The house was full of festive joy and cheer.
Maids and butlers laughed with glee as they draped leafy garlands atop the railing of the stairs in the ballroom. The halls were filled with the sounds of merry chatter and lighthearted jest as the walls were decorated with ribbons, wreaths, and holly. The smell of baking gingerbread cookies wafted from the kitchen around the estate, its sweet, yet spiced, aroma instantly bringing a smile upon everyone's face.
Even Anna, the strait-laced head maid couldn't help but smile as she made her rounds around the house and inspected the hall, ensuring that all the decorations were in order.
And of course, at the center of it all, in the middle of the Cavendish ballroom, was a giant Spruce tree, towering up just a few feet below the chandelier.
Diana's eyes twinkled as she looked up at the tree, herself already bouncing with excitement. A large blank canvas, just begging to be filled with as many ornaments as she could possibly get a hold of.
All she needed to do was wait for…
"Diana!"
Diana instantly whipped her head towards the door, the grin on her face growing ever wider.
"Mother!" Diana said as she ran towards her mother to trap her leg in a tight hug. "Is it time yet? Can we go do it now?!"
Bernadette giggled as she watched her daughter jump up and down.
"Of course we can dear." Bernadette said with a smile. "Come and help me get the decorations so that we can start."
"Okay!" Diana cheered, before letting go of her mother's leg and speeding off into the halls towards the closet where her mother and her hid the Yule decorations every year.
Unfortunately, just like every year, Diana forgot one thing.
"Motheeeer! I can't reach it!" Diana cried out as she reached her arms up as high as they could go, trying her best to jump up and reach the box at the top shelf of the closet. "It's too high!"
Bernadette's giggle grew louder as the sound of her child's voice reached her ears. It was like this every year, and she couldn't help but feel like it was the most adorable thing.
"I'm coming sweetheart. Just wait for a minute."
Diana skipped as she rounded the tree, hanging shiny gold and silver baubles everywhere her little arms could reach.
"Diana dear?"
"Yes mother?" Diana answered back as she hung a bauble on the last branch that she could reach.
"I am going to need a little help," Bernadette said as she stretched up as high as she could go. "I can't seem to reach this one branch."
Diana quickly ran to her mother, eager to help.
"So what can I do?" Diana asked, looking up at where her mother was trying to reach. "Wow that is high."
"That is correct… it's too high for me to reach…" Bernadette said before coyly turning towards Diana, "but I bet you could reach it if we work together. Would that be okay?" When Diana nodded, Bernadette's smile brightened. "Good… now dear, please hold this?"
Diana reached up and grabbed the little angel from her mother's hand. Before she could even think about how she would plan to put something up where even her mother couldn't reach, she felt her mother lift her up off the ground by her waist and bring her up towards the tree. She giggled as she felt a bit of wind brush past her face on the way there.
"Now be a dear and put the angel right there."
As soon as they finished hanging ornaments around the tree, Diana and her mother worked together to levitate the shimmering blue and white tinsel off of the floor and wrap it neatly around the tree.
With the tree fully decorated, there was only one more thing left to do.
"So Diana…"
Diana turned to her mother and smiled excitedly, a star instantly catching her eye.
"Wanna help me put the star on top of the tree?"
Diana blinked, and she was suddenly met with yet another one of Akko's bright grins. Outstretched for her was a silvery blue four-pointed star, shaped almost exactly like the one that adorned Shiny Chariot's hat back in their childhood.
Diana looked around and chuckled to herself.
She could see Anna scolding Amanda for attempting to hang up mistletoe flowers up on every doorframe. By the faint green glow, it appeared to be enchanted, no doubt by Sucy. If she had to guess, Diana could only assume Sucy had charmed them so that anyone who walked under would be forced to follow the old tradition.
Jasminka walked out of the halls with a plate piled on with gingerbread cookies, no doubt for the sleepover later tonight.
If she closed her eyes and focused, Diana could hear the sounds of one of Constanze's machines humming through the halls and dusting everything in its wake, followed by the exasperated, yet amused, sighs and chuckles of her servants chasing after the young witch.
By the stairs, Hannah and Barbara were working together with another butler to set up the garlands atop the rails. By the corner, Lotte was singing, practicing for whatever it was Akko had planned for her team to do tonight.
