For the next few weeks, Piper suffered a dry spell. She sulked, and she hated herself for it. She could see herself being a depressing piece of shit and she couldn't seem to snap herself out of it. She overreacted. She was annoyed with herself for overreacting. She was annoyed at the fact that she was annoyed. And all this annoyance just compounded together to give her one hell of a headache.
She missed Alex.
Don't do that, she berated herself. She lied to her, by omission. She used her, and she only apologised because she got caught. The past few weeks gave her more than enough time to conclude that had Sylvie not barged in that night, Alex wouldn't have told her that she was taken. They would've continued their scandalous affair, without her even knowing it was an affair.
But, she wondered, wasn't drug dealing based on secrecy? Why did Alex tell her she was a drug dealer if she didn't intend on keeping her around? Surely that'd breach some kind of ethical code in the drug business.
Damn it, she never liked having more questions than answers.
From her curled up position on the couch, she stretched, grabbed her phone and scrolled through the numerous text messages that Alex sent. It was filled with apologies and pleads to please, please let her explain. She even tried to play dirty, Piper mused as she scrolled to the picture that Alex sent just two days ago. It was a snap of the brunette, emerald eyes glittering as they looked directly at the camera and her full lips formed an adorable pout. It nearly convinced Piper to submit.
Nearly. She never replied to any of the texts. She held strong. But damn it, she missed the sex.
The notification sound sent her heart into a quick, little flutter, but immediately deflated like a popped balloon when she saw that it wasn't Alex.
Polly: Where the hell have you been? Haven't heard or gotten a text from you in like a month
Piper: At home, and I'm sorry. Been a little busy
Polly: Did you get a job?
Piper groaned as she rolled her head to face the ceiling. Did she really sulk so much she forgot to tell her best friend that she did get a job?
Piper: Yeah, it was that waitress job down at the bistro.
Polly: That's awesome Piper! We need to celebrate. Clubbing?
Piper: Not really in the mood for a party, Pol.
Polly: I didn't mean tonight. I have a date with Pete. But, there's this burlesque show downtown. It's a one time thing apparently. It involves puppets and stripping
Piper: Wow! That sounds real tempting. I'm sure men are just flocking to the stage. Probably a handful of women included.
Polly: Speaking of. Did you ever call that girl you met at the bar?
Piper: Nope. I just threw the tissue away.
Polly: Hahaha, her loss.
Damn right it was, Piper huffed.
Polly: But seriously. Something's been up with you and you need the distraction. I wish I could come but you really need to go out and have some fun. Loosen up, you know?
Piper sighed. She agreed that she needed the distraction. But the prospect of taped nipples and belly dancers really didn't appeal to her libido.
Polly: And I heard really good reviews about it in other cities.
Piper sighed again. She'll take the ticket, she thought. Maybe drinking wouldn't be as bad without a certain brunette by her side.
Piper: Where is it?
"Alex, baby, we're going to be late."
Alex slammed a pillow on her head in an attempt to shut off the nagging voice. She refused to leave the solitude of sleep. To hell with the show, she fumed. To hell with getting out of bed. To hell with socialising. To hell with Piper fucking Chapman.
"Alex!"
Her temper snapped, and she threw the pillow in the direction of the voice. It was apparently the right direction as she heard Sylvie's umph. She heard a loud clatter that sounded like a mascara being dropped.
Fuck, she thought when the nagging increased tenfold.
"Fine! Fine, Sylvie. I'm up, see?" To prove it, Alex sported a bright, dangerous smile on her face as she tossed the covers off her body and rolled out of bed. "I'm up."
"What the fuck is your problem?" Sylvie shouted.
"My fucking problem is that I don't want to go and I never wanted to go to this bullshit party."
"Alex, this is Rachel's first gig. We need to be there, we're her friends. And you've seen the way she performs, she looks fucking hot."
She couldn't deny that. "All the more reason not to go," she argued. "We already saw it, so what's the point of seeing it again?"
