Title: Spectacular Failure
Author: slacker_d
Pairing/Characters: Aubrey/Beca, Beca's parents
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Beca's mom is there for Beca's first visit to Lincoln center as captain.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Word Count: ~ 2,250
A/N: This was requested by kiarcheo. This is more what you asked for, I think.
2nd A/N: link
Beca's a bit nervous. Even though Aubrey has been helping out here and there all year, Beca is still technically the captain and the one who is responsible for their win, or their loss. Aubrey tells her not to think about it like that since just making it to Lincoln Center for the second year in a row is impressive.
"Maybe," Beca agrees. "I don't care what happens as long as we beat the Treble Makers."
"Thank god, you and Jesse didn't work out," Aubrey says.
Beca grins and leans in for a kiss. "I'd like to think that my taste has improved."
"Indeed," Aubrey agrees. "Though I'm still too good for you."
"As if I could ever forget," Beca retorts.
What isn't helping with her nervousness is that her mom will also be in the audience. Since Beca's mom is in Boston, she decided to attend the ICCA finals this year since it's Beca's first year as captain. Having heard a bit about the Bellas from Beca's dad, her mom, Colleen tried to learn more from her daughter over the summer, but to no avail. So instead, upon learning that the Bellas had made it to the finals again, her mom decided that she needs to see their performance.
Add to that the fact that Beca is also a bit nervous about introducing Aubrey to her mom and the brunette is just a bundle of nerves. Beca's not quite sure why she's nervous; maybe because she's never been in love before.
Thankfully Aubrey seems to understand Beca's reluctance and says she's okay not being introduced as the girlfriend quite yet. Beca's grateful and just hopes she's not unintentionally hurting her girlfriend's feelings.
...
They win again. Beca honestly can't believe it. Yes her mixes are awesome, but Beca always figured last year's win was the combination of Beca and Aubrey working together. Then again, even though Aubrey's not officially the captain anymore, she has been assisting Beca here and there, so Beca supposes all the elements that Beca believes created the Bellas' first win are still present.
"You did it again, babe," Aubrey says, afterwards.
"You should have come up there with us," Beca replies. "We wouldn't have been able to pull this off without you."
"I was merely a... consultant," Aubrey says. "This was all you, babe."
"Congratulations honey."
Beca turns around to face her mom, who has finally managed to push her way through and congratulate her.
"Thanks mom," Beca replies accepting her hug. "And thanks for coming."
"And miss my antisocial daughter lead a group of young women to victory with her music?"
Beca rolls her eyes as Aubrey chuckles.
"But I don't believe I saw you on stage," her mom says to Aubrey.
"This is Aubrey, mom," Beca says. "She was last year's captain and has been gracious enough to help me handle some captaining hurdles this year."
"This is last year's captain?" her mom questions.
"Yeah..."
Beca's mom just grins and Beca has a feeling that she's missing something, but her mom thankfully stays quiet. Beca breathes a sigh of relief since she's pretty sure whatever her mom is thinking is potentially embarrassing. So Beca can only shrug in response to Aubrey's questioning look.
"So what's next's on the agenda?" Beca's mom asks.
Beca glances behind her, Fat Amy is raising the trophy high in the air and Beca makes a mental note to keep her away from the trophy when she's drunk. "The team wants to celebrate."
"Of course."
"But maybe we could go to dinner?" Beca suggests. "And then I can catch up with them?"
"It's your first victory as captain," her mom points out."
"So?" Beca shrugs. "They'll be others."
Aubrey scoffs and rolls her eyes.
Beca's mom chuckles. "Fair enough. But only if Aubrey comes with."
"I couldn't," Aubrey says. "You and Beca need to catch up."
"I appreciate that dear," Beca's mom replies. "But have you met my daughter? Catching up can sometimes be akin to pulling teeth."
"Hey."
"She's right," Aubrey smirks.
"I've changed my mind about dinner," Beca says.
"Too late," Aubrey replies. "We're going."
Beca just barely stops herself from saying, "Yes, dear." instead choosing to shrug. "Fine. I'll go tell the others so they don't wait."
"Beca's really glad you're here, Mrs. Mitchell," Aubrey tells Beca's mom. "Though I'm sure she'll never say it."
