I'd love to see what amazing nugget you write for #55. Thank you!!!
55. "Stay there. I'm on my way."
Takes place during the first few weeks after Beca joins the Bellas in PP1.
There’s a knock at Beca’s door.
A quick glance across the room to Kimmy Jin’s side of the room confirms that Beca is alone, which means that it’s probably Jesse knocking. Beca sighs and stands from her computer, already trying to come up with some sort of excuse of why she can’t hang out as she makes her way to the door.
“For the last time, I don’t want to watch Rocky,” Beca starts, pulling the door open.
Except, the door opens to reveal Chloe standing there, not Jesse.
Beca blinks. “Oh, it’s you.”
Chloe smiles. “It’s me,” she confirms. Her eyebrows scrunch together. “Was there… someone else you were expecting?”
“No one,” Beca says quickly. She clears her throat and tries again, slower this time. “I mean, I wasn’t expecting anyone else. Uh,” Beca ignores the amused look on Chloe’s face, “was there… something that you needed?”
“Yeah, you left your water bottle after practice today,” Chloe says, holding up the mentioned item. “I figured I’d stop by and return it to you.”
“Oh,” Beca says, surprised. She slowly reaches out and takes the bottle from Chloe’s hand. “That’s super cool of you. Thanks, dude.”
Chloe tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, looking away momentarily. Almost shyly. “No problem.”
Beca expects Chloe to leave, after that, but they stand there in silence for a moment instead, long enough that Beca starts to feel antsy. “Was there anything else you nee-”
“You’re doing really well,” Chloe blurts out, interrupting Beca. Beca’s mouth snaps shut and her eyebrows rise in surprise. Chloe is quick to continue. “With the Bellas, I mean. You just seem to be a natural at everything; the singing, the harmonizing, the choreography…”
This time only one of Beca’s eyebrows arches as she gives Chloe a look at that last one. Chloe sees Beca’s disbelief and giggles a little. “Okay, but not so natural with choreography,” she relents. “But still, you could be worse.” Beca grins at that, and Chloe pauses and seems to think through her next words before starting slowly. “I know that Aubrey gives you a lot of crap during rehearsals, so I just wanted you to know that you’re doing good. And I’m really glad you decided to join the Bellas.”
Beca is both touched by the sentiment, and also feels unworthy of it. “Wow, uh, thanks,” she says, bringing a hand up to rub the back of her neck. “That’s… really nice to hear, actually.” Chloe smiles, and there’s another small moment of silence between them before Beca speaks again. “Do you maybe want to come in or-”
Chloe’s phone buzzing with a call effectively cuts Beca off once again, and Chloe looks at her apologetically as she starts to answer it. “Hold on just one second?” she asks. Beca nods her head and gives a thumbs-up, so Chloe turns and takes a few steps away.
Beca doesn’t make a conscious effort to listen in on Chloe’s side of the conversation, pretending to study the bulletin board in the hall that she hasn’t bothered to look at all year, but she still catches bits and pieces here and there.
“Really? Now? Aubrey, I- Are you sure you can’t just… Okay, okay, fine, I was just... No, really, it’s fine. Yeah. Stay there, I’m on my way.”
Chloe hangs up the phone and Beca goes back to leaning against her doorway, already feeling strangely disappointed when she sees the look on Chloe’s face.
“That was Aubrey,” Chloe says, sounding more exasperated than Beca could remember ever hearing her before. “Apparently she’s having some sort of crisis and I need to be there to put on the fire. I should probably get going.” She sighs, and Beca can tell that she really is reluctant to leave.
Beca shakes her head a little. “No, yeah, that’s totally fine. Go make sure she doesn’t puke on anything or something like that,” she says, trying to keep her tone light.
Chloe cracks a smile and snickers. “Yeah, wouldn’t be the first time,” she says, looking at Beca gratefully. “I’ll see you tomorrow at practice.” After a moment in which Beca is pretty sure Chloe is deciding whether or not to hug her, Chloe gives a little wave and makes her way down the hall.
Beca watches her walk away for a second that is probably too long before retreating back into her room. She shuts the door and looks down at the water bottle in her hands, telling herself that she was glad Chloe decided not to go with a hug before she left.
chakram12 replied to your post: EVEN IN DARK TIMES (INFINITE CAPACITIES) (1/?)
I actually just watched this movie this past weekend. Looking forward to seeing this through Beca & Chloe.
It’s such a good movie! We literally just watched it today and ended up with 56 pages of a chat transcript where we were yelling Bechloe ideas at each other.
ALSO, just to add, we have planned to change some things up, so the ending of the movie is not necessarily how the fic will end :)
Beca’s heart races hard, and it’s all she can do to not lunge forward and wrestle the man in question. Her hand rests on top of his to tear it from its position on her girlfriend’s arm.
“What?” Chloe is evidently startled, whether by the feeling of a hand wrapping around her wrist, or by Beca’s outburst. She whirls around, blue eyes locking with an almost identical set. The redhead’s lips curve into an excited smile. “Oh my gosh, hi!” She squeals, quickly pulling the man into a hug.
“What the--” Beca is watching the two, and suddenly realizes that maybe her initial reaction had been a little premature.
It doesn’t seem that Chloe has really registered everything yet, though it’s clear when she finally does. Her teeth sink gently into her bottom lip, and Beca can tell she’s trying to hold back a laugh. She fails.
“Aw, babe,” she chuckles, reaching out to take Beca’s hand in her own. Slender fingers interlace, and she’s soon tugging the shorter girl closer. “Andy, this is my girlfriend, Beca. Bec, this is my cousin, Andy.”
There’s a deep crimson spreading across the brunette’s cheeks, and both Chloe and Andy share an amused look. It should’ve been obvious really; with those same ginger curls and piercing blue eyes, of course the pair were related.
“Pretty protective, huh?” Andy comments, though his tone is light. It’s playful.
Beca looks sheepish in response, but Chloe easily wraps her arm around her, pulling the shorter girl into her side and planting a kiss against her temple.
“Mhm. She’s my tiny knight in shining armor,” Chloe smirks, her gaze locking with Beca’s. Her voice drops an octave as blue hues stare into gray.
“Nobody makes me feel as safe as you do, beautiful.”
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