A/N: Hi! I don't know if anyone will even read this. I know OITNB has been over for a while. But I recently rewatched the show and got reinvested in these characters and thought I'd give this a shot. Please, let me know what you think! I may continue it if I feel like people like it
Piper Chapman's life was a simple one growing up. She got everything she wanted and more, especially if the neighbours had it. She made friends without thinking about it. It was easy. Unless you count witnessing her dad having an affair and being dismissed by her mom when she found the courage to tell her. As long as they looked good in a picture, that's what mattered.
She was always closer to her dad than she was her mother. Her mom always seemed to want something from her, nothing was enough. If she was doing well in school, she picked on her clothes, or how she did her hair, who she hung out with. Then it became where she went to college, what she studied.
Piper's parents doted on Danny, her older brother, who had an impressive career in medicine, who was almost a stranger to her. Cal, her younger brother, barely existed to them at all. She couldn't decide which brother she was more envious of.
After graduating from Smith University, Piper felt her life going in no direction. Everything she studied was either useless or uninteresting. But she knew she was expected to finish. After graduating, he started to fade from her life of hobbies and large groups of friends. It didn't appeal to her anymore, not the way it used to. Or if it ever truly appealed to her.
She still hung out with her childhood friend, Polly, who was trying to start a soap business. She found it kind of lame, but helped out for a while, until she lost interest in that too. Which caused an obvious strain in their friendship.
Their relationship healed a little when Piper started dating Larry, which meant they could go on double dates. There was something more domestic about their friendship, Polly was interested in settling down, and clearly wanted Piper to do the same. The pressure of it annoyed her very much, she got enough of that from her parents, who were already hinting about grandkids. As if the second she finished college, the only use she had, was breeding. They didn't pressure her brothers this way, and it made her even more resentful.
Larry was good to her, mostly. He liked that she was always available to him, and he treated her well. Her parents didn't approve, which became a selling point for her. His dad didn't approve of her either, which was a source of contention for the couple. Because, even when Larry defended her, she could hear him agreeing a little. Like he's asking his dad to forgive her shortcomings. They didn't have much chemistry, but she was comfortable around him.
Piper had just clocked out early from her internship at a marketing company, mostly answering the phone. Very dull work, but she figured maybe it could turn into something more substantial eventually. Larry met her outside of work. They were supposed to go to his parents for dinner again. This usually meant his parents talking to Larry, and pretending she wasn't there.
The two talked lightheartedly as they walked and Piper requested to stop in the library. The two went in, and Larry went straight to the magazines, where he typically stayed until Piper was blonde wondered up and down the aisles, her eyes not really settling on anything. She did this a few times before she heard a voice behind her.
"It's usually better if you actually look in the book," a mysterious, raspy voice said.
Piper quickly turned around to find who the voice belonged to. Her eyes locked onto two beautiful, green eyes, sitting behind a pair of black, plastic rimmed glasses. She never seen glasses as hot before, but they looked so hot on her. Like a sexy librarian.
She was absolutely beautiful with long, black hair, perfect nose, and full lips. Piper's eyes travel up and down the nameless woman's body, a tight, black button up shirt that showed just a slight amount of cleavage, and black pants that hugged every curve of her hips and down her well toned legs, being propped up by a pair of high-heeled boots, that made her tower over Piper from where she stood just a few feet away, leaning against the bookshelf behind her.
This isn't the first time Piper felt an attraction to another woman. It just always felt forbidden, so she always ignored it. But this time, she couldn't deny herself. She felt her face heat up when she realised she'd been looking way too long. Her eyes make their way back to the other woman's face, and see one eyebrow raised, and a corner of her beautiful mouth pulled up into an amused look, but also looking very pleased.
Piper was surprised there wasn't even an ounce discomfort in her face with how long the blonde had been looking. But she figured, it'd be better if she at least said something, "Oh, Umm… yeah, well I was just.. looking," the last word coming out in a slight stutter.
The taller woman's breaks in to a full smile, which made her even prettier. "So I see! Well, don't let me stop you," she responded flirtatiously, she stood up straight and took a step closer to the adorable, flustered lady in front of her. eyes locked on to the other woman's, "My name's Alex."
"Piper," Piper replied shyly, she wasn't used to anyone showing this level of interest in her. Unsure of what to say or do, she just asked the first thing that came to mind. "Do you work here?"
Alex's head pulls back as she smirks, "Are you fucking kidding me?"
Piper was taken aback, but too fascinated by the woman to care. "No?… I don't know," she giggles and looks down at her hands in front of her. When she looked back up, Alex was watching her, almost like she's studying her. "Larry," Piper blurts out stupidly, realising she was almost lusting after this woman, with her boyfriend ten feet away.
Alex's head jerks back again, standing up tall as she tries to conceal her amusement, she crosses her arms over chest before replying, beyond dedicated to this conversation. "Well, now I'm offended." She winks at Piper to show she's joking. She reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a business card and grabbed a book and placing the card inside. "You better find Larry," her eyes zero in on a strand of hair, sitting across her face. She slowly moves her hand up and gently moves the hair out of her face and behind her ear, their faces even closer. "It's nice meeting you, Piper."
