#thread. prudence

[victoriams]

ᴡʜᴏ: PRUDENCE WARREN & OPEN ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ: THE CAESAR FLICKERMAN SHOW, BACKSTAGE ᴡʜᴇɴ: TRIBUTE INTERVIEWS

It had been a couple of days since the... incident at the TRIBUTE BALL. Although it had been replaying on a loop in Prue's mind ever since ( the sound of blade piercing soft skin, the gurgle of a dying man's throat, blood pooling quick and fast and sticky and wet ), so far, she hadn't been arrested – which she took as a good sign. She imagined if the Capitol knew about her and Danya's involvement in the little stunt, they'd both already have been made to disappear – executed or worse. She knew she should feel relieved about the fact that she was still healthy and breathing, but there was a lingering tension about her – baited breath as she waited for the other shoe to drop, if it ever did.

Instead of dwelling ( okay, she'd multitasked ), she had thrown herself into preparations for the interviews. Though her tributes weren't exactly particularly grateful for the work she'd put in, Prue thought she'd done a fairly decent job – especially considering she was a novice, and one whose entire role as a stylist was a lie, at that. Although her job is as good as over at this point, she still lingers backstage – peeking around the curtain to watch Theon's interview. She couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for the poor kid as she watched him onstage – she couldn't claim to know Caius particularly well, but she doubted he would be sticking his neck out to save his nephew when push came to shove.

Prue startles when she feels a hand on her shoulder – practically jumping out of her skin at the unexpected contact. She spins around to face the newcomer, eyes a little too wide and wild to be considered calm. "Sorry, hi," She whispers, offering a half-smile, "Let's move away from the stage, shall we?"

[victoriams]

When Prue had lost her parents, she'd figured that was it. They were the only family she'd ever known, and she didn't imagine she would ever have another shot at it. Sure, she'd figured that she must have relatives, somewhere. That maybe there were people her parents had left behind in District Twelve – but she knew that she would never have any way of tracking them down. That her parents were as good as ghosts, phantoms that only existed in her memory.

When Alma Coin had informed her, not only that she did have family out there, but that she had a living, breathing brother, Prue had thought it was a joke, too. She'd been hesitant about leaving her life behind, about diving headfirst into the rebellion and getting on a train to the Capitol, possibly to never return. There had been an awful, cynical moment where she had thought maybe it was a ruse to get her to go along with the plan. But Coin was nothing if not prepared – with birth records and blood tests, all of which proved inconsequential when Prue saw a picture of Alex. When she recognised his smile – recognised her father in their features. It had been like something out of a film – an instant recognition. She wonders if Alex feels that now, looking at her.

"He... our dad, um... he died, about ten years ago." She says quietly. Even though a decade has passed, the reality of her words still do not sting any less. Even now, they trigger a deep ache in her chest. "I don't... I don't know whether he knew about you." She likes to think that he didn't, that her father wasn't the kind of man to willingly leave behind his child. "But... I'm sure he would have wanted to know you, too. If he had the chance." Empty placations now – for Alex, who never had a chance to know their father. Instead, they are left with Prue, a sister as a consolation prize.

Prue cannot help but laugh as Alex does – an equally disjointed, broken noise. Born partly out of their half-hearted attempt at a joke, and partly out of sheer relief that, not only had Alex believed her, but they say they want to know her. That they're family. It warms up the place in Prue's chest that has long been reserved for grief. "Yeah," She chokes, "I guess I need to work on timing, huh?" She shakes her head, feeling some of the tension she'd been carrying for the last few days dissipate. "I, uh... I know it's unorthodox, but if there's anything you want to know – you know, about our dad, or me, or, like, anything... I, uh... I want to tell you."

it is more than difficult, it feels impossible. it feels like the wind-up to some last final joke that the universe is pulling--here is family, watch us take you away from them. but looking at prue, alex knows that she is telling the truth, they can read it in her eyes, in the tone of her voice. she's being honest.

and that is somehow so much worse.

it feels like the wind has been knocked out of him, taking any words he might have said right along with it. his mouth opens and closes several times, a short huff escaping him as a shaky hand runs through that mess of curls.

