Here's a little update for you my dear readers xD
Diana gave the dark, oak-wood door across her room three hefty raps.
The young girl waited patiently as she heard the faint sound of panic emanate the other side of the door. She could make out the sound of hurried footsteps, and a sudden loud thud! that was followed by muttered profanities. The young Cavendish was about to knock once more for good measure, but then the door swung wide open just when she raised her hand.
"Hah... I-I'm ready!" The lavender-haired professor blurted out as she tried to catch her breath.
Diana quirked a brow at Croix, and then gave her an unconvinced once-over.
The older witch sported a very impressive bedhead, and had dark bags under her eyes that obviously showed her exhaustion; probably from researching the Wagandea Curse the night prior. Diana could also see the remnants of what she believed to be soup stains on the collar of the professor's white undershirt that her green poncho barely managed to cover.
A verbal lashing about professionalism and put together appearances was on the tip of the blonde witch's tongue, but after a moment of reconsideration, she opted not to berate the already worn out professor in front of her. Seriously, Croix looked like she was about ready to pass out, and the day didn't even technically start yet.
Instead, Diana simply sighed heavily.
"Right." The scholarly witch deadpanned as she gestured for the woman to follow her. "Shall we?"
Croix swiftly shut the door behind her, and fell in line with Diana's stride. "Of course! Lead the way."
Diana did just that.
Their walk towards the lecture halls was rather quiet this time around. The young Cavendish was positive that the silence was mostly attributed to the fact that Croix seemed dead tired. Usually, during their trek towards their respective lecture halls, Croix would initiate a conversation with Diana (or at least try to). However, today it was more than obvious to Diana that the lilac-haired witch was trying not to fall asleep while she was standing up.
Soon, the older woman's head started to nod off every once in a while, which caused the blonde witch to feel slightly concerned.
She already assumed that Croix was the type of person who obsessively poured herself into her research, but she didn't know to what extent the older witch would push herself. And judging from exhaustion that Croix displayed at the moment, Diana had a feeling that the lilac-haired witch had a tendency to be self-destructive whenever she got like this.
Wait... am I actually getting worried over CROIX of all people?!
The blonde witch inwardly scoffed at herself.
Diana's task was to simply guide the blasted woman around the school, and keep her in check. Technically, Croix's health wasn't supposed to be a concern of hers!
"Did you get enough sleep?"
But that didn't stop the young witch from wanting to help.
Her innate, Cavendish ways wouldn't freaking let her be uncaring towards the infuriating woman's health. Which was a fact that made the young witch groan internally to no end. However, instead of openly displaying how perturbed she truly was at herself for actually caring for Croix... Diana simply waited for the woman to answer her question with an even expression.
Initially, the lilac-haired woman jumped in surprise at the sudden prompt. Croix then eyed Diana suspiciously, and began to playfully inch away from her.
"What are you plotting, child."
"I mean this with all due respect, Professor... but the only thing that I'd be 'plotting' against you is finding out a way to get you to wear something other than that horrid green poncho."
In response, Croix held a hand at her chest and let out a mildly offended gasp.
Diana sighed at the older witch's dramatics, and tried to inquire about her health again.
"I'm just concerned that you're going to pass out in the middle of the hallway, Professor."
The young witch waited briefly for Croix to quip back at her, but was somewhat surprised when she was met with an abashed gaze. The older witch stared down at the blonde, while she scratched the back of her head with a small, guilty smile.
"Jeez, is it that obvious that I'm tired?"
"Yes it is." Diana deadpanned.
However, before Croix could get in another word, two familiar voices chimed in from behind them.
"Diana!"
"O-Oi! Akko, it's too early to be this loud in the hallways!"
Diana simply turned to greet the two women with a small smile, and was met with the endearing scene of Akko being lightly reprimanded by Professor Chariot. The young brunette was offering the redhead an apologetic, bashful grin. The said redhead, on the other hand, smiled exasperatedly down at the girl.
"You should listen to your mentor, Akko." the blonde witch lightly teased.
As Akko and Professor Chariot caught up to them, the brunette playfully sighed. "Jeeez, stop ganging up on me you two!" she then turned to Croix, "Professor Croix, back me up here-Gehhh... wow Croix, you look like cra-OUCH!"
The blonde witch arched an amused brow as she watched Akko's mentor smack her upside the head.
"Akko! That's no way to speak to a professor!" The redheaded witch reprimanded. Then, at a break neck pace, the glasses-clad professor whipped around and pointed an accusing finger at Croix. "And YOU!"