"We didn't see it with the other performers. And–"
"Just stop," Alex sighed. A person in fucking Antarctica would see that this argument was a waste of time, and that she would end up going anyway. But if she was being really honest, she didn't want to go because she wanted to wallow in her ridiculous grief. Annoyance in every move, she grabbed her glasses from the bedside table and stalked to the dresser. She pulled out a random black shirt out of a drawer, and clenched her jaw as Sylvie whistled behind her.
"Baby, I think you're going to have trouble keeping my attention tonight. I look dangerously single and sexy."
Please, Alex scoffed as she turned around. The woman looked like a desperate hooker that got dumped on the street by her sugar daddy. She managed to fix a smile on her face, "In that case, I'll be sure to bring my gun."
To shoot herself with.
"Alex! Sylvia!"
A chorus of squeals filled Alex's ears as they entered the club. The air was so humid she could feel it sweating around her. The combined smell of sex and alcohol made her nauseous, fogging her mind like a wild mist. Jesus, she thought. If you're really there, please take me as your noble lesbian martyr.
She suddenly felt razor sharp nails digging into her palm. They were sharp enough to draw blood. Snapping her head around, she hissed, "What the fuck, Sylvie?"
"You're frowning and ruining the mood," Sylvie snarled back.
What the hell, she snapped, but loosened her face. She felt her defiance fire up as they were lead to a circular table near the stage. Nobody tells her how her face was suppose to look like. She wanted happy? she thought as conversations began She'll give her happy. She'll be so fucking happy it'll be sickening.
"So, Alex. Sylvie told me your business is doing great!"
Alex turned to one of the women to her right, fixing on a sugary smile that could make Willy Wonka weep in his candy shoes. "Oh, yeah. We just got a new shipment of this old table thing, an old dresser," she rattled off the rest of her late grandma's furniture. "Yeah, everybody likes antiques. That or they're potheads who buys them to drop them off at their great grandmother's grave for her birthday."
She smirked as one of the women's faces contorted in surprise. "Right? Sylvie can explain more about that though. I'm getting us drinks."
"But Rachel–"
"Isn't on for another thirty minutes. God knows we need the alcohol to survive this place. Wouldn't want to ruin the mood, right babe?" Alex pointedly looked at Sylvie, winked and sauntered off to the bar.
Squeezing her way in, she hailed the bartender. "Tequila shots, lemon and salt. And none of that wimpy shit."
Standing by the door of the club, Piper stared in shock. Alex? she gaped. Alex was here? She blinked several times to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. She watched as the brunette hauled a tray full of tequila glasses off the bar. Unconsciously, Piper slowly moved and kept Alex in her sights until she saw where–or rather, who–she was going back to. She pressed her lips together and turned to the bar. Nabbing an empty chair, she set her elbows on the counter and raked her shaking fingers through her hair.
"What can I get for you?"
Piper straightened as the bartender looked at her with questioning eyes. "Yes. Hi, um. Appletini? Do you...do you have that?"
Scoffing, the bartender reached underneath the counter for a glass. "Baby, we have everything."
You even have Alex, she thought pathetically. She turned her head to sneak a peak, saw the wide grin as the brunette set up what looked to be Quarter Shot. Her blood boiled when she caught sight of Sylvie, who hung on Alex's shoulder like a baby latched on to its mother. How could someone like her land, let alone date, someone like Alex? She looked like a fucking skank, she fumed.
"You're not going to start throwing shit around, are you?"
She snapped back to the bartender, "What?"
"You look like King Kong. A hot, female version, but still. I'd really appreciate it if you don't throw a tantrum at my bar."
"Sorry. I won't." Deliberately, Piper relaxed her face, told herself to enjoy the night. She took the glass of Appletini and smiled at the bartender in gratitude.
"You take care of yourself," the bartender said.
"Thanks. Uh...do you know when the burlesque show will start?"
The bartender flicked his wrist and looked at his watch, "Should be starting in about twenty minutes. You don't look like someone who's into..."
"I'm not," Piper told him as he trailed off. She could already feel the alcohol seeping to her brain. Or maybe it was her brain seeping out of her ears. "I was told to come here."
The bartender nodded in acknowledgement and rushed to the other side to take another order.
