A/N: This will be a series of unconnected Bechloe one shots based off prompts I receive on tumblr ( .com)
Prompt: Beca finally lets Chloe in. (received from bechloe-feels)
She's found her way to one of the numerous underground clubs that surround their picture perfect college. It's the only thing she likes about Barden; that underneath its perfectly manicured lawns and smiling freshmen it hides a dark side of misfits and angst. She walks in, alone, and immediately feels her whole body relax in a way it does nowhere else. The music pulses through every cell in her body, strangers brush past her and don't even look her way, and best of all darkness lurks in the corners of the old warehouse. Through the collapsed ceiling and charcoaled rafters above her, the velvet black sky is sprinkled with stars, and on the barren concrete floor people pulse and grind to dance music. No one here will give her a fake smile or expect her to give one in return. Her ripped black jeans and angry black wrist cuff fit in perfectly here. Thoughtfully she twists her 'ear monstrosity' as Aubrey called it a long time ago. She hasn't seen either of the seniors in several months, since they won the ICCAs, and she's not particularly distraught about that fact. As she turns she catches a flash of red hair as if it's leapt straight from her thoughts and she feels herself stiffen as her eyes frantically scan the crowded mass of people for another glimpse.
Nothing.
She shrugs, relaxing slightly again. Of course it couldn't be Chloe. There would be nowhere in the world she'd expect to see the bubbly red head less. As she begins to push her way towards the mix tables she tries to shake off the strange feeling tingling through her. Despite how she'd been thinking she was glad to be rid of the seniors, the way her pulse had skipped when she thought she saw flaming red hair betrayed that thought. She physically shakes herself as if she can shake off the thoughts. What is wrong with her? Geez.
She makes her way through the people and picks herself up a drink from a friendly guy. She hesitates before accepting it, still stuck in the idea that she is taken. It is with renewed bitterness that she takes it from him with a smile, her own little revenge against Jesse. Still, the hurt is stronger than the triumph and soon she finds herself in one of the darkened corners, hiding, brooding as she watches the crowd.
She's furious at him, but it doesn't even compare to how angry she is at herself. Of course she should have expected everything to come crashing down. It's not a new phenomenon to her that you can't trust people, even if they say they loved you. Everyone lies, everyone cheats, everyone leaves.
The stupidest thing was that she'd expected Jesse to be different. She glares at a couple dancing nearby as she thinks about it. This is it for her, she knows that. There are only so many times you can open your vulnerable heart to people and have it sliced before you padlock it shut forever. She thought the last time would be her father. After he'd left them, left her, seventeen year old Beca had vowed that she'd never let herself be hurt again. Your happiness is in your own hands, her grandmother used to say (before she too had abandoned them all for greener pastures in the Bahamas). If her happiness was up to her then that meant if she didn't want her heart broken, she didn't put it in a dangerous situation.
Simple. She goes to take another swig of the drink in her hand and realizes with dismay that it's empty. It had tasted foul, she's pretty sure the 'punch' was about 80% vodka, but it's making everything not feel quite so real and that was always welcome. She rises to go hunt some more, perhaps even to find the boy who had originally come with it, and immediately almost falls over.
"Careful there, Beca." The teasing voice comes with a hand on her arm and, when she turns with a sinking heart, she realizes with a flow of red hair and a pair of bright blue eyes too. Shit. So she hadn't been imagining it. Chloe's here.
Chloe smiles broadly. "Long time no see."
Beca doesn't smile back but that's not unusual.
Chloe raises an eyebrow questioningly. "Cheerful as always. Nice to know you've not changed too much since I left." Her voice is playful but there's an intensity to her eyes which is unnerving. How can she make Beca always feel so completely out of her depth? It's not just her seamless confidence and near constant smile. There's just something about Chloe Beale.
"I wouldn't have expected to see you at a place like this," Beca replies eventually, lifting her cup to her lips even though it's empty. The words come out harsher than she'd intended but she can't take them back now. Chloe seems to brush them off though and shrugs, rolling her shoulders and looking around her happily.
"Expect the unexpected, Beca."
"Mmm," mutters Beca sullenly into her empty cup, thinking the words are actually pretty true. She'd expected Jesse to work, and if she'd expected the unexpected she might have been better prepared for this.
Chloe looks back at her and then steps closer, too close in Beca's opinion. She resists the urge to comment that Chloe's inconsideration of personal space hasn't changed either. To distract herself she focuses on a grinding couple a few feet away and then realizes too late that that is definitely not the best distraction when Chloe's hair is tickling her neck and her breath is fluttering against her shoulder.
