#nace you need to stop this people are dying because of this

[thatiranianphantom]

So I'm writing a fic (slowly, ever so slowly) where Nancy and Ace finally have the talk they really, really need to have. Kinda about why this is so hard for them, when these are two people who have always understood each other extremely well. Behold my opinions (only my opinions!) below:

There are some very clear miscommunications going on here, and a lot of it is centered on both them being much more careful with the other's life than their own, and some pretty personal issues that existed before the advent of "Nace".

Namely, for Nancy, she is going classic Nancy. She is trying to lash out, she is trying to close him out, because she was and continues to be incredibly hurt, and because she thinks closing herself off to this will hurt less. Nancy has some significant abandonment issues, and Ace is the person who convinced her time and time again that she was worth it, that he would stay, and she actually so believed that he would. So him giving up, especially after he pushed her so hard to think they could solve it, I think is reading to her as Ace abandoning her like so many do, leaving her alone. He's making her feel like she's not worthy of fighting for, which is compounded by his unwillingness to try again and to accept needing space without a fight. She really seems to want him to fight for her, and it's likely really hurtful that he won't.

For Ace, this is also a lot of his own issues. Chiefly, he values her life a lot more than his own. Ace's self-esteem issues are big here. He really thinks a lot more of Nancy than he does of himself. He is absolutely willing to risk dying for her, but he is completely unwilling to have her die or be in any danger, particularly if this is his fault. He undoubtedly thinks of her as his great love, and by his perspective, he is sacrificing so much and giving up his chance at love to sit on the sidelines as he did before so that she'll be alive and happy. And that's such a huge sacrifice that he can't understand why she's angry at him. She also is a bit of a magnet to him. No matter how much he's hurting over her, he can't stay away from her, and he's certainly not willing to stop throwing his own life into danger to protect her.

Also, for both of them, they really don't seem to have considered the "you can't unring the bell" concept. Their relationship is forever changed after this, and as Nick pointed out, they were never only friends. Once they expressed what they feel, they can't shove it back inside. The relationship is never going to exist in the platonic iteration again, if it ever did. And for all the talk of space, and moving on, they really don't seem to be doing that. Nancy is passively allowing herself to be pursued by Tristan, Ace will likely get a one-episodeish love interest. But they are so soulmate-coded and unable to stay away from each other that I'm going to guess this won't last long. And if they could just TALK ABOUT THIS HONESTLY, they could sort a lot of this out. But now there's so much heartache and pain surrounding them, that they can't do what they've always effortlessly been able to do, and just talk to each other.

[sparkles-oflight]

39. Jan/Nace (predictable choice) but I’m not over the Damon Baker shoot yet

Hiii!

For context: me and paperphilia (Sam) talked about what exactly we thought it was "a kiss because time's running out" and we made two things clear: dramatic and angsty (sorry not sorry)

Sam also recommended I use the lyrics of Muse's "Time is running out" for this fic.

And now, for the fic context: because Sam mentioned movie things, I took inspiration from The Hunger Games franchise and also from Hozier's "Take Me to Church" MV.

If you never watched The Hunger Games, don't worry, there are no spoilers here. But the specific scene(s) I'm using as a basis is the goodbye of the selected tributes and their families before the game (because their farewell is timed ^^')

So, disclaimers: there's violence here and angst. Please consider this an AU of sorts (even if we don't know exactly what's going on).

Nace was blindfolded, handcuffed and taken to somewhere he didn't know...He was knocked unconscious, and he didn't know for how long, but he heard the people guiding him mumbling something about taking him to see someone.

As he heard a door open, Nace was attacked by the light that came out of a window in a bright room. The blindfold and handcuffs had been removed.

- You have 3 minutes. - one of his "guards" said as he left.

After recovering from the temporary blindness, Nace looked around and found Jan.

He ran to his lover's arms. Jan hugged him strongly, both of them shaking. Jan looked about to burst into tears and his mouth was trembling. He looked like he was about to sob the loudest he had ever. Or had he already? Nace couldn't tell.

Nace broke their embrace and rested his forehead on Jan's, waiting for the younger one to calm down. Their palms were flat against each other.

- I think I'm drowning... asphyxiated. - Jan fought to get those words out.

In his mind, he just couldn't let go of Nace, yet he wanted to break this spell that he created. If only Nace wasn't in love with him, it would be so much easier. If only he weren't in love with Jan, they'd both be happy.

- You will be the death of me. - Nace joked to try to calm Jan down, but that didn't work.

- I need to bury it.

Nace understood with he meant – Jan wanted to bury their love.

