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amberlide · 1 month

Text

Reflection

Pairing: Imelda Reyes/Nerida Roberts Tags: Fluffy romance, broken friendship, found love, love confessions, first kiss Word count: 5.5 k Tag: @libellule-ao3

AO3 link: here :)

A/N: this is my first F/F! I wanted to investigate why Imelda and Nerida weren't friends anymore and give a bit more insight into Nerida's secondary quest. I want to thank Shivvy for the amazing beta reading!! <3

@theladyofshalott1989 can you put put the AO3 link in the queer fic list, please? :) when you have time of course!

Faster.

Imelda leaned on her broom, tightly gripping the handle with her bare hands. Her chest rested on the hard wood, her chin almost touching the smooth, polished surface. A sly grin painted on her flushed face, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes from the unrelenting wind.

As the forest trees darted beneath her, she plunged even lower, the undergrowth becoming just a splash of green and brown in the corner of her watering vision.

Faster.

She hooked her legs around the tail of the broom, knees pressed firmly together.

The surge of adrenaline coursed through her body as she swayed to the right just in time to avoid a solitary tree in the middle of the path.

A perfect move for a perfect rider with the perfect mount.

Mr. Weekes wasn't joking about how amazing his new update was.

At this rate, nobody would beat her record in the flight trials.

The vicious smile on her face widened; she would be the only one at the top of the ranking.

Soon, the castle came into view. Its majestic reflection waved over the Black Lake, basking in the glow of a warm summer afternoon with its pinnacles and towers.

Imelda lowered herself, sprinting toward the lagoon, the surface rippled by tiny waves brought by the wind. As the familiar emptiness in her stomach greeted her, she closed her eyes for a split second, savoring the cold splashes of water on her face. Her heart beating thunderously in her ears as the tips of her feet brushed against the surface.

It was the best feeling ever, being so free and so empowered at the same time.

Competing against others made her feel strong and powerful, but competing against herself made her feel alive.

Her best time on that same course was from last week, and now she was ready to beat it again.

A distant shout reached her buzzing ears, and she grinned, recognizing the voices of her teammates. They would never catch up to her; she was the Icy Queen of the Pitch.

It was time to show those dung heads why she was their captain.

She snapped her eyes open, ready to take a turn around the castle, zigzagging around the towers. She perhaps even startled some first years as she headed for the Quidditch pitch.

At the thought, she chuckled under her breath, feeling the rush of the wind against her face, reddening her cheeks and making her skin tingle.

Victory tasted like sweat, salt, leather, and wood polish.

Exhilarated by the moment, catching a glimpse of some students sunbathing along the lake's shores, Imelda didn't waste a moment to showcase her abilities.

Even if the race wasn't over yet, why not celebrate in advance something she would win anyway?

After all, her grandfather hadn't spent all that time teaching her during summer and winter breaks just so she could fly like a boring Fwooper, no.

She was a Jobberknoll. A silent threat.

She inhaled deeply, the salty scent filling her nostrils and tickling her nose. Then, she leaned to her side, as if poised to fall, only to swiftly jerk her hips and execute an impressive, swift maneuver—a complete turn on herself, writhing like a snake again and again at least three times. For a split second, her long ponytail coiled around her, her cloak enveloping her slender body in a mixture of green and silver. She could hear the spectators holding their breath, their eyes wide in astonishment, releasing a "oh" of admiration followed by a flurry of applause.

It was the weaving serpent, a corkscrew acrobatic move that her grandfather had taught his son first and then her, the hallmark of the Reyes family. Her father had demonstrated it multiple times after successful victories on the Quidditch pitch. And she was certainly no different.

As Imelda got back on course, her head light and dizzy from the sudden movements, she turned slightly toward her left, an involuntary and almost imperceptible tilting of her head.

Her gaze darted for a second to the Boathouse, where a small figure was hung by the pier.

She snorted.

Dawdling.

Like every afternoon, she was still there, but this time she wasn't huddled over, checking her reflection on the water; instead, she was standing on the low stone curb surrounding the dock.

What was she doing?

As Imelda approached the cliff to which the castle was clinging, a wave higher than the others hit the shallow rocks below her, splashing water onto her face and entering her nose just as she was about to turn around, convincing herself that she didn't care about the figure.

She sneezed.

Immediately, her broom decelerated and the handle lowered, almost brushing against the water as someone zoomed next to her in a whirlwind of green and black.

