It is absolutely undeniable that Chloe Beale is one very lucky girl.
From the moment she was old enough to understand the purpose of the smudges, her parents were very open with her. Everyone in the world has a smudge somewhere on their body, and it symbolizes their soulmate. The smudge becomes a name once your mate realizes they have feelings for you, and they will ultimately become the person you are meant to be with for the rest of your life. Except… Chloe has three smudges. Right there over her heart. And that just wasn’t normal.
But they also told her that society’s understanding of normal didn’t mean shit. Chloe was unique. Extraordinary. Unparalleled. She was not to be limited by who she could love, no matter their gender, their race, or whatever else. And the fact that the smudges were over her heart? Well that just brought the point home.
But there was one thing they didn’t exactly prepare her for. The support and acceptance she received at home? It would never actually leave her doorstep.
For some reason, other people don’t like it when a girl isn’t shy about expressing her feelings. They are threatened by it, even. She was teased constantly for being “too sensitive”. She was disliked by many for being easily overwhelmed. She was taken advantage plenty of times for being so willing to put herself out there. She was knocked down time and time again just for being different from everyone else.
(Makes all the more sense why she fell for Aubrey the moment the other girl stepped in to protect her when no one else was willing to.)
But Chloe never let those things get in the way of the life she knew she was meant to live. To love and be loved. To feel for others, especially when they refused to feel for themselves. To be open to all the possibilities and opportunities that lied before her, waiting to be discovered. To search for her soulmates, ready to love them like her life depended on it.
And...okay. Maybe she was allowing herself to be too vulnerable. Lord knows she’s had her fair share of heartbreak. But isn’t the risk always worth the reward?
If anyone was looking out for this one, thanks for your patience.
Summary: Inspired by Soulmate(s) au, soulmate(s) au pt 2 , and Soulmate(s) au pt 3 hc by @fandom-heaux . An AU in which everyone is born with a smudged birthmark. As you find your mate in life the smudge forms their name when you’ve made an impression on them. In this world Beca doesn’t realize she has any, let alone three.
Author’s Note: I’m gonna try this thing where I post once a week. I say try because…well. Tis I. Queen of zero follow through. I blame @chloes-yellow-cup for dragging me into this fandom and then making fics that have ruined me. RUINED ME. Let me clarify. RUINED ME.
Author’s Note 2: Click here for Part 1 Part 2 Part 3, Part 4 Part 5 and Part 6
Author’s Note 3: So there is a link dropped into the fic to another fic. An amazing fic. One of my favorites actually. So…wink wink nod nod to @chloes-yellow-cup for Third Time’s the Charm.
Chloe
There was a moment of awkward silence as they watched Stacie weave her way through the crowd, Beca trying desperately to seem like she hadn’t just found herself in the most awkward situation of her life. Chloe was pretty sure she was currently formulating an escape plan and that was the only thing that kept her in her seat instead of following after Aubrey. She was certain Aubrey was going to be okay. That they were going to be okay. But it didn’t stop her heart from seizing painfully at the look in Aubrey’s eyes when Beca introduced herself.
It was only a split second, just a quick flicker of emotion, but it was enough for Chloe to see Aubrey’s world crumble beneath her feet. It tore at Chloe’s own heart to see that much despair in her mate’s eyes and she just wanted to run to her and hold her. She wanted to reassure Aubrey that she wasn’t going anywhere without her, to remind her that they were a package deal, but one look at Beca’s fidgeting was enough to tell her that if Chloe left to find Aubrey, Beca would disappear in the blink of an eye. Aubrey would be okay, she just needed time to adjust.
Chloe gave her head a little shake with a bite of her lip to try and focus herself on the woman in front of her. Her smile was a still a little sad at the edges and she could tell Beca saw right through her. “Did you wanna go….? To check up on her or whatever. You seem very uh attached.” It was sweet and Chloe’s smile softened a little as she reached across the table to lay a hand on Beca’s.
“That’s very sweet, thank you, but I think she’s okay. Sometimes she just needs a second to herself.” Chloe’s half smile wilted further when she caught sight of Aubrey leaning into the curl of Stacie’s arms around her. And it wasn’t that she was jealous of it exactly, but she longed to soothe Aubrey and for a moment didn’t know what to do with herself. “Sorry. I feel like I’m being rude, I think worrying about Aubrey has been all I’ve known for so long that even when I don’t have to, I still kinda do.”
It was still uncomfortable but Beca took a cleansing breath and seemed to resolve herself to actually interacting. Chloe was pleasantly surprised. She thought it would be harder to get Beca to engage given the less than stellar introductions. “So does she usually need worrying about?” Beca made a vague gesture with her chin toward the bar and Chloe’s gaze drifted there immediately. Her eyes found Aubrey at the bar already watching her. The hurt so raw and clear in her mate’s eyes wrecked her for a long second. They stayed locked in each other’s heartbreak before Aubrey finally broke and looked away.
“No actually. Well. Yes and no. Bree is the most confident, competent, driven person I’ve ever known. She is so good at taking care of the house, and work, and everything else that comes with our life together.” Chloe’s smile widened as her heart swelled with the love she had for Aubrey. “And all of the strays that seem to always find their way home with me…she’s always been that way. But she always forgets to take care of herself and so…” Her shoulder came up in a half shrug and Chloe fiddled with the cocktail straw in a glass that was mournfully empty save for the rapidly melting ice.
“So you worry. I get that. I mean…I don’t get it get it, I don’t have that kind of relationship with people. But I get that you would worry about someone that’s always worrying about others.” Chloe felt something tug at her heart as Beca reached awkwardly behind her back to scratch at it. “So how long have you been together?”
Chloe gave a soft chuckle and sighed dreamily. “Since we were eight. Well. That’s when I knew for a fact she was my forever girl. It took her a little longer to figure it out.”
Beca’s eyes widened comically and she gaped for a minute. “Jesus. Eight. I think only thing I knew for a fact at age eight was that I didn’t like pickles.” Chloe was used to those types of reactions. Granted it was pretty rare to know that early that you were meant to be with someone for the rest of your life but it was even more rare to have three marks at once so she figured it just wasn’t that weird in the grand scheme of things. “How uh, how does something like that even happen?”
“I used to get picked on a lot when I was younger. Because of my hair, or clothes, or they sky was blue…” She rolled her eyes dismissively but at the time every little tease and taunt scarred her fragile innocent heart. She had always liked people and until she been away from the comforting circle of home and family she hadn’t realized that anyone would ever dislike her. Especially for no reason at all. It had been a crushing learning curve and she hadn’t adjusted well, spending most of her recess and lunch time crying in a stall of the girl’s bathroom. “One particularly vicious bully threw a rock at me and said some pretty inventive things for a third grader. I just remember the shock of it, seeing blood drip down my head, knowing someone intentionally threw something to hurt me. I probably would have stood there and let him chuck another.”
“That little shit.” Chloe laughed at the quietly indignant look on Beca’s face and rolled her eyes at the memory of her childhood bully.
“Yeah well Aubrey fixed his wagon for sure. If she had been a cat she would have been spitting and yowling with her back all up. She came out of nowhere and just…whaled on him. This tiny blonde tornado came to my rescue and I just knew, even if she didn’t yet, I knew I was going to be with her forever. No one was really surprised when my name showed up on her wrist.”
There was a flicker of deep longing in Beca’s eyes then, so fast and so quickly hidden that she wasn’t entirely sure it had been there at all. “Well that all sounds like a fairy tale. You sure you’re not a Disney princess?”
Chloe let out a breathy chuckle and shrugged. “I don’t know. I think I’d make a pretty rocking Ariel. Our friend Amy taught me how to mermaid dance so…” In the back of her mind she knew that would make no sense and have no context for Beca but the other woman gave an amused grin and raised eyebrow as if picturing all that would imply. “It’s a long story, oh that’s her over there by the stage. I didn’t think she’d be here with her shooting schedule.” It was mostly an embarrassed ramble and she was glad when Aubrey seemed to appear from thin air with drinks in hand. Chloe felt a weight lift off her shoulders and she reached out to curl a hand around Aubrey’s wrist just needing that warm connection between them.
The dull hum of anxiety finally quieted when Aubrey settled in at her side and slid a hand over to rest warmly on Chloe’s thigh. Aubrey’s thumb stroking soothingly through her jeans was warmer than the fuzziest sweater and most comfy sweater she owned and she leaned into it.
“What’d we miss?”
“Chloe was just telling me all about your MMA days.” Aubrey blinked and then eased into a quiet laugh as she slid Chloe her lurid blue drink. “Thanks, what do I owe you the…” There was a pause as Beca read the label on her beer bottle once then twice. “Sexual Chocolate? Yikes. Okay then.”
“I promise you’ll like it.” The teasing lilt to Aubrey’s voice made Chloe crinkle her nose in a grin. Playful Aubrey was the best and she could tell she was trying her hardest to be social and okay. To be there for Chloe like she always was. Chloe nudged Aubrey’s shoulder with her own when Beca sputtered in flustered embarrassment just as she had raised the bottle to her lips for a sip. “Ohmygod Beca, I’m sorry.” Aubrey half reached over the table when one of Beca’s sputters caught in her throat and she choked on the beer, spraying it partially on the table.
“No. It’s good. M’good, fine. Just. Wrong pipe.” Stacie’s eyes narrowed in just barely contained amusement at Beca’s rasping croak and Chloe had the feeling she was dying to tease the smaller woman. Mortified and just a hint uncomfortable, Aubrey hurriedly wiped at the table, trying to set everything back just right on the table.
“So did’ja, B?”
All three of them turned to look at Stacie who was practically bouncing in her seat. Beca blinked a few times and raised her brow. “Did I what?”
“Did’ja like it?” Somehow the simple questions seemed so much more loaded when Stacie said it. Beca’s face turned bright red and she elbowed Stacie in the ribs. It broke the tension and even Aubrey settled back down at the laughter that bubbled up between them all. It was going to be fine, it would all be fine. Nothing had to be decided right this second, they could just maybe enjoy the night and see what came of things. Chloe brought the drink to her lips and sipped from the straw. Something told her there was no rush at all, that this would all unfold exactly as it was meant to. Chloe believed in that little something with her whole heart the same way she had so many years ago.
In some way, Beca was going to be hers. Hers and Aubrey’s. And they would be Beca’s. She was positive of it. Chloe leaned further into Aubrey, their shoulder’s touching as the four of them picked up the threads of conversation and teasing banter easily. A warm blanket of calm enveloped her when Aubrey leaned into her too. Something settled in her soul and she let her fingers trail over the mark she knew was on her chest trusting destiny to bring them together if not tonight, then one day. And one day was good enough for her.
A/N: I got some tattoos this week, inspired by ‘Nowish’. The symbols were picked out for the story by the wonderful always-saves-my-ass-when-I’m-stuck @tiny-maus-boots and we later hashed out that Aubrey would probably get the symbols for her girls as tattoos after they get home from the tour.
Since ‘Nowish’ became such a huge part of my life, and these girls wound their way into my heart, I wanted to make it permanently part of me for largely the same reasons.
So I wrote a couple of scenes from a future PP3 based story. It was intended to be short, but then Aubrey started talking and now we have a full chapter. Again, this is not the complete story and these scenes will likely go through some changes by the time I get around to actually writing it.
Takes place after they get home from the USO tour, so after ‘Nowish’, which happened in July 2017.
A Shared Lifetime - All my works in my alternate timeline so far, including my other fic teases.
Words: 12,000
Rating: Mature. It was going to be teen, but Beca and Aubrey had other ideas. As. Usual.
AO3
For mobile users, there is a ‘keep reading’ and I’m sorry if the app does that thing where it makes you scroll for a year.
~A~
Last week of March 2018
Aubrey gently shook Stacie awake, trying not to wake Beca and Chloe at the same time. When Stacie rolled to her back to face Aubrey behind her, Aubrey leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“I can’t sleep. Shower with me?” She pulled back enough to read the worry starting to replace sleep in Stacie’s eyes and smiled reassuringly. “I’m fine. Just restless.” She looked over as Beca gave a particularly loud snore. Aubrey smiled affectionately. “And I don’t want to wake Sleeping Beauty.”