Diana then watched in entertainment as Croix's eyes widened in panic. "M-Me?!"
Soon, Professor Chariot began to stomp her way towards the lilac-haired woman, and stopped directly in front of her. The redhead intensely scrutinized the taller witch with an unwavering gaze, which caused the said taller witch to become uneasy. Croix simply looked at everything but the woman before her, and even felt desperate enough to direct a pleaful gaze towards Diana herself.
Diana blankly stared back at the woman, and shook her head ever so slightly.
"You traitorous little-!"
"You haven't been getting enough sleep, have you?" Professor Chariot promptly interjected.
Croix turned back to the woman who spoke and seemed to finally meet the other Professor's gaze. She gulped. "I may have lost track of time while I was doing some research last night and-"
"AND! what are those stains on your shirt?!" the fiery professor continued on. "You wouldn't hear the end of it if someone like Professor Finneran saw you looking like this!"
"I've been meaning to do my laundry!" Croix tried to defend herself, "But I have no freaking idea where to put my dirty clothes! The woodland workers haven't visited me to ask if I had any yet..." Diana then continued to watch as the lilac-haired woman pulled at her collar nervously. "And those stains just miiight be-"
"I swear by the Nine if you say that they're cup noodle stains..."
Suddenly, the two young witches that were observing the interaction jumped when Croix groaned.
"There's nothing wrong with eating cup noodles! I was gifted one last night!" the taller witch childishly exclaimed. "and I'm not going to turn away a free cup noodle. Regardless if it was mysteriously placed in front of my doorstep... which I guess in hindsight I should have questioned a little bit more before I accepted it, but I digress!" The woman then jabbed a finger towards the redheaded witch. "Cup noodles are great!"
"There's barely any nutritional value in those things and-! Wait..." Professor Chariot paused, and gave the other woman a look of confusion. "Did you just say someone left a cup noodle in front of your doorstep?!"
Croix quirked a brow. "Er... Yes?"
An expression of incredulity and mirth briefly came across the redheaded woman's face. However, Chariot's surprise was short-lived, and she seemed to decide to not address the fact that Croix accepted a suspicious cup noodle. Instead, Chariot let out a weary sigh, and stared up at the other witch in genuine concern. Her crimson eyes seemed to bore into Croix's, and the young blonde witch could almost feel the raw emotion pouring out of the redhead's gaze.
"Croix, I'm not going to tell you to stop what you're doing." the redheaded witch began, "but please... pace yourself. I know how immersed you can get with your research, and I've seen you at your worse..."
"I'm not at my worse right now-"
"But this is how it starts." Chariot interrupted, her voice small. "Sure, you're at least eating something right now... but how long is it going to be when you start completely skipping your meals? Or when you stop sleeping? Croix, I don't want to see you get like that."
"Chariot..."
The lilac-haired witch seemed to struggle to try and find the words to articulate how she felt. So for a couple of moments, the two women just stood there in silence. Both of them appeared to be stuck in their own little world.
Soon, Diana had to fight the urge to shift on her feet as she watched the interaction. This particular scene just felt so... intimate, and the blonde witch couldn't help but feel that she and Akko were somehow intruding.
However, before Diana could clear her throat to signify that she was going to take her leave (with Akko), Croix began to lift her right hand. The Cavendish girl then watched with wide eyes as Croix continued on to caress Professor Chariot's cheek.
Now I definitely feel like I"m intruding on something...
The blonde witch briefly flitted her gaze towards Akko, who incidentally was beaming a scandalized smile at the two women behind her hand. Diana could feel the tips of her own mouth twitching upward, and simply shook her head at the other girl's reaction. But when she turned back around to face Croix and Chariot...
Smack!
The young Cavendish turned just in time to watch Croix lightly smack the other side of Professor Chariot's face with her left hand, and held it there. She then started to outright pinch the redheaded witch's cheeks, and squish her face between her hands with a blank expression.
"C-Cwoii?" Professor Chariot tried to question as she had her face squished between the other woman's hands.
"Jeeez, Chariot..." Croix droned while pinching and squishing Chariot's face, "you know I don't make the same mistake twice, right?"
"Wha-?"
Professor Croix grinned at the redhead, and playfully huffed.
"I don't intend on burning myself out, Chari." the lilac-haired witch began, while firmly placing her hands on the other professor's shoulders. From where Diana was standing, she could see the soft and tender gaze that Croix was sending down towards the redhead. "I mean... if I end up doing that, then who's going to find the cure to the Wagandea Curse?"
