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The Claw’s door swung shut, clods of dirt and sand falling from Nancy’s sneakers. Bits of grass hung from her hair and stuck out at odd angles from her beanie, trailing behind her like flower petals.
“Bess, George?” She set down a few yellowed scrolls she had in her arms, along with her satchel in a nearby chair. “Nick?” Silence greeted her call.
Limping to the bar, Nancy grabbed the first aid kit that was stored underneath, along with a dishrag. Injuries while on a case were nothing new as of late, but she had gained quite a few on this particular endeavor into the ruins of an abandoned castle on the outskirts of town to retrieve some scrolls for Bess to translate. The earlier rain had made it harder to navigate and since she was alone, a few slips here and there had banged her up pretty badly.
Moving her satchel from the chair, she sat, propping her leg up on an adjacent one, rolling her pant leg up to assess the damage done. Clanging noises came from the back, indicating a sudden presence.
“Nancy?” As quickly as she could, her pant leg was rolled down and she turned to face Ace, holding a thick leather bound book.
“Ace, what are you doing here?”
“Bess said to meet here with this .” He held up the book to her, then pointed to her leg. “What happened?”
Struggling to put her leg back on the ground out of his view, she forced her words to sound lighthearted and optimistic.
“It’s really nothing, I’m okay.” A trademark Nancy Drew grin to seal the deal, the same grins that would work on Katherine Drew during late night movie sessions and the same ones that work on Ryan Hudson when she wins at old board games (he purposely picks games that he isn't good at just to see her smile, maybe Nancy is just like her father after all).
“I know you, Nancy Drew, and that sounds like a lie.” He crossed to the table where the scrolls were haphazardly strewn, setting the leather tome down next to them. “Let me see it.”
“Ace, I swear to God, I’m fine , I don’t know why you have to insist-” She had moved to stand, get as far away from him as she could, but her ankle couldn’t take the weight of her body. Rather than let her stumble and fall, Ace wrapped a hand around her thigh to steady her, pulling her gently back into the chair.
“Sit. Let me help.” Nancy swore she could feel hot steam pouring out of her ears, embarrassment, anger, and something else all filling the dining area of the Claw, enveloping the space her and Ace occupied. Ace had moved into the chair opposite, hand still on her leg, an anchor in the frenzy of emotions she felt yet the root cause of them all.
“I could’ve done it myself.” Nancy looked up at him, face as red as the scarf that he was unwinding from his neck.
“You went to Castle Malloy all by yourself,” He was focusing on the objects in the first aid kit, pulling out scissors. “Sorry about your jeans, Nance.” Before she could protest, he was cutting up the sides of her right pant leg up to her mid-thigh (She never really liked these jeans anyway).
“You don’t have to sit here and patch me up like I’m a child. You don’t have to take care of me.”
“I can’t help that you run off like a child.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them from spilling out. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Of course it’s not. Glad to know that’s what you think of me.” Nancy flopped back into the chair, crossing her arms and glaring at him. “You aren’t any better.” Ace didn’t say anything in response, focused on wrapping her ankle in a makeshift splint with his scarf.
“We have to get you to the hospital,” He sighs, tying the last of his scarf around her leg. “We didn’t have enough supplies in here because of the last time you did this.” Ace sits up, unwrapping a band aid.
“You act like I’m constantly putting myself into danger.” Nancy’s head shot up, sarcasm covering her words.
“I’m not arguing with you anymore, Nancy.” He was bent over her injured knee, sticking the bandage on it, hair flopping in front of his eyes. “Not when you’re like this.” Using her good foot, Nancy shifted her chair back, forcing Ace to look at her.
“Like what?” Ace tossed the crumpled bandage wrapper into the lid of the first aid case and picked up a butterfly bandage.
“You get so involved in a case you forget who you hurt when you hurt yourself .” He rose off his chair, kneeling in between her legs and brushing her hair back. “You forget about all the people who want to help you and you act...stupid.” He placed the bandage on her brow, smoothing it. Nancy was lost in the moment, his fingers running across her brow bone to her cheek, clearing the dried blood off of her face.
“Yeah, well, you always come chasing after me.” She inhaled shaky breaths. “You do stupid shit too, Ace.”
“Nancy, stop.”
“No, I don’t want to. I’m not the only stupid person here!” She could feel tears leaking from the corners of her eyes, hot and suffocating. “I’m not the only one who hurts other people!”
“Nance..”
“Ace, stop calling me that.” She stood on unsteady legs, holding onto the back of the chair and pointing a finger at him. “Stop.”
“I don’t know what you want me to stop doing? Standing here? Caring about you?” Ace ran his hands through his hair, eyebrows furrowing.
“Yes! For the love of God, just stop caring about me! That would make everything so much…” Nancy turned, facing the window that looked into the kitchen of The Claw.
“...easier.” She whispered the last part, hands covering her face partially in shame and partially in regret.
(I shouldn’t have said anything, why did I say that, oh my god)
“I don’t think I can stop.” Ace spoke quietly, letting the words hang above the two of them. “Even if you asked me to.”
“You could. It’s easy.” Tears leaked from in between her fingers, slipping down her arms. Ace crossed in front of her, gently taking her wrists and holding them.
“I don’t want to. Even if you do stupid things, it won’t stop me.” He peeled her hands away from her face, taking one and wiping the lingering tears from under her eyes. “I’ll always be here to patch you up when you’re hurt, Nance. I love you.”
The admission slipped easily from his lips, shocking both of them. She stared up at him, stomach swirling in a mix of fear and excitement.
“Ace, I..” Nancy sniffled, laughing a bit. “Wow.” She continued to laugh a bit, wiping a few more stray tears on her own.
“I love you too.” At her response, Ace leaned forward, knocking their foreheads together as they kissed.
Breaking apart, Nancy wrapped her arms around Ace’s neck.
“You really are stupid sometimes.”