"y-you have nothing to apologize for..." they point out with a quiet, albeit dry laugh--but when they look at prue, their expression soften. eyes scan her features, looking for any sign of him in her, for that connection. it doesn't take long for him to see it in her eyes, her hair. he can't help but wonder if her father--their father--held these traits too. can't help but wonder what he was like, if he ever regretted alex...if he was alive, would he have accepted them?

answers he won't ever get and now a sister he might never get the chance to know. it still feels like a bad joke.

"...the timing on this really sucks, huh?" it's a bad attempt at humor, complete with a broken laugh as alex looks to prue, that brief smile not quite reaching their eyes. "want nothing to do with--you're joking, right? i'm just sorry that-" he exhales sharply, head shaking. "-i'm sorry that i don't have more time to get to know you before...well..." it isn't fair. "of course i want to know you. you're family."

[exmcrtis]

location: the sasquatch

status: open!

"i have to warn you that if you sit beside me, you run the risk of being associated with a crazy person." it was said in jest, a smile creeping onto pru's lips as she glanced at the person beside her. she was starting to feel more like herself lately, and while she was still having a hard time staying at home by herself, she figured small steps were better than no steps at all. "but, if you're cool with that outcome, the least i can do is buy you a drink. what would you like?"

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (23-29 Jun 2024)

what a fucking week, lads (gn)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 "How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub" (P. Djèlí Clark) - 2024 Locus Award winning short story - 'fuck around and find out' with 19thC colonialism!

🥰 there's a trick with a knife (i'm learning to do) (mellyflori) - 65K, Kaysanova modern AU - really good enemies-to-lovers that digs in to why they clash at first and the very organic way that turns around. tbh this could easily be original fic [positive] as except for J/N it's all OCs, and J/N's characterizations are not OOC but are also perfectly standalone

🥰 Outgrow the shoes of expectations (destinationtoast) - 62K, solid canon-divergent Keeley/Roy/Jamie fic [structured more as K/R opening the relationship up to J but ends in such a way that a true polycule is not unreasonable]

💖💖 +222K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

Aspirations (neapeaikea) - 9-1-1: Buck/Tommy, 11K - very cute, fun teacher AU

Three Weddings and a Funeral (materialism, sparklyslug) - Stranger Things: Steddie, 35K - 2nd entry in the lovely Let us Dwell in Fair Ithilien and There Make a Garden series - four vingettes of Steve and Eddie before and after their second chance

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Thousandaires - s1, e3

Game Changer - s4, e9-10

Make Some Noise - s3, e1

Hank Green: Pissing Out Cancer

Doctor Who - s1 (series 14), e8

D20: Never Stop Blowing Up - "Be Kind, Rewind" (s22, e1)

D20: Adventuring Party - "Yoshi Thicc" (s17, e1)

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

⭐99% Invisible - The Power Broker #06: Mike Schur

Consider This - Fifteen years after his death, Michael Jackson's legacy remains complicated

⭐ What Next: TBD - Is Your Phone Tracking Your Driving?

Re: Dracula - June 24: Dreadful Thing of Night

Re: Dracula - June 25: Dead or Asleep

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Will they or won't they? Unpacking TV's eternal question

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - In The Heart Of NYC, A Refuge For Birds

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Grizzly Adams: America’s Mythic Mountain Man

WikiHole - Girl Dinner (with Greta Titelman, Sam Taggart and Zach Noe Towers

Dinner’s on Me - Margaret Cho

99% Invisible - Backfired: The Vaping Wars

It's Been a Minute - Can't stop the (classical) music

⭐ Vibe Check - She Ain't No Diva

Dinner’s on Me - Joel Kim Booster

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Roop Kund

Ologies - Puffinology (PUFFINS) with Jill Taylor

Wild Card - Lena Waithe's religion is 'The Wizard of Oz'

Wild Card - Lena Waithe's relationship goals + Taylor Tomlinson's childhood idol (Wild Card+)

⭐ Throughline - Pop Music's First Black Stars

Short Wave - Move Over Norse Mythology, There's A New Loki In Town — A Dinosaur

It's Been a Minute - Girl, that remix, so healing; plus, gay vampires

What Next: TBD - Why Extreme Weather Keeps Surprising You

Dear Prudence - My In-Laws Disrespected My Daughter, So I Kicked Them Out. Help!

