#hope i wrote Nearl okay!

[arknights-imagines]

Can I have HCs for cuddling with Nearl please? If that's too specific than any kind of fluffy stuff is fine!! Thank you! 🥰

Hi anon! ✨ you can definitely have Nearl cuddle hcs! 💞 I hope I did Nearl justice 🥺 Please enjoy! 🌸

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Cuddling with Nearl

Headcanon format; written in second person, but mostly from the Operators perspective

Contains: Nearl, gender neutral Doctor who's meant to be the reader, implied established relationship, and lots of softness 🥺

Word count: just about 1.1k

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NEARL

･ Nearl may not seem like the most softest person, but she definitely has a caring heart; that especially applies to you.

･ You're very precious to her, and more than anything, she really wants you to be safe. She's ready to protect you with her life at any time, but when it comes to showing affection and being physically affectionate, the Kuranta is a little inexperienced.

･ Nearl is comfortable with you initiating anything, she quite enjoys when you gave her a hug or a kiss, as a matter of fact. But she's a little more hesitant when giving the same things back to you. It's not that she doesn't want to, but more so she's nervous about slipping up or making you uncomfortable.

･ Because of both your work, you two couldn't exactly go on dates together, sleep in the same bed, or other things like such. Other than a few hugs and kisses every so often, you two weren't exactly the most physically affectionate pair, but that was in no way a bad thing. Nearl cared very, very deeply about you, and she didn't need to show that though physical means. Her words and small gestures were enough.

･ But, everyone needs some affection and someone to hold sometimes, and Nearl was really no different.

･ One night, you had visited her room to talk about an Operation; nothing out of the ordinary, but you two had been discussing it for so long that it was evening by the time you were done. You were prepared to leave and head back to your office, but Nearl had spoken up before you left.

･ "Umm, may you stay with me tonight?"

･ The Kuranta was obviously a little nervous, but she stood by what she said regardless. Unfortunately, the two of you had been rather busy, and in fact, she barely got to see you outside of work occasions.

･ "I'm…aware it's...rather shameful, but I regret not being able to spend time alone with you." Nearl confessed, still looking a little unsure. "If you could possibly stay, I would be grateful."

･ You couldn't really refuse her, nor did you have any reason to, so with a smile you nodded and assured her that was just fine. Nearl straightened a little, smiling back at you and giving you a gentle thank you.

･ The both of you sat on her bed for a while, both occupied with your own small tasks as you spoke comfortably. Of course, Nearl would've liked to share dinner with you or walk around under the stars, but in their world of ruin, just sitting with you alone was enough for her.

･ Yawning a little, you had put your papers away, turning to her with a small smile. The Kuranta looked so cozy and inviting, you had the strong urge to just give her a hug, and so your next words came out a little suddenly, "Margaret, now that we're alone, could we maybe cuddle or something?"

･ Nearl blinked, her head snapping to you. She knew what cuddling was, yes, but you two had never really done anything like that. The idea of having you so close was nice, but what if she underestimated her strength and accidentally hurt you? She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if that happened.

･ "Oh, umm, you would like to do that with me?" She asked slowly, and you nodded, "I would. But only if you're comfortable with it."

･ Her heart swelled up a little at the fact that you wanted to make sure she was okay with it. She wasn't used to the soft feeling she had when she was around you, but she cherished it nonetheless.

･ Placing her book down, she nodded slowly. "I am comfortable with it, but I must confess, I'm unsure on how to go about it." You smiled, assuring her it was alright again, before lying down and motioning for her to do the same. She was a little stiff, but once she was lied down, you snuggled up close to her with no hesitation, wrapping your arms around her waist.

･ Nearl blinked, obviously surprised. You were so close, and the way you were hugging her felt unbelievably warm and inviting. Still, at the same time, you were still fragile in her eyes compared to herself.

･ You seemed to sense her nervousness, because you spoke up, voice muffled a bit by the fabric of her shirt, "Margaret, you can hold me, don't worry."

･ "I may? Then….I shall." Slowly, she wrapped her arms around you, heart swelling at the safe feeling that came over her. Nearl was tense for a few moments, but as time passed, she relaxed, holding you to her chest comfortably.

･ The Kuranta let her eyes slip shut, enjoying the warm security that filled her as if she had been wrapped in a warm blanket. It felt right to have you so close. Your face was snuggled into her chest, and her chin rested atop your head. Cuddling you gave her the same soft, tender feeling as kissing or hugging you did, but it was a little more intense, it lingered for longer.

･ Nearl couldn't help but think about how grateful she truly was for you. You were her reason to fight, her drive, her light. Shethe Kuranta was so thankful that she was able to be able to cuddle you like she was, she was so thankful you were safe and with her.

･ Her arms tightened around you a little, holding you closer to her. She took a moment to breathe you in, before leaving a light kiss on the crown in your head.

･ "My light, every moment with you is a ray of hope for me. Thank you." Her nickname for you left her lips carefully, "I have swore this to you before, but I promise that I shall protect you from all harm, without fail. I shall fight so that we may share moments like these in the days to come." Nearl's voice was soft and sincere, words meant for you and only you.