At Stacie’s snort and relieved nod, Aubrey slipped quietly from the bed, feeling her wife follow. Padding through the dark bedroom to the bathroom she waited until Stacie had shut the door before turning on the soft nightlight. She didn’t want or need the overhead lights tonight.
While she took care of that Stacie had stepped past her to start the shower. As it warmed, she turned around and pressed herself against Aubrey’s back as her arms slipped around Aubrey’s waist.
“You sure you’re ok?” Stacie’s voice was soft against her ear.
Stacie had always been quick to make sure there was nothing wrong, but after the whole USO debacle, she asked it a little more often. Aubrey knew she was partly to blame; she was still processing what had happened. It had made her quieter than normal the past few weeks and she knew the other three had picked up on it; just as she had picked up on their quiet moments. They all had some baggage left over since getting home, but they were together and that had made it easier.
“Yes, love.” Aubrey leaned back, never tired of the feel of Stacie’s skin sliding against her own. She felt Stacie kiss the side of her head and she hummed in contentment as she turned in the circle of Stacie’s arms, Stacie’s lips already seeking hers.
They traded lazy kisses until the room grew warm and steamy. Aubrey stepped under the spray where Stacie resumed her place against Aubrey’s back. Her lips moved over Aubrey’s shoulders before lifting her hands to knead them and Aubrey groaned in bliss.
“I’ll give you forever to stop doing that.” Aubrey bent her head and let the water pour over the back of it.
“Then forever it’ll be.” Stacie said, humor lacing her tone.
Aubrey relaxed into the light massage, feeling her body respond as it always did to Stacie’s touch. The last few weeks had been difficult, in a way. After a single week back at work, they both took a leave of absence. Aubrey because she wasn’t quite ready to dive into the world of contracts, though she did continue to look over everything for Beca as the one ‘client’ she kept; the changes to the contracts sent by Khaled were small but she wanted to make sure she stayed on top of them. Stacie wanted the time off because she wanted to be close to Aubrey, though not in a way that ever felt clingy or oppressive. She didn’t have to be in the room with Aubrey, but she was never far away; a byproduct of being miles apart when disaster struck.
Aubrey didn’t think she herself was really suffering PTSD, not the way her father had ever talked about. But whenever she had a strong memory of what it was like in the van, when they realized what was happening even if not why, she found that she had to swallow to keep back a faint wash of bile. Intense moments at work had made it even stronger and prompted her desire for time off. It was an involuntarily stress response that hadn’t happened in a long time – not since she and Stacie had moved in together, actually. It bothered her a lot that it was back and she was determined to get past it, not just for her sake, but for Stacie, Chloe and Beca. She knew they worried about her, that the gag reflex was a bad sign. But they never gave her the pity eyes she expected when it happened. They simply waited until it passed and offered her a glass of water. In the past she might have felt like they were hovering and gotten angry – but now she only felt loved and cared for.
It had also made her a touch more serious, a bit slower to laugh than the rest of them. Sometimes, when a dream woke her up and she was in the middle of their warm cocoon, she’d simply lay there with her eyes closed and listen to the soft breathing around her. Feel the steady rise and fall of whoever was spooned against her back. Eventually her racing heart would calm and her own breathing would slow to match until she slipped under once more.
Other nights, such as now when she was one of the bookends, she’d slip out of bed and go downstairs to where Chloe had set up an elliptical and treadmill. Aubrey would use one or the other – or both, on particularly bad nights – until she was exhausted. She would go back upstairs and take a quick shower before slipping back into bed. More often than not, whoever she had been resting against was waiting for her and simply opened their arms to pull her in. None of them pushed, they knew she was working through it on her own and she loved them all so much for it.
But mostly, no matter what activity she was doing in the middle of the night, Aubrey thought a lot about what she almost lost. What she put Stacie through, no matter how unintentionally or unpredictable it had been. She couldn’t help but picture Stacie walking around their house after Beca had called, wondering if Aubrey was hurt, or worse. She could still hear the devastated yet hopeful tone in Stacie’s voice when Aubrey had called her once they were safe. Still feel how tightly Stacie had gripped her when they were finally face to face again.
Rationally Aubrey knew she wasn’t to blame and Stacie reassured her as often as she could in a million ways.
But her irrational side blamed herself. That she should have known better. That she should have realized what was going on. That she had put Stacie through absolute hell.
That she should never have had the idea to go on the tour. But then her rational side - helped by Chloe’s oft repeated ‘There’s a silver lining anywhere if you just look hard enough, Bree.’ - would remind her that without the tour, Beca might not have been given the opportunity to go on the amazing journey she was now on.
While she’d been lost in her thoughts, Stacie had begun to gently soap Aubrey’s body. Currently her hands were sliding up Aubrey’s stomach and over her breasts, pulling her back to the here and now. Aubrey pushed herself into the touch, craving it. “I was wrong – you have forever to stop doing that.”
Stacie chuckled and Aubrey felt it more than heard it. “So this is why you lured me into the shower? To have your way with me?”
Aubrey took a deep breath. “That, and…” She trailed off again. “I wanted to tell you something. Or, ask you something, is probably more accurate.” She said the last quickly, feeling Stacie begin to tense around her.
“Alright.” Stacie said evenly but Aubrey could hear the caution under it.
It was Aubrey’s turn to laugh. “Except I can’t concentrate when you’re doing that to my nipples.” Stacie’s fingers had begun to slowly trace around them, then over, her fingers feeling wonderfully warm and slick.
“Do you want me to stop?” Stacie leaned down and pulled Aubrey’s earlobe into her mouth.
Desire shot through Aubrey as she groaned quietly. “Never.” Her body began to move against Stacie. “But… I’ve been thinking about this for a while…” She gasped as Stacie pulled gently. “Except now I’ve forgotten everything.”
“Nah, you never forget anything important.” Stacie slid her hands back down to Aubrey’s stomach, who whimpered softly at the loss. “This was important enough for you to wake me up for this time, so it’s important to me.” She turned Aubrey around. “Usually your midnight wanderings have been solo.” There was no judgement there – there never was.
“You’ve joined me on the treadmill a few times.” Aubrey wound her arms around Stacie’s waist. “But…” She took a deep breath. “I was thinking of getting a tattoo.” She watched Stacie carefully, saw her eyes widen. She knew she’d surprised Stacie by even entertaining the idea, much less felt it was important enough to address in the middle of the night.
“A tattoo.” Stacie repeated it slowly. “What brought this on?”
“The tour.” Aubrey said. That’s what they called it, just ‘the tour.’ It was rarely ‘the kidnapping’ or ‘the hostage crisis’ anymore as they were all still a little touchy. “I just…” She tilted her head and looked into Stacie’s eyes, loving how patiently she was waiting for Aubrey to get out her thoughts. “I know I’ve been… quiet.” Stacie reflexively pulled her closer and Aubrey smiled. “And you’ve been amazing in the way you’ve given me space to… work it through.”
“I told you I’d wait until you were ready.” Stacie kissed her brow. “As long as you weren’t pulling away from me or doing something crazy like not eating, I’d let you work this at your own pace.” She traced Aubrey’s jaw with one fingertip. “You’ve been amazing through this, Bree.”
“I wouldn’t say that, but I think I’m getting there.” Aubrey smiled. “We’re all getting there. But I kind of want to… Oh I don’t know. Not mark the tour, or the occasion, because honestly that whole thing sucked.” She grinned at Stacie’s bark of laughter. “Well, part of it. The last bit ended up being pretty awesome, considering.” She squeezed Stacie’s sides. “But I was thinking I wanted something permanent. Something that’s… all of you.”
“Oh?” Stacie’s hands began to stroke Aubrey’s back. “I’d say our marriage is pretty permanent.” She grinned. “At least to me.” Aubrey thumped her lightly in the side. “Hey! No violence in the shower, we could slip and fall.”
Aubrey ignored her. “You do know what I mean, though?”
Stacie grew serious again. “Yeah, yeah I do. Not a reminder, exactly, but kind of… so we’re with you even when we’re not with you?” Aubrey nodded, thinking she should stop being surprised that Stacie always knew what she was trying to say even when Aubrey didn’t quite have the words. “What are you thinking, babe?”
“Three designs, just in black. Down my right side.” Aubrey said, picturing it again.
“Of what?” Stacie prompted gently.
“A tribal sun.” Stacie’s smile was immediate. “Yes, that’s you.” Aubrey accepted the kiss she was given. “Then a crescent moon.”
“Beca.” Stacie said, obviously remembering the conversation that took place before they had all climbed in bed together, not realizing it would change their lives.
Aubrey nodded. “And then I found a star with a treble clef in it. If that didn’t scream ‘Chloe’, nothing ever would.”
Stacie waited a heartbeat. “And why here?” She ran her hand down Aubrey’s side.
Aubrey felt her face flush as a wry smile twisted her lips. “That’s where you three marked me for the first time?” Stacie was silent long enough that Aubrey began to worry. “But if you…” She fell silent when Stacie shook her head.
She slowly knelt to place three kisses down Aubrey’s side, almost exactly where those first love bites had been left. She looked up at Aubrey who moved to block the water from the shower. “I think it sounds perfect.”
“You do?” Aubrey asked; she felt strangely shy as she brushed wet strands of hair out of Stacie’s face.
“I do. In fact…” She stood up and kissed Aubrey softly. “So much so that I kind of want to get them myself, but on my left side.” She paused. “Except the sun – that’s… I’d get something else to symbolize you.”
“A ball and chain?” Aubrey yelped when Stacie pinched her butt.
“No, though now that you’ve given me the idea…” Stacie trailed off, searching Aubrey’s eyes. “No. For you it would be an outline of the Earth. Because you’re my whole world.”
Aubrey felt unexpected tears reach her eyes. “Stacie…” She stopped, all the words jumbling up in her chest. So she said the only thing that had ever really mattered between them. “I love you.” But it meant everything. She pulled Stacie into a kiss, soft and gentle, full of the promise of forever.
“Then it’s ok?” Stacie asked once they parted again. “You wouldn’t feel like I’m jumping on your bandwagon?”
“Not at all.” Aubrey felt her desire stretching upward again, needing to express how much it meant to her that not only did Stacie understand, but she got it in a way that she wanted to share in such a permanent declaration.
“I’ll call in the morning and see when we can get appointments.” Stacie said. “I still have the number of the guy Beca went to when we got her birthday tattoo.” She let Aubrey pull her down into another kiss. “I’m going to assume you want them as soon as possible?”
“Oh yeah.” Aubrey slid her hand down Stacie’s stomach and between her legs. “But right now, I need something else on my body.” She moaned softly at the warm and slick skin that met her fingers.
“What’s that?” Stacie asked, her own hands reaching down to grip Aubrey’s ass and squeeze gently.
“You.” Aubrey whispered against her lips. “Always you, my love.”
“Sounds-“ Whatever else Stacie was going to say was lost when Aubrey claimed her mouth again.
Later, as they crawled into bed happy, satiated and exhausted, Aubrey felt another piece of herself slip back into place. She didn’t know how many more were still out of alignment but tonight, finally, she had the feeling it wasn’t as many as she feared.
~C~
Two weeks later
“You guys got tattoos.” Beca said flatly.
“Yup.” Stacie replied, amused. It was the third time Beca had said it.
“For Bree’s birthday.” It was like she expected the answers to change. Chloe thought it was adorable.
“Yes.” Aubrey said, with a fond eye roll. “We got matching tattoos – sort of – for my birthday.”
“Sneaks.” Chloe said with a grin.
Stacie and Aubrey had said they had a few errands to run and had left earlier that morning. They promised to be home by late afternoon, but to not wait for them for lunch. None of them were really back at their jobs yet; Aubrey and Stacie had extended their leave of absence and Beca was still in the flux period of signing with DJ Khaled. Chloe occasionally went into the dance studio, but was also in a bit of limbo as her boss prepared to pass the reins. She knew she would have really to go back in soon. But not yet.
