Chapter Text
Living in New York against her fathers wishes only came with small amounts of oddity. Los Angeles was Beca’s first option but the only way she could pull together the money to even leave Seattle was on his dime.
Meaning he picked where she would be landing for the next few years. If not the dreaded hallways of the university he worked at, at least along the east coast so she could visit her step monster of a mother – which she won't – at a cheaper cost.
There was an email with a lay out of all the cities sitting along the Atlantic ocean, pros and cons. Definitely Sheila who created it.
She agreed to go to New York.
It was the easiest agreement out of the entire month-long ‘conversation’ that went on between her and the man who walked out of her life at eleven.
Finding an apartment on the other hand was not. The money she was given barely got her enough space to reach her arms out without being mushed together by the walls, which is saying a lot for how small she was.
Seattle definitely had better prices than this.
But there is no going back now, and if Beca Mitchell was in the city that never sleeps. She will make do.
The apartment she found was off Craigslist. Late into the night at a crappy hotel searching and requesting every unit she can find that is close to the place that has handed her an internship.
ROOMMATE NEEDED!
Astoria, New York
One bed, shared bathroom, shared living space.
1,100
Hi! I'm Chloe! I am a clean, well organized person. I will be out of the way most all day. There is extra storage for your stuff in the shower, in the main living space closet and in the kitchen.
Dm if you're interested!
It was listed thirty minutes before, decently sized bedroom, and close enough to the subway with enmities. Fingers crossed, and the last bite of her strawberry pop tart for extra measure. She sends a message.
Beca gets a message back twenty minutes later, an eager agreement and a time to meet to make sure she isn't a ‘crazy man, i can’t deal with that again.’
A week later she moved in.
Chloe, who is her new roommate, is very sweet, gorgeous and every synonym that follows those two words. When they first met at a coffee shop just a day later she had this expression of ‘im going to learn everything about you no matter what’ and the brightest smile ever. Her friend Aubrey was also there, and she was an ass.
Since that date she had only ever heard Aubrey's voice over the phone, thankfully.
Beca does her best to stay out of the redheads way. She is just a random girl Beca splits rent with.
Chloe will walk around the kitchen at odd times, usually in boy shorts and a baggy top to make platters of food. Beca’s eyes fall towards toned legs, and even more toned arms so much so she has begun pinching herself to stop or they'll get stuck there.
When they do come into contact it's polite, if a little encroach. Once or twice Chloe had walked into their shared bathroom to grab something quickly while Beca was showering. Yelling a squeaky ‘sorry!!’
A few times while Beca is on the couch Chloe will sit and follow along to whatever show is on. Sometimes Beca will be cooking and to move past her Chloe will drop her hands to stay on either side of her waist, her thumb occasionallylingering.
Those times she had bitten her lips hard enough to break skin trying not to shiver at the cold metal wrapped around that finger.
After two weeks Beca finally lets herself relax, knowing her living and work situation was in the green zone for the most part. She leaves her door open while she works and sleeps, knowing Chloe won't be loud. And even sits a little closer to the redhead while they watch America's next top model.
This morning she had gotten up earlier than her alarm, for once and just started working on an unfinished file. It was easy to clean up the edges left, changing the cut in the track, and as she slips her headphones off a sound pricked her interest.
Beca leans back in her chair, and her view of the kitchen is clear. Chloe stands at the sink, hair messy and curled from bed, and a bright smile on her lips as she stares down at her mug. The smile slowly fades into a resting face of contentment
Did Chloe just squeal over her mug?
No it wasn't really a squeal. A noise of satisfaction?
Beca wouldn't put it past her either way.
That’s the thing that she hasn’t had time to dwell on. The one weird thing about her new roommate is the mug collection. Chloe's cupboard is filled to brim with mugs, so much so that it doesn't even shut. The main ones that she sees are the World's okayest person, a mug covered in suns, and the frog mug she is holding now.
All of them stay in her cupboard except the frog one. The frog one she usually sees is empty in the sink.
It peaks her interest a little too much; to see what Chloe actually did and if she’ll do it again.
It shouldn't because why would she even care?
But, her life is a little boring. Sue her.
Before Beca goes to sleep that evening she checks where the mug resides. It's flipped upside down in the drying rack, the big eyes stare at her from where she stands.
Beca's eyes narrow, and she points at the mug accusingly. “I’m watching you.” She whispers.
She sets her alarm to be five minutes earlier than usual. Only after contemplating how stupid this was, and she had probably just misheard the end of the track. BUT. She could always see for herself.
Stupid? Absolutely. But curiosity always killed the cat.
Quietly she huffs at her thoughts, setting the phone down and watching the shadows across the ceiling until sleep over took her.
Chloe doesn't seem to even be awake when her alarm pierces through the air, but Beca is determined. She gets dressed beside the wall, and pauses half way through zipping up her jeans when footsteps round the island. Her eyes peak over the door frame and there is her roommate.
Chloe sees the mug and does this kind of shuffle, body moving from left to right foot, a small fist bump and a huge grin on her face. Then like it never happened she fills it up with instant coffee.
All that because of the frog mug being clean.
She doesn't even know Beca is watching, and Beca feels something swirl in her stomach. She shoves it down as guilt for interrupting the odd moment and goes back to getting ready.
Maybe it was just a two day thing. Chloe is a very smiley person, it makes sense.
But Beca forgets to change her alarm back the next Monday and when she wakes up she hears it again. She sits up quick enough to watch her do the dance once more, the ‘Chloe shimmy’ is the name in her head.
Chloe turns her head towards Beca's room at the noise of the bed creaking and Beca ducks, heart racing at the expending effort and fear of being caught. She lays there momentarily to let it calm down and bites her lip to stop the smile from spreading over her face.
While Beca refills coffee an hour later like the good intern she is, it brings her back to that moment. Wondering how Chloe likes her coffee because of the elaborate creamers that sit in their fridge all seem to run out at the same time. Wondering why she's so giddy over that silly frog mug, and why Beca cares that she's so giddy over that damn frog mug.
All the coffee she had been filling with cardboard cups overflowed, and the break room smells strongly of dark roast for the rest of the day.
Beca walks home in the pouring rain in a rain jacket without insulation, the subway she sees first is overflowing so she waits for the next one that is behind on schedule. She sighs loudly, pulling out her iPod and putting on something upbeat to hopefully get herself in a better mood.
Her eyes stick to the floor, following the travel of shoes and all the types that walk past her. It's grounding in a way, to realize everyone in here is living through something as well but they're all collectively pissed about the train and freezing underground system.
Heeled brown boots move across her vision, and they remind her of the ones Chloe keeps by the door. They sit at the same height as Chloe's, right under her knee and a crease at the ankle.
“Beca?”
Beca's eyes shoot up. She is suddenly aware of how her makeup is smudged from the rain and she looks a mess.
“Oh. Hi Chloe.”