"Hey Reyes! Keep your ass busy showing off! I'm going to win this!"

Imelda gritted her teeth and regained control of her mount. She jerked it upwards, desperately gripping the handle and digging her fingernails into her white, sweaty palms.

"Sure, Sallow," she cried, rising again. "In your dreams!"

As she swayed to the right to turn around the castle, the girl couldn't help but cast another curious glance towards the Boathouse.

The figure shed her cloak. Then raised her arms.

Imelda squinted her eyes. Was she going to dive? Did she finally learn how to swim?

Swinging her arms in the air, after a moment of clear hesitation, the small figure hunched and jumped, plunging into the dark waters below.

Imelda held her breath and widened her eyes as she kept turning her head behind her, checking if the figure was coming back, while hurtling toward the Quidditch pitch.

Five seconds. Ten seconds.

She was already so far away that she couldn't distinguish anything anymore. The surface of the lake was just a dark mass, a bottomless pool. Her pulse quickened.

Twenty seconds.

She swerved, turning abruptly. She hadn't resurfaced from the water yet. Why?

To her surprise, Imelda found herself anxious to know whether the figure was going to make it or not. Thirty seconds.

She had made her decision.

Without much hesitation, Imelda lurched forward towards the Boathouse.

"Cap! The Quidditch pitch is on the other…" But the rest of the words got lost in the howling wind.

Imelda didn't care about the race anymore.

"Damn Roberts!" she thought, her eyes darting around, flashing on the surface.

"If she's pulling my leg, I'm going to drown her with my own two hands!"

But Nerida wasn't coming back up.

The only movements on the Black Lake were the constant washing of the waves, sweeping over towards the Boathouse. What should have been the soothing, rhythmic sound of the undertow resonated inside her like an eerie call from an ancient cult, echoing her fears and heightening her senses.

Imelda hovered over the surface, lowering herself until her feet touched the water, the moisture seeping through her shoes making her shiver in discomfort.

"Roberts!"

But only the croaking of the wooden boats answered her call.

She took a deep breath, her hands clammy from the strain of holding the broom, her shoulders tense, and her face and hair damp from the constant splashes of water. On the side of the Boathouse were Nerida's bag, her shoes, and the bundle of her cloak.

Still, no sign of her.

"Nerida!" she cried again, her anguish increasing, her heart beating in her temples, making her stomach churn and her mouth dry.

Biting her tongue in frustration, Imelda approached the pier.

She hastily dismounted. Abandoning her broom against the wall, she kicked off her shoes and got rid of her cloak. Finally, taking a running start and a deep, desperate breath, she dove headfirst into the lake.

The chilly, murky water welcomed her in its cold embrace.

Imelda widened her gaze, ignoring the darkness pressing on her eyes. She started scanning her surroundings, adjusting to the dimly lit environment. The bright light from the sunny afternoon barely broke the surface; as she dived even deeper, it became too dark to even distinguish the rocks near the cliff.

The rocks!

At the thought, she gasped, losing a lungful of precious air that escaped from her mouth in a spiral of tiny bubbles and danced towards the surface. Her hair swayed around her as she desperately turned around, frantically searching for her friend. Twisting her body and slashing her legs, Imelda tried to avoid being pushed up to the surface and onto the shore with its razor-sharp teeth ready to maul her.

She felt her clothes heavy, dragging her down, while her head was light from the lack of oxygen. Bright small flashes pulsed in front of her. Imelda struggled to keep her focus; this was a race she couldn't afford to lose.

As the sounds around her dulled, only the erratic beating of her heart filled her ears. But it wasn't from an intoxicating experience like flying; it was from the fear of losing someone so dear to her.

She just wanted to see the delicious way her friend's freckles twitched when she smiled, just one more time.

Just once more.

Imelda plunged deeper, biting her tongue and cursing herself for not allowing wands during races. She could have done very well with just a bit of light; now, every shadow around her resembled Nerida's slender body.

Uncertain whether to continue her fruitless search or go back up for a quick breath of fresh air, Imelda caught a glimpse of something shining in the corner of her eyes. She turned so quickly that the water swirled into her pounding ears.

"Nerida!"

The silhouette of the girl's body was just a few metres from her, suspended in the dim strip of water just below the surface. Clearly, she had tried to resurface without succeeding.

