A Warm Diana Chapter 3: Switch on the Heater
A/N: So reminder, this was set after ep 20, but around the time of the 20+ episodes, meaning before grand triskelion. That's why teacher's still don't acknowledge Akko and stuff. Yeah… sad isn't it? At least Diana does xP.
Sorry it's late! I HAVE SCHOOL NOW! NOOOOOO! T^T
Who thought A Warm Diana was fluff? Coz it's not supposed to be! Didn't the prologue tell you that? Or the chapter titles on tumblr? I'm scaredddddd…
The start of their somewhat relationship? Reminiscing moments? Also… "friendship"if this is even what it is… mwahahahahaha… I've always wanted to try angst… though I SUCK at it… enjoy?
Tbh, I'm not too happy about this chapter. :( I think I did horribly this time around, but if you feel otherwise, please do tell me.
OOC crap from me! T^T Sorry, please forgive me!
First Conflict?
AKKO IS A POTATO AND I WUV HER!
Reviews?
Guest: Yep.. it goes slow and fast, their relationship... closer then far all over again. YOYO love!
thewatcher509: Hay nako, talaga naman... alas ocho? eh, alas dyes na, gising pa ako, nagsusulat ng kabadingan ng dalawang 'to! Hehe... But yes, Pure Pinoy po! Hahaha, pero marunong din akong mag ilonggo kasi negros kami. :) Dad is Tagalog, mom is Cebuano. I am very flattered. Here's the next chap!
Laulink: Thank you, thank you... and THANK YOU! Oh gosh... thank you! I wouldn't say it's perfection, but I am happy and quite proud of the story.
SupeR: Sorry for skipping over the water fun XD. H&B and Akko being friends seem so adorable... hehe... I might make something... ihihih... if I had the time.
Sha-tan: Thank you!
yurippe15: Right... I've already replied XD
GUest: Is? It? Cute? Thanks!
lighturr: I hope it was :)
Bleach010915: Thank you to you too. And don't worry about english :) I definitely don't mind.
shiiro01: It'll be a long way to nice dating so... hmmm...
CelticPhoenixProductions: I'll try to hold on and not die! I'm glad you think and feel that way.
So now peeps, as always... enjoy!
~Shintori Khazumi
A Warm Diana Chapter 3: Switch on the Heater
Diana Cavendish was warm.
She was warm in an astounding array of ways.
Her eyes when they shined so brightly as she admired something she loved, radiated a calming warmth. Her words, touching your very soul, were soothing. Her actions, her hands… her embraces.
Anything and everything she was, and did always filled Akko with inexplicable warmth.
-But just when had Akko started noticing these things?
When had she realized that the rumored, hot-gazed, 'Cold Cavendish' was deep down, a warm and loving person?
Since when had Kagari Atsuko realized that fact about the blonde beauty?
"I believe in your believing heart."
Ah.
That fragment of a memory that felt as old as she could remember, yet was also the freshest in her heart.
It replayed in her mind, over and over again, like a tape always being rewound.
But then again-
Maybe she had realized earlier, maybe from the times Diana had saved her; many, many incidents that included her, amateur free-falling, a broom, and Diana on a broom catching her.
Those times she'd threaten Akko with "-I'll drop you!", countless times, actions always contrasting words.
The time she was struck and the heiress had rushed to her side.
"Murowa!" The horrible phrase followed by a fear stricken, "Akko!"
And…
"Akko… Akko, AKKO!"When her name had been called out repeatedly, each time more emotional than the last-
That time when she was poisoned and Diana abandoned a ritual for her. Something that must have meant so much. Something that could mean her future, her family's future. And yet, she threw it, cast it aside, put it down and placed Akko first.
Then of course… there was…
"… Let's go together."
That time when Diana had extended her hand out, beckoning Akko to join her and be with her.
When Akko had expressed to her that she could, should not, would not be the person who failed to be the best in both home and school, trying to push Diana to be even greater, even if Akko would have to just watch from the sidelines, Diana had seen it in a different light.
Akko needed to be with her, to watch it, not from the sidelines, but from…yes, by her side.
It all gave her, showed the brunette a boundless warmth, brought on by some emotion stronger than all.
Every situation.
All these times.