And of course, at the center of it all, were her and Akko, currently working on decorating the Yule tree.
Had you told her a year ago this was what she would be doing as Yule approached, Diana likely would have scoffed at you. After all, the idea that she would have spent this time decorating her home… decorating a tree was just so preposterous. She hadn't done so in years.
Not since her mother died.
Her servants had tried to coax her into it. Anna especially had asked her on numerous occasions over the years if she wished to decorate the house, just like when she was a child.
In her heart, Diana knew she always wanted to say yes… yet the idea of doing so without her mother always made it… feel empty. Desolate. As if something was so painfully missing.
Decorating a Yuletide tree was always something she did with her mother… and with her mother gone, Diana thought she would never be able to do so again.
That was… until she met Akko. The girl who had never failed to surprise her. The girl who would find a way to do things and make things happen that Diana never would have even imagined possible.
Diana never could have imagined that her house could be filled with such joy and cheer… and yet here they were, her friends bustling around the halls and around the rooms, bringing with them the merry chaos that could only come from the people she had met and grown close to at Luna Nova.
Diana… never could have imagined her house could feel like a home again. Sure Anna and her servants were around to make it feel more homely… but it had always felt empty without her mother around. Aunt Darly was certainly no help, and neither were her cousins Merrill and Maril.
And yet… with Akko and her friends together, her estate was suddenly filled with such cheer and warmth… that it truly felt like a home once again.
And of course, Diana never expected that she'd willingly decorate another tree again… and yet all Akko had to do was ask, and Diana quickly jumped at the chance.
Even the shadow of emptiness that always found home in her heart around the holidays quickly found itself overtaken by the bright light that was Akko Kagari.
"Cmoooon Diana!" Akko whined. "My arm's about to fall off! Do you wanna help put up the star or nooot."
Diana once again snapped out of her thoughts before suddenly breaking into hearty laughter, her heart light and filled with mirth.
How long had it been since she felt any joy like this during the holidays?
Judging by the gasps from the servants she heard behind her… probably much too long.
"Dianaaaaa" Akko continued to whine, though the faint blush and shy smile on her face betrayed any actual signs of discomfort.
"Very well, I will help," Diana finally said, her laughter finally clearing away. "I certainly hope you don't plan on falling down. The tree is quite high up." Diana said in jest.
"H-Hey! I'm not gonna fall down!" Akko complained. "What makes you think I'll fall?!"
"Your track record speaks for itself Akko." Diana deadpanned as she took the star from Akko's hand.
"Y-yeah?! Well… if I always fall down, how come I haven't hurt myself yet?" Akko asked as she pushed the lift Constanze had built for the both of them towards the tree before taking a step inside of it.
Diana walked up and joined Akko on the lift, there being just barely enough room for the both of them.
"That is because I am always around to ensure that it never happens." Diana answered with a smirk.
Akko feigned shock and disbelief before breaking into a fit of giggles.
"Exactly!" Akko finally said. "That's how I know I'm not gonna fall down! Cause you're always right here with me." Akko finished with a bright smile.
A smile that overtook Diana's mind, leaving her absolutely speechless. Certainly, she tried to speak words, but all that came out was a mess of stutters and sputters.
An issue that only grew worse when Akko pressed a quick chaste kiss on her lips, absolutely short-circuiting whatever was left of her thoughts.
Akko pulled back and giggled when she saw how wide Diana's eyes had grown and just how red her face grew.
"Ehehe, now c'mon Diana!" Akko chirped as she wrapped her hands around her girlfriend's, "We got a star to place!"
When Diana's mind finally started working again, and the both of them managed to top the tree with the bright blue star, she couldn't help but smile.
It had been ages since she could even imagine smiling while thinking about a decorated Yule tree. And yet, with Akko around, Diana was sure she'd never be able to look at one without smiling again.
And Diana most certainly intended to keep Akko around. For many more Yule celebrations to come.
So this was posted on my tumblr a few days ago, and I finally got around to posting it here~ This was part of 12 days of Diakkomas... but I've been having trouble finding motivation/inspiration to do the rest. Also I have other things I needa worry about... so this was all I could think up doing.
However, I still really like what came out. s/o to Chesh/lesbxdyke for coming up with the title. It's actually perfect.
Anyway thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoyed!