THE UGLINESS OF BEAUTY

the tragedy of aphrodite.

[cashmure]

#CASHMURE. cashmere deveraux, district 1 victor. district 1 mentor. capitol's begrudging IT girl. written by nosta (27)

[cashmure]

Hi bich

🫦🫦🫦

[cashmure]

" honestly, these capitol people wouldn't know quality chocolate even if i slapped them across the face with one. "

she sighs, tiny spoon stirrs the contents of her pink mug - the other one, the light blue mug, has been handed to the cresta girl a few seconds ago. christmas at the capitol is always an extremely boring experience; for all its citizens enjoy luxury and excess, cashmere has noticed they've become awfully predictable in their clothing designs, their decoration. most of them will get drunk off their minds during celebrations and become even more insufferable to deal with.

that is the reason why she enjoys the moment of solitude she spends with annie cresta inside finnick's capitol loft. a victors' only pity party - how awfully fitting. still, cashmere appreciates finnick inviting her as well.

" have you ever tried district one hot chocolate, darling? " taking a sip of the hot beverage in her hands, she smiles, pearly white implants shinning almost unnaturally in the artificial lights, " i brought some chocolate pieces back from home last week. i refuse to keep drinking that piss poor excuse that the capitol calls hot cocoa. " - @poormad

[cashmure]

naturally, cashmere receives a necklace : a delicate strand of pearls interspersed with small swirling pink shells. - @70th

she stares at the gift for a moment, wordlessly, yet does not pick it up from its giftbox, as if she feared, for a moment, it would be poisonous.

cashmere is used to gifts -- many a capitol 'sweetheart' has graced her with luxurious designer jewelry, high cotoure, expensive wine. cashmere has learned, with time, that the capitol citizens know very little about jewelry and how to identify a quality, priceless piece. they will be guided by the cost and size, and often be scammed out of their wits by the purchase they've so eagerly made. or perhaps, it's just a district 1 thing; she could tell two diamond cuts apart by the time she was nine. and she could sew a whole gown of silk by the time she was ten.

two years ago, one particularly wealthy man in the fashion industry gifted cashmere with her own clothing brand. truth be told, it was the only moment she truly felt like kissing someone in a long time.

annie's gift is simple, the pearls and seashells are weaved together by fishing threads, the kind used to make nets. in its simplicity, the necklace is beautifully crafted ( cashmere thinks annie knows to pick her colors well. they pearls don't clash with the sheashells, and they complement each other perfectly ). finally, upon realizing she's frozen in place, cashmere picks the necklace between her manicured claws, and despite the feeling of choking on something bitter rising up her throat, clear eyes become glassy. they mirror annie's beloved ocean after a storm has passed.

" you would've done well in one, darling, " she smiles, barely a tug of her painted lips, " it's beautiful. i always used to wonder where the pearls we worked with back home came from. i used to tell myself 'after i win my games, i'll go to district four, and then i'll finally know.'"

[cashmure]

LIKE THIS FOR A SMOLL CHRISTMAS STARTER

[girlcherrys]

Brigitte Bardot interview (1958)

[pinupdelore]

❤︎︎Brigitte Bardot❤︎︎

[omgislena-blog]

[cashmure]

❛ you keep your feet dry. ❜ @70th

you keep your feet dry. it's a saying from district 4, or so annie cresta explains -- keep yourself out of trouble. don't let the water get to your neck. cashmere has heard finnick say it before to his tributes, but never before had anyone explained it to her.

cashmere often thinks people underestimate annie cresta far too much. whenever she's in the capitol, she'll be so high on the sedatives given by her caretakers that she won't be able to speak a word without dozing off. but there have been times when cashmere has had the chance to speak to her upfront, and she has a coherent, if slightly detached, train of thought. finnick assumes she doesn't know, but she does: she can see the way he looks at annie. the way her own parents never looked at each other - the way nobody has ever looked at her.

she stopped believing in fairytale love when she won her games. perhaps annie and finnick are the farthest and closest thing there is to one in this world they live in.

