#tor writes

[wetdeadroses]

ace loves it when you’re sleepy, because you’re just so damn soft and cute. he never thought he’d find so much joy in lazing around into the late hours of the day, your legs tangled with his in the sheets. he’d pretend he has work to do, all so he can see that precious little pout on your lips as you pull him even closer with those delicate hands of yours, pleading for five more minutes. he would give in, and he would try his hardest to hide that cheeky little grin, but when he buries his face in your neck, you can feel his smile playing across your skin. he craves every second, every moment, of your touch; he basks in this sanctuary made up of the two of you. even if it is just five more minutes, he can’t wait to do it again tomorrow.

[tormentum-ab-intra]

29 for injury prompts! (leander mayhaps? owo)

how fun! 29 is perfect for him :>

From this prompt list

29. "Tell me where it hurts, and be specific."

---

"You're bleeding, Arilan." 

The observation is an off-handed one. The Éa tassra Kithralla does not look concerned, nor sound concerned, nor even glance up from the paw he’s washing with his tongue. 

Arilan trusts, then, that at least he isn’t dying. 

“I...suppose that’s so,” he says, if only because he doesn’t see any reason for the Éa tassra Kithralla to lie about it.

“You suppose?” Eyes like algae roll up to look at Arilan from beneath a soft, black brow and finely arching whiskers. Algae...not the easiest color to read. 

Arilan stills to consider his answer. He does not want to give offense by speaking hastily. He hadn’t thought he was bleeding anywhere, but to imply that the Éa tassra Kithralla might be wrong would be...

“Arilan.”  

Arilan looks up, and the green looks down, raising its chin to regard him over the length of a sleek, narrow muzzle. Not algae, now, but moss. Moss is good; it looks like warmth and endearment. He watches as the great black cat on the Sunning Hill swipes a lazy paw across its cheek, smoothing down glossy fur that was never ruffled to begin with. 

The morning air swirls with motes of gold. Arilan could swear the cat’s eyes swirl with the same, alstroemerias on cushion moss, just before they close in a slow, sightless smile.

Arilan smiles back. He can’t help it. Smiling hurts for some reason, but the burn is a low one, a distant one. It matters not a bit.

There’s the moss again, blinking, deepening, like ferns on the mirror-smooth surface of a lake. Ferns are good, too. Light. Approachable.

“You know,” the wind whispers in his ear, wonderfully cool, curling with amusement, “You could at least try to act like you’re still listening.”

Arilan jumps, blinks, drags himself out of the ferns to see the whole of the lake. It ripples as if under a breeze, the great cat rolling to its side and reaching for the Sunning Hill’s edge. Dagger claws tap the stone, but withdraw without scratching furrows into its revered and ancient surface. The lake stills, and the ferns stare. 

“Well, now you’re just ignoring me.”

Kithralla, help me, Arilan thinks, shaking himself. As he watches, the ferns sink beneath the water and drift back up. Another blinking smile. There’s something wrong with me today.

“There is,” the cat agrees, catching beams of sun on the white of its fangs as it yawns. As if Arilan had voiced the thought aloud, even though he never did. Well; he did invoke the name of Kithralla. That’s more than close enough. “I told you. You’re bleeding.”

Arilan shrugs his aching shoulders. “Aren’t I often?”

“Yes, but hardly ever quite so much. Don’t you feel like sitting down?”

And wouldn’t you know it, he does. The cat is on its back, now, and Arilan can’t help but wonder if it wouldn’t eat him if he tried to lie down on the soft mound of its belly. A bed and a warm embrace and a soft fur blanket all in one...

Reluctant, Arilan shakes his head. “No need, Éa tassra. I’m alright to stand guard a while longer.”

“You think so,” drawls the cat. Not a question. Not an agreement.

Arilan frowns. “You do not?”

Long neck craning, the Éa tassra Kithralla looks at him again, upside-down. 

Is its face longer than it was a second ago?

It blinks, sighs, twists about to right itself, and as the mass of dark fur stills, Arilan finds himself gazing up at a wiry hound where the cat had been, grin peeling all the way back to the hinge of its jaw. “Do something for me.”

“Anything.” The ferns have turned into maple leaves. Still green, but with veins of orange fanning in from the edges. “You know you have only to ask.” It’s true; he could not have said it otherwise.

For their honored creature lord, Arilan would do anything, give anything. That’s why he stands guard at the foot of its perch now, in case the threats he took care of earlier were not the only ones of their kind afoot.

“Tell me where it hurts,” says the hound with the maple leaf eyes; a command, not a request. “Do be specific." Tall ears prick forward, black at the edges, red and all but glowing where the sun shines on the backs and through to the other side.

Arilan frowns. “Everywhere,” he realizes. He can’t remember being injured.

The hound does not answer, but there’s a Thought so, written in the lack of surprise on its face. “Come here,” murmurs the wind, nudging Arilan forward with a strong gust at his back. 

So, Arilan goes.

The climb up the Sunning Hill is a short one, made all the shorter by the sickle claws that curl around his waist to lift him up. The world continues to turn and sway even after he’s deposited on the sun- and fur-warmed stone. Arilan thinks he feels feathers brushing against his skin.

He fears to stain those feathers, realizing finally just how much blood he’s lost and is losing, but the Éa tassra does not seem to mind.

Arilan gazes up into the deep dark of pine needles, and the pine needles gaze back. The longer he looks, the more the world stills, and stays still.

Gentle hands cup his face. Arilan starts. Hands; not paws, not talons. He hadn’t even noticed them changing.

The nymph before him is beautiful, just like the hound was, just like the cat was. Long limbs and graceful lines and eyes like pines on a winter night.

But then, the Éa tassra Kithralla is beautiful in any form. Leander is beautiful in any form.

“You fought well, Arilan,” Leander soothes, voice as cool as his hands aren’t, guiding Arilan to lie down. “But let us not forget which of us is the Guardian here, hm?” Soft, slender fingers brush hair back from Arilan’s forehead. 

Arilan can’t argue with that.

“Sleep now, my darling. I will be here when you wake.”

Leander may not be one of the Unlying any longer, but all the same, Arilan believes him.

[iamrizaka]

As much as I love the idea of Will wearing Lee's flannel after his death, I much more prefer a scenario where he was constantly trying to steal it when Lee wasn't looking. Lee got fed up with this gremlin child (affectionate) trying to steal his clothes (he knows that he should toss it out, burn it, but he can't bring himself to do it; it holds way too many memories) so he gets a green flannel and embroiders it with little sun symbols.

He hides it in one of the secret rooms in the infirmary, because he can't have any of his siblings – or worse, a spy – stumble across it in his cabin. He leaves it here and makes a promise to give it to Will on his birthday.

Over a year later, Will tries to find a place to hide – no one should see their head counselor and head medic cry. He finds this room and remembers the talks about it and how it was one of Lee and Luke's secret hideouts. He wants to leave; he doesn't need another memory of what it was and what it could've been. But his gut tells him to enter and he finds a neatly packaged box.

There's a green flannel and a note:

For my little brother, Will

— Lee

P.S. stop stealing my clothes!

He never takes it off.

[toomanyteefs]

Decided to make some Snapback memes since I made a bunch for Salvage and I'm definitely going to make more, but for now Snapback Memes part 1: Jaster edition.

(Spoilers obviously)

Part 2

[empresskaze]

Viktor lays huddled, curled into as much of a ball his body would allow on his couch. Blanket pulled up to his chin, he still shivers as it wasn't as thick as the one Jayce normally kept at the lab.

His dry tired eyes stare unfocused forward, the faint stinging from the constant rubbing pricking at the corners.

Sniffling tickly does nothing to help his poor nose which hasn't stopped running in the two days since he caught this awful cold. He'd blow it but the delicate skin around it hurts even thinking about it. So just a quick rub but it still reminds him how raw his nose is. Sadly the little pressure ignites another deep tickle. His feathery breath hitches as he pull at his handkerchief, just on the cusp, he looses it again.