"I heard about you and Jesse," Chloe says quietly.
Beca rounds on her, furious. "What!? H-?"
"Your roommate told her friend who told Cynthia Rose who told Stacie who told Aubrey who told me."
"Great," Beca mutters, crossing her arms. "So the whole campus and even those who've graduated somehow know that my boyfriend cheated on me with some drunken girl at a frat party?"
Chloe frowns and place a hand on her shoulder, which Beca shakes off. "Um actually, I just heard that you broke up."
"Oh." Beca closes her mouth before she can humiliate herself more and glares angrily at a piece of graffiti on the wall.
"I'm sorry Beca. That sucks," Chloe says eventually after failing to catch her eye.
Beca shrugs. "Whatever. It's good. At least now I know for sure there's no point even trying." She's ready to end this conversation. Chloe is too close and she feels too upset and the hot tears threatening at the corners of her eyes are too damn close to falling.
"You can't just close yourself off to everyone for the rest of your life," Chloe persists.
"Yes I can," Beca rebuts angrily. "People just fuck you over and then leave. I'm not signing up for any more of that thank you very much. Humans are hardwired to-"
She's silenced by the sudden pressure of a finger on her lips and she jumps in fright. Chloe has moved in, inches from her face, just like when they were in the shower. The tip of one finger silences Beca's words and sends a tingle down her spine. "Humans are hardwired to love, Beca," Chloe says firmly, her blue eyes sparkling. "Try all you want, it's human nature to seek out friendship and love, and sooner or later you'll get caught again. And one day that love will be forever. One day it will be someone who doesn't lie, or cheat, or leave. You'll see."
She says it with such conviction that even when she's let her finger drop from Beca's lips she can't find the words to speak. She stares at Chloe, wondering how the girl who seemed endlessly bubbly became so wise. It's the sort of wisdom that only comes from something deep and dark. The question must have been readable in her expression because Chloe rolls her eyes.
"Oh come on Beca," she chides. "You're not the only person to ever have their heart broken." She pauses, pursing her lips for a second before she drops her eyes. "And you're not the only person to ever be abandoned."
Whatever angry retort had been on Beca's tongue vanishes. She stares at Chloe again, this time wishing she'd look at her. The tinge of hurt in her words is obvious, and surprisingly painful for Beca to hear. She feels guilty, though she can't explain why. And she suddenly feels exposed, as if suddenly she realized Chloe had seen more in her than she realized. She'd thought Chloe was shallow and bubbly and generally superficial and so she hadn't really considered what she may have revealed to the other girl. But now she wondered exactly what things Chloe has picked up with this hidden wisdom and perceptiveness and shared hurt. It makes Beca nervous, but for once in a good way.
She clears her throat and Chloe looks sharply back at her, the expression of a moment ago gone and she's once again the familiar old Chloe. Beca can't unsee what she saw, or unhear what she heard though.
She shifts slightly, the apology she knows she should make awkward and unfamiliar on her tongue. Sensing it Chloe waves a hand. "Don't go changing too much on me now, Mitchell, alright?" She smiles again, a genuine smile. Beca wants to smile back but it's as if she's forgotten how. She gazes at Chloe though and it suddenly doesn't seem quite so far away. Perhaps it's the darkness, or the alcohol, or her own plain stupidity, but she wants to talk to Chloe. She wants to tell her how much it hurts, every single second of every single day, and she wants to ask Chloe if she hurts too.
Before she can do anything too silly she lifts her empty cup to her lips again, again finding it disappointingly empty. Is more alcohol and good idea or a bad idea at this point? Reluctantly she lifts her eyes from the cup back to Chloe, knowing the redheads gaze hasn't left her. She can feel it, every second it's upon her, like a searchlight seeking out everything she tries to hide. She feels far more vulnerable under Chloe's gaze than she ever has putting her heart in someone else's keeping. And suddenly she realizes it's been that way all year. She hadn't noticed, not until now, and if she did she didn't understand it. But now she realizes that the entire time she's been far more defenseless to Chloe than she ever let herself be to Jesse. And Chloe never cheated, or lied, or left.
They stare at each other for a long moment and Beca opens her mouth to say something but pauses as her ears pick up a familiar beat. Her head turns slightly, a frown creasing her forehead in thought.
I'm bullet proof, nothing to lose…
The lyrics pulse their way through her, a remix that she begrudgingly admits is quite good. Her eyes find their way back to Chloe whose gaze is still fixed firmly on her. Chloe gives the smallest, smuggest of smiles. The song begins to build towards its climax and a slight smile tugs at Beca's lips too.