"You too," Piper replied weakly, breathing in deeply when Alex took a step back. She clutched the book to her chest, giving the other woman a smile, flipping her hands through her hair nervously. She frowned when the taller woman turned her attention to the shelf behind where they were standing. Piper's shoulders drop slightly, as she turned around and saw her boyfriend had been standing there, smiling obliviously.
"Ready, sweetheart?" He looked down at the book in her hand as the two made their way to the counter.
Piper quickly checked the book out, looking around for one more glimpse of Alex. She was in the same spot, talking to another woman with bushy, darker blonde hair. But talking in a different way, like they've known each other for years, she smiled when the taller woman threw her head back to laugh. Piper quickly turned her attention back to the library doors and left behind her boyfriend.
"That a good book? Not your usual choice." Larry observed as they made their way back to his house to get his car.
Piper shrugged, "Not sure yet, just thought I'd try something different." Piper looked down at the book, realising she never bothered to look at what the book was that Alex handed her. It was Jane Austen.
"Did you know that other girl in there?" Larry asked, not suspiciously, Piper didn't know a stranger.
"No, we just got to talking, and she recommended it to me," her hand clenching the book tighter.
"Nice," Larry said pleasantly, taking her hand as they walked the rest of the way in quiet.
"She's got a boyfriend Nicky," Alex explained, rolling her eyes at her friend's insistence.
"So does Lorna," Nicky argues back, her eyes went back to the retreating blonde girl. "Plus, look how out of his league she is. Come on, Vause."
Alex nodded in agreement, "That she is, but that still means she's straight though."
Nicky wasn't ready to give up yet, "Then why'd do you give her your business card? You know it's not all just gay or straight, and the way she was looking at you, she was definitely interested. And you know it." She smirked when Alex didn't respond with more than an eyebrow raised. "She took one look at you, and wanted all of that-"
"Okay, shit," Alex said way too loudly, earning a glare from the librarian who was trying to help a group kids. She waved in apology, refusing to make eye contact with her best friend.
Alex didn't develop feelings for people very often. She had a handful of friends and a mother that passed away the year before. But other than that, it had just been her going it alone. She had short flings, but nothing that worked out more than a month or two.
She didn't have much during her childhood. Her clothes were used, her shoes were knockoff brands, she didn't get to go on all the field trips her classmates did. Her mom just couldn't afford it. She didn't have hard feelings towards her mom, she did everything for her daughter. She was supportive when she came out to her and made it safe for her to be herself. Alex understands now, how special and irreplaceable that is. She would spend the rest of her life missing her mom.
She didn't have a childhood best friend. In fact, she didn't have friends at all. She was bullied mercilessly, for her glasses and clothes mainly. So, her mom was her only friend, until she graduated and ran into Nicky in a club. She got her bartending license and paid her own way through business school, and now she owns two clubs, called Salt Shakers. Alex takes a lot of pride in where she is now, and was even thinking about opening another location.
Although the money troubles are gone, there's a constant inner battle, making it impossible to let people in. She can still feel that rejection from her peers from years before, knowing half the people she hung around now, would have never spoken to her before. It's a constant nagging feeling that no one was interest in her, but what she had.
When she saw a cute, blonde girl walking around the library shelves, not paying attention to anything going on around her, not even the books in front of her, she couldn't help but want her around. She needed to know what was going on in that mind of hers. Yes, she was clearly very attractive, but there was something else, she just couldn't figure out what. And the way the blue-eyed woman looked at her when she spoke to her, was flattering. Piper didn't know her, and didn't care what she owned, or didn't own. She liked her.
She didn't expect to hear from her, but she kept a silent hope that she would. She went to Salt Shakers to check on her business and tried to focus on something else besides Piper and even Nicky, who still wouldn't let it go.
Alex felt her phone buzz quietly in her pocket, and moved herself to her office before taking it out and placing her glasses on her head. She raises an eyebrow when she sees who it's from.
'Hi, it's Piper from the library'
Alex smiles, saving the number before replying.
A: Hi, Piper from the library. How's Larry?
P: I'm at his parents house, they're talking. They don't really include me.
A: How nice of them
Alex shakes her head, sitting in her office chair, waiting for another text.
P: They're nice, they just don't really approve of me. I don't know why I'm telling you this.
A: Because you're sitting there bored, come here instead.
Alex smirks, knowing the other woman wouldn't actually come, but it didn't keep her from asking. She would keep asking.
P: I can't just leave, that would be rude. Besides, I don't know where 'here' is
A: Oh yeah, rude, like excluding you from conversation? I'm at a bar, Salt Shakers, I could buy you a drink. And trust me, you won't feel ignored.
Alex hated the hope that was building up, there's no way Piper was coming.
P: How long will you be there? Maybe I have a headache and need to head out early to get some rest.
The raven haired woman's eyebrows raise on surprise, "Okay," she said to herself.
A: Think Larry would fall for that?
P: Probably, he likes to spend a lot of time with his parents, whether I'm here or not.
Alex sent her the location, and went out to the dance floor to wait. She couldn't believe this was actually happening.
Twenty minutes later, Piper walks in, looking a little out of place. But what was fascinating to Alex, is that Piper didn't even seem to notice how different she looked from everyone else. Alex beelined over to her, not letting anyone else an opportunity to approach the young woman. "Hello, Laura Ingles Wilder," pulling her glasses up over her head.
