Aubrey glanced around the apartment as she picked up her purse, letting her eyes roam slower than usual to stall her from leaving. It was Valentine's Day, and she was supposed to be out with Chloe getting her nails done (courtesy of Beca, of course) while her girlfriend of two and a half years readied the apartment for the evening.
"Are you sure you don't want me to do anything, babe? I can pick up take out on my way home from the spa or something," Aubrey hesitated, her brow furrowing as Beca nudged her towards the door.
"Don't worry, Bree. I got this on lock," Beca teased, kissing the corner of the taller woman's mouth.
"You burned microwave mac and cheese a week and a half ago," Aubrey responded incredulously.
"Okay, that so does not count. You know I was barely half-awake!" Beca's hands were raised up to her shoulders defensively, her gray eyes ablaze with vindication.
Aubrey laughed, leaning down just enough to place a small kiss on the tip of the younger woman's nose. "Just make sure the house is in one piece when I come home."
"You do realize I'm not even gonna get a chance to burn it down if you keep lingering, right?" Beca's head tilted slightly to the side, her eyebrow raised accusingly.
Aubrey grinned mischievously, wrapping her arms around Beca's neck as she peppered kisses along her jaw before fusing their lips together. The smaller woman shivered at the contact, electricity running down her neck and through her fingertips as she settled her hands on her girlfriend's waist. Beca pulled away first, tugging Aubrey's hips into her own as she looked up into her pale blue eyes.
"I love you," Aubrey breathed, nipping gently at the brunette's earlobe. The gasp that left Beca's lips was nearly inaudible, the sensation of the taller woman's hot breath against her ear nearly driving her wild.
"I love you too, but you really should go." She pulled herself from Aubrey's grip, placed her hands on her shoulders, and turned her towards the door, smacking her butt lightly to get her through the threshold. "I'll see you tonight," she grinned, winking as she closed the door behind her.
"What a conniving little weasel," Aubrey muttered as she walked to her car. As much as she hated having to leave her own house and her girlfriend for the entire day, she knew she'd in good company.
Chloe didn't live very far from the two women, having chosen a small studio apartment halfway between her work and her best friends. The drive was at most fifteen minutes, but by the time Aubrey had reached her house, she'd already texted Beca four times. Each response was the same as the one before, a simple message that said, "Relax, everything is taken care of. Enjoy yourself, I love you." She knew she had nothing to worry about, she did trust Beca after all, but the lack of control was still unnerving.
Aubrey unlocked the door with the key Chloe gave her upon moving into the apartment. "Why should I bother myself to unlock the door for you when you can just do it yourself?" she'd said when she gave her the key. The lock gave way with a click and Aubrey stepped inside, the smell of roses wafting through the tiny living space.
"Did Grant send you roses?" she asked, her eyes spotting Chloe on the couch in the middle of the apartment.
"Maybe," she hummed as she shifted her eyes from the book in her hands to look up at Aubrey, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She dog-eared the page she was on before closing the book and pushing herself from her spot on the couch. "Ready to go?"
"Jeez, first I get kicked out of my own house and now I'm being out of my best friend's house." Aubrey rolled her eyes as she turned towards the door, dragging her feet across the hardwood floor in mock protest.
"Oh, whatever. Drama queen." Chloe nudged her shoulder with her elbow, a grin stretching wide across her face. "Can I see your phone for a second?"
Aubrey handed her cell phone to her, a confused look settling on her face. "What do you need my phone for?"
Chloe dislodged the back panel on her Blackberry and removed the battery and SIM card, placing both in one of the pockets of her purse before putting the phone back together and handing it to Aubrey. "Here ya go," she sang, trying hard to hide the smirk on her face.
"What was that for?" Aubrey exclaimed, her mouth open in shock. Chloe merely shrugged as she walked out the door, locking up once Aubrey had followed. "Per Beca's instructions," she stated matter-of-factly.
Aubrey rolled her eyes and let out a slight groan. "You both suck."
As much as Aubrey loved spending time with Chloe, her mind was elsewhere the entire time they were at the spa. Chloe constantly had to snap Aubrey out of her gaze, the blonde's eyes glazed over and lost in thought more often than not. Between being away from her the entire day and not being able to talk to her at all, Aubrey was beginning to go insane from lack of contact with Beca. Though she'd never admit to it, Aubrey's entire body was aching with need by the time she and Chloe left the spa and her knee had begun to twitch anxiously in anticipation.
By the time the two pulled up to Chloe's apartment, Aubrey was more than ready to be at home with Beca. Car keys digging into her hand, she jumped out of the car before Chloe could even turn of the ignition, pressing a quick kiss to Chloe's cheek before walking quickly to her car.
"Love you, Chlo!" she yelled, closing the car door hastily as she jammed her key into the ignition.
"Wait, Bree! Your phone battery!" Chloe shouted after her, but Aubrey was already pulling away from her in the parking lot. Her tires screeched in protest as she tore away from the driveway, speeding away in the direction of her house. She reached her apartment in record time, barely remembering to turn off her car before walking into her house.
Aubrey's jaw dropped as soon as she swung the door open, completely floored by the sight of Beca's work. A bouquet of Gerber daisies were placed on the dining table ("They remind me of you," Beca had told her when they first started dating); the sound of soft jazz and cheesy eighties hits woven together by Beca found its way to Aubrey's ears, melting her heart into a sappy mess. The smell of chicken wafted through the apartment, making her stomach grumble menacingly. She could hear her girlfriend's alto voice humming along to the music from the kitchen, and Aubrey could feel herself falling in love with the woman all over again.
She was broken from her trance as Beca walked into the living area with two plates full of food, too lost in her own train of thought to notice Aubrey standing in the doorway. She set the plates on the table, adjusting the tablecloth before wiping her hands on the apron wrapped around her waist. Aubrey remained silent, her feet rooted to the floor as she watched her girlfriend maneuver around the apartment with ease.
Beca jumped when Aubrey cleared her throat, her hand clutching her chest tightly. "Oh my God, Bree, you scared me. How long have you been standing there?"
"Don't know," she mumbled, crossing the room to Beca. "You didn't burn the house down."
Beca chuckled, kissing her girlfriend lightly as she wrapped her arms around her waist. "Told you I had it under control, you goober." Aubrey wrapped a hand around the back of Beca's neck, gently tugging her face towards hers as she pressed their lips together, molding themselves into each other in perfect rhythm.
"I missed you," she whispered against Beca's lips, not daring to break the contact.
"Mmm…I missed you too, babe." Beca groaned with appreciation as Aubrey's fingertips began to trace circles on the back of her neck. "Food's gonna get cold," she muttered, reluctantly pulling away from the kiss.
Aubrey stuck out her lower lip, refusing to move her hand as Beca tried to move to sit down.
"We've got all night, babe," the younger woman laughed, prying the blonde's hand from the nape of her neck. "Plus I made this for you all by myself," she continued, stressing the last part of her sentence jokingly.
Aubrey squeezed her girlfriend's hand, unable to control the grin that covered her face. "I love you, Beca Mitchell."
Beca looked into Aubrey's eyes, nearly losing herself in the deep blue orbs that pierced her soul. "I love you too, Aubrey Posen. Happy Valentine's Day."
