CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The warmth from the sun and the slight breeze feels amazing on her skin. The sound of the waves are calming and put her at ease. Piper Chapman is a lucky woman. When the beautiful brunette wearing a black two piece bikini and a beaming smile comes into her line of vision, Piper Chapman knows that she is the luckiest woman alive.
"You are so fucking hot."
Alex laughs at Piper's statement as she lays down beside the blonde. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Chapman." Piper snuggles up to Alex. "In fact, I don't know what's hotter... you or the sun."
Alex's laughter booms through the California air. "You are so cheesy."
Their eighth day in LA is their last and Alex has one last thing she wants to show Piper before their flight later that night. The tall beauties are walking hand in hand as the blonde rests her head on brunette's shoulder. Piper is immersed in Alex's warmth and scent that she doesn't even notice their surroundings until Alex opens the door to a store. Piper gasps as she walks through the threshold and she is awed by the brightness and beauty of the store. Her eyes study the familiar the intricate blue hues of the place. It's Blue and it is stunning, just like its owner.
"Oh my God, Alex! I didn't know that it was so close to being done! It's beautiful and so open. It's going to be packed and a huge success for you. I just know it." Piper excitedly walks around the bar, running her hands over the tables, chairs, and walls before settling down on a bar stool in front of the massive bar that is illuminated by a striking blue.
"I am so proud of you, Alex. You deserve all the success in the world. You've worked so hard all of your life."
Alex positively beams at Piper's excitement. She hands Piper a menu and asks her what she thinks. Blue eyes study the drink menu and its descriptions. It doesn't take long for her eyes to well up with unshed tears as the blonde realizes that every drink relates to their relationship or her- the places they've traveled, inside jokes, and words that describe her.
As her eyes travel down the drink menu and focuses on the last one called "Pipes," she can't help but blink from her obstructed, teary vision causing the wetness to cascade down her cheeks.
"Is it ok?" the brunette softly asks as she tenderly wipes away at the blonde's tears.
"It's perfect. You're perfect." Piper says with an unsteady cadence due to the emotions that are coursing through her heart for the woman standing in front of her.
The brunette tells the touched blonde that she has one more thing to show her as she takes Piper's hand in hers and walks her upstairs to what Piper presumes are offices and storage rooms. Piper's eyes fill with tears once again as she scans the door that reads "Alex and Piper's office." Alex opens the door to a large room. There is a large clear desk that is intricately designed with blue colors. Alex leads Piper into their office and sits Piper in one of the two large, comfortable chairs on their side of the desk. Piper's teary eyes study the picture frames on the desk. There are four frames on the desk and each holds a picture of the two of them together from their days in LA. The walls hold pictures of the destinations they have visited.
"When did you have time to get the pictures from this trip developed?"
"I have my ways." Alex says nonchalantly.
Piper stands up from her chair and closes the small distance between them and it's Alex's turn to become overwhelmed with emotion as the blonde places the most tender kiss on her lips as if she is the most precious and delicate thing on the face of the earth.
"I love you." Piper says softly.
Alex knows. She can feel it in every fiber of her being. Piper's love for Alex is emanating from every cell of her body. Alex can't help the tear that escapes from her own eye as she looks into the blue eyes that are glistening with pure, raw truth and love.
Los Angeles was wonderful but nothing beats coming home from a long trip. Nothing beats sinking into her soft mattress with a certain beautiful blonde snuggled up against her with her soft breathing tickling her neck.
The sound of a cell phone breaks their cocoon. The blonde's soft breath turns into a huff of annoyance as she leaves the warmth of Alex to retrieve her cell phone from her purse that she had thrown somewhere by the door.
Despite her annoyance, Piper picks up her phone in a polite tone without looking at the caller ID. She mouths an apology to Alex as she steps out of the room so she doesn't bother Alex from resting. It's her real estate agent, Emily. Emily tells her she has good news because there is a buyer that is willing to place a down payment on Piper's place today and Emily also has a list of beautiful places to show Piper. Despite her exhaustion, Piper knows she has to look for a place to live today since it is back to business the next day and she can't slack after leaving PoPi for over a week and she also can't be homeless.