Chloe is gorgeous as always even if she's covered in water, her skinny jeans soaked and her curls are more wavy than usual. A tired smile sits on her lips. “How long have you been waiting?”
Beca lets out a little laugh. “Twenty minutes, I skipped the first train because it was too packed but I probably should've tried to squeeze in.”
“You definitely would've fit,” comes from a voice beside her, and she looks past to see Aubrey. Her smile falters.
Chloe doesn't comment on Aubrey's choice of words, and Beca just had to ignore it for her own sake. “Well, it says five minutes now. Hopefully that will be correct.” Chloe says, turning towards the sign above their stop.
Beca nods, turning back on the music before she can hear Aubrey's scoff.
Chloe moves to stand beside Beca on the pillar, leaning her back against her only before jumping off of it like it pained her. Chloe’s voice carries through the junk headphones in Beca's ears but she isn't able to make out any of the words, the tone however is gentle and almost coaching towards the blonde.
Who — with a quick glance over — might be having an even worse day than Beca.
The train arrives fairly quickly, Chloe follows her onboard along with the dreaded friend of hers. Thankfully Aubrey had to get off at the next stop, and Chloe turns to wave. It leaves the two of them sitting across from each other, a shy smile on the redhead's face every time Beca catches her eye.
It’s like that until an older man comes along, talking loudly on his phone and steps between them, blocking Beca’s vision. He stands facing the front, then towards Chloe and Beca tries not to flare her nose when she can see Chloe actively shuffling from her seat to move away when he sits down.
Chloe’s eyes remain closed as he talks, and Beca lets herself trace over her features. The dim glow of the train car lights gives her an harder time at seeing the dark freckles around her nose. But she swears she can faintly see them . A scar across her forehead she recognized the first time they met is darker from the shadow. It looks like a glass shard, but maybe she can ask Chloe and get an answer.
The train stops with a halt, and Beca takes a millisecond too long to realize everyone getting off is at her stop. She quickly shoves past the door, bumping straight into someone on the platform before giving them a flat tire.
The person scoffs loudly as Beca tries to apologize but it’s too late. Her face falls, and cheeks heat with embarrassment. Quickly her eyes scan where the stairs are, and Chloe stands next to them holding back a laugh with her hand.
Beca rolls her eyes.
“I thought you weren’t gonna get off that train.” She laughs, cheeks slightly pink and eyes slightly crinkling.
“My brain is dead from working, it's not my fault.” Beca huffs, and it’s half the truth. She doesn’t want to mention the fact that she was enthralled by her roommate's beauty.
Chloe hums like she doesn’t believe it.
Beca leaves her music in her headphones at the lowest setting as they walk home side by side. The sound of Chloe's shoes in the water echoing in her ears, along with the sound of her keys jingling from her purse. Which is a nice color of brownish red.
They're both soaked as they step into the apartment. Chloe sets a towel under their coat rack to catch the run off, and Beca adds another one to their shoe place. They separate from there, Beca immediately changes from the work outfit she had set out last night to get in the shower and warm up.
The water pressure is finicky, and her body wash runs out at the last squirt. Bubbles conjure in her hands. Beca lets out a harsh sigh, looking around the tiny box shower for anything else of her own to no luck. Chloe’s shower-cad is filled with loads of product, and Beca looks for one that is specified as body wash before taking just a little dollop.
Hopefully she won't notice.
It smells of citrus and flowers, covering her body and bathroom in the scent. Afterwards she opens the small window in the bathroom to let the humidity out and get rid of her stolen stench.
A chill runs through the entire apartment, and has Beca layering a sweatshirt on top of her usual pajamas, and two pairs of socks with her woolly pants.
Chloe is in the kitchen when she walks out, an old band shirt and sweatpants, humming to herself while chopping vegetables. Beca tries not to disrupt the peace, grabbing out old take out from the container and putting it in the microwave.
“How was your day?” Chloe asks, taking a bite of the cucumber she sliced.
This wasn't the first time Chloe asked questions like this while they're in the kitchen together, but it's the first time Beca doesn't have an answer besides tears or a groan. Instead she shrugs. “It was fine.” And sits at the island to watch Chloe work. “Yours?”
Chloe also shrugs. “It was fine, you know kids acting like kids.”
No, Beca didn't know, but she nods like she does.
“Yeah… you're a teacher right?”
Chloe nods happily. “Choir teacher at the private catholic school in Harlem, they're great kids just some more than others. This week has been relatively decent, which is unusual before the Christmas concert...”
Beca nods slowly, taking a bite of noodles as she listens to Chloe talk.
It's not awkward per say, but there are times when it might feel like that. Just a little bit. Mainly because Chloe has this big bubbly personality and Beca has one word answers that probably seem obnoxiously rude — or that’s what she was told by her father. Though Chloe doesn't seem to mind, she seems very happy to be listened to.
They end up on the couch, sharing a bag of chips and watching an episode of Sex and the city. Chloe leans into her shoulder, and Beca freezes. The smell of her shampoo hits her nose first, then the warmth of her cheek against her shoulder follows.
This is definitely… normal. Me and Chloe are… friends. This is normal for… friends.
When Beca doesn’t move Chloe readjusts, pulling her legs to her chest and fully leaning into her. Letting out a small sigh before grabbing a handful of chips.
This is definitely normal.
“Have you seen season one?” Chloe asks, mumbling into her shoulder.
Beca shakes her head out of the daze it momentarily sat in, “I had never heard of this show ‘till now.”
“Well, what do you think of it?”
Beca shrugs. “It’s okay. I don’t hate it.”
Chloe rolls her eyes affectionately, taking a chip. “A woman of many words.”
Beca lets out a scoff,“You just put it on! I don’t even know what it is about yet!” she crosses her arm. Chloe chuckles at her small outburst, sitting up to get closer.
She pokes her nose, a dramatized pout on her face mirroring Beca’s. “You’re so small to have outburst so big.”
Beca scoffs even louder, shoving Chloe’s shoulder just enough to stop her from leaning against Beca. She sways backward almost falling into the arm of the couch before, swaying toward her again. Giggling like it’s the funniest thing. She wraps an arm around Beca, and Beca’s heart jumps into her throat at the sudden contact. She tries to lean into the couch to shrug off the arm and Chloe loosens the hold just a little bit.
Beca think the discomfort of the position will hit her, but it doesn’t really. The squirming sensation she felt momentarily disappeared after a second, and all it took in was the warmth of Chloe’s body around her. Confused, and almost embarrassed at her body’s sudden change in feeling she stays stoic. Her eyes piercing the screen. Chloe settles around her rather unknowingly of Beca’s internal confusion, and then her other arm comes around her shoulder, and it is pointed toward the screen “Okay so, that right there is Miranda…”
Beca’s alarm goes off five minutes before usual once again, because there is no use in changing the new routine. Even if she had been up late just not to disrupt Chloe from position on the couch. Their evening had followed into Beca’s dreams and had her waking up to the warm thoughts of being with Chloe.