Piper giggles, "Hi, thank you for rescuing me from my boyfriend's parents." She had a hard time maintaining eye contact with how intensely the taller woman was gazing at her.
Alex hummed in reply, tentatively offering her hand to Piper, her heart lurching when she felt her very soft hands against her own, and pulled her off to a more secluded section of the club.
Alex nodded to the bartender, a silent communication that they would be ordering drinks. She found a booth and motioned for Piper to sit.
The two women ordered drinks, a slightly uncomfortable silence lingered between them. Piper chuckles, finding the confidence to break the silence. "You look very pretty, I meant to say it earlier."
The black haired woman was a little shocked by the directness, with how shy she seemed just a few hours ago. "Thank you, kid," bring her glasses back down over eyes, to get a clearer look at Piper.
"Well," Piper said, trying again at conversation, "so, what do you do, Alex?"
The black haired woman's hands rise motioning to the room around her, smiling. "This, I work here," Alex knew she should tell the truth and tell her she's the owner, but it always felt weird.
Piper perks up in interest, "Oh, you work here. Do you like it?"
Alex nods, eyes travelling around the building, before looking back at the blonde woman, "I do, it feels like home to me." She thanked the waitress for bringing them their ordered drinks, her attention brought back to the girl sitting before her.
"That's so nice," Piper says with a smile. "I haven't found anything that makes me feel like that."
Alex tilts her head when she sees a drop in the other woman's demeanour. "Well, it's not too late. It takes time to figure out what you want."
The two woman locked eyes, it wasn't lost on Piper that she meant more than just career choices. "That it does," Piper mumbled in agreement as she took a drink of her margarita. She thought of Larry, and how dating him was a disappointment to her parents, how her career was likely going nowhere. And here was this perfect, confident woman who knew exactly who she was, and wasn't afraid to be that.
She felt a soft kick at her foot and looked up, Alex looking at her with kind eyes. "I lost you there for a minute. Look, there's no pressure here. We're just getting to know each other."
"No pressure, right." Piper repeated, more to herself. People always expected something from her, and she imagined there were expectations with Alex too.
"So serious," Alex's voice went back to her flirtatious one from earlier.
Piper gave her a playful glare, "Did you invite me here just to make fun of me." She smiled when the other girl started laughing.
"Hardly," Alex said, grinning ear to ear, "I can do that in text message too. I wanted to see you again, preferably without the boyfriend," her nose scrunched up a little with the last word.
"So, me having a boyfriend doesn't deter you at all?"
"It should," Alex take a drink of her beer, before sitting it back down. "But then again, if you were truly devoted to that relationship, you wouldn't be here."
Piper felt her defences rise as she felt the judgment. "You don't know anything about it."
Alex's widened at the tone. "No, I don't, you're right," Alex put a hand up, hoping not to upset the blonde any further. When Piper didn't say anything back, Alex just said, "Sorry," not sure what to say next. She wasn't good at this, the emotion stuff. She often hurt feelings without even realising it.
Piper ran her hands through her hair and sighed, "No, it's okay. You were right."
"Doesn't mean I needed to say it, I did just get done telling you there was no pressure. Wait, no, why are you standing up," the taller woman frowns, trying to think of something to say to get her to stay.
Piper gave her a tight smile, "I think I've had too much to drink, I should probably head home." She wasn't mad at the other woman, she just wanted to be alone for the night.
Alex sighed, "Struck out already, huh? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
The blonde shook her head, her face softened, "Please, don't be. It's okay. Maybe we can talk more throughout the week." She felt the weight of the day on her shoulders
Alex relented, unhappily, standing up as well. "Can I at least call you a ride home?" She wasn't a fan of young women walking home at night, and especially not Piper.
Piper smiled again, shrugged, taking a step closer to Alex, "That would be great. And no strike out. I just need a minute to think."
She looked up at Alex and realised they were very close. Her heart fluttered when she did that eyebrow thing when their eyes met, her smirk returning from earlier.
"Alright, please text me when you're done thinking. Or, text me while you're thinking. Just text me, don't be a stranger."
Piper recognised the slight insecurity in Alex's face, as if she's expecting Piper to turn her down. She placed her hand over the taller woman's hand that sitting on the table, and looked back up to face her again. "I'll text you tomorrow," she promised, squeezing the hand underneath hers, before removing it. Piper smiled at her again before making her way to the door.
Alex watched her leave, shaking her head at herself for pushing the conversation so much. She misjudged Piper. She was young and naive, but there's a toughness too that Alex didn't expect. She stood up to her, and it made her want her even more.
"I think I hurt Piper's feeling," Alex grumbles into the phone to her best friend about a half hour later.
"Who's Piper," Nicky asked.
Alex sighed impatiently, "the girl in the library. I met her for drinks."
"Ah," Nicky started, Alex could hear her smirking. "So blondie, okay. You already hurt her feelings, how?"
The black haired woman leaned back in her seat dejectedly, "We got to talking about her being in a relationship. She asked me if it bothered me that she had a Larry, I said no because if she cared about her relationship, she wouldn't be here." She winced as she heard her own words again. She heard Nicky let out a breath of air that sounded like something between a laugh and a scoff.
"Oh Vause, you have such a way with words," Nicky chuckled, shaking her head.
"I know."
"Well… what happened then, you can't just leave me there," Nicky exclaimed.