" don't you know, darling? i'm already too deep in the waters, " she murmurs, cherry-painted lips curve into a sardonic purse, as her eyes keep fixated on the lights of the capitol. the view from the tower is magnificent. cashmere loves the lights, they remind her of jewels. sometimes, she wonders what it'd be like to jump from the very top of this building and land on those lights, " might as well learn how to swim, don't you think? become the shark and kill my prey. that's how things are for people like us. "

[nightprompts]

&. 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 (𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧) 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

( dialogue prompts taken from episodes 5 & 6 ( "eat at baratie!" & "the chef and the chore boy" ) of the netflix live action one piece series. feel free to edit and change as you seem fit. )

❛ how about we sail away as fast as we can? ❜

❛ about the battle, you wanna talk about it? ❜

❛ there's something on the breeze. smells like butter. soy sauce. and meat. ❜

❛ think he has brain damage? ❜

❛ i smell food, which means that there's someone somewhere cooking. ❜

❛ what's a... baratie? ❜

❛ let's eat! ❜

❛ you'll have to excuse them. they're idiots. ❜

❛ wanna take this outside? ❜

❛ are you asking me to dance? 'cause i kind of had my eye on that blonde at table eight. ❜

❛ i call it a true bluefin sauté. it's elephant tuna, seared asparagus, in a sweet soy reduction. ❜

❛ if i gotta sling one more prime rib medium-well, i am going to drop dead of boredom, you old shitbag! ❜

❛ this ain't gonna be a fight. i'm just going to kill him. ❜

❛ hi, welcome to our shitty restaurant where the only thing worse than the ambience is the food. ❜

❛ one of our signature cocktails to help you choke down your meal? ❜

❛ apologies, madam, i didn't see you there. ❜

❛ something wrong with your eye? ❜

❛ just blinded by your beauty. ❜

❛ nami's got a boyfriend. ❜

❛ did i catch you in the middle of something? ❜

❛ just killing some time. ❜

❛ who's the quarry? ❜

❛ doesn't sound like much of a challenge. ❜

❛ why are you after me? ❜

❛ you woke me from my nap. ❜

❛ i can't eat another bite. but it's so good. ❜

❛ who the hell is monkey d. luffy? ❜

❛ i don't even think there's liquor in this. it tastes just like candy. ❜

❛ who's ready for another drink? my treat. ❜

❛ i don't really do regret. no point in looking back. ❜

❛ sometimes, when i try to look ahead, all i see is back. ❜

❛ you know, you're a really good cook. ❜

❛ if a man is hungry, i feed him. ❜

❛ what are you carrying around that's so heavy? ❜

❛ i bet i know more about you than you do about me. ❜

❛ i guess something about you, you drink. you guess something about me, i drink.❜

❛ i have business with your captain. if you know what's good for you, you'll hand him over. ❜

❛ i've been following your career since i was a child. it's an honor to finally meet you, sir. which is why it pains me to inform you that tomorrow... you're going to die. ❜

❛ accept my challenge. you'll see how serious i am. ❜

❛ you want me to say you're the best? you're the best. okay? ❜

❛ you're the best i've ever seen, but you are not better than him. ❜

❛ why do you give a shit? ❜

❛ because you're my friend, you idiot. ❜

❛ you said it yourself. you don't have any friends. ❜

❛ what is that? i'm here for a sword fight. ❜

❛ i don't hunt rabbits with a cannon. ❜

❛ you're brave. i'll give you that. ❜

❛ wounds on the back are a swordsman's greatest shame. ❜

❛ this world could use a few more wild cards. ❜

❛ it's too soon for you to die. grow strong and come find me. i'll be waiting. ❜

❛ you could never fail me. ❜

❛ look, i'm not gonna lie to you. he's lost a lot of blood. it might be too late for him. but it might not be. ❜

❛ he's got one foot in each world right now, caught between life and death. you have to find a way to keep him tethered to our world. ❜

❛ nice of you to announce yourself. ❜

❛ i don't take orders. not even from the likes of you. ❜

❛ what's the matter? don't like fish? ❜

❛ if you don't want the fish, i got two-inch t-bones in the kitchen. or maybe you're in the mood for saffron risotto? ❜

❛ i can make anything. just tell me what you want. ❜

❛ being a captain, it's the toughest job in the world, okay? ❜

❛ how'd you two meet? were you on his crew or something? ❜

❛ oregano's for savages! ❜

❛ you've got a sharp tongue on you, boy. how about i cut it out and fry it up with some pig fat? ❜

