Alex sat stiffly on the couch, unsettled by the quietly ominous air in the room. She'd done this numerous times, but it always made her back slick with sweat whenever the meeting involved Kubra himself. She'd met the man, of course, but his hard demeanour always dried up what conversation she could muster. Through the years, she eventually learned to stop trying to be more than just Alex Vause, the importer.
The smell of smoke filled her lungs. The maniacal laughter behind a closed door told her that their clients were having much more fun than she was. The murmur of hushed conversations continued through the night, ones she was rarely involved in.
"Just do your job," Fahri had told her.
So she did. And did it pretty fucking well.
"We have covered everything, yes?" Kubra's tone spoke of position and power. He commanded his business the way a general commands his warship. No fumbles, mistakes and bullshit were tolerated in this craft. Errors were corrected at the cost of a life.
Fahri nodded. "We're ready. I bought and loaded new burners. Alex found the mules last week." He looked towards her, silently giving her the floor.
She gave an affirmative nod. "I already gave the girls your number. One of them is a sales advisor at the airport and the other was a flight attendant. The attendant said she can practically walk through baggage claim without anyone caring, and she looked the type to mean what she says, so I'm not calling bullshit on that. Fahri and I will drive there just before closing, and we should be back here before 7."
"Good," Kubra said. "Aydin, I will send you a text after I finish with this client. I have someone I want you to take care of."
"By when?"
"By tomorrow. If that's all...Fahri, I'd like to speak with you later."
He stood, broad shoulders expanding, nodded to the people in the room and walked out.
Slowly, Alex let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"You haven't been in touch lately."
She turned her head towards Fahri, fixing a look of disinterest on her face. "I've been working. I managed to get a few girls yesterday and they agreed to get the money over to Bali for next month's deal. That—"
"I need to talk to you about that," he said, crushing a cigarette butt on the ash tray before leaning back on the couch. "Kubra wants you to go to Bali and make sure the trade is handled properly."
Alex was surprised, but hid it well under a cool mask. "Why me?"
Silently, he took a long drag from his cigarette as he studied her. She'd never protested or question any of his orders before, he thought. He blew out the smoke before replying, "Because he trusts you. And he wants this to go as smoothly as possible. It's important for the business."
"Well, couldn't you—"
"He asked me to go to Paris to overlook the deal there. We're being shipped off like fucking ants, okay? Just do the job."
Alex huffed. "I'm an importer, Fahri. Not a dealer."
"He wasn't asking, Vause."
And just like that, Alex had lost. She nodded sombrely and drank deep from her bottle of beer. She could use the small vacation, she thought. But she still had work to do here. She needed to recruit more girls for the Greek deal in a few months. She'd made good progress on that, but Fahri told her to get more since they expected their volume output to rise within the week. If that happened, she needed to update her spreadsheets and make sure she could deliver on time. She—
She needed to tell Piper.
Alex frowned, just slightly. She never had to tell anyone about her business trips before. Sylvie had just nodded, waved her off with clear envy in her eyes. But Piper was different, she thought. She was the type of person to keep a light on in case you get home early. She wasn't a person to accept a lame excuse for disappearing for a week.
More importantly, she wanted to tell Piper about it, which is a strange feeling in itself.
Before she could ponder on the issue, Fahri was grabbing her attention again. "Alex, did you want to grab a drink with us?"
She looked behind him and saw Aydin and his cousin making their way to the door. Thinking of unfinished lists and a particular blonde, she shook her head. "No, I think I'll finish up with work at home," she said, grabbing her things.
She was about to head out when she remembered. She turned around, "Oh. I'm having the party on Saturday night. If you want to come."
He nodded. "I'll see if I can make it."
"Great. See you."
She sailed out. Closing her eyes, she felt her lungs weep joyfully as they breathed in the fresh air. Then her mind thought of the empty bed and the silent humming of the night. Almost immediately, she took out her phone as she made her way to her car.
Alex: Pipes, come tomorrow.
Piper was lifting her fist to knock when the door opened. Her smile beamed as Alex stood in front of her, dreary-eyed and still in sleepwear. "Hey," she greeted.
Saying nothing, Alex shifted to the side, a quiet invitation. Piper frowned in confusion, but stepped inside, dropping her duffle bag on the couch. She never realised how comfortable she felt in here. It was like she'd always known this place, but still gawked at the grandness of it all. A smile in place, she was about to head to the bedroom when her wrist was grabbed. Before she could turn around, she was whipped backwards and against Alex's chest. She looked up with a protest at the tip of her tongue, but held it back when storms clouded her lover's eyes.
"What's–"
Alex shut the door–and her mouth–by pushing her back against it. The kiss smoldered with frustration, burned with such ferocity that she could all but feel a firewall simmering between their bodies. She bit Piper's bottom lip, heard her quick gasp. Smirking, she soothed the nip with her tongue before crashing their lips together for another searing kiss.
Piper tried to pull away and just think, "Wait, wait. Alex, what's–"
"I'm in a mood," she snapped. "I don't know why, and I don't care. But I need you. Here. Now."