Another false start. He's been plagued by so many today. Another sudden hitch, Viktor's pale face slacks as he anticipates how much this could rip through the back of his throat but once again, nothing comes of it but frustration.

He coughs instead, body racking, low and unsettling as it rocks his lungs. If anything that is the worse part of this illness.

The glass filled with water is just out of reach with no energy to spare to lean the few inches forward to grab it.

A ragged sigh triggers another wave of congested coughing. Gasping for breath between hacks, it finally passes leaving a deep aching pain centered in his chest.

Tears sting his eyes as he sniffles, rubbing his nose against his wrist.

That's enough to finally release what's been clogging his sinuses. Inhaling quickly Viktor's handkerchief barely makes it up as he sneezes harshly into it.

Eschhhhuhh!…hheh-! HhHEschhhuh! Huhh….HEhschhuhh!! -HehHshjuh!! …Esch'.. Es’chHHehew!

His thin body convulses with every raucous wet sneeze.

When the fit finally passes he's left panting, chest wheezing with every inhale. Tears freely flowing down his cheeks.

"Jayce." He whispers to nothing.

[arminthada]

Compilation post of my favorite Nadao actors (Nonkul Chanon, JJ Krissanapoom, Tor Thanapob) & Bright Rapheephong giving some interview answers on why they decided to star in queer/LGBTQ+ coded series/roles, some of their takes on being in BL (Y)/Queer series.

note: if you find this post familiar, it's because i've posted this on Reddit before. reposting here for archival purposes

TOR THANAPOB

Tor Thanapob interview in April 2023 when being asked about starring in Midnight Museum (a queer-coded GMMTV series) - (translation by infinitygraph_)

Tor: I think nowadays we should stop talking about gender. It doesn't mean that I have to act with women all the time or I can't act with men at all. I feel that I have proved to everyone that, work is work, and everything is about art. Even my team who are staying with me all the time has all kind of sexualities. It's not strange if someday we want to try telling story of other sexualities that we feel that we might be able to help them telling. If you ask me if today I am like that, today I might not, but I have a chance to understand them more, so I want to do it. Q: Is it because of the spoiler that [Midnight Museum] might be a series Y (BL)? Tor: Nothing to do with it. I tell you, sincerely, it has nothing to do with the spoiler. I just want to say that you don't have to overthink about it because nothing is fixed. Actors are actors. These days there are some award shows don't divide genders into categories anymore. I think this is a great step. Actresses also don't have to act with men all the time, they can act with women. And they both being the main characters Right. Because not all the main characters from every project have to come with the word 'love'. Even if there's 'love', there're many kinds of love. It's up to the audience what kind of feeling they have. Do they feel the same as me or they even feel more than I do? Q: So that means these days you can accept the work without any limit about what you are, which genders... Everything is about the story/script-writing? Tor: Right. I admit that I was afraid before. I wasn't afraid about my image, I was afraid that I would tell the story without understanding it, because I didn't have any experience at all. But at some point I found the chance to be more open-minded, brave to act it out all the way, such as Midnight Museum...

Tor's Vogue Interview in February 2024 on Spare Me Your Mercy as another important milestone as an actor (all translation by saltymarbles on twitter)

Tor: As for Euthanasia, I’ve been interested in it just from its name. If we were to go back in time to the period of the Prime Ministerial elections last year, there was some talk regarding the laws about euthanasia. As such, I know the meaning of it but if I had to explain it, I wouldn’t dare to because I don’t know that deeply about it. Tor: Up to the day that this drama happens, the owner of this project told me he wanted to set this question before anything changed in society: ‘Actually, are humans capable of choosing their death?’. Tor: This question shot through the core of my brain and immediately, i was like: ‘I need to tell this story’. And the role that he hoped to give me also served that function too. It’s a character which sets up the question of ‘what is right?’.(t/n: "this question" likely refers to a more philosophical kind of question regarding morality which asks what does being ‘correct’ mean — what is ‘objective morality’ (if it exists)) Tor: Do the people who are really suffering have the right to ask to leave? (t/n: "leave" is just a polite way of saying die (Thai people usually don’t use directly use the word die when talking about humans, usually use a more polite way like how we say ‘passed away’ or ‘xyz has left us’) Tor: Thus I decided to play along with knowing that the timeline of Euthanasia will remain with one in a hundred (people), so I like shades of the polar opposite. If the first story is navy blue, the other will be red — not close at all.

NONKUL CHANON

Nonkul's response to the question “If you have a chance, would you consider playing in a BL series? If accepted, who do you to co-act with?” in a Facebook Q&A video in 2021

Nonkul: If that series is an interesting storyline for me, I am always open to any kind of genre. I never categorized BL series as an BL series, I just think of it as a series with another plot as part of my work. It is a normal series that can have any of the plots which I will categorize as Romantic Comedy, Drama or whatever. Thus, when I choose the BL series I want to work with, the love preference of the character does not affect my decision. If the plot of the series is interesting, of course I’m gonna do it for sure. Every work that I chose, I personally think it at least enjoyable for me. Of course, if in the future, there are BL series with plots that I find interesting, that I enjoyed the script. “Like, wow, that’s my type!”, I will definitely selected it to be my future project. A good written series is a good series. This is what I believe as an actor. For BL Series, I think I can work with everyone. I don’t think I have anyone in particular. One thing! I desire the character of that person/actor? to be close to the character in the series. At that point I will be satisfied. Sometimes, I as an actor have a chance to work with people who don't have a lot of acting experience. I will still discover something new from him as well. And there is a BL novel which I really like! [Nonkul explains the plot of his favorite BL Novel ‘Peremo’] I would prefer to choose the “heroine” role because it will be a new experience for me as an actor because it will be a new experience for me as an actor. Because basically I only play as a hero role for the main character or support character in my work, but a “heroine” role in a BL series is the only chance for me to play a character more feminine. So it is a new experience for me. [Nonkul continues raving about 'Peremo’]. But if you think that you can make [an adaptation of Peremo], please do not forget me, Nonkul! Pleaseeeeeeee, I will do my best, I promise!!! However, I’m not only fixated on this novel. I’m also open for many more BL series if there is an interesting plot.

Nonkul's response to being ask if he's worried about filming NC scenes in IFYLITA (translation by saltymarbles)

Nonkul: I have to say when I had finished reading [the novel] and it’s made me want to act (in this series). I am probably worried more about the CG because if it’s a fantasy story with time travel, if the CG isn’t good, people will feel that it’s ‘off’. Because CG is something we don’t know anything about until we see the final product. One of the reasons that I accepted this role is because for some series, when I’ve read (the script/novel) for homework, I don’t accept them because there are some scenes that are forced in just for the sake of fan service. And I’m not really into that. If it’s a natural NC scene, then I’m not bothered. I’m a person who places a lot of importance on the story in series making sense. So to me, if an NC scene is reasonable, I won’t be bothered by it. But if it seems forced, I’m not into it. It’s important to show human-ness.

Two clips of Nonkul being asked what he thinks about doing NC scenes in IFYLITA (Clip 1 and Clip 2). Nonkul said that he places great importance on the character's actions. If an NC scene is reasonable he wouldn't mind but would if it's not reasonable. For Nonkul, understanding character is very important, especially for himself as an actor. Nonkul also said previously he had rejected some BL series offers because he can feel when NC scenes are put in just for fan service, which is also a reason why Nonkul accepted to play Jom in IFYLITA is because the love scenes are natural and make sense.

JJ KRISSANAPOOM aka JAYLERR

JJ's interview in February 2024 on Spare Me Your Mercy and his chemistry with Tor (translation by saltymarbles)

JJ: The pilot of ‘Euthanasia’ has been received well since the novel has many fans already who are excited about it. JJ & Tor are similarly excited and are committed to doing their best. The chemistry between Tor & JJ need not be questioned according to JJ since they are already close with each other. The series is in the phase of pre-production currently.

One of my favorite fictional characters of ALL TIME (not just in Thai or BL series) has got to be Tangmo from Great Men Academy (2019) (the series that a lot of BL audience refused to admit it's a queer series). The character Tangmo (played by Jaylerr) was questioned by the press about his gay crush on the protagonist: "Do you think being gay affect your chance of winning the competition?" to which his reply was a stellar "Well then let me ask you something, Does being gay make my good deeds meaningless?"