When the other two had finally gotten home, they looked like the proverbial cat that ate the canary and led Beca and Chloe upstairs.
/
Beca smiled. “You guys miss us that much that you’re going to jump us the second you get home?”
“Like you wouldn’t be up for that,” Stacie replied.
“But that’s not why we brought you up here.” Aubrey said before Beca could make a snarky and probably dirty reply.
“What?” Beca sounded so disappointed in that instant that Chloe had to stifle a laugh. “I mean… Oh?”
“Nope. But we are going to take off our shirts.” Stacie said even as she and Aubrey reached for the hems of their shirts. “Because we have a surprise for you.”
Chloe frowned, not sure where this was going and then gasped when the bandages on their sides came into view; Aubrey’s on the right, Stacie’s on the left. “Oh my god. Are you guys okay? Were you in an accident?”
But Beca had stepped forward. “You didn’t.” She touched beside the bandage on Stacie’s side and Chloe understood. She’d seen bandages like this last year for Beca’s birthday.
“Oh yeah.” Stacie laughed.
“Will you take them off for us?” Aubrey asked.
Beca met her eyes, startled. “Me?”
“Who else is the expert?” Aubrey said with a smile.
Beca took a breath. “Chlo, can you go get a fresh roll of paper towels?” Beca looked over her shoulder.
“Of course, babe.” Chloe ran downstairs and grabbed their spare roll from the pantry. Opening it, she threw away the plastic and headed back where she found the three of them in the bathroom. Stacie and Aubrey were sitting side by side on the counter and Beca was washing her hands carefully with hot water. Beca had already gotten out her favorite tattoo wash and salve and had them sitting on the counter, ready to go.
“Towels.” Chloe said, tearing off a few and handing them over with a smile.
“Thanks.” Beca smiled at her and dried her hands before turning to the others. “You guys ready?”
Chloe watched as Beca carefully pulled the tape and bandage from Aubrey’s side, revealing bold, crisp black lines in the symbols down her side. Saw Beca’s hands still as she took them in and realized what they were – what they meant – before she turned and did the same for Stacie’s bandage.
Aubrey had explained their meaning once when she’d given gifts representing them a few months ago.
A sun for Stacie, the center of her universe.
A crescent moon to represent the phases of the moon, because Beca showed her that you could change without losing who you are.
And a star for Chloe, because Chloe had always been there for her. The treble clef inside it – for the music that had brought them together and remained a constant backdrop in their lives – melted Chloe’s heart.
She didn’t even have to ask Stacie about the Earth, she knew it was because Aubrey was her world.
Beca didn’t say anything, her face serious as she set about washing their tattoos, Chloe holding a towel to catch the water as Beca poured it over them to let it rinse clean. She then carefully patted them dry with the paper towels and began to dab salve onto each symbol, making sure they were covered adequately.
Chloe took the wet towel to the hamper and felt her breath catch when she came back in. Stacie was watching as Beca took care of Aubrey and the expression on her face, so lost in love, Chloe had only ever seen when she was looking at Aubrey.
Chloe swallowed to try and stem her rising emotions. Aubrey was simply watching Beca’s face, so focused and efficient in her movements and care, and Aubrey’s own held a tenderness that Chloe could feel down to her toes.
/
The four of them had sprawled on The Expanse once Beca announced them done and told them they’d have to apply the salve again in a few hours. That was the last full sentence before she’d gotten stuck repeating ‘You guys got tattoos.’
Chloe ran her finger beside the designs on Aubrey’s ribs.
“Without me.” Beca finally said something different and Chloe snorted. “You guys got tattoos. Without me?”
Aubrey bit her lip. “Are you mad?”
Beca shook her head rapidly. “No! No, not at all. But…” She trailed off, her hand going to Stacie’s side where she cupped Stacie’s ribs under the Earth design.
“But you’d have loved to have been there for us.” Stacie said and Beca nodded. “To be fair, we thought about telling you, but decided we wanted to surprise you instead.”
“Is that ok?” Aubrey actually looked worried and Chloe hoped Beca noticed.
“Of course that’s ok.” Beca said absently then looked up at Aubrey. Her expression changed immediately and she reached over Stacie to take Aubrey’s hand. “No, Bree … That’s… I’m sorry. They’re gorgeous. I just never thought you would… I would have…” She trailed off then repeated, softer, “They’re gorgeous.”
Aubrey’s worried expression turned shy and it almost made Chloe’s heart ache with the love she felt at that moment. “Beca’s right, they’re beautiful.” She touched the star necklace she never took off except to shower. Aubrey noticed the movement and nodded, smiling as she realized Chloe knew what the meanings behind her choices were.
“Did you guys just gay marry us?” Beca blurted suddenly, her head tilted as she looked between Stacie and Aubrey, twisting the thumb ring Aubrey had given her the same day as Chloe’s necklace. It was delicately etched with the stages of the moon. Stacie had gotten a bracelet with a sun charm and all, including Chloe’s necklace, were simple platinum designs. But so elegant and full of meaning. Like their tattoos. Like Aubrey.
Both of them laughed but Aubrey managed to get out, “What?”
“Because this here,” Beca touched both their sides, stretching to reach Aubrey’s right side. “This is all of us. And it’s permanent.” She sat back on her heels again, her hands folded in her lap. “Like you want to keep us.” It was said softly, but Chloe heard a mix of hope and wariness under it.
Chloe looked at Beca and saw her heart in her eyes, as vulnerable and exposed as Chloe had ever seen her. It showed her how much Beca had grown and she felt her heart actually ache with how happy it made her. Because in the past Beca would never have asked it in this way. She’d have made it into a joke while desperately hoping it was anything but. But Chloe had spent years patiently showing Beca that it’s ok to be vulnerable. To let her heart show – to take the leap and trust that Chloe would be there to catch her.
The question hung between them and Chloe knew all the layers Beca protected herself with were stripped away with it; knew what this meant to Beca, who always had some small part of her, still wounded and always waiting to be left behind. And Staubrey, these two wonderful women who they were so lucky to have in their lives, had just given their hearts in a way that Beca at even her lowest could never deny. A way she understood intrinsically, having her marked her own truths on her skin over the years.
Stacie’s laughter faded first as what Beca was saying sank in. “Of course we want to keep you. Please don’t tell me you’re worried about that? Or having second tho-” She placed her hand over Beca’s on her side. “Beca…” Her voice was soft. “You’re always going to be ours.”
In so many ways, they showed Beca they would now catch her too.
“No, no I’m not.” Beca shook her head quickly. “You know we feel the same way. We love you.” Beca fell silent for a moment. “I love you. After everything, it’s only grown stronger. And this… this feels like a commitment to that. To us.” She waved her hand to encompass them all this time.
“Well, when you put it that way…” Aubrey looked over at Stacie who nodded, a happy smile beginning to form. “I guess it kind of was.”
Chloe ran her hand along Aubrey’s ribs again, feeling her shiver. She hadn’t realized she was going to speak, hadn’t realized her mind had been busily working in the background, until she heard herself say, softly, “I do.” She looked up when she felt the room had gone still around her. All three of them were watching her with affection. “Oh, that… I didn’t know I was going to say that.”
Beca took her hand. “It’s ok, it’s kind of perfect.”
Stacie cleared her throat and said, “Say it again?” Her eyes held a faint sheen and Chloe felt herself fall a little more.
Chloe met her eyes and said it louder. “I do.” She looked down as Aubrey took her hand then back up to Beca, one brow quirking.
“Then get over here and kiss the brides?” Aubrey teased as she eased over to make room between herself and Stacie. Chloe and Beca knelt between them, kissing one then trading places to kiss both equally and thoroughly before stretching out and snuggling their non-tender sides.
“You guys are just going to stay here and let me take care of these every day.” Beca said as she curled her arm carefully over Aubrey’s stomach. “Don’t even think about arguing with me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Stacie said, pulling Chloe closer. “You’re the expert, after all.”
In truth, they’d spent most of their nights together for the past six weeks or so and Chloe knew it was only going to make it harder when they finally had to settle back into their work routine. But she would deal with that bridge when they came to it. Until then she was just going to enjoy every second they spent together - like the fact that she kind of loved that Aubrey was letting Beca take care of her without a fight. Aubrey was normally the one who took care of them, up to and including coming home on lunch if someone was sick to make sure they were okay and didn’t need anything.
One such occasion had resulted in a new photo for Beca’s contact in her phone.
/
This past January, Chloe was watching Lilo & Stitch while Beca worked on her mixes. Aubrey was lying with her head in Chloe’s lap and was reading over some new contracts for the label.
Stacie had walked in, taken one look at the screen and said “I always thought Beca was a lot like Stitch.”
“What?!” Beca looked up. “I am not,” she said, indignant.
“You mean to tell me you don’t stop being ornery and begin to purr when you get lei’d?” Stacie asked pointedly.
Beca pointed a finger at her, mouth open, then let her hand drop. “Damnit.”
That weekend Stacie had gotten her a Stitch onesie. While Aubrey and Chloe had leaned on each other, laughing, Beca had held it up. “I will get you for this, Bucky.”
“Promises, promises, 8 Seconds.” Stacie blew her a kiss.
A few weeks later Beca had picked up a wicked cold from someone at the studio and it put her in bed over the weekend. It was a bad enough cold that Aubrey had ordered her to stay home for an entire week until she’d beaten it. They’d all taken turns taking care of her in the mornings and evenings, but Aubrey had taken over lunch duty because Chloe had back to back classes and couldn’t get away. So Aubrey had come home every day to check on her, taking an extended lunch so she didn’t have to basically just run in and out.
On Wednesday she’d quietly made her upstairs and found Beca passed out in a pile of blankets, her body in one of those awkward contortions that only the truly unconscious can manage. Wearing the Stitch onesie and snoring open mouthed because she still couldn’t breathe through her nose.
Aubrey said she had immediately and without any hesitation whatsoever, taken a short video of how loud she was snoring, because Beca would deny it until she died. Then she took several of the most adorable pictures Chloe had ever seen before gently waking Beca up to make her some soup. Once Beca had eaten enough, Aubrey had tucked her back into bed, still in her Stitch pj’s.
And immediately sent the video and pictures to Stacie and Chloe.
When she showed Beca the new picture that would come up when she called, Beca had replied “Well, at least it’s not my ass anymore.”
“I thought you said you’d never wear them?” Stacie said, bumping Beca’s shoulder with her own.
“It was the warmest thing I could find.” Beca shrugged. “I was freezing.”
“Uh huh.” Chloe said. “And…” She could see there was more Beca wasn’t saying.
“And nothing.” Beca said, not looking at them.
“Beca.” Aubrey chided. “You know we can tell when you’re lying.”
Beca sighed deeply. “I felt better when I put it on. I felt like complete crap all week and needed… It was like…” She visibly forced herself to finish. “Like you were hugging me.”
“Holy shit, B.” Stacie sat back, her face soft. “That may be the most –”
“Don’t –” Beca put her hand out to stop her.
“Fucking adorable thing I have ever heard.” Stacie pulled Beca into her lap and hugged her gently. “I’m glad it made you feel better.”
Beca sighed and burrowed in. “Me too.” She looked up as Aubrey and Chloe piled onto the couch with them. “Even if some monster took video of me in my vulnerable state.”
“At least I didn’t take one of you rubbing your eyes with the hood over your head while you were at the table. I thought I was going to die from how cute you were, all groggy and spooning up your soup.” Aubrey shrugged. “Think of it as payback for that time you got them to film me sleep groping you.”
“Hey, you’re the one who said there needed to be pictures or it didn’t happen.” Beca protested.
“She’s got you there, Bree.” Chloe said as they all wiggled into a more comfortable dog pile.
Aubrey looked down where Beca’s hand had casually landed on her breast. “Apparently in more ways than one,” she said wryly.