Piper let go of her questions. For now. "You have me," she told her.
Alex dragged Piper's shirt upwards and stopped at the wrists. She used it as a makeshift tie, keeping the blonde's wrists together as she–for the second time in a week–pinned her lover against the door. She felt a surge of pleasure as Piper half-heartedly struggled against it, felt her body rub against her own, letting her know of her skittish nerves. She left a trail of open-mouthed kisses from one shoulder to the other, faint hints of what she had in store.
"I'm going to fuck you," she murmured, dangerously low. "I'm going to fuck you until you pass out, and I won't stop until you beg me to stop. And even then..." She paused, had to kiss Piper's open lips again as they all but beckoned.
"I don't know if I can stop," she finished.
Piper's head was already reeling, but Alex's words made it spin out of its axis and into orbit. She tried to move her hands again, but the brunette's hands were strongly cuffed around her wrists. She was dimly aware that her pants were being unbuttoned, then felt the cool air wash over her nakedness. She felt slim fingers slide up her thigh, lighting small flames in its wake. Her mind was so hazy she barely caught Alex's words.
"Can you take that?"
"I can take it," she managed. "I'll take it. And you."
She overestimated herself, and passed out after the third orgasm.
"You should be in a mood more often."
After dimming the lights of the room, Alex chuckled as she wrapped her arms and legs around the blonde, pulling her close. "I don't know what got into me. I just woke up when you came–"
"Which time?" Content, Piper realised their bodies moulded together like a perfect puzzle. "I came multiple times."
Alex snickered and planted a kiss on the back of the blonde's neck. "Thanks to yours truly. I don't know. Something just snapped, I guess."
Her smile dimming, Piper turned around until she was face to face with Alex. "Did something happen at work?"
Alex opened her mouth to answer, then closed it. Not the right time, she thought. Not the right place. "I'll talk to you about it later."
"Don't do that," Piper murmured.
"Do what?"
"Don't close up on me. You can trust me, Alex."
Alex clenched her jaw. "I'm...I–"
She stopped, had to just stop and dig for control. She had never stuttered so badly before. She was Alex Vause, damn it. She was always in control.
"I'm not closing up on you," she said, planting a soft kiss on Piper's nose. "I'll talk to you about it, I promise. After we shower. Which is after another round of hot sex."
Piper felt her colour drain from her face, "Another? But I–you–"
Alex already rolled them over so that she was on top. She leaned down, nibbled on Piper's earlobe, chuckling. "I told you I wouldn't be able to stop."
"Are lesbians always like this?" Piper wondered.
Alex scoffed, leaning on her elbow as she looked down at the flushed blonde. "Pipes, please. As if anyone's better in bed than I am."
"Maybe I should go back to the bar," Piper teased, sliding her arms around Alex's neck. "Find another girl and do a comparison."
"Try that," Alex warned her as she trailed her hand downward, "and suffer the consequences."
Piper arched away from the bed as she was filled. "If this is the punishment, I'll take it."
After Alex had yet again proved her outstanding vertical skills and another two trips to blissful heaven, Piper fought to keep her eyes open as she brushed her teeth. She could barely muster up the energy to lift the toothbrush to her mouth. She was a walking, utterly spent, zombified sex doll.
And she found out she was totally fine with that.
"So why did you want me to come a day early?" Piper asked.
"Because I missed you," Alex smiled through the curtain of water washing over her. "And I didn't want to sleep alone tonight."
Piper smiled around her toothbrush, oddly comforted by her words and the whole scene. It just seemed so...domestic. They were so comfortable with each other. She didn't think it was possible to reach this level of comfort unless a paper bounded two people together. And even then, she thought.
"Babe, can you get me the towel?" Alex slicked back wet hair as she turned off the shower.
After spitting out a mouth full of water, Piper took the towel from the hook behind the door and crossed the wide room towards the shower. She extended an arm over, thinking of nothing but handing over the towel.
She should've seen the gleam in Alex's eyes.
Alex used the towel to rope Piper closer, then wrapped her wet arms around the blonde. She laughed heartily as Piper squealed like a pig.
"Alex! Damn it, I just—I'm wet again!"
She smirked, "Well, in that case, I should—"
"No." There was no conviction in Piper's voice as she giggled, struggling away. "Uh-uh. Stay away from me. I already came, like—"
She cut herself off when Alex's smug smile widened. "You know what? I'm not even going to feed your ego."
Alex kept her smirk. "I can always appreciate a compliment," she said.
"Nope," Piper declined, popping out the 'p' as she turned to walk back to the bedroom. She pulled off her damp shirt and rummaged through her bag for a new one. Good thing she travelled heavily, she mused. She might as well have packed for a week break rather than just three days.
Thoroughly enjoying herself, Alex began her night routine, starting by brushing her teeth. She tilted slightly to the side, looking out the bathroom door and into the bedroom. Her heart did a little flutter when she caught sight of Piper's behind. God, it's adorable, she thought. And all mine.