This isn't the first time JJ has played a queer role, JJ has played a gay character in TWO seasons of the LGBTQ+ series Diary of Tootsies (2016 and 2017). JJ plays Gus, the love interest of the main character.

So even though many BL fans consider Spare Me Your Mercy to be JJ's "first" BL series (which I don't agree with this strict interpretation of BL series), it is definitely not his first QL (Queer Love) series nor queer-adjacent roles as shown through out his filmography.

It is also noteworthy that even during the airing of these series, JJ was already in a public relationship with his fellow actress girlfriend Thanaerng (who has also played sapphic roles). You can see that the real life relationship of JJ or Thanaerng do not influence how/what projects they take on because work is just work :D

BRIGHT RAPHEEPHONG (all translation by saltymarbles on twitter)

Bright at Mono29 Lineup event

Bright: I think that, as I’ve previously said, BL series are just like other ordinary series or movies. Like IFYLITA can be changed to be said to be more like a period drama. I feel that BL is just about two people loving each other, not about whether it’s about male-male or female-male. This series is a period drama and it’s a romantic comedy and the other series is an action drama.

Bright's Interview with LIPS Magazine

Q: What if one day, we’re sucked in by the ship? Bright: I think fans in this day and age don’t need actors to do fan service to that extent. For myself, I’ve never intended for it to be the foundation (of his work). I think it’s a matter of being partners and working together. As such, it’s somewhat good in every aspect because it’s not forcing it. But in some moments, there may some actions that may just be the result of being friends. So even if fans ship, it’s cute to me. (smiles) Q: Do you feel a sense of “newness” stepping into a full-fledged BL? Bright: I feel that BL series are another branch of acting. I don’t think of it as being a specific form of male to male communication. It’s just another type of series just like action dramas, comedy etc, it’s just another kind of role that we can play.

Bright's Interview with Praew Magazine

Q: How is it working with Nonkul? Bright: Nonkul is a person who already does a good job at his work. He does his homework and he is also good at delivering and receiving emotions when on set. It isn’t just Nonkul who is great but the other characters in this series too, this includes P’Tee, the director. We can always talk about ideas which made the work even better. If asked whether entering the scenes with Nonkul made me shy, I would say that BL series are just another branch (of acting), it is just another role. I don't think that when acting with another man, that there’s a need to feel anything. I feel that it’s just another form of work. Another thing is that our workshops were very complete. When we work together I know what level and extent I can go to, what I should do and also trying my best in how I should feel. Thus, I felt at ease working together.

Bright’s Interview with NineEntertain

Q: Are you happy to do “ship” activities like this? Bright: I feel that if there’s an opportunity with regards to being an actor, I don’t want to be stuck in ships like this. I accepted this role with the status of an actor and I want to accept various roles too. It doesn’t always need to be BL or a specific kind of series. I will have another series next year which is ordinary boy-girl relationship and not a BL series. I feel that BL series are just another category of series — not like BL series are just BL series. It’s another category like action, romcom, or drama. It’s just another category. Q: There is still the possibility of coming to act as per usual. (unclear of what the interviewer said) Bright: I feel that with every work opportunity, it’s more about the script and storyline of the work that I were to accept. For example, I accepted the role of Khun Yai in IFYLITA as i felt that it was a script that was suitable for me. I didn’t think of it as “oh it’s a BL series, I need to accept it” because to be honest, I have been contacted for various BL series but because [IFYLITA] storyline is really good, I wanted to try acting in it. Q: What is the difficulty of acting in BL as an actor? Bright: I feel like there isn’t any difference compared to regular series. I feel that when two men love each other or kiss, I don’t think of it as (me and) a man, I think of it more as each of the characters or persons. Q: Does that affect the trend of being a ship? Bright: Hmm… Actually I am not able to answer that because I feel like it depends on people’s perspectives. Because some people may prefer that (an actor) has a (onscreen) gf/bf but some people may be upset about it. I feel like the trend depends on the people’s perspectives as people have different ways of thinking (about it). I think that I am open to listening to all different opinions on this. I feel that working (in this industry), you should be able to explore different things and you should not be fixed in one thing. We need to continue moving onto the next thing. I feel that Non has his own work and I also have my own work, and other actors too have their own upcoming work. It doesn’t mean that coming to act in IFYLITA means that you stay in IFYLITA forever. Q: Some may feel that it’s sad their their ship is coming to an end and that they are gonna work with different people. Bright: Actually, there are still some upcoming pair events but as I’ve said earlier, everyone needs to continue to do their own duties as an actor. Q: What if people change their minds about shipping your ship in the future? Bright: I think it’s a normal thing. I feel that when someone (likes us), they also like our work. I feel like our fanclub likes both Yai and Jom, and they also like Bright and Non. They like the characters and that Bright and Non play these characters and they so they like us at this point. I feel like people who came to like us are also fans of other people. I feel that they are a source of encouragement for me when they like me but I am also glad if they meet someone new or support another person. I feel happy when they come to meet me and if they’re happy when they meet other (celebs), it’s a good thing for them. If there’s a new person, an older person, a regular person or a person they just met that they are happy to meet, I feel that it’s nothing to be stressed about. Let’s say a fan comes and likes me and is following my work and there’s someone new who enters and they like their work, I am glad for them to go support that other person because that person can bring happiness to the fan.

Wow, I really got carried away with this compilation but as a fan who's followed Nonkul, JJ and Tor since their Nadao days, watching them star in queer-coded series/roles like Bangrak Soi 9/1, Hormones, Diary of Tootsies, Great Men Academy... (or in Bright's case a gay character in lakorn Rivalry), I'm just so proud that they have been able to receive "BL" series script offers that they would like to take on.

I've never sat well with the difference in the treatment of the press to "BL actors" and "non-BL actors". I wish there weren't such a distinction because it feels like the notion itself holds a lot of prejudices baggage with it, to both "BL" and "non-BL" actors. To quote a friend on Reddit, "I believe most actors would feel more fulfilled if they knew their fans loved/respected them as individual artists, instead of only seeing them as one part of a unit whose value is lower when 'separated' from their official partner."

[avalonbards]

tor knows gawain killed king pellinore.

he’s observant, more than anyone can ever guess. so he knows the signs when gawain returns after riding out for a few days. the subtle tremble to his hands, the distantly relieved light in his eyes. and the drops of dried blood gawain missed, smudged on his armor and sword.

like looking for which wolf attacked his sheep during the knight, so as to not bring undue retribution to all.

but tor doesn’t feel any anger, any grief. he cares not even a moment for pellinore being dead when the king’s body is discovered later. he sits on the chair he has been assigned at the Table, carving a shape out of a block of wood, and feels…

nothing.

nothing.

until someone, he doesn’t care to look to see, asks if he’s alright since his father has been killed.

“why wouldn’t i be fine?” tor questions, voice colder than he could ever remember it being. “that man may have impregnated my mother, but he was no father to me. i just feel grateful someone else took care of the wretch before i got to it.”

his declaration is met with silence from whichever knight it was who had shown such concern. but tor doesn’t care. he raises his gaze to meet the cool stare of sir gawain across the Table.

and tor smiles.

[puppetmastery]

i hate that the tor publishing ad for exordia describes it in the lamest possible way. you are doing it a disservice!!! anna sinjari is not just a "refugee and disaffected office worker" she's a survivor of a genocide who now believes some part of her is fundamentally evil. she's traumatized and a "bad victim" and is perpetually alienated from those around her. anna and ssrin's story isn't merely the universe "shipping them together". it's more than that. it's anna finally finding someone who understands, and that someone being a giant alien murder snake, and being inescapably dragged into a nightmare by that meeting. and liking it. it's a big, thick, dense book about finding a physics-defying, mind-reading spaceship in the middle of kurdistan and multiple governments sending a bunch of guys to find out how to contain and exploit it. including the biggest and worst government of them all, an empire of ontologically evil (as decided by the creators of the universe itself!) snake aliens who have mastered imperialism so thoroughly that they can manipulate the actual metaphysical narrative of other species in order to exploit them. it's about imperialism and feminism and race and math and the military-industrial complex and bush/obama-era foreign policy and the right to self-determination and the psychological effects of violent trauma and how a species made narratively irredeemable would realistically respond to having no chance at heaven. and how fucking cool fighter jets are. and all but like 4 of the important characters are girls and most of them are doing gay shit in between fighting for their lives. exordia is fucking excellent and you're going to respect her!!!!!

