A/N: My confidence in this is slowly building, so I'm taking another shot at this. Honest, critical reviews are always appreciated. This one is a bit long for my taste. But EXTRA FLUFFY.
"Yes or no," Beca said, as her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes looked intently in the bright blue eyes of the girl sitting in front of her. One simple answer to one simple question was all she simply asked for. Though, nothing was ever simple with this one.
"Maybe," she replied innocently, a sly smirk growing on her face. She knew the effect she had on her friend, and she liked to push her to the very edge knowing that no matter what, she will win and get what she wants.
"And what if I want it?" Beca inquired as she mimicked the smirk on her other friend's face. She didn't usually test her, but she couldn't help but feel that her friend was purposely pushing her limits. Beca, being the stubborn lady she is, would not go down without a fight. Not this time, that is.
Her friend raised one eyebrow, surprised at this new act of defiance. She pushed her smile down and pursed her lips, her face growing into a war face. She stared into Beca's eyes, saying absolutely nothing.
Silence grew, and it was as if nothing in the room existed except the intense eye battle warring on between the pair. Beca then said, "Oh, just take it already." She rolled her eyes and sighed a loud, defeated sigh as she pushed the small plate. It slid across the table and landed in Chloe's hands.
"Thanks." A great grin grew on the redhead's pretty lips before she took the last doughnut and ate it triumphantly.
Beca shook her head looking down. She chuckled softly then looked back up at Chloe and mentioned, "You know you could've just told me yes or no, Chlo."
"Rhymed," Chloe laughed then continued eating her sweet snack.
Beca sighed again. "Nothing is ever simple with you. Is it?" She looked at Chloe contentedly as she finished eating.
She swallowed down the rest of her treat, wiped her mouth with her napkin, and breathed out. She grinned. "Well, if I were so simple, I wouldn't so be so damn fun to hang out with. Would I? I mean, there must have been a reason you invited me for lunch today." She shrugged.
Beca jaw fell before she leaned over the table to push her friend in the shoulder. "Whatever, Chloe. If anything, you forced me to take you here!" she yelled at her friend.
Chloe faked confusion. "What are you talking about, Beca? You were the one who called me and was like 'hey, Chlo, come with me to this really badass doughnut place, so we can eat sprinkly doughnuts and be badass doughnut-eaters together!'" Chloe imitated, her voice copying Beca's and her hand brought up to her ear mimicking a phone.
Beca's eyes opened wide, and she breathed out a scoff. "First of all, you called me. Second, this place is, not at the least, badass. Third, my badassery is the one thing I won't share, especially not with the cheery ginger right there. Fourth, you kept whining to me that you were hungry, specifically for doughnuts. Fifth, I've never even been to this place before. Sixth, you-"
"Alright, alright," Chloe laughed, "I get it. I admit it." She threw her hands up in defeat. "I made you take me here for a snack."
"And in a very complicated way." Beca smiled, rolling her eyes.
"And you are totes in love with that because you are my friend."
Beca pursed her lips and faked doubt until Chloe playfully pushed her shoulder. "Relax. Kidding," she mused.
Beca looked at her phone and began texting someone. Chloe brought her phone out, too, but didn't look at it. She looked at how Beca's eyes were furrowed, and she was focused on reading the text. Her face was soft like porcelain. Her lips were petite and small, yet so full. Chloe marveled at her friend's beauty. She felt a small feeling in her stomach. She didn't know what emotion to describe it as.
A comfortable silence fell between them as they checked their phones. Chloe finished whatever text she just texted then sighed very loudly and obnoxiously. She began tapping on the table as Beca tried hard to ignore and continue texting on her phone. Chloe hummed and made a rhythm with her taps. It wasn't until she started singing that Beca looked up and flinched at the redhead's volume. "I'm friends with the monsters inside of my he-"
"No. Beautiful, but no. What do you want?" she said, her face serious. She sighed, took one last look at the text on her phone, put it in her pocket, and placed her hands on the table as if she were in a business meeting.
"What?" the redhead asked with a shy smile and her eyes down.
"You clearly want something, Red. What is it?" she plainly said, waiting for Chloe's answer tentatively.
