A/N: Oh my goshhh this chapter was such a struggle. Another short one, but meh.
DISCLAIMER: Pitch Perfect doesn't belong to me. Not even a little bit. I own nothing.
Chloe remained in her hiding spot for a few breathless moments as she chewed her lip anxiously, an internal struggle of wariness and conflict keeping her rooted in place behind the rotted barrels.
In her cell, Beca was violently lurching the water from her system, retching between ragged breaths as she cleared out her lungs and some of the contents of her stomach. The princess tried to keep her head rational, remembering what Aubrey had warned her of, but eventually the sympathy Chloe felt for the sopping brunette won out over her wariness, and the redhead cautiously stood from her hiding spot. As Chloe approached the bandit's cell, Beca's sputtering finally calmed to ragged panting, the brunette warily sitting back from the mess she had made. Her back was to the princess, and Chloe watched Beca's heaving shoulders slow as the brunette's breathing began to regulate.
"Fucking hell," Beca mumbled, tone tired and exasperated as she wiped off her face with the bottom of her tunic. However, her clothes were soaked too, clinging to her body, and the saturated fabric seemed to do little to help. The brunette stumbled to her feet, holding the cell door for support as she stood.
Chloe stopped at the beginning of Beca's cell, curious to what the bandit was doing as she watched Beca from a few feet away. She was just about to make her presence known, mouth opening to speak, when Beca carefully unclasped the belt from around her waist, dropping it to the floor as she began pulling at the bottom of her tunic. Chloe's voice died in her throat as smooth pale skin took over her senses, her heart thumping loudly in her ribcage as Beca pulled her tunic off mere feet away from her. The redhead was at a loss for what to do, knowing she most certainly shouldn't be in there at that moment, and that she definitely shouldn't be staring at the Bella's naked back - because as far as Chloe knew, this certainly was not acceptable ladylike behavior. However, hard as she tried, she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away, frozen in place as she took in the gentle muscles and the perfect shoulder blades under the brunette's bra straps. Beca's smooth skin was marked with scars, most likely from her life of thievery, and the bandage job Chloe had done the other day was still wrapped tightly around her shoulder, blending in nicely with the brunette's skin tone. From where the redhead was standing, she could just barely see the side of the brunette's bra-clad breast, and Chloe felt herself blush as her breathing began to match the bandit's shallow breaths.
Beca, oblivious to the mesmerized princess, carefully rung the water from her worn-out tunic, being mindful of its various secret pockets and compartments' contents as she did so. Once she had gotten a desirable amount of water from it, she draped the tunic over her shoulder, kicking off her boots as her hands drifted to the waist of her pants. However, this movement seemed to snap Chloe out of it, and the princess quickly covered her face with her hands as she let out a rather loudly exclaimed, "Oh my god!"
"What th- Dude!" The prisoner leapt in surprise, whirling around to see a rather flustered and red-faced princess standing mere feet from her cell. Beca's eyes widened as she quickly pulled the tunic in front of her, covering her chest with it as she flushed beat red. "Princess?! When did you-? How long-? Where did-...?" the thief stuttered, mortified.
"I'm sorry!" Chloe exclaimed from behind her hands, just as mortified. "I just-. You were-. There was-"
"I am nude!"
"I know! I'm sorry!"
Beca fumbled to slip her tunic hurriedly over her head, struggling to be mindful of her injuries and move quickly as well. Chloe peeked around her fingers to see if the bandit had dressed yet, breath catching as she caught sight glimpse of Beca's perky bra-covered breasts and pale tummy before the tunic was hurriedly pulled down to cover everything. The redhead quickly covered her eyes again, ignoring her burning cheeks and pretending she hadn't seen what she had as she asked, "Are you dressed yet?"
"I'm uh, yeah," the brunette fumbled out, moving to grab her belt as Chloe hesitantly moved her hands away from her face. The two girls stood in awkward silence for a moment, Beca fastening her belt around her waist as the redhead watched her do so. Eventually Chloe cleared her throat, speaking.
"Um, you have a nice body."
The Bella's face, if possible, became even redder. "Wow, yeah no, I uh..."
"From what I saw anyway. I mean, I'm not trying to be weird, just..."
"Um, thank you, I guess," Beca said sheepishly. "When did you uh, come in here? I didn't even hear the door open."
Not wanting to explain that she been hiding due to her newfound doubt, Chloe chose to lie, shrugging noncommittally as she said, "You must not have heard me come in."
Beca seemed to accept the answer, giving a slight nod as she moved to a dry area on the floor. Making sure to choose a spot close to the bars of her cell, the bandit plopped herself down, the dryness of the floor turning out to be a rather moot point as water began to pool around her soaked form; her pants were still quite saturated in water, but with the redhead here she didn't feel comfortable taking them off to ring out. Chloe hesitantly moved to sit as well, keeping a small space between her and the prison bars as she adjusted her dress beneath her. If Beca noticed the distanced placing, she didn't say anything.
