a sequel to chapter five because I have no direction anymore, sort of a snapshots of the following year type idea...
[RATED M] (because we all obviously knew a sequel would pretty much be entirely about sex)
It starts out easy enough, this unspoken... thing. Not quite friends with benefits but not quite anything else.
"We're not friends with benefits," Piper tells Nicky at one point, "because Alex Vause is not my friend."
Nicky just shakes her head and laughs, "whatever you say, Chapman."
But it starts out easily enough, and they fall into it with a disturbingly easy sense of routine.
.
The first time they sleep together, really sleep together (as in spending an extended handful of hours unconscious next to one another), is more of a bumbling accident than anything.
It happens at a party. One of Nicky's parties. To be exact.
They'd managed to find one another in the crowd and had gotten way drunker than either had intended.
"Well holy fuck," Nicky mumbles with a laugh, pausing abruptly in the doorway to her bedroom.
The figures within her bed stir slightly, eyebrows furrowing gently at the intrusion and bodies curling a little tighter against one another. She studies them for a moment, taking stock of the scene they make, tangled against one another and the sheets of her bed. And she can't quite fight the gentle grin that tugs at her lips... or stop her fingers as they slip into her pocket and close around her phone... or keep her arm from raising to aim the camera at the delicate scene before her.
She'll let them be for a few more hours.
Later, when the sun has climbed high into the sky and she's managed to work away the majority of her own hangover she climbs the stairs once more, and bangs open the door with a loud call of "ALRIGHT, UP AN'AT'EM SLEEPING BEAUTIES! IT'S TIME FOR ALL NOT-FUCKBUDDIES TO VACATE THE PREMISES!"
She'd be lying if she said she didn't take the slightest pleasure in the way the blonde jerks abruptly, startled by the sudden intrusion, or the way the brunette's entire face screws tightly, pained by the loud exclamation.
"What the fuck- what- Nicky?" Piper splutters, gradually regaining her senses in short jerking chunks. Nicky watches patiently as the woman realizes her own nakedness, quickly tugging the comforter all the way up to her chin. And Nicky laughs gleefully as the action alerts her to the other naked form tangled beneath the sheets. Jumping aside with the sudden realization that she's not alone, Piper peers blearily at the curled body next to her.
A low continuous groaning sound begins to emit from the pile of blankets and Piper leans a little closer, "... Alex?"
"Mmm." She all but growls, burying her face deeper into the sheets.
"Congratulations." Nicky grins, leaning against her dresser and watching the scene unfold with unabashed glee, "you two got drunk and still wound up with each other out of the hundred people at the party last night. 'At's some dedication."
Her booming laugh echoes down the hall as Piper flops to her back against the mattress, raising the heels of her hands to her eyes.
It does nothing for their slowly growing hangovers as Alex pulls the comforter over her head in an attempt to convince herself this is is not happening.
And Nicky grins excitedly all throughout what she giddily dubs The Most Awkward Breakfast In History.
But it's only the beginning.
.
"Ugh. You put me in your phone as Fuckface? What is this, high school?" Alex asks from the bed, holding Piper's cellphone over her face.
They're in her apartment (it's closer to Piper's store) and Piper's just pulled herself from the bed to begin getting ready to head back to work. She'd been three seconds away from tearing her hair out over an unexpectedly delayed delivery for their new line when Alex had called her away for an extended lunch break. It hadn't been a hard decision to make at that point.
"It's indicative of the nature of our relationship," Piper murmurs, clasping the button of her jeans and moving to sit at the edge of the bed.
"Oh really?" Alex drawls, pulling the phone just out of the blonde's reach as she moves to grab it.
"Yes." Piper husks, leaning a little further over the teasing woman, "I spend a lot of time sitting on your stupid... fucking, smug... fucking face."
A breathy laugh escapes Alex's lungs as they squabble over the object, grabbing one another's wrists in an attempt to gain leverage. They grow still as Piper finally manages to close her hand around it, chest heaving tantalizingly over Alex's face.
"Mmm..." she hums, admiring the view before Piper's free hand rises to knock gently under her chin.
"Nuh uh," she murmurs, pulling Alex's chin up until their eyes meet, "I am already late enough as it is."
"No fun." Alex teases in a whisper, hand raising to drag a thumb across one of her protruding nipples.
Piper manages to choke back a threatening moan, but fails to catch the resulting shiver.
"Life isn't all fun and games, Ms. Vause. Some of us have to schlep for a living."
"Mmmmm..." Alex hums out once more, a rumbling sound somewhere between confirmation and discontentment as she stretches amidst the sheets. Piper pulls herself away from the bed, bending to retrieve her discarded t-shirt and slipping it over her head, "I paid my schlepping dues, Ms. Chapman. We didn't all grow up rich and carefree."