Chloe quickly and silently flushed at the name. She always felt weird when Beca called her that. She could never quite put her finger on the name of the feeling she felt. "Nothing," Chloe yawned. "It's just- I'm really tired." Beca watched her with fascination as she hinted at what she really wanted. Chloe slowly blinked her eyes and looked down at the table. "But," she continued, "Aubrey's occupying my dorm with Stacie." She looked up at Beca and smirked perverted, raising her eyebrows. She raised her hand and made a sexual motion with it. "If you know what I me-"
"Okay!" Beca shouted. She grabbed Chloe's hand in the air and held it down on the table, shutting her eyes tightly and trying to remove the image shoved in her head. She rubbed her shut eyes with her free hand. "Gross."
After waiting for Beca to continue, Chloe sighed, then blithely proposed, "Well, we could just go in and maybe- check if they're not in the middle some hot, passionate s-"
"Woah, woah, woah," Beca abruptly interrupted. "No. No, I get it." She opened her eyes and looked at the redhead. She pointed her finger at Chloe accusingly and furrowed her eyebrows. "You... you want to go to my dorm. Just say it." She put her other hand on the table close to Chloe's hand. Chloe immediately lifted her fingers and gently traced swirls on the top of Beca's hand.
"Maybe," Chloe replied then changed her mind, "Nah, I think I'll just go back to my dorm. Hey, I might even just join in on the fun." She winked at Beca.
"Stop," Beca said blankly, putting her hand on top of Chloe's again, her eyes closed. She opened them again then stated, "You're going to my dorm."
"Well, I guess. If you insist." Chloe beamed as they stood up and walked out of the doughnut place not that far from Beca's dorm. It was snowing lightly outside, and Chloe couldn't help but get lost in the beauty and peacefulness of it all.
Beca smiled and enjoyed the look on Chloe's face. She never new why, but she was always infatuated with the specific look Chloe gets on her face when she is amazed by something so very simple. Her pretty lips opened very slightly, and her eyes got so wonderous that Beca swears she can see a smile in her blue sea eyes. Beca just saw an innocent woman, so young and beautiful. Beca subtly shook her head to stop the thoughts of weird things about her friend. "I can't see why you can't simply tell me what you want," Beca advised as they continued to walk on the white path to her dorm in Baker Hall.
"It's not like you have any problem in decoding me!" She rose her hand up to exagerate when Beca's hand followed. It took both of them until then to realize that their hands were still connected. Chloe slowly and awkwardly moved her hand away from Beca's, and they both softly chuckled.
Beca frowned at the cold entering the empty space in her hand. She pushed away an unidentifiable feeling before she cleared her throat and spoke again. "Well, um, I don't see how it's so hard when you so simply told me that you to Titan-"
Chloe halted Beca's sentence by harshly putting her hand over Beca's mouth almost pushing her over. Beca stood there, her mouth still covered by Chloe's warm hand, shocked. Chloe kept her hand pressed against Beca's wide-eyed face, moved in, inches close to Beca's ear, and brought her voice down. "That is confidential information. No one can know of my weakness. Not even Aubrey," she whispered.
Beca didn't reply partly because her mouth was covered shut and partly because she forgot how to speak for a moment. Chloe's whisper echoed and tickled in her ear and lightly danced its way down her body, sending chills up her back. She gulped as Chloe delicately slid her hand down Beca's face and put it down at her side. Then, a rush of ice-cold wind hit Beca in the place Chloe's hand used to warm, and it broke Beca's trance. She cleared her throat and attempted to speak, but it came out very high-pitched. She cleared her throat again and sought to hide the wave of weird feelings with sarcasm. She shook her head and chuckled. "Yes, Sergeant Hard Ass, sir. Message received." She rose her hand to her forehead and playfully saluted the redhead with a smirk on her face.
Chloe pushed her shoulder, and they started walking again after a small laugh. "Whatever." She turned to Beca and changed to a serious state again. "But, seriously. That song does things to me. Never speak of it in public again." She grinned innocently after her demand and looked ahead.
Beca shut her eyes tight then opened them, trying to get a certain image out of her head. "O-Okay," she stuttered.
She opened her dorm, and was glad to see it wasn't occupied by Kimmy Jin or any of her other Korean friends. It was so silent and still. She sighed of relief as Chloe walked past her, into her room. Beca turned to close the door and put her large coat in her closet, and then she turned around to see Chloe sprawled on her bed taking all the space. She rolled her eyes.