“Like she said.” Stacie said with a laugh. “She’s a boob man.”
/
Chloe let the memory slip away when Beca finished explaining how she planned to handle their aftercare. She tucked herself closer to Stacie’s back, propping her chin on her shoulder and looked at Aubrey. “Would you guys mind if-”
“-we got them too?” Beca finished with her and Chloe smiled, never tired of the way their thoughts ran parallel. She knew she should probably have waited until they could talk, but it felt right. And with Beca’s instant agreement, she figured she only beat her at saying it by mere seconds.
“You’d do that?” Aubrey asked shyly and with a kind of wonder. Chloe saw Stacie’s eyes focus on Aubrey before looking back to Chloe with a familiar wry expression that she returned with a smile. One of the many things they had bonded over was their wives’ lingering fear that something was going to break. Because even without seeing her, Chloe could tell Aubrey was pleased at the idea that they’d want to get them even as she shared Beca’s slight hesitation in believing. Chloe knew it would never have occurred to her to ask them, but how could they not do this after everything they had been through and all that they meant to each other.
Chloe half shrugged. “Can’t have our wedding vows be incomplete, can we?”
“Yeah. The Earth is great for us too, because you keep us grounded, Bree.” Beca offered.
“Always have.” Chloe nodded. “So it’s perfect.”
“Well great, now I’m crying.” Aubrey said with a choked laugh.
Chloe wiped away the tear that had slipped down Stacie’s cheek as her eyes closed briefly. It matched the one rolling down her own. “It’s ok to cry at weddings.” That broke the tension that had been building and they laughed through their tears. Several long minutes were spent in comforting kisses and small touches of reassurance as they settled back into a quiet contentment.
“Where would you get it?” Stacie asked once they had recovered enough to talk without trembling voices, though she still had to clear her throat before she could speak. Like Beca, Stacie kept her real emotions hidden but in situations like this, even she couldn’t hide them completely. Chloe could almost feel the adoring smile Aubrey had to be directing at them because Stacie’s cheeks took on a faint blush.
“I was thinking of between my shoulders or…my spine, actually.” Chloe said. “Down the center.”
“That’s hot.” Beca said immediately. “Like, super hot.”
“Seconded,” Aubrey said right behind her.
“Thirded.” Stacie paused. “That’s totally not a word but I’m going with it. DJ?” Chloe rolled to her back and propped herself on her elbows to look at Beca.
“I’m not sure, actually.” Beca paused for a moment and Chloe could almost hear her thinking. “My hips, maybe.”
“Hips?” Aubrey asked, confused. “Both?”
“Yeah. Chloe’s star on my left, the sun and earth on my right.” Beca said, her voice firming.
Aubrey stifled a laugh. “I feel like there’s a statement here about your junk being the center of the universe. All kinds of puns intended including ones I know all your dirty bird minds just thought of.” Beca’s face had immediately taken on smirk that was both smug and lustful at the same time. Chloe turned her head enough to look at Stacie and found a matching expression as she looked Beca over carefully, from head to toe. Chloe could relate to them both and let out a deep yet happy sigh as various images of the four of them in bed over the past nine months. Aubrey looked over at the three of them and rolled her eyes. “Seriously you guys?” But her face took on a faint flush and Chloe knew she was thinking her own parade of indecent thoughts.
Stacie shrugged. “Some people keep their love close to their hearts; Becs keeps them close to her parts.” She looked over as Beca rolled over and flipped her off. “I mean that as a compliment, B. You know how fond I am of your junk.”
Chloe and Aubrey exchanged a look that clearly said ‘Well, she’s not wrong.’
Beca put her head back on Aubrey’s shoulder. “We’ll call the guy in a bit.”
“Not now?” Chloe asked, curiously.
“Nope. I’m going to enjoy getting engaged for the second time for just a little bit longer.” She ran her hand down across Aubrey’s stomach to grip her hip.
“Beca Mitchell.” Aubrey said slyly. “Are you getting sentimental in your old age?”
“Can’t be helped when I have people worth being sentimental over.” Beca said.
Chloe snuggled back down into Stacie who pulled her close. “Told you, Bree. She’s a keeper.”
“It may take a while, but eventually I can admit when I’m wrong.” Aubrey said.
“Hey, no one badmouths my fiancé, not even my fiancé – or her wife, who is my other fiancé – or my wife, who is their other fiancé.” Beca said indignantly.
Chloe laughed. “Say that three times fast.”
“Becs.” Stacie chided and lifted her head to look over Chloe’s. “I don’t think any of us has ever done anything bad with our mouths.”
Beca began to laugh. “I walked into that one, didn’t I?”
“It’s why we love you, B.” Stacie trailed her fingers down Chloe’s arm and until she could tangle their fingers together. “One of many reasons we love you both.”
Chloe smiled into Stacie’s shoulder. Beca was right, they could call later.
What they needed now was to be together.
She ghosted their joined hands down Stacie’s side again. “We totes do.”
~B~
Beca rubbed her thumb against the skin of Aubrey’s stomach just above her jeans, occasionally dipping below just because. She squirmed closer as she felt Aubrey’s lips press to her forehead, bending her head until she could feel as well as hear the strong beats of Aubrey’s heart. Beca felt the brief sting of tears again when she thought of the symbols Aubrey had chosen, what it meant that she would make them part of her, a declaration of love emblazoned on her skin for anyone to see.
It wouldn’t have surprised Beca to learn that Aubrey had been born as a full grown proper lady, so she was almost literally the last person Beca would have expected to get a tattoo. And Stacie, who had never wanted anything permanent with anyone before Aubrey, getting something that declared she belonged to Aubrey – and including Beca and Chloe in that?
It was so much deeper than just the tattoos. It was the women wearing them and what they truly meant by getting them.
She knew Chloe had seen to the heart of her earlier thoughts, what it meant to Beca to have that kind of commitment and promise made to her. While that younger, fearful version of herself was quieter now, tucked safely into the circle of Chloe’s arms, sometimes she woke up in unexpected moments. This time, however, it wasn’t fear that had made her surface, but the pure wonder Beca had felt when she realized how deeply Aubrey and Stacie felt about them. About her. Something that shouldn’t have surprised her at all, considering how she felt about them. She guessed that was another thing she and Aubrey had in common – that instinctual reaction that they would be left behind. But now there would be a reminder, for all of them, that they would always be part of each other.
She pushed up on her right elbow, adjusting her body until she could look down into Aubrey’s face. Beca traced Aubrey’s fine features first with her eyes, then with the lightest touch of her left hand. Across one brow, down her cheek, along her chin until Beca brushed her thumb across Aubrey’s lips. Aubrey only watched her, her expressive green eyes never leaving Beca’s face as she leaned down and kissed her gently, merely the lightest touch of her lips before pulling back and studying her once more.
There was no trace of the disdainful woman Beca had first met all those years ago. The one who declared Beca ‘alternative’ and tried to ward Chloe off before plastering on a fake smile when Chloe ignored her. The smiles now were the furthest from fake and Beca cherished every one of them, like the one slowly unfolding below her. Beca felt the light brush of breath against her face as Aubrey lifted her head just enough to close the distance between them again. Beca let herself sink into the kiss as her tongue slipped easily into Aubrey’s mouth, feeling so connected to her she wasn’t sure which of them sighed in contentment first.
As they lazily traded kisses, Beca angled more of her body to rest on Aubrey’s left side, always mindful of her right. Aubrey’s left arm had curled behind them and her hand dipped under Beca’s shirt to rest against her back, pulling her always closer. Beca wasn’t sure when it happened, but her left hand was resting over Aubrey’s heart, feeling it speed up the longer they kissed. It pulled at her, making the muscles in her stomach tighten as desire rose, slow and languid.
It was only natural for her hand to slip the few inches necessary to cover Aubrey’s bra clad breast and massage gently, feeling Aubrey’s back arch just a little. Her fingers traced over the hardening nipple as she kissed her way down Aubrey’s jaw. Beca paused for a moment over her pulse, her tongue pressed flat to feel how it jumped under touch, before continuing to press open mouthed kisses down to her collarbone.
Beca’s fingers slid upward to tug gently, pulling down the cup of Aubrey’s bra as her head dipped to pull the nipple into her mouth. Immediately Aubrey’s left hand was in her hair, holding her close, while Beca’s hand moved to the other breast, squeezing gently. Until Aubrey’s right hand covered it and urged her be firmer. When Beca complied, nipping with her teeth at the same time, Aubrey’s back arched again, lifting them off the bed as she cried out.
Beca slid her body over until she was straddling Aubrey’s legs. “Off.” She tugged at the front of Aubrey’s bra. “Can you…” But Aubrey was already lifting herself up and Beca slid her hand around her back to undo her bra, pulling it free and tossing it behind her. Beca lowered herself again, left hand firmly planted to keep herself off Aubrey’s side, as she pulled Aubrey’s right nipple into her mouth. Almost immediately she felt movement against her shoulder and pulled back to see Chloe had rolled onto her side and was nuzzling Aubrey’s other breast. Stacie was taking advantage of her height and was pushed up higher on the bed and half leaning over Chloe to kiss Aubrey.
Feeling her own desire rise higher Beca couldn’t stop her hips from grinding down against Aubrey’s as she leaned back down. She knew the way Chloe’s mouth worked as well as her own and tried to match it from memory; half hoping they would end up in sync. They must have succeeded as Aubrey pulled back from Stacie long enough to gasp, “How the fuck – nevermind. Don’t stop.” Beca grinned to herself. Having Aubrey use that tone, hearing it go breathy – that was never going to get old. Any time she was able to get Aubrey or Chloe to actually use ‘fuck’ because of something she was doing to them, well that was always a sexy bonus.
A sudden pressure between her legs caused her to pull back and look down as Aubrey’s whine of protest turned into a high moan. Stacie had stretched out her long arm over Chloe’s back and had cupped between Aubrey’s legs. Beca saw her forearm flex, pressing into Aubrey’s center and Beca felt the last tethers of her control fraying. She ground herself down into the back of Stacie’s hand, pushing her harder against Aubrey, her eyes closing as her body sought release in the friction between them.
Then she felt Stacie’s hand moving and lifted up, thinking she was moving to get more comfortable, but instead Beca heard the unmistakable sound of a zipper. Another movement, this one unmistakably downward and Beca looked up in time to see Aubrey’s eyes close as her body arched again, mouth open in a soundless cry. Stacie was watching Beca with a hooded gaze filled with promise. Beca suddenly felt her clothes were too stifling, too constricting, and she needed them gone.
She pushed backward until she was off the bed, stripping almost as quickly as Stacie these days. She crawled back on the bed until she could reach up and hook her fingers into the top of Aubrey’s jeans. She pulled them down, along with her underwear, and dropped them to the floor behind her. Aubrey’s legs were already parted, Stacie’s hand never stopping. Chloe continued to nuzzle Aubrey’s breast, but her eyes were open and watching to see what Beca would do next.
Beca moved between Aubrey’s legs, watching as Stacie’s long middle finger stroked up and down, pulling quiet gasps from Aubrey. Even as she got closer, Beca saw it dip further down and slide inside briefly, but the angle was wrong for anything more. Stacie slid down the bed, spooning Chloe and pushing her tight against Aubrey’s side. Beca watched, breathless, as the angle allowed Stacie to thrust inside fully, each push of her hand matched by a roll against Chloe’s ass.
After a moment Beca moved her left hand up, already forming a cup and eased it under Stacie’s as she withdrew. At Stacie’s short gasp of approval, Beca fit their hands together and pushed them forward. Aubrey’s slick heat enveloped their middle fingers as she moaned, pushing back against them. Chloe had her head on Aubrey’s shoulder, her hand roaming over Aubrey’s stomach and chest, stroking here and pulling there, as she watched.
