"So, what exactly are you doing?" Beca asked as she followed Chloe out onto the porch, a conspicuous brow raised.
"We, Beca. What exactly are we doing?" Chloe corrected as she neglected to slow for the woman who trailed behind, but this didn't matter as soon she came to a stop 5 metres or so from the cabin. They circled a few times; Chloe paused and stood for a second then looked to the floor with a deducting scowl.
Chloe flashed a grin at the cautious brunette before her head fell back to the floor and her eyes darted from place to place.
Beca rolled her eyes, "Right...well, what are we doing?" she reiterated with stress placed on the mention of 'me' in mock of Chloe's curt amendment. The brunette crossed her arms and with an absent air of mind, drummed a pattern with her fingers against her bicep, watching with unknowing enthrallment as Chloe marked out a square by kicking the heel of her shoe into the ground at the 4 corners, about a metre or so apart and one edge no closer than 2 inches to a small tree. What confused Beca further was when the redhead sized herself up against the tree, looked to Beca with a giggle and added an ambiguous "You're shorter than me, I don't need to measure you up."
The Dj scowled, "...uh, okay?"
It was then - even after the obvious confusion Beca had shown- that Chloe realised the younger woman truly had no idea what she had planned for the day. The thought made her chuckle knowingly because she could see the agitation in Beca's demeanour: The anguished bite of her lip and deep burrowed brows that accentuated her steely gaze of which looked to be figuring the (not at all, despite Chloe's apparent deep thought previously) intricate planning.
When the brunette apparently came up short, evident by a small sigh and appropriate eye roll, Chloe teased, "You really have no idea, do you?"
Beca gave a glare that read of someone too stubborn to admit their defeat, instead showing her lack of knowledge in a gentle pout.
The redhead chuckled again and stepped away from the tree. Grin embedded in her features, she cupped Beca's face and kissed her on the nose, eliciting herself a breathy smirk as she broke away due to the intensifying of the brunette's childish expression.
"Don't patronise me." Beca warned playfully and with a sweet, nose scrunched smile, Chloe simply retorted, "Wouldn't dream of it, babe."
Then, decidedly finished with her puzzling measurements and ambiguity, she relieved "We're making a den!" and squealed with excitement as she ran to the side of the cabin, leaving a rather unsurprised Beca to stare at the markings and wonder how they equated to anything like a den (because honestly, she saw 4 dents in the ground and not the 'blueprints' Chloe probably implied them to be).
Moments later and the older woman had returned with some wooden sticks (much like those you'd find as a broom handle), rope, tarpaulin and various other materials.
She dumped them on the ground with a relieved huff.
"There's a small storage box around the side there," she explained despite not being asked in the first place, "this stuff is used specifically for den making...well, it has been the few times we've been here before anyway."
Beca smirked, her foot lightly moving aside the different items. She could now see what Chloe meant, their age suddenly more noticeable - chips in the wood, rope frayed at the edges, even the tarpaulin wore thin in some patches. It was well used, which the Dj found all too endearing, considering the woman who visited the cabin were all over the age of 19.
"Isn't It, I don't know," The Dj turned to face Chloe with a good hearted grimace, "kind of childish?"
The older woman feigned shock. She brought her hand to her mouth and gasped audibly, "Beca Mitchell!" She scolded, " Are you calling den making a childish past time?!"
Beca raised her hands as she shrugged, "Maybe..."
"I'll have you know that den making requires the upmost of skill and precision."
"Of course." Beca smirked.
Chloe sighed, "Come on Beca, it'll be fun."
The brunette gave a pained expression in response.
"You're no fun!" Chloe whined.
The redhead didn't get exasperated often, but occasionally Beca's sarcasm and lack of enthusiasm was called into practise at a time when it wasn't exactly warranted... It's true, den building is childish; Chloe knew this but she figured Beca would at least go along with it - She had with everything else so far.
"It's just...I've never actually made a den before." Beca mumbled after a brief muteness; her expression sheepish.
Chloe's expression softened, "why didn't you say so?"
The brunette kicked at the floor and she sighed, "Because it's silly."
"Yeah, what normal person hasn't ever made a den before?"
"Aubrey probably hasn't."
"My point exactly." Beca looked up from the floor, a half-hearted smirk splayed on her features, more out of habit than anything.