With newfound hope, Imelda lurched forward, ignoring the pain in her muscles and the aching of her head.

Within seconds, she grabbed hold of Nerida.

She firmly wrapped her arm around the girl's waist and dragged her closer, but the other was limp and heavy from her drenched clothes. Her disheveled hair swayed gently in the current, hiding her face and impairing Imelda's vision.

Imelda gritted her teeth, slashing her legs. A groan escaped her lips, together with another cascade of bubbles; more precious air leaving her lungs. She didn't have much left by now. But she tensed her arm.

She wouldn't let Nerida go.

Not this time.

Imelda brought her left arm up, slicing through that murky wall, then pulled it back with all her strength, propelling forward. Her body screamed from the intense effort, but she could see the water becoming clearer by the second, the feeble rays of sunlight penetrating the surface. She was close; she couldn't give up!

She had endured worse when Quidditch training with her grandfather.

Suddenly, something caught her ankle, dragging her down. Imelda opened her mouth and a silent scream filled the last bubble. She tried to fight, fear and desperation mingling in her already foggy mind.

She could feel a presence next to her, a shadow rising up to her left side. A scaled, translucent arm wrapped around her waist. Imelda tried to fight as the creature pressed against her tired body, but her head was heavy and she didn't have much strength anymore. She soon surrendered to what felt like a sturdy, slimy monster.

The Giant Squid perhaps?

Without much effort, they were propelled upwards by the fast, swaying movement of what Imelda imagined was a tail of some sort.

But Squid didn't have tails.

They soon broke the surface; the brisk air filled Imelda's burning lungs, her nose was sore from the muddy water, and her eyes were stinging. Her ears were assaulted by the rushing sound of the wind meandering through the rocks and the slashing of the waves, and started buzzing. She blinked against the bright light of a dying sun.

Imelda closed her eyes and took in a deep, painful breath while she felt the body behind her gently carrying her and Nerida towards the Boathouse. Once close enough, the creature let go of her, and Imelda gathered enough strength to reach the low stone curb that gently descended into the water.

She groggily moved on all fours in her drenched clothes, dragging Nerida's listless body with her until she collapsed onto the ground inside the Boathouse, coughing and spitting water. The last image imprinted on her eyes was the whipping of a long, bluish tail with almost transparent fins, elegantly swaying in the air before disappearing with a splash into the murky depths.

Imelda shivered and raised her arm to shield her sore eyes from a pesky last ray of sunshine peeking through a fissure in the ceiling of what looked like a moldy and mossy building.

Her body was cold, her fingertips numb. Moving was an endeavor of its own. Imelda tried to swallow, but her throat ached so much she felt tears filling her eyes.

Exhausted and completely breathless, she sensed something next to her, radiating comforting warmth that drew her attention—a small fire in a jar.

A strained smile caressed her burning lips, recognizing the charm as one of Nerida's specialties.

She had witnessed her summoning it countless times during winter, as they always sat together under the arches in the courtyard or in the Slytherin dungeons. Nerida was the type of girl who always suffered from the cold, her nose red and chapped from the chill and the countless sneezes. Imelda's first and last Christmas gift to her had been a pair of warm, hand-knitted socks.

Did she still have them?

A sudden rustle next to her interrupted her thoughts.

As the memory of what just happened flooded her mind, she cracked her eyes open. The hard stone floor was covered in pebbles which dug into her hands, leaving marks as she struggled to raise herself up.

Imelda ignored the soaring pain in her limbs as she turned her stiff neck, scanning the shadowy building with locks of soaked hair plastered to her face.

"Nerida!"

Something slipped on top of her, and through her blurry vision, she soon realized it was her cloak.

"I'm here." A soft, gentle voice responded to her tentative croak.

Her voice.

Within moments, her vision adjusted to the light, and Imelda could discern the figure that knelt down in front of her. A pair of warm, brown eyes, glowing under the inviting flicker of the jar-fire, held a concerned expression. Long, chestnut hair — lighter than hers — was damp and gathered in neat tresses, adorning her slender neck and narrow shoulders. A tentative smile tugged at the corner of thin, chapped lips, and a splash of freckles dusted the bridge of her small nose.

Imelda took in a deep breath of relief, her nostrils filling with the moisture from the lake, the fishy scent from the Boathouse mingling with the acrid smell of tar.

She seemed to be fine.

Imelda then squinted her eyes, frustration soon building up within her.