"She basically told me off, saying I didn't know about her situation and said she was leaving. But that she would text me tomorrow."
Nicky sits back in surprise, "She told you off? I think I like her. Well, that doesn't sound too bad. She said she would text you tomorrow, so wait for tomorrow."
"I know," she says again.
"Conversing with you is always a treat, let me know what happens, I'm invested now. Don't make me track her down to ask her, you know I'll do it."
"Don't you dare do that, I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Piper woke up the next day and got ready for work, with Alex on her mind. She was glad she had been reluctant to moving in with Larry, cause she still had her own space to think in peace.
She thought back on how disappointed Alex was that she was leaving, and still made sure she had a ride home. Larry just smiled and said okay when she said she had a headache, unless he knew she was lying, Piper thought.
As the day wore on, and she answered a call from a particularly nasty customer and got up to stretch her back as she walked to her break room. She pulled her phone out, ready to text Alex.
P: Hey, Alex, good afternoon
After about ten minutes of waiting, she frowned and headed back to work. After another hour, she heard her phone. She didn't have any calls coming in, so she pulled it out, smiling when she saw Alex's name.
A: Hey Piper, I'm happy to hear from you
Piper shook her head, remembering how unsure the other girl sounded last night. She would get her figured out one day.
P: I told you I would text you today! Are you working, too?
A: Yeah, just some management duties, and then I'm done
P: Oh, a manager, huh? I bet you're a tough boss
A: Am not!
P: If you say so. I want us to hang out again, I want to see you
A: Sounds good, do you want to come by here again?
P: Yeah, let's do that. What time does it open?
A: Doesn't matter, just come over when you get off.
Piper frowned in confusion, surely she couldn't just hang out in there while it's closed, but shrugged it off.
P: Alright, I'll message you when I'm done here
Piper got more nervous as the day went on. But pushed through it as she got in her car to drive to Salt Shakers. She didn't know why she hadn't ever been here before, it was really nice, inside and out. She didn't take the time to admire the design of the place last night. She pulls out her phone, to text Alex when she hears a door open, she looks up instinctively and sees a pair black framed glasses. She smiles and pockets her phone. "Well, hello there."
Alex smiles easily in return, her wondering down her legs as she approached, an eyebrow raised. Piper looked down and remembered she was wearing one of her shorter skirts that stopped just about mid-thigh.
"Hmm," Alex said, grinning down at her as she got closer, obviously liking what she sees. "Is this how you typically dress in the office? If so, I think I might be in the wrong line of work."
"You like?" Piper asked, leaning against her car, enjoying the attention.
Alex took another step closer and took another glance down her legs, "too much."
Piper didn't know how to respond, her eyes stayed on Alex's until they rested back up to her own. Piper closed the rest of the distance, now looking at those full, kissable lips.
Alex cleared her throat, her voice even raspier then before, "you sure you want to do that?"
"Umm," Piper's voice shaky. Of course she wanted to, who wouldn't?
Alex took a step back and winked at the blonde, "Maybe later, if you're more sure," the tension between them dissipated. Piper was confused right now, Alex could tell, she didn't want to take advantage of that, unless Piper initiates it. They just met yesterday, there's no reason to rush her.
Piper gave her a half smile, and looked down, "Sorry," avoiding the other woman's gaze.
"Don't hide," Alex lifted Piper's chin up gently. "No pressure, remember what I said yesterday? I know, then I said something insensitive afterwards, but I still meant it. We've just met, and you have a Larry. Right now, no need to push it, right?"
"Okay," Piper breathed out.
"You look beautiful, Pipes," looking down at the light blue shirt that made eyes pop.
"Thank you."
Alex offered her a hand, "Why don't you come with me, I have someone who'd like to meet you."
Piper took her hand and happily followed her into the building where she heard a loud voice coming from another room she couldn't see yet, it was dark, given the building wasn't open for business yet.
"Piper, meet Nicky," pulling her through a doorway, where Nicky was arguing with someone on the phone.
"Alright, well that didn't stop you last time you were engaged," winking at the blonde as they walked in, earning a stony look from her best friend. Oh, she would have so much fun with these two. "Alright fine, if you want to end it, we'll end it, but this it, Lorna," Nicky's eyes went to Piper's with a glint, "besides, I've met someone new." She hung up before Lorna could respond, avoiding whatever death glare she's receiving, and kept her eyes fixed on Piper. "Blondie," she greets, crossing her arms as she studied the pretty woman.
"It's… Piper," she corrected the woman quietly, side eyeing Alex who had her eyes on Nicky with an almost angry expression. Not knowing the story there, Piper decides to keep trying. "I saw you, yesterday, at the library."
"Oh you did, huh? And here I thought you only had eyes for dorky men, and mountainess women with pillowy breasts," Nicky grinned even wider, knowing she was winding her friend up. She did swear she would tone it down when Piper came in.
Piper's face broke into a smile as she heard Alex clicking her heel on the ground impatiently. Piper just shrugged, "Well, what can I say, everyone has a type."
"That they do," Nicky said with a chuckle. "Just like my type is beautiful, sweet, yet insecure women, who prefer their imaginary boyfriends over me."
"That's very specific," Piper responded, not knowing what to say to that.