"Well then, this can be your first time making one! C'mon, I'll show you." Chloe grabbed Beca's hand and brought her closer to the tree. The Dj protested meekly but Chloe's grip was all too excited for her to deny herself a smile.
The redhead reclaimed a few of the sticks and tried to drive the end of one into the ground, grunting with effort, for the ground was parched and dry in the summer warmth. She repositioned her hands and tried again but left a mere dent in the dirt.
"Need some help there?" Beca chuckled.
"So now you want to help me, huh?"
"More than I did 30 seconds ago."
"You're so difficult."
The brunette, with a triumphant smirk, then wrapped her hands around Chloe's own grip and raised the stick above the ground. She grumbled a countdown from three and together (with another equally unattractive sounding grunt) forced the wooden pole straight into the dry earth. Finally, the first of four bases for the den was now set.
Their hands flexed against each other's uncomfortably, the friction having caused Chloe's hands to graze against the wooden material. As a result, Chloe then yelped and pulled her hands away sharply, a whimper quick to follow as she cradled one hand in the other.
"What? What did you do?" Beca's concern was hastily expressed with the change of her girlfriend's expression from a simple wince to a tear-withholding pout. Chloe shook her head.
"Oh c'mon, it couldn't have hurt that badly."
Chloe didn't reply.
"At least let me look, then." Beca sighed, she reached out to grab Chloe's fisted hands but the redhead pulled them closer to her body.
"Don't! It stings." Chloe mumbled childishly. When Beca tried to reach out once more, the redhead slapped Beca's hands away, and then (realising the terrible decision she had just made), whimpered and pulled her hands back towards her body again.
"Calm down Chlo'" Beca said, gentler than before, "Do you trust me?"
Slowly, Chloe nodded.
Beca kept her voice soft, "Then let me see."
Hesitance in tow, the redhead extended her arms and then uncurled her tight fists. Beca studied the tender and red skin before she cupped each hand by its underside and planted a gentle kiss on both palms. Though the touch caused discomfort, Chloe couldn't help but smile when Beca lingered close, own stupid grin adorned to her features.
"Better?" She asked.
Again, Chloe nodded.
"But just in case -" The Dj rose to capture her lips against the older womans, a deep and passionate kiss filling the silence where Beca's unfinished sentence lay. When they parted, Chloe's smile widened even further.
"Now I'm definitely better." The redhead giggled, the pain in her palms now considerably lessened after the distraction of Beca's soft lips.
"Okay then, let's make a fort shall we?" Beca straightened her back, smiled alluringly at the redhead with a playful gleam and then –with a surprising amount of enthusiasm- picked up the remaining sticks and leant them against the tree.
"You serious? You wanna do it?"
Beca smirked. She nodded her head slightly, "If it makes you happy."
Chloe squealed and wrapped her arms around Beca's neck, burying her head into the crook of the younger woman's neck.
"Thank you thank you thank you!" She gabbled, "This is going to be so much fun!" Despite the pain that began to sear back through her hands, Chloe's grip remained tight about Beca. The Dj was a little shaken at the sudden person slung around her, but she nuzzled in moments later, keeping a fond smile on her face. If she could keep Chloe happy like this forever, her life would be complete.
When Chloe finally moved away (which was much too soon, In Beca's opinion), she jumped straight to getting the other three poles to stick into the ground. With a good natured shake of her head however, Beca took them from Chloe's pained grip, commenting "I think it'd better if I did this, Hm?"
Chloe giggled feebly, scratching her head, "uh yeah."
Beca grinned, "Okay, let's do this."
Much later, when the den had been completed and the sky had over cast with clouds, Beca sat alone. Her back leaned against the tree and she stared at the outside, eyes fixating on any small water droplet that fell from the sky or bugs that flew in the humidity.
Chloe had returned inside temporarily to search for some blankets – She had been gone for 5 minutes.
Beca was reflecting. In the couple past days or so, so much had happened. More had happened in the previous 5 days than had probably ever happened in the rest of her entire existence and it was all because of Chloe.
But also not just the vacation: everything that made her life great.
She had realised that Chloe Beale was a blessing bestowed upon her life and that though it was cliché (and oh god how it was), she couldn't afford to lose her. That smile and those eyes – Beca was sure without them she'd feel empty, like a lost soul…
The rain drops frequency increased; they began to patter lightly on the parched ground.
