A/N: Just a tiny drabble. Nothing really meant to be taken too seriously.

Unpredictable Strategies

Okay, so it's not like Beca didn't know her birthday was going to be weird.

She did live with the Bellas after all, and if she had learned anything, it was that any reason to celebrate was completely blown out of proportion. And while Beca didn't even consider her birthday a reason to celebrate, these were the same people who had an entire calendar of 'obscure national holidays' and chased around the only guy on campus named Kevin in order to celebrate National Hug A Kevin Day. (Yeah, that's a real thing. Look it up.)

So, yeah, she knew celebrating with them was going to be full on balloons, cake, and presents. Hell, she even knew there was going to be a 'surprise' party – especially after Amy told her there was going to be a 'surprise' party.

But did they really have to call Aubrey to organize it? Of all people. Aubrey. Sure, maybe Aubrey is the most organized. And, yeah, maybe it was actually a really fun party.

But Beca can't even think about any of that – not really. She could barely think of her party during her party.

Lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling tiles through the dim light of her laptop as Fat Amy snores a few feet away, Beca can only think of one thing:

Did Aubrey Posen kiss her?

xxxxx

"Laser Tag? Really?" Beca asked, "You just had to prove a point?"

Aubrey stood smugly next to the table lined with balloons. This was her idea. Beca knew it from the moment Stacie dragged her out of the car, before she even knew Aubrey was there. This whole thing screamed 'Aubrey' all over it. "You said you liked Laser Tag."

"I also said it was the one thing I could beat you at, and you can't give me just one thing?"

"You had your one thing at the ICCAs."

"You do know we weren't actually competing against each other there, right?"

Aubrey stared her down – sternly enough to make her stop talking and duck her head. "I'll give you time to prepare a strategy. Chloe, I think I saw air hockey on the way in." Her eyes remained on Beca. "Let's go."

"Oh, let's play skee-ball!" Stacie announced - and before Beca could protest, she was already being dragged away.

xxxxx

"You know her dad's in the army right?" Cynthia-Rose asked.

"The whole world knows her dad is in the army." God, Beca sucked at skee-ball. They were here to play laser tag, and here she was trying to roll a ball into a hole. "So?"

"So, isn't laser tag basically just neon war?" Of course Stacie gets it in a hole every time.

"I am the master at laser tag. While her dad was off in Iraq, ignoring her to shoot people, mine was home teaching me how to play laser tag."

"I thought you didn't talk to your dad," Cynthia-Rose said.

"That came later. The point is, I'm going to win. And I don't need some military strategy to do it. My strategy is to have no strategy, because Aubrey can't function with unpredictability."

"Don't you think she's going to predict you being unpredictable?" Cynthia-Rose asked.

Okay…Beca hadn't really thought about that. "Let's not get all philosophical about it. And since when are you on Aubrey's side? Are you placing bets?" They looked between each other. They were placing bets. "Just because Aubrey is good at…basically everything doesn't mean she can win everything she does. I mean, what are the odds of that?"

"Seeing as though she's won at everything you've ever tried to beat her at?" Stacie asked.

"You guys aren't helping."

"High."

xxxxx

"So?" Aubrey asked.

"So?" Beca finished adjusting her vest.

"Have you prepared a concession speech?"

"Hey, we're on the same team!" Chloe came crashing into Aubrey before Beca could think of a remark.

Ordinarily, Beca might have complained about the two of them ganging up on her - but this could be in her favor. The likelihood of Chloe shooting at either of them (or anyone for that matter) was slim. It felt wrong to consider Chloe a weakness, but she had played enough video games with her to know that Chloe felt bad shooting at virtual targets. "Good luck," she told Chloe, and Chloe only, before picking up her gun.

"You'll need it more." With that, Aubrey walked off – and Chloe trailed loyally behind her with a few excited glances back.

It was on.

xxxxx

Their teams were fairly evenly split in the way of skill level. Beca had Jessica and Ashley, who were practically invisible, as well as Cynthia-Rose – unfortunately, she also had Fat Amy who wanted to know if wrestling someone worked the same way shooting them did. Aubrey had Chloe and Emily who didn't seem like they could play laser tag to save their lives, but she also had Lilly, who claimed to be a sniper in a past life. And Aubrey had Stacie, who was better at laser tag than Beca thought she would be.