"So, are you okay?" the redhead asked the bandit, watching as Beca rung some water from her long brunette hair. "What did they do to you?"
"Just more 'questioning' about the Bellas, accompanied by holding me in the lake. I didn't tell them anything of course, which angered them," Beca rolled her eyes, moving to cross her legs as she combed her fingers through her hair to straighten it back out. "I swear, I didn't know I could hold my breath for that long."
Chloe's brows knitted upward. "That sounds horrible."
Beca shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back on her hands. She definitely wasn't happy about her dunking, but she knew it could have been a lot worse. "I'm okay. It's was just kinda unpleasant. I mean seriously, such horrid hospitality; that is no way to treat a guest," the bandit's words held a bit of posh playfulness to their tone, Beca's lip quirking upward.
Chloe giggled, relieved that Beca seemed okay; at least she wasn't left bloodied and hurting by this questioning as she had been after the last one. "I definitely see what you mean. Could really put a damper on the whole castle experience."
"Ah! I see what you did there princess." Beca scrunched up her nose at the pun, snickering. "I suppose it was a bit of a damper. My clothes are damper, anyway," she remarked, tugging at the hem of her tunic for emphasis. "Once I get out of here I'm gonna remember this moment before I give a shining gold review on my stay."
"Um, yeah." Though the Bella's sentence seemed light-hearted, Chloe's grin had faltered, Beca's words reminding the redhead of what Aubrey said; the brunette seemed to sound confident that she would get out, and Chloe couldn't help but wonder if Beca thought she would help her.
Despite Chloe's best efforts to hide her mental recollection, Beca seemed to pick up on the sudden change in Chloe's demeanour, furrowing her brows. "Hey, you okay?" the brunette asked softly, all previous playfulness gone. Chloe glanced up from fiddling with her fingers, chewing her lip as she took in the pure concern colouring the bandit's face. The redhead briefly contemplated lying, but then she decided there was really no harm in voicing her concerns.
"I um, I was curious about that," the princess started slowly, lowering her gaze as she began to fidget with her dress hem instead. "About you getting out and such. I mean, you know I wouldn't... be able to help you get out of here, right? Because I just, I-"
"Of course not," Beca cut off Chloe's ramblings, the resolution and surprise in her voice making the redhead wonder if the brunette were acting, or if the thought had honestly not occurred to her. "I trust that I'm going to get out of here, but I wouldn't ask you to help me. I would never request you to make that kind of risk for me."
Chloe nodded thoughtfully, and though she wasn't fully sure if she believed the bandit just yet, Beca's words were comforting. "So, how do you plan on busting out then? By yourself?"
Beca shook her head, lip quirking. "Nah, I'd probably end up being maimed by a thousand and one guards before I got halfway through the castle. I trust my group to get me out," the brunette admitted in a nonchalant manner, not wanting to go into break-out details with the princess just yet.
"Your bandit group?"
"Yeah, the Bellas. I uh, trust those girls with my life," Beca admitted honestly, fiddling with the lace of her boot. "We're more than just a group of thieves, they're really like my family, y'know? I love them all, and I honestly don't know where I'd be without them."
Chloe nodded, finding the serene and tranquil demeanor Beca had taken on rather sweet. If the brunette softening by simply thinking of the group was anything to go by, Chloe could really tell how much the Bellas meant to the bandit. The redhead couldn't help but wish she had such a close-knit family-esque group of friends like Beca had, where they loved and supported each other, and cared enough to risk their lives for one another without question.
"You all sound so close," the princess commented, watching Beca's lip lift into a small wistful smile.
"Yeah, I miss them more than I'd like to admit," the brunette said, shrugging. The redhead opened her mouth to say something else, something to hopefully comfort the homesick Bella, but her voice died out in her throat as she heard a noise behind her, and as Beca's gaze flickered up over Chloe's shoulder curiously, the redhead's eyes widened in dread as she realized it was the prison chamber door opening.
"Ah, princess, there you are!" a familiar arrogant voice rang out, exasperation evident in his voice. "I've been looking everywhere for you! I knew that chef was lying when she said you were in the library."
Chloe let out a deep sigh, mentally groaning to herself; of all the people that could have found her in the prison chambers, of course it had to be Tom.
When he didn't receive a response from Chloe, Tom took a few steps into the prison chamber. "What on earth are you doing in this horrible room?" he asked incredulously, voice tinged with disgust as he took in his surroundings with a distasteful gleam in his eye.
"I'm just, uh, checking in on the prisoner," Chloe said stiffly. The prince took a couple more steps forward, stopping next to the redhead in order to peer condescendingly down at Beca.