But to her, she guessed, they were all only the foundations, the lay out, the 'hints', the pieces that all fell into place and showed her the light, the warmth.
Diana's warmth.
Diana opening her heart out to her, one believing heart to another.
Now that she had had a taste of that warmth, she could never bring herself to live without it.
And she didn't have any plan to.
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Akko blinked, her eyes slowly focusing as she assumed that she must have fallen asleep while reading in the library again; she was trying to become more studious.
But then again, it was a lovely dream she had.
All the more pleasant it was to wake up from such things, if it was to be met with the relaxing forces that greeted her senses.
A comforting warmth wrapped around her, an arm pulling her close behind her back, across her shoulders, pulling her into it. Her head rested on a firm place, making sure she did not slip off as it also rose and fell in a pattern. A recognizable scent, a heart gently beating against her ear, a warm common feeling nowadays.
Wait, wasn't she sitting against a wall?
"Akko. You woke up."
The voice rumbled through the chest of the one who spoke, prompting the brunette to lift her head, knowing who it belonged to, but still asking.
"Diana?"
The person in question, regarded her, rubbing gently across her bicep, the late afternoon sun trickling through the cracks and holes of the windows.
She was struck with guilt abruptly as she remembered why she was in this place, at this time, with this person.
She blinked the remnants of sleep still pulling at her eyelids. "I'm sorry. It happened again. And you even offer to help me every day." She dipped her head low, ashamed for being so inconsiderate, falling asleep on her tutor-slash-friend who was kind enough to help her out for a couple of weeks now, officially since they established some form of relationship.
"No, no, no." Diana waved her free hand, shaking her head. "It is perfectly fine. I know you have been exhausted these past few days, and I see you are trying your best." The words did little to reassure the brunette. Diana sighed. "And besides, I may have nodded off for a few minutes there, as well."
Atsuko looked up, searching for truth in her companion's eyes. "Really?"
"You are quite the comfy and warm resting place." The prodigious student gave her a lazy smile, one only she had seen, reserved only for her eyes, along with a shrug of her shoulders.
"You're sure it's okay?" Akko questioned, looking Diana dead in the eyes.
"Absolutely positive." She replied, giving Akko's arm a small squeeze, leaning forward and touching their noses together, breaths mingling for a few seconds.
"Alright then." Akko felt relieved, and chose to believe in the other. And also tried to push her luck a bit, to see how far it could go. "Then can I rest a bit more? I still feel tired."
She inquired of this very shyly, a light pink dusting her cheeks, nearly unnoticeable with how soft it was, and how dim the lighting in the room was.
Diana gave her a smile that nearly made her heart stop.
"Please, by all means, go ahead."
Akko nodded, leaning against Diana again as a hand stroked through her long hair.
"Thanks… Diana." Akko fell asleep straight away as the words fell from her mouth, replaced by soft breathing, truly relaxed and really tired.
"You are most welcome."
The blonde heiress shifted their position into a more comfortable one, letting Akko's weight fall back on between her chest and shoulder, head tucked under hers. She sighed in content, remembering their arrangement, smiling sadly.
"-That's what friends are for."
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"Class, today, in our lesson, I'd like someone to come up to the board and write a passage in the olden language." Finneran announced during their class that morning, seeing the boredom in the children's eyes. "After such, you must recite it and perform the spell with which it is associated with."
She hoped an example, someone like Diana would show them, spark an interest in how interesting and wonderful words could be.
She was mortified, however, when she saw a particular hand raised, signature brunette tuft of hair swishing from side to side, trying to catch her attention.
"Me! I'd like to do it!" The excitable witch volunteered, a large smile, hopeful eyes, staring, wanting, knowing she could do it.
But unlike her, Miss Finneran didn't know.
"Miss Kagari! This is not some joke!" The older woman snapped, glaring her usual, giving Akko the look she gave her nearly every single day. "Writing the spell is one thing, but actually successfully performing it? The most someone like you could do, is probably cause more explosions as you usually do."
That seemed to quiet the girl down, if only for a minute , as she looked the slightest bit hurt at the lack of trust in her, slowly lowering her hand as she sidled back into her seat, like a balloon deflating.
As if to add insult to injury, the professor spoke something, as if saying 'you know who you are in other's eyes. Don't be so proud and reckless and try to change that.'