Endless Thread - This is Not a Pyramid Scheme

⭐ Strong Songs - "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen

If Books Could Kill - Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus

Re: Dracula - June 29: Tonight is Mine

Hit Parade - The Bridge: Center of the “World”

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

The Beach Boys Radio • Chill

Shout-Out Party Hits

Chicago Radio • Upbeat

Charli XCX

Fleetwood Mac

[victoriams]

ᴡʜᴏ: PRUDENCE WARREN & OPEN ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ: LOUNGE, TRIBUTE TOWER ᴡʜᴇɴ: MORNING, PRE-TRAINING

Prudence had always been an early riser. Perhaps this could be attributed to her upbringing – strict schedules paired with a lack of natural sunlight meant that early starts were an easy habit to slip into. She would relish in an hour of peace and quiet before the rest of the district was awake – taking the time to tend to her hobbies before being squashed into her daily routine. Maybe this is why, even now, after two years adjusting to the far more lax environment of the Capitol, Prue finds herself wide awake before dawn, itching to start her day proper.

She doesn't wish to wake the other inhabitants of the eleventh floor ( particularly not her tributes... she wouldn't deprive them of something so vital as sleep at a time like this ), so she heads downstairs to one of the communal areas, bringing a half-finished outfit for the interviews with her. She sits underneath one of the bright, artificial lights of the tribute tower, squinting at the fabric as she painstakingly sews sequins onto it. Part of her thinks it's silly, how much she has found herself caring about her role as stylist – knowing full well that's not the reason she's really here. The mockingjay symbol had sent shockwaves through the tower – but now all she could do was wait. This felt like the calm before the storm.

She isn't expecting anybody else to be here this early, and so she startles at the sound of approaching footsteps, head quickly rising from her work and towards the newcomer – "Oh, hi." She says, offering them a small ( albeit, slightly strained ) smile. "Thought I might be the only person down here this early."

[victoriams]

There is a sense of relief that comes with Peeta accepting her offer of refuge, and she extends a hand to the victor as she leads him out of the crowded room. She is glad, selfishly, not to feel useless, even for a brief moment. It was beginning to seem that everything she had done in the last few days – hell, in the last few years, since she had first signed her life away to the rebellion – was amounting to nothing at all. The games had gone ahead as planned, and Prue was still left in the dark, without a word from District Thirteen about what was supposed to happen next. And if Prudence was frustrated, she could only imaging how the victors who had placed their trust in. the rebellion must feel.

"I am," She says, nodding as she answers Peeta's question. "Probably not for much longer if Caius has anything to say about it, though." She chuckles softly, though it sounds forced even to her own ears. They're away from prying eyes, now – she glances left and right to make sure that the room she has led Peeta to is deserted, the only signs of life coming from the television mantled in the corner, the games proving inescapable. Prue shakes her head emphatically as Peeta continues, "You've got nothing to apologise for," She says, "If anything, they should be apologising to you."

Maybe it's not fair, what she does next – but Prue has been eaten alive by guilt since the countdown had begun. Guilt that she couldn't stop the games. That her efforts weren't enough. That, now, Peeta's family was paying the price for the rebellion's shortcomings. "I'm sorry, too." She whispers – allowing the facade to slip, but only slightly, always careful of ears in the Capitol. "That this is happening, I mean – we tried, and I –" A pause, and she shakes her head again, "It wasn't supposed to go like this."

She chews her lip for a few moments, before resolving to snap out of her self-pitying stupor. "Do you... um, do you need anything? I can get water, or something, or I can just –" Another pause, "I don't suppose you want to talk about it with a relative stranger."

peeta knows better than to be making such a public scene. it was irresponsible - peeta has seen the repercussions of such firsthand. katniss and his' victory tour, four one -- loud bangs still make him jump from time to time. so many innocent lives lost because of them, and now perhaps one more - their son.

so when someone comes to calm him down - to save him really, peeta should be thankful. he's already caused more than one stir in the capitol, he's paid more than enough consequences for it, the last thing he needs is to continue that streak. he needs to be strong, to be there for his family - as much as he possibly can be. which, admittedly, was not much.

they look up to the girl - small in stature, looks like a timid thing, really. but peeta knows how deceiving looks can be, and this girl certainly is no capitolite. over the years, they've become too acquainted with them. that fact should sadden them, that they've had no choice but to become aware of who they speak to, but that's how you grow up in panem when you're on the outskirts of the country. "i have to keep watching," peeta says, gesturing to the tv. then again, there are TVs in every room of this building, making sure no one wasn't watching the games. so they nod, agreeing to follow her out of the room and somewhere quieter. "you're the stylist, right?" peeta asks quietly, once they're away from such prying eyes. "i shouldn't have done that. i've already made quite a mess." he laughs but there's no humor in it, self-deprecating as a sigh falls from his lips.