"Please, call me Colleen," Beca's mom smiles. "And yes, heaven forbid she admits that she needs anyone."
"Ms. Bad Ass DJ?" Aubrey laughs. "Never."
"Thank you for all the help you've offered," Colleen continues. "I know Beca was a bit nervous about taking over."
Aubrey nods. "It was amusing to watch the bane of my captaincy experience things from the other side. She actually apologized for being a colossal pain last year."
Colleen raises an eyebrow. "I was starting to think the word sorry had been stripped from her vocabulary."
Aubrey laughs. "She's gotten a tiny bit better."
"Um, should I be worried?" Beca asks, rejoining them.
"What'd the girls say?" Aubrey asks.
"Cynthia Rose is going to text me and keep me up to date on their whereabouts," Beca replies.
"Good," Colleen says. "So where are we eating?"
...
They end up in some hole in the wall Mexican restaurant that Aubrey swears has amazing food. It's clean and quiet, though Beca still isn't entirely convinced, but her mom seems fine with it, so she keeps quiet.
"So, Aubrey," Colleen starts. "What is it that you do?"
"Oh, well, it's really not that interesting," Aubrey replies.
"No one's job is," Colleen assures her.
"Oh well I work for Barkker Insurance," Aubrey explains. "I do risk analysis for the business."
"Ah."
"See? Insurance, not that interesting."
"But she's really good at it," Beca says. "She's one of their best."
"It's no big deal," Aubrey says to Colleen.
"You're so getting a promotion before the year's over," Beca counters. "That seems pretty impressive to me."
"It's just because you're so bad at math," Aubrey replies.
"Why won't you ever let me compliment you?"
"It's just the ridiculous ones that I have a problem with," Aubrey replies.
"You think all of my compliments are ridiculous," Beca points out.
"Because most of them are," Aubrey says.
"You—" Beca suddenly realizes that this conversation is probably a little more than she wanted to reveal to her mom. "Oh, sorry mom."
"It's fine," Colleen smiles.
Trying to draw attention away from their banter, Aubrey asks Colleen about her job. Which somehow turns into a discussion of office environments. Beca marvels at how well her mom and girlfriend are getting along; maybe telling her mom about her and Bree wouldn't be so bad.
Aubrey is suddenly snapping her fingers in front of Beca's face.
"What?" Beca snaps.
"You awake there, ba-eca," Aubrey teases.
"Sorry, just thinking."
Aubrey grasps.
"Shut up," Beca grumbles.
Thankfully their food comes, which helps Beca continue to ignore her mother's smirk.
...
"Thank you so much for dinner, Colleen," Aubrey says.
"Of course dear," Colleen replies. "Anyone who keeps my daughter in check deserves a dinner or five."
"Ha ha, good, yes. Let's continue pick on Beca day," Beca retorts.
"I'll just let you two talk," Aubrey says, stepping aside.
After the three of them took a cab back to Colleen's hotel, Beca and Aubrey are planning on meeting up the Bellas and joining the celebration.
"I like her," Colleen says.
"Obviously," Beca retorts.
"That is the kind of girl you should be with," her mom continues. "Not like that Shelly girl, the one that claimed she was an actress. I don't know what you ever saw in her."
Beca just nods because the completely superficial reasons she had for dating Shelly is not a conversation she wants to have with her mom anytime soon.
"I always made my disapproval very clear, Beca."
"I know," Beca replies. "That's not it."
"Oh?"
"Aubrey's my girlfriend," Beca mumbles.
"What's that?"
"Aubrey and I are dating," Beca says. "About five months now."
Colleen grins. "Thank god."
"Excuse me?"
"If you two were trying to be subtle, then you both failed spectacularly," her mom answers.
"Oh. Yeah. I know," Beca says, sheepishly.
"You're cute together."
"Mom."
Colleen chuckles. "And you need someone to call you on your shit."
Beca rolls her eyes. "Thanks mom."
"Not that you care," her mom replies. "But I fully approve of your girlfriend."
"Thanks mom."
"Aubrey," Colleen calls out. "Could I say one more thing?"
"Of course," Aubrey replies, stepping closer.
"I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're dating my daughter."
"Oh. Well, thank you, Colleen." Aubrey turns to Beca. "You told her?"
Beca nods.
"Well, next time, warn me."
"How does that even work?" Beca questions. "I can't tell her twice."