"If you can't do it, don't even try." Finneran turned back to her lesson book. "Being eager is one thing, but being reckless is another."
The words made Akko's throat run dry, something pricking at the corners of her eyes.
"You're not Diana, don't be so conceited."
The room was quiet enough that if you dropped a pin, everyone would jump in surprise, all knowing that those words were going too far.
No one could step in however, even Amanda who was being held back by Jasminka, as Lotte was doing to Sucy who had a deep frown, eyes slanted.
"Sensei." A voice cut any other verbal assault Finneran could continue, and to whom it belonged made the professor smile, thinking the girl would prove her right.
"Diana. I see you-"
"Professor Finneran, not to be rude, but I beg to differ." She spoke, face serious just like the last time Akko had been publicly down-graded, and it irritated Diana this time as much as the last.
"Excuse me?" The poor teacher must have been surprised.
"I believe she can do it, and I'd like to see how it goes. Miss Kagari, that is." Diana said, turning to the girl, cold features melting into a warm smile which the other returned, looking into each other's eyes for the longest time. "She has been trying her absolute best."
"Diana…" Akko's chest fluttered, remembering another incident just like this one.
"Akko… Something only you can do… you don't need to be someone else, and you aren't someone up for comparison." The girl was almost hinting at something, and Akko realized which word she needed to say, nodding, eyes still locked with the blonde.
Sucy coughed to signal Akko to get on with it, lest the pair stay that way.
"Y-yeah. I wanna show you the fruits of my hard work, Professor." Akko said with a grin that would be undeterred this time around, stepping down from her seat and heading to the front, taking her wand out to write on the board magically.
"Arae… Aryrha…" The teacher muttered under her breath, surprised to see the word.
"Do not compare yourself with others, do what only you can do." Akko muttered under her breath, pointing her wand outward, towards a particular person.
Diana raised a brow in wonder, but completely trusting the smile on Akko's face, a gentle look.
"Arae Aryrha."
Unlike the time when Akko had used it in the Samhain festival as a grapple to take out the evil seed in the Princess' heart, this time, the magic from Akko's wand came in a blue streak, long and extending until it reached its target, the end forming into a shape of a hand held out in invitation, one which Diana took with full trust as a blue glow surrounded her, gravitating her towards the spell's caster.
The gleam around Diana, though blue, was warm and fuzzy, little sparks going off around her like tiny fireworks, leaving her awe-inspiring to many, especially Akko.
It tickled joy in classmate's hearts, making them feel warm and smile, effects of the spell, maybe.
Once Diana reached Akko, she looked at the brunette pointedly, as if waiting for something.
After a minute of humming in contemplation, Akko ended the spell and offered her real hand out for Diana to take, the heiress grasping it gladly, as their fingers wove together and they bowed in front of class.
"Th-thank you for that good example, Miss Kagari." Even professor Finneran clapped for the girl as she felt sheepish, but a bit proud, someone taking more pride in Akko than herself.
Diana just squeezed her hand, smiling, so elated.
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"That Finneran really crossed the line there, huh Akko?" Amanda whistled as everyone filed out of the room one by one after their final class of the morning, still being unable to get over the morning mess.
"Really, saying those things… just cause that was how it was before doesn't mean she can discourage kids like that. Is she really a teacher?" Sucy mumbled, playing with a mushroom to calm her nerves.
"Yeah, yeah totally!" Amanda nodded her head like some wise sage. "Right, Akko?"
No response.
"Akko?" Now Lotte was concerned. She hadn't joined in the conversation about their teacher, but even she felt a little mad for the hurt her friend endured.
"What's wrong?" Jasminka asked, leaning forward a bit, offering a chip to Akko who declined it politely.
"I… I think- I mean, she might have had a point." The brunette shrugged. The statement raised a few brows as more students passed them by, exiting the classroom. "And just like Sucy said, it was partly my fault, not doing well in the start… of course she would have bad impressions… you know?"
"No, we most definitely do not know, and No, she did not have a point." A blonde piped in from behind them, Akko shuffling her feet, avoiding the gaze of the other girl.
"Diana?!" Amanda said, surprised and ignored.