"Ha," Piper deadpans, sitting upon the edge of the mattress once again to pull on a shoe, "rich; maybe. Carefree; no. Contrary to popular belief, money does not fix everything."
Alex hums again, softer this time, and shifts to her side, trailing her fingers gently down Piper's spine, "no, you're right. It doesn't."
She watches, transfixed, as the pads of her fingers slip beneath the hem of Piper's t-shirt to trace delicate patterns along the curves of her skin. And miraculously Piper allows it for a moment, watching as Alex's eyelids begin to grow heavy with a lazy sort of fatigue.
"Enjoy laying in bed all day," Piper teases, smirking as Alex's green gaze slides to her own.
"Enjoy schleppin'," Alex returns, lazy grin tugging at her lips.
.
She's in the middle of a debatably unexciting date when her phone vibrates.
If she hadn't already been mentally weighing the pros and cons of the man before her, Piper never would have looked at her phone. Or that's what she tells herself. She's been having a bit of a harder time ignoring the vibrations and chimes of incoming messages since this thing with Alex Vause began (though she'd never admit that out loud).
She swipes at the screen absently, the brunt of her attention still seemingly on her physical companion.
- u up?
The grammatical structural integrity of Alex's messages vary depending on the hour, or her libido. Piper muses idly on which might be driving the older woman's fingers across the keys tonight. She finds herself hoping it's the latter.
She'd already been entertaining the idea of taking the man home. His personality left something to be desired but his face wasn't half bad and she's been feeling a little needy lately. It's been twelve days since she last heard from Alex and it's not like they're in a relationship or anything, but Piper hadn't exactly had the time to find someone else to ease her desires in the last several weeks.
maybe. -
Her attention returns to the man before her as her hand moves from the screen of her phone to the stem of her glass. Laughing at something he says, she briefly entertains the idea of taking him home once more. It's been awhile since she's had a man, and she'd be lying if she said she weren't a little pissed at Alex's mysterious disappearance and her subsequently dry week.
But Alex has always been good at reeling the hook in.
NEW SNAPCHAT FROM FUCKFACE
And loathe as Piper was to admit it, she'd been hooked a long time ago.
Eyeing the notification thoughtfully as the man drones on beside her she once again ponders the idea of leaving Alex out to dry.
Her phone vibrates again, briefly catching her companion's attention and she smiles at him good-naturedly. It's enough to quell the question in his eyes, but she waits until he's comfortably speaking again to dart another glance at the small screen.
- dont ignore me Piper
did you ever consider the fact that I might be busy? -
Tapping out her quick reply she returns her gaze to the man with an apologetic smile.
"Needy grandparent," she offers, and the man softens with a smile and nod and begins to tell her about his relationship with his own grandma. She thinks she might have found him endearing once upon a time, and tries not to think about what it means in hindsight.
- seriously? i just got back from the worst business trip ever and ur really gonna leave me hanging?
Piper smiles at that.
Her date assumes it's for him.
She allows it.
Conversation steers into something she's slightly more interested in and she finds herself getting lost in a friendly debate for a few minutes before her phone buzzes atop the bar counter once more.
- alright. if thats how u wanna be. ill just be here. in my satin sheets. alone. and naked. touching myself. and thinking of u.
She can't quite stop herself from running her tongue along her upper teeth. She knows what Alex is up to. Alex knows how to win the war.
NEW SNAPCHAT FROM FUCKFACE
- since i know ur not gonna open that ill just tell u its a picture of my huge... inviting... bed. so empty. and cold. also my tits. so lonely. and warm ;)
She shakes her head and bites back a grin. Because Alex Vause does not deserve her amusement. Not just yet.
NEW SNAPCHAT FROM FUCKFACE
- and this one is my luxurious sheets. and my long enticing legs. and my hot wet pussy. all 4 u.
She squares her shoulders, eyes falling closed as she regroups, regathers her resolve and calms the fire Alex seems to be stoking between her legs.
A new picture comes in, straight to her lock screen as Alex has seemingly abandoned waiting for Piper to open her snapchats. Dropping her hand to the bar quickly and casually, she laughs animatedly at whatever joke her date has just made as she slides the phone out of eyesight.
She'd only got a second's worth of a glance, but it was enough to know the picture Alex had just sent was very very explicit.
She engages with the man for a moment, feeling the telltale vibrations of her phone within her tightening grip. She can't quite manage to shake the image of Alex's last message. She can't decide if she wants to kill her or fuck her. She thinks she might settle for both.
"Excuse me for a moment," she murmurs to her date as conversation lulls and he takes a pull of his drink. Nodding to the back wall and the entrance to the restrooms she continues, "I'll be right back."
