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Uncomfortably, Beca leans her head on the warm shoulder next to her, just almost nuzzling herself into the soft freckled neck. Not that Chloe would mind, she'd probably encourage it. The seat booked next to her holds an equally exhausted redhead, looking straight at the back of her seat because trying to do anything is too hard.
The greyhound they booked is small, packed, and loud with annoying fussy kids. Only supposed to take eighteen hours, which didn’t seem bad when booking a month ago, but now it was the worst thing to wish upon anybody. They were trying to save as much money as possible after leaving Barden for future plans, Beca stayed with her dad a few months after graduation. Tying up lose ends, and then flew to her moms house in Seattle to pack up her old room. Chloe went down to Florida to see her parents and extended family at their vacation home, then back to Oregon to do the same.
Neither felt like it was best to dip back into their saving funds more than already had, but instead of driving the distance — which might've been a better idea now that Beca remembers that option — Chloe had convinced Beca to ride with her on a bus. Beca said yes, because it wouldn’t hurt to save a few hundred and one Google search said how fast it would be.
They're about to hit half way through the sixteenth hour mark, forty five minutes left and they’ll be in safe New York. One of the longest seventeen hours of her life.
Chloe grumbles, twisting her body then leaning her head into Beca and she lets out a sigh.
Beca usually is opposed to physical contact from anybody, hides behind raised shoulders and awkward smiles. Just a little less with Chloe. Who slithered her way between the barricades and high walls and pushed through the heavy alarm system Beca had created to protect herself. She feels herself reach for Chloe without thought whenever she’s close, and by reciprocating Chloe’s need for touch, it seemingly strengthens their friendship that that much more. Chloe's smile is wider and her happiness transcends but it also sometimes makes things awkward.
Beca is an awkward person by nature, and her attempt at figuring out her issues so many years later without a real direction has not been as easy as she'd think. Lingering hugs and stares and smiles on different people are enough to make her heart race, Chloe is a whole other subject in that matter. She makes Beca’s heart feel like it’s going to burst, like she’s overly nervous and excited by the act of Chloe grazing her arm or a polite cheek kiss. (Sometimes she is)
But she chalks those feelings up to getting the hang of physical touch.
The music playing in one of her ears stops, and she mumbles a groan. Squinting her eyes at her iPod, she sees nothing wrong with it. Changing the playlist to an older one Chloe had made, she pressed play and it immediately shows her what is wrong. The music begins to loudly leak out, the headphone that was attached has been tugged out due to all the movement. She pauses it quickly, and hears Chloe chuckle sleepily.
“Not funny.” She mutters, and Chloe giggles a little more.
“Little funny.” She says, nuzzling herself more into her hair to get comfortable.
Beca rolls her eyes, shoving the jack back in, and putting them back in her ears. The cheap buds are not leaks proof and are just loud enough that Chloe can hear the intro of Born to Die pick up and she lets out a happy hum.
It takes another hour and a half before they are off the train with their bags in hand, looking for a taxi that isn’t up charging due to the New Year's Eve holiday. Which isn’t possible, everything is over a hundred just to get into Queens.
Chloe flags down the smallest cab she can see, throwing everything into the trunk while Beca settles into the back seat telling the driver where they’re going. Checking her phone to see if any plans have updated from yesterday night.
One of Beca's friend slash coworkers moved up to New York earlier in the year when she was given the recording deal at a lesser known label. She had told the smaller Dee-jay if she ever needed a place to crash that the doors would be wide open.
Beca had forgotten about their talk until a month ago. When Chloe found an apartment for them to share and Beca saw they would get the keys the day after New years and just suggested that they go for New years Eve. A fun trip and nice way to ease into the city with someone who knew their way around it.
The door opens on the other side of the cab and Chloe slips in with her backpack.
“All good?” Beca asks, and the cab takes off.
Chloe nods, and sighs. “Going to Nat’s?”
“Yep, she pulled out an extra bed for us and I'm so excited to get in it.” Beca closes her eyes and smiles at the thought of this entire trek being over and getting tucked into a warm bed in a nice warm apartment.
“God me too.” Chloe's voice is more a breathy moan, dropping her head back against the seat. “We can’t sleep too long, though.”
“The party isn’t too far, I can sleep for a bit.” Beca mumbles off a reply, the ache in her bones already starting to settle from how she had been sitting for almost twenty hours. She turns her neck, attempting to move it in a circle and whines at the pain that shoots through her. She reaches to hold onto the spot, slowly settling into her seat.
Chloe gives her an amused smile “Have an alarm or something set because-”
Beca cuts her off. “That was one time, I didn’t mean to oversleep.”
“Not just trying to ignore everyone and not drink?” And while she really didn’t mean to oversleep that time the Bella’s jumped the fence into the trebles yard and stole all their booze. She felt ten times better waking up to go to class compared to everyone else who did drink the night before and could barely leave their rooms.
“Actually I was trying to save myself a hangover, maybe I’ll skip tonight too.” Beca happily grins, and Chloe lets out a dramatized sad sound.
“No, Beca.” She whines, pouting. “You can’t skip I won’t know anybody. You can’t just leave me to fend for myself.”
“Then stay in bed with me,” Beca replies without thought, eyes out the window. Chloe snorts, and she turns her head to see her smirking. “Not like that, oh my god.”
“Seems like you were eager for it a second ago Bec’s.” Beca swallows, watching Chloe turn toward her with the grin only growing more salacious. “I wouldn’t mind spending new years tangled in the sheets.” She husks, then giggles when Beca’s face turns a bright shade of red.
“Uh—” Beca fails to reply under the guise of pondering over Chloe’s comment. She’s tongue tied but would never admit that. “No uh, we’ll go to the stupid party.”