"Ah, right. The bandit," Tom sneered, ignoring the brunette's glare. It was then that he took in the two girls' positions, sitting across from each other on the floor, and he raised his brow questioningly. "You look pretty cozy for just 'checking in," the prince commented. "You remember she's of the lower class, right?"
"What does that matter?" Chloe asked, brows furrowing at the prince's arrogance. Tom faltered at Chloe's cold tone.
"Nothing, I just mean, why bother wasting your time on such lesser beings when you could be with someone with high status like myself?" he clarified himself quickly, seeming to think his explanation would get rid of the irritated tone in Chloe's voice. However, when the redhead's unamused look didn't falter, he simply shook his head as if speaking to a child. "C'mon princess, this thief is the lowest of the low. You shouldn't even be breathing the same air as her. Why don't you come spend some time with me instead?" he said. Then, ignoring the princess' protests, Tom reached down and grabbed Chloe's arm, tugging her to her feet. Beca seemed to bristle at this.
"Hey dude, no need to manhandle her!" she snapped, surprising both royals at the sudden display of anger. Chloe gave the brunette a warning look as she shook her head quickly, not wanting Beca to start anything or cause trouble. Tom simply scoffed in response to the outburst, brows furrowing in annoyance.
"And who gave you permission to talk?" he spat, his big hand drifting to wrap around Chloe's waist. "How dare you speak out of line like that to me, you filthy peasant."
Beca gave him an incredulous look, watching as he remained oblivious to the redhead trying to discretely squirm out of his hold. "I'm out of line? Dude, she obviously doesn't want your gross hands on her-"
"Enough! I'm done talking to you, you infuriating little," Tom snapped, ending his sentence as he kicked the bars of Beca's cell roughly. "I can't wait for the king to have you executed."
Beca rolled her eyes. "You and me both, princess."
He huffed at the title, turning his attention back to the redhead under his arm. "Chloe, let's go," he said, hand drifting down Chloe's body as he ushered her toward the door.
"I don't- wait, Tom," the redhead protested, trying to shove him off.
"C'mon, a beautiful girl like yourself shouldn't be wasting time in these disgusting prisoner rooms, you should be with me, preferably in my room," he retorted with a smooth grin, and a squeak escaped Chloe as his hand slipped down to grab her ass firmly.
In an instant Beca was on her feet, handcuffs clanging loudly against the metal bars of her confinement as she slammed her fists against them. "Don't touch her!" she snarled, icy blue eyes glaring holes into the prince. Chloe started in surprise, her eyes widening at the bandit's sudden uncharacteristic hostility. She quickly shook her head at Beca as her lips mouthed a silent 'stop,' but Beca was too far gone, hands clenched tightly around the bars of her cell as she glowered at the prince. Tom's eyes narrowed, his hand slipping from Chloe as he took a step toward the feral brunette.
"Or what?" he hissed out, using his height to tower over Beca as he squared off in front of her. "What can you do behind bars? Chloe is soon to be mine thanks to her father, and I can do what I please with her without having to consult some wretch of a street rat abou-"
Beca's hands shot through the cell wall at lightning speed, the chain of the handcuffs tugging at the iron bars in between as she grabbed the collar of the prince's shirt, pulling him toward her threateningly.
"She is not yours, she doesn't belong to anyone," Beca snarled, ignoring the royal's hollered protests at being grabbed. "She's a human being, not a possession to be tossed around or enjoyed. And you best-"
"Stop it! Let him go!" Chloe interjected, her protest ringing out loudly over the brunette's threatening voice. Beca's eyes flickered over to the redhead as Tom weakly attempted to tug away, fiery glare etched on his face. Letting her eyes drift back to the pathetic royal in her grip, the bandit held onto him for a few more seconds to let the message sink in before reluctantly shoving him away, watching him stumble back. The prince straightened himself up and adjusted his shirt hotly, huffing as he cast a dirty look at Beca.
"Of all the nerve. I'll be front row seat when they execute you," he growled, angrily brushing himself off. Then, not bothering to acknowledge Chloe again, the prince turned away, storming out of the prison chamber.
"What the hell was that?!" Chloe asked incredulously once the door swung shut behind him, turning to fixate her gaze on the steaming Bella. "Beca, why did you do that?"
Beca's stormy blue eyes flickered shut as her hold tightened around the solid iron bars, knuckles whitening under the vice-grip. "I... I don't know," she muttered. "I didn't..." her voice trailed off, and after a beat of silence she let out a breath, her hands falling to her sides.
Chloe took a step back from the cell, her mind reeling at the brunette's uncharacteristic display of hostility. Seeing Beca react so violently had really caught the princess off guard, the aggressive behavior not seeming to fit what she had assumed was the laid-back and peaceful brunette. It was making Chloe second guess what she'd originally thought of Beca, and she was beginning to see the thief in a whole different light; perhaps Aubrey was more correct than the princess thought. Did she really know the bandit like she thought she did?