He smiles, nodding, and she almost feels bad for him for a moment. But her phone vibrates once more and sets off towards the restrooms with more determination than she'd like to examine.
I am on a DATE. -
She sends immediately upon reaching the restrooms, ignoring the slew of images Alex has sent in her wake.
- he or a she?
Her brows furrow studying the strange response.
what's it matter? -
- just curious
he -
There's a lull, as if Alex is thinking over her response, before those three little dots appear once more, indicating she's typing.
An image comes through first; Alex, topless, stretched across the sheets of her bed, and looking directly into the camera in the way she knows will ruin Piper.
- get rid of him.
Biting back an angry growl, Piper screws her eyes shut, attempting to find her resolve. It's been too uncomfortably long since she last found the time to go on an actual date. It's been too uncomfortably long since she's managed to sleep with anyone other than Alex.
Her phone vibrates.
- Piper.
She grits her teeth.
- you know I'll satisfy you the way you need tonight.
Shaking her head, she thumps a fist against the bathroom door angrily.
give me 15 -
"Ugh." She grunts, twenty minutes later, hips flexing desperately atop Alex's thighs, "I hate that you always do this."
"Do what?" Alex murmurs, dragging her lips across the hollow of Piper's collarbone.
"This infuriating thing you do where you fucking act like it's all part of your plan."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Alex grins, nipping at the space between her neck and shoulder.
"Ugh, I fucking hate y-" Piper growls, but it tampers off into a keening whine as Alex shifts her hand and re-angles her hips, driving her fingers deeper into Piper's velvety warmth. "Oh my god," Piper breathes, "I hate that you're this good at this."
"'S all about having a good partner, babe," Alex smirks, "unsurprising you've never experienced good sex before. You always seemed a little vanilla."
"Shut the fuck up," Piper snaps.
.
"Chelsea Dagger?" Piper asks, Alex's phone in her hand, "Really?"
"What?" Alex grins, glancing over her shoulder at the less than impressed blonde, "you don't like it?"
"No, I don't fucking like it."
"It's a good song," she teases, biting back a grin.
"Yeah, I'm so touched it reminds you of me." Piper scoffs, throwing the phone towards the brunette with no real force.
"I almost made you Dirty Little Secret, but I dunno... it just felt so uncreative, y'know?"
"I'm glad you've put so much thought into this."
"Well I mean we can't all be expected to rival the creative genius of Fuckface."
"Shut up."
...
"I will just have you know, that you call me way more than I call you."
"I never hear you complaining."
.
- u home?
Piper's gaze flicks from the screen of her laptop to the unexpected message. A welcomed break from several hours spent pouring over business reports. Alex was supposed to be away on some sort of work related trip for the week, and Piper's eyebrows furrow in soft confusion at the message.
11pm on a friday night? -
she smirks
you must think I have some sort of life -
Allowing Alex a few moments to read and respond, she takes the opportunity to glance over a few more numbers.
- skype?
It's not a terribly hard decision, choosing Alex over work. Or at least, that's what Piper tells herself as she minimizes her various work documents and brings up the messaging system. She'd choose just about anything over work if it meant a break right now. Including Alex Vause (not 'especially'). Her speakers chime with the familiar tone of an incoming call and Piper takes the opportunity to stretch as she waits for a connection to establish.
"Oh. You weren't joking about not having a life," Alex laughs as face finally appears upon Piper's screen.
"If you just called to ridicule me I can always go back to working." Piper warns.
"You know that's not why I called." Alex grins as her voice takes on that tone that sends shivers down Piper's spine.
"Feelin' a little lonely?" She coos teasingly.
"More like lazy and horny."
"Mm." Piper hums, shuffling the work documents strewn across her bed to the side.
"My nipples have been hard as rocks all day." Alex murmurs, palm skating heavily across her chest.
She's in the process of pulling her t-shirt over her head when Piper's attention returns to the screen. Her bra quickly follows and Alex lets out a deep and pleasant moan as her palms return to graze over her now uncovered chest.
"Jeez..." Piper murmurs, attention fixed on Alex's hands as they caress her creamy flesh, "you sound like a porn star. When's the last time you got laid?"
"Umm..." the brunette ponders, fingers plucking absently at the stiff peaks of her nipples, "when's the last time we fucked?"
"Seriously?" Piper asks in surprise.
"I have been very busy." Alex defends, "and very stressed."
"I can see that..." Piper murmurs, lost in thought.
"Yeah. And now I'm very horny. So. Y'know. Feel free to join in whenever."
Snapping out of her light daze, Piper sits up, pulling the thin t-shirt she'd thrown on over her head.
"Oooh... no bra. Were you expecting my call?" Alex teases.
"Ha. No. I told you, I'm already turned in for the night."
"Sure, kid." Alex winks, and Piper shakes her head, biting back a begrudging grin.
