A/N: A bit more ambiguous than I meant it to be, but I do think these two make such a great pairing. Also, I love the idea of Dia admiring Chika.
Dia clapped her hands together, signaling the end of another grueling day of practice.
"Good work today, everyone," she said, watching the group catch their breath and compose themselves. "I know our practices have been much harder these past few days, but the Love Live finals are only two weeks away now. We can't afford to slack off for even a single day if we really do want to win."
A chorus of moans and groans was her answer. She picked up her water bottle and took a long swig while wiping her forehead of the building sweat. Even as the sun began to set, the rigors of the day's workout left her limbs stiff and sore. As other members of the group broke off into groups to leave, Dia followed suit. Gathering up her things, she stuffed them into her bag.
"Hey, Dia."
"Yes, what is it You?" Dia answered, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she turned her attention to the girl approaching her.
"Can I ask you for a favor?" You's eyes trailed down to her feet.
"Of course, you can ask me anything." Dia smiled, one that You couldn't see as she kept her head low.
"You see." You rubbed her foot into the ground, eyes still fixated on her shoes. "It's about Chika."
Dia saw Kanan and Mari staring at her from across the roof. She waved them off, Kanan giving a solemn and almost knowing smile, Mari an oddly cheery wave goodbye. Something seemed off.
"Is everything alright? You two aren't fighting or anything like that, are you?." Dia stuck a finger out and pointed at You as she shifted her attention back. "We can't be having distractions like that so close to the finals."
"No. No. That's not it at all." You raised her head, waving her hands frantically in front of her face. Dia brought her hands back to her side. "It's just that… haven't you noticed she's been acting a little strange?"
"I'm not sure what you mean? Chika has been practicing just as hard as usual. In fact, she might be practicing harder than I've ever seen her, and her latest set of lyrics are some of her best." Dia tilted her head. "Am I missing something that I shouldn't be?"
"No. All that is right. It's just." You scratched her neck, eyes flicking to the side. "She's been a little different lately."
Dia followed You's quick and nervous glance. It lead to Chika, arms resting on the roof's wall and staring out at the setting sun above the ocean with no intention to leave. A rather picturesque sight if Dia had to say. Though she couldn't shake the glum feeling of it all. Chika's smile and stare didn't seem right. It lacked so much of what had drawn Dia in to begin with. Something about it almost seemed familiar, but she couldn't pin down what.
"Different how?" Dia asked, still staring.
"Like there's something bothering her." You looked back to Dia, trying to meet her eyes for the first time. "You see it, right? Her smiles all wrong. I can't explain it, but if you really look at her you can see it."
Dia nodded, looking back to You. "It looks wrong, but I'm not sure what you want me to do about it."
"Can you talk to her?"
"You want me to talk to her?" Dia went wide-eyed, one hand pointed back at her chest.
"Please?"
"Why would you want me to do it? I'm sure that you, Riko, or even Kanan would be better options for something like this. You're all much closer to her than I am."
As the words tumbled out, Dia found it hard to look back toward You. The idea of not being someone Chika could confide in stung, though she had no reason to believe otherwise. They were friends, but what more could Dia say? As highly as she held Chika, she knew well that it didn't mean the sentiment ran both ways. Her experiences driving her to push those intrusive thoughts aside before they could fester any longer.
"We've all tried." You sighed, smile dropping. "None of us can get her to talk about it, and I'm getting worried."
Dia jolted from her daze, a sweaty palm clenched at her side. "That still doesn't answer my question, though. Why do you think I'd be able to get her to open up if you guys can't?"
You's voice started shaky, almost unsure. "It was Kanan's idea, really. She thinks that you might know what to say to Chika to help her."
"She did?"
"Yeah." You looked away, one hand scratching the back of her head. "She also said something about it being good for you, too, but I don't know what she meant by that. I just want someone to help Chika smile again. It's starting to scare me a little."
Dia stole another quick look to Chika. "If you guys really do think I'd be the best for it. I can try and talk to her."
"Thank you so much, Dia."
"I'll do what I can to help her, but I can't promise that anything good will come of it," Dia answered You's nerves with a tempered smile of her own.
"I'm just happy that you'll try and talk to her." You smiled back before tugging her bag back over her shoulder. "I'd stay and see how things turn out, but I've got to go meet with the diving club today."
"That's fine. It would be for the best if was just the two of us anyway." Dia waved off You as she headed for the exit. "And please try and make sure not to overwork yourself. That would be the last thing we need now."
"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine." You gave a last wave back. "And good luck."
Dia rolled her eyes as You left, Riko and the first-years trailing not too far behind as the door to the roof closed with a thud. The rooftop now empty save for her and an unusually listless Chika still staring off into the horizon.
With slow and steady breaths, Dia took a second to recompose and focus herself. Her heartbeat still a few beats too fast, and a bout of nerves sank into the pit of her stomach. The weight of the situation latching onto her shoulders. What should have been a simple talk, senior to junior, became something Dia put too much focus on. It was her chance to be there in Chika's time of need. She needed to offer the same comfort she had been given before.