"Are you truly still hung up on that? Even after showing such a spectacular demonstration of your progress and abilities?" Diana stepped forward, Akko's friends creating space for her to be beside the brunette. "I was under the impression you had gotten over it and had enjoyed our little show together.
Akko lifted her eyes to meet Diana's momentarily before shifting their focus once more to her shoe probing at the ground.
"I mean, yeah I enjoyed it, and I guess I was a little proud that I got to do that… but I still think she was right, and what if I failed doing it, what if I messed up, broke something or hurt someone, even if you're doing your best tutoring me, that doesn't really mean much-"
Diana flinched at the comment, obviously hurt by it. Her time with Akko, her help didn't mean anything?
"I mean, by It didn't mean much is that I'm dumb and stuff! Don't worry you're really amazing at teaching and I'm learning from you… I hope." Akko waved her hands in front of her, maybe noticing the shock on Diana's face. "But what if I did it wrong, I'd probably embarrass you… and even after all you've taught me… I'm not some genius, not some prodigy, I can't even fly a broom… I'm not you."
Diana frowned. She didn't really get what the big deal was, though maybe deep down she had an inkling feeling on what it was. The same was for the rest of Akko's companion's.
The blonde took the troublesome witch's hands, squeezing them.
"I will just complete some of my tasks then maybe I can join you for lunch?" Diana hoped the suggestion would make her friend a bit more jovial, and it did as the girl practically beamed at her, squeezing back with fervent nodding of the head.
"You know you can!" Akko replied, back to her bubbling persona. "I'll be waiting?"
"Of course, I won't take long."
"Alright, we'll save you a seat… and a meal? Do you like parfaits? I think they're serving some? Or maybe sweets?"
Diana smiled wider at the gesture, nodding.
"I'll leave that to you. Thank you very much."
"No, no… thank you." Akko waved, leading the rest so that they could find a table to seat all of them sooner, waving happily back. "See you!"
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"Akko." The girl felt a tap on her shoulder just as she placed a spoonful of food in her mouth. She nearly choked in surprise if it were not for the gentle circles being traced on her back to calm her.
"Diana!" The girl smiled, Lotte scooting over closer to Sucy to give Diana some space. The heiress nodded to her, grateful.
True to her word, Akko had grabbed what she deemed the most fantastic lunch combination she could for Diana, one that made the latter sweat coldly at the insurmountable amount.
"Ummm… Akko?"
"Here! I tried getting all the best stuff for you, but I guess there's no one bester than you!" She giggled at the light blush Diana donned, Sucy coughing behind her fist, complaining about flirting in public.
"Th-thank you very much, Akko. I appreciate it… also that was not a word, 'bester', that is… and… I sincerely apologize, I do not mean to offend you in any way… but I can't finish this much food." Diana finished, staring at the variety on her platter.
"Oh." Again, the usually eccentric girl deflated, making Diana deflate as well.
"But! I shall try my best?" She sighed, why was she so petty when it came to this girl?
"Okay! I'll help you too!" Akko announced, and Diana wondered if it was in eating, or something else… maybe both as Akko had grabbed Diana's spoon and scooped up a bit of the meal and held it to the English witch. "Say ah~!"
"A-Akko?!"
"Ehem-PDA-Ehem."
Sucy received a light jab to the ribs from her blonde counterpart.
"Ah~!" Diana knew she was fighting a losing battle, as she now gave in, shaking her head before opening her mouth to receive her blessings for the day.
"A-ahhh…"
Akko was overjoyed, that much was certain, her friend growing closer to her each day.
"So no one's gonna ask why Diana is here?" Amanda threw from her chair, Constanze pinching her on the thigh. "Ouch! What? But she and Akko never get alooo- Jasna!"
"I don't know if you're blind or deaf, Amanda… but… I don't know." Sucy snickered as the redhead held a staring contest with her, the red teammate grinning madly, enjoying the conflict.
Lotte, the voice of reason, just face-palmed.
"Mind if we join you?"
Akko looked up from feeding a very red Diana, to see her two other new friends, holding trays up, pointing to the empty spots beside her.
"Sure! Go ahead, Hannah, Barbara!"
"These two, too?"
Again, no one really minded Amanda.