Raising the glass to her lips, Piper tipped it back, deliberately slow, feeling the hot trail light itself on fire down her throat. She tuned into the band, a millennium better than the one she saw last. The vision of the guitarist having her way with the instrument made her grin. The girl was having the time of her life up there, she thought. Strumming those strings, entertaining people who either wanted to get laid or drown their sorrows in beverages. She found what she wanted to do in the future.
Piper Chapman? She scoffed to herself. No way she knew what to do with her life. No depressing thoughts, she corrected immediately and sipped her drink. Not tonight. Tonight, she'll watch the show. She'll–
She made the mistake of looking over at Alex again. The indistinct chatter around the bar made it difficult to separate her voice from the rest of the club. She watched as the brunette threw a coin, and clapped her hands in laughter. Then she remembered what those hands could make her feel. Piper couldn't look away as Alex tipped her head back with a tequila shot and let out a joyous woo.
She turned back to the bar and scolded herself. She lied to you, remember? She used you. She got alcohol in your system, got you in her bed and fucked you like there was no tomorrow.
Maybe she shouldn't remember that last part.
She shifted, angling her body away from Alex's general direction. She didn't need to torture herself. All she needed to do was drink her Appletini and wait for the show. Maybe she should find someone, she mused as she let her eyes roam the club. She could use the distraction.
At the table, Alex pretended to sway on her chair and laughed, "Woo! That's some drink."
She tried not to roll her eyes as everybody laughed hysterically, obviously past the gate of tipsy and on the highway of downright drunk. The alcohol wasn't even that strong, she thought. Bunch of wimps.
She needed a break.
She leaned closer to Sylvie's ear, "I gotta pee. I'll be back."
Sylvie, who was as intoxicated as the rest of the group, nodded and tried to go for a kiss. Alex smoothly avoided the lip-lock as she slid out of her chair. Flashing a smile, she made her way to the bathroom, squeezing and weaving through the hyperactive crowd. She heard excited whispers about the performers; who's dancing on who? Who's bringing out the whip? Who's bringing a strap on? So much fuss for an amateur strip show, she mused.
She kept walking until the music became muffled behind hollow walls and a curtain of beads. She looked around, then sighed when she found the bathroom door closed. Leaning against the wall, she finally dropped the act of a drunk. She felt tired and drained. She just wanted to go home, close her eyes and–
"Hey."
Alex turned around and felt her mouth and eyes widen in sheer shock. Piper, she gaped. Piper's here. For a moment, she couldn't speak. Her mind whirled with all the speeches she prepared to give if she ever saw the blonde again. She wanted to say she was sorry, but that tumbled over the explanation that lodged itself on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to just grab her right then and there and kiss her as long as she was allowed to.
Instead, she felt the corners of her lip curl up. After all of that thinking, the only word she could muster up was, "Hey."
She looked over Piper's shoulder to see if anybody in the club could see inside the small hallway. She really didn't want a reenactment of that night's hoorah.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice low.
"Oh, I just, um..." Piper looked around blankly, trying to reassemble her thoughts. She swallowed down her stammering and steeled herself, "I heard about the burlesque show."
"Oh."
"You?"
Though her mind jumped from one place to the other, she kept her tone casual, "My friend Rachel's in it. She does this routine with a Ray Romano puppet," she chuckled. "It's surprisingly sexy."
Both women laughed, but they knew they needed to address the pink elephant. The laughter faded away as they fought their individual wars in their head.
Figuring it was her fault that the elephant was pink, Alex spoke first. "Look, I'm really sorry about that night, Piper. I'm not a shady person." Drug dealing wasn't shady, she consoled herself. It was just business.
"Oh, come on, don't worry about it," Piper moved to the other wall. "I mean, I've never been punched before. It was probably a good life experience."
Alex had to laugh as she shifted to face Piper. "I meant it," she said, "when I said that things were complicated. I'm new to this whole...relationship thing. You know, I don't...I don't know the rules."
She expected Piper to nod, accept the apology, then walk away. She prepared herself to let her. When Piper showed a small smile, she was perplexed.
"That's the whole problem, isn't it?" Piper murmured. "Rules aren't any fun."
