Day 1: Adventure
Summary: In which the adventure is the life they share, in the past, the present, and the future.
For much of her life, Diana had always had two goals in mind: reviving magic's prominence around the world and becoming her family's head, restoring it to its once former glory. Each goal was something she strove towards, and while the path towards achieving both would be long and winding, it still brought with it some sense of stability, some semblance of predictability in where she was going.
"C'mon Diana! We're almost there!"
"You… have been saying that… for the pa- past hour Akko!"
"But I mean it this time!"
How long had it been since anything in her life could be described as "stable" or "predictable"?
In the path towards her goals, Diana had opted to make one detour: enrolling in Luna Nova Academy.
However, considering the wide array of books and information that lied within Luna Nova- information that one might argue was absolutely vital for the task of trying to revive magic, this "detour", to many, would hardly qualify as such.
Despite how true that might have seemed... Diana knew otherwise. Enrolling in Luna Nova was just a selfish decision on her part, one she made because of a childish dream she held deep in her heart. And as beneficial as all of the resources the school housed were, she knew that was not the true purpose for her stay in Luna Nova.
Instead, Diana figured she would simply live out her life as a student, secretly walking in the footsteps of her then-idol Shiny Chariot. She wished to see just what kind of school the wondrous witch had come from, and perhaps, have the chance to grow into witch that others could look up to, just as she once did as well.
For the first year of her schooling, life in Luna Nova went exactly as she had expected. She excelled in her classes and, in her spare time, even began using some of the available resources in her research into restoring the ever weakening strength of magic around the world.
Unfortunately, many of the relationships she had formed over the year were often overpowered by the awe and reputation that preceded her as a Cavendish, but that too was something she had expected.
Then her second year at Luna Nova began, and the order she had grown so accustomed to slowly began to descend into chaos.
And, of course, at the center of it all was the one, and only, Atsuko "Akko" Kagari.
From the very second she had entered the school, Akko disrupted the natural flow at Luna Nova. She interrupted the Matriculation Ceremony by appearing, almost literally, out of thin air. On the very next day, Akko had actually challenged Diana and her judgment, something no witch had ever tried doing, which led to Akko suffering an almost fatal injury.
In the process, Akko had also proven Diana's judgment wrong.
Throughout the entire year, Akko had continued to surprise, and genuinely awe, Diana. Even though her skills at magic were practically nonexistent, Akko managed to do things far greater than anyone else would have even dared to imagine possible. She rode the legendary broom, the Shooting Star, in a race, leading her to earn second place in a race she had no hope of even competing in in the first place. She freed Vajarois the Wailing from the curse of the Seed of Sorrow, a task no one had been able to do for over a thousand years.
The girl had even traveled several miles to the Cavendish Manor to bring Diana back to Luna Nova.
What's more? Akko had managed to breathe life into the seven words of Arcturus, unlocking the Grand Triskelion and restoring magic throughout the world.
And, even more astounding, Akko had managed to worm her way into Diana's heart.
Through each feat, Akko had slowly worn down Diana's defenses, and, in that moment of vulnerability within the deepest room of the Cavendish Shrine, cemented herself as a truly important part in Diana's life.
"If anyone can do it, it's you!"
Diana could still remember those words clear as day, even as their years at Luna Nova come to a close. The moment that Akko believed in her. Not in Diana Cavendish, but simply in Diana.
Even after that, Akko's place in Diana's life only continued to grow.
Perhaps then, it was inevitable that Diana slowly began to fall for her.
Unfortunately for that feeling of order that had once been an integral part of Diana's life, being with Akko meant being brought along wherever the girl went, usually with no clue what lied ahead.
Perhaps... that was why, even after every part of her body was screaming for rest, she still continued to climb after her girlfriend through this accursed mountain trail.
"Akko! This is ridiculous!"
Though that didn't exactly mean Diana wouldn't complain. After all, they had been on this trail for, what seemed like, hours. From what she was told, Professor Ursula requested Akko retrieve a flower necessary for the Luna Nova graduation ceremony from atop the Nine's Mountain. And Akko, being Akko, wanted to, in her words, "make a date out of it!"