"What in Merlin's name did you think you were doing?!" she exclaimed, trying to hide her worried tone with a decisive note, but her voice still came out shaky and coarse from all the water she had ingested.

Immediately, Nerida lowered her guilty gaze, her hands clinging to the jar where the small fire was still burning. Its flames cast dancing shadows on her face, its inviting warmth spreading all around them.

"I'm… sorry," the girl murmured, her voice strained and low.

"You better be!" Imelda huffed, "If you don't know how to swim you better stay on solid ground."

Nerida took a deep breath, "I thought I could manage. Adelaide said I improved so much from our last lesson…"

Imelda snorted so loud, she had to dry her nose with the hem of her cloak from the little splash of water that came out of it.

Oakes. Of course, she had to imagine that it was all her fault.

"Well, next time you see her, tell your friend that I almost died because of her!" Imelda shook her head, her drenched hair releasing cold droplets on her neck and down her shirt collar.

“If you wanted to learn how to swim properly, why didn't you…" she didn't finish the sentence and bit her tongue, averting her gaze.

Come to me? Was that what she wanted to say?

Would she have helped her, if she had done so?

Maybe…

Feeling uncomfortable with her own thoughts, Imelda started to busy herself by adjusting her hair. She pulled her disheveled ponytail to the front and reached for the hairband, tugging at it impatiently. "I lost my race, and I almost drowned in the lake," she let it slip with a groan of pain, her soggy hair falling in wet, sticky tresses all over her shirt.

"And all for what?" she continued, passing her hands through her long, dark locks. As she started to rake them, Imelda winced, feeling tight knots under her fingers.

Not hearing an answer, but rather a rustling, she raised her gaze, curiosity piqued: Nerida was hunched over her bag, searching for something. She could discern the shuffling of parchment papers and quills.

Imelda's eyes lingered on the damp shirt clinging to the girl's form. She could make out her corset under her clothes, and the feeble light filtering from the open door in the back made her stand out like a silhouette against the dark backdrop of the stone building.

Swallowing hard Imelda averted her stare just in time, hoping to pass off the flush on her face as the warmth coming from the fire.

Soon enough, after more rustling and bustling, Nerida presented her what looked like a piece of jewelry. It was a silver necklace with a pendant adorned with a greenish stone that gleamed under the flames.

"I went to look for this," she murmured and Imelda realized that the necklace must have been what had caught her attention when she was looking for her under water.

It was what had brought her to Nerida.

"What is that?" she asked, making a half-hearted attempt to hide her growing discomfort by pulling her fingers through her hair with force, working out the tangled knots with impatience.

"It's a Mermish artifact, a gift I went to retrieve form a cave…" Nerida's voice trailed off, "I'm so sorry, Imelda. I didn't want to ask for help. Who would dive into the lake for a lunatic obsessed with merpeople?"

Imelda shifted her gaze from the necklace to Nerida, who was tormenting her hands by twitching her fingers and casting pleading looks while mumbling more excuses and thanking her for saving her.

Soon, the girl found herself torn between the urge to lean towards Nerida to better grasp her words or to hug her in a comforting embrace.

"It wasn't me," Imelda cut her off, "I didn't save you. A mer… something got us both," she murmured, continuing to work on her hair, cursing under her breath every time she pulled a bit too hard.

"Oh!" Nerida exclaimed, sudden excitement lighting up her pale features, "It must have been Melusine. The gift is from them and…" She didn't finish the sentence. Instead, she left the jewel on Imelda's lap and raised her arm, gently swatting away the other's nervous hands from her hair.

"Let me take care of it, would you turn?"

Imelda nodded silently and complied, crossing her legs. She felt Nerida drape her cloak over her trembling shoulders before starting to comb her hair with her fingers, gently intertwining them in her locks, carefully avoiding tugging and disentangling them one by one.

Imelda shivered under her touch.

She had forgotten how nice it felt to have Nerida's small hands in her hair. During their first year, the girl had always taken care of it, braiding it in simple yet elegant styles that Imelda secretly loved but never admitted.

She had never complimented her friend for her abilities, and now she regretted it.

She felt her scalp pleasantly tingling under Nerida's soft caresses as she parted her tresses neatly and raked them with the help of a small comb, something she always carried in her shoulder bag in a purse decorated with green stones.

"You're letting it grow, and it suits you," Nerida remarked casually.

