~C~
Saturday, March 11th, 2017
Chloe was up first the next morning and she eased gently out of bed to avoid waking Beca. She took a quick shower and pulled on her robe to go downstairs to start breakfast. As she tried to decide between making something or just cereal with some fruit, she replayed the end of the evening over in her mind while starting a pot of coffee.
It wasn't really anything unusual; there had always been sexual innuendos and jokes between the four of them. But normally it was anyone but Beca making them. Aubrey was far more inclined to play along, mostly because she loved to fluster the living hell out of Beca. Which Chloe always found amusing because Beca was far dirtier than the rest of them knew, she was just uncomfortable letting it out in front of anyone but Chloe. Well, at least until now.
But last night… It had sounded like Beca had propositioned Stacie. In a quasi-serious way. And Chloe was extremely intrigued by that, especially since Beca knew it was a package deal, no matter who the words were actually spoken to.
Chloe settled on cereal and fruit, pulling out a bowl and a box of Special K. Setting them on the counter, she retrieved the milk from the fridge and grabbed a banana from the dish on the center island. She hummed idly as prepped her cereal and sliced the banana over it. Finally she added the milk and put it away. Looking out the window she decided to eat by the pool because it was such a lovely morning. She poured herself a large mug of coffee and grabbed a spoon from the drawer before taking everything outside. Settling at one of unshaded tables they had set up, she took the first sip from her mug before starting on her cereal to the sound of birds in the trees around her.
Chloe had always been an open person. She had by no means been easy, despite her lack of boundaries when it came to the personal space of a certain brunette college freshman. She was always very careful with whom she was intimate and she thoroughly enjoyed her time with them. And while she'd never actually had sex with more than one person at a time, it wasn't something she'd have turned her nose up at with the right people involved. So her first instinct was not jealousy at the thought that Beca may have been serious last night.
It wasn't as if Chloe hadn't briefly thought of it back when they had first moved to LA and Stacie had joked about sleeping together. Though 'joke' wasn't really the right word, as if all parties had actually agreed, she was sure they'd have been in bed two minutes later. So of course Chloe had thought about it. It may also have circled her brain whenever she realized it was about time for one of Stacie's quarterly nudges, and it may have gotten a bit more detailed as the four of them had become closer than she'd have thought possible prior to the move. But she'd never actually, really, sat down and thought about it before.
She knew that she and Beca were secure in their relationship after all they'd been through the last five years. Their time at Barden had created a very solid and deep foundation, despite their occasional rocky moments. The time in LA plus the almost full year as a married couple made for a sturdy and safe space.
While she also felt almost as close to Aubrey and Stacie, they would never be quite as important to her as Beca. But sitting in the morning sun in their might-as-well-be-shared back yards, she let herself consciously think of all of them in a bed together. Living with all of them at one time or another, she knew all too well what the other couple looked like naked, making it easy to envision when she opened that closed door in her mind. Still, the quickness of the wash of heat that prickled her skin took her a bit by surprise. She quickly shut the door again, but not before half a dozen images pushed past and rolled around behind her eyes.
'Alright, mission accomplished. I guess I know how I feel about the idea at a purely physical level.'
She forced herself to concentrate on her breathing until she was able to push the visuals away. For a minute she'd been afraid she'd have to jump in the pool to cool down. But, gradually, the peace of the morning helped her determination to look at it from a logical perspective. She finished her cereal and leaned back to sip her coffee, staring into the clear waters of their pool.
If she were willing to let anyone into their bed, it most definitely wouldn't be some stranger. It couldn't be anyone that Chloe and Beca didn't trust implicitly. It also had to be someone that wouldn't try to come between them – not that any of their friends and acquaintances would or a stranger could. 'Bloe is real' as Amy had said at their wedding.
And, to Chloe, it made sense to have it be another couple. Someone who would also be in it just for the fun and experience. Someone as devoted to their partner as much as Beca and Chloe were to each other. And, if that's the 'rule' she was setting, that really did leave only Aubrey and Stacie.