[exmcrtis]

location: the huntsville daily

closed starter for: @ambercast (conrad)

she'd been standing on her chair when she heard her name being called. the shelf above her desk was chaotic and disorganized, and pru had left it for so long, the sight of it was starting to irritate her. and so she was being ambitious, climbing up and onto the chair with wheels despite the voice in the back of her head telling her not to. it was the same voice that sounded eerily like conrad, and it was one she could never ignore.

with a sigh, pru dropped her arms, turning just in time to catch sight of the mailman now. of course they'd seen each other since the ball, but something was just a little off, and pru hated it. she'd been using needing to be at the paper as an excuse to avoid his place, though she wasn't avoiding him all together. she just didn't know how to initiate the conversation they knew they needed to have. despite that negative feeling, she still managed to flash him a smile.

"hey," she muttered, scooting her chair until she could face him fully. "what's up?"

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (10-16 Mar 2024)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 Art Thief, Heart Thief (odetteandodile) - 58K, stucky white collar inspired AU - enjoyed how author took the WC set up (fbi art agent, criminal consultant) and made it theirs & perfect for stucky

💖💖 +195K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

Midlife Crisis (profoundalpacakitten) - MCU: stucky, 7K - reread, forever fave - the quiet, piercing, understated tenderness in this fic is unmatched

Progredi (justanotherStonyfan) - MCU: shrunkyclunks, 37K - the next installment in the fabulous Honey Honey series

Pistachios and Rose Water (goldsaffron) - The Old Guard: kaysanova, 15K - J&N spend 10 years putting down roots, building a home & collecting a found family as Nicky learns to express his love through food

Consensual Catfishing (foresthearts) - Stranger Things: steddie, 32K - modern AU, told via social media - delightful story! adored these characters & their voices and using all different sorts of SM to tell it. brilliant idea, adeptly executed. the art is also pretty great

they're going to send us to prison for jerks (greatunironic) - Stranger Things: steddie, 16K - another really fun modern steddie with a strong social media AU premise

Os Impurum (the_deep_magic) - The Eagle | The Eagle of the Ninth: Marcus Flavius Aquila/Esca Mac CunovalMarcus/Esca, 18K - solidly good fic about marcus/esca post canon, esp marcus discovering some new things about himself 😉

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Ghosts (US) - s3, e5

Game Changer - s6, e3

D20: The Unsleeping City: Chapter II - "For the Hoard!" (s7, e15)

D20: The Unsleeping City: Chapter II - "Treachery at Gramercy" (s7, e16)

D20: The Unsleeping City: Chapter II - "Two Sides of the Same Coin (Part 1)" (s7, e17)

D20: The Unsleeping City: Chapter II - "Two Sides of the Same Coin (Part 2)" (s7, e18)

D20: Adventuring Party - s3, e12-16

Um, Actually - s9, e2

D20: Fantasy High: Junior Year - "Cursed Out" (s21, e10)

D20: Adventuring Party - "Cool Ranch Communion" (s16, e10)

D20: Tiny Heist - "Big Little Crimes" (s4, e1)

D20: Tiny Heist - "Chicanery at Shoeby's Casino" (s4, e2)

D20: Tiny Heist - "Scheming and Scoring Fairy Dust" (s4, e3)

Agatha Christie's Marple - "The Secret of Chimneys" (s5, e2) [shout out to @leupagus for this rec; they were not wrong about the acting choices made here 🤩]

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Worlds Beyond Number: Fireside - Fireside Chat for WWW ep001 The Open Door

