharing a room a lot. What gives?”
Chloe looked up from her cards. She was close to winning - they hadn’t noticed her road creeping up, Cynthia-Rose and Beca getting competitive, Amy doing what she could to screw them both over - she wasn’t playing to win, she was playing for chaos.
People underestimated Chloe on board game nights. She liked that. It gave her an advantage.
“Beca and I?”
Chloe glanced at Beca - who suddenly looked a little worried, her smug expression after blocking Stacie’s plan evaporating.
“It has been a lot,” Cynthia-Rose added, with a shrug.
Chloe didn’t know why it was such a big deal - but clearly it was, as Stacie was smirking from the couch, the kart racer suddenly paused, Jessica and Ashley - one was Rosalina, one was Peach, Chloe wasn’t sure who was who - pretending not to listen badly, and Lily pausing in whatever drink she was making - how on earth she got the liquid to be blood red, Chloe didn’t want to know.
Beca broke in. “Well, last night we stayed up late talking about potential mash ups, and Chloe didn’t want to disturb Stacie.”
“Right! And the other night, I wanted to watch the sunset before bed. I felt so peaceful there, Beca just said to stay.”
They shared a smile there. It had been a lovely moment.
The sunset had almost been as breathtaking as seeing Beca captivated by it.
“Sure…” Amy drawled, looking unconvinced. “Sunsets.”
“Plus mixes. I played a chill mix for Chloe I’d been working on, couple weeks back.” Beca laughed. “Must have been boring, as she fell right asleep.”
“It was lovely,” Chloe said, softly, “I still think you should make sleep mixes.”
“So. We’ve got our reasons. Why… why do you ask?”
Chloe was curious too, and fixed her gaze on Amy.
“No reason. You two know Chloe is about to win, right?” Amy gestured to the table.
“Amy!” Chloe glared, but at least the topic was changed.
-
Beca could hear Chloe humming, as they laid in bed one morning, not wanting to move yet.
“…is that Just Like Heaven?”
“I blame your shirt.”
-
They were happily tipsy; one away from drunk, having matched drinks all night.
But the party was winding down, a pleasant tiredness washing over them both.
They’d been giggling - not that Beca would be admitting that tomorrow - actually giggling, over some nonsense Stacie had been talking about with Cynthia-Rose, the type of talk that just becomes funny because it’s funny, and Chloe had held Beca’s hand she was laughing so much, and Beca had squeezed back, glancing over with fond eyes and not even pretending to mind when Chloe rested her head on Beca’s shoulder.
They’d still been chuckling, not even over anything now, just to laugh, as they’d filled their water bottles - ice water, it was starting to get warm again now, though matte green tinsel woven with slowly pulsing fairy lights still swaddled the banister - and strolled upstairs.
It wasn’t even a discussion this time. Neither wanted to leave the others side, not that night.
Beca washed up first, and whilst Chloe did, after changing, she made sure an extra pillow was on Chloe’s side. Smiled, when she realised Chloe had a side now.
She turned off the main light, turned on the lamp that Chloe had given her.
Honestly, Beca, it’ll make the room so much cosier.
One of Chloe’s many ideas Beca found to be correct.
Putting her phone on charge, she snorted to see Amy had texted - Enjoy tapping that ginger minge!
Fuck off - Beca replied with a chuckle.
“What’s so funny?”
Beca looked up, and her laugh caught in her throat. With the low light of her room, and the light in the corridor framing Chloe, in one of Beca’s shirts - when did Chloe even steal that - she looked…
Gorgeous was redundant. In Beca’s opinion? Chloe was always gorgeous.
But this was a very potent reminder.
“Amy’s being a bitch,” Beca replied, realising her silence was a bit too long.
“You’re so nice about our friends, Beca, it’s heartwarming.”
“You know that’s not what I meant,” Beca protested, and they were laughing again.
“I do.”
“You get me more than most, which I’m sorry you have to deal with.”
“Never be sorry. You’re a fun weirdo to deal with.”
The climbed into bed, and laid face to face, and Beca realised she’d missed the physical contact, even after just 20 minutes.
They laid there, in silence. Beca tracing patterns on Chloe’s bare arm, Chloe playing with Beca’s hair, palm resting on the back of Beca’s neck.
The air felt charged, suddenly. Beca could feel Chloe’s breath, smell the peppermint.
She glanced at Chloe’s lips.
“Thank you,” Chloe murmured, suddenly breaking the silence.
“What for?”
“Never minding this. Letting me in.”
Beca chuckled, and gently squeezed Chloe’s elbow. “I can’t imagine anyone minding you being here.”
“You’d be surprised.”
And there was something there, a sadness that Beca hadn’t expected.
“Well. I don’t mind it. Even when your alarm goes off at stupid AM.”
“6AM is not stupid for a week day, Beca.”
“Ugh, agree to disagree.”
They smiled at each other.
“Really though. I don’t mind, Chloe. At all.”
“Thank you. And I don’t mind dealing with you. It’s not as hard as you seem to think. Not hard at all, really.”
Beca smiled, a little shyly. “You’re still drunk.”