The rest of the lunch break went as follows: Barbara had transferred seats, hearing the word 'Night fall' come forth from Lotte's lips, immediately throwing both into avid fan discussions, ranging from positive to negative, similar likes and dislikes. Sucy had decided to just open one ear, letting the information in, just for the sake of listening in.
The green team decided to enjoy their lunch as usual, and chatted with each other about their adventures to the guidance office, comparing who got the worst accusations and such.
Hannah and Akko seemed to have hit it off well with all their little cooking meet-ups and exchanges from before, and were now engaged in a talk, quite intimate (but mind you, it was about food) that made Diana a bit jealous, tugging at the sleeve of Akko's shirt, as if to remind her of a certain previous conversation on a broom about "closeness".
While the brunette looked at her inquisitively, she could see her teammate smirking in the back. Diana tried her best to ignore the sight.
Up until the bell rung, the three teams indulged in the time they spent together, each to their shared hobbies and interests, leaving on good terms, agreeing to regular lunch meetings together from now on, a fact that made Akko even more ecstatic.
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One thing could be said of the week, this week.
If Akko had enjoyed it immensely, cherishing every moment of her new found friendships, Diana was quite the opposite, already at her wit's end.
She knew Akko and she had been sending each other signals, cues… and she was sure she had read those right. All the signs… but why, why hadn't they ever moved past that?
Heck, if Diana ever swore, even Akko's own teammates were wondering the exact same things.
Where were they even going with this… this arrangement.
Diana needed to know, lest she go mad from her own feelings.
Though she also thought, maybe she hadn't the right since she had avoided Akko for a good two weeks before, and maybe this was her punishment… a hell wait for an unsure proposal.
"No, no… I need to confirm it. It is better for me to inquire, just to make sure."
Thus, the greatest witch to ever grace Luna Nova with her presence set out on a treasure hunt to find the academy's number one dunce.
It was after school hours, the usual time for tutoring in the library, but today, it just so happened that Akko had previous arrangements with Professor Ursula and they could not meet up, leaving Diana lead-less as to the brunette's whereabouts.
An hour of asking around and wandering the entirety of the main school grounds later, she decided she might as well head back to library and read to pass the time. She could approach Akko at dinner or something.
Diana entered the library with graceful steps as to not disturb the other occupants and made her way to her usual spot, their usual spot in one far corner of the enormous room.
As she rounded the corner, she could have banged her head against any wall as she wondered why she hadn't bothered to check here earlier.
There, with a book open in her lap, was a dozing Akko, light snores heard from where Diana stood, the blonde giggling as every puff of air Akko released blew her bangs up and back down.
Approaching slowly and soundlessly, Diana crouched down beside her sleeping beauty, reaching out a hand to touch her pinkish cheeks, poking it as Akko mumbled incoherent phrases, trying to swat the hand away, her brows scrunched up.
"Shtap ith…iff… mhi.. mff. Hmm… Diana…"
"Diana."
That one coherent word, it made the owner of the name feel butterflies scrambling up her insides, her chest tightening, making it a bit hard to breathe.
Even I her sleep, Akko still called for her.
"Akko…?"
Diana leaned forward, their faces drawing closer as all Diana could see were those plump lips, so enticing, so tempting. There was nothing to hold her back, and she had no control over her actions any longer.
"Is someone there?"
It took a large exhale, and the Cavendish girl pulled away swiftly, heart thrumming wildly in her chest; she could feel it in her ears, the beats along with the usual heat.
"Y-yes?" She managed to reply after fixing herself up as the librarian rounded the corner, surprised to see a particular pair of students together.
"Miss Cavendish! And Miss Kagari?" She looked at the still slumbering figure, shaking her head disapprovingly.
"Are you in any need of something, sensei?" Diana asked, wanting to divert the attention away from her friend.
"Ah, of course." The teacher looked at her. "I'm sorry, but the library will be closing soon and the sprites will be doing some cleaning around here." She explained. "Please do understand."
"Of course." She saw that the woman's gaze was still drawn to the body behind her. "I shall be responsible for waking Miss Kagari up." She told the woman who nodded.
"Please do, thank you."
After a somewhat drawn-out staring contest between the instructor and her student, she nodded, leaving the pair alone as Diana sighed in relief.
