All previous chapters of this fic take place later in the AU, after Akko comes back from her time in hiding. But this one actually takes place earlier on, right after Diana is awarded the title of Headmistress and right after Croix attacks her.

After that incident, as soon as Diana is better, she and Akko get married right away, performing a very rare ceremony to determine whether or not they are truly soulmates. It has an extremely low success rate, so most couples never bother, but Akko and Diana succeed and are married that night.

You can find Neon's comics about all of this on their blog in the Years Later AU tag!

Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

Chapter 4. Forgiven

It was the most emotional day of Akko's life.

Only a week earlier, Diana had been officially crowned Headmistress of Luna Nova.

One week...

That's how long she'd been in the hospital after Croix's attack.

The images are still vivid in Akko's mind. When she reflects on that day – one of the best days of her life that had turned into one of the absolute worst – she can still recall every last detail.

The way Diana's smile had contorted in sheer agony.

The way the crimson had started seeping through her clothes all at once.

The way she'd fallen, with nothing more than a strangled breath on her lips.

The way she'd trembled as she'd nearly died in Akko's arms a second time.

Twice it's happened now.

Only Akko hadn't been as helpless the second time as she had been the first.

She'd managed to close the wound and stop the worst of the bleeding long enough for the nurses to arrive.

But it was twice now.

Twice that she'd watched the love of her life nearly die.

She wasn't about to risk it happening again.

Therefore, after staying by Diana's side every second of every day of her hospital stay, Akko had discussed things with her. As soon as Diana had woken up and been able to speak properly, Akko had clasped her hand and blurted out past the sobs.

"Let's get married!"

Diana couldn't agree more quickly.

They completed the spell that night, as soon as Diana had been discharged.

Their closest friends had made a dress for Akko, while Diana's dress had been prepared many years in advance by her own mother. Diana's only regret that night would be that her mother wasn't there to see her wear it.

Their wedding dresses were stunning pieces of intricate lace and fabrics. They had dressed separately, then cried upon seeing one another before preparing for the ceremony.

Their friends had waited anxiously outside.

It was somewhat of a forbidden spell due to the complex emotional demands it had of its casters. And its painfully low success rate deterred most from even trying.

But Akko and Diana had nothing to fear.

Because they knew.

They'd known from the very beginning what the ceremony spell had later confirmed.

That they were made for one another. Mind, body, and soul.

They'd kissed there for the first time as wives.

But Akko was certain not to have them linger for too long. She knew Diana was still very weak after only just being discharged that evening.

And so they had exchanged rings, and completed the soul-binding spell of true lovers.

After returning to their friends, they'd all congratulated the newlyweds. Hannah and Barbara had burst into tears, while Lotte had to duck her face into Sucy's shoulder. Sucy got as close to emotional as Akko had ever seen.

After thanking their old teammates and wishing them well, Akko had taken her wife's hand and led her back to their room. They'd changed out of their wedding dresses and carefully stored them away...

Presently, Diana is just closing their closet door when she feels a pair of arms around her stomach. Akko nuzzles into shoulder.

"I'm so happy..." she sighs. "I'm so, so happy, Diana..."

Diana turns herself slowly and loops her arms around Akko.

"As am I, Akko."

"Heehee. Wife. You're my wife now, Diana! My wife!"

"And you are mine."

"I love this!" Akko squeals, squeezing her a little tighter. "I love you, Diana!"

In her glee, she picks Diana up and twirls her around just once before setting her back down again. Diana chuckles, moving her hands to cup Akko's cheeks so she may kiss her again.

Without even breaking the kiss, Akko angles herself properly so she may pick Diana up once again, this time bridal style.

It's only fitting, after all.

Like this, she carries her over to their bed so they can begin their first night together as a married couple.

Akko lies her wife down with great care, ensuring Diana's head is supported by the large pillow. She leans down and kisses her nose before hurrying over to flop down on her own side of the bed. Akko sidles herself beneath the blankets and drapes her arm across Diana's stomach, nestling into her shoulder.

