To be fair, no one ever asked. At least that's what Beca is thinking while trying to catch a single word in the chorus of demanding questions and accusations being thrown in her direction in this moment. The Bellas are not pleased, to say the least.
To be more fair, she can definitely see where they're coming from given how the last 9 or so months have gone.
Yet, she can't exactly grasp just what the Bellas are even accusing for. I mean, Chloe is standing right there. Like, right there; at the most, she's ten feet away.
And again, in her own defense, they weren't supposed to see that. But okay, maybe she should have been a little more aware of her surroundings. Yet, it's not like she's the only one who forgot where they were. It was the song playing, the purple hue of the lights, and god those eyes, those lips, Beca couldn't help herself. She got caught up in the moment and simply forgot to care.
But yeah, currently Amy is heading the argument while the others chorus their agreements and close in on her to a point where Beca starts to stand on her tippy toes to see where the hell Chloe is in this moment.
"How could you Beca?!" Amy waves her hands around in her face, and Beca backs herself up until her back hits the corner of a counter, forcing her to step back toward the group; they don't relent.
"Amy-" Beca tries.
"After everything that's happened!" Stacie says this time, coming up on Amy's right.
"What does that even me-" Beca tries to ask but is interrupted by Cynthia Rose coming up on Amy's left.
"You really have some nerve Beca!" Cynthia Rose points at her.
"Oh my god," Beca looks desperately around until she finally sees Chloe emerge through the group of girls at the same time she sees blonde hair in front of her. Aubrey's arm crosses in front of Beca and pushes her slightly behind her, acting as a barrier between her and the girls. Although, that doesn't prove to be a great decision if the goal was to deescalate the situation.
The way they bore into Aubrey next was just as indignant.
"She's your best friend!"
"You should be ashamed!"
"Right in front of us?!"
The words come all at once in a fraction of a second and Beca is about the step back around Aubrey but before she can, Chloe's whistle stops her in her tracks and successfully mutes the pitch forks and torches ensemble in front of them.
"Nothing to see here! Carry on!" Chloe smiles and shoos away the looks the party goer's around them give. Fortunately she doesn't need to tell them twice and the dancing and chatter resumes in the background.
The girls, despite their silence, now have their arms folded or hands on their hips as they stare at Beca still inched behind Aubrey.
As Beca actually gulps and she feels Aubrey's grip around her wrist tighten and they look at the scene in front of them she can't help but feel like something good is about to happen. Yes, as crazy as that might sound to anyone who's even remotely familiar with how survival instincts work, she's sure whatever comes next will be good for her, good for them.
It makes kissing Aubrey in the middle of their victory celebration seem pretty worth it.
Aubrey and Chloe brought Beca into their relationship not long after Bella auditions. There was something obvious and natural between Chloe and Beca and something intense and passionate between Aubrey and Beca. It was almost like the three of them ending up together was inevitable.
Beca was confused at first- mostly surprised to learn that Chloe and Aubrey were together at all. She never saw them kiss or touch or even remotely flirt with each other during practice. Even at the party after initiation night she thought Chloe was there with some other guy, Tom. (Beca would later learn that Tom is Chloe's very close and very gay best friend.)
When Beca questioned it she'd learn that Aubrey simply does not do PDA. It's just not enjoyable for her in any sense. She's got enough stage fright to battle being the captain of the Bellas. She doesn't need to bring her personal life into it. Chloe, despite being the touchiest person alive, respects that. She even says it makes her private time with Aubrey that much more enjoyable. It makes every touch from Aubrey that much more exciting and intimate.
It was never that Chloe or Aubrey hid it. If anyone asked them out they'd both explain they're not available. They've met each other's parents as each other's girlfriends and they openly go out on dates every Friday evening. They just don't too intimately touch or kiss once they step out of their apartment.
When Beca was brought into their relationship she understood that. She also understood what Chloe meant about how the intimacy of being behind closed doors is enhanced when you're with Aubrey. It's vibrating, electrifying, and totally fucking hot.
Aubrey lets go at home. She can't sit next to one of them without tangling their legs together and she's been known to pull each of them into a kiss at times others may deem random. For Aubrey it's just her being free and neither of the other two women find reason to complain.
And again, they didn't ask. They didn't ask Beca if she was dating Chloe at all. They all just collectively assumed so. Because Beca is okay with PDA (in small to moderate amounts), and her relationship with Chloe is it's own entity so really there was no reason they shouldn't or couldn't do that. Sure, Aubrey voiced an insecurity about it somewhere down the line, but after a few long talks and lots of reassurance both in their "throuple" and individual relationships with each other, it became comfortable and normal.
The Bellas would always refer to Chloe as Beca's girlfriend and to Beca as Chloe's. And really, there was never a reason to correct them. Because they are girlfriends; they just so happen to also have another girlfriend.
Certainly no one ever assumed Aubrey and Beca were dating because of how much they argued. Except everyone failed to realize that the arguing was impassioned and part of what they loved about each other. They pushed each other to help each other and neither would have it any other way.
So yeah, when Beca and Aubrey got caught up in a moment at this party after winning the ICCA championship, they may have forgotten to care about where they were. The drinks may have aided the situation, the high of the win probably played a part in it, but what it really was, was the way Aubrey had just spent ten minutes explaining to Beca how grateful she is for her help this year and how happy she is that she's found her in life.
Overwhelmed by Aubrey's words and not knowing how to find her own words to respond yet Beca simply reminded Aubrey, "I love you."
Aubrey, staring back at her had said, "I love you so much."
There wasn't a moment of hesitation or glance around to see who was watching. In that moment it was actually fully just them. Just, not physically, since most of the Bellas were in close enough proximity to see them both dip forward at the same time until their lips met.
Maybe it was because Beca pushed Aubrey's shoulder until her back hit the kitchen counter that people assume Beca is the ring leader here. Regardless, all any of the Bellas saw was Chloe's girlfriend kissing who they assumed was Chloe's best friend. Hence their immediate outrage.
"Girls!" Chloe held up two hands to signal for them to take a step back. Reluctantly they abided and Chloe moved to step between Beca and Aubrey, pulling Beca to her right and Aubrey to her left. Every Bellas' crease between their pulled together brows deepened. "Listen, it's okay." Her last word almost comes out as a laugh.
"How are you this chill right now?" Stacie asks, searching Chloe for any explanation.
"Your girlfriend just kissed your best friend." Cynthia Rose echoes.
"We saw them! They were about to rip each other's clothes off! How much have you been drinking, ginge?" Amy demands.
"We were not about to rip each others clothes off." Beca deadpans, crossing her arms. Aubrey pinches the bridge of her nose and Chloe lets out another airy laugh.
"Guys," Chloe starts, and the paused smile on her face must be so confusing to the Bellas because they're all looking at her like she's nuts. "Honestly, I was surprised to see Beca and Aubrey making out in the middle of a frat house kitchen too," she says, mostly to tease the other two, "but not because of why you think."
"Ohmygod," Aubrey mumbles. Chloe weaves her hand through her's and brushes the back of her hand.
"And while I so appreciate the fact that you all so quickly jumped up in my defense, like seriously, I'm honored and I love guys," she pauses and shakes her head, "me seeing Beca and Aubrey do that, is totally the opposite of a problem. Like, cannot emphasize enough how much of not a problem that is." Chloe's voice trails off and deepens toward the end, as she turns to look at Beca through darkened eyes.
"God you guys make it sound like we were dry humping here." Beca mumbles and Aubrey's face grows three shades of red.
"Beca." Aubrey scolds her crude choice of words.
"Sorry, babe." Beca pokes her head behind Chloe's head to see Aubrey. Aubrey shakes her head and looks back at Chloe, waiting for her to continue.
"I am so confused right now." Stacie drops her hands in defeat.
Chloe sighs, but her smile never fades. "We're all together, Aubrey is my girlfriend, Beca is Aubrey's girlfriend, I'm Beca's- we're together."
They're surprisingly silent at this until Cynthia Rose finally says, "OOOH, guys! Guys! It's a prank! We're being pranked." They all chorus their "ooh's" and laugh awkwardly.
"You really got me there!" Amy wipes her brow.
"No guys-" Beca starts, as they all start to chatter amongst themselves.
"I thought I had drank too much!" Jessica says.
"I thought we were in an alternate universe." Lily chimes in (although only Aubrey hears this as she's closest to her).
"I've always wanted to be pranked!" Ashley calls, excited to be included.
"Ha-Ha, okay where's the camera?" Amy asks, swatting Beca's arm.
"Ow! Amy there's no camera!" Beca tries again.
Chloe mostly stares back at them confused while Aubrey's head has fallen back to stare at the ceiling, trying to find her patience once again with these girls.
"You didn't even film this shaw-shank?!" Amy asks.
"We're not pranking you!" Beca yells now.
"Yeah okay! We're not that gullible Beca." Cynthia Rose laughs.