"Goodness gracious."
Returning to her previous position, Diana brushed a few stray bangs from Akko's forehead, her other hand, gently shaking the girl awake.
"Akko… Wake up."
After a while of coaxing, and tossing around, Diana found herself in Akko's sleepy embrace, the girl's arms over her shoulders as she giggled like an old drunk, swaying both their body's around.
"Diana… Diana! Diana~!" She chanted, still half-asleep.
The heiress was bewildered, not used to this side of Akko as she continued her attempts at bringing the girl into a full state of consciousness.
"Akko! Please wake up!"
Also, she could not handle the proximity; she thought she might try something again. But before it was possible, Akko's eyes flew open, hot and cold colors clashing as everything slowly registered to the brunette.
"Diana?" She blinked at the closeness, before slowly releasing the girl, looking a bit shocked. "I'm… I'm sorry. Me and Sensei finished early and I thought of meeting up with you, but when I got here, I guess you had stuff to do too, so you couldn't really spare time to always meet me and-"
"Akko."
"Yes?"
"Let's go to the courtyard."
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Luna Nova's courtyard was a spacious, intricately designed area, a fountain being the centerpiece of it all, flowing with golden and autumn colors, brought on by the setting sun.
It would have been quite amusing to Diana and Akko, as it seemed as though their talks were always beside some form of water. But right now, both knew that there was something in need of addressing.
"Akko." Diana called, standing by the fountain as she tugged the girl near the ledge. "Sit." She commanded.
"Wh-what's up Diana? Do you need to talk about something?"
"Akko." Diana said her name alone once more, needing her to listen well.
"Diana?"
"What is this?"
"What is what?" The girl said innocently, genuinely confused at the situation.
"This." Diana pointed to the both of them. "Us." She took one of Akko's hands. "What is going on between us? Are we friends? Are we not? Will we ever be something more?"
Akko was quiet, she looked down at their joined hands, returning Diana's hold and swinging them tenderly. She was thinking. Very hard.
"Do you want to be something more?" She asked, looking at Diana square in the eye, her question obviously catching the blonde off guard as her blue orbs widened in surprise.
"I…" All she had thought was asking Akko, was she expecting the other girl to make the first move? Was she content in following what Akko decided, wanted for them?
What did she want?
"Do you want us to be something more? Are you expecting something to progress between us?"
If Diana had felt betrayal before, she must have been feeling that now. Though it also felt closer to disappointment than anything.
She had thought it was a mutual feeling, something they both shared. A feeling of wanting to become closer.
"Akko, I have no idea…" She felt a few tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
"Of what? Then… why did you ask? Does your heart know something that your mind doesn't?" It was an odd question Akko was asking, but it was almost as if she were trying to drag an answer out of Diana.
"Akko…" Something became firm in Diana's beliefs. And it was shat Akko must have been searching for.
She crouched in front of Akko once more, fingers lacing with each other.
"I like you."
And the answer was so simple, and Diana felt a huge weight lifted from her chest, actually getting the feelings she had out. Out in the open, for her and all to see.
"I like you…" She breathed out, eyes widening by the second as her feelings came into realization. "Akko… I like you."
She looked into her contemporary's eyes, gazes locked and in a mutual understanding.
"Yeah, I like you too."
Diana couldn't have felt happier. Both of them shared smiles on both faces, donning happiness on their forms, yet Diana felt something was off.
Akko's smile, and her smile… they were not the same, she realized.
Akko wore a sad smile, and Diana couldn't help but wonder why.
"Akko?"
"I like you Diana." She said, breathy, as their heads bumped together, then Akko pulled away, giving Diana's hands another squeeze, the same sad smile. "But I can't."
Somehow, the blonde heiress could hear the sound of broken glass… just as her heart felt… suddenly broken.
There was a long pause.
"Why?" A few tears slipped out of Diana's eyes, the very ones she had been holding back, no longer held in "Why?"
"Oh Diana…" Akko crouched down on the floor with her, wiping away the tears and hugging her. "What is wrong with you today?" She tried to laugh off the oddness of the situation, though it did nothing at all to ease Diana's pain. "You're not your usual composed self. Akko murmured into her hair, rubbing soothing circles on her back.