Natalie’s apartment isn’t horrible, it’s a studio that’s oddly big for the area and it’s toasty warm. Natalie herself, with dyed platinum hair over black and the same dark alternative style as Beca wears, looks the exact same as she was six months ago when they last saw each other. She gives her a smile as the two walk in and sideways hugs her while giving her a noogie. “Beca!!”
Beca shoves her back with a shocked squeal, a glare stuck to her face as she pushes past her. Natalie laughs, and turns to shake hands with Chloe. “Nice to meet you.”
Chloe smiles replying with a “Likewise.”
“Your bed is over there, I got as many extra blankets as I could find and the top two are new ones so you can take them over to your new apartment. House warming gift kind of.” Natalie says, pointing toward queen sized blow up mattress in the middle of the living room.
“Aw thank you, that’s very sweet of you.” Chloe says with a smiles, setting her suitcase on the floor of the living room. “Thanks for letting us stay here for the night.”
“Yeah, thanks Nat.” Beca grumbles, dropping herself onto the mattress with a heavy sigh. She feels warm hands rub up and down her back, and tries to not to make a noise at the way it makes her sink harder into the mattress.
“Ignore her, she’s just grumpy from the ride.” Chloe attempts to make an excuse for her poor people skills, and Natalie just laughs.
“I’ve seen her way worse moods, don’t worry.” Natalie chuckles, moving to sit on the couch next to the bed.
Chloe also laughs and Beca lets out a groan pushing her head up to turn back and glare at Natalie. “Like you’re one to talk.”
Natalie sticks her tongue out at her, turning toward Chloe. “So Chloe, how was the ride?” she asks, “I’m not a big greyhound fan after I went to Canada on one of those things and threw up for two days after.” She plops onto the couch near the bed, leaning back against the cushions.
“That’s cause of the food you ate, not the bus.” Beca intercepts, but is fully ignored.
Chloe lets out a tired sigh. “It was okay, a crying baby on board the entire way but we got some sleep, or I did at least. Beca was on her computer most of the ride.” She nudges the brunette, and Beca shrugs.
“I was finishing up a mix for tonight.” Beca mumbles.
She had spent a good few days on that mix, nervously twiddling with her thumbs while trying to finish it and re listening with every new cut. There were going to be a lot of other di-jays and producers at this thing, and she wants to stand out.
“I thought you said you finished that a week ago? Natalie asks, suddenly confused by the news because Beca had said it was done last week, the drive ready and tapped up.
Beca shrugs again, sitting up to look through her bag and pull the drive out. “Eh, thought so but it needed to be tweaked just a little.”
Natalie takes the drive and slips it into her pocket. “Well whatever you made, people are going to like it. If anything I can get them to play it later when everyone is drunk and not paying attention.”
“Works for me.” Beca mumbles, dropping her head into the pillow.
Chloe gives Natalie a sympathetic smile at her attempt to socialize with the brunette, but Natalie just shrugs her shoulders. “You guys get some rest, we are going to be up all night long.”
“Woo.” Chloe cheers softly, moving into the bed beside Beca and moving under the sheets. Beca drops her head against the redheads shoulder without thought, leaning into her.
It’s a pattern the two of them fall into at close proximity. Like magnets. Chloe’s hand comes up to play with her hair, running her fingers through it aimlessly. The apartment around them settles with the quiet, one Beca is very thankful for. Ignoring the sounds of Natalie stomping around grabbing extremities to go out.
“Back feeling better?”
Beca hums. “Better than I was, yeah.”
Natalie steps out of the bathroom, back turned to them as she grabs her keys off the rack near the door. “Oh one more thing, before you guys come over, can you grab champagne? There's a liquor store around the corner, thanks!” She yells, walking out without a look and the door shuts loudly behind her.
Beca groans, shoving her face into Chloe’s collar then dropping into the pillow. “Cheap ass.”
Chloe gently hits her shoulder and Beca makes a grunting noise. “It will be a way for us to explore the city.”
“By walking outside and going around the corner?”
Chloe nods enthusiastically, and Beca wants to roll her eyes but instead. “‘Kay, sure whatever you say.”
Chloe smiles and hums happily. With that Beca closes her eyes and succumbs to sleep. The warmth of Chloe can always be a bit too much, and with all the blankets on top of her she fades in and out on consciousness in the form of shedding. Throwing off blankets or clothes until she’s cold enough to calm herself down again.
It follows that pattern for what Beca thinks is three hours, Chloe alarm goes and it isn’t immediately shut off like usual. Beca grumbles, smacking the phone off and rubbing her face into the pillow. The pillow just so happens to be extremely warm and smells just like Chloe.
“Mm, hi Beca.”
Beca blinks her eyes open, seeing her pillow was actually the side of Chloe’s boob and not the sad excuse for foam under her. Not the first time, probably wont be the last. She quickly changes positions, and the pillow is a lot cooler against her bright red cheeks.
She shivers just a bit, seeing the mountain of blankets no longer on top of her, but atop of Chloe. Her side of the bed is a single small sheet, and bare legs. Beca sits herself up, and catches the pants she had discarded a few feet away.
Chloe yawns, smacking her lips together a few times. “We gotta get ready.”
“Do you have a shirt I can borrow? I don’t remember what I packed but I know it’s nothing sexy.”
“Just wear some kinda tank top you have, those are sexy.” Chloe says, sitting up.
Beca rolls her eyes, pushing the sheets away and moving toward her bag. “Not really, not here.”
“Is there a different kind of sexy in New York?”
“Definitely, and it’s not Georgia sexy.” she rebuttals.
“I thought you came from Seattle?” Chloe questions.