Chloe's eyes were closed, and she was breathing really slow as if she were pretending to sleep. She held in a smile. Beca sighed and sat at the very edge of her bed. "Oh, no need to leave any space for, you know, the owner of the bed," Beca deadpanned, "It's not like the owner of the bed wanted to use the bed she owns." Chloe didn't move at all.
"I can't move. I'm too comfortable," the redhead mumbled. She contradicted her statement by picking up the sheets from under her and wrapping herself in them, nice and cozy. "Okay," she hummed, "Now, I can't move.
Beca looked down to see lumps at Chloe's feet that were too big for feet. She grunted, "Chloe! You could at least take off your damn shoes!"
Chloe hummed again, "Can't...move."
Beca sighed and rolled her eyes as she picked up the blanket at Chloe's feet to remove her shoes gently. She placed them on the side of the bed. She looked at Chloe's face and noticed it getting shiny. She must have been very hot under the thick blanket and her jacket. "Your coat. Take it off."
Chloe turned to the side and opened her eyes to look at Beca. "Take me to dinner first," she said with a smirk. After Beca crossed her arms and tapped her foot, Chloe sighed, sat up, and took off her hot coat. Beca grabbed it from her hands and went to put it in her closet. She lingered there for a while, engrossed in the scent Chloe left on her clothing. She closed the closet and looked back to the redhead, already returning to her snuggled position.
She laughed. "Can you like sit up at least? I want to go on my bed." She sighed at the redhead who shook her head.
"Go on Kim's bed."
"That's suicide, Chlo."
"Then, you're gonna have to sleep with me."
Beca smirked and repeated Chloe's words, "Take me to dinner first." She chuckled as she trudged over to her work chair and sat down.
"Very unoriginal, Bec." Chloe moved over to make room for Beca to lie down next to her. "Come here," she beckoned, patting the spot left for Beca.
Beca thought for some time, but she didn't think long enough because the next thing she knew, she was claiming the space Chloe left for her. It was warm and welcoming. She felt so comfortable in the sweet embrace and the sweet silence.
She was lying down, enjoying and consuming Chloe's warmth when she realized where she was and what she was doing. She didn't know how long she was there. Chloe was already asleep. Nervous feelings manifested in the pit of her stomach and started creeping their way up to her face, on the way, making her heart beat fast and her cheeks flush red. Her eyes darted around anxiously, and she tried to calm her breathing, but it didn't help when Chloe changed her position on the bed, so her face was closer to Beca's face. Beca was almost hyperventilating. She looked at the ceiling, trying to ignore her current feelings and calm down. She didn't want to wake the ginger with her weird and unexplainable actions. However, when Chloe's breath first touched her face, Beca gasped in surprise, and an unknown force made her fall off the bed, hitting the floor with a loud thump.
She rubbed her head in pain then immediately popped back up to check if she woke the sleeping beauty, but Chloe just mumbled and turned on the bed. She laid down on the floor and closed her eyes, rubbing her temples as she sighed in relief. Her heart rate eased up, and her breathing went back to normal after a while. She was about to fall asleep on the floor because she spent so much time trying to relax.
Her eyes popped back open, and she reluctantly pulled herself back up and sat down on her swivel chair. She sighed in relief and tried to figure out why she acted the way she did. She soon settled on the idea that she gets weird when people are in her personal space. It must be a social disorder. She swiveled around in her chair and logged into her computer figuring that music will take her mind off of things.
Beca created a new playlist and cleverly called it "chloes asleep and i need quiet songs". She softly chuckled at the name as she added cute, soft songs to fill up the dead silence in her room.
Once she finished the masterpiece, she reviewed it and decided all the songs were pretty and soft enough to not wake anyone up. She played the first song. She sat back and relaxed, admiring the music and getting completely absorbed by it. So absorbed that she lost track of time.
Half an hour later, the last, soft, sweet chords of a British singer's song echoed through the room softly, and Beca smiled at the beauty of it. She waited for the next soft song to play when she was met with Calvin Harris's song "Feel So Close". She furrowed her eyebrows. She knew that later in the song, it would start to get louder and more upbeat, and she wondered why she put it on there. She sat up and looked at her computer. It was last on the playlist. She was about to turn it off when the first words were sung, and she was mesmerized by the beauty of his voice combined so perfectly with the beat and piano chords.