Beca still watched in silence, her train of thought leading to deeper and darker places. Maybe before Chloe (and everything that she brought), she was a lost soul. A metaphorical wall built around her, defences from every angle for she cared not – Or didn't want to care – Or simply couldn't let herself be hurt again. It all made sense, when the DJ pieced the puzzle together.
The rain once again became heavier; it now poured from the sky. Stray droplets occasionally bounced into the den and wetted Beca's clothing. She didn't notice.
Her dad had left.
Her mother gave up.
Beca scowled into the rain. She still stared intently at the outside and the increasing rain that poured from the heavens. She thought it ironic, how after needing the rain to ease the ground earlier, it came when it was too late…
Her father seemed much the same. Packed up, gone but needed; returned when Beca had almost forgotten – or at least tried to…
The brunette had been sat in the quiet for a measure of time, of which she wasn't quite sure.
Chloe and her lack of appearance sprung back to mind.
She wanted to see the redhead right now. It wasn't so much a want, more an ache.
Chloe fixed things when they were wrong and in return, Beca had tried to fix Chloe.
However, fix seemed too strong a word; she wasn't broken.
No, Beca didn't fix Chloe, but she soothed the scars that jested on occasion and fought her walls to let that perfect little redhead come inside and see that behind that smirk was something genuine...
She sighed and scratched her head absently. The rain had begun to seep into the ground and made it damp, indicating she should probably move or better yet, Chloe should hurry up.
In actual fact, Chloe had collected the blankets minutes prior. She stood in the doorway of the Cabin, out of Beca's line of sight and had watched the Dj as she sat.
Her heart saddened when she saw Beca's scowl form, body language shift and her eyes glare blank. It was the Beca she knew from a week ago and not the Beca she knew now.
Chloe clutched the blankets tightly and sheltered them under her jacket as she ran towards the Den. Hastily, she half-dived inside to escape from the downpour and consequently, Beca jumped from her absent state. The Dj looked dazed and a little lost; her eyes wide.
Chloe set a blanket on the floor and gestured for Beca to sit on it, to which the brunette complied appreciatively. Then, she joined Beca, sharing the width of the tree to lean against and slowly, her head dropped to the younger woman's shoulder. Chloe grabbed the second blanket and placed it around Beca's shoulders; it elicited a smile, genuine and thankful.
They sat in silence for a moment.
"You looked sad when you though I couldn't see you." Chloe said softly.
Beca side eyed the redhead, her lips quivered; the smile now dropped.
"That was an isolated incident." She replied eventually, her words slow and thoughtful.
Chloe nuzzled into the crook of Beca's neck and sighed contently.
She whispered, "I hope so."
The rain had reduced to a pitter-patter against the dirt, though the sky remained dark.
Beca tugged the edge of the blanket from her shoulder and threaded it through the gap between Chloe's neck and the tree so it came to rest on the redhead's shoulders, lightly disrupting the lightly curled tresses of ginger locks. Her arm remained where she dropped the blanket, around Chloe's shoulder, hand loosely hanging and drawing delicate circles with her thumb on the covered skin. Beca felt Chloe shiver at the touch and she smiled.
The brunette could currently feel Chloe's delicate touch, but also see her delicate appearance and sense her delicate smell – She smelled of light summer berries (noticeably strawberries) and a mild dampness, brought on by the torrent of water she had bustled through minutes previously. It was odd, yet homely and Beca found it just perfect.
On the other hand, Chloe –nestled comfortably in the crook of a neck- could feel a whole lot more intimately than Beca could. She spied the gentle rise and fall of Beca's chest and her ears could hear the gentle thump of Beca's beating heart, which seemed to increase every time she came closer. And Chloe could also smell Beca; it was a smell now associated with home.
She smelled like a faint vanilla, barely noticeable, but present nonetheless. It was pleasant and alluring but carried the gentle slyness that Beca carried with her everywhere. This scent was something for those a lot more personal to the Dj, someone like Chloe herself.
They sat together, back against the tree and staring at the outside for some time. The den, with its tarpaulin roof and walls, provided little protection and yet it still felt like a safe haven. The blanket the twosome shared contributed warmth to this equation and all was at peace.
It was barely mid-afternoon and yet the two managed to find a gentle lull of rest. Chloe curled into Beca's side whilst the brunette kept her arm wrapped around Chloe's shoulder.
In the returning warmth of the sun (That had now peaked from behind its cloudy clover), they slumbered. Beca's final thoughts being that perhaps –just like movies- dens weren't so bad after all.