A/N: So I was just scrolling through Tumblr and I found this random prompt about movies, thought I could try it out and just dabble around. Enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Perfect or its characters and I would put something witty here but I can't come up with anything at this point.
Chloe knows that Beca, as the brunette always says, 'hates movies to the core, so don't ever make me watch them or I will physically castrate you piece by piece'.
Which actually isn't true, or at least if it is, she has evidence against that fact. All it takes is one effortless, measly look – complete with the puppy dog eyes – and Beca is caving to watch just about anything that Chloe wants to watch. She would just say that she's that good with her eyes, but she knows that it's mostly because over the years, Beca has grown adapted to watching movies. As long as the movie is interesting, she'll be hooked from the first minute in.
("Bec-"
"Shush, Chlo. Trying to watch the movie here."
"I thought you hated mo-"
"I said shush. What's a girl gotta do to get some time to focus, dude?")
Chloe knows very well that if a movie has a solid plot line and some particularly good-looking characters, Beca will be so completely into the movie that she wouldn't want to pay attention to anything else. There's nothing particularly wrong with it; in fact, Chloe thinks that this a great thing to discover, because it means that she can convince Beca to watch practically anything that she wants to watch.
Chloe enjoys romantic comedies – she has a belief that everyone secretly enjoys a little bit of cliché here and there, but they would never openly concede to that fact – and Beca knows that very well. Beca is supposed to hate these types of movies, and Chloe thinks that she still has some sort of a mild dislike for them, but she still watches them with Chloe anyway, which the redhead considers a good win. She doesn't feel good about forcing Beca into watching movies, but the brunette doesn't really seem to mind it that much when they're sitting on the couch or in a bed, snuggled up and with the occasional snack.
Chloe likes to make jokes about the whole 'disliking movies' thing, but she thinks that if she so much as considers the idea of continuing this rather regular routine, she will actually get slapped.
("I thought you hated movies."
"I do."
"So why are you watching one with me?"
"Because you want to watch it, we've established that already."
"So clearly you don't hate them."
"I still do."
"Maybe it's just a dislike. A tiny one, a very small one, just like your hei-"
"Don't. Just don't.")
Beca never really does anything, so Chloe thinks that all of those are just empty threats – Beca's just about as intimidating as an ant crawling on a table. She likes movie nights with Beca, not just for the company but also because Beca is great at cuddling. It was hard to get her to do it at first, but here they are four years later, cuddling every single time they watch a movie. It's a time where Chloe can really just appreciate Beca's presence in her life, because truth be told, she is extremely grateful for the brunette. When she sits down and watches a movie with Beca, each and every time, without fail, she will remember all the little things that Beca does for her; all the little sacrifices that she makes for Chloe.
Chloe knows that it's pretty stupid to spend time that is supposedly allocated to watching a movie thinking about her best friend instead, but she can proudly say that in her opinion, it's time that's more than well spent. She doesn't necessarily like every single movie out there – she likes most of them, but not all – and sometimes, she can admit that she just 'accidentally' selects a movie that she's watched a thousand times before, to the point where she knows some of the scenes and lines by heart, just so that she can sit there and cuddle with her best friend while relaxing. It's a good way for her to get herself out of a bad mood, and Beca always claims that she's willing to do anything for Chloe when she's stressed, so it's in those times that Chloe suggests watching a movie.
She's well aware that Beca doesn't mind movies all that much.
That leads her to where she is now, sitting on the couch and watching Frozen, while cuddling and eating some candy. Chloe can admit that she feels most relaxed in these moments, and Beca's presence in itself makes her feel safe and relaxed. The way that the brunette's thumb of the arm that is wrapped around her shoulders is absentmindedly stroking small patterns on the skin right below the sleeve of her t-shirt, and how she has her head tucked into the junction where Beca's neck meets her shoulder. She's molded to the brunette as they sit there, the TV the only source of light in the living room of the Bella House.
Chloe's falling asleep; she can feel the unintentional droop in her eyelids every once in a while, and how she's drifting into a light sleep from the way that she only registers certain intervals of the movie itself – she doesn't really care because she's watched this movie before, but they were flipping through the channels and it popped up on the television, so really, it's more of a spontaneous movie session that they're currently in right now.
Beca seems slightly uninterested in the movie, and after years of watching movies with her, Chloe can effortlessly tell that she really isn't into it. Beca isn't sitting straight, in fact she's slouching – a telltale sign that she's not completely attentive. She's also breathing slowly, in a regular, absent-minded pattern, which shows that she isn't going through any sort of excessive joy or adrenaline. Chloe knows that Beca is slightly bored, but she also doesn't really want to move from their current position, and it seems like the brunette doesn't really want to move either, so they stay that way until she really does feel herself falling asleep. She doesn't usually fall asleep during movies, but she's just a little bit tired, and she doesn't particularly mind the notion of falling asleep on Beca, since she has done it before and it's nothing new. Most of those occasions were when they were watching movies or listening to Beca's mixes, then there were also the frequent sleepovers in each other's rooms, either from boredom or simply wanting each other's company.