The floorboard squeaks outside of her doors, and Beca’s eyes immediately shoot up to listen for the sound of Chloe but nothing follows. No squeal of satisfaction. Nothing.
Curiously she sits up to see why. Chloe stands at the counter holding The World's okayest person mug. The memory of seeing the unwashed frog mug while she washed out her orange juice cup the night before plays back in her mind like a curse.
All she can see is curly red hair looking down at the stove, and the distant sound of bubbles popping. Tea boiling in Chloe purple little kettle.
Beca falls back into the mattress, and definitely thinks too long about why the routine changed.
It’s late when Beca walks into their shared apartment space, and immediate loud sound of crying shakes her tiredness. Her body freezes momentarily, fight or flight in a weird emotionally stunted way. The only pair of shoes sticks by the door tells her no one else is here —Aubrey the usual helper for this not here.—
Chloe has her door shut, and still it carries through the thin walls like a howling wolf. Beca can’t think of a reason on why she'd be so upset that it echos through their apartment but she tries her best to be quiet as she walks into the kitchen and make dinner.
Her part of the fridge looks almost bare compared, the options scarce but enough to make a basic sandwich that will tie her over until tomorrow when she can buy more. Beca stands at the counter top, slowly moving with the utensils in her hand, taking a little bit Chloe’s mayo. Quietly chopping up tomatoes and putting day old bacon back in the pan to crisp. It’s all going well until she turns around and accidentally hits the pan on the stove with her elbow and it topples against the counter. She cannot catch it in time before it hits the floor.
Beca covers her mouth holding back a gasp that falls in between her hands. The pan stops spinning on this axis after moment and with that stops the sound of crying. Beca squeezes her eyes shut and curses as she picks it up off the floor.
Chloe’s door opens and her voice wobbles as she calls out her name. Her face come into view as she looks around the wall, and tear streaks stain pink cheeks.
“Sorry!” Beca grimaces. “Hit my pan by accident.”
Chloe blinks at her, and blue eyes scatter to look around the kitchen. She sniffles. “Oh okay, are you okay?”
“Are you?” Beca asks, then immediately wishes she could take it back. Chloe's face crumbles, but she nods nonetheless, wiping at her eyes. She walks out of her door toward the kitchen and Beca can see whatever it is has taken a toll on her badly. Her clothes winkled, the ones she walked out in this morning, and her hair tied up in a messy bun haphazardly.
Chloe doesn’t saying anything, she opens the closet door and grabs out a roll of toilet paper.
Beca feels useless, standing there in the dim light kitchen holding a pan. She looks around at whats surrounding her, for a way to cheer up this roommate she doesn’t really know.
“Do you want some goldfish?” Beca asks, her face wrinkling into a nervous sheepish smile.
Chloe stares at her for a second, to probably comprehend what she heard being so out of the blue and Beca holds the smile for as long as she can. It makes Chloe chuckle, flicking the tears off her cheek with her finger. She sits at the island, and Beca pushes her bag of goldfish toward her.
They sit there in a comfortable silence, as comfortable as it can be for the awkwardness Beca is getting from it. She slowly eats her sandwich, and tries to come up with questions to ask Chloe that don’t have her crying again but is full of understanding and maybe comfort?
She takes a slow bite, and the lettuce and day old bacon crunch loudly.
Chloe lets out a small laugh, her eyes now red and puffy watching Beca’s movements and her nose is pretty much in the same shape.
It makes Beca’s heart thump unevenly and the saliva in her mouth chalky. Words left unsaid hanging high in the air.
Beca swallows again, and it’s loud in her ears. She opens her mouth then closes it, then opens it.“I don't really... knowhow to help but you’re really sad and— do you want a hug?” Her hands with the other, and she waits basically frozen to be told off or something. She’s not a huge huger, so she'd guiltily be relived—
“Yeah.” Chloe’s voice comes out broken, a new wave of tears hitting her. Beca just nods, she walks around the island and hesitates before wrapping her arms round the redhead. Occasionally tapping on her back.
Chloe laughs wetly at the tapping, and a hand comes up to rub against Beca’s back. It feels like understanding and thankfulness for the awkward comfort.
Chloe smells like citrus and strawberries, her skin of citrus and her hair of strawberries or something else sweet. Beca thinks about what it could be, trying not to awkward herself into pulling away too soon. It’s not like a usual day to day smell that covers her nose from the city, like cigarettes of diesel or overpriced perfume. It reminds her of sweetness and warmth and all around makes sense for Chloe. Even during loud tears her new roommate is just a bundle of sweetness.
Chloe sits up, and Beca steps back just enough to still be near. Resting against the stool behind her.
“I’m sorry for being such a mess,” She laughs, wiping her eyes. “Uh, my uhm. Boyfriend, ex now I guess, just broke it off with me after like two years.”
Beca frowns, choosing between rubbing and patting her back.“It’s okay dude, and what the hell, why?” Chloe pauses, letting out a loud sniffle and Beca immediately begins to back track. “You don’t need to answer that—”
“No it’s fine, just not kind words that I did not need to hear after I confronted his infidelity.”
“Oh,” Beca twists her face. “I’m sorry dude, that sucks.”
Chloe nods, taking a handful of goldfish. “And like, oh my god, he just ended it over text messages! I had to walk out of work and check my phone and see that!” She rubs her hand against her blue sweatpants and then over face and groans. “I’m so sad, I don’t know what to do.”
Beca nods, sitting down on the stool next to her. “I get it.”
Chloe takes another handful. “You had bad boyfriends?”
Beca grimaces, thinking back to bad ex experiences. “I guess so, yeah. I’m still sorry about yours though, I would've tried to be more quiet if I knew you were in a serious cry compared to a sad movie cry.”
Chloe chuckles, a small smile with teeth!! comes out because of it. “Your clumsiness just startled me, no need to apologize.”
Beca scoffs a laugh at the jab, and it has Chloe giggling like she is a really bad comedian.
Beca begins to see Chloe appear at the same subway station as her. Sometimes they talk, sometimes they both sit there and sulk at the weather. Sometimes they don’t even catch each other. Only running into each other because they’re walking toward the same building.
Beca moves into the kitchen later in the evenings as work begins to run overtime, trying to avoid the time Chloe is in there, and generally fails each time. It's really too small to have two bodies in there, but somehow they make it work. They stand at their respectable distance and acknowledge each other through smiles.
But that mug seems to stick in the sink. It makes Beca self aware, and like she is missing something every time she leaves it sad and alone.
It’s late one night in November, the mug sits cold and unwashed in the sink and Beca is cleaning up her mess of dinner. She finishes drying the pot, shaking it over the sink before putting it on the drying rank. Her hands are pruned from the water, but she can’t stop herself from reaching out and picking it up.
Beca looks up to make sure Chloe is in her room, the light flowing out from under her door. Quickly, a squirt of soap hits the inside and she drags a sponge around it making sure the bubbles puff because rinsing it off and getting in the shower.
