A rumpled shadow padded slowly into the sitting room and Beca looked up instantly from the mix on her laptop to give Sabine a small smile.
"Well good morning sleepyhead." She greeted, popping her earbuds out as Sabine cautiously approached the couch where the brunette was reclining, her legs stretched along the seat, with the laptop resting on her knees. Sabine pressed her fingers hard against her eyes and yawned, looking sleep-mussed and absolutely gorgeous, thought Beca.
"Maus?" She questioned, her voice still husky from sleep. She combed her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tug out some knots. She was dressed only in her long-tailed shirt from the day before and simple black underwear, somehow having shed her lower garments through the night. Beca couldn't stop her eyes from roaming appreciatively over the blonde's body, taking in the long slim legs that went on for days and the adorably messy golden hair. Her eyes were still heavy with sleep, her mouth opened at that moment in a wide yawn. She reached her arms up above her head in a long, languid stretch and Beca's mouth suddenly went very dry at the sight. The movement pushed her breasts against her shirt, showing tantalisingly pebbled nipples (and an obvious lack of a bra, Beca managed to reflect briefly). Her long torso arched backwards and her shirt fell open slightly to expose her soft midriff. Beca had been right, you could still see the faint defining lines of her abs there. Her gaze drifted south, to the plain underwear and her fingers twitched slightly, desperate to -
'Easy there Beca' she told herself suddenly, swallowing the heat of her desire with difficulty. But just as she started to pull her gaze away a stray finger of sunlight caressed the lean abdomen and a faint shimmer just at her bikini line caught Beca's eagle eye. She frowned and squinted at what looked like a pale scar, but Sabine seemed to have noticed the brunette's scrutiny because she quickly lowered her arms and pulled her shirt down to her thighs again, looking incredibly self-conscious all of a sudden. She wrapped her arms around herself for good measure and shifted on her feet anxiously. Beca decided to say nothing for now. She carefully saved her work and closed her laptop, setting it aside and giving herself time to think about what she wanted to say.
Once she'd settled her laptop on the coffee table, she threw off the comforter that had covered her legs and rose slowly from the sofa, taking the opportunity for a stretch herself. Feeling her back and shoulders crackle satisfyingly, she sighed and smiled at Sabine, who turned her gaze quickly away from her. Beca wasn't sure what to make of that...had the German been staring at her the way Beca had stared just moments before? She disregarded the thought almost immediately, not daring to allow it any space in her head. She knew Sabine could have any woman she set her mind on, so there'd be no reason to pick a small, plain mouse like herself. Why else would she call her mouse, after all? She sighed quietly at her dreary internal monologue, but quickly pulled herself together.
"Would you like some tea now, then?" She asked Sabine, a grin forming on her lips as she remembered their conversation in the coffee shop from the day before. The blonde returned the smile tentatively and nodded.
"Yes please, that would be lovely." Beca nodded in satisfaction and stepped towards the kitchenette. She felt more than heard Sabine follow after her, the woman's presence setting off an eerie sixth sense within her. She bustled about gathering together everything she needed for their drinks.
"Earl Grey okay?" She directed the comment to Sabine over one shoulder as she set out two porcelain cups and threw a teabag into one. Sabine agreed eagerly. Beca smirked to herself as she continued. "And lemon?" She heard a slight amusement in Sabine's voice as she replied.
"Goodness, perhaps you do know your tea after all little maus. Yes please, I'd enjoy lemon with my Earl Grey."
"Of course you would, you're a tea snob." Sabine gasped in mock-hurt, though her eyes were full of sparkling amusement. Beca had turned to lean against the counter and watch the other woman while she waited for her tea kettle on the hob top. She folded her arms and grinned smugly. "You can make that face all you want, but you're not denying it?"
Sabine merely shrugged and rested her elbows on the breakfast bar, settling her weight onto them as she ducked her head. "Well how can I? Of course you're right liebling." She glanced up then to stick her tongue out at Beca, who's breath hitched a tiny bit at the sight. Demonstrating iron-will and self control, the brunette turned away from the tantalising sight to busy herself with the cups as the tea kettle started to whistle at her. She set everything out on a tray, water in Sabine's cup and a cafetiere for herself, full of freshly ground coffee. She swept past Sabine and set it on the coffee table, sitting down and waving the blonde over to indicate that the drinks were ready. Sabine dutifully followed and the two sat in silence as Beca prepared them. Sabine watched her carefully, a faint smirk playing at her lips, waiting for her to commit a tea atrocity – which Beca was well aware of. With an air of total aloofness, she carefully prepared the other woman's hot drink for her, extracting the teabag to leave plain tea behind, until she dropped the slice of fresh lemon into it. She gave it a few seconds to infuse before handing it over to Sabine, giving her a sarcastic grin and a tilt of her head as she did. The German tried to look serious as she accepted the drink and blew on it, taking a small, careful sip and then sighing in delight.
