An AU in which Beca is a famous DJ and Chloe decides to surprise Beca for her birthday.
"Chloe!" Beca is laughing as Chloe pulls her up the stairs of her own apartment building. She stumbles over her heel, her knees jello-y with jetlag. Chloe smiles down at her as she leans against her for support.
"You're going to make me break my ankle, on my birthday too!" Beca fake pouts only to be met with a quick peck on the nose.
Chloe presses their hands closer together for a second, "What? Like I'd let you faceplant," the last of the sentence is lost in a giggle.
Chloe just turns around to flash that bright smile, the one stitched together with solar flares, and Beca forgets her own name for a moment. Then she's turning around to unlock the door with the key Beca had given her months before.
Inside of Beca's apartment, Christmas has vomited all over the walls. Tinsel and lights cling to every surface, Warm shades of gold and red. Something that was very out of character for the sometimes brooding DJ. Baby, It's Cold Outside thrums softly from the speakers in the kitchen, rolling in gentle waves through the entire apartment.
And in the middle of the living room, there's the christmas tree, spinning slowly, the ornaments twinkling and occasionally nudging against each other. Beca is amazed that Chloe has done all of this by herself, and her chest feels almost painfully warm, "Oh my god, babe."
There's a kiss against her cheek, and Chloe giggles, "Happy birthday." Beca turns to kiss her, but it doesn't last very long, because Chloe breaks it with her giant, adorable smile.
"Look at the tree!" Chloe says, bouncing a little on ballerina toes. Beca laughs, and obliges without hesitation, walking over to graze her fingers over the ornaments. Their usual ones are there, gold snowflakes and crystal icicles, baubles in silver and gold. But a few catch her attention, and a hand comes up to catch the gasp that falls from her mouth at the sight of them.
The tree is covered in polaroids, slipped into glass ornament frames. The pictures are of her and Chloe, private photos of kisses covered in flour and them in bed with the cats interrupting their attempt at a selfie. There's one from when Chloe had forced Beca to watch a scary movie, and the DJ can't even help but laugh at the horror on her own face.
Her eyes burn at the sheer number of them. There are at least 30, all carefully arranged, most recent at the top of the tree, older at the bottom. Tears burn her eyes and her hand is still covering her mouth when she turns around to face Chloe again.
And at first she doesn't see her.
Then she realizes it's because Chloe is on one knee.
The smile is sheepish now, and Chloe's sharp cheekbones are flushed pink. She laughs a little, obviously nervous, and Beca nearly tips over backwards into the perfect christmas tree.
"So, you saw my Instagram post. and I meant what I said, you know. About wanting a lifetime of adventures with you," Beca feels like she's going to pass out. She's going to pass out and hit her head on the floor and god, how will we explain that to the media? She almost misses what Chloe says…no…no…sings next, "Marry me Juliet, you'll never have to be alone."
Her voice is shaky and clunky and nervous, but god it's beautiful, and Beca is crying hot tears down her face. A ring box finds its way into Chloe's hand and when she opens it Beca feels like the luckiest woman in the entire world, "It's a love story, baby just say…"
"Yes," Beca interrupts, firm and shaky all at once, tumbling to her knees and throwing her arms around Chloe's neck like a koala.
She's never had a better birthday.