Imelda hummed in agreement, feeling suddenly embarrassed by the simple comment.

"Do you remember the last time I did your hair?"

A soft smile formed on Imelda's lips. Of course, she remembered!

"It was before potion class, one of the last days of school," she murmured, memories flooding her mind as if it were ages ago.

"Yes!" Nerida chuckled. "I accidentally put a honking daffodil among the other flowers, and it woke up during class."

"Sharp had a panic attack!" Imelda laughed, recalling the scene vividly. All her classmates had stared at her while the flower kept honking happily in her hair.

Imelda had exchanged a look of dismay with Nerida, but she couldn't be angry. She remembered her friend stifling a laugh, putting her hand over her mouth and closing her eyes, the freckles on her face forming that endearing grimace she was so familiar with.

Was she doing it right now?

She tried to fight the temptation to turn and check, but the soft, enticing chuckle kept filling her ears, and she didn't want it to end with what Nerida might think was one of her sour looks.

"We did have fun!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, we did!" agreed the other, resuming her work and starting to dry Imelda's hair with a piece of cloth.

Imelda closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of being taken care of, but soon, she opened them again. That memory had stirred something else inside her, something she longed to confront Nerida over.

She bit her lip. They weren't friends anymore for a reason, and she knew if she asked, she was going to ruin this peaceful moment between them. Nonetheless, she wanted to know.

Drawing in a deep breath, she asked, "Why didn't you come that day?"

The question hung in the air, stretching the tension between them heavily.

Imelda felt Nerida's hands quivering, brushing her neck as she gathered her locks, her fingertips twitching and lingering on her skin.

"I waited for you all afternoon near the pitch. I thought we were going to fly together during our second year too. You really didn’t have time anymore?"

The silence felt heavier now that she had spoken those words—words she had kept within herself for almost four years now. And a burning question she had never dared to ask.

It was the first of September, and she remembered being so eager to meet her friend again. They had talked about it during the summer holidays in sporadic letters, but soon, Nerida had stopped replying, and Imelda had just hoped she would come to the pitch as they always did during their first year.

Two hours.

She had waited two hours that afternoon until it was so dark she couldn't distinguish her feet anymore. Her hand was so stiff from gripping the handle of her broom that she thought it was grafted to it.

Imelda had kept staring at that piece of parchment for an eternity, struggling to keep tears from rolling down her cheeks, shivering in the autumn Scottish breeze coming from all around the hills.

"I don't have time anymore, I'm sorry."

When Madam Kogawa had found her, Imelda was so worked up that the professor mistook tears of pain for frustration. From that point on, she had always tried to maintain her cold demeanor and unrelenting composure, earning her the name of the Icy Queen.

"You know I'm not jealous of you, right?"

Imelda shivered at the question; Nerida's tense voice was low, almost a whisper.

"Yes, I know," Imelda breathed, fidgeting with the hem of her cloak. "I thought if I started telling the others that, it would be easier to convince myself of my own lie," she explained. Then she turned lightly, trying to catch a glimpse of Nerida's face.

When she did, the girl met her eyes with an apologetic, bittersweet smile that stretched her lips, a silent question in her eyes. "No, it didn't work," Imelda added, averting her gaze and fixing it on a couple of spiders scuttling about on the ground, trying to reach a hole in the mossy stone.

She heard Nerida take a deep breath; the hair around her neck tingled. Nerida asked, ”Do you remember the last day we flew together?"

Imelda nodded.

"It was one of the last days of school. Like now," she murmured, perfectly recalling that warm afternoon and the joyous chatting, excitement filling their minds as they already savored the summer holidays.

"Yes, we went near the lake for a last run," Nerida continued. "It was fun. I had fun," she corrected.

Imelda closed her eyes, waiting patiently; she had never been the patient type.

"But then we dismounted and stood near the shore for a bit, until Madam Kogawa came. She proposed that you join the Slytherin Quidditch team the next year. I remember being so proud of you! You had dreamt about it all year, but there wasn't a free spot."

Imelda nodded again, recalling the moment vividly. It was not every day a professor and a star like Madam Kogawa complimented your skills.

"I remember looking at our reflection in the lake while you were talking to her. I saw a beautiful young girl, so talented, so proud, so amazing in everything…" her voice broke, and Imelda struggled to resist the urge to turn and check on her.

"I… I knew I couldn't be enough for you." Nerida sobbed, passing a hand under her eyes.