"It's perfect." She smiled, as she opened her eyes to look at Beca, throwing her a look of admiration and...something else she couldn't quite define. She nodded once, almost curt.
"Obviously. I told you it would be, didn't I?" She raised her chin defiantly, making Sabine laugh softly.
"Still such a feisty little maus." She commented fondly, eyes shining as she regarded Beca.
They sat quietly for a while, each reclining on a couch as they satisfied their morning caffeine addiction. Sabine eventually let her cup rest on one palm, as she causally broke the silence.
"Well I did say tea was best after a long night. Not quite what I had in mind...but delicious all the same." A wicked glint was directed at Beca again, who snorted into her coffee and glared up at Sabine.
"You're trying to kill me." She muttered, her expression dark. Sabine merely smiled angelically. They lapsed back into silence and continued to drink then, each drifting into their own thoughts. Beca was still hung up over the Sabine riddle from earlier, while the blonde in question appeared to be drifting through softer thoughts. She was the one who spoke aloud the second time as well.
"Thank you for letting me stay last night." Her tone was straight, no more teasing expression just seriousness this time. Beca considered her face before nodding at her and shrugging.
"Of course. I wasn't going to kick you out in the middle of the night and half-asleep."
Sabine looked into her eyes and seemed to be struggling with something before continuing. "No, I mean...thank you for giving up your bed for me. It was far too kind, you didn't have to."
Beca blushed then and looked away, staring a hole into the rug under her feet. "Uhm actually you're right, I didn't have to." Sabine looked confused and the brunette huffed out a breath, bracing herself for the confession she was about to make. "What I mean is...you wouldn't let me go, after I put you to bed last night." She was looking anywhere but at Sabine in that moment. "I put you to bed, and honestly the plan was to sleep on the couch and leave you alone. But you grabbed me and wouldn't let me go!" She coughed in complete embarrassment. "Uhhh...you just pinned me down and asked me not to leave. So...I kinda couldn't, and didn't?" She finished in a high pitch, trailing off into a whisper of mortification. There was a long second where no one said anything and Beca glanced up at Sabine, afraid of what she might see but needing to know what she was thinking.
Sabine looked shocked, her eyes almost totlly round in her surprise.
"Honestly, I didn't intend to be there, I swear!" Beca waved her hands frantically. "I'd never...I mean I wouldn't...I'm not like that! I mean don't get me wrong, you're totally gorgeous and yeah it'd be my dream to get into those hot-as-hell pants...waitwhat?" she had become incredibly flustered now, trying to explain that nothing had gone on, hoping desperately to make Sabine believe her. She barrelled on, trying to salvage whatever she could from the disaster this was rapidly becoming. "What I mean is...uhhhhh…dammit!" Dragging her hands through her hair she tried again. "Sabine. I did not take advantage of you last night, I swear. All that happened is we happened to sleep in the same bed. I'm guessing you...ermm kinda took some clothes off at some point...uhm but there was nothing above a U-rating in that room last night, I promise." Another long silence as Sabine stared at her. Beca fidgeted hopelessly with her coffee cup, feeling the weight of disappointment settle in her stomach. Sabine was going to run now. She was going to run away and never speak to her again, or ever want to see her. There'd be no more coffee dates, music made together or shared stories like last night. Her heart sank so low and so fast that it took her breath away briefly. She could feel that tell-tale prickle that forewarned of tears in her eyes. She closed them fiercely and turned her head away.
Eventually there was a noise other than that of the distant traffic on the road below Beca's apartment. It was a soft giggle. Her head shot up in surprise and she stared at Sabine, who was starting to laugh at the situation. Beca could only sit, dumbfounded for a few moments before folding her arms defensively. "And what is so funny?" She demanded, feeling cross at herself. As usual, she'd blown the whole situation out of proportion. The German just shook her head and chuckled.
"Oh Beca! Your face!" She covered her mouth with one hand and tried to stifle her mirth in the hope that it might spare her some of Beca's wrath. "Honestly, it's fine. You don't need to worry!" She leaned forward and, in a reflection of the day on the studio roof terrace, she placed her hand gently on Beca's knee. "I believe you liebling. You don't have a reason to lie to me. I'm surprised it happened, but...you know, I'm kind of glad as well." She smiled at the brunette and her nose wrinkled in a way Beca hadn't seen before but it turned her heart into a puddle at how utterly adorable it was. She relented and uncreased her scowl then.