"Well," Nicky finally met her best friend's eyes, "I like her, she's hired."
Alex shook her head, grinning despite herself, especially after Piper looked up at her confused. "Nicky, you're making me regret introducing you.
Nicky was unfazed, "Too late now, stretch."
Piper giggled, looking at Alex again, eliciting a smile from the taller woman.
"Alright, both of you have to get out of here before I hurl." Nicky shakes her head at the love birds.
Alex keeps her attention on Piper, holding her hand out again, "Come on, I'll show you around." Piper gave Nicky a parting wave as she follows Alex.
"I liked her," Piper exclaimed, still amused at the shorter woman's antics.
Alex mumbled something, but clearly pleased that the two like each other.
"Oh come on," Piper not relenting, "it was funny," not realising they were as close as they were when they almost kissed before.
The taller woman rolled her eyes, before looking down at her, "Is that how this is going to go, you two ganging up on me?"
"Maybe," Piper runs her fingers through the waves black without thinking about it.
Alex lets her for a moment, mostly because it feels incredible. She takes her hand into her own, "You have to stop doing that, especially with our faces this close, otherwise I won't be able to stop myself."
Piper's eyes were her lips again, just as they were just moments ago. They were not good at this taking it slow thing. "Why am I so drawn to you?" She asks in weird tone Alex hadn't heard before, almost like she hadn't meant to ask it out loud.
Alex didn't have an answer to it, so instead she leaned in even closer, their lips almost touching. "We don't have to do this."
But Piper did, she pressed her lips to Alex's in a closed mouth kiss, feeling the soft fullness against hers. She placed her hands to Alex's face and pulled her even closer, to deepen the kiss. She felt an arm reach around her waist and pulled tight against her body.
After a few more seconds, the urgency diminishes, and Alex slowly breaks the kiss, taking a step back and taking a few breaths. It was too fast, Alex felt. She took another step back, as she sees Piper follow her step, and puts a hand up to stop her. "Hold on, Pipes."
"Oh," Piper frowns, starting to feel embarrassed, but trying to hide it.
Alex took a few more seconds to calm her body down and gather her thoughts.
"I thought you wanted to," Piper's mind racing through the last few moments.
"I did," Alex says roughly, saw Piper's face fall, and quickly adds, "I do… want to, that is."
"Okay," Piper frowns, not able read what Alex was feeling.
"I told you there was no rush, remember?"
Piper was frustrated with what she felt like were mixed messages. "I don't get it. You said that, yes. And then we were holding hands, and then you came closer to me when I touched your hair."
Alex put some more distance between them, realising this conversation wasn't going in a great place, and this was the part she had trouble with, words and feelings. Especially feelings. "Piper, you have a Larry. And I don't know if I'm some kind of experiment for you. But if this doesn't work out, you have a Larry to go to, I have no one. How do I know, you aren't just going to go back to.. you know, being straight?" Alex winces as she knew straight comment was worded completely different than how it went in her head.
"An experiment," Piper chuckles, shaking her head. "You really don't know me at all. Which of course you don't, we just met yesterday."
"Exactly," Alex said, hoping Piper understands where she's coming from. Her feelings for Piper were too much too fast. It scared her, made her insecure, and she didn't like feeling that way.
Piper felt her eyes burning as the kiss caught up with her, and Alex's rejection, and how angry and hurt Larry will be.
Alex just stared as she saw the tears building up, shit. "It's okay, Pipes. I didn't mean we can't still hang out." She places a tentative hand on her shoulder, which seemed to make things worse, and she let out a sob. Alex's eyes widen, looking around her, not sure how to handle this.
"No," Piper starts to cry, "I know. And you know exactly who you are. I don't have that. I have all this pressure on me all the time, and I never seem to get it right." She looked up as she wiped her tears and saw Alex looking uncomfortable. "Sorry, never mind," trying to turn away from the other woman.
"No, come on, don't leave on me again."
"Yeah, because that's what I do, right?" Piper's felt a small bubble of anger flare up. She knew she was being unfair. Pulled her arm back before Alex could grab it.
Alex sighed deeply, running her hands through her hair in frustration. "Piper, what the fuck, I'm just trying to talk to you."
"Why bother, this is just an experiment." Her hands were shaking, she was so upset.
Alex wasn't letting her just take off without getting her words out, she followed her out the door, silently cursing to herself. "I get to protect my feelings, Piper. It doesn't mean I don't like you. In fact, I really like you, and I'm being very nice here, and you need to stop running from me."
Piper was digging in her purse trying to get keys out, with shaky hands, and blurry vision, made even worse knowing Alex was just a few feet from her watching her every move.
Alex grabbed her wrist that was digging in the purse, "Stop, Piper. It's not even safe for you to drive like this." Rolling her eyes when Piper turned away from her. "I didn't mean to say it was an experiment. But it does happen you know, people don't necessarily do it consciously. Maybe you've had feelings for women in the past, and you just want to try it out before you marry the Larry. And maybe not. But we just met, and it scares me how fast this is going, knowing you're with someone. Can't you understand that?"
Alex just stood and watched Piper stand with her back to her, still trying to pull her keys out, before trying more. "You said that I know exactly who I am. And you are right about that. But you should have that too. Why don't we take time getting to know each other, like I thought we were? You don't have to leave. We can sit down, have a drink. Or not drink. Whichever."