Diana could still remember the hours Akko had spent begging her to go along. Something she wouldn't have needed to do if she wasn't so insistent on not flying to the top.
'But where's the fun in just flying!' Akko had said.
And… as adamant and iron-willed as Diana had always believed herself to be, the second Akko had unleashed those wide, puppy-dog, eyes on her, she was absolute putty in her girlfriend's hands.
"But we're almost there Diana!" Akko yelled back. "I can feel it!"
"Akko! No… No matter what you feel," Diana panted, "I don't know if I'll be able to continue along like this!"
Diana watched as Akko looked back at her. Her brow was furrowed, and her eyes were clearly filled with worry… and yet there was so much conflict on her face. Akko kept turning her head, between Diana and the path in front of them.
"... We can slow down, but we have to keep moving forward," Akko finally said, slowing her pace to a slow crawl, which allowed Diana to catch up. "I promise, it'll be worth it!"
Diana tilted her head, the thought somehow sticking among the exhaustion she felt in every fibre of her being.
"Worth it?" Diana asked. "What… What do you mean by that Akko? Are, Are we not-"
"-Woops! Yeah, flower! That's what we're here for!" Akko interrupted.
Diana raised a brow at the rushed, nervous tone.
That seemed… oddly forced and awkward, even for Akko's standards. Before she could dwell on it, however, Akko extended an arm out for Diana to take a hold of. Diana looked up from Akko's arm and was met with a bright smile that made her heart skip several beats.
"Let's go Diana, I'll help keep you steady," Akko said with a wide grin. "I know we can do it!"
And just like that, as much as the burning in her lungs… the screaming of her calves and legs begged to differ, Akko's smile made Diana feel like the girl was absolutely right. They could make it…
Well that or she was absolutely powerless to deny Akko's smile.
Regardless, Diana took Akko's hand and continued to traverse the trail from behind, keeping her eyes focused on Akko's back… although she couldn't quite keep her eyes from travelling… downwards.
Diana felt a slight rush of heat in her face, completely unrelated to the hours of hiking they had been doing.
Well… at least the view was quite… nice.
The second the incline of the sloped trail leveled out at the mountain's peak, Diana collapsed onto the ground and stared up at the orange sky. Every single one of her muscles were burning from exhaustion, her mouth was absolutely arid, and her lungs were crying in relief, finally allowed to relax.
Diana knew that her state was rather... unsightly - the drenched strands of hair sticking to her forehead and the uncomfortably sweaty clothes clinging onto her told her as much - but truly she couldn't bother to care. Akko had already seen her look much worse… and Akko was the only one around.
"Here Diana, you look like you need this."
Diana turned her head to her right, where Akko was crouching beside her. Then she saw the bottle of water held out for her, and Diana swiped it from Akko's hand, uncapped the lid, and chugged the ice cold water.
"Ehehe, you must've been thirsty." Akko said, chuckling to herself.
All Diana could in response do was glare, although the cool relief filling her being made it very difficult to feign anger. The utter delight in Akko's voice wasn't making it any easier.
Diana finished gulping down the cold liquid with one loud sigh, a habit she had, somewhat unfortunately, picked up from her dear girlfriend.
"I swear Akko, next time you ask me to do something like this, I must politely decline," Diana said.
"Sorry about that." Akko giggled and reached out for Diana's hand. "But hey, we made it, didn't we?"
Then Akko smiled at her with that smile.
The smile that Diana knew would make her climb this mountain again in a heartbeat. The smile that made any misadventure or chaotic happening that Akko somehow managed to make her a part of worth it.
Even now, after hours of hiking and climbing, that way Akko was looking at her was like a balm, soothing the pain that Diana had felt building in her arms and legs. Diana couldn't help the smile that found its way on her lips. Akko's was just far too contagious for her own good.
"Yes… well, considering the state I have been left in, I hope you understand if I am unable to aid you in searching for the flower Professor Ursula asked you to retrieve."
"Geh." Akko's back immediately straightened, and the girl immediately whipped her head away from Diana.
For a moment, Diana's eyes widened at her girlfriend's sudden action. But then, a suspicion immediately raised itself in her mind, and she immediately narrowed her eyes at her, obviously guilty, girlfriend.
"Akko."
"A-about that…" Akko said with just slight shake in her voice. Her hand quickly raised up to scratch the back of her head. Just one of her many tells. "Well… you see… there isn't actually anything I needed to find up here."
"... What?"
Akko started to twiddle her fingers together, and Diana could see Akko sneaking shy glances at her, only to flinch whenever their eyes met. So many of Akko's tells in such a short time frame.
Which only begged the question.
"Akko," Diana called in the most stern tone she could muster under her own exhaustion. Judging by the, admittedly adorable, squeak Akko immediately let free, it appeared to work. "If there is nothing for us to collect… why exactly are we here?"
"I had a reason!" Akko blurted out, her voice echoing off of the mountain range. As soon as it dissipated, however, only an awkward silence remained.
Diana continued to glare at her girlfriend, waiting to see if she would get any sort of explanation. Akko, however, clearly chose to remain silent, opting to look at every direction other than towards the ground, where Diana was stuck laying down.
"And that reason is?" Diana finally asked, breaking the silence.
"... I love you?" Akko said, finally turning to send apologetic smile.
Diana let out a sigh, both in exasperation at this situation... and in disbelief in herself.
After all, she'd been dating Akko for years now. The fact that hearing Akko tell her "I love you" still caused her heart to skip was… almost quite pathetic really.
"I love you too," Diana finally answered back. "Now why are we-"
"The view!" Akko interrupted.
Diana tilted her head, raising a brow towards Akko.
"The… view?"
"Yeah! The view!" Akko said, bouncing up from her seat and extending her arms out. "Doesn't it look amazing?"
Akko spun around, and Diana couldn't help but smile at her girlfriend's enthusiasm. However, while she could appreciate that view where she lie… whatever it was Akko was alluding to was another story.
"Akko, I must regretfully admit I am unable to appreciate whatever view you are referring to."
"Huh?" Akko stopped twirling and looked down at her. "Why not?"
Diana stared at Akko with an almost deadpan glare. She slightly lifted her arms and legs before letting them flop back down onto the ground, clearly showcasing how useless they currently were.
"I can't exactly see any of it."
"Oh right!" Akko immediately moved in front of Diana and reached for each of her arms. "I'm sorry, let me help you up!" In a quick moment, Diana's back was lifted up from the ground until she was seated upright. "There!"
Diana smiled up at Akko and let out a sigh.
"Thank you Akko."
"No problem," Akko said. "Now you can see the view too!"
Akko spun out of the way, and Diana's breath immediately hitched.
The sun had begun to set behind the mountain range, with bands of light peeking through and extending outwards, tinting the clouds a luminescent orange. The sky itself was set ablaze in a fire of yellows, oranges, and reds, leaving Diana entranced.
Diana didn't know when or how, but at some point, Akko had sat beside her, their fingers had interwoven with each others, and her head had found a resting place on Akko's shoulder. All the while, she continued to watch the dancing flames of the setting sun.
Then, just as the sun's dying embers finally went out, the dark sky was immediately lit up by millions of stars, with clusters coloring the skies with luminous blues, greens, and purples.
Even though Diana had no idea what Akko had had planned at the time, when she had said that long, arduous, trek would be worth it, she certainly meant it. What awaited her at the end of such a journey… was truly something beautiful.
Truthfully… it was only appropriate that Akko be the reason she would experience such a thing. After all, such was the life they shared together.
"Wow," Diana said with a breath. "That was…"
"Right?" Akko giggled. "Professor Ursula told me it would look amazing, but I didn't think it would be that amazing."
Diana shifted her head, moving to rest her cheek on Akko's shoulder. She then turned to look up at the side of Akko's face.
"Professor Ursula told you about this?"
"Yup!" Akko sent a grin Diana's way. "I was being completely honest about Professor Ursula being the one telling me to come up here. She's even the one who told me we had to walk up here without magic! Something about an enchantment cast on this mountain by the Nine Olde Witches."
"I see," Diana sighed as she relaxed more into the crook of Akko's neck. "Why didn't you just tell me about this then? Surely I-"
"Diana, would you have really climbed up a mountain for hours, without breaks, if I didn't tell you I needed to go up here to do something?"
"Well…" Diana glanced away, her face immediately filling with warmth. Perhaps Akko had a point.
"Besides… I… uh, really did need you up here for something," Akko muttered.
Diana's eyes widened slightly, and she immediately turned her attention back towards Akko.
Akko's cheeks were now dusted with pink, and her eyes darted towards the ground. What's more, Diana could feel Akko's pulse quickening through her fingers.
Now, Diana's curiosity was piqued.
"What did you have in mind Akko?" Diana asked.
"Well you see…" Akko began, "I asked Professor Ursula where the most amazing sight ever was, and she told me about this place. She said something about Professor Woodward telling her about it a long time ago and to keep it a secret."
"I see," Diana said. However, the question still remained. "If you needed me to be here for something, besides experiencing the absolutely wondrous display… what exactly did you need me to be here for?"
"R-Right! Uh…" Akko shifted. She tapped her free hand against her knee, and the color of her face only grew redder. "Well uhm, you see… uh-" Akko bit her lip, and her foot began to tap against the ground "- I kind of… uhm, wow Sucy and Lotte were right when they said I needed to plan this out better."
"Akko?" Diana furrowed her brow at her girlfriend, who was clearly nervous… almost anxious about something. She squeezed Akko's fingers in her own and tried her best to press a kiss on Akko's, absolutely broiling, cheek. "Akko, is something wrong?"
"No! No, nothing's wrong, I just…" Akko mumbled. She then let out a huge sigh and rested her forehead on her knees. "I just thought this would be a lot easier to say."
Diana lifted herself off of Akko's shoulder and turned to look at her girlfriend. It was quite a rare sight to see Akko so nervous.
Still, despite how rare it was, Diana already knew just how she could help.
Diana lifted her hand away from Akko's and, before the girl could think about it, wrapped her arm around Akko's shoulder. Then she turned and pulled Akko close, resting the girl's head on her chest, and leaned her cheek atop Akko's head.
"Shhh, relax," Diana cooed, running her hand up and down Akko's arm.
"Thanks Diana," Akko said with a light giggle. "I, uhm, needed this."
"No problem Akko," Diana said. She then leaned to pressed a kiss atop Akko's head. "You know… you can tell me anything."
"... You smell like sweat," Akko said, almost immediately.
"And whose fault is that?" was Diana's instant reply, injecting as much annoyance as she could muster in that moment. Still she held Akko tightly, who had already begun to chuckle to herself. It was a sound that filled Diana's heart with glee, leading her to join in with a few giggles of her own.
After all, this was typically Akko's way of letting Diana know she was fine.
"Ehehe, my bad," Akko laughed. "It really was a long trip huh? Professor Ursula told me it wouldn't be too difficult a hike."
"... Akko…" Diana scolded without missing a beat.
"Yeah, I forgot I was talking about Professor Ursula," Akko said as she snuggled against Diana's chest.
And with that passing thought, Diana let the conversation die down and embraced the silence. The comfort. The cool breeze and the starry sky.
And for a while, she just enjoyed being here, together with Akko.
"H-Hey Diana?" Akko asked with a nervous stutter, breaking through the chill silence.
Diana glanced down towards Akko and nuzzled against her girlfriend's chestnut brown hair.
"Yes, Akko?"
"Can… Can I ask you something?" Akko asked. "You don't have to say yes right now! Or at all if you really don't wanna! … I mean it is a little crazy. But I'd really like it if you said yes becau-"
"Akko," Diana interrupted with a giggle. "You can ask me anything."