Alex felt her heart hammer in her chest like a jungle drum. They were so close, she thought. All she had to do was angle her head, and she would feel Piper's lips on hers again. She leaned closer, but jerked back when she heard a faint click.
The door to the bathroom opened as the woman inside smiled apologetically towards the pair before rushing out. Her bladder forgotten, Alex closed the door before returning her attention to the woman next to her. She watched as determination flashed over Piper's face before she leaned closer.
"Listen, I don't want to stand in the way of true love. I mean, if that is your future wife out there, by all means, tell me to back off."
Alex nearly laughed at the idea of permanence with Sylvie. She'd rather die than let that happen, she mused. She kept quiet as Piper continued.
"But you pursued me...and I liked it. I've...I've never felt..." Piper's cheeks began to redden. It didn't help when humour sparkled over Alex's face, her grin boasting of pride.
She managed to pull through, "You know, I've never really thought of myself as a very sexual person, but...ever since."
Alex felt her breath catch in her throat as Piper slowly leaned forward. Her skin longed for her touch, all but yearned. Her heart pounded as warm breath reached her ears, then doubled over at the words that followed.
"I want to taste what you taste like."
Alex's eyes fluttered shut as she felt her juices began to surge; strong, hard, fast. She fought to open her eyes when Piper withdrew. She looked into the blonde's eyes; they gleamed, she realised. They gleamed of fun and adventure, promises worth unveiling. Her lips all but taunted her when they opened, just slightly. Whatever the band in the club played came to her only in bass. Pumping, throbbing bass. The rest was pure static.
She cupped Piper's neck, the answer to her silent question in that one touch. She tilted her head and pressed their lips together. Fireworks, she mused as her body relished in the contact. She never knew how much she missed the taste of ripe peaches until she was depraved of this woman. Her hands trailed down and molded Piper's breasts, gave herself the pleasure of feeling her hardness against her palm.
Blindly reaching forward, she found the door to the bathroom, twisted the knob and all but shoved both of them inside before shutting the door.
Fireworks, she thought again. Fireworks got nothing on this.
After familiarising and re-familiarising herself with Alex's taste, Piper crawled herself onto Alex's lap. The brunette sat on the closed toilet seat, using wads of tissues as a cover. Her arms were around the blonde's waist as she planted absentminded kisses on her shoulders.
"What happened here?"
Piper held Alex's hand up when she noticed the faint semi-circles on her palm.
"Oh," Alex shifted, uneasy. "Sylvie must've done that. She...she got mad earlier. Told me to not 'ruin the mood'. I was being pissy."
Piper considered, then gently pressed her lips to the marked spots.
Alex watched her, the tender movement rendering her silent as confusing thoughts began to emerge from places she didn't know existed. For the first time in her life, she felt herself melt like a lemon drop under direct sunlight. And for the first time, she felt her heart yearn in her chest. Unable to say anything, Alex frowned a little, brought Piper's head closer and leaned forward for a kiss. But this time, the kiss was soft, loving almost. It built up slowly, both of them yielding to the rush of feelings that bursted through in short, meandering waves.
"What do we do now?" Piper murmured.
Still reeling from the barrage of emotions, Alex knew what she had to do. "I'll leave her," she said when a thought came to mind.
"I'll leave her," she repeated, "on one condition."
Piper tilted her head, a questioning smile playing on her lips.
"I want you to be mine."
We all know what the answer to that is ;) Hey guys, ele here. This is the first author's note of not many, so I'll keep it short and simple. Firstly: THANK YOU! I never expected much when I first uploaded the story. I just thought: hey I'm procrastinating study, so let's see how this story goes. Then BAM! So, sincerely, thank you, and I'll do my best to continue this story for you guys (and for myself, since S5 is still a bajillion years away and everybody needs their Vauseman fix). Also...as you can see, I'm not very good at sex scenes, so most sex scenes are like fluffy cotton and then a scene change. Sorry, I know how to write romantic (ish) scenes, but not smut :(
Anyway, thank you again (seriously). I'll see you in the next few chapters, and I hope you enjoy!