Beca gives her an eyebrow raise, not really sure what she is getting at. “Maybe you should go full freshman Beca tonight, that’s sexy.”
Beca laughs, ignoring the way her cheeks pink. “Yeah sure, and why don’t you wear that dress from when we first met.”
“I think I gave that away.” Chloe pauses. “No, I’m like ninety percent sure I did after that year ended.”
“Not in Chloe style anymore?”
Chloe hits her with her own pillow, and Beca shrieks, then laughs. Chloe hits her again, before sitting up. “That's what you get.”
“What did I do?” Beca can’t hold back her laugh, squealing as she tries to get away.
"Make fun of my wardrobe.”
“I just asked for clothes from your wardrobe why would I make fun of them?”
Chloe dramatically huffs. “Just take that see through tank top and throw on a dark bra under it.”
Beca scrunches her face in disgust. “Really?” She throws a park of mini jean shorts out of her suitcase, “Do you think that would look okay?”
“I think so.” Chloe says, throwing her the see through top.
“Well you’re kind of a perv.” She mutters and Chloe’s grin.
Beca lays out the shirt so the small wrinkles can hopefully disappear by the time they need to leave. She moves her makeup bag into the small bathroom, attempting that first. Chloe is the complete opposite, searching for the dress she had packed but can no longer find.
"Did I put it in your bag?” Chloe yells, and a crash echoes.
“I don’t know!” Beca turns her head, forgetting proximity of the eyeliner in her hand. “Shit,” She licks her finger and attempt to rub it off.
“Found it!” Chloe prances into the bathroom, dropping her own makeup bag down and two pink shot glasses. “It was at the bottom of your bag, I’m not sure why. Also pregame shots. ”
“Great.” Beca mutters, licking another finger and aggressively scrubbing the spot on her cheek. “Can you hang me the makeup remover?”
Chloe doesn’t reply, but she hears the movements of her hands. A crash, a bag opening. “Here.” Warm fingers grip around her chin, holding it while Chloe wipes the smudge away. Grabbing the blush brush to even out the skin. “You’re good.”
“Thanks,” Beca smiles, turning her head only then to see how close they stood. Chloe smiled back, eyes following the shape of her head.
“Are you trying to bring back freshman Beca?”
Beca gives her a glare, then turns back to finish her eyeliner. “No, I’m just doing darker makeup. It goes with the outfit.”
Chloe hums, looking down at Beca’s makeup bag. It’s a small bag she had been handed down from her mom only so many years ago, faux teal and black cracking leather. Chloe’s is a bright pink zip up, that has two compartments and is always a pound heavier than it should be. Beca doesn't know why, she has perfect skin all the time. It’s almost annoying.
The makeup just gives her skin a clearer, dewy affect and makes her eyes pop. Which she can’t be mad about because Chloe’s eyes are very pretty. Even if saddening when the foundation covers the freckles she knows are sprinkled across her cheekbones.
Chloe holds her glass up in the mirror. “Drink before it gets warm.”
Beca wants to roll her eyes because she feels nothing but cold still standing in a bra and mini shorts. She takes the glass, and clinks it against Chloe’s before downing it.
She wasn't sure what the expect, not truly knowing what Chloe would pick but her face crumbled quickly. “God that's horrible.”
Chloe lets out a heavy breath, shaking her head. “My eyes watered.”
Beca laughs but when she looks back at the mirror. Chloe’s eyes haven't yet to leave her own and Beca raises an eyebrow. Telling her to speak up.
“Can you do some on me? When you’re finished.” Chloe’s eyes are wide with hope. Shinning with it. She really can’t say no to Chloe, never has been able to.
But Beca tries. “Uh… do we have time?”
Chloe takes that are a yes, and she nods quickly.
Beca sighs. “Yeah, let me finish this.”
Chloe nods again, plopping down on the closed toilet seat. Beca finishes adding silver glitter to the sides of her cheekbones and top off her eyelid. Grabbing her eyeshadow palette, and Chloe’s mascara she sets them against the counter. Beca bites back a smile when she sees Chloe already primed her eyes like she had taught her.
She begins add a dark brown over the crease of her eye, gently rubbing it until it's blended.
“How dark do you want it?” Beca asks, lightly dabbing the brush in the black eyeshadow to gracefully run over the eyelid.
Chloe shrugs. “Whatever you wanna do.”
Beca goes over the lid once, blending the color then adding a shimmery black glitter over it to make sure nothing was left unfinished. She grabs a smaller brush, making sure not to add too much on before going under her eye just to fade into the cat eye.
“Blink.”
Chloe eyes flutter open, and bright blue eyes are staring directly at her. Darkness surrounding them like galaxies in space. The usual smile on her face is meek, and she blinks a few times before Beca can even think of what she was going to say next. “Do I look okay?”
Beca coughs around her words, stepping back. “Oh yeah, um. See for yourself.”
Chloe bounces up, gleaming into the mirror. “This looks so good Bec!” She’s grinning wide, “You’re so good at this.”
Beca just shrugs. “I know.”
She rolls her eyes affectionately then, flicking Beca’s nose before leaving the room. Beca yelps. “Dude!”
“Take a compliment Beca!”
Beca grumbles. “I take compliments, you’re just weird.”
“Heard that!”
“No you didn't… what did I say?”
“Something rude!”
Beca rolls her eyes, walking into the bigger space one again to see Chloe sitting beside a mirror sat against the wall and brushing out her hair.
Chloe’s hair is like model hair, shiny and strawberry blonde and absolutely gorgeous. She has lived with Chloe for so long, has seen her intensive hair care to know she deeply cares for it.
“Almost ready?” Beca asks, putting the see through tank on. It shows a hefty amount of cleavage, way more than it had for Chloe and she isn’t sure how much she likes that.