She's just on the brink of slumber when she feels her head get lifted ever so slightly by some movement on Beca's part, and the feeling of the girl glancing at her; a nose brushes her hair and a puff of breath hits her ear only for a split second. She can also feel Beca's shoulder muscles – and pretty much her entire arm – move about as the brunette carefully picks up the remote from between them and changes the channel. Then Chloe's ears twitch slightly, because what she's hearing doesn't really make sense. The movie is supposed to be flowing smoothly, but she can so obviously tell that there is a sudden change in whatever that is showing on the screen. Music fills the room, and Chloe distinctly recognizes Olaf's voice singing Summer in Frozen, and she frowns slightly, but doesn't move, just to see – or rather hear – what happens next.
Her ears, and her entire body, is really not prepared.
She probably should have thought this through, but it's too late because she's already experiencing internal combustion.
Reason being that Beca, of all people, is singing along with the song, the one song that has a music video of a snowman in summer, with a tiny top hat and a baton, dancing with pigeons while he sings a song that conveys his knowledge – or lack thereof – about what snow does in summer. The brunette is singing, softly to herself, of course – Chloe infers from this that she's clearly supposed to be asleep and not going to wake up any time soon – and she knows all the lyrics to the song, which surprises Chloe in the most amazing and amusing way possible.
Then the part where Kristoff starts talking comes up and the brunette imitates a low voice, all while crossing her arms just like Kristoff does in the movie, and says, "I'm gonna tell him."
And it takes every fiber of Chloe's being not to laugh because this is so completely adorable, and then Beca goes on to raise her voice in pitch and imitates Anna, "Don't you dare!"
Chloe moves her head, trying to make it look like it's accidental and sleep-induced, just so that she can get her cheeks and lips away from Beca's skin because she doesn't want the brunette to feel her smiling, and Beca doesn't seem to notice because she finishes the song with a bang, and Chloe only holds out for about five seconds before she shakes with laughter, and she can feel Beca's head snap toward her from the way that dark curls rebound off of her head due to the momentum of Beca's movement.
"You..." she trails off, still laughing, and she lifts her head up, sitting up straight to meet Beca's shocked eyes, "are so adorable."
She can't see Beca's cheeks color, but she's sure that they do, because the brunette is looking away and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I... assure you that I have absolutely no idea what you're going on about."
Chloe chuckles, placing a hand on Beca's jaw and guiding the brunette to face her again. "Becs, it's okay. I meant it in a good way." She sits facing the brunette, tucking one leg under her body as her other leg hangs off the side of the couch, and Beca mirrors her position.
The brunette then raises a skeptical eyebrow. "Watching Frozen is a good thing?"
Chloe shrugs, a small smile leaking through the mask of indifference that she was trying to wear for the sake of not embarrassing her best friend. "I think it's really cute that you know all the lyrics to the songs, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I love Disney movies, too." She finds in absolutely adorable how the next song is now playing, and the brunette is still absentmindedly humming along to it. Beca's voice is great; so really, she doesn't mind, and she actually thinks that it's rather soothing to hear the humming of the music from the movie.
Beca huffs. "I don't like Disney movies," she tries to vehemently deny, but Chloe waggles a pointer finger in front of her face, and smirks, because nothing in this world is going to change the subject of the conversation until she has exploited this new unspoken revelation of Beca liking Frozen, and possibly other Disney movies, too.
"Nope," she chirps, popping the 'p'. "You love them," she says, emphasizing her point by leaning forward and tapping Beca on the nose once with the finger that was previously in front of her face, then she grins and gestures to the television, where the movie was still playing. Beca is still sulking slightly, and she thinks that it's kind of sadistic to be doing this, but the brunette doesn't look seriously agitated, and she takes that as a sign that it would be okay to continue this just a little bit.
"I don't love them, okay? I just... watch them on occasion," Beca concedes only partially to her love for Disney movies, which Chloe is sure exists, from the evidence that she has so skilfully collected in the past minute. The constant denial just spurs Chloe on and she refuses to back down until she gets to the bottom of Beca's love for Frozen, because this is something that she never thought would happen, and if it's happening now, then she can't simply pass this up, she has to at least find out the story behind it.
"When did you start loving Disney movies?" Chloe asks, ignoring the fact that Beca had just said that she doesn't love them, and she yet again leans forward, this time in anticipation as Beca scratches the back of her neck while squinting with one eye, as though sheepish.
"It started from a young age... I guess I always wanted to watch them because they seemed perfect, you know?" Beca explains, and Chloe's eyes twinkle with curiosity and interest, hanging onto every word that the brunette says.