“So are you.”
“Point.”
“Mm.” Chloe leant forward, and kissed Beca on the forehead. “Sweet dreams.”
It wasn’t the kind of kiss Beca suddenly wanted, but she didn’t mind.
And they soon fell asleep like that, still connected.
-
“Mitchell.”
Beca quirked up a brow. “Conrad.”
Stacie seemed to study Beca for a moment, stood in the doorway to the kitchen.
“You know, I really would like some coffee, so if you could just-“
“Are you and Chloe fucking?”
Beca sputtered, suddenly glad she didn’t have her coffee yet.
“No?”
“What, you asking the audience? I don’t see anyone else here.”
“No, I mean - no! We’re not, it’s 7am, the hell kind of question is that?”
“A relevant one.”
“Right, I’m just gonna,” Beca made to squeeze past Stacie, until she finally dropped her arm. “Is this a new sex thing for you? Imagining us two together?”
Stacie smirked at that. “I mean, I’m sure at least one person here finds that idea hot.” she shrugged, more natural now. “But I’m not the only one wondering it.”
Beca paused, her hand hovering over the jar of coffee.
For fuck’s sake, Amy.
“We’re not sleeping together. I mean, we are, sometimes, but in the very literal, non carnal way.”
“Huh.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“No, it’s… Sorry if I assumed. Just - she’s my roommate, you know? Not that I mind the solo time-“
“Stacie-“
“But I do notice.”
Beca shrugged, poured the hot water into the mug. Focused on how the freeze dried coffee dissolved. “It’s just… A thing, now. I don’t mind it. Sometimes Chloe wants to just… Sleep in bed. Sometimes it’s not even planned like - like last night, we were studying together and then ended up talking, and it just felt… Natural.” And Beca couldn’t help the smile when she spoke of that, didn’t notice Stacie’s small, knowing look.
Beca finished making the coffee, needed even more now.
“So, just for my records. You two aren’t fucking. Amy was just stirring the pot.”
“No, Stacie. It’s perfectly G rated.”
“But you want to be.”
Beca blushed furiously, and Stacie had her answer.
-
“Why’re you in my bed?”
Chloe was surprised, having returned from her shower to see a grumpy looking Beca, curled up under the tree green blanket that draped over Chloe’s duvet.
“Not that I mind!” she quickly added, walking over and stroking Beca’s arm, hearing tinny music from the small wired earbuds trailing from her phone.
Not for the first time, Chloe was struck with how beautiful Beca was.
“Those washing machines. I am angry at them. Angry, Beale.”
Ahh.
“Steal your money?”
“My laundry.”
Chloe wanted to tease, to say so you came to me for comfort, but didn’t. For one thing, it might be true, and she didn’t want to scare Beca off.
For another, she knew Beca would likely not appreciate it.
Instead, she started tidying up, and asked what had happened.
“I was going to wash my bedsheets. Get them all nice and fresh, meant to for ages - and now I’m explaining the concept of laundry to you.”
“It’s nice to get a refresher,” Chloe smiled, as she tied her hair into a bun.
“So I put them all in the machine, think they’ll be done and I can dry them by midnight, Chloe’ll judge me for staying up late, but.”
Chloe chuckled. Took a sip of her water bottle, and sat on the bed, listening to Beca and gently stroking her shoulder. “I’d never judge you. Just worry.”
“Thanks,” Beca murmured, and her anger was replaced with tiredness now, as she leant into Chloe’s touch. “But the machine locked, took my money and then wouldn’t wash, or open. Called the people, they said they’ll come fix it. Great, I said, and they said yeah, first thing Monday. So. No bedsheets until then. And I didn’t want to sleep on a bare mattress, so…”
“Do I even have to say you’re welcome here if you want?”
Beca met Chloe’s eyes at that. Gratitude there. “I appreciate you making it clear.”
“And Stacie isn’t here tonight. So there’s that too.”
“Oh, thank god,” Beca muttered, and Chloe laughed, but kindly. “Seriously though. Thank you. The sofa seemed a bad idea.”
“It still smells faintly of sambuca.”
“I thought that was liquorice?”
“Oh, it was definitely sambuca.” Chloe didn’t elaborate. That had been some party.
Beca was calmer now, her eyelids drooping slightly every so often. Chloe was glad for it.
“Let me just get changed. I wasn’t expecting company, so came straight from the shower. So! Sorry for the nudity.”
And with a very slight smirk - she had noticed some of the ways Beca looked at her - Chloe slipped off her bathrobe, hung it on the back of the door, and for a few seconds, was comfortably bare.
After pulling on shorts and a shirt - hers, this time, celebrating the Bellas’ 2012 win, she was amused to see Beca’s eyes quite wide.
“Don’t worry about the laundry. We’ll figure it out tomorrow.” She pulled Beca into a hug, one Beca fast relaxed into, and rested Beca’s head against her own chest.
“You’re comfortable, Chloe,” Beca murmured.
The bed was smaller than Beca’s - it felt strange, to share it here - but Beca was there.
Chloe was growing used to that.
-
“Do you want to move your stuff in here?” Beca asked, one morning.