"Have I mentioned how attractive your ego is? Because I'm once again floored by it's boundlessness."
"You have." Alex grins, meeting her eyes before dropping her gaze to the newly exposed skin of Piper's chest. "Mmm..." she moans softly, "regardless though, it looks like someone's happy to see me."
"God." Piper murmurs, "I'm gonna need you to reign it in if either of us expect to get through this."
"Okay, alright, my lips are sealed." Alex teases, settling further into her own bed.
Mimicking her shuffling, Piper wriggles a bit until she's comfortable amidst her own pillows and blankets, hands dancing lightly across the plains of her chest. She watches Alex's fingers as they twist and tug at her nipples and finds herself mirroring the motions. Her bottom lip is trapped between her teeth when she sneaks another glance at Alex's face and the sight, coupled with the feeling of her own fingers across her chest cause Piper's back to arch lightly.
"Mmmm..." Alex hums gently, her own chest arching slightly out, "you wet?"
Piper diverts a hand down the length of her body, sliding it out of screen and into the pair of panties she's still wearing. Alex watches the muscles in her arm flex for a moment, Piper's eyes blinking closed with a slow heaviness. Her hand returns to hover before her eyes and the screen and she rubs the pads of her fingers together, allowing Alex to note the evidence of her arousal.
"Mmhm," she nods lightly, "are you?"
Alex's own hand makes the journey, even though she's already well aware of her own state of arousal. She gets lost in the sensation for a moment, before withdrawing her fingers and holding them out towards her screen. Piper's pupils dilate at the sight and Alex finds herself grinning giddily.
"I wanna see." Piper whispers, and Alex knows she's barely retaining control over her voice.
Sitting up further, she places the laptop a ways away from her on the bed, angling herself and the screen for the perfect view. Piper hums in unrestrained appreciation as Alex's cunt comes into view.
"Fuck, Alex." She murmurs, fingers still pulling at her nipples as she eyes the woman's wetness.
"I told you," Alex chuckles, "it's been awhile."
"Ugh." Piper scoffs suddenly, "why they fuck did you have to go away on a business trip. This is why I hate sexting."
"Like what you see?" Alex goads, dragging a finger along her opening.
"Too much." Piper moans, "I wish I was there to indulge in that."
"Don't worry, there'll be plenty next time I see you."
"Finger yourself." Piper commands softly, gaze locked heatedly on Alex's fingers.
She doesn't disobey.
Piper watches as Alex's hips begin to flex, meeting the strokes of her fingers, and her own hand begins burning a slow path down her stomach. Alex's head falls back, exposing the sharp tendons of her neck as she lets out another deep moan. Her eyes snap open just as Piper's fingers slide beneath the hem of her panties.
"Hey!" She barks suddenly, movements stilling, "nuh uh! Share with the class there, Chapman."
Heaving a frustrated sigh (she'd been so close) Piper pushes back the laptop and sits up, repositioning herself to match Alex.
"Mm..." Alex hums, watching her shuffle, "cute panties."
"Shut up." Piper murmurs, sliding them down her hips and flinging them off the bed. Her fingers return to her heat without preamble and Alex arches an eyebrow at her eagerness.
"Little eager there, Pipes?"
A moan slips from Piper's lips, her head falling back, as her fingers slide in deep, "it's been awhile."
"Really?" Alex asks, intrigued, "How long?"
"Mmmm... when was the last time we..." Piper trails off, sheepish smirk stretching across her lips.
A boisterous laugh escapes Alex's lungs, "god, we're pathetic aren't we?"
"I'd rather not talk about it."
They share a grin, gentler than either of them would have liked, and Piper lowers her head to fight a blush as Alex's gaze shifts across the room, a quiet cough echoing from her lips.
"Do what I do," Alex murmurs when their eyes meet again.
It doesn't take long for either of them to finish after that. They're both working on regaining their breathing as Alex pulls her fingers from herself and wipes them disinterestedly on the bedspread.
"Oh, god, Alex, gross." Piper pants.
"What?" The brunette asks in genuine confusion.
"That's a hotel bed, ugh, it makes me wonder how many other people have wiped their excrements all over it."
"Um, they wash the sheets," Alex returns with a slight scowl, "and thirty minutes ago you were lamenting the loss of my 'excrements'."
"That's different." Piper mutters, casting her gaze to the side of her bed where her discarded work papers lay forgotten. She'd intended to dive back in after her call with Alex but the warm feeling that was currently pulsing through her body told her she was probably done for the night.
"Oh my god, you are so ridiculous." Alex mutters, pulling herself from the bed and disappearing from view.