"What do you mean by that?" Chloe makes a silent request for elaboration with her eyes, conveying a reassurance that if Beca doesn't want to talk about it, she doesn't have to, and the brunette tenses up her lips in a cute closed-mouth smile.
"Well... there's always a conflict but in the end, you just know... you just know that there's going to be a happy ending," Beca says, and Chloe nods, a gesture to convey that she's listening attentively. "In real life, it's constantly unpredictable and you'll never know what's going to happen. These Disney movies are an escape for me, because I know that they have a happy ending. Not just that, but it gives me hope that these happy endings do exist." Beca hesitates, as though she's unsure of whether to say more.
"It's not stupid, Beca. It's not stupid at all," Chloe assures, because she knows that it's Beca's one insecurity. The brunette's nervous, wandering eyes snap to hers, and after a moment, Beca nods, acknowledging her statement and letting it sink into the deep recesses of her mind and heart, after which she speaks with more confidence.
"Yeah, okay, so my parents didn't end well, and people just don't end well. And when I see all these movies, I wonder if one day, it could happen to me too. It doesn't have to, but I still like watching them. because it makes me wonder if there is someone out there who is going through these kinds of happy endings, and if they are, then I'm happy for them," Beca admits, picking at the material of the couch and training her eyes on it. "It may not be reality, but to me, it's a way to understand that it could be reality. If it doesn't happen, I won't be disappointed, but if it does, then I'll be pleasantly surprised."
Chloe's intense gaze, she knows, is burning a hole into the side of Beca's head, but it's an expected reaction, because she would never expect Beca to say something like that, let alone give it as an explanation to her apparent love for Disney movies – something that runs deep within the brunette, and is important to her, yet it doesn't hinder her casual love for them, either. And she admires the way Beca is so completely honest with her answer, because it's not stupid, and she thinks that it's really sweet.
"That's really sweet, Becs," she says just what she wants to bring across, and Beca brings her eyes up to face the redhead yet again. "It's not stupid as you think it is, I promise."
And Chloe can see the effect that her sincerity has on Beca, as though the genuineness of her statement sends a wave of reassurance crashing over the brunette, and Beca visibly relaxes as her eyes bore calmly into Chloe's. "Thanks, Chlo. I mean, you kind of look like Anna, when you think about it."
Chloe's eyebrows arch slightly in amusement. "Do I?" she asks, her tone openly teasing as Beca shoots her a winning smile.
"You do." After a moment, Beca's smile turns softer, and more sincere. "Thank you, Chlo. For being here for me, and listening."
Chloe smiles. "Anytime, Becs. I'm always here for you, even on the days when you're shorter than usual. I promise that I can bend a little," she can't help but tease the brunette, because it always makes Beca laugh and it's also very fun, she notes.
Beca nods sarcastically, looking away and moving out of Chloe's reach as she exaggerates offense. "Okay, so I see how this is, with you taking every opportunity to jab at my height."
Chloe laughs, reaching forward and grabbing Beca's arm as she pulls the girl closer to her and back into her original position. "I'm sorry, I just had to," she admits sheepishly, but they both know that her tone holds not even a tinge of genuine remorse. It doesn't matter, though, because Beca still cracks a grin, and that's what makes the joke worth anything at all.
"You're lucky you're pretty, Beale," Beca takes a dig at her, and Chloe's head snaps straight towards the brunette from where it was originally thrown back slightly in laughter, and she shoots a glare at the other girl. Beca's grin remains on her face, and all of a sudden, like a lucky star, Chloe finds a loophole, and she immediately jumps into it, a cheeky grin of her own bringing her towards the victory line that is currently forming in her head.
"If I'm pretty, and a princess, is that a silent request to be my Prince Charming?" Chloe asks, batting her eyelashes as a wave of mockery washes over her saccharine tone, and Beca looks a little shocked at first, but she quickly recovers and smirks.
"Is that an acceptance to my request?" Beca challenges, and Chloe quirks her lips, her eyes shooting toward the ceiling as she makes a show of considering her options. After a moment, she lets out a thoughtful hum.
"Not sure, you tell me," she says in return.
"Well, every happy and perfectly good Disney fairy tale always has its very own kiss at the end," Beca muses, her eyes blazing with playfulness.
"Too bad we aren't at the end yet," Chloe says, pouting. "This is only the beginning, am I right?"
Beca shrugs, a small smile playing on her lips. "Probably. Do I still get my kiss, though?"
Chloe grins. "Only if you admit that you love Disney movies."
Beca smiles. "I already did that one, Chlo. I love Disney movies," she admits, then leans closer. "But, not more than I love you."
Chloe throws her head back with a laugh. "Smooth, Mitchell, smooth."
Beca smirks. "Trust me, Beale, I learn from the best. And I appreciate your sentiment and all, but unfortunately, I'm not a prince."
Chloe brings a hand up to Beca's face, running her thumb along the brunette's jaw, smiling. "I love you too," she whispers as she closes the gap between them.