She just keeps mumbling. "Wife... my wife..." over and over again.

Diana smiles and pulls her close, curling and uncurling her fingers through Akko's hair.

But it's been a long day for the both of them. Diana is still sore after everything that had happened, and she's more than willing to sleep now. It's been a week since she'd last gotten to sleep beside Akko properly like this, after all.

Akko's missed it just as much. She's just glad to have Diana out of the infirmary.

A small yawn on her wife's part has Akko peeking up at her.

"Sleepy?"

Diana blinks, but it seems difficult for her to lift her eyelids a second time.

"Quite..."

Akko lifts her head to press a soft kiss to her cheek.

"Then sleep. It's been a long day. It's been a long week." Carefully, Akko lays herself partially over Diana in a loose embrace, making sure to keep the majority of her weight off of her. She holds a kiss to each of her eyelids to encourage Diana to keep them closed. "Night, Diana. My wife. I love you so much."

Diana hums softly, still getting accustomed to the new word. She repeats it back to Akko.

"Goodnight, Akko. My wife. I love you as well."

They settle in whatever way is most comfortable.

Akko uses Diana's shoulder as her pillow, fitting perfectly into her side.

Diana maintains a loose embrace around her back. She replays the memories of this evening in her mind to help ease her thoughts. She tries not to think about Croix, about the pain.

Only Akko.

Seeing her in that beautiful white dress, more stunning than ever before.

Hearing her cast the ceremonial spell, pouring every ounce of emotion into her actions.

She remembers that feeling of their souls dancing together amidst the magic, the feeling of Akko slipping the glowing ring onto her finger where it still glows now, next to the one Diana had fitted on her hand in turn.

She wishes she was well enough to stay awake longer, to appreciate it all more. She knows Akko would've liked that, too.

But being unable to celebrate now just gives Diana all the more reason to plan something out for the near future.

She can already hear Akko breathing deeply, fast asleep at her side.

Diana makes as many plans as she possibly can before all the thinking wears her out and turns her consciousness over to slumber.

Diana isn't sure how long she's slept for by the next time she wakes, but the room is still dark and quiet with night.

She's woken to a pain in her chest.

Of course, it's nothing new to her. Ever since the Sorcerer had pierced her through years earlier, she's suffered sporadically from chronic chest pains.

Naturally, the second, more recent attack over the same old wound would only make things worse.

There's a pressure on her chest, weighing down over her ribs, almost crushing her breastbone.

With a sharp gasp, Diana's eyes fly open. Her sense of touch is overwhelmed by the dull pain beating in her chest, but when her vision focuses, she understands why. The faint glow of her new marital ring illuminates just enough for her to see by.

In her sleep, Akko had shifted somewhat, until her head now rested directly on top of Diana's chest. Right where the wound is.

Diana grimaces, biting her lip. Akko's rested like this a thousand times in the past, and it had never bothered her before.

But now, because of this new overlapping wound...

Simply inhaling hurts, and it's even more difficult to exhale. Diana's chest isn't strong enough to move like it needs to, not under the weight of this agony. With every strained breath, her heart slams harder and harder beneath the pressure.

Weakly, Diana slides her hands onto Akko's shoulders. But shifting her even an inch brings more pain. Diana chokes as another surge of agony tears through her chest.

She hadn't wanted to wake Akko, because she knows the situation will only terrify her.

But she doesn't have any other choice now.

Diana strokes her trembling fingers across Akko's cheek and calls for her:

"A-Akko..."

It's a combination of things that wakes her.

When Akko's thoughts come back to her, the first thing she registers is sound.

And there's a lot of it.

Diana's heart is pounding so hard and so loudly that Akko can physically feel the pulses against her cheek and as far down as her neck. Her wife's breath is clipped and weak, and her voice is even more so.