❛ do what you want, but i'm not gonna die here. ❜

❛ they're all dead, except for us. ❜

❛ you ate it? you ate your own leg? ❜

❛ you don't even know me. why would you do that for a stranger? ❜

❛ so i'm gonna need you to live on. and i'm gonna need you to fulfill that dream... for both of us. ❜

❛ have any idea what that's like? having someone lose a limb to save your life? ❜

❛ sometimes, when you are in charge, you have to make the tough decisions. ❜

❛ i'd do anything to save him. anything. except stand in the way of his dream. ❜

❛ isn't there something that you want? something more than anything else in this world? ❜

❛ not everyone gets to follow their dreams. ❜

❛ did you not hear what i just said? they are hunting you. we need to run. ❜

❛ i can't let innocent people get hurt because of me. ❜

❛ i hear you're looking for me. ❜

❛ so this is the pirate i've heard so much about? ❜

❛ do you know who i am, boy? ❜

❛ how'd you even know how to find me? ❜

❛ if you bow down to me, i might even let you serve in my kingdom. ❜

❛ i don't bow down to any man. ❜

❛ i told you in the bar i didn't have any friends, but the truth is, i couldn't let myself have them... because i always end up hurting the people closest to me. ❜

❛ why waste your time killing a devil fruit eater? let the sea do it for you. ❜

❛ what is your problem? ❜

❛ me? i'm fine. you're the one with the problem. ❜

❛ you're not gonna be anything, not if you stay here. ❜

❛ it's not like i can just leave. ❜

❛ don't you get it? it's one thing to have a dream. it's another to go after it. ❜

❛ you want my permission? you got it. ❜

❛ i didn't know what to say before, but i know what to say now, and it's so simple. i need you. ❜

❛ you gonna keep talking, or let me get some sleep? ❜

❛ i vow to stand by your side from now until the end. ❜

❛ you're my captain, and i'm your first mate. ❜

❛ heard you guys need a cook. ❜

❛ why are we bringing the waiter? ❜

❛ you keep your feet dry. ❜

❛ you know, all these years, living under your shitty roof, cooking at your shitty restaurant... i owe you my life! ❜

❛ thank you for putting up with my shit all these years, old man. ❜

❛ i'll never forget you! ❜

[cashmure]

Coriolass snow really went out and said i'm gonna turn my victors into child traff#cking victims AFTER having grown up with a cousin basically doing survival sw.

[promptfairy]

❥     𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐘    [   𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚂    ]   .

change gendered language   &   add context to your needs . happy roleplaying !!  ♡

“   last christmas ,   i gave you my heart .   ” “   i kept my distance ,   but you still caught my eye .   ” “   tell me ,   do you recognize me ??   ” “   now i know what a fool i’ve been .   ” “   if you kissed me now ,   i know you’d fool me again .   ” “   i was hiding from you   &   your soul of ice .  ” “   my god ,   i thought you were someone to rely on .   ” “   i guess i was just a shoulder to cry on .   ” “   now i’ve found a real love ;   you’ll never fool me again .  ” “   i thought you were here to stay .   ” “   how could you love me for only a day ??   ” “   i thought you were someone special .   ” “   i don’t want a lot for christmas .   ” “   i don’t care about the presents underneath the christmas tree .   ” “   i just want you for my own ,   more than you could ever know .   ” “   make my wish come true .   ” “   all i want for christmas is you .   ” “   i won’t even wish for snow .   ”

“   i’m just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe .   ” “   i’m feeling christmas all around .   ” “   it’s hard to focus when i see him walking across the room .   ” “   i’m avoiding every mistletoe until i know it’s true love .   ” “   i want to let you unwrap me .   ” “   this year ,   i’ve got to be smart .   ” “   later ,   we’ll have some pumpkin pie   &   do some caroling .   ” “   in the meadow ,   we can build a snowman .   ” “   it’s the most wonderful time of the year .   ” “   you are my home for all seasons .   ” “   please don’t cry ,   it’s christmas .   ” “   i only want you under my mistletoe .   ” “   i might change your contact to   ‘  has a huge north pole .  ’   ” “   i’ve been a bad girl ,   i guess i’m getting coal .   ” “   let me come warm you up ,   you’ve been out in the snow .   ” “   you’re my wishlist .   ” “   looking at you’s got me thinking christmas .   ” “   it’s been a long ,   hard year .   ”