Piper eyes the empty screen with a slight pout before heaving herself up and gathering the discarded papers. Depositing them on her night stand, she turns her attention back to the laptop and begins closing the programs she'd minimized earlier. She hadn't gotten as much as she'd wanted to accomplished tonight but... Polly would understand.
"When're you back in town?" She inquires absently.
Alex's muffled voice answers from somewhere off screen, "Tuesday."
"Hm..." Piper hums.
"Is that a hint to keep my schedule open?" Alex asks as she reappears in the frame, toothbrush hanging from her mouth.
"If that's how you wanna take it." Piper says lazily, propping herself up on her elbow.
Eyes trailing over what she can still see of Piper's skin, Alex softly asks "you gettin' back to work?"
"Mm... no, I think I'm done for the night," Piper sighs, eyes trailing absently across her bedroom in thought, "I'm feeling rather pleasant right now and I don't really feel like ruining it." Her gaze flicks towards Alex at the woman's silence, and a soft smirk touches her face, "stop looking at me like that, we're done for the night."
Pulling the toothbrush from her lips Alex raises an eyebrow, "you sure?"
"Yes." Piper growls softly, "save it for Tuesday."
"Mmmm..." Alex groans, "you're so unfair."
Letting out a soft laugh, Piper reaches up to close her laptop, "goodnight, Alex."
"Goodnight Piper."
.
"You two and your weird aversion to the term 'girlfriends'," Nicky mumbles around a mouthful of food as she and Alex stroll down the sidewalk.
"We are not girlfriends."
"Oh no?"
"No! That woman is not my friend."
Laughing quietly to herself, Nicky shakes her head in wonder, "you two are fuckin' unbelievable."
.
She's awoken by the sound of her phone vibrating against her nightstand.
Reaching blindly for it, Alex grunts in agitation as the sudden light briefly blinds her.
3:17AM
"Mm." She groans tiredly, squinting at the name of her late night caller.
CHELSEA DAGGER
furrowing her brows Alex swipes her thumb over accept and buries her face in her pillows.
"What?"
"ALEXXX!" Piper's gratingly loud voice exclaims and Alex cringes at the unexpected volume.
"Piper. It's 3am. I get that booty calls are kind of our thing, but don't you think we're a little old for anything after 12?"
"ALEX." She states again, and Alex once again winces at the decibel.
"Christ, Pipes, can you lower the volume, I'm literally half asleep!"
"Sorry!" Piper's voice comes in at a forceful whisper now, "Alex!"
"What!?" Alex exclaims finally.
"Alex, where are you?"
"I told you, I'm fucking asleep, in my bed. Piper... did you need something, like is this an emergency because I'm really fucking tired and I don't have time for whatever the fuck this is right now."
"I'm outside." Piper states in that shouting whisper.
"You're... what?"
"I'M OUTSIDE." She says again, louder.
"Fuck, I heard you, I meant what do you mean you're outside?"
"I'm outside your apartment."
Pushing herself into a sitting position, Alex turns to glance towards her bedroom door, "what?"
"ALEX I'M OUTSIDE YOUR APARTMENT PLEASE LET ME IN." Piper exclaims in a staggering disjointed tone.
A muffled horn sounds through the speaker and Alex immediately throws her covers off and rises from her bed. Grabbing a robe she tugs it over her pajamas as she stalks towards her front door, "Piper where are you?"
"Outside." Piper states.
Growling softly, Alex pinches at the skin between her eyebrows, pressing the phone between her ear and shoulder as she leans to pull on her boots, "I mean where outside?"
"Um... outside... the place with the buttons." Piper explains, and Alex can picture the girl gazing around absently for some sort of identifying maker, "I forgot which button was yours though, so... I called you!"
"So you're out front of the building?" Alex asks, grabbing her keys and swinging into the hallway.
"Mmmmm... yes." Piper murmurs.
"Okay, Piper, stay there, I'm coming to get you."
"Alex it's cold."
"Piper, stay where you are." She skips waiting for the elevator and takes the stairs two by two, attempting to keep the blonde on the line.
The entryway is empty when she pushes through the first set of doors and she quickly moves towards the second set, gazing out into the sidewalk for any sign of blonde hair. Spotting Piper leaning against the building a few feet away she sighs in relief, ending the call.
"Piper!" She calls, and the younger woman turns suddenly, eyes alighting upon spotting her.
"Alex! You came!"
No longer worried about the blonde's well-being Alex allows a soft laugh to escape her lungs, "I did. What're you doin' here, kid?"
"Mmm..." Piper hums, ambling slowly towards her, and Alex's growing suspicions about the blonde's state of intoxication are confirmed as she sways slightly, "I was in the neighborhood, and I thought... I know... Alex lives here. Somewhere. And I'm going to visit her."
She stumbles slightly as she finally reaches her and Alex darts a hand out to steady the girl.