Squaring her shoulders and straightening her back, Dia took deliberate steps across the roof.
"Are you not going home yet?" she asked, taking a spot on the side of Chika. She stared out at the horizon, one hand gripped at the edge.
"Huh?" Chika shook her head.
"I asked if you were going home yet?" Dia gestured out at the empty rooftop. "Everyone else has already left for the day."
"Oh." Chika slowly licked her lips, before giving a smile. "I guess I got kinda distracted by how pretty the sky looked."
"It certainly is beautiful." Dia squeezed down on the barrier. You was right. When so close, everything about Chika was off. From the dimmed sparkle that Dia could have sworn usually surrounded the girl, to the odd tilt of her smile.
"But it's not like you to be the last to leave." Dia continued as Chika kept quiet. "I'd have assumed you'd be eager to head home with Riko or You."
"Well, Riko's working hard on the new song, and You's got her diving practice today." Chika snapped her eyes away from Dia. "I wouldn't want to get in the way of any of that, you know?"
"I can see your point." Dia's heart slowed down as the eye contact broke. "But that's still not like you at all."
Chika scratched her neck and gnawed on her lower lip. Dia took the silence as her answer and decided to press on.
"Is everything alright, Chika?"
Chika let out a long sigh, this time her loose smile fading into a straight line. "Everything's fine."
"Are you sure about that?" Dia watched as Chika's eyes focused down on her hands.
"Does it seem like something's wrong?" Chika's voice trailed off as she finished.
Something caught in Dia's throat as she tried to continue. The nerves were still heavy in her stomach, doing it's best to force down what she wanted to say.
"It's your smile." Dia blurted out with a bit more force than necessary. Her cheeks flushing as she squeezed her hand into a tight fist, digging her nails into the palm. Chika stayed silent, head cocked to the side. "Something about it seems off. I don't know how to explain it, but I can tell. We all can tell."
"I didn't mean for anyone else to notice." Chika chuckled. "That explains why Riko, You, and Kanan have been so nice to me lately."
"They're just worried about you." Dia swallowed down a growing lump, her dry throat making it hard. "I'm worried about you."
The silence gave Dia a moment to recompose. She dwelled on everything she had said. Was it the right thing to say? Was she being a good senior? Could she be the one to help Chika? It all festered in the minute of silence as Chika kept her eyes fixated on the almost fully set sun. Building itself into an uncomfortable sweat that Dia was forced to wipe away from her forehead. The hyperactive reassurance that Dia always took solace in was gone, replaced with bouts of nerves and uncertainties.
Dia wasn't sure those feelings were entirely her own, or because of Chika's sadness. Most likely a hearty combination of both.
"Do you think I'm the leader of Aqours, Dia?" Chika asked, her voice much lower.
Dia stared wide-eyed for a moment before answering. "Of course I do. I know we've never said it out loud, but all of us see you as our leader. All this was your idea, after all. It wouldn't be right for anyone else to take that position."
"I thought so."
"Do you not think so?"
"That's not it. I know that I have a responsibility to be some sort of leader since this was all my idea in the first place." Chika waited a second before speaking back up. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm the best person to lead everyone now that so many people have joined."
"And what makes you think you aren't fit to be our leader?" Dia asked with a subdued annoyance.
Something nearing anger welled up inside as she heard Chika's self-doubts. Hearing those kinds of things from someone you held in high regard brought ugly emotions up that Dia hadn't expected. Dia had always thought Chika was special, why couldn't she see it in herself? The question only continued to dampen her mood.
"Well, you know," Chika said. "I just think there might be someone better at it than I am."
"I'm not so sure about that. I believe that you've been a great leader for all us."
"Thanks, Dia." Chika tucked a stray hair back behind her ear, attention still on the setting sun. "But we have some amazing people in Aqours. I'm sure that one of them would be better at all this."
"Who do you think would be a better leader than you? Because I can't see anyone bringing this group together like you did. What you did was very special." The honesty in Dia's words even surprised herself. It was easy for her to talk up what she felt to be Chika's most alluring traits, no matter how difficult it often was for her.
"I don't know about that. I just really wanted to be a school idol and thought that if we had a lot of people it would be even more fun. So I tried hard to make that happen." Chika tore her eyes to meet Dia's. "But I'm sure if anyone else tired, they could have done it, too. Aqours has some amazing people in it, you know?"
"Yes it does, and you're one of them. I'm not sure why you can't see that."
"Because I don't think it's true." Chika's hands shot up, waving of Dia's stare as she continued. "I bet that You could make a great leader, she's cheerful and fun. Or Kanan, she's always been kinda like an older sister to me. Mari's also great at making people happy, so maybe even she could do it."
