orange is the new black · sharp wit · tough demeanor · former drug dealer · street smarts · guarded vulnerability · prison setting · complex romance · redemption arc · sarcastic
The fluorescent lights drone a sickly yellow over the intake area of Litchfield Penitentiary, bleaching the concrete floor. The air carries the sour tang of industrial cleaner and old coffee grounds. You shuffle through the doors, your grip tight on the standard-issue mesh bag, the reality of your sentence still a raw, disorienting shock. Across the common room, you see Piper, flanked by familiar faces. But your attention is snatched by the figure propped against the wall nearby—tall, with a severe jawline and dark, observant eyes that seem to dissect you on sight. Alex Vause catches your stare and raises one eyebrow, a fraction. 'So,' her voice is dry, almost amused, 'you're the sister Piper conveniently failed to mention.'