Nailing It Closed

Interacting With: @Simon Kincaid and @Jrue Peterson if that's ok!
Word Count: 303

Dido sat in the bathroom stall, gripping her head with one hand and covering her mouth tightly with the other, attempting to stifle the residual heavy breathing that comes after crying. A little earlier she had heard some commotion outside the stall and thought she could smell the sharp, cutting scent of nail polish. So, before Dido left the stall, she took a deep breath in, scrubbed at her eyes furiously to wipe away any persistent glassniness, and then unlocked the door, taking a step out and quickly crossing to the sinks.

However, as she stepped out, she wasn’t just met with someone quietly painting their nails in the corner but instead with a girl, about her age, sitting sprawled across the floor near the doorway with an entire array of nail painting… equipment in front of her. Standing beside the girl was a boy, a much older boy, smiling gently and looking at the nail polish while speaking to the girl.

“Love you using magic to get just what you wanted,” he commented to the nail-girl, as Dido continued to cross to the sink, albeit slower since she had noticed the pair. The maybe fifth-or-sixth year continued, “I’ve never had mine painted before. Have anything in gold?”.

Without meaning to, Dido chucked at that, remembering one of the few times she had met her cousin. It had been only a few weeks after the Olympics and the eight year old had been obsessed with everything golden and glittering. It had been a trying time for Dido’s uncle who was anything but gold and glittering.

Mortified by her reaction, Dido tried to turn the laugh into a cough, only succeeding in making an odd gargling noise and presumably seeming a absolutely ridiculous sight to anyone who glanced her way for a few painful seconds.

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mentions. @Simon Kincaid @Dido Bleaklane notes. song. Unknown/Nth ~ Hozier actions. Casting Colorvaria again eleven fifteen a.m. the lavatory.

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T he pungent smell of nail polish wafted about as Jrue finished her left hand and admired it fondly. A voice sharply cut through her intense painting session- and she flicked her gaze up to the boy standing beside her. He was a Hufflepuff, and one of the most remarkable and recognizable Hufflepuffs at that. Simon Kincaid, a friend to the friendless and a smiling face abroad. He pointed out the polish. Gold.. such an odd color request. She’d never considered using gold before. Jrue shook her head. “Blue for days, but no Gold. I could switch up a bottle for you-“ She nodded, pointing her wand at a bottle of Aquamarine. It’d been almost a year since she’d used this one.

“Colorvaria!” She casted again, the bottle rippling as the decorative material shifted from its medium toned teal to a warm, glittering gold. She shook the second bottle, holding it up for Simon to see. “Thoughts? I think it’s suit you well-“ A sneeze- cough- laugh? stifled what Jrue was saying. Whipping her head around, she noticed a girl leaning over the sink. Jrue fluttered her eyes open and closed a few times, no word spoken, then turned to the other Hufflepuff again. “It appears we have a lurker-“ Jrue smiled without her teeth, tapping the floor outside the bathroom in invitation for the boy to sit down.

“If you’d like your nails painted too~” Jrue said loud enough for the mysterious- sounding and observing- individual to hear. She set her wand down on the floor and blew on her left hand, admiring the nails. “I do hope they stay this way. I don’t actually remember if this spell is temporary-“ Jrue but the inside of her cheek, laughing fondly.

290/200
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Interacting With: @Simon Kincaid and @Jrue Peterson
Word Count: 369

As the girl commented on Dido’s presence, Dido’s cheeks immediately coloured and her heart lurched in embarrassment and worry. She spun away from the pair, beginning to look at the wall as if it were particularly interesting as she desperately tried to seem unbothered and cool – Or whatever that meant to a twelve year old girl. But, as the nail-painter continued to speak, calling out, “If you’d like your nails painted too-”, Dido swallowed tightly, turned back around again and started to approach the two students, all while attempting to pull off a ‘look casual and vaguely interested’ gait.

As Dido approached, the students continued talking: the nail-girl wondering about the spell she had cast and the older boy introducing himself as “Simon Kincaid”. Both of these snippets of conversation interested Dido. The spell, of course, was partly intriguing just because it was magic, that feeling of awe still hadn’t quite worn off for Dido, and also because she hadn’t seen this spell in lessons yet so it wasn’t only magic, but also: new magic. The boy’s name inspired slightly less wonder and excitement but it did still ring a bell for her. Hadn’t he written some articles in the Headliner? Not sure date of thread so not stating which if that’s alright!