[unnameablethings]

god i've been working on a book about a dragon empress with a harem of wives for like. literally years. and I've started over a BAJILLION times. but I think I've finally hit on a working formula/format/vibe and I'm SO excited.

(the format is a loosely chronological anthology of short stories/novellas about each of the wives meeting/marrying the dragon empress with an overarching plot throughline. which suits my strengths as a short fiction writer/the complexity of the relationships a lot better than trying to write a traditional novel with like eight love interests LOL).

[cienie-isengardu]

Jaster Mereel's Supercommando Codex - source material

The History of the Mandalorians (2005)

Jaster Mereel, a deeply pious human and extraordinary soldier, immediately noticed a deep-seated dissatisfaction in the hearts of many hard-boiled Mandalorian. As a former Journeyman Protector, Mereel brought a strong ethic that extended far beyond the limited Mandalorian ideology of fighting for credits. His prowess in combat earned him the respect of his peers, and when Mereel fought tooth-and-nail to became reigning Mandalore and unite the disparate clans, his ideals became the foundation for a new creed: the supercommando Codex. Not all agreed with Mereel's ideas, however. Many bloodthirsty and amoral Mandalorians resented him, having enjoyed the unaccountability of their mercenary lifestyles. Among them was the soldier Vizsla, who gathered the dissenters into a splinter group, the Mandalorian Death Watch. Mereel's suppercommandos, in turn, recast themselves as the True Mandalorians, and total war ensued.

The New Essential Chronology (2005)

The Battle of Galidraan marked the end of the Mandalorian Civil War, a conflict between True Mandalorians and the Mandalorian Death Watch that had been sizzling for over a quarter century. Following the Mandalorians' extinction of the Ithullans a century and a half earlier, some clan members had expressed a desire to shed the amoral ways of the "Mandalorian Mercs". Eventually, the charismatic Jaster Mereel came to lead the clans as Mandalore, and set down an idealistic code of conduct in the Supercommando Codex. A Mandalorian named Vizsla attracted followers fond of the old ways, who formed the Death Watch faction. Armed conflict broke out approximately 60 B.B.Y.

The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (2008)

From Jaster Mereel's Entry (vol. 2):

[...] When Merel was elected the leader of the Mandalorian Mercs, it was believed that Vizsla decided to split off from the group and form the Death Watch. In response, Mereel declared that his followers were the True Mandalorians. Vizsla tried to destroy the True Mandalorians on Concord Dawn, but Mereel and a small force managed to survive, thanks in part to the efforts of a young Jango Fett. The Mandalorians regrouped, but Mereel felt pressure from hard-liners like Montross to eliminate the Death Watch and reestablish the superiority of the Mandalorians. It was during this time that he created the Codex, the new tenets and canons of supercommandos who followed him into battle. He also appointed Jango Fett as his choice to succeed him as Mand'alor.

Supercommando Codex Entry (vol. 3):

Supercommando Codex This was the name used by Jaster Mereel to describe the set of tenets and canons that he developed to oversee the new Mandalorian Mercs several decades before the onset of the Clone Wars. The codex was created to define the rules and roles of his new supercommandos, in an effort to unite the disparate clans of Mandalorian Mercs under a single leader. Although many followers of the Mandalorian codes agreed with Jaster and the codex, many others - Vizsla and Montross among them - broke away from his band in protest over the new rules.

Galaxy at War (2009)

The roots of the Protectors stretch back to Jaster Mereel's formation of the Mandalorian Supercommandos (Mando Ori'ramikade). During the Mandalorian Civil War of 60-34 BBY, the Protectors' ranks were split into two factions: the rebellious Death Watch and the reformist True Mandalorians of Mereel and Jango Fett. The True Mandalorians met their end at the Battle of Galidraan, but ther moral teaching, embodied in the Supercommando Codex, inspired many back on Mandalore.

The Essential Guide to Warfare (2012)

In the last century before the Battle of Yavin, two new Mandalorian movements arose. The mercenary Jaster Mereel, who became Mandalore in 60 BBY, sought to reinstitute the warrior codes. His True Mandalorians were opposed by mercenaries who argued that the way to restore the clans' honow was to topple the hated New Mandalorians and repay the Republic's savagery in kind. This group became known as the Death Watch.

+ bonus, Jango Fett and Tor Vizsla opinions on Jaster Mereel's idea of honor, as presented in Death Watch Manifesto (published as part of The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett, 2013)

[...] Other disagreements soon followed. Some of the Faithful, the so-called True Mandalorians, wanted to dictate how all of us should earn credits for ourselves and our families, and they sought to supervise our conduct in a hostile galaxy. The wiser among us understood that in times of war it is only the ruthless - those who free themselves of the traps of pity and vacillation - who survive.

The breaking point came nearly three decades ago, when the Faithful made a terrible error, choosing Jaster Mereel as the True Mandalore. Mereel had been a lawman, a Journeyman Protector on Concord Dawn, until he murdered a superior officer. Wracked by guilt, he concluded that the flaw lay not in his own heart but in the universe. Unable to contain his own passions, he sought to eliminate them in everyone else. His blinkered view of Mandalorian honor would have reduced the Faithful to mere hirelings, helpless against the Faithless.

[Fett's comment written on margin] These are lies. Jaster sought true honor, not the right to ignore laws and moral codes. Vizsla’s Death Watch was nothing but a license for murder - Jango.

Sources:

The History of the Mandalorians by Abel G. Peña; published as part of Star Wars Insider #80.

The New Essential Chronology by Daniel Wallace, reference book.

The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia by Stephen J. Sansweet and Pablo Hidalgo, with contributions from Bob Vitas, Daniel Wallace, Chris Cassidy, Mary Franklin, and Josh Kushins, reference book.

Galaxy at War by Rodney Thompson, Gary Astleford, Eric Cagle, Daniel Wallace; a supplement to the Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition Core Rulebook published by Wizards of the Coast.

The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett by Daniel Wallace, Ryder Windham, and Jason Fry; reference book.

The Essential Guide to Warfare by Jason Fry and Paul R. Urquhart; reference book.

[wetdeadroses]

Found: Hat

surely, the hat would blow away if you left it here. there was no way it was abandoned, either. every little piece of it appeared to be lovingly cared for: shiny red beads and a pair of opposing faces atop the brim, which was neatly stitched and, aside from a loose thread or two, unfrayed. the leather strap might have seen better days, but it only went to show how often the owner wore it. in short, this hat’s wearer must be sorely missing it now. you nodded to yourself with determination. you’ll just have to do a little sleuthing. it can’t be that hard, right? or, a love story told through ace's lost hat.

tags: portgas d. ace x civilian!f!reader, wingman!marco, alcohol use, lots of steamy kissing at the end, portgas d. ace is so smooth, suggestive undertones. please respect this content warning!

wc: 5.8k

read on AO3, if you prefer

seated in the sand, ace basked in the sunshine alongside his closest friends and crewmates. he didn’t often get the chance to take in the sights and just relax on an island, and he knew he would have to leave soon, so every moment counted. he was grateful for these rare moments where there wasn’t a “next”; there was just now.

“i haven’t seen the sea from this side of the land in ages,” thatch said. “forgot how hot it can get, too.” 

ace soaked up the heat that the sun shared with him as if it were his energy source. he laid back, slipping his hat off to sense its rays on his eyelids, the warmth seeping through his skin. “how many other people out there do you think are doing this same thing?” 