"Ah-kko..."

With a terrified gasp, Akko lifts her head, bracing all of her weight on the mattress rather than her wife.

"Diana?!"

She only has the glow of their rings to see by, but that's enough.

Beneath her, Diana is sweating, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her eyelids flutter shut as the hand that had previously been on Akko's cheek now falls limply to rest at the center of her chest.

Akko immediately realizes what's happened.

"Diana? Diana?" Her voice rises in a panic, almost to the point where it's a shriek.

Akko slides one arm beneath Diana's shoulders and lays the other hand over her stomach. She can still feel her heartbeat, even there. Frantically, Akko rests her hand beneath Diana's ribs, not high up enough to aggravate her wound, but still at a place where she can apply a bit of pressure over her pulse.

Diana hasn't been able to speak yet, so Akko just encourages her to breathe all she can.

It's all so familiar.

After the first attack years earlier, Diana had suffered from many episodes like this, often in the middle of the night due to nightmares or stress. Over time, the number of attacks had gone down.

But now, with this reopening of her old wound, it's all coming back with twice as much force.

"N-No..." Akko pleads. "Not again... please not again..."

Something must hear her prayers. Because this attack doesn't last for very long.

Now that the weight is off of Diana's chest, the pain begins to subside. Her breathing and heart rate slow, until she's able to open her eyes once more.

"Akko..."

"Oh, thank goodness..." Akko leans forward to bump her nose against Diana's and several of her tears drip down onto her wife's face. "I'm sorry, I-I'm so sorry-"

"No," Diana whispers. "It was not your fault."

"But I did this!"

"In your sleep, Akko. You never meant for it to happen." Diana finds her wife's hand and squeezes it firmly. "You blame yourself for too much already. Too much that is not your fault. Do not add this onto the pile."

Akko shakes her head and more tears fall.

"B-But I... o-on our wedding night-"

"Akko." Diana waits until her wife has opened her eyes once again to meet her gaze. She wants Akko to listen. "It is best for it to have happened tonight. This was a very minor incident. Now we know the limits. Isn't that so?"

Akko chokes out another sob, her eyes barely able to stay open.

"Y-Yeah... B-But I just wish it didn't have to happen..."

"But it did-"

"A-And I'm so sorry-"

"-and it was not your fault, Akko," Diana finishes. "Nothing was ever your fault. None of it."

Akko knows she isn't just talking about tonight's incident anymore. She's talking about everything Akko blames herself for. Everything since that Sorcerer reared his ugly head.

Diana knows it is easier for Akko to blame herself rather than to blame others.

But not for things as awful as these. Akko already bears too great a burden. Diana won't allow her to take on anymore if she can help it.

As her wife continues to cry, Diana reaches up her arms and pulls Akko back down beside her. Akko flinches and shies away.

"D-Diana..." she whispers. "Wh-What if I hurt you again? I'm... I'm scared..."

To hear her say something like that.

That she is too afraid now to even touch her pains Diana more than her wounds ever did or could.

She can feel Akko resisting, trying to push herself away.

"Akko, please-"

Diana knows she can't afford to let Akko run. If she leaves now, her guilt will consume her. Diana doesn't know if she'd ever come back.

Therefore, she uses all of her strength to cling to Akko's clothes. She doesn't like to think she's restraining her against her will. Diana knows keeping her here now will be for Akko's own benefit.

"Akko, listen to me."

"B-But, Diana-!"

"It is our wedding night!" she blurts.

Her piercing blue eyes say the rest:

You cannot leave me. Not now.

And Akko stops fighting.

H-How could I be such an idiot...?

"No..." Akko whispers. "O-Of course I'm not gonna..." She sinks back down onto the bed, huddling up against her. "I-I'm so sorry..."

Diana is about to tell her once again that there is no need for her to be. But instead, she tries something else.

"You are forgiven, Akko."