“Yep,” Chloe turns, and her eyes immediately fall. Not that Beca noticed, still attempting to fix that problem. Not only trying make sure the boobs don’t fall out of the bra, but the top it’s self, and she’s not sure if there are any bigger sized bras packed because that’s not a thing she owns.
“I don’t know if I can allow you to go out like that.” Chloe says, voice low.
Beca lets out a small laugh, a breath of hair through her nose as she tries to reposition what sits in her hands. “Yeah? I don’t think I can either.”
Chloe suddenly appears in front of her and Beca feels her cheeks flush at the closeness of her and where her hands start moving. The first thought that comes to her mind is how cold they are, and how the touch makes her shiver. Second is asking why Chloe is doing this after saying what she did.
Chloe pulls them up, accentuating the fullness of them and then pulling the strap of the bra up to even them out. Making them spill over more than they were. Beca laughs nervously. “I think I’m going to pop a nipple.”
“You might pop other people nipples too.”
“How does that make sense?”
Chloe raises her eyebrows at her, waiting for her to put together what she's trying to say. But the frown line in between Becas forehead just gets bigger. “Like when you get horny your nipples get hard, like a boner— or whatever. Let’s go get drinks.”
“What the fuck? I don't think anyone is gonna have a boob boner over me.”
“Maybe I will.”
Beca’s face twists in disgust. “Have it in here then, not outside.”
Chloe rolls her eyes, grabbing Becas hand and dragging her toward the door. The liquor store is not around the corner like Natalie had said and a quick look at maps tells them that its four blocks away in the opposite direction.
Thankfully Beca had grabbed her leather coat before walking out, seeing that it was in just about to hit negatives. Arms wrapped around herself, legs basically frozen. Chloe on the other hand, had not. Her teeth chattering so loud it sounded like they were going to split in half.
Beca debated freezing to death or watching Chloe freeze to death and shrugged off her coat. She grabbed Chloe’s hand and slipping her arm through the sleeve before wrapping the other half around her to move into herself. Chloe tried to pull back, telling her that she didn’t need the coat. “Just be quiet and take the jacket Chlo.”
“Then you’ll be cold.” Chloe frowns, arms already wrapped around the usually oversized jacket. It fits perfectly on her and Beca is just happy the chattering has stopped.
“We’re like right here. Let’s just get the shit and get out.” The liquor store is not cheap enough for the horrible selection. All out of the good champagne, which shouldn't be possible. Chloe stands beside the heater warming herself up and Beca grabs what she can find. Paying before Chloe can hear the ding of her card.
“What did you get?” Chloe peeks open the bag and her face falls. “Beca.”
The door slams shut behind them. “It’s all they had! It’s like a convenient liquor store in there.”
Chloe’s face is pinched. “You got nasty rosé?”
Beca scoffs. “If you wanted something you should’ve picked it out.”
“I was cold!”
“I am cold!”
Chloe huffs. “Whatever. There will be better drinks there anyways.”
“We can only hope unless everyone came to the same stupid liquor store.” Beca grumbles. “Give me my jacket back you're finally warm.”
Chloe pouts. “Then I'll be cold again.”
“Yeah but we’re at the apartment in like seven minutes.”
Chloe pauses like she’s thinking and maybe she is. A sly smile creeping onto her face. “What about a compromise?”
Beca turns her head in confusion watching Chloe’s arms moving open wide like she’s waiting for a hug. It reminds her of a PSA video she had watched as a kid to beware of kidnappings. “Step in.”
She raises an eyebrow, looking at Chloe. “You're serious?”
Chloe pulls her under the jacket without another word, wrapping an arm around her. “You're such a baby.” Beca tries to squirm, even pretending to get out of the chokehold Chloe locks her in but to no avail.
Finding the party apartment location is easier than the shitty liquor store, the front door of the complex propped open. They giggle up the steps of the apartment, recognizing out the difference from Natalie’s. Peeling paint dark red paint compared to chipping eggshell on the walls. The stairs covered in falling apart carpet.
It takes them a good five flights before finally making it toward the top what Beca guesses is the roof. She lets Chloe open the door, the music they heard muffled is now clear and loud.
A packed roof with people she didn’t know at all, it made her slightly nervous. Her eyes scan the crowd, following Chloe’s movements inward. They put down the bag of drinks at a table already full of them. Chloe moves toward the cooler, turning back to hand Beca a beer before grabbing her own drink.
“This is cool.” Chloe’s voice whistles with the wind in her ear. “Does this count as our first New York party?”
“Mhm.” Beca nods, biting back a smile when she sees Chloe beam out of the corner of her eye. She sips on the beer, wincing at how cold it is hitting the back of her throat. Backing herself up, she leans against Chloe for that warmth she had earlier.
Chloe happily wraps her arm around Beca’s waist. “We’re so cool.”
Beca laughs. “Are we?”
She nods, “Oh absolutely.” Her head leaning back while she takes a drink and Beca watches as her throat bobs with liquid going down before looking away. “Mainly you, we’re at a party with other musicians, and you’re going to become a co-producer!”
It’s a weird thing to wrap her head around, getting the dream job she’s had been wanting , and it be supported so heavily. Beca’s cheek ting red, and she lets out a chuckle. “You're cool too, like four time A Capella champion.”
“I know.” Chloe throws her head back so her hair can flow in the wind, such a Chloe thing to do and Beca bites down the laugh she wants to let free.
“Beca!” Natalie appears out of no where, moving between people, grabbing Becas arm to pull her back. “I have to introduce you to people, follow me.”
Beca looks back at Chloe, who seems hesitant to follow. Beca signals her forward, face pinched in a way of desperation. She cannot talk to people alone, no matter who they are. Chloe obliges, grabbing into her hand and following through the crowd.
