A/N: I make no profit. No real plot here.
It was cold.
Beca adjusted her arms, folding them snugly across her torso, sticking her fisted hands under her armpits. Why didn't she think to bring gloves?
More to the point, why was it so cold in October?
Why do people even make plans to meet outdoors when it's cold, when a perfectly warm interior is just steps, or in her current case, a short walk out of the park and into a bistro, away?
The crunch of footsteps on gravel is her cue, a minor scuffle as the heel of a foot dragging unexpectedly is her starting shot, and suddenly Chloe appears around the bend in the path from where Beca's ass is freezing on the metal bench.
She would be mentally cursing whoever was the idiot who came up with the grand idea of metal as a medium for benches, but she is currently distracted.
See, Chloe loved the cold weather. Something about never really experiencing it growing up.
Her eyes are alight with pure, unadulterated happiness, and glassy from the chill in the breeze. A wool hat is pulled seemingly (re: intentionally) over her hair, straightened red strands splaying out over her shoulders. Chloe has her gloved hands tucked deeply into her pockets, the collar of her coat turned up to protect her neck from the cold; a thick, wool knit scarf that Beca had bought for her their junior year wrapped in a thick knot around her neck.
"Hey you, been waiting long?" Chloe asks breathlessly, steam puffing from her lips, and Beca is drawn there immediately as she stands, unfolding her arms and giving in with a soft huff as Chloe pulls her into a tight hug. "Isn't this weather gorgeous?"
Chloe breaths her question into Beca's ear, and she feels her body shudder in reaction before rallying her dormant grousing.
"It's cold," Beca mumbles back, tucking her pink nose in between the scarf and Chloe's warm skin, eliciting a shiver from the redhead, "Warm right here though."
Chloe chuckles and pulls back, "C'mon. We promised the others we'd come in at the same time."
"No, you promised. I had nothing to do with this promise," Beca points out, sticking her finger into the thick knot of fabric in the middle of Chloe's chest to emphasize her point.
"You were too drunk off your ass to make any sort of words, let alone a promise that night." Chloe shoots back, lifting a hand to grab Beca's pointed finger and quickly lacing her hand with the cold fingers.
Beca pauses to reflect on both that night in question and on her hand's new predicament. It was warmer, but she was also feeling the slight itchiness she commonly associated with her occasional discomfort when being touched.
"You okay?" Chloe asks softly, noticing the reticent expression on Beca's face as she lightly squeezed Chloe's fingers, testing her limits.
"I think so," Beca replies, then, seeming to shake herself from her thoughts, looks into Chloe's concerned gaze, "I'll let you know."
Chloe nods, squeezing Beca's fingers gently before turning to move them towards the park exit.
Beca rolls her eyes as she is tugged alongside, stretching her legs out a little further to match Chloe's longer stride.
She made it as far as the intersection at the edge of the park before she tugged on the hand linked with hers. Letting out a mildly dramatic exhale, she lifts her free hand to cup Chloe's jaw when she turns to glance at her in question. Leaning up slightly, Beca slants her mouth over Chloe's, feeling lips twitch upwards into a smile against her mouth before a gloved hand lands on her waist. Nipping gently on the swell of Chloe's lower lip as she pulls back, she feels more than hears a hum of approval.
"Hello."
Chloe's voice is softer, lower; and Beca feels her stomach flip over with a heavy thud at the tone.
"Hey," Beca replies softly. Then, seemingly as an afterthought, "Thought that should happen."
"Good thought," Chloe replies, her eyes twinkling with mischief suddenly, "Wanna have more of those thoughts?"
Beca scoffs, but can't keep her lips from curving upwards, glancing away sheepishly before meeting Chloe's gaze again, "Yes. Not now though."
Chloe quirks her eyebrow up in amusement, "Look at you. Making plans."
Beca lets out a hum of agreement before tugging Chloe forward as the walk signal changes, "I do that sometimes."
Chloe chuckles warmly, releasing Beca's fingers from her grip to loop her arm around hers, leaning her body in close against Beca's, "Keep it up Mitchell, I just might keep you."