"I was afraid you would grow tired of me, of our friendship. I knew once you were on the team, you would be the queen of the team and… I could never hope to reach your level, but I desperately wanted to show you that I was interesting, that I was worthy of your attention."

Her voice broke again, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

Imelda could imagine her tormenting her hands as she used to do when nervous.

"So I stopped coming to the pitch. I wanted to tell you, but I felt so guilty. I was afraid you would read in my face what… what I was trying to hide."

"Nerida…"

"And then I joined the Crossed Wand club!" The high pitch of Nerida's voice thrilled in her ears. The sudden change made Imelda jolt.

"I thought I could still show you that I could make it. I could compete as well! But then you became the best player on the team, then Quidditch captain, and then you won the Quidditch Cup last year. It was suddenly too much to bear… so I preferred to keep quiet and just watch you from the bleachers."

"Or from the pier," Imelda interjected, trying to keep a casual tone.

Nerida gasped. "You… you noticed?"

"Of course. Why do you think this is my favorite course for my races?"

Nerida blushed.

"Why do you think I dropped Divination?" Imelda grumbled, her heart starting to race.

"Because Professor Onai told you you have no inner sight?"

Imelda scoffed. Of course not!

"I… I couldn't stand you and Oakes together. It was painful enough to see you two chatting and giggling during Astronomy. Gossiping and making predictions while stargazing. It felt like a never-ending date between you two," she groaned, biting her lip, realizing she had said too much.

"Adelaide is just a friend…" Nerida murmured, her voice lighter all of a sudden.

Imelda felt her small hands on her back, gently massaging her shoulders. She looked at hers, full of calluses and completely ruined by the sweat from her Quidditch gloves. She would have renounced all of that to have her Rida back just for one day to fly together around the castle as they used to do.

She turned, finally facing the girl.

"I don't know… is she?" Imelda raised her gaze, a tentative question in her brown eyes.

Nerida nodded before taking her hands in hers, gently rubbing her stiff fingers. "Nobody will ever replace you, Imma," she whispered, her eyes filled with silent tears, some shimmering on her eyelashes.

Imelda felt her stomach turn. She hadn't heard that nickname in years, and it warmed her heart to hear it now, from the only person who was entitled to use it.

"I wanted to join you that day. I felt too guilty for leaving you there waiting, so I sent that message… but I didn't have the courage to tell you that…"

She swallowed, meeting Imelda's gaze.

"That…?"

Nerida didn't answer, biting her lip as a solitary tear streamed down her cheek.

"Rida, what did you want to tell me?"

She took a deep breath. "That you're beautiful and strong and amazing, and I admire you so much! You deserve the world, Imma! I don't care what the others say!"

Imelda felt her heart thump in her chest. She knew she was a lot of things.

She was a talented player for Madam Kogawa, bossy and overbearing for her Quidditch team, arrogant for most people in the Gobstone club, and the next star of the Reyes family in the eyes of her grandfather.

Imelda was used to the little compliments people gave her, usually about her abilities on a broom and as a Quidditch player. But never, never had she imagined she could be beautiful and strong and amazing… for someone she liked as much as Nerida.

The very person who patiently endured her swinging moods, her occasional bitchy attitude. The girl who never failed to amaze her with her ability at Wizarding Chess, and always took care of her with small endearing gestures like styling her hair or trying to make her laugh with innocent pranks.

How could she not be impressed by her resolve to be a liaison to Merpeople?

She even learned how to speak mermish!

She felt Nerida’s warm little hand gently stroke hers, squeezing her fingers together, catching her attention. Imelda's tanned, ruined skin was a stark contrast against her pale, delicate fingers.

"I miss you, Imma," she murmured, tilting her head, tears staining her pale cheeks.

Imelda leaned forward, the last rays of a dying sun penetrating through the open door behind her, making Nerida's soft hair gleam.

The sprinkle of freckles adorning the bridge of Nerida's nose made Imelda wish she could drown in those cute little spots. She was gorgeous.

By instinct, Imelda took her hand off hers and gently trailed them up, reaching her face. She caressed her cheek with the back of her hand, trying to dry some of the tears, the warm drops dampening her skin. Nerida took her hand when she held it to her face, gently tilting her head, savoring her careful touch.

Nerida closed her eyes, and a contented sigh escaped her lips. When she opened them again, a silent invitation lingered in her brown irises, a question that Imelda was eager to answer and didn't want to wait years for.