“no idea.”

ace pondered the thought a bit longer. how many were enjoying the same beautiful day as he? were they also smiling at the sun? something about it made him feel connected to the world in a way he hadn’t noticed before. 

“we should go grab a bite to eat before too long,” marco said as he stood up. “i’ll bet the rest of the crew is almost done stocking up the ship.”

ace drank in the beach view once more before joining his friends on the walk into town. he had been walking for what had only felt like a moment when he noticed his head and shoulders felt particularly exposed. ace’s heart nearly stopped in his chest as he grasped at the air above his hair. 

“ace?” thatch called out to him, noting ace’s quizzical expression.

“my hat’s gone.”

***

the sand was a warm welcome beneath your feet. it was a joy to be beside the sea today, and something in the air beyond the salty aroma felt especially radiant. 

you had been out running errands today when you suddenly found a break in your schedule, which brought you to the beach. it wasn’t all too often you were on this side of town, so you were making the best of this chance. the sun kissed and nipped at your cheeks, and you regretted not having prepared for this little detour. you needed to find some shade soon.

towards the end of your walk, you stumbled upon a peculiar orange hat. there was no owner to be seen, at least not in the immediate vicinity. you scanned a bit further away, shielding your eyes from the sun with one hand. you spotted a group that had been sitting here moments ago and made to approach them, but a gust of wind blurred your vision. by the time you could focus back on the spot you’d seen them, they were gone.

you stared down at the hat, considering. surely, it would blow away if you left it here. there was no way this hat was abandoned, either. every little piece of it appeared to be lovingly cared for: shiny red beads atop the brim, which was neatly stitched and, aside from a loose thread or two, was unfrayed. the leather strap might have seen better days, but it only went to show how often the owner wore it. in short, this hat’s wearer must be sorely missing it now.

you nod to yourself with determination. you’ll just have to do a little sleuthing. it can’t be that hard, right?

how wrong you were. you’d just spent the last hour walking up and down the streets, scanning for anything that would remind you of the group of people you’d seen or for any poor souls who looked like they might be looking for this hat. it was so bright it stood out as a beacon, so you had initially hoped it would do all the work for you. 

eventually, you resigned yourself to checking with nearby local businesses that might have seen the owner of the orange hat. after a few statements of “sorry, i haven’t seen that hat before,” you finally caught a clue, although it wasn’t necessarily what you were expecting. 

at the local diner that you frequented, you approached the owner with the hat in your hands. the owner appeared slightly disheveled, but you supposed it could have been a busy day. 

“i’m looking for the owner of this hat. have you seen someone wearing it before?”

his jaw clenched as he eyed it. “i hope i never see the guy again, kid.” 

your eyes widened. “why’s that?”

the restaurant owner let out a long, exasperated breath as he lifted the bat he kept behind the counter for safety. “let’s just say he owes me. you find him; you let him know he has a tab to close, alright?”

you nodded, although you weren’t so sure you would be any help. the way it's looking right now, you might be stuck with this hat for a while. 

***

“you just have to retrace your steps. chances are, someone found it, and you’ll cross paths somehow.”

ace bit back a cringe as he reflected on his day and his unfortunate first stop. sure, thatch was probably right about retracing his steps and all that, but did that mean he’d have to do this? 

he squared his shoulders as he stood outside the entrance to the diner; he’d been a… well, “patron” would only be the right word if he’d actually paid for his meal. hopefully, he had the right amount of cash to get some information and avoid a confrontation.

ace stepped through the doors, a bell ringing to signal his entrance. within seconds, the shop owner was climbing over the counter, baseball bat in hand. 

“i never thought you’d have the nerve to show your lousy face here again.”

ace raised his hands, a meager effort at peace. “i have money!”

“you should have said that first, kid.” the man lowered the bat.

ace made his way over to the counter, reaching for his wallet. “you wouldn’t have happened to see a bright orange hat lying around, would you?”

“matter of fact, i have. one of my regulars stopped in with it, looking for you.” the shop owner dug through a pile of receipts in search of ace’s bill. 

“do you know where they might be right now?” ace took a slinky, unassuming step backward, one eye on the door.

“haven’t the faintest. but you’ll know her when you see her. about yay-high,” he motioned with a hand, “awful sweet, cute as a button.” the shop owner smoothed out the ticket and read the price, relieved to have this over with. 

by the time he looked up, the bell on the front door had rung, and ace was nowhere to be found.

***

your wandering continued fruitlessly. you may as well have been a door-to-door salesperson with how methodical your approach had become - and with the number of times you’ve heard the word “no.”

as you snaked through town, you decided it must be time to take a break. along the outskirts of the market street, you elected to sit on a nearby bench and collect your thoughts. 

you carefully strung the hat around your neck, its soft material resting on your back. it wasn’t necessarily on display in its new position, but it was better than holding it in your hands like you had all this time. 

it occurred to you while you sat that the mysterious hat owner was possibly a traveler. you sighed, hoping that he hadn’t left his hat behind for you to tend to forever. you began to regret taking on such a responsibility. this was like finding a needle in a haystack. 

“hey!” a tiny voice shouted from behind you. “i know that hat!”

your heart nearly leapt out of your chest as you spun around. a little girl, possibly no older than 8, holding a plushie, was running up to you, pointing at the hat on your back.

“you do?” you asked. “can you tell me about who it belongs to?”

the girl ran around, standing before you. she nodded eagerly, smiling with all her teeth. “of course i can! he’s my hero!”

grinning back at her, you leaned in, full of curiosity. “he is?”

“uhhuh! just this morning my evil neighbor stole my fishie plushie and pushed me on the ground.” she motioned her neighbor’s action with extra special dramatic effect, plushie flopping around. “but a big, strong guy came over and saved my fishie! and he helped fix my knee, too!” she pointed at her knee, adorned with a carefully placed bandage, likely covering a scrape.

you can’t help but feel a little warm and fuzzy inside at the thought of this faceless man as the savior to this girl. a diner and dasher, and a hero to children? you had more questions than answers at this point, and craved the answers with renewed passion.

“how nice of him to help you and your fishie. i’m glad you’re both ok!” the girl held her fishie closer with a warm embrace. “can you tell me anything else about the man who helped you? he seems to have misplaced his hat, and i’ve been trying to find him so i can give it back.”

“his name’s ace!” 

“ace, huh?” you tested it on your lips. you barely knew anything about him, yet it seemed to fit him well. 

“mmhmm! and he has a tattoo on his arm, too. i’ll draw it for you!” the girl knelt on the dirt road and drew a series of letters on the ground, with one crossed out - ASCE. “i didn’t spell it wrong. that’s exactly what it says.”

“i wonder what it means!”

“didn’t ask,” the girl said. “how are you gonna find ace?”

it was certainly helpful to know ace’s name and some sort of defining characteristic about him, but that didn’t quite fix the issue at hand. “i’m not sure. if you were me, what would you do?”

the child furrowed her brow as she considered. “there’s always lots of people at the market! i can help you look, since i know him and all.”

“that sounds like a plan!” as you stood, you introduced yourself to the girl. “what’s your name?”

“it’s mimi!”

“it’s nice to meet you, mimi. let’s go find ace!”

you and mimi take a stroll through the market, scanning for any sign of ace. after about 30 minutes mimi began to slow down, her little legs clearly tired from all the events of her day. you decide to adjust your plan, buying a couple of snacks from a food stand and taking a seat toward the center of the market, right in the middle of the throngs of people.

“if we stay in one place, he might find us,” you told mimi as she gratefully chowed on the food you had given her. 

you placed ace’s hat in clear view in hopes that if he did pass by, he would notice it. before long, someone did approach you, asking about the hat.

“i know someone who is missing that hat terribly,” the stranger said. he was a slightly older fellow, with fine blonde hair and glasses.

the man wasn’t threatening by any means, as a matter of fact he seemed a kind person; but you found yourself feeling a bit protective of ace’s property. you held it just a little more closely before glancing at mimi, who you noticed had fallen asleep with her head resting on your arm, clutching her dearest fishie.

“you know who owns this hat?” you asked with every ounce of practiced kindness, doing your best to smooth out any apprehension from your voice. 