"Fine." Piper walks back in to the building, without even looking at Alex.
The dark haired woman smiled to herself at the attitude. She followed her into the building and watched her lock herself into the bathroom. Alex's mind travelled back to the kiss, it was a really good kiss. She could still feel the very slight ache where Pipers teeth grazed her bottom lip. Alex knew part of it was her fault for teasing her, but she couldn't help but want to touch and be close to the other woman.
Alex's body jerks when she sees the door open again, sighing when the blonde purposely walks in the other direction, ridiculous. She could see Piper turning her head slightly every couple feet to make sure Alex was following. Alex bit her lip and smiled. Piper walked back in to Nicky's office a closes the door. Alex frowns and walks a quickened pace to the room.
She opens the door and sees Piper sitting at one of the seats around Nicky's desk, Nicky looking at her, fighting for her life to not laugh.
"Really," Alex walks up to the blonde.
Piper looked up, the only sign that she's been crying was a slight reddening to her eyes. "What?"
Alex glares at Nicky who was leaned back in her seat, watching. She shrugged when they made eye contact. "Fine. Let me know when you'd like to stop playing these games and talk."
"Aw, come on Alex," Nicky reasoned, she could see the frustration on her friend's face. Alex could be really intense sometimes. Just in the twenty minutes since they left her office the first time, clearly an altercation happened where Piper was crying, she was hardly going to kick her out.
Alex sighed and slammed the door behind her. Nicky rested her eyes on Piper instead. "You want to talk about it?"
Piper shrugs, pouting in her seat for a minute. "I'm confused, and now we're fighting. I don't blame her, I guess."
"Well, I've known Alex for quite a few years now. She isn't the most open person ever, and it's cost her a lot of relationships, relationships could've actually gone somewhere. But something about you is affecting her in a way she's not used to, so she's going to do everything she can to make sure she's not going to end up devastated."
Piper listened to Nicky in shock, as the person who was cracking jokes, was giving such great advice. "It is moving faster than it should, I can see that. I just, I don't know. I just know I like her. I don't know what that means for me."
Nicky nodded, "And can you see how that could be scary for her? It should be scary for you, too."
"It is," Piper relented, "I might've overreacted," her lip twitched when she looked up at her new friend.
"Oh, you think so?" Nicky grins. "Well, you guys make a hot couple, if that's any consolation."
Piper snorted, "I should probably go back out there."
"Yeah."
Piper looks around the building for her… not girlfriend. Running into strangers looking at her oddly as they were doing their various jobs, preparing for opening.
She heard her talking and followed her voice to a small break room to the right. Alex looked over when she walked in and smiled gently at her. She nodded to the girl next her and motioned Piper out of the room.
This time, Alex made no attempt to hold her hand, to her disappointment. In fact, they didn't touch once the whole rest of the night. They spent a lot of it talking, Piper chose not to drink since she knew she had to drive home.
"I'm glad you stayed," Alex said as they walked out the employee exit.
Piper looked down at her feet, "Me, too."
"I'll see you, Pipes."
Piper looked up and smiles, and pulls the other woman into a hug. Alex stiffened in her arms for a moment, but eventually relaxed, hugging her back. Piper pulled away, taking a deep breath.
"I hope that was okay."
"It was. Of course it was," Alex wasn't much of a hugger, but she could like hugging Piper.
"Do you still want us to talk," it was Piper's turn feeling insecure about their relationship.
"Well, obviously. Maybe, for a while that's what we do you know?" Alex searching her face for any signs of distress.
"What do you mean, not see each other?" Piper asked softly, her eyes not meeting Alex's.
"Just for a while, Pipes." Alex made Piper look back up at her. "Please, be okay with this. Maybe, we can get coffee or something, here and there."
Piper's shoulders drop, "okay."
Alex hated hurting her feelings, but it was the only option for now. "I'm sorry. I thought I could do this with you being with a guy. It's too confusing for me, and I imagine it is for you too. Just a couple weeks while we get to know each other and give you time to figure things out." Don't hate me, please don't hate me, Alex thought.
"Alright," Piper looking everywhere besides Alex. Turned away from the taller woman, not able to hear anymore of this right now. She could hear Alex calling for her, making her eyes begin to sting again. She got into her car without another word, and drove away, not looking back the woman she was falling in love with.
Alex stomped back into her club, making sure to not run into Nicky right now. Her heart hurt way too much to handle advice, or jokes.
She locked herself in her office, trying to stop herself from crying as well. It's so stupid, they just met.
Piper and Alex didn't speak for over a week after that. Piper's feelings were still hurt, even though she also understood. Alex knew that, in the end, it needed to be Piper to reach out first. She also knew this was partly Piper punishing her for somewhat ending things, or more like slowing things. She would take the punishment, as long as she heard from her eventually. Unless she chose Larry.
Alex sat glaring at her phone, her whole body jumping when it went off. She picked it up, not Piper. Alex groaned, she really missed her.
Piper spent the days, almost weeks, trying to gage what feelings she had for Larry, how it compared with Alex. Then in a random moment at dinner, she told him about the kiss. He dumped her, and then changed his mind the next day, Piper rejected him. Larry ran to Polly, who was also not speaking to her. She told her parents that she and Larry had broken up. Although they didn't like him, they still found a way to be disappointed in her. No one was talking to her.