- I won't let you bury it! - Nace grabbed Jan, who refused to look at him in his eyes, by his shoulders - I won't let you smother it or murder it!

- I just want your freedom, Nace! I tried to give you up, but I'm addicted! - Jan yelled at him, desperate to break Nace's heart -  You are sucking the life out of me.

Jan felt tears falling down and a snort coming from his nose all because...

He looked at Nace's big brown eyes which now looked like a red glass about to break.

- I don’t want freedom restricted and bounded.

Nace laid his head on Jan’s again and their noses met.

- Our time is running out. - Nace was trying to stay strong, as best as he could, but his hands met Jan's once more...he needed that friction to be able to hold on.

He squeezed his hand as hard as he could.

- You will squeeze the life out of me. - Jan said.

Nace pushed his lips against Jan's. Probably their sloppiest kiss ever, but they didn't know whether that was their last one or not. They just wanted to be next to each other.  They wouldn't mind dying from this kiss - "it would have been better than dying separated", that's what they believed in.

- Time's up. - the same voice from before came back to the room.

Nace and Jan didn't let go of each other. Nace felt his heart accelerate as he was pulled away from Jan.

Even after both being cuffed, they still wouldn't stop, which led to Jan getting hit in the head, and knocked unconscious.

- Jan! - Nace screamed as the last thing he saw before being blindfolded and knocked down himself was Jan being dragged away from the room.

[seeinganewlight]

For a sleepover Friday, what's your top five fave NACE scenes? ♡

top 5 nace scenes ahhhhh that's so so hard because like truly every scene is so good. but uh let's try to pick

- the library scene in 1x14. this whole episode is such a big turning point for nace but the library scene!!! the way she has that amused smile on her fact that is just for ace as he argues with dominique. the way she says "and you did that why?" and he just kinda shrugs at her and she accepts it. reading ryan and lucy's emails "I THINK I LOVE YOU" "I THINK I LOVE YOU, TOO" and then they just STARE AT EACH OTHER AND AWKWARDLY LOOK AWAY UGH IT'S PERFECTION

- the scene in owen's apartment in 1x18. rip owen, sorry bro but your death gave us one of the best nace scenes. this whole episode ace is there for nancy and (as he always does) creates space for her to open up to him in her own time. and i just. i will truly never be over "if you ever want to talk about anything, i'm here" and nancy, who shies away from ever actually talking about her feelings, says "i really appreciate that. if i find the words, i'll share them with you" ACE IS HER SAFE PLACE !!!!!! A SOFT PLACE TO LAND !!!!!

- when nancy hands over the device to daniel west in order to save ace's life. the way she DOES NOT STOP TOUCHING HIM even after he's safely off the ledge. the way she LUNGES at him and wraps her arms around him in a hug. the way he also clings to her. the way even though he's mad that other people's lives are not at risk, he can't not sink into their embrace. the way she says "i couldn't lose you" and that was with the wraith holding her back !!! i need to know what she was going to continue saying!

- just like absolutely everything that happens in 2x18. the way he doesn't leave her side throughout the whole episode because he needs to know that she's safe. the way she doesn't shy away from that comfort (i know she's like dying but she's still nancy), the way he looks at her and holds her and tries to make her smile "you drew a fish" !!!!! the way he HOLDS HER HAND AND RUBS HER BACK. y'all i am still feral over this episode. like my headstone can just read "she has never fully recovered from nancy drew, season 2, episode 18 the echo of lost tears. she's probably screaming about it to everyone in the after life at the moment" TOP TIER NACE EPISODE

- both of their conversations in 3x01. it's the way that ace doesn't push her to open up even though he knows that something is wrong. it's the way that he lets her know that he is there for her but is letting her talk on her own time. the "i'll help you carry it" to everyone else may seem like he's talking about a case of cider, but he's talking about her fears and her burdens and her traumas that she thinks she has to carry along. but she doesn't because ace WANTS to help her carry those things. i just...both of those conversations are SO important to me!!

i literally could go on and on. god i love nace.

sleepover friday!

[aces-drew]

we fall in love 'til it hurts or bleeds (post 2x12 nace fic)

author : acesdrxw (find me on ao3 here)

fandom : nancy x ace (nace) from cw's nancy drew

word count : 1027 words

tags : angst hehe it's all just gut-wrenching angst lmao (but cathartic bc confrontation)

warnings : none

premise : nancy confronts ace after picking up on how off he'd been with her since his almost death at the paper-mill

Ace wasn’t ready to go home yet.