The girl moved forward, closing the gap between them. When their lips finally met, her pulse resonated with the calm undertone of the waves outside, echoing the turmoil in her chest.

The kiss was gentle, warm, and tender. Imelda could still taste a faint saltiness from the lake on Nerida's chapped lips. It was perfect.

When they parted, they gazed into each other's eyes for what felt like ages, finally reconnecting after all the years they had spent apart.

Suddenly, the light from the small jar-fire dimmed, leaving them in the cold shadow of the building.

Nerida immediately stood up. "Let's go!" she exclaimed with a playful smile, tears still trapped in her eyes, this time from joy. Imelda nodded, following her.

They took a minute to adjust their clothes, putting their drenched shoes back on as they playfully complained about how uncomfortable they felt. Finally, they left the Boathouse, and Imelda reached her broom, mounted it, then invited Nerida to sit behind her.

Soon, they hovered over the lake. "Tell Oakes I will be giving you swimming lessons!" exclaimed Imelda, casting a look down as she balanced the broom.

"Maybe during the summer?" Nerida hummed happily against her shoulder.

"Hey, Reyes!" Someone called for her, and Imelda raised her gaze, surprised to find someone around in the approaching darkness of the evening.

"I won the race!" Sallow’s smile flashed with a smugness she didn't like.

She felt Nerida gently hugging her from behind, her chin resting on her shoulder and her hair tickling her neck.

"I didn't lose anything, Sallow! I gained something better!" she screamed, and with a decisive tug, she commanded the broom to rise, finally darting toward the castle with its stained windows shimmering in the early moonlight.

Their faint reflection in the water perfectly accompanied Imelda and Nerida’s trembling figures, as they were finally together.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fic #imelda reyes #nerida roberts #hl fics #queer fiction #amberlide writes #HL girls #my fanfiction

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starsunderwaterr · 1 year

Text

Sleeping with the Idols + Cap’n 3 + 8! (pt. 2)

Update like a good portion through writing: I made the headcanons too long-- ofc bro

So, this part is gonna be Deep Cut!

The next and final part will have both female and male versions of Agent 8 and then our beloved Cap’n 3!

(Y/N) — your name

(N/N) — nickname

All characters involved are 18+

Minors DNI

Warnings: swearing

Shiver!

Will be using she/they pronouns for Shivvy <3

Literally the best person to sleep with because she will not let you go to bed without doing a proper skincare and self-care routine

They care a lot about their image, so they naturally like to do all that they can to maintain it

If you’re too tired, they’ll give you a mini facial in their lap and OH MY COD it is nice

Her hands are just so soft!!! Like AGHHHH

Would definitely do those S/O facial tiktoks with you and gets a KICK out of them

Has to constantly scold you to not eat the lip masks even if they look like a really big gummy bear,,,,but like,,,,it’s squishy

Will let out the most adorable laugh if you eat the cucumbers they put on your eyes

After applying a mask, Shiver wiping their hands, they grabbed the cucumber slices and placed them on your eyes

But Shivvy made a dire mistake: turning for one second

Right as she looked back, she saw you with one of the slices in hand, a bite mark on it

Winking at them, you continued chewing, trying not to laugh

She was,,,,,in s h o c k

Finally, after a hot second, they let out an adorable laugh, covering their mouth with their hand

When it comes time for actually sleeping, they got the whole getup: the silk sheets, silk pillowcase, silk sleep mask,,,,SILK EVERYTHING

It’s a dream to get to go to sleep with her

They love when you cuddle them from behind,,,,bc you’re so warm and despite having it all, they get cold!!

they take coldblooded a lil too literally-

Usually she’s the one holding you at night bc she likes you close, but on the rare occasion (ex. a stressful day) the roles switch and you do her routine for her and give her plenty of kisses

Will literally cry when you take care of them because they’re usually seen as super independent and well off

But you wipe away their tears and kiss their forehead and let them snuggle into your side

It’s heart wrenching to see them so upset man :’(, so you always do your best to make her smile by kissing her cheeks and rubbing her head as she settles down

If the two of you are apart, Shiver can only fall asleep if you’re on call with them

She gets lonely, okay?? More than she wants to admit

On call, you yawned, “I think I’m gonna go to bed, Shivvy”

You heard the most adorable whine followed by a pause

“Can you please stay on call while we sleep...?”