“This is Beca, the girl I've told you about.” Beca looks up at two woman, both nursing drinks and sharing a small plate of grapes. The taller of the two is the one Natalie pointed toward, with shoulder length brunette hair leans against the end of the balcony. With a blonde attached to her side. Natalie says they work in the same studio as her, and are annoyingly in love. “She and Chloe just moved here from Georgia. This is Lauren and Jodie.”
“Are you also joining Universal?” Lauren asks, some kind of a British accent following along the words. Chloe would know.
“No uh, I'm with Residual Heat. They just moved me up to a co-producer on a new album I think.” Beca rubs the back of her neck, feeling Chloe squeeze her hand. “Which is super exciting, and Chloe is going into Vet school.”
“Waiting to be accepted.” Chloe adds with a smile, sipping my her drink.
Lauren turns confusion on her face toward Natalie. “You said you guys met because you worked at the same studio?”
Natalie smirks like she has been waiting to tell this story for years. She probably has. “Well, we did meet again at the record label in Georgia when I took a job there for a week. Officially we met when we were like fifteen over socials.”
Chloe looks pickled at that, eyeing Beca. “Beca doesn’t use socials like, at all?”
She lets out an amused giggle and Beca swears she’s dragging it out on purpose. “Not anymore, but around ten years ago I found her under a alternative music blog on MySpace.”
“Okay, Nat that is enough.” Beca starts to interrupt, knowing where this was going to lead. But Natalie shushes her, and Chloe has a facial expression she can’t read but looks like amusement, eyeing shifting back and forth between the two. Beca completely avoids the other two woman, hoping they just disappear.
“She was all moody and talking about her new haircut so I replied with something about her bangs or whatever, and she friended me back almost immediately to talk about the new Paramore album I had on my account at the time because all her friends wouldn’t listen to it because ‘it wasn’t emo so why listen’ or something, and the rest is history.” Natalie sighs, giggling to herself. “I have a picture of a few of her old posts.”
Beca steps toward her quickly, reaching for the device in her hand. “Oh absolutely not,”
Natalie pulls her phone back, hiding it from Beca’s prying hands, “Let your lady see some old pictures of you, I doubt she’s seen many.” She pouts.
Beca scoffs, standing in front of Natalie with crossed arms. “My lady— absolutely not, no those need to be burned, like right now.”
“I don’t know… I think everyone would love to see them.” Natalie smirks, flipping the phone around and Chloe seems to appear right behind her. “And everyone’s right here, no better time.”
“NO! NO WAY!” Beca reaches for it, but Natalie stands too tall, and Chloe— Chloe has already seen one, and two and a few. “Natalie, oh my god.” The two other one also get a peak before Natalie gives her grace and tells Chloe she’ll send her some later. Which Beca entirely denies the ability of that happening.
“You're such an ass.” Beca mutters, and Natalie just smiles. All peachy. Chloe has a permanent smile on her face from whatever see saw.
“So, when did you two get together?” Jodie asks.
Beca raises her eyebrows and Chloe lets out a awkward laugh. “Us? Oh we’re not… together.”
“Yeah.” Beca adds, giving an awkward smile.
“Oh sorry, you guys just seem really… natural together. How long have you guys been friends for?” Jodie chuckles awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck, and Lauren nurses the drink beside her giving them both an eyebrow raise.
Beca thinks it’s kind of awkward to ask that after asking if they were a couple but Chloe takes it with stride. “We met in University at Clubs day, kind of. I ran the A Capella group and Beca happened to walk by.”
“Which I denied to be apart of, but that didn’t stop her.” Beca feigns annoyance, and Chloe laughs nudging her shoulder
“We officially met because she was singing in the shower and I overhead it and joined in.” Chloe says it’s like it’s the most normal thing in the world, letting out a delighted sigh. “And it was.”
“Super pervy. You could’ve sang from your own stall.” Beca mutters.
“I had to make sure it was you, like I thought and to convince you to join us. One way or another.” Her eyes fall down toward Becas cleavage, just quick enough Beca feels like it's only her who sees it.
Chloe grins like she is winning a game that nobody else knows about. Cheeks flushed pink rocking side to side in place. The first thought that comes to mind is how cunning she is. How beautiful the glow of the lights around them make her, and brighten up her face.
In that moment she feels like Chloe has been playing with her, their usual banter making her warm under the collar for something so simple. Beca falls back out conversation, the words flowing beyond her comprehension as the feeling of Chloe’s arm around her waist sticks. Heavy and like it's always been. Maybe different in this moment.
Jodie is sweet, a talker. About her job and family and Lauren. Lauren is reserved but open when she wants to be. Dipping her toes in to talk when music is brought up. Natalie continues to talk about projects and such, and Chloe hums along.
The beer in her hand is slippery and cold, the thirst she cannot help but feel from worry rises in her throat. Bile she can't swallow.
She excuses herself for another beer when she runs into someone who did used to work at Residual heat. Dragging them back over to talk with Natalie. Not before grabbing what she wants at the drink table.
Pushing an extra drink into Chloe’s hand, Chloe gives her a knowing smile. A sign of acknowledgement for her knowing of Chloe’s gestures when her can starts to empty.
The throngs of people around them start to get rowdy. Excitement of the New Year edging upon people like school children on the last day of primary.
A small television screen sits high enough on a old table they can see it. The ball dropping and the sound of fireworks crackling. An echoing sound like never before. It sparks something in everyone, one second she sees Chloe the next. She’s gone. Natalie appearing in her vision and a kiss on her lips. Quick, slightly shocking but not.