"Woah there," Alex remarks softly.
"Alex." Piper starts again with an air of seriousness, and Alex's eyebrows raise as she awaits the next statement, "it's cold."
Biting her lips to keep back the laugh that bubbles from her chest, Alex ducks her head and nods, "let's get you inside, kid."
Getting Piper from the lobby to her apartment proves to be a more difficult task than Alex has anticipated, as they second they reach the stairwell Piper becomes overwhelmingly handsy.
"Okay," Alex laughs, collecting her wrists for the third time as her hands attempt to slip inside her robe and down her pants, "wait until we make it into my apartment, Pipes."
"Mmm... No fun." Piper pouts. But she forgets her discontentment seconds later as she once again attempts to coerce Alex into a quickie three steps later.
Grabbing the girl firmly by the hips, Alex begins to forcefully steer them up the remainder of the stairs, "Piper Chapman, march your ass up these stairs right now."
Piper pauses at the sudden forcefulness of her tone, fixing the older woman with a confused and unimpressed gaze.
"March!" Alex barks.
"You just wanna stare at my ass." Piper mutters petulantly, and Alex bites back another grin.
They make it up a flight and a half before she begins resisting again.
"Piper." Alex pushes, "Go. Keep moving. C'mon. Let's go."
"You're the bossiest person I've ever met," Piper murmurs, trudging onward once more, "no wonder you don't have a girlfriend, bossy."
"I don't have a girlfriend because I'm too busy looking after your sorry ass."
Piper halts abruptly, whirling to face the woman in a less than graceful pivot as her eyes narrow almost comically. Alex's own eyes narrow as she jerks her head back under the blonde's suddenly fierce gaze.
"I knew you were staring at my ass," Piper grumbles petulantly before turning to continue her journey, "pervert."
Alex doesn't quite manage to bite back her laugh.
She can't say the girl's wrong.
She only removes her hands from Piper's waist once they reach her door, leaving the intoxicated blonde to lean heavily against the wall as she watches Alex fumble with her keys. A soft look crosses Piper's face and Alex can't help but shoot her several amused glances as she flips through her collection for the right one.
"What?" She murmurs gently, sliding the intended key into the lock.
"You're pretty." Piper answers, voice just as soft, and Alex's hands pause briefly.
"Yeah?" She asks, turning the knob and glancing back towards the blonde.
"Mmhmmm..." Piper nods.
A soft chuckle slips from Alex's chest and a genuine smile tugs at her lips. Reaching out to tuck a wayward strand of blonde hair behind Piper's ear she softly mutters, "you're pretty too." She's rewarded with the gentlest smile she's ever seen, and Alex vaguely notes the increasingly familiar sensation of her insides going all warm. "C'mon," she murmurs gently, holding out an arm and Piper snuggles up to her instantly.
She's seen Piper drunk before, but never quite like this. And never while she herself is entirely sober. She's all soft words and gentle touches and very very clingy. It's something that's annoyed her on more than one occasion from more than one girl, but with Piper there's something strangely endearing about it, and Alex finds herself quietly amused and returning the gentle affection.
They stumble happily towards her bedroom and she drops Piper heavily onto the bed before pulling away to fetch a glass of water and some aspirin.
"Noooooo!" Piper whines as she takes a step away from the bed.
"I'm just going to get you some water," Alex murmurs. But Piper is already struggling to regain her footing and follow her from the room, "Pipes..." she laughs, "stay here, I'll just be a minute."
"No." Piper pouts again and only relaxes when Alex returns to lower her back to the bed.
"Fine." She murmurs, pulling off her robe, and Piper smiles to herself in victory.
Working together they manage to strip Piper of her outerwear and wriggle under the covers.
They share a few slow and lingering kisses as their limbs curl around one another but Alex can sense the exhaustion taking over the blonde.
"No one's gonna call the cops and report a missing blonde woman tonight are they?" Alex murmurs stroking back Piper's hair.
"Hmm?" Piper murmurs, eyebrows furrowing.
"You didn't disappear on some friends or a date or anything when you came here, did you?"
"No." Piper sighs, pressing her lips to Alex's once more for a deep and thorough kiss, "family dinner." She mutters as they pull away, "I was suppose't stay at my parents but... I didn' want to. so. I called a cab and came here. Are you mad?"
"Nah, I'm not mad," Alex smiles, "I started the evening alone and now I've got a hot blonde in my bed. What's there to be mad about?"
Another gentle smile graces Piper's face as a light blush tints her cheeks. She buries her face in Alex's neck, depositing a string of sloppy kisses as Alex strokes her back in long gentle trails. Slowly the affections begin to tamper out and Piper's face stills against her neck. She pulls back with a yawn, settling onto her own pillow to watch Alex quietly for a moment.