What Next: TBD - Instagram’s Pedophile Problem

Desert Island Discs - Cillian Murphy, actor

WikiHole - Lenny Kravitz (with Paul F. Tompkins, Drew Tarver, and Heléne Yorke)

This Cultural Life - Andrew Scott

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Our 2024 Oscars Recap

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Grave of XYZ

Vibe Check - Hey, Sis: featuring Morgan Parker

WikiHole with D'Arcy Carden - Fear of Dolphins (with Kumail Nanjiani, Emily Gordon, and Jonah Ray)

The Allusionist - 190. Craters

WikiHole with D'Arcy Carden - Tetris (with Adam Pally, Jon Gabrus and Blair Socci)

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Lighthouse Keeper

⭐ Vibe Check - A Special Conversation with Afeef Nessouli

Short Wave - What We Know About Long COVID, From Brain Fog to Fatigue

⭐ Decoder Ring - Why Stylists Rule the Red Carpet

⭐ 99% Invisible #573 - Toyetic

You Are Good - My Best Friend's Wedding w. Sam Sanders

If Books Could Kill - Lean In

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Law of the Tongue

Imaginary Worlds - The Nine Lives of Red Dwarf

Today, Explained - Lip gloss, gum, and the Pill

Dear Prudence - My Ex Had Sex With My Brother. Help!

What Next: TBD - Is TikTok Cooked This Time?

Short Wave - Are We On The Brink Of A Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough?

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Love Lies Bleeding And What's Making Us Happy

Endless Thread - The Music Man, Part 1

Welcome to Night Vale #244 - A Multiplicity of Kevin

Today, Explained - Hollywood’s still not back

99% Invisible - The Power Broker #03: David Sims

Off Menu - Ep 233: Frankie Boyle (Live in Glasgow)

⭐ Hit Parade - Gotcha Covered Edition

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

The Donnas

Smooth Rockabilly

Respect: '60s Iconic Women

[victoriams]

ᴡʜᴏ: PRUDENCE WARREN & NAZANIN NABAVI ( @reblrths ) ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ: THE CAPITOL – CITY CENTRE ᴡʜᴇɴ: SIXTH DAY OF THE GAMES, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIRES

DISTRICT THIRTEEN was many things, but forthcoming was not one of them. The task Prue had been assigned was simple enough – safe enough. Or, at least, this is what Prue had assumed. She'd been instructed to head to the city centre, to keep an eye out for peacekeepers, for Capitol reinforcements. Just simple intelligence gathering – apparently, there was going to be some sort of resistance activity happening later in the day. What, exactly, Prue didn't know – she didn't have the clearance for that kind of information. There had been the consideration to simply go by herself – but when Nazanin had offered to tag along, Prue had been quick to agree. Then again, she was quick to agree to most things that Naz suggested. Especially if it meant spending time alone together.

All had been going well – they'd been scouting the streets for peacekeepers, bantering, and Naz's shoulder had even brushed against Prue's own in a way that made her heart flutter. She'd noticed the hours quickly ticking away – the time that she'd been instructed to return and report back long since having passed. Ordinarily, Prue was a stickler for a deadline, but she had become quickly engrossed in some story that Nazanin was telling, which led to another, and another – and by the time she'd found the presence of mind to tear her eyes away from Naz's lips and to her watch, dawn had slipped into early morning. She'd muttered something about needing to get back – but, before they had the chance, the Capitol started to burn.

She won't ever remember much of what had happened next – she will remember grabbing Naz's hand and starting to run as the building beside them was suddenly engulfed in flames. She will remember the screams of frightened Capitolites as building after building caught fire, as the foundations began to collapse and smoke clouded the streets. She will remember choking on the smoke and dodging debris as more and more of the city centre became an uninhabitable inferno and flames licked at her exposed skin. She will remember seeing blue sky in the distance – and almost, almost making it to safety, before the building in front of their path to escape came crumbling down.

And then, she won't remember much of anything at all.

Consciousness returns slowly. The first thing that Prue becomes aware of is a painful pounding in her head. The second is a raw feeling in her throat, cotton in her lungs. The third is that she is in the dark – surrounded by debris on all sides and trapped by large slabs of concrete. The fourth is a dull throbbing over her arms and legs. She squints against the darkness to see that her skin is red and raw, and her left arm has started to blister painfully from where it was exposed to the flames. The fifth ( and, by far the most important ) is that she is not immediately sure where Nazanin is. They'd been together, hadn't they? Naz had only been here because Prue had dragged them along – and now she couldn't see them.

