#stemily

I just finished rewatching A Simple Favor and my first watch of Another Simple Favor (I liked both) and wrote this AU of the pool scene.

THERE IS A MOVIE SPOILER IN THIS FIC

The Last Simple Favor is on AO3

Summary: Needing to speak with Stephanie alone, Emily rents the pool area for her bachelorette party.

THERE IS A MOVIE SPOILER IN THIS FIC

The Last Simple Favor

As I waited for Stephanie, I toyed with the blue beads of the friendship bracelet she made. Knowing five years ago that I was going to prison, wearing it was the only way I could keep it. I wouldn’t be able to wear it but I knew, like Stephanie, it was mine. Upon release, they would both be returned to me. I’ve done a lot of fucked up shit in my life but something about you makes me want to do a little better. I’ll never give it up because that’s what draws you to me but, maybe this will be the last favor I’ll have to ask.

Finish reading on AO3!

I was looking through my WIPs to answer some of the word game prompts and I found my first draft from Beca and Chloe's first kiss in Stained Glass!! it was originally supposed to happen as part of Chapter 6—the scene where Chloe's just gotten out of the tub and she is in Beca's room, talking about if they're going to be okay with kissing each other. This was if they'd gone for it instead of Chloe deflecting and laughing it off. I ended up scrapping it and putting the kiss in later because it felt too early. But the actual moment of the kiss should read familiar because I kept that part for what I published! And the rest of this scene was piecemealed into the rest of the story or other stories over time. So thank you all again, I hope you enjoy this little behind-the-scenes!

But then Beca moves and all of that is gone too. Because Beca is kissing her. It’s soft, barely a brushing of lips, just a whisper of breath on her skin, and Beca rocks back on her heels, rolling her lips together. “Sorry,” she says. “I was gonna answer your question but then I just thought, sack up, dude, and—” Chloe doesn’t remember what her question even was. “It’s—it’s okay, Becs. Stop rambling.” She reaches out, catching Beca’s shoulders with her hooked wrists, possibly to keep her from running away. Because the ground feels a little unsteady right now and she knows Beca doesn’t do unsteady—she’s the most steady person Chloe knows. So she holds onto her and shoves down those butterflies in her chest, clearing her throat. “That was good. Sweet. Thank you?” She doesn’t mean for that last part to sound like a question, but it does and Beca snorts. “You’re welcome, I guess?” She closes one eye, tilting her head and baring her teeth. “Though I don’t think you should thank me after every kiss. Your family will definitely think it’s weird.” She’s joking and the knot in Chloe’s throat loosens. If she’s joking about it, she’s fine. It’s not weird. They can do this and still be best friends when it’s over. A few kisses here and there and they’ll be fine. “Okay, well. We should...try again. I mean—” She rocks Beca’s shoulders back and forth once. “It’s got to seem natural, comfortable, you know?” “Right. Was that not—” “Oh!” Chloe seizes Beca’s cheeks, feeling her earrings pressing against her pinkies. “No, no, that was great! That was very natural and I felt very comfortable. Thank you.” Beca’s fingers wrap around her wrists, tugging her hands down a bit so that they rest on either side of her neck. “Stop thanking me for kissing you. It’s weird, dude.” Chloe laughs. “Okay, I’m sorry. I’ll try to stop. But, um.” She winks dramatically. “Just in case, we should try again.” “Okay, Beale,” Beca says, eyes narrowing. “I think you might be taking advantage a bit. I mean, I know I’m hot but I ain’t easy, okay? I don’t just give out kisses.” “Oh, so I need to work for it?” And this is simple. Chloe knows how to playfully flirt with Beca. She’s been doing it practically since they met. And Beca’s quick to flirt right back when she’s in the mood to and it’s just their way of communicating sometimes. It’s not weird or different at all. One kiss hasn’t changed anything. Two shouldn’t either. Beca bites her lip, sucking in a breath. “I don’t know. Maybe if I was promised one of your amazing Beale breakfasts tomorrow I’d feel more giving.” And it’s so easy, too easy, to slide right into Beca’s space, looping her arms around the shorter girl’s shoulders. “I can promise that.” “Oh, well then—” Beca’s shoulders flex under her arms and Chloe can picture her fists clenching at her sides. And maybe it’s a little too easy, but Chloe doesn’t focus on that. Beca’s lips press against hers and stay there this time. They’re soft and slide along Chloe’s painfully slow as Beca tilts her head. It’s a weird thing to know about her best friend—that Beca kisses with slightly parted lips, that she breathes in through her nose as she changes the angle of the kiss, that the muscles in her shoulders jump a little when Chloe presses back. That she leaves a hint of her favorite little caramel candies on Chloe’s lips when she pulls away. It’s chaste, just a pressing of lips and Chloe’s arms around Beca’s neck. But she thinks—idly, as she leans back—that she’d rank it as one of her best first (second) kisses of all time. “Better?” It almost sounds like Beca’s voice wavers, but Chloe can’t be certain because she’s still not sure the room isn’t shifting a little. “Much,” she says, opening her eyes to find Beca smirking at her. She loves that stupid smirk, but she loves wiping it off her face so much more. So she slips out of Beca’s grasp and backs up to the door. “But next time, we should totally use tongue.” Beca’s ears go red all over again and Chloe laughs, pulling the door open and slipping out just as Beca snaps, “Chloe!”