･ You nodded, snuggling closer to her chest, mumbling a quiet word of thanks and acknowledgement. Letting her eyes slip shut as she completely relaxed, Nearl tightened her arms around you protectively and with warmth.

･ She didn't speak after that, but she didn't have to. Whatever she didn't say, you already knew. 'My light, I shall do everything within my power for you. Someday, I hope we will see a day where the world is free of struggle.'

･ After that night, cuddling you and holding you close was comfortable for Nearl, and she enjoyed every time you two had time to cuddle.

･ Every time, it was always the same; it was warm, safe, and secure. The Kuranta held you close to her heart for while promising she'd always protect you.

[johannstutt413]

(requested by mathmaticalknight) TOURNAMENT ARC

Nearl was in her room, tending to her equipment, when there was a knock on her door. “I wonder who that might be...Maria?”

“Sister!” Blemishine wrapped her arms around Margaret’s neck and pulled her in for a close and loud hug (armor plates). “It took me forever to find someone who knew the way to your place, but you’re actually here!”

“When did you get her, Maria? I thought you and Zofia were still working out the details.”

The other Nearl simply beamed at her. “She said she’d be here soon and that I could go ahead. It’s a good thing I did, too - there are posters all over saying you’re fighting someone today. Is that true?”

“I am, yes,” she confirmed. “The Doctor organized a tourney for Operators in all positions to prove themselves, if they so desire.”

“Are you gonna go easy on them, or is the Radiant Knight going to be fighting in a new venue?” The look on Maria’s face was a blend of concern and excitement - after all, it’s not every day she got to see her sister fight.

The older Nearl thought about it for a moment before going for another hug. “My opponent is my sparring partner, and I know she will be giving this fight her all. It would be a dishonor not to do the same.”

“Then I’ll be watching you from the stands.” She sighed. “Next time I see you, though, can we hug without all this metal in the way?”

“If you’d like, you can come to dinner with me.” Margaret hadn’t had the chance to ‘properly’ introduce her to her girlfriends, after all.

Blemishine nodded. “That sounds good to me...Alright, you need to finish preparing for your fight, so I’m going to find the Doctor. I heard there’s an Engineering Department here, and I want to go talk to them before the match. Good luck!”

“Thank you, Maria.” As the shining knight left, the Radiant Knight returned to her maintenance. “Tonight, however, luck will not be a factor.”

TOURNAMENT ARC: NEARL VS HOSHIGUMA (continuing...sort of from this [I keep forgetting which ships are already established in some of this multiverse soup going on; can’t make it a direct continuation because of the first fic in that two-part series, but Tourney!RI still has a horse triumvirate nonetheless. ANYWAY.])

——–

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, Operators, Staff, and Esteemed Guests! Welcome one and all to the Top Operator Tourney!!! *crowd cheers*

“Thanks, Hung! I love how consistent he is with that...Anyways, hi! You’re probably wondering why we’re here-”

“We should introduce ourselves first, Swire.”

“Good point, good point. Well, I’m Swire, aka Hoshi’s biggest fan, and here with me in the commentator’s booth is Meteor. You’re Nearl’s girlfriend, right?”

“That is why I’m here, yes. I appreciate the Doctor allowing us to do this, especially since you and I don’t talk very often. Do you have the statistics in front of you? My tablet and I are having a fight.”

“Yeah, I’ve got ‘em. *clears throat* So, looking at the numbers, my girl’s got the advantage when it comes to size, experience and stamina, but Nearl is faster, more tactical, AND she’s got some serious Arts at her disposal. Hoshi’s got an uphill battle ahead of her, I say.”

“It’s important to note that Margaret Nearl and Hoshiguma both are in the top three seeds for the Defender bracket - first and third respectively - which means regardless of the apparent discrepancy, both are incredibly skilled combatants. Accounting for the amount of time they spend dueling each other to keep their skills sharp, and I suspect this fight will be much closer than the numbers would imply.”

“I certainly hope so! No offense, but I do want Hoshi to win this - if Nearl loses, you’re still in the tourney, after all.”

“That is true...But we’ll simply have to agree to disagree.”

“Yeah. Well, let’s get to the action!...Also, why did you say her actual name rather than her codename?”

——–

Hoshiguma and Nearl walked into the coliseum, fully prepared for the fight ahead of them. The Oni took up a defensive stance, holding her shield just above the ground and planting her feet. “Well, Marge, today’s the day. Promise you’re not gonna hold back on me?”

“I swear by my honor as a knight: today, I will not stay my hand.” The Kuranta unsheathed her blade, already glowing beneath the bright lights above. “I entrust your life to the Medics of Rhodes Island. Ready?”

“It’s your time, not mine.”

A curious turn of phrase...With that, the fight was on.