"I'm sorry," She mumbles on the end of a sleepy sigh, burying her face gently against her pillow.
"What're you sorry for?" Alex asks softly, hooking a finger around a stray blonde curl and tucking it behind an ear.
"I dunno," Piper sighs again. She's fighting a losing battle against sleep and Alex can't quite help the small smile that breaks across her lips at the sight, "I always feel like I've 'lot to 'pologize for when I visit my parents. So... whatever 'pologies I may owe you... m'sorry."
The smile slips from her face as she studies the blonde, taking in her slurred admission. Fingers continuing to thread gently through the hair at Piper's temple, she ponders the girl's words. A soft hum escapes Piper's chest as her sluggish movements gradually still, but Alex's fingers keeping up their soothing motions all the while.
"You don't have anything to apologize for, Piper." She whispers eventually, "not with me."
.
Piper smirks to herself as she hears the locks turn and the door click closed.
"I was on a date," Alex growls, appearing in the doorway of the bedroom.
"Must not've been a very good one, seeing as it only took you twenty minutes to get here."
"It's a little hard to think about taking someone home when there's already another girl naked in your bed."
"Yeah..." Piper murmurs, watching the clothes fall from Alex's body like a hawk eyeing it's prey, "I imagine that might be hard to explain."
"You bitch," Alex laughs, sinking to her knees atop the comforter.
"You love it," Piper whispers as the brunette crawls over top of her.
"You wish." Alex returns just as softly before closing the gap between their mouths.
.
"Who's Fuckface?" Polly asks, breaking Piper from her thoughts.
"Hm?"
"Someone named Fuckface is desperately attempting to reach you."
Piper's gaze darts towards her friend and the phone in her hand. "Oh," she says, making to grab the vibrating object before Polly pulls her hand back suddenly.
"Nuh uh, who is it?"
"Pol-" Piper starts, an edge to her tone. It's not often that Alex actually calls and she finds her interest piqued at the uncharacteristic gesture. But Polly meets her glare with a stubborn look of her own, eyebrows raised and face stony. "It's Alex!" Piper growls, taking advantage of her friend's momentary pause to snatch back her phone.
"Alex?" Polly says, confusion evident in both her face and voice, "Wait like Nicky's Alex?"
"Yes." Piper mumbles, bringing the phone to her ear.
"Like the woman you hate, Alex!?" But Polly's question goes unanswered as Piper murmurs softly into her phone and slips through the door and onto the porch, her voice calling out just as Piper shuts the door; "Piper Chapman we are talking about the second you finish that call!"
"Sorry," Piper breathes, and Alex's quiet laugh echos in response.
"Are you sure you're free?"
"Yeah, no, I'm just at Polly's, what's up? You don't usually call."
Something similar to a groan crackles down the line as Alex gathers her words, "Yeeeah... I'm kinda at this work... thing, which y'know is fine and whatever, but there's a certain client I may have made the mistake of sleeping with at one point, who turned out to be one of those really clingy 'can't take the hint about a one night stand' types." Piper's soft laughter rings down the line and Alex can't quite manage to catch the grin that begins to tug at her lips at the sound, "She's kind of been hounding me all night and I figured if I made some sort of call I'd get a few minutes peace. Nichols is out on some date tonight so... you were my next best option."
"Wooow," Piper drawls playfully, "second to Nicky. I don't know if I should be insulted or honored."
"Shut up," Alex laughs softly, and this time it's Piper's turn to grin.
"What kind of work thing is it?" Piper asks, settling into one of the chairs.
"Mm... just some... stupid... low key... cocktail party." Alex murmurs, "a chance to rehook all the old investors and impress all the new ones."
"Sounds super fun," Piper deadpans.
And Alex's tone matches it's jubilance, "oh it is. So much. I'm having the time of my life."
"I can tell!" Piper laughs, "I've never heard your voice so filled with enthusiasm before, I'm almost frightened."
"Yeah well few things get me going like the high stakes game of curating."
"I'll have to keep that in mind," Piper's amused laughter rings down the line once more and Alex bites her lip as the grin threatens to grow larger.
"Hey, are you doing anything tonight?" She asks softly.
"Why," Piper grins, "do you need me to come down there and tell this woman to back off."
"No," Alex laughs, "I just... speaking of things that get me going... have come to associate your voice with the idea of sex, and it's kiiiinda startin' to do it for me right now."
"Do you need me to whisper filthy promises into your ear while you touch yourself?" Piper teases, "are you alone? Because this kind of behavior could potentially cost you your exciting job."
"No," Alex laughs again, "I'm not, and you're right, it could, which is why I ask if you're free later, say in like... an hour or so?"
"I've got nothing too exciting planned," Piper drawls.