“You’re so beautiful, Aubrey.” Beca said, meeting green eyes that were dark with desire. “That tattoo looks so good on your skin.” She looked at Chloe and Stacie. “Maybe not as good as they do against you…” She gave a crooked smile as Chloe winked at her. “You’re incredible, Bree.”
Aubrey opened her mouth to say something but Stacie gave a particularly hard thrust and it was lost in a high grunt of pleasure, her body pushing against them all. She hitched in a breath, “I don’t know about that… what you guy s are doing is what feels incredible.” She bit her lip as they pushed again, the heel of Stacie’s palm pressing against her clit. “Oh, fuck.”
Stacie rolled her hips against Chloe again, causing her to groan softly. “You’re all beautiful and I am the luckiest Bella in the entire world.”
Beca smirked at her. “You better not try to high five yourself for doing three Captains again.” Stacie had amused herself so much with it that first night that she’d done it a few times over the past nine months. Beca secretly, or not so, thought it was one of the most adorable things she’d ever seen Stacie do. And, to be honest, Beca couldn’t really blame her because it was an amazing feat that she kind of admired.
Stacie shook her head. “I’ll save that for later.” Beca knew she would, too. “Right now, I have more important things on my mind.” She flicked a glance down at their hands and back up at Beca, one brow quirked.
Beca thought she knew what Stacie was getting at, so when she pulled back and extended her index finger as well, Beca was half a second behind her as they slid back into Aubrey. Beca felt Aubrey clench around them. “Already, Bree?” She half teased. “Thought you could hold out longer than that.”
Chloe laughed. “Don’t play with fire, Becs. You know you’ll get burned.” But her own breathing was ragged, her body pushing back against Stacie’s with every roll of her hips.
“Beca.” Aubrey paused to swallow. “Shut up and finish what you started.” She met Beca’s startled look and underneath the blown pupils and sex voice was Captain steel that Beca felt herself instantly respond to.
Beca licked her lips, distracted by how much her body reacted to Aubrey’s deeper voice, and felt her own body clench around nothing. “Jesus… How… do you… do that?” Beca inhaled deeply, trying to pull her scattered thoughts together. “Just remember, Bree. You asked for what’s about to happen.” She met Stacie’s eyes and the two of them smiled in perfect understanding and as one they sped up their thrusting, pushing Aubrey up the peak.
Chloe’s hand slid down Aubrey’s stomach and Beca watched the muscles jump until Chloe’s fingers rested on Aubrey’s clit. She hissed out a breath. “Jesus, Bree.” She lowered her mouth to flick lightly at a nipple with her tongue. “You’re so wet.” She pulled it into her mouth, eyes closing as she helped Aubrey climb higher with every circle her fingers made.
Aubrey cried out, her body bucking against them, meaningless pleading falling from her lips. “Becs… right there.” Her body locked for a second and Beca thought she was about to come undone, but Aubrey let out her breath again, as if she’d held her orgasm back by sheer will. Which would be a very Aubrey Posen like thing to do, since Beca felt she could do anything by sheer force of her will. “Stace… I need…” But Stacie was already moving, trusting Beca to keep the motion of their hands, pushing herself a fraction higher with her feet as her neck stretched to meet Aubrey’s raised head in a kiss. It was an awkward angle and Beca spared a thought to hope that neither of them pulled something, but then Aubrey fell back to the bed. Her body locked again, except the motion of her hips, meeting each thrust of their hands as she climaxed, even as they pushed her higher. As she finally went limp, they slowed, easing her back down again.
Stacie pulled her hand free and Beca captured it, pulling Stacie’s fingers one by one into her mouth, her eyes locked on Aubrey’s as she watched. Aubrey licked her own lips, her eyes still dark with desire. Beca stretched herself out on the bed, sliding her hands under Aubrey’s thighs to hold her in place.
“What…” Aubrey started but Beca cut her off.
“You told me to finish what I started, Captain.” Beca said. “I’m just following orders.” Aubrey’s mouth dropped and Beca could almost hear the ‘Oh fuck’ that must have gone through her mind if the sudden need in her eyes was any indication. She lowered her head, licking the length of Aubrey’s center and feeling her shudder. She felt two hands wind their way into her hair, holding her in place.
Beca lost track of time as she tasted and nuzzled, licked and even nipped. She was briefly aware of movement beside them, figuring it was Stacie and Chloe finally removing their own clothes, but she was focused on Aubrey. She loved pulling these sounds from her, each gasp and keen stoking her own fire higher. Each time Beca’s name fell from Aubrey’s lips, it made her push Aubrey further, faster, even though she wanted to make this last. But Aubrey was already bucking beneath her, her second orgasm rolling through her with every curl of Beca’s fingers.
Beca couldn’t help but think of that first time, where the three of them had made love to Beca then Aubrey had lifted her up the second time. That moment had forever changed her, bound her to Aubrey and Stacie in ways they hadn’t stopped discovering. She slowed her movements, hoping Aubrey understood how much it had meant to Beca, how much she cherished that first moment between them.
Then she heard Chloe cry out beside her and it was deep and guttural enough that, startled, Beca lifted her head.
Chloe was lying naked on her side, though still pressed against Aubrey, and her left leg was hooked over Stacie’s bent knee which held it up in the air. Stacie’s hand was on Chloe’s hip and Beca was treated to an extremely close up view of the strap-on Stacie was wearing being thrust into Chloe from behind.
“Holy fuck.” Beca whispered, her breath leaving her body in pure reaction.
“Oh my god.” Aubrey said immediately after her, her body still shuddering under Beca.
Stacie thrust deep and fast, her hand tightening on Chloe’s hip to anchor herself. All of Chloe’s hidden muscles were in sharp relief as her body strained against Stacie.
Beca had long realized that she had a massive toner for all her girls having muscles, but it wasn’t until that moment that she realized she had a thing for thigh muscles and both Chloe and Stacie had them in spades. If all the moisture in her body hadn’t already been heading straight between her legs, watching the two of them flexing in front of her would have sealed the deal. The desire to trace them with her tongue was almost overpowering but she couldn’t move. ‘Thigh muscles for fucking days.’
Chloe’s eyes were closed, moans and high pitched gasps slipping past her lips and all Beca could do was stare in awe at how fucking amazing the two of them looked together. She found she was completely unable to look away from Stacie’s pounding hips and the shaft disappearing into her wife.
~S~
When Beca had lowered herself back down between Aubrey’s legs, Stacie had patted Chloe on the hip. “Let’s get naked.” Chloe had nodded, her eyes hooded, and followed Stacie off the bed. They’d wasted no time in stripping, but Chloe had gone to the dresser. When she came back, she’d held one of their strap-ons out to Stacie. They had taken advantage of Stacie’s IOU shopping trip for Chloe’s birthday – several times.
Stacie had pulled the underwear on without hesitation, letting Chloe put the dildo in and lock it in place. She’d shuddered at the feel of Chloe’s fingers against her center, but Chloe had merely kissed her and backed toward the bed.
Helpless to do anything else, Stacie followed as Chloe crawled back onto it and assumed her previous position on her right side, looking over her shoulder at Stacie with need in her eyes. Stacie lay behind her, her left leg bent at the knee, and helped Chloe lift her leg over it. She dropped her hips and slid forward, allowing the length of the toy to run between Chloe’s folds, though not inside quite yet. She felt Chloe hold it in place and Stacie thrust gently, allowing Chloe’s natural lubrication to coat it while they watched Beca work Aubrey into another orgasm.
Then Stacie pulled back, angled her hips and let Chloe guide her until she could slowly press inside. After the first resistance eased, Stacie paused with the head inside, letting her adjust. Then her hand tightened on Chloe’s hip and she jerked her hips upward sharply.
Chloe cried out as she was filled, her body arching as she pushed back against Stacie. “Harder.” Stacie felt her body shudder at Chloe’s demand even as her hips picked up speed.
“Holy fuck.” She heard Beca whisper and opened her eyes to see Beca staring at them.
Aubrey had pushed herself up on her elbows and was watching them. “Oh my god.” Stacie looked up and the look on Aubrey’s face caused her to shiver again at the lust in those beautiful green eyes. If anyone other than Beca was going to understand the desire coursing through Stacie’s veins, it was Aubrey. She knew what it was to need Chloe and have Chloe demand even more in return. Then Chloe moaned again and Stacie pulled her attention back to the woman in her arms.
She gripped Chloe tighter and pushed herself to go faster with every sound Chloe made. At this point they had all used one of the strap-ons on each other, but they never grew tired of it. The trust and intimacy of it, even when it was fast and rough like now, never stopped being as exciting as the first time. Nine months later and they were still in the honeymoon stage for all that they were just now making engagement jokes. Or promises, she supposed. Stacie didn’t see any signs of that ever fading for any of them. When she had told Aubrey that she wanted to get the design as well, she’d meant it for the same reasons.
The thought of almost losing Aubrey had plagued her since they’d gotten back home, waking her more than once in the middle of the night. While the fear of losing Beca and Chloe was also there, it was to a slightly lesser degree – a thought that always made her feel instantly guilty and added to the misery she felt in the dark. While they were her heart, Aubrey was her entire world. Stacie didn’t know if she could have survived that. She knew Aubrey had the same problem, often going to work out until she came back to bed damp from a shower and trembling with overtaxed muscles. Stacie had joined her a few times, silently claiming whatever machine Aubrey wasn’t using, until Aubrey was ready to shower. There they would slowly make love as they washed each other and finally go back to bed, where, more often than not, Beca and Chloe were waiting for them.
Sometimes one of them simply woke the rest up, needing reassurances in the form of kisses and quiet moans. Beca and Chloe usually started those and Stacie had a secret suspicion they were partially doing it to ease Aubrey’s middle of the night worries without having to get up and work herself to exhaustion. And it seemed to be working because lately Aubrey had begun to follow their lead, not needing to go downstairs as frequently as before. Stacie hoped that meant Aubrey was close to putting it fully behind them. She thought the tattoos were a giant leap toward that goal and Beca’s question about marriage and Chloe’s instant, unhesitating ‘I do’ brought them even closer.
Beca scrambled sideways, taking advantage of their positioning, to lean forward toward Chloe. Stacie changed her pace to slow and deep thrusts, allowing Beca to, Stacie assumed, get her mouth over Chloe’s clit and suck. She felt Chloe tighten as she gave another cry, making each thrust require more effort. Stacie bit her lip, trying to keep her pace steady to not bounce Beca out of the way, but the need to push Chloe faster and faster was inching up her spine.
Beca made the decision for her as she pulled back, her eyes glazed but locked on them as she settled between Aubrey’s legs again. Chloe bent her body forward as Aubrey reached for her to kiss her fiercely. Stacie pulled Chloe’s leg back up and over, pushing deep within as she urged Chloe to recline half on her stomach and half on Aubrey’s side with her left leg still bent and propped up slightly by Aubrey’s leg.
Stacie rolled with her, getting her legs between Chloe’s and planted her right forearm on the mattress and her left hand back on Chloe’s hip. Finding her footing, she began to thrust again, watching Aubrey run her hand down Chloe’s arm and back up, tangling in her hair. Chloe’s face in profile was flush with exertion and beautiful; her eyes were closed, her mouth open and pulling in air to exhale a string of profanity that only urged Stacie to go faster. Sweat dripping down her body, Stacie braced herself and drove her hips, hard and fast, feeling Chloe tighten again, her body beginning to tremble under Stacie. Every time she thrust, she felt Beca’s hand where it gripped the back of Chloe’s thigh.
Stacie felt her own body tightening and wondered if she’d come undone from this alone, but then Chloe was screaming her release, her hand closing on the far side of Aubrey’s neck as her anchor. Stacie gradually slowed, though it was difficult to pull herself back from the edge. She came to a stop, still deep within, and dropped to rest on Chloe’s back, pressing kisses into her shoulder.
“You’re fucking amazing, Chloe.” Stacie said, trying to get her breath back.
Chloe let out a half laugh, her voice shaking as aftershocks rolled through her as Stacie felt her twitch. “I think I should be saying that to you.” She exhaled. “Holy shit. I can’t feel my legs.”