I feel so close to you right now
Chloe woke up at the sound of one of her lady jams. Her eyes popped open, and her heartbeat gradually picked up. (Chloe was very cautious of revealing the songs that made her feel certain things. She thought they were her weaknesses, and no one should know what one's weaknesses are.) She knew Beca didn't know of this lady jam, but she still got frustrated. She wouldn't get up just to tell Beca this, though. She wasn't as simple as that. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.
It's a force field
I wear my heart upon my sleeve like a big deal
Your love pours down on me, surrounds me like a waterfall
And there's no stopping us right now
I feel so close to you right now
The beat got faster, and Beca couldn't help but lose her breath when it sounded so nice. She started to love this song. She heard it before, but she was just now appreciating it. She spun her chair around to look at the sleeping Chloe. She was still sleeping. She looked even more peaceful than before.
Chloe calmed herself after she first heard Beca turn around. She pretended she was asleep. She was angry at herself for not telling Beca to never play this song. She saw Beca's face on the inside of her eyelids, and she could think nothing except perverted things to do with the beautiful Beca with her lady jam playing in the background.
I feel so close to you right now
It's a force field
I wear my heart upon my sleeve, like a big deal
Your love pours down on me, surrounds me like a waterfall
And there's no stopping us right now
I feel so close to you right now
The song played more of the beat, and Beca was compelled to stand up. She walked toward Chloe and admired her face. Beca's heart started to pound the closer she got. She looked at Chloe's sleeping face, and she was beautiful. She didn't know what was happening, maybe it was the music, but she needed more of Chloe. More of her look. More of her smell. More of her touch. She sat down on the edge of the bed.
Chloe felt the bed dent in. Beca had sit down on the edge of the bed. She grew nervous, but she had to calm down. She wanted to know what Beca wanted, why she was doing the things she was. She couldn't just simply wake up and ask Beca what she was doing. That would be weird. She couldn't calm herself either, though. The pounding in her heart, however, completely contradicted with the feeling of Beca at such a close proximity. Her nervousness told her to wake up, but her feelings just wanted Beca closer.
And there's no stopping us right now
Beca gently brushed some of Chloe's hair away from her face.
And there's no stopping us right now
Beca leaned in. Their hearts pounded hard and fast.
And there's no stopping us right now
Beca softly placed her lips on Chloe's. Chloe's eyes popped open. They looked deep into each other's eyes, terrified, and they both started breathing hard, their lips still delicately connected.
I feel so close to you right now...
Beca pulled away fast, tumbling over, and fell on the floor, and Chloe sat up immediately. They both stared at each other like deers in headlights. They were dumbfounded and frozen until Beca opened her mouth and tried to speak. "I- I," was the only thing that she could stutter out of her mouth.
Chloe sat there in the blankets for a few seconds before she came to her senses and went to help Beca up. She led them to the bed where they sat down. Since the last song ended, the room was filled with utter silence and awkwardness.
Beca's mouth was open, ready to talk, yet nothing came out of it. The only thing she could think of was the simple kiss that ghosted her lips. Chloe wanted to talk, also, but she was faced with the same conflict of blankness as Beca.
She gulped then turned to the brunette and sighed. "Beca," she said, in a low voice. She began to whisper. "I'm sorry."
Beca stared ahead, blinking. She didn't look at Chloe when she asked, "For what?"
Chloe pursed her lips together, trying to form an answer. "I don't- I don't know." She rubbed her temples. She was embarrassed of herself. She usually always knew what to say to make someone feel better, but she didn't even know what she was feeling to begin with.
"I'm," Beca sighed, "I'm sorry." She turned to Chloe, and Chloe brought her hands down to look into Beca's eyes. "For- uh- kissing you while you were asleep. I don't know what I was doing. That song is-"
"That song does things like that to some people," Chloe chuckled, quickly moving a strand of hair from her face. She sadly smiled at Beca.
"Yeah, um," she replied. She breathed out a small laugh. "Yeah." They both sighed and looked ahead at the same time, and they both began to try to think of what they wanted to say.
Beca changed from content to confused in less than a second. She looked at Chloe again. Beautiful Chloe with her perfect hair, her perfect face, her perfect skin. Chloe was her friend. Chloe was the girl who talked to her about everything and understood everything she said. Beca always knew what Chloe wanted, even though she couldn't simply state it. Beca always gave Chloe what she wanted. Beca always did nice things for Chloe, as did Chloe for Beca. Beca was always sweet and funny for and only for Chloe. Beca kissed her, and she liked it. She enjoyed Chloe's lips against hers. If Beca didn't get so scared and helpless, she would have deepened it. Beca deeply breathed in, taking in her realization. She was falling in love with Chloe.
