nods sagely. i see. i understand it now.
the way ace was in fairy gala bringing everyone together to help ortho...nods nods nods...
No cause they’re literally so sweet 😭
I’ve said it before, but I think deep down Ortho does have… idk a bit of a complex? Like, she’s not human. She’s not even fae! She can say that she’s a true member of the Shroud family now, she can say that being her own person doesn’t bother her, she can say she’s a NRC student but I’m not sure if she always fully feels that way yk? It’s why I keep going back to that scene in the library. She has to confront the fact that her worldview isn’t as she sees it head on. She’s named the centerpiece for “evolution” yet all she knows how to do is copy. Copy being Ortho Shroud. Look things up and recite facts. Copy other people’s movements. She doesn’t even usually make her own bodies, having her brother always decide for her. She’s entirely made up of what has come before her, and rarely ever does she push forward in her own way. Even in her PE uniform, she doesn’t convince Idia herself, Floyd and Jade have to do it for her so that she can gain something new
And then here comes Ace, just… so accepting of her. He worries for her, treats her blindly as a NRC student and even tests her on that, and he calls in help for her struggles before she can even say anything. I think that means so much more to her than Ace, or even herself at the time, could know
Ace has been shown time and time again (ex book 1 and ghost bride) to not take anyone’s shit. If he sees a problem that’s going unaddressed, then he won’t hesitate to call those people out, whether that’s tactful or not. And this just seems like such a sweet spin on that character trait. Seeing her struggle and helping her without question. Part of it could be wanting to fix the AC, part of it could be Riddle’s expectations, but he just also… genuinely seems to care for her? I keep saying that they’re sweet but it really is!!!
And, idk, I feel like part of Ortho’s draw to Ace is… idk, just, being able to watch her become herself? If that makes sense? Watching her work through her issues and become a truer version of herself… idk. I think he’d like watching that and helping her out with that. Maybe again as a nice spin on him wanting problems that could be solved with a tough conversation actually be solved
I love them sm. Wiredheart forever, my genuine favorite ship I think about them everyday