She didn't miss Larry, she missed Alex. But she was also not talking to Alex, which made no sense. Although Alex wasn't talking to her either, Piper thought, as she glared at her phone. Alex brought out a side to her that never existed before.
She knew with the way she left that night, Alex was hoping Piper would be the one to reach out first. This new petulant side to her wanted to wait it out and see if Alex will reach out first. Then her logical side kicks in and tells her how immature she is. Now she's staring at Alex's number with a scowl on her face that she knew would make the other woman laugh.
She went to her messages and sighed. Whatever, it's going be two weeks soon, and this wasn't worth it anymore, she needed to hear from her.
P: So, I guess you're okay just never hearing from me again?
The message was so petty, but she knew Alex would bite
"This standoff between you and Blondie still going on?" Nicky staring up at the ceiling in her office.
"Yes," Alex said deeply, "I keep hoping she'll talk to me. I keep thinking maybe she doesn't want me anymore."
"Nope, I don't believe that for a minute. You know, you could always text her first," Nicky hinted.
"She's the one that left in a huff, I didn't want us to stop talking. Just not see each other, just until she figured things out." She knew Nicky was tired of hearing about this.
"Yeah, but you ended it. After you're the one who invited her here to begin with," Nicky reasoned, she hadn't said this part yet. She changed her argument each time, hoping something will get these two idiots talking to each other.
"I didn't end it, I just put it on pause. You're on her side, you're my best friend."
"Yeah, I'm your best friend, meaning I have an invested interest in your general wellbeing, which right now includes your goings on with blondie. Make up with her, and I'll stop talking about it," Nicky was smug right now, things with Lorna were good again, and Alex had nothing throw back at the moment.
Alex got quiet a moment, staring down at the desk in front of her. "I hate this." Her eyes narrowed when she felt her phone vibrate. She pulled out of her pocket, almost dropping it when she saw Piper's name. "Wait, it's her."
"No shit," Nicky sits back up in her seat.
Alex scoffs when she read it, "Really? What the fuck, Piper." Throwing her phone back down so Nicky could read it.
"No shit," Nicky said again, but louder. "Well, she messaged first, get on it, Vause. You can't get picky about the message, you just said you want her to reach out first, and she did."
"I need a new best friend," Alex grunted.
A: Well, hello to you, too, Pipes. How lovely it is to hear from you
"Oh come on," Nicky said as she watched her friend type a reply, "No one else would put up with your shit."
P: I've missed hearing from you
Alex felt her initial annoyance fading.
A: Me too. But why start off being mean to me?
"I see you getting soft, get out, boss." Nicky says jokingly, know she would end going off to her own office anyway. Finally, there can get back to it, things were getting dull here.
Alex smirks and leaves for her office and relaxes with a cup of coffee.
P: I know, it was stupid, I'm sorry. I do really miss you though. Can I see you?
Alex sighs, wanting to say yes so bad.
A: you remember our agreement, we would just talk for a while
P: Fine
"That's it?" Alex exclaimed loudly. Fucking Piper, she was doing this on purpose.
A: Are you still talking to me again, that 'fine' didn't give me much to go on
P: Of course I'm talking to you
Alex shook her head.
A: Okay, good. How are you doing?
P: Fine, you?
A: You're being purposely short with me. I thought you wanted to talk to me
P: I do, I'm just in a particularly vindictive mood today
A: Did something happen?
P: Several things did
A: Okay, you want to talk about it?
P: Not like this, not right now. Can we talk about you instead? How are things at the club?
Alex finally let herself relax, at least they're talking. She started sharing club drama, there was always club drama. And the conversation went on from there.
Piper still hasn't told Alex about the break up, even after several days of texting. Today, they're meeting for coffee and she was so excited to see her beautiful face again.
Alex came in looking amazing as always. Piper greeted her with a hug, and pulled back, smiling sheepishly.
Alex chuckled, "I missed you, too." She allowed herself to be pulled to a table next to the window.
"Let me get your coffee," Piper offered, feeling strangely shy again.
The taller woman eventually agreed, watching the blonde fondly. Maybe the texting idea was stupid after all, they could've been doing this the whole time, like most new couples. Although, they weren't a couple, Alex corrected herself. Piper was a couple with someone else.
She didn't let her mind wander anymore as she waited for Piper to return.
"Here you go, Al," the nickname was accidental, but Piper found herself liking it. She sat down, and looked at the other woman hopefully.
"You okay?" Alex asks, her eyes boring into Piper's. Something's up. She would figure out what.
"Yeah, of course, just happy to see you," Piper explains, maybe she's trying too hard. "Sorry, I don't know what I'm doing."
The taller woman, leans in over the table. "Just be you, Pipes. You don't need to do anything else. I missed you, and I suppose Nicky is sick of me at this point." Changing the subject, trying to get to a comfortable topic.
"Yeah right, she could never. We're probably like a daytime soap opera for her."
"I imagine so."
The two women stared at each other until Piper's phone went, her mom was calling her.
Alex's eyebrow raised, "You need to get that?"
Piper shook her head, nothing good could possibly come from that conversation. She slipped her phone in her bag wordlessly, looking back up at Alex.
