#gridpride

Music is the last thing Quorra expected to hear in a Basic med center. It's slow and soft and lovely. For a moment, as she drifts back towards consciousness, she thinks she must be home in Arjia.

And then she remembers.

She was traveling with Ada when they were attacked. Another program helped her fend them off. After that… they came here.

Ada is asleep in the bed next to Quorra's. The medic who helped rescue them sits at a little desk in the corner. Tablets and charts litter the tabletop, but she's engrossed in what looks like a sampler.

Quorra holds her breath as she watches her play. She's beautiful, her dark eyes intense with focus, her mouth quirked in a self-satisfied smile. Her clever hands dance across the keys, weaving notes together in a tapestry of sound. She nods along, feeling the music, and her hair sways with the beat.

Quorra has never seen a Basic show such love for something outside their function. She's never seen a Basic act so much like an ISO. The flood of affection she feels comes on so quickly, it's almost embarrassing. But, these cycles, she takes her joy where she can get it.

After a few micros the music tapers off. Quorra sits up, wincing, and then those lovely dark eyes are on her.

"Can you play it again?" she asks.

Greetings, programs! We are once again sharing prompts for Pride Month! Follow along with as many or as few as you'd like. All types of submissions are welcome. Tag your works with #gridpride and we'll reblog them!

We also have NSFW prompts this year. Please do not engage with these prompts/works unless you are 18+. Thank you!

Week One

Evolve / "You're already perfect."

Music / "Play it again."

Freedom / "It's a free system."

Love Survives / "I can't believe you're real."

Drowsy / Loopy / "Would you still love me if I was a gridbug?"

Create a work with your favorite lesbian Tron ship and/or character(s)

Week Two

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) / "Lets stay in."

Training / "Try to keep up."

Neon / "You're beautiful."

Stay the night / "Just rest."

Users / "What the heck is kissing?"

Create a work with your favorite gay and/or bi Tron ship or character(s)

Week Three

Sunlight / Starlight / "It won't always be like this."

Community / "You're not alone." / "We stick together."

Heat of the Moment / "That was stupid. Wanna do it again?"

Obvious / "Can you believe they think they're being subtle?"

Oblivious / "Wait, you're (all) dating?"

Create a work for your favorite poly Tron ship or character(s)

Week Four

Queer platonic / "Why does everyone think we're dating?"

Spooning / Cuddling / "Just hold me."

Questioning / "I identify as confused."

Mask / Secret / "No one else knows."

"Sounds fake, but ok." / "I am too ace/aro for this conversation."

Create a work for your favorite ace/aro/queerplatonic Tron character(s)

Week Five

Love is the answer / you're home

2.0 / Update / "This is so much better."

Rainbow / "Don't put me in a box."

Gender euphoria

Stronger Together / "Clu wants what we have."

Create a work for your favorite genderqueer/trans/nonbinary Tron ship(s) and/or character(s)

NSFW prompts below the cut

Stealing Time

2003: Lora Baines-Bradley returns home to L.A. after a work week in D.C., and is paid a surprise visit by a young Sam Flynn who has some personal news to share.

Gen Lora Baines-Bradley & Sam Flynn ~ Pre-Tron: Legacy, Canon Compliant, Domestic, Introspection, Light Angst, Found Family, Haircuts, Trans Sam Flynn 1,911 words

Written for @thegridisforeveryone 's Grid Pride 2026. Week One prompts: "You're already perfect." and Freedom.

"Trio"

Freedom

"Quorra." Sam folded his arms.

"Mh." The ISO in question, currently doing the least convincing human impression she'd done since leaving the Grid for the first time, hid her head in her hands.

"You are my sister in all senses except biological, and I love and support you." Sam continued. "And I am aware it is a free system, so you can love whoever you like. I am not entitled to all the details of your love life, and you know I will happily fight anyone who gives you grief about your girlfriend."

Quorra scowled at a memory - finding out the User world was not always as accepting as the Grid had been a rude wake-up call, especially when she realised the way those hecklers had treated her was how some of her fellow ISOs had treated the Userforged (not Basics, never Basics, she knew that now).

"However, I am judging you a lot right now." Sam poked her arm. "Her? Really? She tried to kill you, Q. And unlike Paige, she almost succeeded."

Athena, resplendent in red and every inch the weapon Julian Dillinger had coded her to be, radiated smugness.

Sam pointed at her. "Do not. I can and will load you on a pocket calculator if you hurt my sister."

Quorra mumbled something. Athena's tiny smile grew.

"I did not need to know that about your sex life, thank you, please never tell me things like that again." Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. "But, and I can't believe I'm saying this, be safe, and consent is sexy." He hissed a breath between his teeth. "And now I sound like Alan."

"So..." Quorra peeked at him. "You're not mad?"

"I am mad at the Analogue world for not being as accepting as the Grid. I am mad at myself for putting you in a position where you felt you had to hide the identity of your girlfriend for... almost four months, if my maths is right. I am not mad at you." Sam explained softly. "I'm... confused, and still wary, about you-" he pointed at Athena again. "-but you did chase us literally halfway across the world, with lethal intent for a good portion of it. However, I am not mad at you, because your Creator is a terrible human being, and you didn't have anyone teaching you you are more than what he made you to be. You had to learn that by yourself. In twenty-nine minute bursts, because you died painfully at the end of each one."

Athena grimaced. "An experience I do not want to repeat."

"Yeah, well, that's why I helped you fix it. Granted, I didn't know it was you I was helping, but I would have helped you anyway. No one deserves that. And you make Q happy, if you keep doing that I'll get used to you and we'll be fine."

The look Athena gave him, all quick-flash disbelief and vulnerable gratitude, still made Sam want to throttle the latest Dillinger-issue pain in every Baines-Bradley-Flynn's ass. No one, war Program or otherwise, deserved to feel like they didn't deserve kindness or forgiveness for what wasn't their fault.

"Now shoo. Go seduce my sister. Have fun, I am going to bed at midnight but call me if you want me to come get you." Sam instructed, chivvying Quorra out the door and into Athena's arms. "I know you can both handle yourselves, but let's try to keep it so I'm the only one who's ever needed bailing out of jail."

"Hi." Quorra whispered. This close, it was clear Athena's eyeliner was no longer wholly black - still heavy, bold and smoky, but flecked with white stars.

"Hello." Athena murmured back, thumb tracing the silver hexagon on Quorra's bicep. It still buzzed gently against her sensors, unlit in the Analogue world but energy echoing under it.

"We have a reservation." Quorra made no effort at moving, and every effort not to smudge Athena's lipstick when she stole a quick kiss.

"We do." Athena nuzzled Quorra's cheek, revelling in the consequences of her first true choice - in freedom, and possibilities.

"We'll be late." Quorra hummed.

"I hear it's fashionable to be so." Athena offered, receiving a giggle for her efforts. "Though we should probably allow your brother to close the door, at least."

Quorra's giggles became full-blown laughs. "Probably." She agreed, finally starting to head off in the direction of the bus stop. "After all, I recall I owe you a proper date?"

Alan has to pull Lora aside. “Who is that?” he asks right next to her ear.

Lora grins as she leans in, too. A necessity in a place as loud and boisterous as an arcade, and especially one run by—“Flynn,” she says. “I told you, Alan. His name’s on the building.”

She watches his eyes widen, sees his gaze go up and down Flynn’s figure. She smiles: she remembers putting on a similar expression when she first met the mysterious, eccentric jock programming at ENCOM. It’s just what he does.

“No,” Alan says. “That can’t be—but he’s—”