Watching his dad lose a part of his heart to regret after he’d met Grant, almost dying, gaining and losing a brother all in a 16-hour window had left a heavy weight on him, constricting his ribcage and tying knots onto his spine. The dread he felt at having to process all of it for himself and then having to talk to his father about it, having to come to terms that he’d mostly never get to see Grant again – his big brother, his only brother – had heavily worn him down in the brief time he’d had to hold onto all of it.

He took a deep breath, trying to quell inevitable tears as he sat on the bench in the Claw’s storeroom. He didn’t even realise Nancy had walked in until she spoke up behind him.

‘I’m sorry I hurt you.’

He took a second and composed himself before he turned to face her. She looked uncharacteristically apprehensive, and he didn’t necessarily blame her. Something about the two of them had shifted and it was unfailingly and uncomfortably evident.

‘Hurt me? Nancy people could die because of me, they’re the ones who could get hurt.’

It was difficult for Ace to keep an even tone, so he stood up to steady himself a little more. ‘Do we even know for sure that he didn’t send out the list of names to anyone? Was it really the best decision to even have taken that chance? And God Nancy, how did you even know Celia would do what you asked her? I just-’

Ace stopped himself, unwilling to say anything he would regret.

‘It wasn’t a favour, it was a deal.’ She replied.

‘What?’

She took her turn to ready herself with a shaky breath, worrying Ace more than anything. ‘Celia asked that I change my statement against Everett in court in return for catching Daniel West and keeping you safe.’ She said, looking away from him. ‘I agreed to the terms.’

His temples buzzed with adrenaline as he digested the words. He couldn’t really process what he was hearing as his mind raced a mile a minute, ‘What the actual hell Nancy? What were you thinkin-’

‘I couldn’t gamble your safety.’ Nancy interrupted, looking away again; finality etched in her tone. That was enough to effectively set him over the edge.

‘And yet you gambled your integrity?’ Ace felt sick; he couldn’t help but yell. He was now not only responsible for the possible murders of multiple people, but he was also the reason that Nancy had given up everything she’d believed in and worked for, the reason that a known murderer would walk free. ‘This isn’t who you are Nancy, this town trusts you to do the right thing, your dad trusted that you would do the right thing, you’re better than this!’

Nancy recovered just as fast as she’d flinched at his words. ‘Really? Am I? Because last time I checked, all of you were very comfortable with telling me how much of a Hudson I am, so guess what? I am a Hudson; I did what I had to.’ Nancy bit back. Ace couldn’t miss the sincerity that was absent in her tone.

He was so tired. ‘This wasn’t the right call Nancy, you fucked up… I wasn’t worth it.’ Ace tried to remove himself from seeing the way a part of her broke at how he didn’t fight for the decision she’d made to save his life, how he didn’t try to understand what that had cost her, how she was willing to do it anyway. But he could see that she saw him too, that she was also processing his side of things. Even if, just like him, she wasn’t willing to come to terms with what it implied for the two of them.

They studied each other until the silence got too heavy.

‘But it was my call to make. I couldn’t lose you.’ She gave up, looking right at him with tears threatening to fall. She was still scanning his face for some semblance of understanding, for some approval. When it didn’t come, she pulled her last straw, ‘Tell me that you wouldn’t have done the same for me.’

If it were anybody else, Ace would’ve become the pacifist right then. He would’ve put up the front he always did and manage all his feelings onto the backburner, letting everything go for the sake of preserving peace, convincing himself that he’d process it all himself and get over it. He would’ve forgiven it and swallowed the hurt and exhaustion he was feeling. He would’ve managed the anger he felt at her for asking him for an answer that would even mildly justify the clearly wrong decision she’d made – the decision to choose him. He would’ve looked away from her crystal blue eyes and arrested his case.

But with Nancy, against all his better rational judgment, he didn’t feel the need to reserve himself like he always did, he wanted to feel everything he was feeling in full force and overwhelm her with it too. Despite everything, it felt important to be honest with her, to liberate himself from holding back in the only way he could given their current circumstances – he wanted to be angry with her because he was angry with her.

Ace had decided on that much; tonight, he wasn’t going to give either of them the comfort of coming to terms with what she’d done because of him, of unpacking why she’d done it when there was so much – too much, to lose. He’d settled on it, ending the conversation.

‘Amanda is waiting for me. I’m heading out.’ Ace didn’t know why, but he knew that mentioning her was a cheap shot.

And that’s what he did. Before he saw Nancy’s tears, tears he knew would break him into a million more pieces than he’d already been broken into today, tears that would force him to deal with more than he could handle with everything he felt for and about her, he made his way out of the Bayside Claw.