B is for bunkmate

"Do you want a shot?" Pornstache threatened menacingly, his eyes narrowed. Nicky rolled her eyes and shook her head, knowing full well it was a rhetorical question. She wasn't ignorant like Doggett, but it was fun to see the COs struggle to respond to anything other than a wide eyed gasp to which they smugly replied in a bark, "I thought not. Keep it moving!" Pornstache stared for a moment before nodding. "Watch yourself, Nichols."

Nicky turned her attention back to her breakfast mates, poking at the questionable looking eggs on the side of her tray. Behind her, she heard shuffling shoes that were distinctly Red. Without missing a beat, Red's hand swiftly smacked Nicky in the back of the head. Nicky bites back a sarcastic response. "For being obstinate." Red steps forward, her chef's uniform brushing against Nicky's arm as she places a foot on the seat next to her. "And for the way you looked at my eggs."

Lorna laughed easily, smiling at Red. "I'm sure she didn't mean it," she says kindly. She pokes Nicky's arm and pushes her curls from her eyes so she could see her face. "What's wrong? You've been in a bad mood all day."

"A bad mood?" Red asked worriedly. Her eyes crinkled in concern as she watched Nicky's face for any sign of something wrong. The rest of the table – Chapman, Boo, and Gina – watched the scene unfold wordlessly, knowing the feeling.

"I'm just fucking sick of this place," Nicky admitted, shaking her head, "The COs are sadistic fucks, Luscheck is being uptight because he had a disciplinary meeting, and my bunkmate is using again." The latter on her list caused both women talking to her to pause. Nicky rolled her eyes again at her sort of mother and sort of girlfriend, pushing her tray away from her. "I'm not using again, so you don't have to look at me like that."

Not bothering to wait for Nicky to explain further, Red is gone in the blink of an eye, disappearing into her kitchen whilst her girls watch her leave, boring holes into her back. "Uh oh," Lorna remarked, pointing her fork in the direction where Red fled to. "That wasn't a happy Russian."

Nicky's brow furrows as she nods. "And an unhappy Russian means bad news for us," she mutters, holding her own fork in the air to emphasise her point. Nicky shakes her head and follows Red's trail to the kitchen, tugging at the bottom of her shirt in anticipation. As the door to the kitchen swings open, Red is shaking hands with another inmate, a smug smile etched on her red lips. Nicky purses her own lips before sliding onto the counter as the other inmate moves quickly away, spotting the glare on Nicky's features. Red continues to chop vegetables as Nicky stares, her eyes burning holes into Red's head which was bent down in mock concentration. "What the hell was that about?" Nicky spat her words out, her eyes narrowed and sounding pissed.

Red's eyes snapped up to meet Nicky's. She points her knife at Nicky, her own blue eyes narrowed but determined. "You may want to play fast and loose with your life," she starts, the knife waving in the air as she illustrated her point. She quickly turns the knife to herself, as if making another point. "But I'm not going to stand around and watch you try to kill yourself – again." Red's point is loud and clear. Nicky's self-destruction had an impact on everyone around her. If she stuck a knife into herself, it would be Red bleeding too. Nicky stayed silent as Red's mood seemed to instantly lift as she dropped her knife on the counter. "Tell Lorna that she's your new bunkmate."

Nicky's eyes widened at Red. "What?"

"You heard," Red said dismissively. "Now if you wanna help prep lunch, so be it. But if you don't, get out of my kitchen. Go on." Red's hand shooed Nicky away but there was a smile on her face. Nicky hopped off of the counter to join the others, her mind whirling as she sat heavily at the table.

"Hey, Morello," Nicky started. "I guess Red doesn't mess around. You're my new bunkie." Nicky smirks as she puts her head closer to Lorna's. "I hear you snore." Before Lorna can vehemently protest, Nicky continues, "Not that you'll be sleeping much now."

Lorna frowned for a moment, considering. "I don't snore," she said, her brow creasing. "And that's not very ladylike," she added. "Not at the dinner-table."

"Well," Nicky said, clearly teasing her. "It's lunch – and it's better than in a fucking chapel, right?" The other girls at the table hid their smirks by staring down at their breakfasts while Lorna's cheeks flushed bright red and her eyes stared out over the cafeteria indignantly. Nicky laughed easily despite Lorna's expression, and put an arm around Lorna's waist. "I'm just joking, kid." She raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure you don't snore."

Lorna folded her sheets into the standard formation for beds, humming as she worked. Nicky watched from her own bunk, knees pulled to her chest, her chin on her knees. "I know you're watching me." Morello's smile seeped into her words even though Nicky couldn't see her face.

"Mm hm." Nicky said unashamedly. "I enjoy looking at beautiful people." With that, Lorna turned to face Nicky, her nose wrinkling as she smiled.

"Are you quoting from The Fault in Our Stars?" Lorna laughed, straightening out her pillow and joining Nicky on her side of the cube, sliding into bed next to her. Nicky instantly changed position so that Lorna's head rested on her chest, the both of them sitting lazily leaned against one another. Nicky frowned.

"I thought you never finished that book."

Lorna shrugged, embarrassed, before looking away. "I watched the movie," she offered. "And don't change the subject! You were quoting from a romantic movie. You, Nichols, are cute."

"Just get over here." Nicky said, shaking her head. Lorna scooted over, even closer, her hands almost immediately entwining in Nicky's hair. But then Nicky heard a sigh, and she looked down at Lorna. "What?"

Lorna looked up worriedly. "I'm here with you and Christopher's all alone, waiting for me." She twirled her fingers in Nicky's hair, the soft curls distracting her. Nicky rolled her own eyes, but didn't move. Her stomach twisted at his name, and she had wanted to push Lorna out of her bed, liking the moments when she had Lorna all to herself. Instead, she just forced a smile, her fingers trailing along Lorna's neck in an attempt at comfort.

"I'm sure Christopher's happy that you've got someone to…comfort you." Nicky said as Lorna giggled.

"Mm. You're very…comforting." When their eyes met, all thoughts of Christopher disappeared from her mind as her lips collided with Nicky's. Hands raked through hair and tugged at clothes under the blanket. They had created their own little world, protected from everyone else. Nicky laughed as Lorna pulled off her shapeless top, their skin touching in a way that was oh so familiar. As Nicky's lips trailed down Lorna's neck, there was a cough.

Nicky's head emerged from the blanket to face Red's amused face, her eyebrows raising. Lorna quickly followed, her expression sheepish as she blushed up at Red. "Hey, Ma." Nicky said casually, pushing her hair out of her eyes. Lipstick smudges littered her pale face and Red brushed away one with her thumb as she stared down at both of her girls.

"You're in a better mood." She commented, her glasses rested on the bridge of her nose. Nicky grinned up at Red, pulling Morello closer to her as she chuckled.

"You could say that." Morello smiled at Nicky, pleased to see the smile back on her face. "I could get used to this. Though," she added thoughtfully, "I will miss our cubicle."

Red shook her head, smiling. "Just don't be late for lunch," she said, sounding just like a mother no matter how strange the scenario.

Nicky grinned at Lorna. "I make no promises." Red glanced at Lorna, expecting her to protest or confirm that they would be at lunch. Lorna shrugged noncommittally, her eyes trailing down at Nicky.

"I mean; I've got ramen…"

Hey! I had a bit of writer's block with this but I had some free time so thought I'd write for it. Have you guys noticed that in OITNB, Nicky pulls down her shirt a lot? I don't know if it's Nicky or Natasha's habit haha. Anyway, tell me what you think and what you'd like C to be!

Thanks to nnicholsnlyonne for this idea/prompt and for spurring me on to actually write it haha. :)