"Okay," She stared curiously at the other girl. With her own mom gone, she would do anything for a call like that. When she didn't say anything, Alex sighed, not being able to help herself, "You should call her back, I can wait."
Piper's eyes remain fixed on the table in front of her, "I don't want to," being told what to do, especially where it comes to her mother, always set her on edge.
Alex watched her with narrowed eyes, Piper always seemed a little nervous when they were together, at least at first. But, today was different. Sure, it was the first time they're seeing each other in person in a while. But something was different. And being Alex, she rarely had a graceful way of wording her thoughts. "You seem weird."
"Because I don't want to talk to my mom?" Piper asked, looking irritable.
"No, you seemed weird before too. But, for the record, I do love the sass. It's kind of hot." Alex teased, glad she's finally getting a genuine smile out of the blonde.
"Well, good, looks like I can get something right," Piper glares bitterly at her phone.
"You sure can," Alex smirks, trying her best to pull the other woman out of her mood.
Piper looked up as Alex pulled her glasses down over her eyes, which she just realised how much she missed seeing that. "I broke up with Larry," she blurted out.
Alex's eyebrows both went up as she watched the other girl, in shock. She wasn't that surprised they broke up, but the bluntness of her words. "I'm sorry?" Is that what you say when the girl you're interested in breaks up with her boyfriend?
Piper snorted, rolling her eyes, but glad she finally said it. "I told him about the kiss. He broke it off, but then he tried to get back together. I said no, now everyone's mad at me. Including my mom, who didn't even like him."
"Wow," Alex said as her mind processed everything Piper just shared. "That explains how tense you seem. Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have said anything, where your mom is concerned. Um, are you okay?"
Piper felt lighter already, and nodded, "Yes, my mom have always had a tense relationship, so I'm used to it."
Alex nodded wordlessly for a moment, "Did you tell them the kiss was with a woman?" Watching the other woman patiently.
Piper looked guilty, not sure if Alex was looking for a specific answer. "No. Well, Larry I did, and he told Polly," she mumbled.
"It's okay, Piper. I get it. But who's Polly?"
"My friend, we've been close most of our lives, but yeah. She's not speaking to me either." Piper looked down at the table, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice, having caught on how uncomfortable Alex gets with tears.
"Hey," Alex said in an almost commanding look, "Look at me."
Piper looks up, surprised to see the indecipherable look an her face.
"Is that the only reason you reached out to me, cause you don't have anyone else?"
"What?" Piper choked out, her eyebrows pulled together, "Of course not, why would you ask me that?" There's that little bit of insecurity in Alex showing itself again.
Alex shrugged defensively, her walls going up as she started to overthink the situation. "I don't know, Piper. It just feels like it, the way you seem almost mad at me half the time, and now you're telling me no one else in your life is talking to you."
Piper scoffed in frustration, "I shared that because you asked, and it was something that's affecting me, you can't use it against me. And I never wanted to stop seeing you, you ended it, remember?"
Alex took a deep breath, this conversation was not going the way she planned at all, this was so supposed to be a laid back morning, catching up, staring into the beautiful blue eyes. But Alex rarely backed down when she was feeling challenged. "Pipes, I never ended it. I didn't want to stop hearing from you, and you know that. You're twisting my words, and I won't have it."
"Fine," her eyes briefly going to the exit.
Alex leaned in further, her face angrier than Piper had ever seen, "Don't you dare leave, I saw that."
"Why do you care, apparently I'm only here because I don't have anyone else, which you so lovingly pointed out," Piper was swinging low and she knew it. She could feel the heated stare from across the table, she felt her cheeks getting warmer under the intensity of it. The shame of possibly hurting Alex was growing.
"Are you done?" Alex asked after a few moments of thick silence. She had looked around the coffee shop, everyone else going about their day, not even noticing the two women going at it. When she didn't get a response, she continued, her tone sharp and unforgiving. "I'll have you know, I care very much, which is why I asked. I'm ready whenever you want to talk to me like an adult." Her lips pulled tight, until she saw the dreaded tears again, shit.
Piper nodded, feeling her eyes stinging as she stared down at the cup in front of her.
"No, don't cry," Alex said in that same commanding tone that had worked before. Well, it didn't this time.
"You can't just tell someone not to cry," Piper sobbed into her napkin.
Alex bit her lip as she could feel the corners of her mouth lifting. Piper was too cute. This person was going to drive her nuts, but she couldn't get enough of her.
After several moment, Piper stopped crying, her anger had disappeared also. She looked back up at Alex with swollen eyes, ignoring the exasperated look on the other girl's face. "I really did miss talking to you. It had nothing to do with anyone else. I don't care about Larry, or Polly even. It's fine, really. I just don't want to go without talking to you again."
"Okay." Alex smiled, she believed her, that's all she wanted to hear.
"And," Piper's voice got comically louder, "you can't tell a girl to not cry when she's about to cry, it just makes it worse."
"Okay," Alex repeated, as she watched the girl fondly.
"I don't like the texting thing, I like seeing you. It's not the same."
"I agree," Alex frowned, "Not my best idea, I'm sorry for that. Can we just start over?"
"Yeah," Piper smiles, she looked down and saw Alex's folded together on the table. She placed her hand over them. "So, unpause?" she asked hopefully.
"Unpause," Alex agreed, turning her hand over to take Piper's.