"Naz –" Prue starts, cutting off as she coughs violently. Her voice is hoarse, but she swallows thickly a few times before trying again. "Naz?" She calls out, louder this time, as tears sting against her eyes. Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay. "Can you hear me?" It's impossible to miss the way that her voice cracks on the last syllable.

[victoriams]

She was definitely naive for hoping that things wouldn't end like this. That the war she'd signed up for wouldn't end with blood. This time, they'd gotten lucky – it was the blood of the oppressor that had spilt, not their own. Next time, maybe it would be the other way around. She's thankful, in this moment, that the peacekeeper's face remains obscured by his mask – that she doesn't need to dwell too long on the person he might have been. Perhaps he was just blindly following orders, like Prue was herself. Maybe, deep down, this man had wanted the same things she did.

Only now, they would never know.

Prue steps forward without thinking, wiping the blood from Danya's forehead – smearing it against her thigh so that it could be obscured by her dress. She eyes her companion for a long moment – I have to be isn't exactly a reassuring answer, but right now, she doesn't have the time to probe further. This conversation could be saved for tomorrow, when they're both safe and away from the mess at their feet. "Okay." She says quietly – she doesn't fight Danya on this. "I'll find Larissa." She says with a resolute nod. "Check in when you're both out of here. When you're safe. Please."

their  eyes  ,  they  cannot  keep  from  wandering  to  the  body  ,  the  blood  pooling  out  from  under  him  .  this  is  war  ,  and  war  is  death  ,  but  it  becomes  no  easier  .  her  skill  with  a  knife  does  not  cushion  the  blow  when  the  peacekeeper  falls  to  the  ground  .  vicious  ,  rotten  creatures  that  they  are  ,  somewhere  he  might  have  a  partner  awaiting  his  return  ,  a  child  perhaps  ?  silence  falls  within  the  hallway  and  danya  closes  her  eyes  a  moment  ,  wishes  him  well  wherever  it  is  that  he  will  go  to  now  .

and  then  it  is  time  to  work  .  "  i  have  to  be  .  "  a  shaky  ,  almost  hysterical  laugh  bubbles  past  their  lips  and  they  shake  their  head  ,  push  their  hair  from  their  cheek  and  find  themself  smearing  blood  against  golden  skin  .  "  no  ,  we  can't  .  .  .  alaric  is  still  here  .  i'm  not  going  anywhere  until  .  .  .  "  until  what  ?  she  cannot  think  to  involve  him  in  this  but  what  choice  do  they  have  ?  a  dead  peacekeeper  lies  before  danya  and  prue  ,  blood  soaking  the  fine  plush  carpets  of  snow's  mansion  as  though  it  is  nothing  .  "  prue  .  .  .  you  go  .  slip  out  of  here  while  you  can  .  i  need  to  find  him  .  "

[fledermoved-too]

Imagine being a bitter old guy hating everyone around you except your dog and then your dog dies. I can't dude

[regencis]

why prudence feels relieved, as if frederick would deny her the opportunity of his company, she does not know. have they really fallen so far from each other's graces that pru believed they were no longer friends? at least that. so of course he would agree to escort her. no question to be had about the intention here. yet prudence found her mind wondering to opinions of obligation rather than wanting, even as she smiled and draped her arm under fred's own. behind them, her maid fixed the short train of pru's dress and began walking a few paces back, as their chaperone. prudence wanted nothing more than to have a moment alone with the man she had once known so well, but that was not proper for either a man or woman of society. there were too many rules, too many expectations. she wanted to laugh with him, again. she wanted to see his smile and have it only for herself, a selfish wish she refused to feel bad for as she walks beside frederick out into the courtyard.