Beca turned back to Chloe, and Chloe quickly followed suit. "I-"
"I liked it," Chloe abruptly interrupted, not aware Beca was going to talk. She didn't know how she confessed it so simply, but she did. And she didn't know how she even continued. "I liked the kiss. I woke- I woke up when the song first played. And I knew you were gonna kiss me. And I didn't move because I didn't want to. If anything, I wanted to kiss back, but I was- I got all- I liked your lips. I like how you always understand me when I don't make things so simple. I like your music. I like everything about you. I lo-" She wiped her eyes with one hand and sighed. She lightly placed her hand on Beca's. "I like you, Beca."
Beca wasn't expecting that. She was ecstatic that Chloe felt the same way, but she couldn't respond. She knew what she was going to say a few seconds ago, but then she was lost for words. "I, um..." she trailed off.
"I'm sorry, Beca, but I just had to say it, and if you feel weird about my feelings for you, then just say it. Say it, and we could either be done, friends, or more," Chloe stated, in a matter-of-fact tone.
Beca tried her best to gather some words for Chloe before the redhead got mad. She still couldn't find anything to say. Her mouth opened but closed quickly. Chloe furrowed her eyebrows and nonchalantly blinked back tears.
"Should I go?" she choked.
Beca shook her head furiously, growing frustrated with her lack of thought. "No," she said, hurriedly. She couldn't continue, and she hated that.
"Then, what?" Chloe spat out.
"I- I- I like- I don't want-" Beca said but cut herself off, all with no emotion. She covered her face with her hands. Chloe waited for further explanation but was met with Beca's helpless stare. She couldn't understand what was so hard about it. She had made it so simple.
"You don't want what?" Chloe was usually patient with these things, but she didn't like how Beca just led her on. "Why did you kiss me?" Beca looked up at Chloe still lost. "Do you like me?"
Still no answer.
Chloe stood up in exasperation. She leaned over Beca. Their faces were inches apart. "Yes or no," Chloe said, as her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes looked intently to the girl's eyes sitting in front of her. One simple answer to one simple question was all she simply asked for. Everything was always simple with Beca. Though, it seemed that, all of a sudden, the most simplest thing was the most complex to the brunette.
Beca sighed and closed her eyes, very agitated that she couldn't get anything right at that moment. "No," Beca answered. Then, she grabbed the back of Chloe's neck, pulled her in, and captured the red head's lips in hers. It was slow and passionate and loving at first. Chloe smirked into the kiss while Beca took it all in, her eyebrows furrowed with complete attentiveness to Chloe's lips and the wonderful feel of them pressed against hers. Chloe felt so relieved that Beca didn't hate her, yet she needed more of the kiss she relished in.
She used one hand to grip onto Beca's shirt for support as she climbed on the bed atop Beca and another hand to cup Beca's petite face. With the little added weight on her center, Beca's breath hitched, and Chloe took advantage of that by slipping her sly tongue into the small opening Beca emitted. Beca's mind went hazy as Chloe lightly grazed her toungue against her own. They both got lost in the sweet kiss and taste of eachother until Beca's response to the question came to Chloe's mind, confusing her. She unwillingly pulled away and grinned, taking a deep breath of air that she had lost during the kiss. She rested her head against Beca's and looked into the navy blue eyes. "No?" she laughed, softly.
"No." Beca repeated then smirked. One of Chloe's eyebrows shot up. Beca chuckled. Her smirk then disappeared, and she assured with a serious face, "I love you, Chloe." Chloe's stomach fluttered. Beca gulped hard and continued with a small smile, "I love every single aspect about you. I think I was already falling when I first saw you." She chuckled. Chloe almost had tears in her eyes hearing the little of Beca's words. Chloe loved Beca, also. Especially when she was so soft and compassionate.
She kissed Beca and began to caress Beca's silk-like cheek with her thumb. She pulled away and smiled at her with a genuine happiness.
"Do you love me, Chloe?" Beca inquired, almost sure of the answer, but not sure enough. She wanted to hear it simply stated by Chloe's sweet voice.
Chloe batted her eyelashes, sighed, and grinned at Beca. She then responded, "Yes," in the simplest way before she brought their lips back together for another simple kiss.