Chloe smiled to herself, glad her friends had found each other, though it had been difficult for the longest time. Stacie was actually a year younger than the rest of the Bellas, having graduated from high school a year early. While Aubrey had been intrigued by the confident, yet gropey, girl in auditions, she'd shut down when she'd realized that Stacie was only 17. Chloe would bring up, every chance she got, that Stacie was obviously very smart and extremely mature for her age, more so than most of the freshmen on campus.
It was a conversation they'd had almost as much as the one they'd had every time Aubrey threatened to kick Beca out of the Bellas. Chloe had never been so happy to have someone's birthday so soon after Christmas, because then Aubrey no longer had the 'But she's underage, Chloe!' argument to use once January 9th rolled around. But, Aubrey's own insecurities stacked with Stacie's admittedly adamant desire to refer to her vagina as the Hunter and let 'him' roam free across campus. So Aubrey graduated and left without ever actually saying anything to Stacie about her feelings. Feelings that Stacie was not immune to, just not entirely prepared for.
Then they had reconnected at the retreat.
After the rest of the girls had left the campfire, Chloe had promised Beca she'd be right in, but she needed to talk to Aubrey for a second. Once all the girls were out of sight, she'd turned back to Aubrey. "Sooooooooooooo…" Aubrey narrowed her eyes, waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Are you ever going to date someone seriously?"
Aubrey's response was instant. "I date!"
"I said seriously." Chloe held up her hand when Aubrey opened her mouth. "You literally ran away to hide in the woods so you don't have to really date anyone serious because you can't, or won't, date Stacie." She hated using a drunken confession to make her point, but she just wanted Aubrey to be happier than Chloe knew she was.
"You don't play fair." Aubrey stared into the fire, a faint blush covering her cheeks. "Ok. I don't date." She sighed. "And now… it's too late."
A voice out of the darkness made them both jump. "I wouldn't say that." Stacie walked back out of shadows. "Maybe it's time we talk, yeah?"
Chloe reined in her natural desire to clap with joy and stood up. "I'll just…" and she pointed toward the direction of the tent before she patted Aubrey on the shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
She didn't know what they'd talked about for the longest time and it had killed Chloe to not share it with Beca, but it wasn't her story to tell. And it wasn't until Aubrey had come to visit them just before Worlds that Chloe found out they'd been texting. Often. She felt silly about it later, as while she'd noticed that Stacie was staying in and not going on her dates, she hadn't put together what it meant. She found out later that Beca had also given Aubrey a kick while the rest of the Bellas were getting ready at Worlds.
Beca had found Aubrey staring after Stacie as the brunette helped everyone with their makeup. Beca had nudged her former captain and told her to go get the girl. "Emily just kissed Benji, you should totally just go lay one on her while she's got her makeup handy to fix whatever you muss up."
"I… I don't know, Beca. What if being with me isn't enough?" Aubrey was characteristically anxious and uncertain. Beca had told Chloe it had made her sad that Aubrey didn't see herself the way the rest of them did.
Beca captured her gaze. "Posen. Get your head out of your ass. It's not a hat." She grinned cheekily when Aubrey actually growled at her, and then grew serious again. "Seriously, Bree. Don't fuck this up. Make it real already. We need you both."
When they'd run off the stage as World freaking Champions, Aubrey had been waiting. And ready. She'd swept Stacie into her arms and kissed her. The rest of the girls had gone crazy, their already loud cheers hitting decibels that would leave them a bit hoarse the next day.
Chloe smiled to herself, the echoes of "Staubrey Lives" floating through her mind. So, yes – the two women living behind them were closer to her than anyone but her wife and she loved them both very much. They were literally the only people that she would accept if she and Beca decided to try this adventure. She just wasn't fully certain how to broach the subject with her sometimes still prickly wife, but knew she'd have to find the right time.
"What are you smiling about?"
Chloe looked up as the voice interrupted her train of thought. "Morning, Bree." She pushed the chair next to her a little bit with her foot, her robe riding high up her thigh, but still keeping things modest. "Nothing, just enjoying the morning."
"Why don't I believe you?" Aubrey settled into the chair with her own coffee.
"Maybe because it's a lie." But Chloe wasn't ready to talk about this with anyone but Beca yet. "I was just remembering Worlds. And the events right after." Her lips twisted in a teasing smile.
Aubrey smiled back. "I'm so glad you guys both kicked my ass into gear. Best decision of my life."