his comment about drawing the gaze of others causes a light blush to cross her cheeks, though it blends well with the rouge already painted there. it is true that many have asked her to dance, have tried to understand what made prudence lockhart tick, but all of them did feel wrong. pru laughs a bit. 'perhaps my father was correct when he told me i was too particular. and much too stubborn - much like my mother, i've been told,' glancing out across the grounds, prudence takes in the moment, quietly enjoying the way her arm seemed to fit so perfectly around frederick's. sadness touches her features, for a moment, as she glances at him. 'you have nothing to apologize for, fred,' she should address him properly, but in this moment, they were best friends again, and she wanted him to know everything was going to be alright. 'you've experienced something no one should have the tragedy of experiencing. i do not fault you for forgetting to send a letter,'

the sun graces them, reflecting off of the sparkling lavender of her dress. she feels warm, but not simply due to the great star in the sky. 'what would you like to know? the gossip of the ton? perhaps what lady whistledown has written about the bridgertons lately? or would you be more inclined to know about my rather boring preparations for this season?' surly there were more interesting things to talk about, but she was more than willing to catch frederick up, should that really be what he wants. @frightes / cont.

[exmcrtis]

location: the art festival, where they'll cause a stir i'm sure

closed starter for: @backmaskcd (narcissa)

these days, pru found the most safety in her best friend. it wasn't that she didn't seek out the comfort of conrad or her other friends, but narc had an air about her that just made pru feel at ease. it probably helped that she was the only one that she'd told about reagan. either way, she still looped her arm through narcissa's as they walked through the festival, eyes looking around at every little thing they could to see if anything caught her attention. mostly, she was keeping her eyes peeled for any nefarious activities, though she hopes there wouldn't be any this time around.

"see anything you like yet?" she muttered, head lolling to look at her best friend. "follow-up question: is there supposed to be food at this thing?"

[victoriams]

Prue can't hep the gasp of surprise that escapes her as the young victor grabs her by the elbow and hurriedly whispers something to her. A quick glance between ODETTE DEWITT and the overdressed pair of Capitolites gives her all the information she needs – and she grabs Odette's arm without giving it second thought, smiling softly and leading them away from the bar. "I imagine the fans can be a little overbearing sometimes," She says once they are out of earshot. "But you really don't need to buy me food."

❛ 𝐎𝐇 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊 𝐍𝐎 - ❜ an odette special , disappearing act . a couple of the capitol's very own fans were oh too happy to stumble upon the blood of victors , and odette was oh too hungover to humor them . they sat , and the dewitt stood , ignoring guffawed protest . ❛ sorry , fellas ! places to be , with uh . . . them . ❜ them , a passerby , right place , right time . ❛ keep walking and i'll buy you something to eat . ❜

          𝙾𝙿𝙴𝙽 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁 ★ the bar

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (15-21 Sep 2024)

ma boi gorgug was going thru it

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 Subspace (poppypickford) - 69K, Suits BDSM AU - reread, just really in the mood for a suits D/s fic and this is a pretty great one

😍 Eight Paws, Two Tails, One Heart (BlueSimplicity) - 216K shrunkyclunks - "Diagnosed with PTSD and placed on medical leave, initially Steve is resentful, stubbornly refusing the idea there’s anything that can make it better. Until Sam suggests a Service Dog, and introduces him to James Buchanan Barnes, a fellow vet and trainer who swears one of his dogs can help, if only Steve can summon enough bravery to take a leap of faith and accept a four-legged companion in his life. What follows is a long and winding journey of fear, doubt and self-recrimination. But also hope, acceptance and redefining what it means to be a hero, as Steve finally faces the issues that have been haunting him his entire life. There is also a lot of fur, conversations with dogs, and a cross-country road trip, as Steve rebuilds his life and maybe, just maybe, falls in love along the way." - instant classic, forever fave fic. can't recommend it highly enough

🥰 Echoes of Memory (KittenKakt) - 41K, geraskier - reread, really excellent amnesia fic with delicious h/c, bathing, bed sharing

🥰 The Shire is NOT on Fire (kissesforcas) - 54K Steddie, everyone lives AU where Steve agrees to go on a LARP weekend with Eddie & the kids - low angst, much fun, steve is hot af