That morning the entire office was told to come in late, no reason why but that's how Sammy is. Just an email at half past midnight with an apology and a well wish. Beca thought nothing of it until her alarm went off at the same time as usual. She smacked it off, flipping onto her stomach and closing her eyes again to continue the extra hour she got in but then remembered what she had done last night.
Her head shoots up and through the crack in the door there Chloe is, grinning at the dry rack and shimmying.
Beca smiles.
And it's not like Beca goes out of her way to clean it. They're both responsible for their own stuff, which is the rule of roommates but if Beca sees the frog mug in the sink… sometimes she’ll give it a wash before heading to sleep.
It keeps Chloe happy, and a happy Chloe is a happy roommate that keeps her rent low and life stress free.
Christmas is cold and they sit around the couch a few days before Christmas sipping hot chocolate. They decorate a small plastic tree with dollar store plastic ornaments, Chloe blares Christmas carols and pretends to sing through a microphone using the wooden star Beca found at a thrift store. Aubrey sits on the couch, critiquing the way Beca hangs different ornaments until Chloe gets annoyed enough to tell her stop.
A few days later both disappear for the holiday. Chloe messages once or twice, checking in, and asking how the time was. Beca whines about Shelia and her dad and her step siblings that are ‘the most annoying things she’s ever dealt with’.
Chloe sends back a frowning emoji, and replies with. ‘Too bad you don’t have me.’
Beca couldn’t agree more.
January is even colder, and the weather hits lows Beca has never felt before. Chloe laughs at the amount of layers she sees Beca walk out of her bedroom in.
“You’re literally a penguin.” Chloe says, moving from her spot on the couch to help tuck the scarf into Beca’s heavy snow jacket.
Beca rolls her eyes, attempting to ignore the lingering feeling of warm hands accidentally skimming her cheek. Chloe gives her an eye wrinkling smile before prancing back off to her room, and Beca is just happy to have made a friend in the city.
"Yeah well, you’re not going out in this.” She mumbles, trying to turn the knob with her gloves on. Nothing happens and only after the third try does Chloe come over and do it for her. Beca thanks her, and waddles down the hall toward the stairs.
"Don’t fall on your butt again!” Chloe yells from their door and then it echos shut.
The sticky notes start in around month four; January fourth. Little pink notes with yellow neat handwriting stuck on the instant coffee Beca uses every morning “Thanks for the mug,” With a smiling face. She had been cleaning it almost daily at this point, Chloe fully knowing it and stepping around it until this point.
Beca picks it off, smiling at the drawn out note and putting it in her front pocket.
Throughout the entire day it floats around her mind and she wonders if she should say anything, would it be weird to say something?
‘Oh you're welcome. I love cleaning your mug, it makes me happy to see you happy in the morning for those four seconds every morning. I'M NOT A CREEP OR ANYTHING!’
That sounds weird.
Beca runs into Chloe on the platform while waiting for their subway, and Chloe smiles more than usual. Wide and bright, the wired headphones covered in colorful twine thread between her fingers. Beca gives her a polite smile, and files into the cart behind her.
It is packed with people as usual, and Chloe grabs the last strap hanging from the ceiling. The closest thing to hold onto is the pole and it's covered in multiple hands. Beca can’t move fast enough to grab the disgusting pole near her before she bumps backwards into Chloe at the loss of balance. A freckled hand grabs into her arm, and it holds her enough to stand back up straight.
Through the music in her ears she hears Chloe make a sound, and she turns around to apologize only then realizing how insanely close they are. Chloe's eyes widen, sea-glass blue staring down at her and her cheeks are slightly pink. Probably the cold air. Nervously Beca smiles, mouthing an apology.
Chloe shrugs, but the hand doesn't leave her. It keeps her steady, and Beca is more than fine to be stuck in that position. Chloe’s perfume is strong, and reminds her of a floral shop. The one near her home in Seattle. It’s different from the one she’d smell around the house while Chloe gets ready to go out. That one reminds her of a Victoria secret ad, one with angels and the Eiffel tower in the background.
Chloe’s warm breath hits her upper lip, she doesn't realize it at first then cant stop herself from feeling it. It has her counting down the seconds until their stop so she can breath easy again.
What she can’t stop is the scenarios of her and Chloe in her head, falling into each other like they’re in a cheesy romance movie. As much as she wishes she could. To distract herself Beca counts how long until their stop appears.
She gets to two thousand before she hears their street and basically runs off the subway.
Chloe brings up the mug when they’re both sitting on the couch later that night. Beca is eating homemade tacos, the small shells all broken apart from being in the box for so long. Chloe is eating some type of salad, that makes the entire house smell of balsamic vinegar.
“Oh and thanks for washing my mug.”
Beca feels her heart jump out of her chest at the mention, and she has to sigh into her food to make it seem like she’s not having a stroke. “I don't know what you’re talking about.”
Chloe stares at her for a long moment before nodding slowly. Humming to herself. “Sure.”
It almost makes her laugh, to see Chloe trying to figure out if it was actually her that washed it, or she had forgotten washing it. And she doesn’t take enjoyment in confusing her roommate ( that’s a lie), but the face Chloe holds when she is confused makes her stomach feel like it’s tipping off mount Everest.
February hits with more snow, which makes no sense but the east coast is an odd place. Beca continues to wash out the mug like it’s her own, the feeling of her stomach fluttering is addicting and ramps up when Chloe adds sticky notes around the kitchen.
“You don’t have to keep doing this but I hope you know it really does make my morning.” Is written across a blue sticky note. Handwriting swirly and glittery from the pen.
Beca smiles around her cup of coffee. She pulls out her phone and sends her a message.
Beca
‘I don’t know what you're talking about Chloe. I’m not doing anything.’
A single laughing emoji is sent back.
Beca bites her lip to not smile.
It’s late Friday and Beca is forced to stay later for an office party about a promotion for the branch and a birthday shoved together. Nothing to write home about. Beca is the first to grab a beer from the cooler and they empty out quickly. She tries her best to stay civil with everyone, talking with co-workers but she misses seeing Chloe on the subway and sitting with her at dinner.
The red black mesh tank top underneath the beige slash cargo looking jacket she's wearing — that was shoved into the back of the closet since junior year — digs into her back. She finishes yet another cup of wine, even with that it still distracts her enough to move to the bathroom to adjust it. Setting down the paper cups they’re using as wine glasses on the bathroom counter, she moves towards the mirror.
Instead her attention moved towards the buzzing in her back pocket, and immediately Beca knows who it is.
Chloe
‘Not home to wash my mug tonight?’
Beca chuckles to herself.
Beca
‘You wish.’
‘I’m at an promotion birthday party. It's supposed to have ended an hour ago but everyone is still here.’
Chloe
‘Anything good?’
Beca
‘I'm drinking shitty wine if that’s what you’re referring to?”
Chloe
‘I don’t see you as a wine person.’
Beca
‘I’m not, they're just out of beer.’