"Ohh...it's fine. I'm sorry I didn't move sooner, but you're like a really good sleeping pill."
Sabine grinned. "A delicious dinner, good wine and comfortable bed is all it was really, maus. But however the sleep happened, still thank you for allowing me into your home for the night." She moved away from Beca then, tipped the last of her tea down her throat and made to stand up. "And for the tea – I must say, it's quite the best I've tasted since I've been in America. Other than when I make it myself of course." She teased Beca.
The sentence though, far from making the producer laugh caused a sudden flood of thoughts to crash over her, remembering everything she'd wanted to talk to Sabine about. But she found she was too shy to broach the subject.
Sabine appeared to solve the issue for her instead. "Beca?" She questioned, her head on one side. "Are you okay? You look so serious..."
Beca mentally prepared herself. If she didn't ask now, she never would. And if she never asked, she'd kick herself for the rest of her life.
"Sabine.." She took a deep breath. "Why did you leave Das Sound Machine?"
The blonde looked as though Beca had just slapped her. She inhaled sharply and her body stiffened perceptibly. A moment later she found her voice, though it was suddenly hoarse.
"What do you mean?"
"I...I know you're not in DSM any more. I'm just...I..." She cast around desperately for the words she needed, but nothing seemed appropriate so she had to make do with what she had. "What's been going on? You seem like you're hiding something." Which, apparently was total bluntness. Nice, Beca, really tactful. She wanted to stick her fist in her mouth and never try to speak again. The expression on the other woman's face was causing her heart to race. Sabine suddenly looked hunted and she'd turned extremely pale. Her eyes stood out harshly against her almost translucent skin, lips bloodless and hands clenched into fists at her sides. Beca suddenly backtracked. "Never mind!" she hurriedly shook her head, "forget I asked. I shouldn't have, it's totally none of my business-"
Sabine touched cold fingertips to Beca's forearm to still her. She looked directly at the brunette then and swallowed hard before answering in a very quiet voice. "No...you're right Beca. I owe you the truth I suppose. And I promise I will tell you." The two women stood staring at each other for a long moment, before Sabine cast her eyes down and away, wrapping her arms around herself as though forming a shield. "But...would you do something for me first?" Beca nodded slowly, astounded at the multiple rapid changes in their morning scenario and wondering what could possibly be coming next. She braced herself.
"...would you go on a date with me, Beca Mitchell?"
Beca hastily expelled the breath she'd been holding. Whatever she'd been expecting, it hadn't been that. Never in a million years had it been that. Something warm blossomed inside her, planting a seed from the centre of her soul and growing rapidly to take over her whole being. Despite the serious tone of moments before, hope burned brightly within her. Did this acually mean Sabine felt something for her? If that was true it was more than she could ever have hoped for, almost as though one of her many dreams was coming true, despite everything in her telling her it wasn't possible, couldn't be true. She almost pinched herself to check she was actually awake. Her gaze refocussed and she saw Sabine looking at her unblinkingly, anxiety tangible in every tense line of her face. Of course, she was expected to say something now, wasn't she? What was it again? Words. Words would be good...English Beca, let's go!
"Ohmygodyes!" she blurted suddenly, a lot louder than she meant to but she apparently had no control over her own basic functions right now. Sabine jumped slightly at the volume, but heaved a great sigh of relief, smiling suddenly at Beca and it warmed her heart – it was like seeing the sun shine brightly after a heavy rain shower. She reflected that she'd never tire of seeing that...and then she remembered the deal she had with Sabine, the reason they now had to rapidly plan a date. She sobered slightly. This might be the only chance she got, who knows what might happen after her and the German had talked at length on the more serious matter she'd mentioned. She flooded with resolve then, knowing that no matter what Sabine had to say to her Beca would never let her go. They were just touching on this new journey and she'd be damned if she was going to abandon it suddenly, no matter what Sabine had to say. It couldn't possibly be bad anyway, she told herself, allowing joy to flicker tentatively to life inside of her.
Sabine watched the myriad expressions swim across Beca's face, caught the light starting to burn brightly within her and hated herself for it. This newfound feeling was wonderful, raw and frightening, and she wasn't prepared for it at all. She tried her hardest to push it away, while branding herself with the image of Beca as she looked right now so that she'd never forget – all hope and desire, an unearthly shine flaring behind her deep navy eyes. It wouldn't last, she knew without a doubt. This date was her one chance with the woman she so desperately wanted to love; she knew that afterwards, when she revealed her truths to Beca, her maus would never want to see or know her again. But until then…
"It's a date then."