"You mean, after joining the Bellas." Chloe corrected. Aubrey nodded and raised her Bella mug slightly in agreement. "I forget, did you guys have any plans for the weekend?"
The two friends fell into easy conversation until their wives stumbled out groggily to join them, almost in sync, having woken up lonely in bed.
~B~
Saturday, August 5th, 2016
Ever since the 'couple time' rule had gone into effect, Stacie had casually, here and there, tried to work Aubrey up to the point where Aubrey, of all people, forgot to put up the equivalent of a sock on the door. Beca was almost positive it was more to see if Stacie could instead of just trying to 'give Bloe a show' as Cynthia Rose had once said.
The Bellas had all come to visit a few weeks before the Posen-Conrad wedding and had spread across both houses. They'd almost emptied the local liquor store by the time they left, but they had greatly enjoyed themselves and spent the days wandering between kitchens, pool and hot tub. Where they slept depended on how drunk they were at the end of the day and if they could walk from one house to the other without falling in the pool.
One night, Ashley had leaned over the edge of the pool chair and asked, "Ok, but how often do you guys walk in on each other because you never lock the door?"
"Oh, it gets locked when… that… happens." Aubrey took another drink of her beer.
"Yeah, now." Stacie replied. When Ashley twirled her finger for more information, she continued. "Aubrey almost walked in on Bloe getting wild in their living room a few weeks after we moved in." The rest of the girls hooted, holding up their drinks in salute. Beca just bowed her head and waved her hand regally through the air. "So Bree declared the rule."
Beca snorted. "Besides, if Stacie's super determined, she'd just pick the lock."
Stacie shrugged. "Eh."
Flo asked, "But do you always remember?"
"Aubrey does." Chloe looked over at her friend. "But, I admit, Beca and I may forget once or twice."
"Chloe!" Aubrey looked scandalized.
"Sorry Bree, but sometimes things go a little fast and the next thing I know, I'm completely naked on the stairs." Chloe shrugged helplessly.
"Oh my god." Aubrey covered her eyes as laughter surrounded them. "Why would you try and put that in my head."
"Well, shit. I can't let Beca outsex me. That's like a direct challenge to the Hunter." Stacie looked over at Aubrey, considering. "I may have to step up my game." And though Aubrey tried to look displeased, it's not like the thought of more sex with her fiancé was ever going to be a bad thing.
"Yeah, sure, you just wanna give Bloe a show." Cynthia Rose looked slyly at Stacie. "We heard about all them orgy jokes you make, girl."
"Hey, in all fairness, they're totally hot and Beca ordered The Expanse." Stacie ignored Aubrey's swatting hand. "What else am I supposed to think about?"
"What's 'The Expanse?'" It took several tries before they heard what Lilly was asking.
"Oh, that's what I call Beca's GIANT fucking bed." Stacie's eyes widened dramatically as her arms stretched out their full length. "You've seen it. It's fucking huge."
Beca interrupted. "Hey, I didn't get the biggest size they had. It's only 9 feet across and like, two and a halfish high."
Chloe shook her head. "Don't let her fool you, it wouldn't fit in the bedroom or we'd totes have a 12 foot bed."
Beca shrugged. "Got me there."
"Damn it, now that's going to show up in my mind when I least expect it." Jessica shook her head. "Not that I'm really complaining." When the others all stared at her, she got defensive. "What? It's kinda hot! You can't tell me it isn't!"
Ashley nodded from beside her, smiling. "You're not wrong." She winked at Chloe who returned it. "They're totally hot."
Beca chimed in for the first time. "Can we talk about something other than my sex life?"
"Oh, so wait – now it's actually part of your sex life? I thought you guys hadn't done the dirty yet?" Amy made a show of widening her eyes. "Shawshank, I thought you told me everything!"
Beca stuttered out, "That's not… we haven't…"
Chloe's teasing voice came from behind her. "Why, Beca. What does Amy mean she thought we hadn't 'yet'? What are you telling her that I don't know?"
Beca blushed furiously. "I… that's… no. I… I'm getting a beer." She made her way to her kitchen instead of the cooler on the patio, smiling to herself at how much she missed these girls even when they made her crazy.