“   let’s hope the snow will make christmas right .   ” “   sure it’s madness ,   but it’s magic .   ” “   i just want a cozy little christmas here with you .   ” “   you’re the only one i’m wishing for .   ” “   we were dreamers not so long ago .   ” “   there’s no time to waste ;   there’s so much to celebrate .   ” “   tell me what’s on your wishlist ,   i wanna make it come true .   ” “   i don’t think i’m gonna make it through the winter ,   babe .   ” “   santa won’t bring you somebody who loves you more than me .   ” “   you’re gonna leave me all alone ??   on christmas ??   ” “   can’t we just snuggle underneath the tree by the fireplace ??   ” “   you know i make those cookies you like .   ” “   maybe this christmastime ,   you’ll finally realize that i could be the one to give you everything you want .   ” “   greeting cards have all been sent .   ” “   i still have one wish to make .   ” “   in my dreams ,   i’m christmasing with you .   ” “   every day is a holiday when i’m near to you .   ” “   if there is love in your heart   &   your mind ,   you will feel like christmas all the time .   ” “   merry christmas ,   darling .   ”

[cashmure]

thread idea: cash lashing out at finnick for daring to think he's the only one who has someone important to protect.

cash has a very complex relationship with finnick. they share a disgusting understanding of each other. cash will often think to herself that they are two diamonds cut the same way.

[cashmure]

so what's your story? my story? what happened to you?

between you and me, you look like you've got more problems than me.

THIS IS VERY VICTORS CODED

[cashmure]

it's actually quite curious, but cashmere and gloss both have different and quite opposite ways of preparing their tributes. they tend to switch, so both tributes get to experience being mentored by them, and their methods complement each other perfectly.

gloss is the one who focuses on making the tributes stronger. he is the brute force and his training focuses on weight lifting and making sure they develop enough muscle mass to carry around the heavier, deadlier weapons if needed.

cash is all about appearences, however, she very seldom allows a tribute to rely only on their pretty face. with glimmer for example, cash made a point of coaching glimmer to look regal and poised; a threatening beauty. while she knows very well that johanna mason won by pretending to be weak, cashmere also knows that the capitol sponsors dislike a weak link. they are attracted and fancy someone they think they could never posess.

and even then, glimmer reminded cashmere so much of herself that it was tough not to shield her from what the sponsors would want. cash saw her own games in glimmer, through her eyes. it changed her entirely to watch glimmer die. it was what made her want to be a part of the rebellion.

[cashmure]

" chin up, i said. and don't narrow your eyes. you want to look regal, not blind. "

it doesn't matter what the stylists have told her, over and over again: she's such a pretty face, we need to play off that. don't you remember your games, cashmere? beauty is going to get her places too.

cashmere refuses to turn glimmer into a spectacle. cashmere refuses to turn glimmer into a pretty trophy, because she knows that, if she wins ( when she wins ) she'll become one either ways. let the girl feel like she has any control at all, if only for a few days.

" your stylist already chose an atrocity of a dress for you. the least we want is for it to make you look weak, " gaze softens, so does her tone, as she wraps an arm around the girl's shoulders, manicured claw pokes her chin almost playfully, " you're not a girl anymore, darling. remember? you're a weapon. " @glimmuhr

[cashmure]

" when are you going to stop being such a bitch? just accept the gift, jesus. "

blue eyes roll, curled lashes bat with impatience as she shoves the small box into johanna's hands. the wrapping paper is patterned with tiny pinecones that match the necklace inside the box, which she knows johanna will absolutely hate. it's ugly, and festive, and absolutely ridiculous. but when you live full time in the capitol, there isn't really any other way to give out presents.

" merry christmas, ms. grinch, " with playful quirk of painted, botox-filled lips into a smirk, cashmere laughs upon seeing the other's reaction to it, " go on, open it. i'm extremely prolific at gift-giving, or so they say. then again, considering your apalling fashion sense, i'd probably screw up no matter what i gave you. " @70won