GAHHH you almost DIED

So, of course you did, and they greatly appreciated it

They love you with all their heart man <3

Frye!

if ADD was a person PLSSSS

This girl can barely get tired it’s insane

She is addicted to her games man and I KNOWWW that she has a switch

You walk out from the bathroom to find this girl STANDING on the bed playing Mario Kart

You had just finished brushing your teeth, and you walked out of the bathroom ready to go to bed when you see it

Frye literally dancing around on the bed while she plays

For a split second, she looks up from the screen, “Oh, hey babe!”

You stood there like 🕴🕴🕴🕴, sighing, “I thought we were going to bed...?”

“I just need to beat this one race!! I’m in first!! And it’s Rainbow Road!”

You sighed, smiling gently. “Alright, but just this one race”

It was, in fact, not just one race

It got to the point where you had to sweep her off her feet and place her down on the bed to get her off the switch

Your eye twitching, you huffed, “Babe, we gotta be up early tomorrow...please get some sleep!”

Frye only looked up with a pout, “Fiiiinnnneeee”

Even if she was rather stubborn and bouncy, she was pretty good at settling down and relaxing

Curls up next to you with her head on your torso but will shake one of her legs as she falls asleep because she’s just that restless (i do this :D)

Will fall asleep for a good few hours only to wake up, check her phone, and be scrolling for awhile

Has so much trouble staying focused on relaxing when she’s busy online!

The light from her phone will wake you up SO fast

Again, you have to pull her phone out of her hand, much to her whining

Really the only thing that will get her settled and relaxed 100% is when you hold her tight against you

If she can’t escape, she can’t really move, so she has no choice but to relax

Complains about this but secretly loves it bc she gets attention and gets to be close to you

Reading to her also works surprisingly well

She loves to get into a good story with you, especially because she can just imagine it and listen to your voice

Loves to snuggle into your side and play on her switch when you’re sleeping or even just quietly watching

You’ll give her fivehead forehead kisses from time to time as she plays, especially when she wins a match

She finds it so adorable when you fall asleep with your head on top of hers, your warm body leaning against hers

Will give you a soft smooch goodnight before turning off her console and heading to bed

A real hyperactive zoomy, but the sweetest and most wholesome baby

Big Man!

This is to be read platonically!!

What an icon

I mean, c’mon

We already know

Would envelope you in the biggest, warmest hug out there

The two of you definitely take naps when Shiver and Frye are busy hashing it out about band stuff

They’d be busy, screaming away, Shiver using her Master Mega to beat the shit out of Frye’s eels over a music video idea

Meanwhile, you and Big Man are just livin’ it up, snuggled together watching

You guys definitely place bets on how long they’re gonna hash it out for

He lovessss snuggling with you, bc y’all pile up like kittens...but...sea kittens

He is such an older brother bro omgggg

Calls you his “Lil’ sibling” I CANT-

If he sees you passed out somewhere and you’re in an odd position, he will literally pick you up with the utmost care and carry you to a place where you’ll be more comfortable

Sometimes when he does this, you wake up

The one time you did, it was the most wholesome thing ever

You stirred, feeling yourself being carried by someone

As you woke up more, you realized that it was Big Man, and he glanced down, seeming to notice

Flashing a big smile, he greeted you, “Ay! (What’s up kiddo!)” [btw I didn’t say squiddo bc idk if you main as an octoling or inkling]

With a sleepy smile, you held back a giggle, “Biggie...you know I’m not a kid anymore. Why’re you carrying me?”

“Ay! (You looked uncomfy there (N/N)!) Ay! (I wanted to put you on the couch to sleep!)”

You almost melted on the spot

He’s such a sweetie who genuinely cares about your well-being

Even though you act all macho and independent, you can’t resist the urge to run to him in the middle of the night when you get nightmares

He’s always so good at calming you down and pats your head to try and make you laugh

Will get you anything--water, snacks, some rad Hero Headphones that he definitely did not steal from Marie to listen to music

Will listen to you talk and will never pressure you into anything if you’re not comfortable

Literally the best sweetie ever 10/10 love you biggie <3

#splatoon #splatoon 2 #splatoon 3 #splatoon x reader #deep cut #shiver x reader #shiver x reader splatoon #frye x reader #frye x reader splatoon #big man #big man x reader (platonic)#cuties :>

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