Beca had always enjoyed playing Poker. It had gone from being a game she'd play with her Gramps, to something she used to clear her head. She knew she was good. She always had been, she could read people, their body language, their facial expressions… What she wasn't good at, was replicating those expressions. It was one of the reasons she had found herself hanging out with Cynthia Rose more frequently over the last few weeks.

Don't get her wrong, Beca loved CR. She really did. What she hated, was forced socializing. It had been late one Thursday night, most of the other Bella's were off doing their own thing, Chloe was on a weekend trip to see her new nephew, who was born a day earlier, Beca was shuffling the deck of cards she'd received in the mail from her Grandfather. CR walked into the lounge room, shrugging out of her jacket, she gave Beca a curious look.

"What?"

CR draped the jacket across the back of the armchair and nodded at the cards, "You shuffle like a pro. Any other secret skills you got?"

Beca smirked, "I will not encourage your habit, but I play a mean game of Poker."

CR shook her head, "I'm an escape gambler, meaning a friendly hand with no stakes is not gonna cause a relapse."

And that was how their Thursday evening Poker games began.

At first, that was all it was. Just a friendly game, occasional ribbing from CR on Beca's newfound singleness, since breaking up with Jesse. Beca usually brushed it off with a chuckle, and a comment about men being far too high maintenance. CR would wiggle her eyebrows suggestively, dodging whatever soft item was near enough for Beca to throw.

Beca had never really questioned her sexuality. She wasn't a homophobe, but she'd grown up in a house where being gay was certainly not spoken about. Hell, she remembers with great embarrassment, when fifteen year old Beca asked her father what her classmates meant when they called her gay.

She'd never really questioned her sexuality, because she never needed to. She rarely found her attracted to boys her age growing up. She was more invested in her close relationships with her few female friends. While other girls were crushing on Michael Johnston, Beca was nose to the grindstone, learning the nuances of various musical instruments and recording programs. She didn't notice the floppy hair and the puppy dog eyes that her friends were swooning over.

Which is why Jesse had come as such a shock to her. He was such an anomaly. He made room for Beca's snark. He called her out when she was being unreasonable. He stuck around. And sure, he was attractive, but the more Beca thought about it, she was never really attracted to him. It was one of her main reasons for breaking up with him.

They were great together. Really great. They complimented each other, but Beca found herself wondering. She wondered why certain people could make her heart race like she'd run a marathon with one smile, yet it took Jesse a good half an hour of heavy making out to even peak. She wondered how someone as amazing as Jesse could leave her feeling like part of her was missing. Eventually, Beca realised that couldn't continue dragging Jesse along. So after a two hour chat over coffee, a few tears shed from both parties, they were back to being friends. Jesse understood.

Now that Beca was single again, her eyes were certainly open to the effect that a certain Bella was having on her. And now, nearly three months after the break up, Beca found herself cross legged on Cynthia Rose's bed, deck of cards fluttering through her fingers.

They were on their third hand of the night, when CR took the deck from Beca's hand and placed it back on the duvet. She looked Beca square in the face, giving Beca full view of the query that was sitting on the tip of her tongue.

"Are we gonna pretend that you came in here to play Poker? Or are you gonna tell me why you're currently doing a fantastic impression of Lilly?"

Beca smiled apologetically, she knew she'd be terrible company tonight. Especially after her conversation with Chloe earlier in the day. Beca glanced toward the door, as if Chloe could magically hear what Beca was thinking. "I need some advice?"

CR chuckled, "Are you sure?"

Beca rolled her eyes and flicked a card off the pile. "How did you know?"

Beca watched the querying expression take hold of CR's face again, "Specifics? I know a lot of things. How did I know what?"

Beca sighed and began shuffling the cards again, it seemed to be enough to keep her nerves calm as she debated how to broach the topic. She suddenly knew why people made such a big deal about coming out to their family. It was fucking scary. Beca mumbled her question into the cards.

"Well Lilly…"

"I'm sorry, okay… This… How did you… know… Like… that you were gay?" Beca felt the rest of her breath exit her body, the relief of actually saying what she'd been thinking about for the last three months, relaxing her body enough to place the cards back on the bed.

CR was eying her with an expression that she'd never seen before. It was like she was seeing Beca in a whole new light. It was an expression that reminded Beca of her mother. "How did I know I was gay?"

Beca nodded, "I mean, if it's too personal and all…"

"God no… I'm just… processing. I guess I always knew? Like, I was never really interested in boys at school. I mean, I kinda forced myself to have a crush on this guy named Jerry in middle school, but I never really got into it. And I guess… Once I accepted it, I just was?"

Beca nodded, she knew exactly what that was like. Hell, Beca was still open to the possibility of being with the right guy, but right now? With the way she felt about a certain red-haired Bella? She was definitely more than a little gay.

"Any reason you're asking, B? Coz, I'm more than happy to answer any other questions you might have."

"I think…" Beca huffed again and picked up the cards, shuffling them a few times as she worked up the nerve to actually outright say what she was thinking. "So… like… ugh, why is this so hard…? There's this girl…"

Beca glanced up, the knowing look on CR's face making her feel a little braver, "She just… I'm definitely more than a little gay for her… She just… Have you ever met someone that just…? It doesn't matter what she does, she just… takes your breath away?"

"Wouldn't be marrying Kelly if she didn't make me feel that way," CR said with a nod. "Can I ask…?"

"How do I even approach her? Like… Can I just… Do I just walk up and say, oh, by the way Chlo, I just wanna throw you down and kiss that stupid smile off your face?"

CR watched the blush race up Beca's cheeks as realised exactly how much she'd revealed. She took the cards from Beca's hand and linked their fingers, "You might wanna come out to the girl's first, okay? And sure, it might seem like a big deal right now, but they won't judge you. Hell, I'll be right there…"

Beca bit her lip, "You will…?"

CR squeezed her hand and let go, snapping her fingers, "I'm the resident fairy gay mother."

Beca chuckled, "Really? That's what you're goin' with?"

"Made you laugh. That's what I was aiming for, B."