Glasses clink loudly and the clips of couples kissing appear on screen. Seconds later she's invaded by Chloe. The scent of her perfume and the warmth of her body surrounding her own. She slots her head into the angel kissed neck, allowing herself to take in everything.
Not looking directly at Chloe, worried that the chocked up feeling from earlier will appear again.
“Happy New Years Bec’s!” Chloe voice is high pitched, she can hear the smile encasing it.
Beca doesn’t stop the grin. “Happy New years, Chlo.”
The sky above them sparkles with colors of all sorts, lighting up the roof. Chloe points toward the biggest one, smiling so wide a picture would've be able to capture it. Beca hopes her mind will be able to hold it, pushing it to the forefront every chance it can.
“Cold?” Chloe asks, and Beca shrugs. Her arms permanently goose-skinned.
“Kinda. Only if you’re not cold.”
Chloe lets out a small chuckle, wrapping the jacket around Beca. Letting out a low whistle, she says. “Looking good captain.”
Beca bites down her grin. “Shut up.”
The last firework burst through the sky, colors of pink and blue and yellow fill up the darkness with a new array of temporary stars. Shooting stars that you cannot wish on. But Beca would if she could, maybe it would help her out now when she needs it the most.
Natalie excuses herself to talk to other people and Beca finds herself sitting against the wall close enough to where their first conversation was held. Chloe chatting with a random person.
She feels herself on the tipsier side of things, sipping on Chloe’s drink and her third beer. A disgusting mix she doesn’t want to deal with coming up later but just might. She chews on a few grapes vines Chloe found and kept, handing them to Beca. Not sure how lucky they are after the New Years celebration has ended.
Swaying to the music surrounding them she leans into Chloe who has been doing the same. Beca slots herself against her chest, tanned legs surrounding her own as she moves against her.
Chloe’s hand finds her hip, squeezing it gently and Beca leans her head against the shoulder behind. It sensual, just for a second that is the only word her brain can conjure up to describe how she feels. The base is low, the beat is slow and she feels herself just melt more and more into Chloe.
Like Chloe can read her mind she pulls her closer, letting her hips dictate the pace. Beca feels her stomach roll, small sparkles of warmth tingling against her when Chloe slots her leg between her own.
Beca feels Chloe’s breath fanning against her cheek. “You’ve gotten better at this.”
“I have an amazing teacher.” She says, and Chloe lets out a laugh.
“Stacie or me?”
Beca backs herself little more into Chloe’s pelvis and rolls her hips. A cant into Chloe’s leg, with quick recovery. It makes Chloe let out a quiet squeak in shock, not expecting anything like that. That shock is quickly replaces when Chloe moves her hips into Beca’s behind, hands holding both of her sides now flushed against her. Slow rolls forward before Beca can follow along to what she’s doing.
They were not swaying anymore, and Beca was starting to feel the affects of the alcohol hit hard. Trying to not push herself down against Chloe any more than she is forced to.
Chloe’s hands grip harder, thumbs pressing into her hips. “We’re you doing that with Stacie?” She asks.
“More like Stacie was doing it to me.” Beca mutters, unable to catch a read on the tone of Chloe’s words. “Against my will.”
Chloe's laugh hits her cheek. It’s not forced, but the huff is harder than usual. Like it’s the safest way to react. Beca echoes it, hips faltering when she over thinks the rhythm too much and moves too quickly.
That time Chloe actually does giggle, moving her hips even slower into her before they’re back on the same track. It feels as if everyone else has disappeared. Leaving them to be alone with each other. Chloe smells distantly like Jessica’s detergent, her shirt has the slightest smell of Fat Amy.
She could live in this bubble of them forever.
But the song begins to fade, slow and end. Another one begins. Just like that their bubble has popped. To keep the rhythm they’d either have to speed up and Beca doesn’t think she can handle any more of Chloe rubbing against her. Her cheeks are already pink enough.
Beca stops the movements, bringing everything to a halt to grab her drink off the side wall. A needed refreshments to keep her from overheating even if that's is the most unlikely thing to happen.
“Ready to pack it in for the night?” Chloe asks, rather quickly her cheek a bright red color. Probably from the cold.
“At least out here, yeah.”
They slink out the same way they walked in, and Chloe giggled as she grabbed a bottle of unopened champagne from the drink table. Running past Beca down the steps to outrun the imaginary person coming after them.
Back at the flat a few people seemed to appear, a very small party that seemed to also consist of everyone staying the night or grabbing stuff to spend the night somewhere else. Natalie’s hair shinning in the crowd but occupied. Beca doesn't recognize any of them, totally fine with her.
Chloe pops the champagne open, and the people near them turn to see at the loud cheers they both exclaim. Beca thinks it's stupidly funny, reaching into Natalie shelf to grab a champagne glass and spin the liquors around. Creating a bubbly whirl pool in the shooter.
“This is divine.” Beca says, putting on a horrible posh British accent. “Life changing don’t you think?”
Chloe laughs, cackling hard and maybe gets a little Champagne up her nose. But she continues the act. “I think so dear,” Chloe starts, the accent much better than her own and a slight bit Russian? She then pauses, unable to stop laughing.
It tickles Beca, and she catches onto the laughing like a contagious disease. Giggling so hard it hurts.
They finish a fluke, and pour another without thought. The taste reminds her of the party that was thrown after the Bella’s had won Worlds. Stacie had sprayed champagne on everyone, soaking their outfits in a sticky liquid.
Chloe hadn't minded, placing a kiss against Becas cheek and tasting the drink off of the warm skin. If Beca could go back, maybe she would’ve done the same to Chloe. Not just her cheek but more, further down where the drink had been of more heavy weight. Where the sun shined against the fabric to create a dry smell of sweetness.