‘I’m on like my second glass of it and it’s not hitting at all I want to leaveeeeee’
Chloe.
‘Seems like it’s hitting just fine.’
‘You can’t just walk out?’
Beca
‘I could, but like I have no good excuses’
‘And I wouldn’t mind to get a little drunk for free.’
Chloe
'are you sure you’re not a little already?’
Beca'
‘you've never seen wwe drunk’ (edited)
'ignore that’
'not drunk, just tipsy IF that'
‘is a tank top digging into your back and boobs look like they’re going to burst out enough of an excuse to leave?’
Beca sets her phone down to place the strap back into place.
Chloe
‘definitely’
'you better use it because I want to see this top’
The next messages come in quickly, just seconds afterward.
Beca raises her eyebrows at the message.
Well, okay.
She picks up her phone and turning it into camera mode to get a picture. She attempts a decent picture, but then gets the idea just to play around with Chloe. Since she replied so quickly. She leans her chest forward, just adding more to the spilling cleavage, and snaps a picture.
Beca is not one to send those types of photos, she's never been the most secure about herself but a quick look at the picture staring back at her gives her a small confidence boost. A bubble of nervousness runs through her chest and before she can think anymore about it her finger hits send.
Beca
‘This work for you?"‘
The picture immediately gets hearted, then the heart is removed, a text bubble appears then disappears with it. Beca laughs at the redheads reaction, and slips her phone back into her pocket moving towards the door. In that time she had been texting Chloe a well enough thought through excuse wedged into her brain and she walked up to Sammy to depart.
Jesse, a newer intern finds her before she can find Sammy. He has taken somewhat of a liking to her, even if she hasn't reciprocated those platonic feelings back. “You leaving?”
Beca nods, sliding her thumb under the band digging into her shoulder. “I need to get home, it’s late.”
"Do you want me to walk you?”
Beca grimaces, “You really don’t have to dude, I know you wanna stay a bit more.”
Jesse seems to frown at that, but nods. “Okay, I’ll see you Monday?”
"Yep.” Beca chirps, and her eyes catch onto the Man of the party. She quickly walks over to him and bids him a happy birthday, pointing towards the small gift she put near the table.
“Thank Reggie, Good job this week.” He says, slapping an hand onto her shoulder. She nods, smiling and says thanks. Her steps feel a little less on point as she walks out, the cardboard cup filled with the last bit of the wine she could grab before stepping out.
Maybe Chloe was a little right and she is a little drunk. Beca doesn’t get tipsy often so this is like a treat and a reward for moving through five months in a whole new city.
It’s a lot later than the usual time by the time she's on the train and to her surprise everyone seems decent. If anything she sees crazier people on her six pm subway than this. Her phone hasn’t buzzed since she left the bathroom and when she pulls it out of her bag there are no new notifications. Beca hums, confused and a little disappointed.
Slowly she walks towards the apartment, hoping Chloe won’t be stuck in the kitchen and Beca would have to make an excuse as to not stand embarrassing herself. A layer of flush coats her cheeks at the thought of Chloe being weirded out, even if that wasn’t her intention and then she’d have to move out and never walk around Harlem or she could potentially see her old roommate—
Beca stumbles into their apartment, bumping into the wall beside their walk in closet. The heeled boots are quick to be yanked off, and the jacket on her arms goes with it.
The headlamp light in the kitchen still remains on but that’s the only thing that brings light to the otherwise dark kitchen space.
“Oh Beca!” Beca turns around quickly, eyes wide in fear of being called out in the darkness. Chloe has her pajamas on, a silk pink and white set from Victoria secret. In the light of their windows Chloe’s face looks shiny, which makes sense since she’s walking out of their bathroom but it's another detail Beca sits in her file on Chloe.
“Sorry I didn't mean to scare you.” Beca whispers loudly, grabbing a container of left overs out of the fridge. “I’ll be quick.”
Chloe nods, but doesn’t seem to move from her spot. Eyes follow her around the kitchen, and Beca tries not to make anything out of it. She stumbles just a little bit, her feet get in the way of one another and she holds onto the counter and giggles before setting her food in the microwave.
“I think I was right.”
Beca quickly turns around, forgetting Chloe was there. “What? About what?”
Chloe steps into the kitchen and leans against the opposite counter top as she watches Beca stand there confused. There’s a smirk etched across her face, and eyes that wonder up and down her body. Begging her to come closer.
Beca walks toward her, and the grin only grows. “What?”
“You walk like a drunk english man.”
Beca scoffs, “I do not.”
Chloe’s arm reaches out toward her, her hand comes into contact with her chest just enough to push her backward. "Could you pass a sobriety test right now? Be honest.”
Beca leans herself forward after every push as to not fall a back. "See how I come right back,” She grins. "And right back again, yeah.”
Chloe hums, a harsher push comes afterward and Beca overestimates the lean forward and stumbles on her feet. Chloe laughs, using the had already extended to pull her back up straight.
“You’d be a dirty playing cop.” Beca mutters, taking her hand then quickly releasing it. “I am barely drunk, thank you very much. You're just blurry.” She turns around toward the microwave, and takes out the glass container to cool on the counter.
“I was just making sure,” Chloe’s voice is high pitched, and from that Beca knows a smile is plastered on her face.
Beca rolls her eyes, grabbing a fork from the drawer and turning back towards her with food in hand. She leans against the counter behind her, and watches Chloe’s eyes through the light of the stove hood. They’re a unique shade of light blue that sparkle with the color of florescent yellow.
Chloe’s eyes traces Beca’s face, grazing slowly over who knows what and then they fall down towards Beca’s top. She shivers at the chill in the room (or the way Chloe’s leering she doesn’t know), and remembers the jacket she had on thrown off the second the door was unlocked. They sit there, hypnotized.
And sue Beca, because whatever she was drinking has finally caught up to her. Enough to calm the nerves and flustered-ness that would come with your really hot roommate checking you out in the middle of the night, and twist them into something that will add a little fun to the mix.
“And were you also just making sure my boobs looked good in this top?”
Chloe's eyes flutter quickly, moving back up towards her face. Her cheeks redden, and she stares wide eyed. “No, I wasn’t.” She stutters out.
Beca smirks around her fork, “Mhm.”
Chloe’s cheeks glow red, which is not something that usually happens with the redhead. If anything she is the teaser, and Beca is the one embarrassed by being caught staring. It swirls in her stomach to have the upper hand for once.
Beca moves herself a step closer, and the air between them thickening. Chloe swallows audibly, eyes dipping down then back up when she wets her lips. They’re barely a foot apart, just close enough to hear Chloe’s breathing quicken, and watch her hands grip onto the side of the counter. Bright eyes eyes dip once again, further than her lips and Beca let’s out a small chuckle. Smirking as she speaks.
“You’re a terrible liar.”
She turns to walk out of their small kitchen towards her room, her shoulder lightly grazing Chloe’s and through the sheerness of her shirt she can feel the heat emanating.