"Seriously!" Beca tries again before whipping her head to stare desperately at her two girlfriends, seeing she wasn't getting anywhere.
"I'm just surprised Chloe went along with this," Jessica chimes in again.
Beca points her stare at Aubrey, who shakes her head back in response.
"Guys…" Stacie starts to say, after being silent for the last minute.
"No," Aubrey says to Beca. Beca tilts her head in response.
"I mean, we all know Beca is the more jealous one in this relationship. It's not like she would have let Chloe do that."
Beca waves her hand toward the crowd again and Aubrey says again, "nope."
"Guys wait I think…" Stacie tries to speak up again, eyeing the three.
"Yeah, Beca totally almost punched the last frat guy who tried to dance with Chloe." Amy reminds them.
Chloe lets out a huff of air in frustration and joins Beca in her stare toward Aubrey, hands still held together.
"Chloe," Aubrey complains.
"You know we don't have to, but it would be quicker." Chloe says quietly enough so only Aubrey could hear.
Aubrey huffs. "Come here," she tugs Chloe's hand in hers until Chloe steps closer. Aubrey brings her hand up to Chloe's jaw and pulls her into her as she's done thousands of times before. Their lips meet and Chloe stumbles more into Aubrey's space, bringing her free arm up to Aubrey's lower back, slipping her hand under her blouse just slightly.
The girls fall quiet again. Chloe and Aubrey break and stare at each other briefly before Aubrey leans forward to peck Chloe once more.
"Yeah," Stacie says, "I don't think they were kidding guys."
Beca steps to Aubrey's side and wraps her arms around her center. Aubrey puts her arm around her shoulder and pulls her into her while her other hand stays interlocked with Chloe's.
"Now do you believe us?" Aubrey asks, though her captain stare is back, challenging anyone to question them after just making out with two women, in a frat house, nonetheless.
"You and tiny over here?" Amy asks.
"Yes." Aubrey tugs Beca into her tighter. Beca rolls her eyes but tightens her own grip around her girlfriend.
"The two people who can't make it through the afternoon without fighting?" Amy asks again.
Aubrey and Beca both smile and open their mouths to answer. They look at each other briefly and realizing they don't need to explain themselves, because Beca and Aubrey and Chloe know how and why that is, they eventually just shrug and Aubrey says a simple, "yeah."
"Since when?" Stacie asks, sincerely now.
"August or September, basically." Chloe says this time.
This causes a slight moment of outrage from the group but eventually Cynthia Rose asks, "why did you hide this?!"
"We didn't." Chloe says, shrugging and looking at Aubrey now.
"You guys assumed." Beca chimes in.
"Neither of you ever act like that with Aubrey." Stacie says, but it's more of a question.
"Does Aubrey peg you as the type of person to like PDA?" Beca asks sarcastically.
They're silent again, realizing the answer to Beca's question is obvious enough to not require an answer.
"You never said anything though," Stacie says.
"What were we supposed to do? Announce it before practice?" Beca asks.
"Yes." The girls respond in unison.
"Would you guys make a big announcement it if you started dating someone?" Aubrey asks this time.
Many of the girls have a wave of realization hit their face because, no, they wouldn't. (Meanwhile Jessica and Ashley shrink back behind their blushes.)
"I have so many questions." Stacie says, throwing her hands up again.
"Great," Aubrey mumbles sarcastically.
Beca straightens from Aubrey's side and pushes her blonde hair behind her ear. "We don't have to answer anything you're uncomfortable with baby."
Aubrey looks at her with a soft smile and pulls her back into her side.
"This is so weird." Cynthia Rose says.
"Listen, guys," Chloe's own captain voice resurfaces. "We get that you may have some questions, and we'll totally hear any you have and we won't answer everything," she nods at Aubrey, "but we will answer some stuff. But right now," she takes a deep breath, "I'm going to enjoy the fact that we all just won the ICCA's and not make this about me and my girlfriends, okay?"
They all nod and mumble their agreements.
"So, shots?" Amy asks. They cheer and all move into action, grabbing the liquor bottles and shot glasses.
Chloe, Aubrey and Beca all let out a breath of air they didn't realize they were holding in and let go of their grips on each other. "So, we did it." Beca shrugs.
"What exactly did we do?" Aubrey asks, mind still a little foggy from the chaos that just ensued.
"We just came out as a throuple for the first time." Chloe answers.
"Oh," Aubrey purses her lips, contemplating if that's true. She decides it must be. She also realizes how much she lives in her bubble with them.
"So… " Chloe says. "When do we tell our parents?"