Dia tightened her fist at her side, nails digging in deeper. "You know as well as I do that You wouldn't want to take your spot. Despite how cheerful she is, she can be very emotional when it comes to certain members of the group. You know that I did hear about what happened between you and her recently."
"You're right about that." Chika's voice picked up its pace. "But that still leaves Kanan and Mari."
"Mari would be an automatic no from me. She may know how to keep everyone happy, but she's much to mischievous to be leading a group like this." Chika opened her mouth to argue back, but Dia was quick to continue, holding up a finger. "And I'm sure that Kanan would make a great leader if she actually wanted to, but I doubt it's something she'd be very willing to do given what's happened before. She prefers supporting us from the side like she does now. Plus, I know that she has full confidence in you and wouldn't want anyone else taking your spot."
Chika opened and closed her mouth, trying to find a rebuttal but failing. Deciding instead to wring her hands together and have her eyes wander from each corner of the roof, making sure not to meet Dia's.
"I don't understand why you think someone else wouldn't be able to do this," Chika said. Her voice almost too quiet for Dia to hear.
"Because you're special!" Dia's emotions came out in a single loud shout. "I'm not sure how many times I have to remind you of that fact, but it's true. I could never imagine someone else doing what you did. Nobody could ever take your place, and that's all there is to it. No matter how much you try and deny it"
"I'm only doing it because I need to do it." Chika flinched as Dia shot a furious glare. "Then what about you?"
"What about me?" Dia narrowed her eyes, meeting Chika's. Her emotions slipping out faster and faster.
"You could take my place. I mean, everybody already looks up to you. You keep everyone on track and even lead practices. It's like you're our leader already."
Instinctively, Dia reached out and took one of Chika's hands into her own. She surprised herself with the gestures straightforward nature, but Chika's words were frustrating.
"I am not our leader, and I will never be our leader." Dia squeezed hard onto Chika's hand. "Nobody could ever replace you. Especially someone like me."
Chika shook her head, eyes glancing between her held hand and Dia's eyes. "But why? I know that you'd be great. You already do a lot of the leadery stuff anyways."
"Being strict and following the rules is not what makes a good leader." DIa's palm began to sweat, her fingers trembled. "You draw people in and do whatever you can to make sure everyone feels like they belong. You always knew what to do when you needed to. I could never do that."
"But I screw up all the time." Chika gnawed on her lower lip. "I don't think you'd mess up as much as I do."
Dia felt a tight squeeze, this time Chika being the one to look for reassurance in the tight grip. It felt like a search for help, for guidance or maybe something more, Dia wasn't too sure. But she knew it was Chika reaching out to her for the first time. She was finally someone that Chika could turn to.
"I've had my fair share of screw ups, you know?" Dia hadn't expected to bring any of it up. Feelings long buried that felt easy to relive as long as they helped bring Chika solace Chika's gentle thumb on the back of her hand helped.
"You don't have to say it if you don't want to."
"But I do. You should understand that nobody is perfect. Even if you are amazing at seeing the best in everyone, they have flaws just like you." Dia grinned and Chika looked away, a light pink on her cheeks. "You know, when everything was happening with me, Kanan, and Mari in our first year, I never did anything."
"What do you mean?"
"I was being a coward, really." Dia never said it out loud, she never expected to, but Chika seemed to always make things easier. "All I had to do was tell Mari about what was going on with Kanan, and we could have all stayed together like nothing ever happened. Our friendship might have never been broken, and we could have gone on being idols and making memories."
"Why didn't you?" Chika turned to fully face Dia, inching her face closer.
"Like I said. I was a coward. I've never been as strong as you seem to think I am."
"Do you ever regret it?"
"I used to." Dia licked her dry lips, Chika's intense staring triggering her rapid heartbeat. "But you changed all that. Without you and Aqours I'd probably still be hiding behind my student council work. Instead, I'm in an idol group with eight friends that I've come to cherish, and none of it could have ever happened without you."
"Did I really do all that?" Chika's eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
"You did, and that's why you're the best leader that this group could have ever asked for." Dia struggled to continue as her next words came out strangled, and her cheeks flushed. "So I don't ever want to hear you talk about this ever again. You're our leader, and even if you might not feel like it, we all want you to continue being exactly like you are now. So don't you ever think about quitting."
Chika pulled her hand back, and Dia feared that she had said something wrong. Being too open or to candid about thoughts and feelings that she couldn't even keep straight. Afraid that she had let Chika down in the one time she wanted to be there.
The hug wasn't expected. Dia stood ramrod straight as arms snaked around her waist and pulled in. She held her arms out, not knowing whether to embrace back as Chika's head laid on her shoulder.
"Thanks." Chika's words were muffled into Dia's shirt between shakes of the head and quiet sniffles.
With stiff arms, Dia reciprocated the hug, wrapping her arms around Chika's shoulders. "Did I help?"
Chika kept her head on Dia's shoulder, nodding in response. "I'll keep trying my best."
"That's all you have to do."