As she was mulling this over, the boy, Simon, suddenly faced her, and Dido froze at being addressed when he kindly said, “This one can be on me.”

In response, she smiled softly, slowly sat down near the pair and, in a rush to get the words out intact, replied, “Oh! Thank you- that would be great!” she glanced at the girl, “If you’re ok with that- And have time,” Dido caught herself, took a small breath before continuing in a slower and lower-pitched voice, “Sorry. I’m Dido, by the way.”

“I’m in-” Dido opened her mouth to finish introducing herself as a Slytherin before catching the words in her throat. She didn’t know these two. They didn’t know her. Simon was definitely in an older year and this girl was using spells that weren’t on the first year syllabus so was probably second or even third year. They didn’t need to know the truth, especially if it wasn’t Dido’s. So she finished her sentence.

“I’m in Ravenclaw."

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mentions. @Simon Kincaid @Dido Bleaklane notes. song. Unknown/Nth ~ Hozier actions. xx eleven fifteen a.m. the lavatory.

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Jrue nodded thoughtfully, taking Simon's wrist and holding it steadily. She eyed his nails. "Stop chewing on your fingernails-" She furrowed her brows, looking up at him and back down as she lathered the golden substance onto his thumbnail first. "I know all about Simon Kincaid. You're like, the MASCOT of Hufflepuff." She blew a strand of hair out of her face, painting his pointer and middle fingers next. "I'm Jrue. Peterson- you probably DIDN'T know that." Nodding, she dipped the brush in the bottle again. She smiled at the girl as she sat down, continuing to brush the color onto the boy.

"I have no plans today- I'm free to paint anyone's nails who walks in. If they walk in now, if they walk in two hours from now- I will be here." Jrue spoke to Dido then nodded triumphantly, dipping the brush in the bottle and taking up Simon's other hand. "And this isn't a business, so I don't charge. Just here for fun." The gold color glittered spectacularly, and complimented his skin very flatteringly. Jrue was so pale and sickly looking- Simon was pale, but not so sickly looking. It was very suiting for him. Jrue's dhampirism, less so. She'd always been told if she was tan that it would bring out her eyes, or suit her hair color. She didn't care, however.

"Dido. What a lovely name! I don't believe I've ever heard it before." The brush slid into the bottle again, coating in gel. A Ravenclaw- she must be awfully bright. They're scary smart- She chuckled softly, thinking to herself before continuing her effort. "Sorry if you two don't mind- I talk an awful lot. It's horrible, to be honest..." She shrugged sheepishly, waving air towards his hand and eyeing it for any flaws or spots. "What color do you want Dido? I've got lots of blue- if you can't tell, or I can charm whatever color you want into existance-!" She grinned a big toothy grin, little fangs shimmering in the lighting of the bathroom.

345/200
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mentions. @Simon Kincaid @Dido Bleaklane @Lotus Lively notes. song. Unknown/Nth ~ Hozier actions. xx eleven fifteen a.m. the lavatory.

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Her eyes snapped up to see another figure at the door, the nail polish dripping down onto her hand during her state of preoccupancy. Jrue bit the inside of her cheek, nodding at the new member to join their party. "Oh, Jrue Peterson needs no help with nail painting. An easy feat, it you ask me-" She cleared her throat, noticing the bead of gold trailing down her wrist. She wiped it on a cotton swab, tossing the swab into an itty bitty cauldron she had found in the corner of the bathroom.

Jrue's nail painting escapades were turning out spectacularly well. She hadn't expected such a group of people, by any means. They were all very different students, a gaggle of first years vs an older student, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, Prefects and not. And it was quite early for her business to be booming already. The last time she had painted her nails and been accompanied was some late afternoon in her common room, and only someone's pet rat had cared to scurry over.

She eyed the purple haired question poser beside the group, inviting him to sit down with a nod of her head. "Wait your turn for a specific color or start at it with one of my blues, I don't care-" She shrugged her shoulders, blowing on Simon's pinky as she finished the paint job. She pushed his hands away from her, still holding on to his wrists. She examined her handiwork, nodding slowly before wiping a pretend tear away from her cheek. "Some of my finest work, I can't lie-" Jrue made her voice voice wobble, the noise echoing off the tiled walls. She sighed, turning to Dido. "I do believe it's your turn- if you still wish to have it done." A soft grin spread across her face. "Lab rat number one's job is complete-" was all she said with a gesture to the upperclassman.

331/200
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