"I… I just! It's because… I've never felt like this before. And now that I've found what this emotion is, and acknowledged it… Are you really just going to ignore it? Me? Akko, if I ignored you before, I really am sorry! Forgive me?"
Diana, fragile like a child, clung to the front of Akko's shirt, rendering the brunette helpless, now realizing that this was Diana's first feelings of liking someone- dare she say love if it really weren't just infatuation.
"Diana, I admit I was a bit upset when you ignored me."
"I… I apologize." She bowed her head again, refusing to meet Akko's gaze anymore.
Diana had suspected right, avoiding Akko might have been a bad choice in her blossoming feelings, and hopes. But the reasons Akko and Diana both thought were just a tinge different.
"NO, no… that's not- I mean, I understand why you would avoid me." Akko gave a sheepish smile, a very out of place expression in the moment.
"What are you saying?" Diana shook her head, clueless.
"I'm saying I kinda understood where you were coming from… I guess I was just thinking you were avoiding me because maybe… you were ashamed of me? I mean, you're you… you have this history, this legacy. You and you're family are amazing… and I'm-"
"You're?" Diana wondered where this was going.
"Let's say I'm a potato."
Diana was stunned, the statement taking its time to settle into her emotional wreck of a brain, before she blinked, then burst into a giggling fit, that escalated into full blown out laughter. Laughter and tears and everything. A total mess.
"D-don't laugh!" Akko exclaimed, redder than her eyes as she hid her face in her own shoulder, turning it away from Diana.
"Ju-just… a potato?!" As Diana stands up, pulling Akko along with her, she laughs even harder. "Of all things?"
"I shouldn't have told you." The troublemaker grumbled, feeling amazingly embarrassed as Diana's laughter subsided back into giggles, as hiccups accompanied the harmony brought on by her emotions.
Head to head, Diana wanted to feel such things again as she brought her face closer, their foreheads touched as noses nuzzled, hands still connected, holding one another.
"Akko… I want a hug." Diana murmured.
Hugs. They had always done them lately, though the first time warranted much hesitation and shyness, they had at least gotten accustomed to it… but now-
It felt like it was the first time.
Hugs were as far as they would go… it was almost an unspoken rule of friendship between them.
But now… with their feelings out in the open, Diana wished for just a step further.
-maybe a kiss on the cheek?
Diana did just that, and froze in surprise as Akko returned the gesture.
"Akko-" She was about to propose something, but was quickly shot down.
"Diana... I don't want to hurt you-" Though she probably already was. "But I still want to stay friends."
And Diana realized that maybe Akko just wants to go slow, be sure in whatever this thing, whatever their arrangement was.
She nodded, albeit begrudgingly, as she voiced her understanding, Akko please at her compliance as she hugged her again.
"But can I at least take you out?" Diana tried, she wanted to try at least.
"Diana…" Akko's voice held warning.
"As friends."
Holding in a breath at the puppy dog eyes, Akko let it go, reluctantly.
"Fine… as friends."
"And Can I get another kiss?"
Akko gave her a kiss on the cheek, which Diana accepted happily, not at all complaining as she got a pinch on the same one afterwards, but then the spot was caressed as Akko gave her another warning.
"Don't keep pushing your luck."
"I'll try." She giggled as Akko rolled her eyes with a sigh.
"Promise?"
"If the date is a promise?" She wondered when this cheeky side of her had been unleashed, yet as of now, she did not mind it in the slightest.
"Alright, I promise."
Another kiss from Diana, and they begin to head back, hand in hand.
Diana was looking forward to the date, however Akko remained anxious and uneasy, not excited at all, still having fear despite reassurance.
And maybe what she told Diana had even deeper reasoning to it on why this couldn't be.
All the things… her status her, family… and so much more.
If she could help it, Akko did not want to wish for things such as them growing apart, not when she harbored the same strong feelings for Diana.
But every time she thought deeper about things like consequences, something she had never done before, the more she was convinced.
This could not be… it would all soon come back to her to bite her.
Their fate apart… them being different.
It may have just been…
Inevitable.
A/N: I'm sorry. I'm so sad. I did horribly. Though I was planning to do this from the start… Hah…. Please reblog and stuff if you on tumblr? Pleaseeee?
~Shintori Khazumi