Beca shakes her head to avoid the thought, turning back to Chloe.
Chloe is usually very extroverted sober, and basically ‘Olaf’ from Frozen 1 when she’s drunk. Beca could never be that way in any altered state, but can get close enough after the sugar high just about hits.
She’s desperate to say at least a ‘Hi!’ to everyone in the room, dragging Beca with her as help. Beca only agrees because what else would she do? They met couples of people from all over, a few were still deep in college debt, some in the arts one way or another and a handful of people were just out of school and just here. Like them.
Chloe thought that was so exciting. “See, we aren’t the only newcomers.”
“I knew that,” Beca says, but she really didn’t. Thinking that this would be like moving schools where everyone knew each other and they were the odd ones out. Chloe knows that too, giving her a knowing look and she looks away to ignore it.
The music that was once at the party has transferred here too, the beat of the last song ending before the familiar words of song they know all too well start up under the beat of Pressure. Chloe turns to her, a grin on her face. “Was this yours?”
Beca just gives her a knowing smile, and Chloe laughs and shoves her. “I cannot believe you.”
“It’s like our thing, I couldn’t not put it in.” Beca smiles, grabbing Chloe’s hand and swaying them in an uncoordinated way to the music.
“It’s my lady jam.” Chloe seems to argue, Beca isn't completely sure why.
“That is still weird to say, doesn’t matter how much time has passed.”
Chloe smiles proudly, giggling when Beca spins her in a circle. “Well it brought me, you. So I’m happy.”
Beca breaks into a grin, letting Chloe twirls her around and pull her in like they’re in a romance movie. Chloe pushes her feet forward, standing closer as they sway and Beca settles with their knees just brushing. Letting the beat guide their motions.
She feels they sway more than normal, maybe because she is drunk on a mix of different things and Chloe’s hard seltzer induced sugar high keeps hitting like a kid with a drum stick. Lulling to sleep into her shoulder then giggling with excitement spanning just minutes apart. They look insane to anyone watching them, leaning against each other, dancing and giggling.
It’s is the start of something new and amazing and today is the first tick mark starting the domino affect.
The music dims after a bit, low lofi vibe that Beca likes nor dislikes. She watched people walk in and out, the small crowd dispersing. Beca sips on the peach hard seltzer Chloe finds, both of them sharing it. She was drunk, once drunk but the line between that and full on plastered is being blurred. Chloe seems to feel the same way, and she knows when that is the case she has had too much. That she’ll feel like shit moving in tomorrow.
At least they'll both feel like shit, not just Beca.
Beca is the first to plop back into their bed, the warmth of the sheets spreading around her legs and arms. The open window in the loft creating a riff of window that only flows through the living room where they’ll sleep.
Chloe whines at her kicking it in for the night, her words barely slurring together and a stumble as she turns on her heel. She doesn’t seem ready to drop in for the night, and Beca watches as she walks around for more entertainment. More of being other people’s entertainment but whatever works.
The blow up mattress is slowly losing air, Beca can feel it ever so slightly. Squishy compared to the last time she was on it. A thing she couldn't really care for at the exact moment. Natalie appears in her line of sight all of a sudden, stumbling as she sits down on the couch side next to her. She pats Becas, running her fingers over her hairline. “So glad you're here B.”
Beca smiles into the hand now moving over her face. “Me too Nat. You have a good place I like it here. It’s spacious.”
Natalie hiccups and laughs. “Yeah I get that a lot. Chloe is so sweet too, she really likes you.”
“Yeah.” Beca sighs happily. “I like her too. She's like the first person after you to really wanna be my friend.” Somehow moving past her asshole-ness like it was normal.
“I wouldn't compare her to us.”
“Why not?” Beca asks, befuddled.
Natalie lets out a chuckle, flicking her forehead. She moves to stand, falling back against the arm of the couch before fully catching her self. “You are so stupid.”
Beca turns to look at her, only to see she has already gone and is talking to someone else. She’s confused on what Natalie means, not comparing their friendship with hers with Chloe’s. Of course they’re not exactly the same, she wouldn’t exactly like Natalie cuddle up to her like Chloe. Not that Natalie would want to, they aren’t that touchy at all with one another. Natalie is prickly like her, and they bounce off of each other both wincing in pain. Compared to Chloe who pushed back and moved through the spikes to settle in between them.
She isn't sure she’d let Natalie manhandle her the way Chloe has, moving her boobs around in a top or slipping her hands into the sides of her pants to fix the handles of a thong that slipped too far down. Beca isn't actually sure she’d let anyone do that. Maybe only Chloe.
Though it’s not like she asks for it, Chloe sees and does what she wants. Their first time meeting is the epitome of that.
Who is she to deny Chloe what she wants? She’s gentle and kind and means well each and every time. The line that has been there since the beginning stays firm, but Beca finds herself pushing that line just a little bit each time Chloe does something new.
Beca doesn't really know what that means.
“Sleepy already?”
Speak of the devil. Chloe appears, standing in front of her with a curious smile on her face. Hair mused just a little bit, probably from throwing it out of her face.
“A little bit, I haven’t had a good sleep in forty-eight hours, it’s starting to catch up.”
Chloe giggles. “Oh I know, you just need to get on my level.”
Beca laughs, actually laughs and raises her eyebrows. Unable to fully see her properly from where she stands and how Beca is laying but she attempts to look directly at her. “And what level is that?”
Chloe leans down, lips grazing her ear ever slightly. Beca swallows harshly feeling the warmth of her breath, heavy with alcohol in a way that makes her gut twist. “I just stole a bunch of samoas cookies out of the cupboard.”