Beca wakes up to the sun peaking in her window, and her phone dead on her chest. She groans, flipping over to cover her eyes. What the pillow doesn’t cover is the sound of a dreaded voice looming in the living room.
"—And that’s all I mean Chloe.”
Aubrey. in their shared apartment. on a early Saturday. Ugh.
Beca rubs her hand over her face, and slowly sits herself up to grab the charger beside her bed. Plugging in her iPhone and watching the battery blink red. She reaches for the brush that sits on her desk, and attempts to settle down the curls before walking out towards the bathroom.
Beca cracks the door open and sees the two girls walking into Chloe’s room, she takes it as her chance and quickly walks out into the bathroom a door down. She brushes her teeth and uses the toilet before showering. Trying to get off whatever need to get drunk was in her system last night.
And why it had her flirting with her roommate. The last thing she needs is to make it weird.
She flicks on the running fan, and tries to open the window that sits above the towel rack but can’t reach it. Towel wrapped around her torso she blow dries her hair until it’s less wet and frizzy and more wave. It has her decently sweating by the time she steps out to change into whatever is clean.
Chloe is standing in the doorway of her bedroom when Beca walks out, discussing something hectic with Aubrey who adds to every other sentence, loudly. Her voice carries into the kitchen where Beca stands, and picks up the bag of bread she had bought only a week ago. One last end sits at the bottom of the bag.
The sink is empty besides her dinner dish that she dropped off late last night. Her eyes scan for the frog mug and she finds it sitting on the far end of the counter with a teabag twisting around the handle. Beca smiles at it, and chuckles to herself. She shoves the bread into the toaster, and opens the fridge to find her creamer.
It is as light as a feather, and when she shakes the carton nothing hits the sides like its supposed to. She questions whether it would be horrible to take a little bit out of the one Chloe just bought, especially when she buys three at a time.
"Hello Beca.”
Beca jumps, quickly closing the fridge. “Hi… Aubrey.”
Aubrey gives her a way to bright smile, it crinkles the skin around her eyes and looks like it is painful. Chloe walks in behind her also dressed in smiles, and leans against the counter. “Beca.”
Beca raises her eyebrows, picking her popped toast up and slathering butter on it.
“Are you doing anything today?”
Beca thinks for a second before shaking her head. “No?”
Aubrey's smile falters as Chloe’s grows. "Do you want to come with me and Aubrey to the farmer market?”
Beca looks between the two of them, and takes a bite of her toast. “Isn’t it like one pm, hasn’t it finished?”
“It’s nine twenty am.” Aubrey is none too pleased by her lack of knowledge on the time, but Chloe seems to only get more chipper, smiling as she awaits an answer. Beca doesn’t want to see that smile go away just because of her and her lack of socialization.
“Are you sure you want me to come?” Beca asks, eyebrows raised.
Before Aubrey can speak again and tell her ‘no, just say no PLEASE’ Chloe nods with enthusiasm. “You’re new to New York in the spring, and I would be horrible older roommate if I didn't take you to see some stuff to do.”
Beca grimaces. The thought walking around in the heat and looking at expensive homemade stuff, guilt washing over her for not paying for ‘Moira's gluten free cookies — all proceeds going towards my dog with stage four cancer.’ And having to listen to Aubrey talk about whatever her and Chloe chat about.
“If it’s not your thing its okay.” Aubrey smiles, and Chloe solemnly nods. The smile falling just a little.
Shit. The happy emotion in Beca’s head smacks the other one for waiting too long to answer, and picking the grimace expression on the emotions keyboard.
"N-no, no. I’ll go.” Beca replies quickly, “I’ll go.”
Chloe’s eyes light up. "Really?!”
Beca nods, finishing the toast in her hand. “Let me just get ready. It wont take long.” She sets her knife in the sink before walking towards her room.
Chloe beams. “We’re leaving at ten, so don't worry.”
Aubrey’s hushed harsh voice behind her says otherwise , but she tries to ignore that. Closing her bedroom behind her. Panic and nerves settles in as she stares at the state her room is in, clothes crumbles on the floor unknowing how clean any of it is.
Beca moves to the door toward her window, flicking the lock and with all her might shoving it upwards. The breeze of the street hits her within seconds, knocking a few papers.
It's warmer than she had originally thought, she turns towards her closet pulling a dark purple lace tank top, and the nice jeans shoved into the back of her closet that has twirly white flowers sewn into the back pockets. Reserved for a nice occasion that hasn’t come. The lace top barely fits over her bra, but that is an ignorable detail at the moment.
Her stomach swirls with nerves and excitement, mascara in hand she pauses to take a breath as the memories of last night wash over her. Chloe’s message that has her heart jump, Chloe’s eyes that traced the outer spillage of her cleavage like they were all on stand for her.
A quick glance in the mirror has her pause, self doubt hitting like a freight train. Her eyes trace the dark makeup that is always there setting against her eyelids, and they follow the outfit on her body.
Will Chloe think this is too much?
Is it too much?
Beca shakes her head to remove the thoughts because Chloe keeps sticking to her brain like gum to the floor. Never has she had someone so minuscule take over her head like this.
Beca let’s out another breath, holding onto the sides of the sink. This is fine, Beca is fine, the outing with Chloe will be fine. There is no reason to stress over this basic excursion. her fingers pull as she tightens the hairstyle on her, a half up half down pony tail. It reminds her of the intricate styles she sees on different people each morning, how it makes her smile just to see others on the train showing a difference in how they present.
She steps out of her room, the time on the wall says nine-forty-eight. Chloe is in her room with the door closed, the talking that happens inside loud and muffled. Beca grabs her shoes and stands by the door, headphones on her head as time ticks by.
She isn't sure how long has passed when Chloe’s door swings open, Aubrey’s eyes widen slightly when they catch her own, and then go back to their unimpressed state. Chloe turns towards their closet, grabbing a pair of Mary Jane’s out. Her eyes move toward the front door then quickly move toward Beca where they inadvertently scans her body before she clears her throat.“Ready to go?”
Beca hums, stepping outside the apartment.
—
The farmer market is packed with people, and heavily so. Like water shoved into hose attached water balloons, seconds away from popping. From the subway she could see it and grimaces internally.
Chloe walks a few steps in front of her, white flowy dress easy to follow as the wind pushes it backward. It had been fine until they’ve walked toward the main crowd, not the few people scattered on the street. Chloe's head turns back to look at Beca as the crowd around swallows them whole, then someone walks in front of her and she loses sight of the redhead entirely.
Beca frowns, speeding up her steps to catch up but it just seems like more people walk in front of her, throwing her completely off the path that had her behind Chloe. She shoves past the incoming people, whispering half hearted apologies until a hand grabs her out of the crowd, tight around her wrist.
It pulls her forward, through everyone that crowds in front of her feet and right beside Chloe. Who stands on the edge of the market near the booths.
"Sorry,” Chloe says sheepishly. “Had to pull you out.”