“ace is a close friend,” the man said, “and crewmate.” 

“do you know where i can find him?” you asked. “or perhaps you can return it to him?” it stung a little to think you might never meet ace, but it was more important that his hat was returned. your curiosity, and, you admitted to yourself in the back of your mind, your enchantment, would have to take the back seat.

the man watched you carefully. you couldn’t explain why, but it felt a lot like he could hear your thoughts. he smiled softly as he spoke. “i can’t say where he is at the current moment, but i’ve got a feeling ace wouldn’t be able to accept his hat without the chance to thank the person who took care of it.” 

you couldn’t help the sense of relief that overtook you. it was growing more and more difficult to ignore the rhythm in your chest at the prospect of meeting ace. in some strange way, you already knew him. 

“i should probably walk mimi home,” you started, “but i can meet ace here at the market later.”

the man stuck one hand in his pocket, his smile growing bigger. “i can do you one better,” he said as he pulled out a piece of paper. “i’ve got his vivre card right here.” he ripped off a piece and held it out to you. “you know how these work?”

you beamed at the small scrap, watching it shift in the palm of your hand. “i do.”

“good,” the man said, turning away as he spoke. “tell him marco gave it to you-yoi.”

“thank you, marco!”

“don’t mention it.” marco waved a hand before disappearing into the crowd as swiftly as he had appeared.

***

ace wiped a hand down his face as he stood at the port, conflicted. the sun was beginning to set, and he’d had bad luck finding his hat. beyond the incredibly vague description he’d gotten of you at the restaurant, nobody he’d spoken to seemed to have seen you or the hat around.

in a last ditch effort, he decided to ask a few people at the port if they’d seen it. one person, a man pushing a cart full of food, had a scrap of insight for him. ace hoped it would be what he needed.

“that hat rings a bell,” the man said. “i saw a woman wearing it on her back at the market earlier today. she was with a little girl. they asked me about you. said i never saw you before.”

“can you tell me anything else about them? what did they look like? do you know where they are now?” ace could barely contain his excitement. he had limited time before he was supposed to report back, and time was of the essence. ace wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be on the island - they could leave tonight, even.

the man gave a few details about your and mimi’s appearances, and said the little girl must live in town. other than that, he had no idea. but it was more than enough for ace. the little girl sounded a lot like the one he’d met earlier, which gave him a rough idea of where to look. he quickly thanked the man and headed towards the center of the town. you had to be there somewhere.

moments later, ace passed by marco, who was headed back toward the port. he wore his most unassuming grin as ace approached.

“still haven’t found her, yoi?” marco asked. “she’s been looking for you.”

ace sputtered to a stop, his eyes wide. “you found my hat?”

marco leaned toward ace, patting a hand on his shoulder. “make sure to thank her real nicely, alright?” 

marco walked away before ace could decipher his words. “what’s that supposed to mean?” he shouted at marco’s back.

“i think we’re gonna stick around here a bit longer,” marco called out. “the people here are one-of-a-kind.”

ace stood there, bewildered. what a load of help that was. obviously, marco was unwilling to divulge any spare details, so ace continued on his way, looking for his hat. for you.

***

the sun was drawing close to that broken line where the sky met the city, accented by the freshly lit torches of the main road. a warm glow painted the features of the streets, and you and your search partner cast tall shadows along the colorfully painted buildings.

mimi was, to put it lightly, disappointed that she wouldn’t get to see ace again. she had quite little energy left to protest with; however, as she was all but leaning on you to keep walking home. 

once she successfully directed the two of you to her house – less talking, more vague hand motions – mimi grasped your hand firmly, a confident look in her eyes behind tired lids.

“you have to make sure you tell ace that i helped,” mimi said. “that i did it because he was so nice to me.”

you pat mimi’s head. she was an excellent companion to have at your side today. if not for her, you may have given up hope long before marco crossed your path. 

“i promise. i’ll tell him all about everything you did to make sure he gets his hat back.” you smiled warmly. “i’m sure ace will be grateful.”

with that, mimi went home. once her front door had closed, and you were sure she was safe, you turned away, pulling ace’s vivre card out of your pocket. it would lead you the rest of the way. your pulse quickened with anticipation as you carefully watched the small scrap’s pull, following it with your steps.

***

ace stood where the once-lively market was. now, it was nothing but empty stands, and a few merchants loading their stock onto carts. the day had quickly met its end. how could he be sure you were still here? 

he recalled that you were with the girl he met earlier, mimi. that clue could lead to some answers. it was far too late for mimi to still be up and about, but he could at least check out the place he met her. just in case.

the street corner where he’d found mimi was closer to the market than he remembered. of course, nobody was there. ace cursed marco for his vagueness. couldn’t he have at least told him where he should look? a general vicinity would have made this so much easier. 

at this point, ace had to bet there wasn’t a single road in this entire town that he hadn’t scoured. he’d gone in circles countless times, and he had no more ideas to move forward. his feet started moving regardless. he had to keep trying, but couldn’t help but feel like this was a fruitless effort. ace didn’t even look up as he walked. 

but that was only until he heard a conversation in the distance - no, that wasn’t a conversation. he could only isolate one voice. 

“he has to be close by now. i better not have gone all this way for nothing,” the voice said.

ace turned around, his gaze lifting to search for its source. there you were, an oasis in a desert, and he’d been walking for miles, having nearly forgotten how long he’d gone without water. you were walking, yes, but your eyes were fixed on the palm of your hand, an admirable focus creasing your brow; his most prized possession resting safely around your neck. he’d found you.

the greeting ace had been rehearsing escaped him. he nearly choked on his breath when he tried to get your attention. “excuse me,” he called out, a hoarseness to his voice. he cleared his throat, fighting his heartbeat for composure. “i believe that hat belongs to me.”

your eyes widened as you turned towards him. your lips parted, but you couldn’t make out words. so you stood there, frozen, for only a second, but an hour’s worth of thoughts rushed through your head. you found it hard to believe this could be ace standing before you. he had begun to seem a fictional being since you found the hat on your shoulders.

as your body caught up to your mind, your hand jumped to your collar, tracing the strap of the hat you’d grown fond of by this point. you weren’t quite ready to relinquish it, you had to admit.

“are you ace?” you asked with a hint of hesitation.

ace often felt he had a conflicted relationship with his name. but to hear it from your lips was as if he had found out he had been saying it wrong this whole time; like it was different from the title he’d grown accustomed to. it was new, somehow, and he was drawn into that sensation. 

he hated how much he understood what marco had told him now. he’d have to thank him later.

“that’s me.” he’d never been so sure of it.

you took in the presence of the man standing before you, at last. he was sunshine and a warm summer breeze with a broad, strong stance. you saw the tattoo on his arm, as mimi described. he looked every part the person you were told he was, but there was so much more there. you wanted to gaze at him until his sunshine blinded you. perhaps then you would know him as deeply as you wished in this moment.

“i hope you understand,” you started, “i’ve worked rather hard to find you, and i have some questions i’d like to ask, if that's alright.”

ace laughed. it sent a tickle up your spine. “i understand. can i buy you a drink?”

“i’d love a drink.” before you could think, you carefully removed ace’s hat. 

you wondered if ace could read the hesitation in your features as he spoke. “please, hold onto it a bit longer. you’re certainly better at looking after it than i am, after all.”

truthfully, ace wanted to commit to memory the sight of you with his hat. he couldn’t think of a better sight. 

you smiled shyly at him as you let the hat back down. “let’s get that drink, then.”

***

the saloon was about as lively as you’d expected for a random summer night - plenty noisy, but not necessarily jam-packed, either. the energy was lively, joyous, and there were countless smiles warming up the space. 

you and ace were about halfway through your first drink, the awkwardness of introductions past, and you had calmed down enough to carry on a conversation without an underlying sense of giddiness. you wanted to believe your excitement had been from the day's exhaustion, but ace was a handsome man with a smile that left you breathless. it wasn’t easy to ignore. 

“i believe you had some questions for me,” ace said, leaning toward you across the table you shared.