Stacie groaned and lifted up enough to slide backward and slip free though Chloe groaned at the loss. “That may be my fault.”
“You don’t weigh that much,” Chloe protested.
Aubrey stroked Chloe’s arm but watched Stacie. “You’re all kind of fucking amazing right now.” She laughed as Beca crawled her way up so she could kiss Aubrey. She kept her knees tucked under Aubrey’s legs, causing them to wrap high around Beca’s waist as Chloe’s leg fell to the bed. “Yes, including you.” She pulled Beca in and kissed her soundly.
Stacie smiled at their antics, the two of them were seriously adorable more than half the time, and Chloe watched them from where she was cuddled into Aubrey’s shoulder. Then Stacie’s eyes traced Beca’s body and she felt that insistent need pulse back to the front of her mind.
She moved behind Beca, her voice low and commanding. “Spread your knees, Beca.” Startled, Beca looked over her shoulder but her knees were already parting at the order. Stacie slid behind her and guided the shaft inside, watching Beca’s body press down into Aubrey as her hips tried to rise.
“Oh fuck.” Beca said on an exhale. “Please… oh Jesus, please Stacie.” Beca pushed back as Stacie ground against her.
Stacie put one hand on Beca’s hip and the other up on her shoulder as she began to move.
~A~
Aubrey’s breath had left her when she realized what Stacie was about to do. Knowing Beca as she did, Aubrey wasn’t surprised at her Pavlonian response to being taken this way – Aubrey felt the exact same since taking Beca that first night and the muscle memory of it was strong enough to take her breath away.
Then Beca pressed down into her when Stacie pushed her hips home and Aubrey inhaled sharply at the sensation. When Stacie found her rhythm, as hard and fast as she had taken Chloe, each thrust pushed Beca down and Aubrey was wide open and still sensitive enough that it was starting to drive her crazy. The sight of Stacie rising up behind Beca, need in every taut muscle, combined with Beca’s expressive face inches from hers, filled with blind lust and changing with every lunge from Stacie had Aubrey halfway up the peak again already.
Aubrey cupped Beca’s cheeks and saw those midnight eyes focus on her. “Bree.” It was said reverently and Beca pushed her hands between Aubrey’s shoulders and the bed until she could grip them from behind and use her as an anchor. She bit her lip as Stacie continued drive into her, muffling the scream Aubrey knew was trying to get out.
Chloe’s hand slid up into Beca’s hair. “We got you.” Aubrey tightened her legs against Beca’s sides as Chloe urged Beca’s head around until she could kiss her. “Let it out, Beca.”
Aubrey swallowed. “She’s right, love.” She leaned up and whispered into Beca’s ear. “We’re so far past holding back.” She pulled Beca’s earlobe between her teeth and bit lightly.
Stacie suddenly drove forward, pushing Beca down into Aubrey as she thrust as deeply as she could. Her hands slid down and between Aubrey and Beca. “Let me hear you, Beca.” It was that same soft commanding voice and Aubrey cried out as the thumb from Stacie’s left hand pushed firmly over her clit. As she writhed, she felt Beca lock above her as Stacie’s right hand pressed into her at the same time.
Beca’s forehead pressed into Aubrey’s left shoulder, the sound starting low in her throat, gaining in strength and volume as her body shook with the force of her release, a high keen that broke at the end with Stacie’s name on her lips. She dragged air into her lungs and moaned again, only slightly softer but no less intense as Stacie finally stilled her hands and flattened them against Beca and Aubrey’s stomachs instead. A third moan trailed off into a whimper as she clung to Aubrey.
“Holy shit.” Stacie was panting. “I love you guys.”
Aubrey watched her swallow and felt a grin twitch her lips even as she tried to regain her own breath. “Little worn out, love? And you said cardio would never come in handy.” Aubrey felt Beca give a small hiccup of a laugh and pulled back slightly to focus on her. “Hey.” She felt drops on her shoulder and knew they weren’t sweat. “Hey.” She said again, softer as she brushed Beca’s hair out of her face. Beca was still trembling in reaction but her eyes were clenched shut and fresh tears slipped free as she gave a stifled sob. “Baby.” She felt Chloe’s fingers comb through Beca’s hair, her voice soothing and gentle as she whispered words of comfort. Beca ducked under Chloe’s chin and pressed her face against Chloe’s neck with another sob, though her hands still clutched at Aubrey.
Aubrey met Stacie’s concerned gaze and smiled slightly. “She’s okay, love. That was just… a little intense for all of us.”
Stacie eased her hands from between them. “I’ll say.” She lightly stroked Beca’s back and made to move away, but Aubrey shook her head once. She and Beca were alike enough that she knew, in this moment, she’d want Stacie to stay right where she was. Need to feel connected, to keep her close. Stacie nodded slowly, her hands continuing their soft caress.
Aubrey felt Beca’s hands finally begin to lose their desperate hold on her shoulders, her body finally relaxing under their touch. She met Beca’s sheepish look with a soft smile. “Hi.”
Beca sniffled once. “I’m sorry.”
Chloe brushed Beca’s hair back and Beca turned her head to look at her. Chloe’s face was filled with such tenderness that Aubrey felt it was a little hard to breathe through the tightness in her chest. “For what, love?”
“Having emotions.” Beca replied. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “All over Aubrey’s shoulder.”
“I think I’ll live.” Aubrey tightened her legs around Beca again. “And don’t ever apologize for your emotions. I kind of love them.”
“Yeah, DJ. At least you’re up to plural now.” Stacie said, always knowing when to help Beca with humor. “Freshman you would’ve said you only had one.”
Beca laughed. “Fuck you, Bucky.”
“Mmm.” Stacie hummed thoughtfully. “Let’s save that for next time. I don’t think you can move right now.”
Beca twitched again as her breath hissed out. “Holy shit. You can’t say that right now, Stace.” Aubrey heard her swallow heavily. “Not… not where you are, because you’re right, I don’t think I can move.”
Stacie chuckled. “Sorry, B. Should I…?” She trailed off briefly. “I can’t imagine you’re not… uncomfortable.”
Beca sighed. “I am, but I really don’t want you to move yet… but yeah. Maybe.” She closed her eyes as Stacie pulled away, hissing again. Aubrey smiled and nodded when Stacie pointed at the bathroom and slipped from the bed.
Moving slowly, Beca lifted herself off of Aubrey and moved to the space Chloe created between them. She lay on her back, her eyes closed and her hands folded on her stomach. Chloe slid against her side and pressed a kiss to her temple, then her cheek where Beca turned her head to meet her lips instead.
Aubrey watched them with a smile as they reassured each other wordlessly before laying back and closing her own eyes. Slowly she stretched in place, feeling only the slightest soreness in her legs that was already easing. While she hadn’t expected the afternoon to go the way it did, she wasn’t ever going to argue with how satisfied she felt in this moment. She heard the water running in the bathroom and knew that Stacie was cleaning off the toy and would place it back in the drawer for next time. She heard the water shut off and pictured Stacie walking out of the bathroom and to the dresser, the drawer opening and closing, with a detour to the hamper for the harness.
“Bree?” Beca’s voice pulled her from her musings. Aubrey looked at her. “Can you roll on your side? Left side,” she added. “Be the big spoon?”
Aubrey immediately shifted and Beca moved over, letting Aubrey pull her close. Aubrey kissed her shoulder. “How’s that?” It took Aubrey a second to remember why Beca would specify what side to lay on, having briefly forgotten her tattoo. Though, thinking back, Beca never had. Not once had she accidentally bumped it in everything that had happened.
“Perfect.” Beca sighed as Stacie crawled back into the bed. “C’mere, Stace.” She patted the space between her and Chloe. “Please?” Aubrey was deeply touched by the care Beca always took with them, because she’d arranged it so Stacie would also lay with her tattoo side free.
“Like you need to ask me twice.” Stacie said lightly as she slipped between them, Chloe pressing against her back. “Oh, wait.” She leaned back against Chloe and threw both her hands up in the air. “Go team!” And she high fived herself.
Aubrey watched her with bemused fondness. “It’s a good thing you’re soooo good in bed.” She dropped her voice and practically purred, feeling Beca twitch against her. Beca’s reaction to Aubrey’s bedroom voice never, ever, failed to make Aubrey shiver along with her.
“Psh, you love me.” Stacie said as she lowered her arms again, beyond pleased with herself.
Chloe and Beca chimed in with Aubrey. “Yeah we do.”
When Stacie had settled back into place, Beca immediately pulled her into a kiss that left them both breathless. Aubrey watched, amused, as Stacie’s eyes blinked open, almost dazed with the thoroughness of it. “I don’t even have words for what you just made me feel.” Beca said softly and kissed her again. “Or how to tell both of you…” She trailed off again.
“That’s ok, Becs.” Stacie ran her fingers across Beca’s jaw. “I know.” She met Aubrey’s eyes. “We know.”
Aubrey buried her nose in Beca’s hair and pulled her close. Sleep was tugging at her and a nap sounded like heaven. She just didn’t want to be the one to reach down for the blanket folded at the end of the bed, she was too comfortable. But as their skin cooled, she knew they’d need the covers. But before she could make herself move, Beca spoke up again.
“Um… Stace?”
“Mph?” Stacie clearly was worn out. Aubrey was going to give her such a bad time later. She sensed a lot of jogging in their future.
“Um… are you… don’t you need…” Beca stopped. “To… You know.”
“Beca.” Chloe said with exasperated affection. “Seriously? You still can’t say sex or orgasm?” She propped her chin up on Stacie’s arm. “You’re sometimes so prudish for someone who lives in the gutter.”
“It’s all part of my charm?” Beca lifted her shoulder in a shrug.
Stacie was shaking her head. “That’s Beca: An 18th century gentleman. Worried about my getting off but unable to actually say it. It’s so cute.” She grabbed Beca’s hand before it could poke her in the stomach. “But to answer the question you’re dancing around…” She smiled sheepishly. “I actually came the second you screamed my name.”
“Oh.” Beca’s voice was shyly pleased. Her hand shifted and pulled Stacie into another kiss. Her voice was stronger the next time she spoke. “Just the thought of me does it for you, huh?”
“And she’s back.” Stacie rolled her eyes.
“That’s my girl,” Chloe said fondly. Beca pushed up to kiss her.
Aubrey laughed and sat up to scoot a little toward the end of the bed.
“Where are you going?” Beca said, looking over her shoulder. Aubrey could see the vulnerability still lurking under the surface.
“Getting the blanket.” Aubrey hooked it with her foot and dragged it upward until she could get a grip on it. Stacie immediately reached up and grabbed a couple of pillows and dragged them down.
“Oooh, naptime!” Chloe sat up and reached over to help spread it over them.
Burrowing into a pillow, Stacie’s eyes were already closed. “I could nap.”
Beca waited until Aubrey was nestled against her back again, immediately pulling Aubrey’s arm around her. “Did we get old?”
“No, B.” Stacie said, opening one eye. “We’re just exhausted because we all thoroughly celebrated our engagement.”
Aubrey leaned down to whisper in Beca’s ear. “She means we just fucked the shit out of each other and now it’s time to rest up.”
“So we can do it again.” Chloe said in the most innocent of tones. “But this time I get to wear it.”
Stacie’s eyes had shot open and she stared at Beca. “They’re going to kill us.”
Beca breathed out a quiet, “Holy fuck.”
Aubrey couldn’t help but laugh. “It certainly felt like it.”
Chloe burrowed into Stacie’s back with a yawn, her arm low across Stacie’s hip, mindful of her tattoo. “Sleep now.”
“You expect me to sleep after that?” But Stacie’s eyes were closed despite her protests; her words slow as she drifted.
“You are a wicked, wicked woman, Aubrey Posen.” Beca shivered against her.
“You love it.” Aubrey teased.
“Yeah I do.” Beca sounded like she wanted to say more, but the rest was lost in a soft snore.
Aubrey let sleep pull her under, feeling several more pieces of herself slide into place.