And truly, if it was something that could make Akko happy, Diana had no doubts that she would say ye-
"W-Willyoumarryme?"
"Of co-"
Wait.
Diana's heart immediately skipped right up into her throat, and her face was lit aflame. In an instant, Diana pulled herself back and gaped at Akko.
Did… Had she heard that right?
"Akko… what did you jus-"
"Mou, don't make me say it again!" Akko whined.
"I, I just want to confirm I heard you correctly," Diana answered back. "And why were you speaking so fast?"
"Cause if I say it slower I'd be able to stop myself!" Akko whined. "It's… I-"
Looking at Akko, at her lobster red face, at her twiddling fingers, and hearing her panicked mumbling, Diana knew that what she had heard was correct.
Akko… had proposed. Had asked Diana to marry her.
This… entire trip. This trying, physically exhausting hike, which pushed Diana far more than she had ever expected, was all for this one moment. For Akko to ask her for her hand in marriage.
Akko… wanted the both of them to get married.
It was crazy.
It was insane.
Diana knew it was. By the Nines, the two of them hadn't even graduated from Luna Nova Academy as of yet.
But despite how crazy… how surreal this idea was, as the thought dwelled in the forefront of Diana's mind more and more, she knew one thing for certain.
She would never say no.
On the contrary, as the realization truly sunk in, all Diana could begin to think about was the future they could have together.
Thoughts of them moving in together.
Thoughts of them travelling the world together.
Thoughts of them raising a child together, having the first thing and last thing they see in a day be each other.
It was a future beyond anything else Diana had ever hoped to dream for.
And with each thought, Diana's eyes slowly began to water, building up until hot tears flooded down her face. Her breath staggered before breaking into a fit of hiccups. Her nose began to run, only making it that much more difficult to breathe, and her body began to shake and tremble, something she was far too overwhelmed to try and fight.
"-and I mean we don't even have to get married now? We could just be engaged for a really long ti- Diana are you crying?!" Akko cried out. Her arms immediately reached out for Diana's shoulders, and Diana was immediately pulled into a warm embrace. "Why are you crying?!"
"Why, Why do you think?!" Diana complained. Diana gripped onto Akko's shirt, and hid her face into the crook of Akko's neck.
"... Is it because I pro-"
"Yes it's because you proposed!" Diana screamed. She then took a deep breath and let it all out against Akko's neck, trying her best to calm herself and clean up the sobbing mess she'd quickly been reduced to. After all, she did want to give Akko an answer now... but she also wanted to have at least some shred of dignity doing so.
Still, Diana couldn't resist having… just a little fun. Besides, she felt it appropriate to get just a little bit of payback for the ridiculously long trip Akko had them endure to get to this moment.
Especially since Diana now knew that, had Akko literally asked her the night she begged to go on this trip, her answer would undoubtedly be the same.
And considering how… adorably embarrassed Akko seemed trying to ask her the first time, Diana knew just what to do.
"Now do it again. Properly this time!"
"Huh?! I have to say it again?!" Akko yelped.
"Of course," Diana answered back with a smile on her lips.
"Dianaaa!" Akko whined but her arms only wrapped themselves around Diana that much more, making Diana feel safe and warm.
And Diana laughed. Laughed at how ridiculous this "proposal" was, at what an absolute mess she was.
This… was not at all how Diana had pictured this moment being. Truthfully, she had expected that she, herself, would have been the one to propose to Akko.
Then again, things rarely ever went as planned.
And such was life with Akko. It was all one crazy mishap after the next. Constantly caught in one situation or another. It was all just one big adventure, with the only certainty being that they were together and that they loved each other.
Truthfully, Diana would not have it any other way.
Welcome to another Dianakko Week!
... I really hope this counts as an Adventure
Just like last time, I can't guarantee I'll have all the prompts done, but I sure as heck am gonna try! Unlike last time, however, all the fics will share the same universe, but the previous chapters aren't really needed for each, since they'll be just related one-shots.
Anyway, thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed so much and please tell me what you think!