Beca just nods, mumbling a ‘thank you.’ She looks around at the vendors on that side of the road. Aubrey is in front of her, looking at a candle booth and Chloe, hand still around Beca’s wrist pulls her toward it. The sign on the side of the table talks about the Bee’s wax that is in every candle, and how organic the scents are.
Chloe hums, dropping Beca’s hand and picking up the candle closest to her. She undoes the lid, sniffing it and then tipping it toward Beca to smell. Beca leans in, getting a heavy whiff of vanilla and coffee bean, and immediately retracts. Nose twitching at the smell.
"No good?” Chloe asks, sniffing it again.
"Is this for you?” Beca asks, picking up another candle that reads ‘smells like book boyfriend’. She chuckles, and forces Chloe to smell it.
"For the apartment.” Chloe frowns, smelling the scent in front of her. Her entire face scrunches and she shakes her head. “What the hell is that?” She whispers aggressively. Beca flips it around, chuckling at Chloe’s reaction.
“We should get this.” Chloe laughs,
Beca tightens the lid back on. “It’s gonna smell like a frat guy in our house.”
Chloe shrugs, tipping a candle towards her again. It’s a nice oak smell, very earthy and reminds her of rainy days in Seattle. Beca hums enthusiastically, “What is this one?” she takes Chloe’s hand to turn the jar around.
“‘Twilight’ cast mornings.”
Beca laughs, rereading the label across the front. “No way! It smells close enough, reminds me of Seattle.”
“Oh yeah you’re from there, that’s where you grew up right?” Chloe asks, setting down the candle and scratching her nose.
Beca nods. Her eyes roam the small shelf that the candles sit on, each label is a different light shaded color with some slogan or three letter phrase written across the front. One on the top shelf a pink candle reads ‘smells like Taylor Swift’, Beca turns and hands it to Chloe.
Who’s eyes go wide, and she quickly spins the lid off to smell it. “I’m buying this. Aub’s, smell.” Aubrey sniffs it and lights up, agreeing with her on her choice.
Beca moves down a stall, a smaller lady stands at the tent and the table in front of her covered in different types of poetry. The side she stands near has tons of cups of all designs. All of them remind her of a cup Chloe would have in her cupboard. She picks up a dark purple one, purple stripes drawn up and down.
“Ooh,” Chloe is suddenly in her ear, “That’s cool.”
Beca hums, she flips the cup over to check the price and her eyes almost bulge out of her head. Eighty dollars is definitely out of her price range for anything that serves one purpose. “Jesus Christ,” She mutters to herself, carefully setting down the mug on the table.
Chloe stands next to her, and raises an eyebrow. Beca just shakes her head, and begins walking toward the stall beside it. Chloe follows immediately. “Are you not going to get it?” Beca shakes her head.
“Not in my price range,” Beca gives her a dramatic grimace, “Just paid rent and got groceries you know, so it’s fine.” She eyes the freeze dried candy in front of her. Checking the sign in front of the younger man. ‘One for 7, Two for 11, four 23.’
Beca rereads it a few times, doing the math in her head of how this was saving him money, and trying to ignore Chloe’s face running through its courses. She trying to figure out Beca, and by doing that she’ll just continue to stare and bite on her lip.
Which is somewhat distracting even when it shouldn’t be.
Chloe lets out a hum, finger pointed towards chin as she taps on it. Staring at the candy on the table before tuning back over towards the taller blonde.
Beca buys a two packs of freeze-dried candy, a package of freeze dried skittles and a package of freeze dried nerd gummy clusters. She thanks the man, happily taking his business card and spiel about starting a business from scratch. He promises all around the clock time if you ever need help creating it.
She said she’d remember that and walked back towards the redhead who had moved a few stalls past her own. Aubrey raises an eyebrow at the candy in her hand. “What is that?”
“Freeze dried candy.” Beca pops a nerd gummy cluster in her mouth. “I ate these all of senior year.” She tips the bag toward the blonde, offering. Aubrey shakes her head.
“I forget you’re literally a child.” Aubrey basically spits in disgust. Chloe nudges her shoulder giving her a somewhat glare. Not threatening enough to disregard what she is doing.
Beca rolls her eyes, ignoring her entirely body turned towards the redhead. “Chlo? Want one?”
Chloe nods, picking one out of the bag and letting it settle on her tongue. The fizz can be heard from her closed mouth, and both girls chuckle.
They make it to the other side of the stampede of people, away from the non organic item booths and it does look like a real farmers market. Wood cartons are stacked with vegetables and fruit, and Amish milk comes out to tables bathed in ice.
Beca steers clear of it all, the price per carton is enough to create an ache in her wallet without even touching them. Chloe buys a few cardboard cartons of berries, smiling as she pays each and everyone. After buying a carton of blackberries, she holds it out towards Beca.
“Try one? I won’t be able to eat all these before they’re bad.” Which is a lie, because she’s seen Chloe eat a whole plastic container of blueberries in twenty minutes .
Beca smiles, and thanks her anyways. It makes her heart flutter warmly, and she swallows around the sticky berry and Chloe’s bright smile plays back. The juice covers her throat, and suddenly feels dry as Chloe grabs her hand.
Beca takes one, and thanks her anyway. It makes her heart flutter warmly, and she swallows around the sticky berry and Chloe’s bright smile plays back. The juice covers her throat, and suddenly feels dry as Chloe grabs her clammy hand.
It doesn't repulse her anymore, it never really did and for the life of her she doesn’t understand why. She doesn’t question where they’re going anymore, because Chloe grabbed her hand like all morning, and it usually means they’re moving toward a different section of the markets.
And if she was asked at gunpoint to be honest about her experience at the farmers market she’ll say she had an awesome time. It was the most she’s hung out with a friend since senior year — even if Chloe doesn’t fit into the friend groups she used to be in (though she knows a lot more about alternative music than Beca initially thought) — and she didn’t want to claw her eyes out as much as she thought. But she wasn’t asked while a gun was to her head so when Chloe asked how her first experience was, she said it was okay.
It was late afternoon by the time the two of them walked through the door, Aubrey heading back on her own terms. Beca headed to her room while Chloe unloaded the multitude of fruit stored in their very small fridge, sighing the second her bottom hit the desk chair. She leans her head back against the chair, and in front of her, a chime echos off her computer.
Jesse: One message.
Why she agreed to give this dorky man her number who knows.
Jesse
‘Do you know what we have to do for that project due next week? I know I was in the meeting but Sammy talks for so long I don’t think I understood it.’
Beca laughs, rolling her eyes.
Beca
‘Someone on stack probably asked about it. I was just going to ask on Monday. Progress report on something.’
Jesse
‘oh.’
‘great.’
‘Sammy is asking us?’
Beca
‘Aren't you a fiance bro or in business? Isn’t this right up your alley?.’
Jesse
‘I mean kinda? Depends?’
“Bec, come get some fruit!” Chloe yells from the kitchen. “I got you the cantaloupe you always steal!”