"You know what I mean, Mitchell," Aubrey retorts.
"You two are adorable together," Colleen observes.
Beca scoffs.
"Thank you Colleen," Aubrey says.
"All right. I think I've made Beca roll her eyes enough for one night," Colleen says. "You girls go and have fun."
"Nice to meet you," Aubrey says again."
"Likewise," Colleen replies. "And you better call me more."
"Yeah, yeah."
"I mean, it young lady," Colleen says. "Or I'll be calling your girlfriend."
Beca groans because that's something her mom would definitely do. "I'll try."
Colleen smiles. "That's more than I usually get." She turns to Aubrey. "Thank you."
Aubrey smirks. "You're welcome."
"Introducing you two is the second worst idea I've ever had," Beca says.
"What's the first?" Aubrey questions.
"Dating Shelly Pruitt is my vote," Colleen grins.
"Goodbye mom," Beca says, grabbing Aubrey's hand and dragging her away.
"Bye Beca. Aubrey."
"Who's Shelly Pruitt?" Aubrey asks, as she's being dragged away.
"Thanks mom," Beca groans.
...
Now that the finals are over, Beca has to shift her focus back to her school work. She's currently in the quad, under her favorite tree, studying. She's so intent on finishing the chapter, that Beca doesn't immediately notice that someone is standing in front of her until his shadow blocks out her sunlight.
"Oh. Hi dad," she says, when she finally looks up.
"Hello," he replies. "Do you have some time to talk?"
"Uh, yeah." Beca marks her place and begins gathering her things. "So what's up?" she asks, once she's standing.
"Your mother called me," he says as they begin walking.
"Oh."
Beca knows that her parents still occasionally talk, usually just to keep each other informed about their daughter.
"I guess congratulations are in order, again," he continues. "First place, two years in a row."
"Thanks," Beca replies.
"She also said that she met your girlfriend?"
Beca groans to herself. "She did."
"And that you've been going out for five months?"
Beca nods.
Her dad sighs. "How is it that you see your mother for a just a few hours randomly and she gets an introduction, yet I, who see you on a regular basis, wasn't even aware you were seeing anyone?"
"Uh..." Beca shrugs.
He sighs again. "I thought we were doing better."
"I did too," Beca replies.
"Then why did I have to find out from your mother?" he asks.
"It's nothing personal," Beca tells him. "I just..." Beca shrugs again. "It just never came up."
"It never came up?"
"We don't have those types of conversations," Beca replies.
"And we never will if you won't talk to me," her dad insists.
"Well, why do we have to?" Beca questions.
Her dad stops walking. "So we're back to you shutting me out again?"
It's Beca's turn to sigh as she stops and faces him. "Look dad. Even if... things were different, I'm not sure we'd ever have that type of relationship."
"You're just saying that," he accuses.
"Don't you remember how we stopped talking when I became a teenager?" Beca reminds him. "It isn't completely illogical to think that would have continued, divorce or not."
The grimace on her dad's face is not promising.
"I'm sorry," Beca says.
"I just had such high hopes for the two of us," he says. "And now you're telling me that you won't even try?"
"Don't lay this all on me," Beca retorts. "We're equally to blame here."
"How can that be true when you won't even give me a chance?" he asks.
"I don't know what you want from me," Beca replies. "We were never going to have the kind of relationship you want. It's just not in our nature."
"I don't agree," he says. "I just think you don't want to try."
"Maybe I don't," Beca admits. "Maybe I'm not ready for that yet."
"Are you saying that you might be ready, one day?" he asks.
"I really don't know," Beca replies. "But maybe you could stop trying to mold our relationship into something it can never be?"
"Or perhaps you're too lazy to—"
"Please don't finish that thought," Beca interjects. She sighs again. "Maybe we can just agree to disagree?"
"It doesn't solve the problem."
"I think it does," Beca argues. "I need more time and less of you... hovering."
"I don't hover."
"I am trying, dad," Beca continues. "It's just going to take some more time."
He sighs. "Fine. I'll drop it. For now. But this isn't over."
"I am fully aware," Beca retorts. "I'm going to go back to studying, if we're done."
"Fine."
Beca feels like she should say more, but she has no idea what, so she simply turns around and heads back to her favorite tree in the quad.