It had been on the tip of her tongue for weeks. It was something she knew wanted to say… to ask. Yet, every time she tried, the words never came out.

Each time that Diana believed that, perhaps, she might be able to ask Akko, the words she wished to say got lost in the sea of questions and doubts that filled her mind.

How would her aunt and her cousins react?

Would Akko even wish to join her and deal with them? For the sake… for the purpose she had in mind?

Would it truly be okay to ask Akko to come with her for the anniversary of her mother's death? It was somewhat of a family affair. Would it even be proper?

Were they at that stage in their relationship yet?

Diana shut her eyes and turned away from the ceiling, shaking those thoughts from her head.

Excuses.

All just excuses.

Of course her aunt and cousins were going to react negatively. It wasn't a secret that they vehemently disapproved of her relationship with Akko, who was, in their words, a "commoner" with "no noble blood." Conversations, which often escalated into arguments, that Diana had long since grown tired of were no doubt evidence of this fact.

While the vehemence and venom they would spew would be far harsher on this occasion, given the circumstances, it wouldn't matter to either her or Akko. Not as long as they were together. And Akko would never give up a chance to be together.

Rules be damned. Traditions be damned. Propriety be damned. The only thing that Akko would ever let get between her and Diana… was Diana herself, and that wasn't even always the case, usually much to Diana's own relief.

Diana knew all of those doubts… all of those worries were just excuses. Things that, if pressed about, she would admit weren't truly issues that would ever concern her and Akko.

Then what was the truth? Why couldn't she just ask Akko to join her on a trip to her estate to visit her mother's grave for the anniversary of her death?

Diana sighed, curled up on her bed, and tightly wrapped herself in her blanket.

She already knew what it was... the source of this doubt. It was something similarly irrational, similarly ridiculous, as her questions and doubts. Yet, unlike those, she couldn't quite explain this away… After all, unlike all of her doubts, this matter rested solely upon her.

She was scared.

As absurd as it sounded, she was afraid of feeling so vulnerable… afraid of letting Akko see her so vulnerable.

"Diana… we know this means alot to you and that you're worried but… this is Akko we're talking about. She loves you. She'd literally do anything for you… she, like, wouldn't think any less of you…"

The words Hannah and Barbara had told her before they left for Avery's echoed in her mind.

Diana knew they were right. She knew that those words were true.

She was thinking about Akko after all.

Neither she nor Akko were strangers to seeing each other weak. Seeing each other vulnerable. From the more light-hearted feelings and tears after an emotional movie to the brokenness of a nearly shattered dream... they'd already seen each other at very low points in each other's lives.

But this?

This was something entirely different. An opportunity to be seen at what was possibly her lowest low... she wasn't sure if Akko was ready to see her like that y-

Diana's fingers gripped, squeezing her arms through her blanket, and she shook her head against her pillow.

No.

She wasn't sure if she was ready to let Akko see her like that.

Thinking about it… thinking about her mother's death always felt like a knife was twisting through her heart. And being there, in front of her mother's barren grave, always made her relive that dreary night, where she was unable to do much more than tremble and struggle to hold back her tears.

The idea of letting Akko see her like that, weak and trembling… even the possibility of it terrified her. As irrational as it may be, the very thought made her quiver in fear. And as much as she wanted Akko to be with her, to support her… she couldn't shake that fear away.

The fear of letting down the final wall, the one inextricably linked to the most painful moment of her life, and allowing Akko to see her at her most vulnerable… it was far too great.

Diana chuckled to herself. At herself.

She thought of all of the attempts she had made over the past weeks.

She'd painstakingly plan their time together to ensure the both of them would be alone. She'd then spend hours preparing herself, trying to get everything perfectly right. She would spend the minutes before shaking away nerves, and afterwards, at least during the first few tries, she thought that she would be ready.

And yet, every time, she fell short. It was quite sad really.

Hours of rehearsal only to find herself tongue tied… choked up at the crucial moment. Each time, Akko would look up at her with worry, and Diana would deny that anything was wrong, claim that it was nothing. And then Akko's eyes would clearly show that she knew better… which always ended with Diana looking away, unable to bear the twist of guilt in her chest that lying to Akko gave her.

Looking back at it now… she'd even started doing things that allowed her to lessen her time with, if not completely avoid, Akko over the past few days.

Helping Professors after class, performing more after-class duties, taking extra patrol shifts. Even during the short times they spent together, Diana knew she had been distancing herself emotionally.

Diana sighed.

Akko hadn't deserved any of that.

Ironically the thought, the desire, Diana had for Akko to go with her, to let Akko break down the final wall she had, had brought with it a nervousness and fear that caused her to unconsciously build up more walls between them.

Pathetic.

Akko deserved far better than that… and Diana would truly need to apologize and make it up to her... once she returned from her estate.

She would be leaving tomorrow night, and she would likely not be seeing Akko until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. It was far too late for her to ask Akko to join her.

The fact that she felt even the slightest bit of relief from that made the guilt she felt worse. It made her feel sick to her stomach.

Though, as much as wanted to just wallow in bed until she fell asleep, she knew she was still nowhere near tired enough to fall asleep.

With a slight groan, Diana lifted herself off of her bed, staring lifelessly around her room.

All of her things were already packed up and sitting neatly in the corner of her room. She had the light blue coat and dark blue scarf she planned to wear tomorrow night on her flight to her estate already perfectly folded on her chair.

Diana, still wrapped in her blanket, walked past her bookshelf and towards her window. She looked through it, taking in the view she would likely be flying through tomorrow night.

The moon was almost full. That was fortunate; she'd have the glow of the full moon to light her path.

She then turned to her balcony and saw the small layer of snow building on the floor, on Akko, on the tab-

Diana's eyes widened.

"Akko?!"

Diana rubbed her eyes, as if this was all some cruel trick her mind was playing on her.

True enough, however, Akko was really on her balcony. She seemed to be digging through the snow for something… in nothing but a white T-shirt and red shorts.

Before Diana could even think, her feet had already brought herself to the balcony window to knock on the glass... to catch her girlfriend's attention.

The moment Diana's hand rapped against the glass door, Akko instantly looked towards the room, and her eyes brightened.

"Diana! Hi!" Akko greeted as she held tightly onto a teapot she brought with her. "It's nice to see you! Uhm… could you let me in please?"

"... Akko," Diana muttered in disbelief, "what are you doing here?"

"Uhhhhhm, Can I tell you later?" Akko asked as she shivered against the ceramic pot. "It's fre-e-eeezing out here, and I forgot where you hide the key. I had this totally warm tea but it got cold, and I think I saw a green patrol light and I don't wanna be found and get detention! Pleeeease let me in!"

Diana blinked, slowly processing her silly girlfriend's rambles and pleas.

And then she chuckled. A chuckle that grew into a loud, side splitting laugh as her worries slipped away, drowned out by the utter ridiculousness that was her girlfriend.

"Moooou!" Akko whined as she continued to shiver out in the cold. "Diaaanaaaaa"

After another second of laughter, Diana let Akko inside the room and guided her to the couch. She immediately unwrapped herself from her blanket, lent it to Akko, and cast an enchantment upon it, allowing it to warm Akko up more quickly.

"Ooooh, thaaaank youuu," Akko moaned, wrapping herself more tightly in the blue blanket. "This feels sooo nice."

Diana giggled seeing the wide, satisfied smile on Akko's, slightly reddened, face.

"So Akko, you never did answer my question."

"What question Diana?" Akko asked airily as she basked in the warmth of Diana's magic.

Diana shook her head in amusement and took the seat beside Akko.

"What are you doing here?" Diana asked. "It's not that I don't enjoy seeing you, but… if I had known, I could have left the balcony unlocked."

Akko laughed sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head.

"Sorry, I kinda… forgot. Well, actually, it was supposed to be a surprise!" Akko explained. "I asked Barbara and Hannah if they could give us some time alone tonight so that we could have a little late night snack date! … But I was so focused on keeping it a surprise… and getting the snacks and tea prepared that I kind of forgot to ask them to leave the balcony unlocked." Akko continued, her voice growing smaller and smaller.

"Akko…"

"And well, now the tea's cold and… gosh I messed that up didn't I," Akko chuckled. "I even tried looking for the spare key, but the snow covered everything and I couldn't find… of course I didn't think this thr-"

Diana's heart started to break as she watched Akko talk herself down. She immediately reached out to hold one of Akko's still freezing cold hands and rubbed her thumb over Akko's knuckles.