Righting herself, she studied her reflection in the mirror. She looked...happy. Her cheeks were tinted with a natural blush she didn't know she had. The bags under her eyes had faded, and she didn't feel the dread of being home weighing her down. For the first time, she actually felt...at home. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable with Sylvie, but with her, Alex had always expected—and was usually right—a fight or an argument. If it wasn't a piss battle, it was Sylvie whining about how they haven't travelled together yet.
A moment of clarity flashed through her mind. Home wasn't a building, she thought. It was a sense of belonging and feeling welcomed by people she cherished. She had always felt that when she was a child. Her mother would have cookies on the table, and she wouldn't ask where she got the money from since she knew she had stolen them from the grocery store nearby. She remembered her mom's anger when she elaborated on Jessica Wedge and her gang of uptight pigs. When her mom hugged her, told her to toughen the fuck up...that was home.
"Pipes—"
Alex paused, her heart swelling at the sight on the bed. Piper was laying down with her cheek on the pillow, her mouth slack with raw exhaustion. It wasn't sexy, she mused, but something about the blonde just tugged at her heartstrings. Without even trying, the woman was already unraveling the tapestry of the cold, unbreakable demeanour she had so carefully crafted.
Grabbing her phone, she left Piper the way she was, slipped out of the room and into the kitchen. She needed a bump, she thought.
The phone rang twice before the other line was picked up, "Hey, baby."
"Hey, mom. Sorry, I know it's late."
"It's all good. I've just come back from work. Was asked to cover Leah's shift since she's having another baby. That's her third one. The kind of stories she'll die with will be fucking ridiculous. Just blood and babies. How does her husband even come inside her anymore? Her pussy must be a fucking cave."
Alex laughed, "Maybe he has a thin dick. Mom, I told you to ask me if you needed money. I can—"
"I don't need your charity, Alex. I have more than enough money to buy myself a fucking island from all the cash you pushed in my bank account."
Alex sighed. She could ram heads with her mother all day long, but she knew she'd eventually be the one to give in. That was just the power of Diane, she mused. "Alright, fine. But I wanted to talk to you about something."
"What?"
Alex bore down on the uneasiness that threatened to creep. "I have a girlfriend."
"Yeah?" Diane wasn't oblivious to the fact that this was the first time her daughter had talked to her about a relationship. Sure, she knew of some, but Alex had never talked openly about them. At least, not until now.
"Yeah. Her name's Piper. Piper Chapman. She's..." Alex's tongue decided to swell up like a blowfish. "She's...nice."
"Well then," Diane tried hard not to laugh. "Since she's nice, I'm sure you guys will last a long time."
"Yeah. She's good. I mean—" Alex pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew she sounded weird and awkward, damn it.
"I sound weird," she said out loud.
"Yeah, you do. How'd you guys meet?"
Through the night and into the early morning, Alex opened herself up to the person she trusted the most. She held nothing back, telling her all the perks and crannies she found appealing about Piper. She made sure to avoid the fact that she was initially a bitch to her best friend. Smiling, she eventually got to talk about how she really felt without stuttering.
"She makes me comfortable," she said carefully. "It's not that I've never felt comfortable with anyone. It's just...I don't know how to handle this...right. I want to handle it right."
After a beat of silence, Diane asked, "Baby, are you in love with her?"
There it is, she thought. The big question of the fucking month. "How am I suppose to know if it's real?" she demanded. "How am I so sure that it's going to last? And how am I suppose to know she'll return it?"
"That's a lot of suppositions, Alex," Diane answered patiently. "To answer them, you don't. It's about taking the risk. It's about taking that leap of faith. You think if I never risked my teen ass going to your father's concert, he wouldn't have picked me? I wore my heart on my sleeve. He would've ended up with a piss poor hooker that night if it wasn't for me. You'll have to find out for yourself if she'll take that leap with you, or be there to catch you."
"What if I'm not strong enough to find out?" Alex murmured.
"Alex," Diane managed to pour all of her love for her daughter into that one word. "When you were young, you were abandoned by your asshole of a father. Then, you found out he had been spiralling down like a fucking toilet flush, and you kept your chin up high. You were raised by a woman who brawled with a huge fucking Black man–who by the way, could've played Luke Cage–because he stole your milk bottle. You stood up against Jessica Wedge and her parents during that school dinner. You didn't even falter and you walked out of that school a fucking hero."
"You will always be more than strong enough to get through anything that fucks with you. You're Alex Vause, baby." Alex heard the grin in her voice. "You are cool."
She was smiling so widely, she barely felt the tears spring up in her eyes. "I love you, mom."
"Love you back. Take the risk, Alex. Take the jump. If you fall flat, then you'll pick yourself back up and push forward because that's just who you are. "
That's just who I am, Alex thought after they said their goodbyes. She'll survive, because that's what she does. She'll take the jump, because she was never afraid. She never took no for an answer, because she was raised to get what she wanted. Her eyes landed on the sleeping figure on her bed.
And this, she smiled secretly, is no exception.