“i should hope you have answers,” you said, sipping your drink as you pondered what to ask about first. you smiled broadly, a knowing look on your face. “the owner of my favorite diner was quite disgruntled when i asked him about you.”

ace shrunk back into his seat, pursing his lips in feigned embarrassment. “i’m not hearing a question.”

you huffed a laugh. “what happened?”

“i have this sort of… tradition,” ace said, picking up his glass. “it’s silly, really. wherever i travel, i have to eat somewhere without paying.” he took a sip from his drink before continuing. “it’s something my brothers and i did when we were kids. i haven’t seen them since we were little, so it's a small way of keeping them here.”

you shook your head, your grin plastered to your face. “of course, you have a really good reason for it!”

“what do you mean?” 

“it wasn’t adding up,” you explained. “of all the little things i learned about you today, that was the one that didn’t fit. so it can only make sense that you had a sentimental reason for it.”

ace’s face bloomed a faint pink as you spoke. he sat back up, resting his chin on one hand, full of curiosity. “what else did you learn about me?”

“you’re full of surprises. a hero to young children, insisting on directly thanking a stranger who found your hat.” you removed his hat, then placed it on ace’s head, leaning close to reach him. it completed the picture of him you had built up: a wonderful mystery with a bright orange hat. 

ace’s cheeks flushed to a deeper shade of crimson as you took him in. he hadn’t expected you. he thought he was used to being seen and often identified, being a known whitebeard pirate. but nobody had looked at him like you did right now. he didn’t think he would be seen.

“mimi really wanted to find you as a way of thanking you for your help,” you said. “she made sure i didn’t give up.”

ace smiled, grateful for the renewed conversation. “i heard you were with a kid. i hoped it was her.”

“i only met her today. i’ll have to let her know i found you.” 

“we can tell her together tomorrow,” ace said thoughtlessly. you smiled as you watched him squirm a little, realizing his words. “if you want to, that is.”

“i’d love to.”

the drinks began to flow as effortlessly as your conversation with ace. you could feel the heat of your buzz beneath your skin, the warmth drawing you closer to him.

a group of men entered the saloon, filling the space with their laughter and chatter. you identified one of them as marco, the one who gave you a piece of ace’s vivre card.

“there they are!” marco called out as he saw you and ace. he approached the table, crossing his arms as he took you in. “the woman of the hour, yoi. i can’t tell you how happy i am that you found ace’s hat.”

“hello, marco,” you greeted. “thank you again, for your help.”

ace’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he watched your exchange. he knew marco had been up to no good when he saw him earlier. “what did you do?” 

“relax, ace. i just pointed her in the right direction,” marco explained coyly. “isn’t that right, sweetheart?”

you nodded your confirmation, a bit bashful at marco’s flirtatiousness. ace was speechless.

“i’ll let you two get back to chatting. it was great to see you again.” marco flashed a wink at you as he walked away, rejoining his friends.

ace’s mouth hung open as marco left. he turned back to you, his expression inscrutable.

“the two of you must be quite close,” you said, observing ace as you held the paper from earlier between two fingers, “for him to have your vivre card.”

ace continued to say nothing, his eyes darting between you and marco across the room. there appeared to be a lot of math he was doing to understand what happened.

although watching ace turn into a blushing mess was indeed entertaining, you continued, in effort to regain the peace from before. you held out the piece of ace’s vivre card. “i don’t imagine you intended for marco to hand this out to strangers.”

ace smiled at you softly. “you should keep it.” he wrapped his hand around your open one, closing your fingers over the paper.

your pulse quickened from the sudden contact. he was tantalizingly warm. 

“why, are you planning on losing your hat again? or maybe it’ll be something else next time?” you toyed with him, hoping to catch him on the tail end of his fluster.

ace leaned in close, bracing himself with his other arm. “if that’s what it takes to see you again.”

it was your turn to squirm under ace’s gaze. it was both a relief and a torment to know you weren’t imagining the chemistry you were feeling. it still could have been the booze, but you wouldn’t brush it off so easily. 

with a sudden rush of confidence, you closed the space between the two of you, nearly standing out of your seat. ace could feel your breath on his skin as you spoke.

“i think,” you said, “it should take less than that.” your nose brushed against his before you sat back in your seat, only a whisper of touch as you let go of his hand. your heart was pounding now, but you had made your statement. 

there was a flicker of something in the shine of his gaze. something a bit more starved than you’d anticipated. it was gone with a blink, but the hint of it sent a wave of need through you. 

“it’s a bit loud in here, wouldn’t you agree?” ace straightened, watching you carefully as he posed the question.

you could have floated out of your chair, but thankfully, you remained earthbound. “it is,” you crooned, “hardly the noise level one might crave for good conversation.”

ace chuckled as he stood, holding one hand out to you. “let’s get some air.”

you took ace’s hand, ignoring the hollers from marco and the others as you followed him outside. 

the air outside had cooled, not so much that it was cold, but in the way that summer nights fade from hot to, well, less hot, and the soft breeze wrapped around you, a welcome embrace. your steps were unhurried as you followed ace’s lead through the streets.

before you could register what was happening, ace suddenly pulled you to one side, guiding you to a dimly lit alley. you let out a small “eep!” at the movement as ace spun you around towards him.

“i never thought something as silly as losing my hat would lead me to someone like you,” ace said, his voice soft. 

you swallowed your nerves as you straightened. “you’re lucky i was here, you know,” you said, tilting your head at him. “not many people would have walked in circles for hours to return a lost hat to a random stranger.”

“you’re so right,” ace chuckled. “i could tell when i saw you. your determination is something to be feared.”

you smiled up at him, staring into his eyes. “is it?”

“absolutely. i was so taken aback when i met you that i forgot what i wanted to say,” he held your gaze. “you surprised me.”

your expression flooded with mischief as you listened. you reached for ace’s hat, taking it off his head and placing it on your own. you’d avoided putting it on your head all day, not wanting to cross that boundary when you didn’t know who it belonged to. now, you took that small leap with a challenge in your eye.

“then let’s try again, shall we? i want to know what you were going to say.”

ace froze briefly, fighting the heat rushing to his face, and perhaps other places. seeing you in his hat turned him upside down. you were a beautiful thing to behold. but he wouldn’t back down from the challenge you presented him with. he swiftly closed the space between you, causing you to step back in surprise, but the surprise ran deeper when your back met a cold wall. ace braced one arm over your head as he leaned down, completely enclosing you with his frame. 

“you’ve got a lotta nerve, taking someone’s hat, you know,” he said, his voice turning gravelly.

and you truly could have been floating when ace pressed his lips to yours in question, just a soft brush. you tried so hard not to smile into him, but then he pulled back, uncertain.

you grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him back to you. his eyes widened when you said, “then come take it from me.” 

you crashed your lips into him, an answer to his question. the two of you moved in perfect harmony, you sliding your hands behind his neck, ace’s meeting your waist. whatever tension the two of you had been skirting around all night snapped. 

ace’s grip tightened on your waist, causing you to gasp, the faintest of moans escaping your throat. ace took that chance to deepen the kiss, his tongue tracing your lips, which you greedily accepted, giving him full access. your hands began to roam his body, and you traced cords of muscle tightly woven beneath soft skin, appreciative of what your touch found.

after a fleeting eternity of shared kisses, ace broke his lips from yours, but they didn’t go far as he lowered his head, diligently dragging his lips downward. he nipped and sucked on the delicate surface of your neck until he felt your hands twitch during their exploration. he paused when he read your smallest of tells, and then sucked that sensitive place with more force, biting down ever so slightly to deepen the sensation. you couldn’t hold back the moan that followed when he released your skin, relieving the slight tinge of pain with a soft brush of his tongue.

“ace,” you whispered breathlessly as you pulled him away, returning his gaze to you. you kissed him again, softly and intentionally, no more question; no more challenge. 

you both paused, chests heaving, noses nuzzling each other. the intimacy of sharing breath sharpened the high of your exchange, and you basked in it. 