When the blonde is done on the phone, she makes her way back to Alex's room but stops at the entrance to admire the beauty sprawled out on the bed. Her glasses are tossed somewhere on the nightstand and her eyes are closed. Piper stares at her long, full lashes as her blue eyes descend to Alex's full lips that bring such pleasure to her, down to her curves, and the tattoos peeking out from her shirt and shorts. She is stunning and the most beautiful thing to have graced her life.
"Are you molesting me with your eyes, creeper?" Alex asks as she opens her eyes and finds her glasses.
"As if." Piper retorts but the pink staining her cheeks gives her away.
"Come back to bed."
"I can't. I was about to tell you that I have to leave and that I'm going to be busy for the rest of the day and I don't know how late I'm going to be out until."
"I whisk you away for a trip in the sun and you leave me the first chance you get? Who is she?" Alex teases.
"Actually, her name is Emily..."
Alex sits straight up in bed and a quick look of panic crosses her features before she narrows her eyes at Piper.
Piper smirks because Alex isn't the only one that can tease.
"Emily is my real estate agent. Um, I actually don't have a place to live now since I put the place... I shared with Larry on the market. I didn't want to live there anymore because I ... It's just not me...I have to look for a new place today because someone is ready to buy my place. Uh... I would ask you to come along ...but... I'm pretty sure you have better things to do than spend countless hours home searching with me...and you're probably sick of me since you have spent the last eight days with me..." the blonde stammered.
"You're right."
The blonde immediately looks down as if the floor is the most interesting thing she has ever seen, nodding her head at Alex's blunt and curt reply.
"I don't want to waste my time helping you because I don't want you anywhere but here."
Surprised blue eyes immediately snap up to meet Alex's approaching form.
"I have spent eight years worth of nights without you. How I managed to do that is beyond me... Pipes, move in with me. I mean if that is if you want to? ...It's only been me... Only I have slept in that bed...Well, besides you... Wait, do you even like my place? Do you want to find another place? Like a place for the two of us? Or if you want to live alone I completely understand..." the brunette manages in an uncharacteristically unsteady voice.
Piper Chapman's heart feels like it is so overwhelmed with affection that it is about to burst. Alex Vause, the woman that convinced strangers to carry drugs and drug money for a living was standing in front of her unsure of herself.
Piper's hands find Alex's as she intertwines their fingers together. Emerald orbs meet glistening blue ones.
"I don't care where I live as long as you're with me. I want to be wherever you are because home is... you are my home." the blonde admits shyly. "And I love your place so I would be more than happy to live here with you." Piper adds quickly.
Alex is grinning ear to ear as Piper is positively blushing. "You can have the extra bedroom upstairs or downstairs. Your choice."
Piper's smile falters. "Oh, I thought... you meant..Sorry, umm. I guess I will take the-"
"Piper! I am joking with you. You idiot." Alex is laughing hysterically at Piper's gullibility.
Piper wrangles her hands from Alex's and proceeds to hit Alex's arm for teasing her.
"You're such an asshole, Vause!"
"No, I'm your HOME." the brunette teases back.
Piper huffs and is about to stomp off at Alex's teasing, when Alex grabs the blonde's arm to stop her from running away from embarrassment.
"Piper, I'm sorry for being an asshole but you just make it too easy sometimes."
Piper narrows her eyes at Alex.
Alex's teasing grin fades and a serious expression adorns her beautiful face. " I don't want you in any room besides the master room. OUR room. We can redo it and the house however you like. I can't and won't let you sleep anywhere but besides me."
AN:
Anyone still interested in this story? It's been awhile since I've updated since life has gotten in the way. I know I am one of very few people that feel this way, but I enjoyed the third season of OITNB. I am not happy with Piper's actions, but there has to be some issues between her Alex since it's TV and the happy couple can't be happy forever. As long as Vauseman are endgame, I will forgive Piper for her stupidity.