"Akko, don't worry one bit. This was all very sweet, and we can always reheat the tea. I truly appreciate the effort you've put in," Diana reassured. She was relieved to see Akko turn towards her to send a grateful smile. Diana let out a quiet breath before continuing. "But if I may ask… why?"

Akko then furrowed her brow and tilted her head.

"Why what?"

"Why… do all of this, Akko?" Diana asked. "You really didn't have to come here in the middle of a freezing cold night."

"Well…" Akko started, loosening the grip she had on the blanket so that she could hold Diana's hand, "I know you've been feeling kind of weird recently, and I thought a little surprise date could cheer you up!"

Diana's eyes widened when she was met with the toothy grin Akko sent her.

The guilt that had been plaguing her earlier returned, her thoughts instantly dwelling on the distance she had placed between her and Akko during the past weeks. Looking at the position they were in now, she found it almost funny how quickly Akko had managed to closed that distance.

But still.

"You… truly didn't need to do this Akko," Diana said, looking softly into Akko's eyes. "I… don't deserve something like this. Not after how I've acted as of la-"

"Shh, don't say that." Akko interrupted. "I know you didn't mean to! You just had a lot on your mind. I could tell because your face always went like this."

Diana looked curiously at Akko's face and then immediately broke into laughter as she watched Akko furrow her brow and purse her lips in the most exaggerated manner possible. Akko almost looked like Professor Finneran after another one of the red team's shenanigans… only embellished several times over. The sheer ridiculousness broke all the tension Diana had felt growing in her chest.

"Akko, I do not look like that when I think."

"Oh, yeah you do! I would know. I look at you aaaaaall the time" Akko smiled, Diana's melodic giggles making the slight embarrassment she felt from making the silly face worth it. "That being said..." and just like that, Akko's wide, goofy, smile straightened slightly, turning more serious, "If you ever wanna talk about what you were thinking about, you know you can tell me anything right? But if you don't wanna... that's fine too! Just, I'm here if you need anything!

Diana sucked in a breath and stilled, Akko having cut right into the heart of what had been eating away at her the past few weeks.

"Akko…" Diana breathed out. "You're… far too sweet. Even after how cold I'd been treating you recently… you're still willing to do that for me?"

"Well yeah, of course Diana!" Akko said, opening up her arms and inviting Diana to join her in the blanket. When Diana didn't move, Akko just rolled her eyes and wrapped Diana in her arms. "I'll always do anything for you to make you happy or to make sure you're okay. It makes me happy when I'm able to do anything to help you."

Diana bit her lip and turned towards the ground.

Akko truly was too good.

"How can you be so… wonderful?" Diana muttered to herself.

"Cause I love you silly," Akko said without a moment's thought, pressing a kiss against Diana's temple.

Diana's eyes shot open, the rest of her melting when Akko's lips brushed against her skin.

In this moment, nothing else seemed to matter.

Her worries, her nervousness… seemed to just melt away.

They were still there, of course… but now they were just a speck. Nothing compared to the depth of love she felt from Akko. Diana relaxed herself and allowed herself to be overtaken.

This warmth… this comfort, the kind she could now only feel from Akko, nearly overwhelmed Diana. This feeling was what she wanted to bring with her. Needed to bring with her.

Met with this warmth, Diana couldn't even fathom how she could have let anything stand between her and it, especially something as silly as her own pride.

"I am such an idiot." Diana chuckled as she leaned her head against Akko's shoulder and turned up towards her.

"E-Eh?! What?!" Akko yelped, her eyes shooting wide open. "D-Diana? What? No you're no-"

Diana closed her eyes and interrupted her girlfriend with a quick kiss, a warm smile adorning her lips as she pulled back and looked at her girlfriend's, now, adorably pink face.

"Yes Akko. I truly am an idiot…" Diana whispered. She then squeezed Akko's hand and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes to look up at her girlfriend's shocked, yet still inviting, ruby red irises. "Akko?"

"Y-yeah Diana?"

"Would you like to go with me to my estate tomorrow night?"

Heeeey... I'm still alive! Kinda.

I know it's been a while... but work and real life has been time consuming. Also writer's block. Don't forget the classic writer's block.

Anyway, this was an idea I've had for a while and I've been been needing to do it... but it definitely took a while. It's definitely... a slightly different thing than my usual, especially similar to Distractions ch. 2 though. Unlike that, though, this'll be a short little multi-chapter... about four chapters. Feedback is definitely appreciated!

That being said, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!