"Beca, going ballistic on him is only going to make things worse," the redhead stated, crossing her arms in front of her. "It's not going to help anyone."
"No, I-I know it's not," Beca sighed deeply, threading her fingers into her hair and gripping tightly. "I don't know why I did that, I just... He was-"
"I know. But I'm a big girl, I can handle myself," Chloe interjected, watching the bandit with disapproving eyes. "And your outburst was still uncalled for. Is this how you react with people you don't like? Or with people who upset you? Violence?"
"He... Arrogant jerks like that, just-." Beca let out a breath, hands sliding back to her sides as she stared calculatingly at the cold stone floor. "They piss me off."
"Violence isn't the answer though."
"...I know it isn't."
"So why did you do it then?"
"I-I don't know, okay? I just..."
Chloe swallowed hard. "And what would happen if I were to upset you one day? Huh?"
Beca's distant steel gaze instantly flickered up to regard the princess, brows raising, and after a moment of thick silence, the brunette's hands rose to slowly wrap themselves around the bars again.
"I wouldn't hurt you," she muttered softly.
Chloe shook her head slowly, blue eyes uncharacteristically distant. "How can I trust you?"
There was a pregnant pause under the tense and heavy atmosphere, the redhead regarding Beca with a foreign harshness the brunette had never seen on Chloe's face before, and after a moment Beca rested her forehead against the cool metal bars, expression suddenly unreadable as she averted her eyes from the princess' intense gaze.
"I guess you can't," she mumbled defeatedly.
At that moment, Chloe felt as though she were staring into the face of a stranger. Which, she supposed, she kind of was; it was obvious she didn't know the bandit like she thought she had. She needed to rethink some things. So, shaking her head once more, the princess silently turned away, no longer sure what to think of the unmoving brunette in the locked cell. The bandit's brooding gaze remained unfaltering on the solid stone ground, wordlessly listening to Chloe's light resounding footsteps, and the only reaction Beca gave was the tightening of her hands around the cold metal bars as the door slammed shut behind the princess.
A/N: I struggled so hardcore with characterizing Tom ughhh! I apologize if I didn't get him down very well. And if the end of this chapter was awkwardly worded (because I know it is but I don't know how to fix it whyyyyyy). I may change it to flow better if I figure out how to, but for now, meh.
(fuck, had to go back and add this xP) Random question for you guys, are you a cat or a dog person? I'm honestly a cat person, even though I'm allergic xP Kitties are just so cute though! And I love the purring, omg the purring x3 Haha, the sneezing it worth it! What about you? Do you prefer cats or dogs? I'm curious!
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Asswipe: Haha I'm sorry I can't help but compliment you! Your reviews are so cute and amusing xP And I am contemplating adding other pairings, but I'm concerned now that I've gone too long without building up to them xP I have had a pairing in mind to add, but I don't know yet if I'll be able to fit it properly. I guess we'll just both have to wait and see:{P
Librabelieber: Lol the bluntness of your review amused me xP You shall have to wait and see I suppose.
blue-wasabi24: Haha I'm assuming you mean a 'YOU GOT CORN' moment? Honestly don't know how I'd slip that into the fic like I do the other references, but we shall see xP Good answer on the HP vs LotR question btw. Very thought out (it seemed to me, anyway).
Defying-gravy: Heh, glad you enjoyed the chapter (I'm always happy to see your review, especially because I just love your username and it amuses me xP) Ah, you bring up some good points about HP too, especially with HP land; I had forgotten about that. Definitely agree with you :{D
wishgrantingfactories: Why thank you! I always enjoy reading your reviews:{3 And I agree with you; every good story could use some pain, no matter how sadistic it sounds xP Hopefully this chapter was okay!
lucakutya: Haha I hope it's intense in a good way! Glad you're enjoying it:{3
anon: I really enjoyed your review. And I definitely agree; LotR gets waaay too complicated for me:{P
Rubiksmaniac: Haha you seem quite sadistic:{P That's okay though, I think everyone's got that sadistic side, especially fanfic readers (why do we love angst so much?!). I actually did some research to find the dunking method back in medieval times. However, most other methods were kinda... too sadistic for my fic:{P
cxcxcx386: Lol, on your Bumper comment, just between you and me (and anyone else who bothers to read this I suppose) I did actually have a small epilogue chapter planned for Shake Your Skeleton where Bumper got his 'just desserts' for his jerk ways, and explaining Chloe's revival details a bit, but I never got around to writing it xP Oh well. As for LotR, I actually found it much more sleep-inducing than HP, but it depends on the person I suppose, so you could like it more than I did. And btw, your 'Window' shopping amused the hell out of me xP
Diddy.L: Why thank you:{3 Glad you're enjoying it!