The first thing Aubrey did was disappear – completely. Beca weaved around obstacles like she was being hunted, taking an occasional shot at the other team. (It was a hit every time.) If Aubrey was waiting for her to let her guard down, that was never going to happen. And if Aubrey thought she could win by hiding out and letting the rest of her team do all the work – well...that didn't sound like Aubrey at all, which actually made it a good strategy.

"Hey."

Beca jumped and spun with her gun raised to face Chloe. "Jesus." She lowered her gun when she saw Chloe's wasn't raised. "Dude, what are doing? You're on the other team."

"I think Aubrey ditched me when she realized I wasn't going to shoot anybody," Chloe answered, "She told me to stay here for a second, and then she kind of just took off."

Beca exhaled a sharp breath.

"It's fine. She told me I was alluring before she left."

"She told you that you were alluring?" Beca asked.

"I know, weird coming from Aubrey right?"

"Are you sure she didn't tell you that you were a lure?"

Chloe paused. "Maybe. What's a lure again?"

Beca closed her eyes as her vest beeped and lit up red. "You used your best friend as bait?"

"I knew you weren't going to shoot her." Aubrey hopped down from a small ledge. "Good work," she told a confused, guilty looking Chloe, "Now let's move before she can shoot again."

"Sorry," Chloe mouthed, being dragged off.

That… Beca scoffed as she watched them go. They still had a good portion of the game left. Aubrey only had one point. There was plenty of time for Beca to shoot her twice. She crept off after them.

xxxxx

Aubrey and Chloe disappeared into the darkest part of the room – but now the hunter was the one being hunted. Only, Beca had no idea where they went. She remained at what she thought was a good distance, keeping her eye out for shadows that would block the few glowing lights. Nothing. Nothing at all. It might not be like Aubrey to let the rest of her team do the work, but would she really shoot Beca once and then go into hiding? Beca wasn't sure.

"Really?" Beca finally called out, "This is how you really want to win? Hiding? Are you really that scared to lose?"

"No," Aubrey spoke from behind her.

Beca jumped and spun around, and Aubrey looked down at her vest as she was shot in the chest. Bullseye. Only one more shot. She just needed Aubrey's vest to reset and then she needed to find her again and – Aubrey wasn't moving. Why wasn't she moving? "You know you have ten seconds to get out of here, right?"

"The game's almost over, Beca. You're going down."

Was it almost over? Had she really been following Aubrey for that long, or… "Dude, were you following me this whole time? Where's Chloe?" She took a step back as Aubrey advanced on her. "You do know if you kill me, you might win the game, but you're also going to jail, right?" She froze as her back hit the wall behind her.

Aubrey stopped a few centimeters away from her, unphased as she became available to shoot again.

"We could just end in a tie?" Beca knew immediately after she had said it that that was the wrong thing to say. There was no way Aubrey would end things in a tie. That was probably just as bad as losing. She tried to lift her gun, thinking maybe she could get one more shot in then the game would be over, but Aubrey grabbed the front of it and forced it back downward. "Is this where you hide my body where no one will ever find me?"

Aubrey arched a brow. "And pass on taking credit for the victory?"

"You could still tell people you killed me, just-" Beca rambled nervously before realizing she was essentially in support of her own murder.

They both looked upward as a one minute warning came across the speakers. Someone was going to have to move, and by the looks of it, that person was going to have to be Aubrey. Beca prepared to lift her gun the moment she took a step.

"Should we do this Old Western style?"

Aubrey breathed a laugh. "What? Like Brokeback Mountain?"

"Brokeback Moun-"

"Good hard or go home, right?"

"I mean-" The next thing Beca knew was Aubrey's lips were on hers, and she was being pressed back against the wall as her gun was carefully eased out of her hand and dropped to the floor. Before she could fully adjust to what was happening, Aubrey pulled back and shot her in close range two seconds before the lights came on.

"It looks like I win." Aubrey pulled back casually – casually except for…was she blushing? "Don't bother telling anyone how. They won't believe you."

"I…" Beca wasn't even sure she believed herself. Sure, she had daydreamed a few times about Aubrey shoving her against a wall and – no, nope, that thought had never crossed her mind.

"Well, it was nice being here, but I have go. Work stuff." Aubrey stepped back. "Oh, and Beca…"

Beca just stared at her.

"Maybe sure you pick up your jaw along with your gun."

"No Happy Birthday?" What kind of response was that? A stupid one, that was what. But Beca was still standing there in shock. "Two out of three," she sputtered – as a chance to win, of course. Also, what just happened?

"I think you need more time to think of a more unpredictable strategy. Maybe next year." Sly smile on her face, Aubrey turned and was gone.