"If I text you the address do you wanna swing by and pick me up?"
"Well. It'll get me out of an uncomfortable conversation with Polly I'm not sure I'm ready to have."
"Great, so it's a win win," Alex grins.
"That it is," Piper murmurs, a soft smile dancing on her lips.
"I'll see you in an hour then."
"You'd better. If I get there and find out some persistent woman has finally managed to whisk you away with the promise of more exciting curator talk I'm going to be a very unhappy camper."
And Alex barks out a loud genuine laugh, voice still tinged with chuckling amusement as she says, "I'll try to keep it in my pants until you get here."
"Good," Piper whispers softly, "one hour."
"One hour."
.
They're going on a year and trying not to think about it when Piper finally makes the observation they've been studiously avoiding.
It'd been a night of continuous sex, round after round bleeding into round after round when Piper finally pulls herself from the bed to begin gathering her clothes. They're both lost in their thoughts, Alex still tangled in the sweaty sheets as she studies the ceiling.
Trying not to think too hard about what tonight meant (it hadn't been a celebration, there was no such thing as an anniversary between fuck buddies), Piper's movements gradually begin to still as her thoughts spill into dangerous territory. She can't remember the last time she's slept with someone other than Alex. She can't remember the last date she's gone on that didn't somehow end with her tangled up in Alex. She can't remember the last time she's thought about spending any sort of time like this with anyone other than Alex. Suddenly her mind is racing to come up with the last time Alex mentioned a date or a one stand or anything having to do with anyone other than Piper.
"Alex..." Piper murmurs, stilling her movements and sinking to the foot of the bed, "are we... monogamous?"
A silence stretches between them as Alex draws a breath, wets her lips, "fuck."
Piper turns around now, eyeing the older woman with a confused and slightly alarmed expression, "I can't remember the last time I slept with someone else..."
Alex can't help the disbelieving laugh that huffs out from between her lips, "me either."
"Oh my god..." Piper whispers, turning back to face the front of her room, "we're girlfriends."
They're silent for a moment, the weight of Piper's words hanging heavy in the silence of the room before the bed begins to shake slightly. When it doesn't let up, Piper turns once more, curious as to what the brunette is doing, and her brows furrow in slight confusion.
The heels of Alex's hands are digging into her eyes, fingers just lightly brushing the edge of her hairline as her body shakes with increasingly heavy tremors. And for a moment Piper's worried Alex is crying before she draws a sudden breath and let's loose another quiet "fuck." And suddenly it's all too clear that she's laughing. Deep guttural belly laughs that begin to grow louder and louder until Piper can't help but join her.
And then they're both laughing wildly.
Alex's hands fall from her face her eyes meet Piper's and their laughter swells once more before finally tapering off.
"C'mere..." she murmurs, extending a hand towards the blonde, who eagerly takes it as she scoots up the bed to tuck herself gently against the brunette. "God..." Alex murmurs, as they regain the last of their breath.
"Yeah..." Piper answers, and they almost lapse into a fit of giggles all over again.
"So... I guess... this pretty much makes it official then..."
"I suppose it does." Piper breathes, relieved that Alex seems just as hesitant to make a big deal out of it as she.
"Hmmm..." Alex hums, threading her fingers lightly through Piper's hair (and Piper doesn't even attempt to catch the answering hum that slips from her own lips at the gesture), "girlfriends..."
"Girlfriends." Piper whispers back, her own fingers tracing patterns against Alex's exposed collarbone.
"I think I could get used to it."
She's grinning when Piper tilts her head up to meet her gaze, and Piper knows she's very well sporting her own matching one. "Me too."
They lean in together, lips meeting halfway in a gentle sort of caress. A gesture they've shared a thousand times before, yet somehow still feels like the first time. Alex's lips pull into a smile against Piper's, and they pull apart just enough for their gazes to meet. Raising a hand to slide across her jaw, tucking a wayward strand of blonde hair behind her ear, Alex mumbles, "Don't tell Nicky."
And they can't quite stop the giggles that begin to bubble up once more.
And they think they might just be okay with that.
so, nothing very weighty, I know this chapter was ridiculously light and slightly disjointed, but it's been awhile since I've done something this carefree and non-angsty, so it kind of felt right to leave it so airy. I've gotten several requests to make a sequel to this particular chapter (especially from a certain friend of mine who would not rest until she pushed me into it), I keep saying there are at least two other sequels in the works to two other chapters but they're a very slow process apparently and inspiration for this one struck me quite suddenly out of literally nowhere so I chased motivation while I could.
on a completely unrelated note I'm probably deleting the tumblr account I had under this name because I've got a personal one I use more often and I honestly keep forgetting I opened one for this account anyway. I know a few of you follow me on there so I felt like it's only fair to give you a heads up about it.