‘Soon,’ she thought to herself. ‘We’re all safe. We’re all home. I’ll finally just be me soon enough.’
Summary: Inspired by Soulmates au and soulmates au pt 2 hc by @fandom-heaux . An AU in which everyone is born with a smudged birthmark. As you find your mate in life the smudge forms their name when you’ve made an impression on them. In this world Beca doesn’t realize she has any, let alone three.
Author’s Note: I’m gonna try this thing where I post once a week. I say try because…well. Tis I. Queen of zero follow through. I blame @chloes-yellow-cup for dragging me into this fandom and then making fics that have ruined me. RUINED ME. Let me clarify. RUINED ME.
Beca
“Shut up.”
“I’m serious.”
“You are not. Everyone has one. This dude I dated, Boochie, got dragged behind his ATV at Glamis and got a wicked road rash. Like peeled the whole fucking side of his body including his mark. The shit came back, darker. My hand to God.” Stacie put her hand over her heart and raised the other as if she were giving oath. As if this would somehow make her story all the more believable.
“First of all who the fuck is named ‘Boochie’?” At Stacie’s smirking shrug she moved on. “Secondly. Ew dude.” Stacie laughed at the face Beca made but waited for her to say something more. Waiting for her to say ‘Just Kidding!’ or something equally confirming that she was joking in some way.
Beca shrugged and took a sip of her beer. These were the conversations she hated. It wasn’t that she was ashamed exactly. It wasn’t anything that she could control so why should she be ashamed? Beca just hated dealing with having to explain it to people. Explain that she didn’t have that thing that made a person complete. Whole. Normal or whatever. The responses were all the same and they happened in stages. First there was disbelief.
“I mean. I don’t really have a reason to lie so…” Stacie gave her a leveling stare as if she were trying to see if Beca was being completely truthful. She was sure there were people out there that didn’t want a soulmate, didn’t want to find the one person in the whole world that would always be there, would never leave, and would always just…get them. But she didn’t happen to know any and she didn’t think Stacie did either. Whatever the taller woman was looking for in Beca’s face she didn’t find because she gave a soft ‘huh’.
Beca didn’t trust it. Stage two was curiosity. There was no way, NO WAY, that Stacie wouldn’t ask questions. After moving to Los Angeles Beca had found herself cut adrift in a sea of unknown variables. She didn’t know the area, or the people, or even any of her neighbors. She moved into a three story building that was perfect for her. It was dark and brooding and no one gave a shit about anyone else. They just kept to themselves for the most part. Except Stacie.
Stacie had made it a point to smile and say hi every time Beca passed her in the halls. There was something a little predatory about the way she did that made Beca a little nervous at first. Her stuttered greetings were rushed and she usually tried to slink away into the shadows whenever possible. Until Stacie had come over one Wednesday night with a six pack of beer and endless questions.
Six months later the questions hadn’t stopped. But then neither had the beer so it wasn’t horrible. Beca didn’t know why she even enjoyed it so much, she had never really needed gal pals before but she counted on these Wednesday nights now.
Somehow Stacie had made a place in Beca’s life and the smaller woman found herself not minding having a standing drinking date. Stacie tossed her long legs over the arm of the overstuffed chair in Beca’s living room and full on man-style belched. Beca’s face twitched in a smirk as she shifted her position on the floor to rest back against the couch. “Nice. I see now why you’re so popular.” It was an attempt to deflect, move away from stage two before it even began but it was futile and she knew it when Stacie only blew her a kiss and forged ahead.
“Yeah but like…don’t you want to be with someone?” Beca raised a shoulder in a half shrug as if it didn’t matter much. Even though it kinda sorta mattered a lot.
“Not really.” Lie. “I have goals. I’m here to get into the industry and claw my way to the top. A relationship doesn’t really factor into it. So I guess being a freak of nature doesn’t really matter.” It was coming. She could feel it. The inevitable stage three. Pity. There was always pity in the eyes of every single person she’d had to explain this to. And Beca liked Stacie, she didn’t really want to feel the weight of all that, she already felt broken enough.
An abrupt laugh made her jerk her head up to blink owlishly at the other woman. Well she hadn’t wanted pity but this seemed somehow worse. “You think you’re a freak of nature? Check this out.” Without a hint of warning or even a second’s consideration on whether the blinds were closed or not Stacie peeled her shirt off and pointed to a row of three smudges down her rib cage. “THIS is a freak of nature.”
It was enough of a shock that Beca almost forgot not to stare at Stacie’s bra clad chest. Almost. She blinked and dragged her gaze to Stacie’s side. Beca’s eyes went wide and she reached out a hand to touch them before she realized what she was doing and jerked it back. They hadn’t quite formed yet, but one had a definite outline of an A. “Dude…”
“I know right?!” She shrugged and pulled her shirt back on, content to reach for her beer as if she hadn’t just flashed someone she barely knew. “My mom thinks it’s some kind of divine blessing or something.” It was clear she disagreed but Beca couldn’t help but feel a little jealous because maybe deep down she thought it was kind of a blessing too. She would have given her right hand to have one of those marks even if she tried to convince herself that she was better off without one.
“So is that why you date so much?” It was putting it politely and they both knew it. Stacie gave her an affectionately amused look and shrugged.
“I just like sex.” Okay then. Beca flushed a little at the bluntness of the statement but nodded anyway. “Is you not having one why you don’t date at all?”
“Fair if somewhat stinging. I just…don’t see the point. Whoever I date is going to have one and that’s not going to be my name. It just leads to hurt feelings and wasted time.” Stacie reached down and pulled another pair of bottles out of the cardboard holder and held one out to Beca. The DJ cracked it open and gestured vaguely to the marks on her friend. “So who do you think A is?” This wasn’t the turn she had expected for the conversation but she couldn’t say she hated it. Once people found out she didn’t have a smudge of her very own they tended to not want to talk about it at all. As if that would somehow offend Beca. The avoidance of it had just made Beca feel all the more lonely. This was almost refreshing.
Stacie’s dark head tipped to the side as she considered it. “I think it’s this guy Aaron I met at The Greek last summer. I was there with this other guy Tony, but we got separated. I ran into Aaron, all tall, blonde, and green eyed, with a banging body.” She gave a mild smirk at the memory of said body and moved on. “He’s just boring as fuck. I mean he’s in the Army or whatever so that’s cool. But he kept talking about his guns and his little sister. And more guns. He talked a LOT about guns. It was annoying.”
It was Beca’s turn to smirk and she didn’t even try to hide it. “Yeah…he sounds like a real winner, Stace.” Who didn’t love a guy that could gush about guns all day long? “I dunno. You don’t seem that into him, not that I have any experience in this but aren’t you supposed to know when you meet your one? Or…three? Don’t you just instantly know and fall in love or whatever?” Beca kept her face blankly bored hoping that Stacie wouldn’t see how much she actually wanted to know the answer.
Stacie was slow to answer and she shrugged. “I dunno. After I met him the A showed up. We didn’t really get to do more than make out and exchange numbers. I didn’t realize until I got home that the A was even there. I’m not exactly anxious to find out. Once I know…it’s like I don’t get to be Stacie anymore. I have to be A’s girlfriend. Or wife. Until that’s over for whatever reason and the next smudge shows a name.”
It hadn’t even occurred to Beca that Stacie had three because she would go through a string of soulmates. She had just assumed they would all be together. It was a thought that should have seemed strange but for some reason felt oddly right. “Huh.” Stacie raised her brows in question but Beca shook her head. “It’s nothing it’s just I didn’t really think about what it could mean to have…three.”
“I just can’t imagine myself tied to one person forever let alone three at the same time. I read up on multiple marks but all I could come up with were extremely rare double marks. No triples. And out of the doubles only two or three out of the half dozen were concurrent relationships.”
Beca narrowed her eyes at Stacie. For someone that went to a lot of trouble to appear brainless she certainly was anything but. “You just…read up on it. Like no big deal let me research all the known cases of multiple marks…” Stacie blinked at her blankly and said nothing. Beca was starting to think that a little part of Stacie did want to find her one. Er. Ones.
The sound of Stacie’s phone jerked them both out of the quiet tension. “Food’s here. You got change for a twenty? I hate giving tips on the app.”
Beca reached over to her coffee table and picked up her wallet. “I got the tip. You covered dinner.” She got up and thumbed through the cash she had. She was sure she had a five in there somewhere. The knock at the door got her attention if only for a second. She didn’t even look up at the delivery guy as she continued to dig around. “Hey thanks…dude you wanna grab som…” Her words trailed off as she finally found what she was looking for and met the eyes of the person at the door.
“Hi…”
“Hi.”
“Hi…” Beca felt like she couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe and could only just manage to repeat the one thing that was being said. The red haired woman smiled widely and Beca blinked all at once dazzled and stunned by just how blue her eyes were. The woman’s lips curved into an amused smile and Beca had to remind herself to close her mouth.
“Did you order…?”
“Yep! That’s us.” Stacie bounded over to grab the bags of food. It was enough to bring Beca back to the here and now. “Thanks. Hey B, ya got that tip?” Beca mutely raised the bill without taking her eyes off the delivery woman.
“That’s so kind, thank you.” It should have sounded sarcastic and on anyone else it would have. But it sounded sincere and so sweet that Beca could only nod in response. She licked her lips as the woman pocketed the bill and turned away. Just for a second she had the urge to follow after her but she stayed rooted until the sound of the front door on the building opening and closing reached her ears. She shook herself as she shut the door and turned to find Stacie with a revoltingly smug look on her face.
“What?”
“Nothing.” Beca glared at her for a second before she tossed her wallet on the table and moved to sit on the floor again. She should have known it wasn’t going to be that easy. Stacie’s voice practically purred. “She was hot. Like really hot.”
“Really? I didn’t notice.” Beca opened a container of noodles and picked up her chopsticks. Stacie just laughed in a way that caused a shiver to chase down her spine. Stacie smiled and reached for the carton of orange chicken. The banter was nice. Stacie made her feel like she could just be herself. It was something she’d never had before. She kinda didn’t even mind the teasing.
“Yeah because you give a fifty dollar tip to every delivery person.”
She snorted and shook her head before stopping as that last bit sunk in. “Wait. What? I did what??”
Summary: Inspired by Soulmates au and soulmates au pt 2 hc by @fandom-heaux . An AU in which everyone is born with a smudged birthmark. As you find your mate in life the smudge forms their name when you’ve made an impression on them. In this world Beca doesn’t realize she has any, let alone three.
Author’s Note: I’m gonna try this thing where I post once a week. I say try because…well. Tis I. Queen of zero follow through. I blame @chloes-yellow-cup for dragging me into this fandom and then making fics that have ruined me. RUINED ME. Let me clarify. RUINED ME.
Author’s Note 2: and then I posted way early. Click here for Part 1
Chloe
It was late and she was tired and sweaty and itchy and she just wanted a hot shower and a cuddle with Aubrey. Chloe turned the key in the lock of her front door and pushed. It didn’t open right away and she groaned. Damnit. It was stuck again. She and Aubrey kept meaning to get someone out to fix it. A handyman or whatever, but Aubrey had been so busy lately at the firm. She was running herself ragged getting ready for a trial. Aubrey was the hardest working junior associate at Hale, Harris and Hoke and it was giving her the edge she needed against the other junior associates. But it was hard. They hardly saw each other these days. Chloe herself was spending most of her days picking up UberEats orders after her shifts at the clinic. Most days, like today, she smelled like a combination of wet dog fur and greasy fast food. Chloe rested her head against the door and sighed. Her hand came up to scratch lightly at her chest with a deep sigh.
She was only doing this side gig because she wanted to take Aubrey on a long weekend away. Just the two of them, so they could reconnect and relax. Chloe jiggled the key in the lock until she heard the scraping as the protesting tumblers fell into place. Thank God. The redhead pushed the door in and stepped into their darkened home. A sigh escaped her and she frowned when she realized that Aubrey wasn’t even home yet. Chloe closed the door behind her, digging her phone out of her jacket pocket as she did. The door bounced open and she jumped, dropping her bags and whirling to see who or what was behind her.