Summer had definitely arrived by now, and the fan half heartedly sent air to make Chloe’s hair flicker. It was distracting.
Chloe was always distracting, Beca found.
“Beca?” Chloe looked up at her from her e-reader, studying Beca’s face.
Beca knew how nervous she probably looked. But held Chloe’s gaze. Ignored the urge to walk it back.
“I mean, you’re in here almost every night now. Other night, I couldn’t sleep, and I think… I know… It’s because you weren’t here. And that surprises me, because before you… You know I’ve slept with people before, right?”
“In the sex sense? Yes, Beca, I know that.” Chloe was amused, but Beca knew there was no malice.
“Yeah, sorry, just for context, because before you that’s the only time I’d really share a bed with someone - so usually I can never fall asleep after… That, if she’s still in the bed. Her presence, breathing, whatever. It distracts me, I can’t sleep, I start worrying..” Beca shrugged. “And that’s never been an issue with you.” She met Chloe’s eyes again. And saw nothing but trust staring back. “Not once. I feel comfortable. And now - now I find it harder to sleep when you’re not there. And, selfishly, I want you here. Every night If you want.”
Chloe nodded. Smiled.
“See, usually people don’t want me there. After sex. I’m too clingy, or they think I’m making it too serious right away. I’m not, I just like to cuddle - I’m not stupid, you know?”
“I’ve never thought you were stupid.”
“I know, Beca,” Chloe said, with warmth. “But sometimes people think I am, probably because I’m so darn sunny. But I’m not. I know when something is just a hookup. But people will think that, or find me annoying.”
Chloe breathed. “And I know this isn’t sex… But it’s the same for me.” Chloe rolled over, touching Beca’s shoulder. “You’ve never made me feel unwanted here. The opposite, really. Like someone finally wants me here. Because I’m me.”
Beca nodded, felt such gratitude. Eventually, she spoke. “We’re kind of doing this in a strange order, huh?”
“Doing what?” And Beca could tell. She knew Chloe knew what Beca meant. But wanted Beca to say it.
That was probably wise.
“Me asking you to move in, ‘cause I’m in love with you.” Beca said, and finally captured Chloe’s lips in a kiss.
They stayed there, kissing, for a while, until finally, they broke away gently.
“Finally…” Chloe murmured.
“You - you wanted that, too then, huh?” And if Beca sounded a little cocky, well… She had noticed how much Chloe was kissing back.
“Mmm. I didn’t want to push you though. But for the record…” Chloe rested her hand on the small of Beca’s back. “I’m very much in love with you too.”
“Like I’m some… faun in the woods, you don’t want to scare off?”
“Exactly.”
They laughed, kissed again, and Beca felt a familiar and new warmth when she felt Chloe’s teeth graze her lips.
-
Chloe didn’t have much to move, in terms of mass - but she did like her trinkets.
After they’d moved the last things, Stacie nodded.
“You gonna miss me?”
“Maybe a bit,” Chloe agreed, “But I’m like, the floor above. I’ll see you around.”
“Still…. Don’t know how you’ll cope without me.”
Beca rolled her eyes, all fondness. “You two really like hamming it up.”
“Just saying goodbye to my Chloe. Well… Your Chloe now. Nice hickey.”
“She’s her Chloe.”
“And now I see who the sub is.”
Well. That’s a fun idea.
“Be nice, Stacie. You’ve got this room to yourself, be grateful.”
“I do, I am. And I am going to enjoy it.” She patted Chloe on the head. “Thank you for giving me the space to jerk off again without waiting to be alone.”
“Oh, like that would ever stop you,” Beca grinned, and Chloe was laughing, and Stacie looked proud.
-
“They had a bet on, you know? The other Bellas think they’re so subtle,” Chloe murmured into Beca’s neck.
They were in bed - their bed now, for a couple weeks. Beca had found Chloe really liked her neck. She wasn’t complaining.
“Is this why Stacie asked me if we were…”
“Probably. I told them we were sleeping together.”
Beca blinked. “What?”
“That we were getting 8 hours of lovely sleep a night, and I didn’t know what else they could mean.”
Beca grinned. “Chloe Beale, you devious minx.” Her hands were on Chloe’s waist, brushing across her ass, above the sleep shorts that had started to feel much more inconvenient lately.
“Shame though. If the bet was for us having sex, they’ll feel way too vindicated.”
Beca gasped, as teeth nipped at her collar. Squeezed Chloe’s ass. “Well… we could always not?”
They looked at each other, grinned, laughed, and Chloe started kissing down Beca’s chest until the laughs turned into an altogether new noise.
-
Once they’d finished panting, but still tangled together, the duvet thrown away, Beca tracing circles on Chloe’s hip and gently squeezing her ass, her face still flushed - Chloe rested her cheek on her palm.
Admired the curve of Beca’s chest for a moment, then spoke.
“Beca?”
“Yeah?”
“Does this mean I can sleep naked sometimes?” She asked, the picture of innocence.
Beca blushed, but was grinning.
“Good to know I can still get that reaction.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Beca said, and kissed her.