Beca is not one to steal anything from the redhead, expect frozen cantaloupe when she's making a smoothie. Which is RARE but Chloe basically has photographic memory.
“Coming!” She yells back, quickly typing out a response before moving into the kitchen.
Beca
‘Okay dude, ill see you Monday.’
Chloe has a good few things of fruit in front of her, and two glass containers with paper towels lining the bottom. Across the table is a small bowl of overflowing cantaloupe and honey dew melon. Beca excitedly sits down, and takes a bite. “You spoil me.”
“You’re so easy to please, hard not to.” Chloe winks, pouring out the contents of berries into the container. “When is your birthday again?”
Beca shrugs. “That's not really important, I don’t celebrate.”
Chloe gasps, loudly exclaiming. “What?!”
Beca grimaces. reaching for a fork on the table to pick up the fruit. “It’s just not my thing,”
Chloe gives her an awestruck confused expression, like she has never heard of something like this before. "What if someone wants to throw you a party?”
Beca eyes darting around to ensure she’s seeing this reaction. “Uh, I don't know? I haven’t had a birthday party since I was like, ten.”
Chloe's eyebrows shoot up even more than that already had. “What?” She asks incredulously, setting down the bowl in her hands. “How old are you?”
"I’m like twenty, you knew that.”
"No no, you said you were nineteen when we met.” Chloe huffs. “Because I had thought ‘wow she is moving here around the same age I moved here’.”
Beca takes a bite of the cantaloupe in her bow, contemplating what would happen if she says when her birthday was. Chloe continues to look at like she has committed a felony, and what she had been doing long forgotten to this puzzlement. “Fine, it was in September.”
“Before or after you moved in?” Chloe’s can have this demeanor when she’s very serious about something that comes off aggressive and fierce. Rarely is Beca behind this, only once or twice about their housing situation more often over the phone it will be over heard. And if anything, Beca is more into it than anything.
Beca smiles, leaning on her hand. “That would ruin the fun of the secret.”
"Would it?” Chloe’s eyes are wide and a little wild.
"Mhm.” She lets the words linger, “Would ruin my reputation.”
"It would ruin your dark mysterious grudge-y personality?”
"Yep, that one.” Beca grins around a bite of honey dew, and Chloe laughs like its the funniest thing in the world.
Beca tries to ignore how it sends warmth and butterflies to her stomach. Days afterward all she can focus on is how much she feels around the redhead. She gets up even earlier to finish material for the spring concert, and indirectly forces Beca to get up just to see Chloe with her cup.
They rarely run into each other on the station platform as spring break approaches, and Chloe comes home later and later. Decently exhausted and barely awake enough to spend her time in the kitchen.
It’s not like Beca isn’t busy as well, she helps Jesse finish reports for progress reports for musicians coming in and out. Somehow she gets roped into eating lunch with him a few times a week, and they run down to the nearest Chipotle.
“Admit you like this place,” Jesse teases, poking her shoulder and Beca rolls her eyes.
“It’s okay, I guess.” She mumbles into her drink. “I like the lemonade.”
Jesse grins. “Yeah you do!”
They walk home in the same direction, and usually Jesse steers off the path towards his apartment and Beca puts in her headphones. But this time, he continues to follow her, up the steps and onto the platform.
Beca gives him an odd look, moving her headphones off her neck. “What are you doing?”
He smiles, self assured. “I’m taking you out, we’re getting dinner.”
Beca purses her lip, watching the train appear in front of them. She looks around the train station to see if Chloe has appeared. “Where?”
“You’ll see.” He smirks.
Beca looks down at her phone, it’s a little early for Chloe to show up at this time. She bites the inside of her cheek and follows him. Jesse chooses this dive bar type burger place, and Beca tries to act more impressed than she is. It’s over priced and she’s not in the mood to pay for a waste of dinner.
She frowns at the menu, picking at the nail polish on her finger when Jesse speaks. “Get anything, I know the owner.” Jesse says, flipping the menu onto the table.
Beca looks at him skeptically. “Why don’t I believe that?”
Jesse shrugs. “Paranoia?”
The worst thing about that night was Beca had a decent time, not comparing it to Chloe but it falls just a bit below her time spent with the redhead. It was pitch black by the time Beca climbed the stairs of their apartment, the elevator broken for the fifth time in two months.
The TV glows dark shades of blue, but no one is sitting in front of it. Beca sets her shoes near the closet and carefully walks over to grab the remote. It doesn't sit on the coffee table where is usually is, instead is an empty glass and a bottle of wine that Beca had seen sitting on their counter the night before. When she turns her head she finds out where the remote had gone had gone.
Chloe is sprawled out across the couch dead asleep, grasping onto the remote and edge of the cushion. Snoring lightly with her face half buried into it. Beca chuckles to herself at the position.
She gently take the remote out of Chloe’s dead grip without waking her, only moving a few fingers before turning around and clicking it off. Once the room is dark Beca ponders if she should wake her up. It would be a little awkward, and Beca feels herself flush at the thought of having to carry Chloe back to her room. But she knows Chloe would do it for her.
So she should pay it forward first — or however the saying goes.
Beca leans into the redhead, running her hand up and down a freckled arm. It’s cold to the touch, probably because their heater is off. “Chlo,” She whispers, “Chlo, you got to go to bed.” She whispers just a bit louder.
Chloe moves ever so slightly, a change in position.
Beca frowns, walking her fingers up the freckled arm and landing on her shoulder. She pokes Chloe’s cheek gently with her pointer. “Chloe, wake up.”
Chloe’s eyes barely open, her eyes squint and she bemoans stretching out her arms. “Hi Bec.”
Beca hands hold onto her arms as Chloe pushes herself to sit up. "You don't need to wake up, I'm just trying to get you to bed.” Beca whispers, trying not to disrupt the silence.
"Couldn’t pick me up?” Chloe yawns, rubbing her eyes. She turns her head around to look at her and Beca thinks she’s probably waiting for an answer.
Beca opens her mouth, then shuts it and just shakes her head. What is she going to say?
Chloe gives her a dramatic pout, and then leans her face onto Beca’s shoulder. “Too bad.”
Beca nervously chuckles, patting the curly red hair.“Yeah, sorry.”
Chloe shrugs, then quickly stands up. Her body sways back and forth like she’d fall either way so Beca stands with her, holding out an arm out each way to brace. Chloe doesn’t seem bothered, and turns to walk toward her room.
“Are you okay to go…?” Beca waves her hand in the air, and Chloe shrugs her off, making an exasperated noise.
“I wouldn't mind if you came in with me.” She says from her doorframe high and teasing. She turns her body back to face the brunette and sends off a wink. “If you want.”
Beca raises her eyebrow at Chloe’s behavior, not fully understanding if shes kidding or not. Chloe smiles before gently letting the door close behind her only to still leave a bit of space if she took up the offer. Beca stands there, then shakes her head and turns back toward her room, rubbing her face and ignoring how warm it feels.