“can i-,” ace said between breaths, “can i walk you home?”

you grinned as ace backed away slightly, just enough to see your face. what a sight it was, to see your swollen lips and dilated pupils. to know that you were the one making those sweet, desperate little sounds just moments ago. 

“you can walk me home,” you said.

ace grabbed both of your hands, pulling you off the wall and back to the street. he spun you around again before releasing you, but he held firm to one hand as you guided him to your home.

the two of you exchanged excited chatter as you walked through the streets you had both walked alone in search of the other. it was difficult to believe the night would end. hours had passed by as you had looked for ace, and they drew on, but now that you’d found him, the passage of time was a harsh whirlwind. 

as ace walked you to your front door, you faced him again. there would be no more need to hold onto his hat any longer, so you picked it up once again. 

ace’s hands shot up to yours, ceasing your movement. “tomorrow. i’ll come get it from you, and we’ll see mimi.”

“i’d like that,” you said. ace guided your hands back down to your sides, but he didn’t let go. 

“i’ll be the one to find you this time. you’ve done enough searching.” he leaned in once again, kissing you, far more chastely than earlier, but with every ounce of passion. 

you pulled away first, releasing him. you brushed one hand down his cheek. “i’ll see you tomorrow, ace.”

he nuzzled into your hand, entranced by your touch. “tomorrow.”

you made your way inside, parting ways for the day. as you settled down inside, your heartbeats returning to a resting pace, you couldn’t help but agree with what ace had said earlier. 

you never thought something as silly as a lost hat could bring you to him.

thank you for reading!!! i worked on this over the course of several months as the idea came to me and i'm so happy to be sharing this now.

in case you are a playlist person, here is the spotify playlist that kept me inspired while i wrote. no need to listen, it isn't intended to read, i just wanted to share the vibes :-)

-tor

[tormentum-ab-intra]

augusnippets day 3

Prompt: Heat wave Word count: 487 Content warnings: none really! Unless you count the beginning stages of heat stroke :)

---

The worst of it isn’t the heat. It isn’t the burns on his soles from walking barefoot on the packed and blistering dirt. It isn’t the stinging in his eyes as sweat trickles down his forehead. It isn’t even the fact that his waterskin’s nearly empty. No, the worst of it is that he wouldn’t even be in this spot if not for Dochibo.

She’s lucky his people and hers share ancestors. She’s lucky his people and hers are friends, and that he honors those ties. He’d let her find her own way back, if not for that.

Scanning his surroundings with baleful eyes, Na Deng wets cracking lips with his tongue and raises his hand, whistling sharply between his fingers. The sound worsens the throbbing of his head, echoing off the sides of the gorge. Na Deng pauses, listens, whistles again, listens again.

Silence.

How Dochibo even managed to get this far in such a short amount of time is beyond him. Maybe she’s just hiding. Maybe he passed her an hour ago. The idea of her wedged beneath a rock somewhere like a lizard hiding from wild dogs would be funny, if he were picturing it from the cold and comfort of the underground inn.

As it is, he’s out here slow-roasting like a rack of lamb, and he fails to see the humor in it.

Thinking, not watching where he’s stepping, Na Deng doesn’t see the sharp stone embedded in the dirt until it’s slicing into his foot. With a hiss, he trips to a stop. Momentum carries him forward another few hopping steps, working with rising nausea to send him off-balance. He rights himself, sort of, and stumbles over to the side of the gorge. The rough stone burns when he leans his hand against it for balance.

A brief inspection of his raised foot shows blood enough for leaving footprints and a cut that will need stitching later. Angrily, Na Deng whips off the strip of cloth holding his hair out of his eyes and sits to tie it around his foot instead.

Now that he isn’t moving, it occurs to him that his leg is cramping. Funny how that sort of thing slips the mind when it’s focused on other things. That, or he’s just too sun-addled to pay attention.

It takes a moment before Na Deng can convince himself to stand back up, but he reasons to himself that the sooner he finds Dochibo, the sooner he can head back and cool off.

Could go back without her, part of him thinks, as he pushes to his feet and tests his weight on his injured foot. Could skip the inn and go home. Say the ghouls got her.

Nonetheless, he limps forward, not back.

Raising clammy fingers to parched lips, Na Deng whistles shrilly, and listens for an answer.

He wishes he’d brought his spear along for a walking stick.

[milkymosaic]

Tomorrow, I will post my Guilty Gear piece from the "Caffeine Rush" zine to AO3! Before that, though, I thought it might be good to show off my GG OC, who features in the piece alongside Leo.

Introducing: Tor Idiaffe! (Toyhouse link)

She's a yokai who started her existence as a creature of pure rage and blind violence, thoughtlessly killing any who crossed her path. When Izuna heard rumors of a murderous beast terrorizing the countryside, he went to investigate, and found a feral yokai with no sense of self or the world around her. (art by @sugarysweetest)

Izuna defeated Tor in combat and recruited her into the tribe. After seeing her raw fighting prowess, he took her under his wing as his apprentice while simultaneously helping her acclimate to society. Between him and the other yokai, Tor became very devoted to her adoptive family.

During the events of Xrd -SIGN-, she dutifully followed Izuna's orders to assist Dr. Paradigm in any way she could, but her tendency not to listen to direct orders from anyone other than her master caused a significant amount of friction between her and a certain Second King of Illyria. Tor saw Leo as presumptuous and controlling, and he saw her as flippant and selfish. The rest of the team constantly feared a fight breaking out between the two during meetings. (art by @_Harleequeen on Twitter)

As they worked together more and more, however, both began to better understand one another. Tor came to appreciate Leo's devotion to law and order for the good of all, and he came to see the ferocity with which Tor would fight for those she loved and cared about. Around the same time that Leo's relationship with Ky improved, so too did his relationship with the chaotic yet fiercely loyal yokai warrior. All of this came to a head at the end of Xrd -SIGN- with Tor confessing her love to Leo, and the Second King bashfully reciprocating.

The two later married and started a family. Tor credits Queen Dizzy as both an inspiration and a role model to her in this regard, having been first to smash through every barrier that had been holding the yokai back from following her heart in earnest. (ref sheet by @sugar-gun)

Thank you if you read this far! <(_ _)> Please check out her Toyhouse page if you'd like to see her full bio. I did my best to structure it plainly after the wiki. And if you like any of the art above, please also check out the respective artists.

Please look forward to the fic going live on AO3 tomorrow! I have another fic with them in the works, but because of zine and comm work, it may be some time before we see them again after that.

[hislittleraincloud]

"The Faceless"

Rare photo of AB Mishizu Herz (left) at the Rave'N.

In Satisfying Afterburn lore, The Faceless are Nopperabō ¹. The girl who Wednesday has a bad habit of crashing into, Mishizu Herz, is a half-Japanese, half-German Nopperabō whose Outcast powers are supernaturally empathetic, reflecting the heart of who she physically and mentally encounters on her face, for however long or brief (depending on the strength of the preoccupation). In Outcast society, they tend to make good law enforcement officers/work well with the investigative justice system* since their powers are objective. They can't help or manipulate who they 'face'; it's something like a temporary possession by the emotional image projected by the other person. Still, Norminal society has a deep distrust of shapeshifting Outcasts, so there are few Nopperabō at higher levels of government.

*And thus, in the future there will be some more interesting interactions between ABW and Mishizu.

[athousandbyeol]

this square is a home, i won't ever belong. [faifawine / torwine fanfic]

"wine..."

"i don't like to be here. i don't like being in dinner meetings with people i don't know. i don't like starting conversations only for them to ask about my marriage. i hate it when they intrude on my private life. i hate it when phi tor treats me like a trophy husband. i hate it when he treats me like i'm of glass. i hate when i have to go to my in-laws and pretend i'm happy. i hate it when i visit my parents, and they act as if they weren't at fault. they didn't cause this. i hate that i'm married to—" him and not you.

faifa knows.

or this is a story about mistrust, pain, rekindled love, second chances and all the (im)possible what-ifs.

chapter 1. / chapter 2.

[empresskaze]

If I think about Mage Viktor for too long I get sad...