💖💖 +124K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

Like A Virgin (Brenda) - Top Gun: Ice/Mav, 25K - 'Recently divorced Ice has a bi-awakening and wants to "experiment" with someone he trusts. Mav offers to be his sexual guinea pig. Things go about as well as you expect. (They're both so smart, but also so very dumb.)' - mutual dumbasses is one of my favorite flavors

movie night series (jk_rockin) - Stranger Things: steddie, 13K - "They’re just… hanging out. Watching movies. Having brain-melting orgasms. Cuddling, which he hadn’t expected and really likes. Fucking. Well. They've fucked once. Now to figure out how to get Eddie to fuck him again." - short but hot and enjoyable

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

In Deep: Life at the Bottom of the Ocean With Dr. Sarah McAnulty - Session 1

Handsome - Andrea Gibson asks about flirting

Handsome - Arnold Schwarzenegger asks about being useful

Handsome - Pretty Little Episode #5

D20: A Starstruck Odyssey - s12, e6-13

D20: Adventuring Party - s8, e6-13

D20: Time Quangle - "Betrayed By Live Theatre" (s1, e2)

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Pop Culture Happy Hour - 2024 Emmys Recap

Short Wave - What's Up With The Hot Ocean Temperatures?

⭐ The Sporkful - The Enslaved Man Who Taught Jack Daniel How To Make Whiskey

Code Switch - Ask Code Switch: The racial politics of washing dishes?

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Hidden History of Eyeliner with Zahra Hankir

Welcome to Night Vale #254 - The Triangle

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Smith Court

Shedunnit - The Red Barn Murder

Vibe Check - High, Low, Fast, and Slow

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Fall Guide

Outward - Bonus: New Additions to the Gay Agenda from Madeline Ducharme

⭐ Ologies - Tardigradology (TINY SEMI-INDESTRUCTIBLE WATER BEAR MOSS PIGLET CREATURES CALLED TARDIGRADES) with Paul Bartels

It's Been a Minute - The SMACKDOWN: Brunch vs. Twerking vs. Louis Armstrong

Re: Dracula - September 19: The Best was Made of Everything

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Our Material World with Ed Conway

Song Exploder - Troye Sivan "One of Your Girls"

Normal Gossip - Dickmatized with Sam Sanders

Consider This - The unraveling of Eric Adams' administration

⭐ Endless Thread - The Great Lemming Lie

Dear Prudence - I Didn’t Wish My Sister a Happy Birthday—Now She’s Pissed! Help!

Dear Prudence - Prudie Plus: My Friend Switched to Natural Deodorant—She Smells Awful! Help!

It's Been a Minute - Is Diddy hip-hop's Weinstein? Plus, Brittany gets rejected

Short Wave - The Scuba Diving Lizards Breathing By Bubble

⭐ Normal Gossip - Leave ‘em a Little Bit Broke, a Little Bit Mad with Laci Mosley

What Next: TBD - Can Instagram Really Keep Kids Safe?

99% Invisible - The Power Broker #9: Majora Carter

Short Wave - How To Get A Haircut In Space

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

lofi hip hop radio 📚 - beats to relax/study to

Billboard Top 100 of 1984

Top Songs of 1984

Presenting Kesha

Presenting Katy Perry

[victoriams]

ᴡʜᴏ: PRUDENCE WARREN & NAZANIN NABAVI ( @reblrths ) ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ: UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, CAPITOL ᴡʜᴇɴ: DAY OF THE LAUNCH

As far as missions went, this one should be simple. Get into the meeting point, get the weapons, get them into the tower, and get out. Only four steps, simple. Of course, this didn't stop Prudence from fretting. Any number of things could go wrong along the way – they could be pulled up by peacekeepers in the city, the distractions in the tower could go awry, they could face difficulty moving the actual cargo – and so we find Prue pacing up and down as she waits for the remainder of their team to arrive, eyes flickering nervously between her watch, and the other companion of the room.

Nazanin, for her part, seems unperturbed – of course, Prue thought that she always looked like this, so effortlessly cool beside Prue's obsessive, neurotic nattering. She ignores the way her heart flutters at the knowledge that they're currently alone together – something which has been exceedingly difficult to achieve since they had embarked to the Capitol. She also ignores the way that the light reflecting off Naz's eyes give them a mesmerising golden hue. Because there is a task at hand – and these details are irrelevant.

"This'll work, right?" She asks – today was the culmination of everything they'd been working towards thus far. If it went sideways, the entire rebellion might be over before it ever had the chance to begin. "You think this'll work?"