Beca raises her eyebrows, waiting for her to say more but Chloe doesn’t. She moves to sit on the edge of the bed Beca faces. A cookie still in one of her hands that she passes back to Beca. Beca chuckles, watching as she cookies is slowly pushed toward her then grabbing it. Their fingers brushing.
Beca loves the Girl Scout samoas because of Chloe. Chloe would grin watching the Girl Scouts walk from house to house, once being one of those little girls and would always buy a pile of different boxes each time. They're main stop each time they came to campus was the Bella’s door knowing they had a loyal customer in Chloe Beale.
Chloe leaned back, her head resting against Becas stomach and her cheek warm against the flimsy fabric of Beca’s borrowed shirt.
The world seems to still, Beca hesitantly raising her arm to run her hands through red curly hair. Her fingers pausing at the way they tangle in between fiery red locs, and removing themself from that path to start a new one. Chloe hums happily, sinking herself more into the soft fabric and blankets underneath her.
“It’s so comfy here.” Chloe mumbles.
Beca laughs and Chloe’s head moves with the stomach ripples making her giggle.
As the time rears two am, the people have moved onto a new place. The few have turned into another two besides them, Natalie holding a pillow. Already walking toward their bed to grab the other pillows thrown back onto the couch and setting them down nicely with extra blankets.
Beca thinks they’ll have to move, isn’t sure if she wants to or can move from the spot she has planted herself in. The couch pulls out and just skims the inflatable mattress. A sigh of relief, but it doesn’t come from her.
Her eyes look down, and see Chloe already looking at her. Beca’s thumb rubbing against the crown of her hair, turning her to mush. Bright blue eyes are droopy, eyelids heavy and her face is soft. Mouth open and probably drooling against her.
Beca sits up slowly. “Do you wanna get changed first?”
Chloe mumbles out a small groan. “I’m gonna sleep in this.”
Beca wants to roll her eyes. “Come with me.” She says, swaying as she stands, waiting out the dizziness that momentarily falls over her, she eyes her suitcase and grabs the first pair of sweat pants and shirt she can find. If Chloe isn’t changing, she will.
Into the small bathroom Chloe leans against the counter, squinting in the bright light. “Why is it so bright?”
Beca shrugs, dowsing a cotton swab in makeup remover to get every last bit of glitter off her cheeks. Careful to not irritate her skin. Chloe’s eyes droop, her hand tightening and grip loosening against the side of Becas hip.
It takes five swabs to fully remove everything from both of them, Chloe begins to mumble in annoyance of her legs tingling. Beca sheds off her top and bottoms to throw on sweatpants and a shirt.
Chloe’s eyes widen slightly in shock, and lazily she leans against the counter to watch. Letting out a low whistle, before spitting out the wad of toothpaste in her mouth. Beca rolls her eyes, pulling the top down over her boobs.
“You have really good boobs.” Chloe says. “Not in a weird way, but like a lingerie ad way or porno. I support sex workers though, I’m not making fun of you or them.”
“Thanks Chlo.” Beca moves toward the sink, brushing her teeth.
“I think I have like normal boobs, like average but not super crazy but also not like fashion boobs.”
Beca pauses, not sure if she really wants to continue this conversation. “What are fashion boobs?”
“When boobs are small enough you can wear tops and just the nipple pokes through or something like that.” Chloe waves her hand in the air, pausing to gargle mouth wash.“My boobs are cold.”
“So are mine.” Beca says. “Now we’re done with this conversation.”
Chloe lets out a laugh, smiling at her in the mirror. Beca gives her a small smile back, flips moving around her toothbrush. Her eyes shift to follow the pattern of freckles along her cheek and around her shoulders.
“You’re starting.” Chloe points out, and Beca doesn't pretend to act like she isn’t. She hums, and thinks that’s the only thing that alcohol really does to her.
It makes her more prone, sensitive, aware of Chloe’s body and the things about it. She wants to explore every little thing each divot and scar like taking a telescope to the stars. The parts Chloe doesn't share with everyone. To have just as much familiarity with Chloe that she has with her own body.
She only lets her eyes do that, never would she actually divulge into the want for such. Yearning but not. Chloe would happily let strip for her again, shivering at the cold touch of Beca fingers against her low back to see the fading birthmark.
Beca shakes off that thought, squeezing her hands into fist around the towel,
“I’m going to take a shirt, it might be yours or mine. I don’t know.” Chloe whispers loudly, moving toward their suitcases. Beca doesn’t reply, nodding to herself while climbing under the blankets.
The bed has sunken further in now, pushing her toward the middle as she tries to get comfortable. Chloe appears next to her, t-shirt thrown over underwear she’s sure scooting even closer. It makes the bed sink around them, pushing them closer than ever.
Foreheads aligned, if not an inch apart. Beca can barely see who it is theyre so close. Chloe runs her fingers up Beca’s arm to play with the base of her hair. Twirling it around her finger.
“We’re going to have an apartment tomorrow,” Chloe says, saying it out loud for the first time. “I’m going to get us good luck bagels in the morning, and we can try to go around looking for furniture at thrift stores or something.”
Beca nods. “I’d like that.”
“Yeah?” Chloe wraps brown hair around her finger, watching the skin change color in the moon light. Beca watches her face intensely.
“It’s going to be okay here, I know you’re worried. I’m worried, about the change too. But we will make it work.”
“Wise words.” Horrible sarcasm that comes out as such, but she’s agreeing to Chloe. She is trying to ignore the impending nauseating anxiety that will hit soon. Intertwined with the hungover.
“Beca, look at me.” Chloe’s voice is soft, so soft. Velvety and like a woolly blanket at the same time. Pulling her in, keeping her still.
Beca shifts so she can see Chloe clearly. “Give it a chance, for me?”
What Chloe doesn’t know, is she already has.