Nearl’s first goal was knocking out that shield arm. Fixing amputations was something the Medics could do (at least, Aak and Warfarin could), but ideally she wouldn’t have to do that much damage. She charged forward, feinted going one direction but bounded the opposite way, and swung for her opponent’s arm, lighting up her blade as she did with a dazzling gleam-

-only for Hoshi to pull her arm towards her body, forcing the Knight to clip the shield instead and feel the sting of her opponent’s Thorns. “You’re taking this seriously. Good.”

“Of course I am.” The Kuranta had lost all her forward momentum thanks to the deflection, but that didn’t stop her from spinning around; her next attack was an attempt to knock the Oni’s shield out of the way with her own before landing a sword stroke, once again lighting it up before the attack would land. “Hyah!”

“Good try.” Rather than block the swing, Hoshiguma punched Nearl’s sword arm, taking the blade to her forearm but nevertheless crippling her opponent in the process. The counterattack sent the disarmed warrior backward and left Lungmen’s strongest with a choice: charge forward, get Hannya spinning, and go on the warpath? Stand her ground and do the same?

The Kuranta got to experience the answer firsthand as her opponent began to simultaneously spin her shield and run forward. ‘I can’t let her hit me with that attack, whatever it takes...’ Unfortunately, she didn’t have enough time to get to her feet and get out of the way. There was only one option she could see...

——–

“Alright, she’s getting to her feet; she’s not done yet, but damn Hoshi’s spinning Hannya as fast as she can.”

“Margaret, what are you doing?! Get out of the way!”

“She’s holding her shield up with both hands- wait, that light-”

“Glasses on!” *flash* “...No!”

“There’s no way she’s getting up after that...Aak and Warfarin are making their way out. Hoshi’s tossed Hannya to the side and seems to be trying to help.”

“She’s done enough.”

“Meteor, you’ve seen some of the other fights-”

“They didn’t have my Marg’ret in them...We’re done here, right?”

“Yeah, that’s all she wrote. Everyone at home, have a good night, and we should have FEater and Click back up here next time. Thanks for tuning in!...I’m gonna make sure my co-host doesn’t do something she regrets.”

——–

By the time Meteor had made it to Medical, there was a small group in the waiting room. Platinum and Blemishine were talking cordially, Swire was talking to Ptilopsis at the desk, and Hoshiguma...Hoshiguma was there, in a chair, as stoic as she’d ever seen her.

That stoicism didn’t change when the huntress walked over to her and slapped her across the face.

“Miss Meteor,” Ptilopsis observed from her post; Swire had already turned around after hearing the sound, “violence is not tolerated in the waiting room.”

“It’s alright, Tilly. I deserved it.” The Oni cracked her neck as she looked up at her attacker.

The Kuranta sat down next to her. “At least you agree.”

“I didn’t expect her to try and block me like that,” she continued with a sigh. “The flash actually made it worse for her.”

“Why did she do that? It makes no sense.”

At this point the other two Kuranta in the room walked over; Platinum immediately sat in Meteor’s lap for a chair-hug. “We got here before she did, and they rolled her past us...” There was now a silver-haired puddle in the Sniper’s lap.

“Are all the fights in this tourney like this?” Maria shuddered. “The sport is the same everywhere, I guess.”

“Well, the good news is, Nearl’s Arts were enough to stabilize herself,” Swire reported, joining the group and sitting on the opposite side of Hoshiguma, who immediately set her head on her shoulder.

The huntress, stroking her assassin-girlfriend’s hair, nodded. “Thank you, Swire. I’m sorry we’re meeting like this, Maria.”

“We’ll have a second chance at it when my sister’s back on her-” At that moment, there was the distinctive sound of armor jangling from down the hall. “Eh? One second.”

“It hasn’t been five minutes,” Hoshi muttered as everyone, including herself, stood up.

Sure enough, Blemishine walked around the corner with Nearl’s arm around her shoulder, gear beaten to shit but otherwise okay. “I’m taking her back to her room for a change of clothes, but she and the doctors both said she’s good.”

“Maggie!” Platinum practically became her jacket with that hug. “I’m so glad you’re alright! Even Hoshiguma was worried.”

“I’m not surprised. My training partner proved herself the better fighter today.” The smile the Radiant Knight sent the Oni’s way literally made her take a step back.

Meteor continued the original thread. “You’re feeling alright, though? Does it hurt anywhere?”

“The soreness will remain for a few days, but no lasting damage, certainly.” She looked down at her armor. “Not to my body, at least. Maria, could you help me fix this later this week?”

“Of course I will!” Her sister already had some thoughts on how to stop something like the Spinning Shield of Death from doing so much damage again.

The Feline in the room, glad to hear the all-clear straight from the horse’s mouth, nudged her girlfriend. “Go on, I know you want to say something.”

“I’ll talk to her later.” The Oni picked up her girlfriend. “Let’s go home.”

“Hoshi?” Nearl called out to her, and she froze.

The moneycat in her arms answered for her. “Yes, Nearl? Margaret, more specifically?”

“Either is fine.” Another warm smile. “That was a good fight. Good luck in the rest of the tournament.”

“...Thank you, Maggie. Goodnight, everyone.”

New destination: the bar.