And this time it's different.

Telling her there is no need for her to apologize had only ever halved Akko's guilt.

But to let her know she is forgiven all but erases it completely.

Diana knows that saying this to Akko means she is forgiving her for crimes she didn't ever commit. Diana knows her wife isn't guilty of anything.

But in Akko's mind, she is.

Diana has always thought of things from her own perspective.

But now, thanks to how closely their souls have been bound, now she is beginning to understand Akko's viewpoint. Telling her she is forgiven, even when she isn't truly at fault in the first place, provides a sense of relief Akko's never really had before.

"Th-Thank you..." she whimpers. "Thank you, Diana..."

Breathing out, Diana wraps both arms around her.

"I love you, Akko. And I know you love me just as dearly. I know you would never hurt me. Certainly not if you could help it."

Akko sobs into her collar.

"N-No, n-never! I-I never meant to-"

"I know," Diana whispers. "And that is why everything is all right. We are both still here together, are we not?"

Akko sniffles and manages to lift her tearstained face.

"Y-Yeah..."

"Akko..." Diana cups the side of her wife's face, allowing the glow of her ring to illuminate her watery chestnut eyes. "Akko... My precious wife. You are far too selfless. Far too pure. What I ever did to deserve you, I will never know."

Diana presses a long, soft kiss to her wife's lips.

Akko's little hiccups begin to fade away. The guilt and fear go with them, until all that's left is Diana's unbridled love.

Akko basks in it like she might bask in the sunlight on a bitterly cold day.

"M-Me, either..." she whispers. "I-I don't know what I ever did to deserve you Diana, but I'm not gonna question it."

Gently, she lowers herself down for another kiss.

But this time, Akko coaxes Diana to change her sleeping position. For fear of something like this happening again, Akko wants to have her own weight be beneath Diana's.

She lies herself down on her back and Diana curls into her side instead, resting her head over Akko's chest and closing her eyes.

Akko's heartbeat is one she'll never forget.

It's perhaps a beat faster than the trademark concept, and Diana believes that's because Akko is always so enthralled, so excited. Despite all that's happened, she's always had dreams to fulfill, and all of them come from her heart.

Diana sighs, the tension leaving her body little by little as she relaxes against her.

"Wife..." she murmurs again. "My wife."

She hears Akko's heart flutter in a little dance of joy.

"Yeah!" Akko sighs. "I'm your wife. And you're mine~" She hums contentedly, with all the bad things behind them for tonight.

Diana closes her eyes as she feels a kiss on her forehead. Akko hugs her around her back, her fingers tracing gently over her scar.

"I love you, Diana. I love you... so much..."

"I love you too, Akko. Far more than words can ever express."

Of course they say it as often as possible.

But their love isn't bound by simply the word itself.

Their love is something they can feel, something they breathe, something they live every single day.

Sometimes it hurts.

Sometimes it scares them.

But it always prevails.

A/N: I figured something like this would happen, Akko accidentally hurting Diana so soon after she was injured again. And since Akko's already paranoid and plagued by memories of the first attack with the Sorcerer, she's even more tense now.

Neon says the spell they cast for their marriage ceremony has a psychological affect on them both as well. Since they are so closely-bound now in every way, they are more affected when the other person is in pain, (hence the huge mess when Akko leaves Diana a year later) and they suffer more themselves when the other person suffers.

But I wanted to address the change in Diana's 'forgiveness' of Akko. I hope I explained it properly in the fic itself, but telling her "it's fine" might not help Akko. Letting her know she is forgiven is something very different, and eases Akko much more effectively, erasing her guilt rather than just lessening it.

Also, I had a theory about Diana's mother making dresses for several of her birthdays before she passed away. I like to think she was working on her wedding dress as well.

The following chapter will be back to the usual timeline in this AU (after Akko comes back to Diana after being in hiding). And it will be fluff to make up for the angst of this chapter~

Please review!