“Bree? Oh my God!”
“Ow! Chloe…are you okay?”
Chloe quickly pulled her soulmate into their tiny condo and shut the door. “Me?? I’m not the one that got a door to the face. Are you okay? I’m so sorry Bree. I didn’t realize you were right behind me.”
Aubrey gave her a tired smile and rubbed her nose lightly. “I’m fine Chlo. I should have said something, I was just in my head. It’s been a long day.” Chloe nodded at that and let her hands slide down Aubrey’s arms to her wrists. She laced their fingers and squeezed. Aubrey’s pale green eyes brightened and she tugged Chloe closer for a kiss. It was sweet and loving and far too short for Chloe’s tastes. “Why do you smell like Chinese food?”
Chloe giggled and scratched her chest idly again as she pulled Aubrey further into the house. She picked up the dropped bag of containers, grateful it all seemed mostly intact. “I picked up something on the way home. I even brought you some cream cheese rangoons.” It wasn’t a lie. After her last pick up came through for Flaming Dragon she decided it would be perfect for dinner. Aubrey took her at face value and nodded with a weary smile. Chloe knew she appreciated the treat even if she was too tired to be excited about it. “C’mon you look beat. Let’s take a shower before we eat and crawl into bed.” She dropped the bags on the counter careful to make sure the contents were okay.
The groan of agreement that Aubrey gave made Chloe tug the blonde toward the master bedroom. “That sounds heavenly. How was work?” It meant something to Chloe that no matter how long or tough her schedule had been the first thing Aubrey always asked her was how her day had gone. Chloe dropped her keys on the dresser, kicked off her shoes and reached out to pull the still pristinely pressed shirt out of Aubrey’s skirt.
“Work was work.” She smiled at her mate as she undid the buttons of her shirt and slid it over her shoulders. It dropped to the floor and she leaned forward to kiss along the taller woman’s collarbone. “We finally got all of Molly’s puppies fostered until adoption.” Her hands trailed over Aubrey’s chest and down her belly loving the soft skin under her fingers. Chloe worked the zipper down the hip of Bree’s skirt and slid it off to land with the discarded shirt. “Someone brought in a fox kit. Looks like she got hit by a car. Dr. Coyle doesn’t think she’ll make it and she’s not socializing well with the dogs. Poor thing has to be isolated or they’ll pick on her.”
The hurt in Chloe’s voice made Aubrey focus past the feel of warm hands on her body. She gave an understanding frown and pulled Chloe in close for long hug. Those types of cases were the hardest for the redhead and she appreciated Aubrey’s support. “I’m sorry Chlo. That sounds horrible. Is there anything you guys can do?”
Chloe tipped her head in thought as Aubrey moved to pull her scrub top up and off. The action made her smile and she wiggled out of her pants. They took care of each other and it was the thing she loved most about them. “She needed surgical repair for her back leg. I think she’ll make it but without a family or any bonds she’s just going to wither through her recovery. Pretty sure she was bred for domestication. She has no social skills whatsoever and… ” It took Chloe a second to realize that Aubrey had stopped moving, had stopped speaking. Maybe even breathing. “Bree?” Nothing. No response. Chloe felt her heart racing and she reached out to her mate. “Wha…”
“Who is Beca?”
Beca? Chloe blinked in confusion then looked to where Aubrey’s gaze seemed frozen. The marks over her heart seemed so foreign now. Before it was just one name and two smudges but now…Chloe swallowed as she traced the second name. Her stunned eyes raised to her mate just in time to see a flicker in their jade depths. A flicker that was quickly hidden but Chloe had seen it. And she knew. She knew what Aubrey was doing. “I honestly don’t know Aubrey. I swear.”
There was silence then Aubrey pulled Chloe against her body for a long lingering kiss. It was soft and meant to be reassuring but Chloe could feel something deeper in it. “Well, you definitely left an impression on her.” It wasn’t cold or mean but it was weighted. Careful. “Let’s just shower and we can try and figure out how to track her down over dinner.”
Chloe didn’t argue it as they stripped out of the rest of their clothes and padded to the shower. She wanted to find her second mate. And her third. She wanted them to know Aubrey because she had a sneaking suspicion they would all be fast friends. But Aubrey thought that having more than one mark meant having to lose your mate before you got another. Chloe didn’t even know how to argue that with her. It wasn’t as if they knew anyone else besides each other with more than one mark. Really they had no reference for what would happen in this situation, and while they had talked about the what ifs of another mark becoming clearer they maybe hadn’t talked about it enough. The warm spray of the water was amazing. It soothed the already tense muscles of her shoulders and back. Chlo pulled her mate closer under the water and nosed her way to the crook of Aubrey’s neck. “I’m not giving you up Aubrey. I’m never going to give you up. You know that right?”
There was a quiet sound above her that she couldn’t decipher. It could have been an agreement or just a sound to placate her in the moment. Chloe wasn’t sure but she didn’t know how else to reassure Aubrey that she wasn’t going anywhere. Bree’s arms were warm around her as they held each other, both unsure what to say just then. She sighed softly and picked up the loofah sponge realizing that words were failing her and she needed Aubrey to know so much more than she could even explain. She needed her mate to know she loved her endlessly, that they were a team, that they would always be team Chaubrey. Chloe added the soap and started slowly washing the strains of Aubrey’s day away.
Aubrey’s body relaxed a little more with every touch, turning to let Chloe work the loofah over her shoulders and down her back. When Chloe had gotten Aubrey’s back lathered she leaned into it, choosing to bring the loofah around to Bree’s belly and up over her breasts. Her hands lingered there, fingertips brushing lightly over nipples gone hard from her gentle touches. Chloe smiled against the skin of Aubrey’s neck and pulled back reluctantly. Aubrey turned to rinse and Chloe brought the loofah down to her mate’s wrist to wash the make-up off it. As usual, Aubrey didn’t look. She never looked whenever her marks were revealed. Just under Chloe’s name two other smudges stood out darkly. She knew Aubrey had tried to rid herself of the other two. Laser surgery, derm-abrasion, plastic surgery…everything. She wished Aubrey wouldn’t be so ashamed of them but her mate didn’t take comfort in the marks the same way that she did. For Aubrey, Chloe was all that was necessary in her heart. Chloe understood why, they’d been together forever and if she didn’t have her other marks she probably wouldn’t even know something was missing in her life.
It had all seemed so distant and far away, the thought of having another person to fill her heart seemed like so much fairytale. But now it was suddenly too real and too close. Chloe realized they hadn’t been prepared for this. Not really.
“Au…”
“Chlo…” Aubrey smiled at her and she gave a slight nod to let her mate start. “Chloe…I love you. I know you love me too. That’s not even a question.” There was that flicker of something again in Aubrey’s eyes that broke Chloe’s heart and made her press in closer against Bree’s body as if that would chase away the shadow over them. “I just want you to know that whatever happens next we’ll work through it. However we have to. I…”
Aubrey’s words trailed off unspoken as Chloe kissed her with all the love that filled her heart. Bree responded with hesitation and Chloe hated it. She pulled Aubrey closer, lips and teeth nibbling hungrily and she didn’t stop until Aubrey really kissed her back. Chloe pulled back and rested their foreheads together. “Aubrey I have loved you since the second grade when you punched Bumper Allen for throwing a rock at me and calling me ginger devil’s spawn. And I’m gonna love you until my last breath. You’re mine and I’m yours.” Regardless of anyone else they were destined to love. Chloe’s fingers stroked over the mark on Aubrey’s wrist. “I was here first.” Her smile softened and she raised Aubrey’s hand to the marks on her own chest. “You were here first, Bree.”
Aubrey’s lip curled a little at the memory and she leaned in and brushed soft lips over the scar on Chloe’s forehead. “That little dick lick deserved it.” Chloe’s name had been etched on her wrist since they were eight. They were supposed to be together no matter what. It wasn’t totally fine, Chloe could see that, but it was better. Aubrey let her body melt into her mate’s, some of the worry and tension in her muscles melting away. “Are you sure you want to be a vet? You’re a natural debater. You could be an amazing lawyer.”
“Nah, my job is way more fun. I get to pet soft kitties all day. Wait. No. That seems…You know what I mean!” Aubrey’s laugh was music to her ears. Chloe’s smile widened at the tiny snort that escaped in the middle of Bree’s giggle fit. They were going to be okay. She knew it, she just had to convince Aubrey of it too. “I love you Bree.”
Aubrey let her laughter die down but her smile didn’t fade. She had Chloe and Chloe had her. They would manage this the way they did everything else. Together. “I love you too Chloe. More than I even know how to say.”
“Oh. Well if you don’t have the words maybe….you could show me?” Chloe’s laugh bounced off the tile walls as Aubrey rushed her, pressing them against the cool wall. The Universe or whatever omnipotent being was out there didn’t make mistakes, she was sure of it. Just like she was sure everything would work out just the way it was supposed to. She just had to figure out who the heck Beca was. Tomorrow it would drive her nuts, not knowing where she had run into her mystery mate but tonight, with Aubrey’s warm hand between her legs she just couldn’t bring herself to worry about it. Tonight they had each other and that was all Chloe needed to be happy.
Stechlobree. This is just an Idea I had. Don’t shoot the messenger.
Beca
Every moldy cheese has a stale cracker. That line is a part of the stories everyone is told from birth. We are all born with a smudge somewhere on our body, and as we get older the smudge becomes clearer and clearer, eventually spelling out a name.
It’s pretty uncommon to be born with two smudges, but it’s not unheard of. But three? Having three smudges was like finding a diamond growing from a tree. Fucking impossible. But that’s the situation Mrs. Mitchell found her daughter in. Three smudges in succession down her little girl’s spine. She thought it was a mistake. How could her daughter have three names? Three soulmates? That’s ridiculous. So she hid them from her and everyone else. (It wasn’t hard really. No one looks at their own back). But it was honestly not intended to be a malicious act. She was just afraid that the universe had gotten it wrong... that there was no way Beca could have three smudges.
Because of this, Beca thought she didn't have a soulmate. There would be no moldy cheese to her incredibly stale cracker. It wasn’t a big deal (except maybe she did care. Just a little bit.) It’s a big part of why she was so closed off. If she had no one that was destined to be with her forever, then why waste time with someone in the first place?
So Beca never factored anyone else into her life plan. Her goal was to move to LA and become a producer so she could make her music in peace. Except life has a funny way of making things happen the way they are supposed to.
It’s literally the fault of @chloes-yellow-cup that I can only see the four of them together now.
From early on, Aubrey Posen was called a freak. She was teased for the completely ridiculous amount of smudges that she had on her wrist, because it’s just not a thing that happens.
It certainly didn’t help that her overbearing parents felt the same way. So they decided for her that she just wouldn’t focus on a soulmate (or three) and that she would put all of her energy into school, or work, or literally anything else.
And so that’s exactly what she does. Aubrey works really hard to make up for the disappointment that she caused her parents. And yes, she knows that she had no control over this cruel joke that the universe is playing on her. But somehow, it’s still her fault.
So Aubrey covers her smudges with makeup, because out of sight, out of mind. (Except no, they aren't out of mind because they consume her mind day and night. Who could possibly want her and accept her for all she is, including her many flaws. And for that to not be just one person, but three people? No.) Out of sight, out of mind.
Meeting Chloe changes everything.
Chloe is bubbly and honest and beautiful. Chloe loves every part of Aubrey, even the parts of herself that she hates. Chloe can calm Aubrey down when her nerves twist her stomach up so bad she feels like throwing up. Chloe is everything and more...
But Chloe has three smudges too. Which means that she is meant to share this unconditional love with two other people.
So Aubrey prepares herself. She prepares herself for when Chloe meets her others and she’ll be left alone.
@tiny-maus-boots told me not to let this get in the way of my WIP... I did not listen.