Chariot gazed back at the taller witch in silence, seemingly unconvinced by the reassurance that Professor Croix was trying to give her. It appeared that the former prodigy caught onto the redhead's unease, and she sighed deeply.
"Listen... I know I got a little carried away last night, but that was only because the library finally granted me some access to the Archives here at Luna Nova." She then chuckled guiltily. "And when I got all that research and information, I got a little ahead of myself and got really, erm... excited at the thought of getting somewhere with this whole curse thing. But if it makes you uneasy, then I promise that I'll take care of myself and not get too immersed in what I'm doing, okay?"
The beginnings of a worried pout made its way onto her lips. "D-Do you mean that?"
"Every word."
"You'll make sure to go to bed at a reasonable time?"
"I'll send you a goodnight message every night if that's what you want."
Chariot's eyes widened marginally at Croix's statement. "You don't have to go that far..." she smiled regardless. "but okay."
"A-Ahem!"
Diana gave the brunette next to her an amused smirk. She didn't think that Akko would be the one to interrupt this rather endearing moment. Both of the professors, on the other hand, finally realized where they were and jumped away from each other like they had been electrically shocked. Chariot's face became engulfed in a rather embarrassed flush. Whereas Croix's embarrassment made itself apparent in the form of a faint, light pink hue on her cheeks.
Before Akko could even continue on to speak, Professor Chariot made her way towards the hyperactive girl and began making a fuss.
"Ohoho~ well we should stop all of this dilly-dallying and make our way to our classes!" the redheaded witch exclaimed as she grabbed the young brunette by the collar. "Shall we be off, Akko?"
"Wha-?" the brunette tried to get in, "P-Profess-URK"
The Cavendish witch observed with entertainment as Professor Chariot dragged the poor girl away.
Suddenly, the lilac-haired witch in front of her sighed. "Well... that happened."
"Indeed it did." Diana remarked while she too made her way towards their lecture halls. Albeit, they trekked at a more leisure pace compared to both Akko and Chariot (who were basically borderline running away).
Croix fell in line with her stride, and they walked in comfortable silence once more.
"So... Chari, huh?"
"Shut it, Cavendish."
A certain Filipino witch listened absentmindedly as Akko made a big deal out of something that was already pretty obvious (well, at least to Sucy).
It was their free period, and they opted to migrate to an empty lecture hall to hang out. They would have gone to Professor Croix's lecture hall, but apparently the woman was worn out from researching the night before and taking a nap. So they decided to let the woman be, and left her alone... for now.
"They were so cute!" Akko gushed, "Kinda weird... but mostly cute!"
Everyone else simply let out phrases of surprise, and small giggles at the girl's retelling of her early morning events. Sucy, however, didn't find the revelation too surprising.
She suspected that the two older witches had somewhat of a history, even without witnessing their interactions that Akko described. How could they not know that Croix was probably madly in love with Chariot? The lilac-haired witch practically vowed to Chariot that she would restore the woman's ability to fly, and find a cure to an allegedly incurable ailment.
I'm positive that kind of declaration falls under the 'more than friends' category...
But that was just Sucy's opinion.
"How romantic~" both Barbara and Lotte breathily sighed.
The mushroom-enthusiast's attention fully shifted onto the Nightfall-fanatic duo who were situated right beside her.
"Doesn't it remind you of how Edgar and-!"
"Yeah, Yeah!" Lotte immediately agreed before Barbara could actually describe the books content. "And then him and Belle-!"
"Oh my God, Yes!" Barbara exclaimed, and then sighed dreamily. "And when they found each other again, the confession scene was just so..."
"Romantic~!" they both finished with literal hearts filling their eyes.
Sucy simply blinked in utter confusion at the interaction. She then opted to direct her gaze towards the rest of the girls in their group, and found that they were also completely lost too. But instead of simply moving on from the ginger and dark-haired girls antics (like the group usually did when they started talking about Night Fall), Akko seemed be mildly interested and decided to indulge them.
"Uhh... so how'd the confession scene go...?" The brunette witch tentatively questioned.
Suddenly, both of the Night Fall fangirls slammed their hands against their lecture desk, and leaned down towards the witch sitting at the row in front of them. This abrupt movement caused the said brunette witch to grab onto a certain Cavendish girls arm that was sitting right next to her. Which in turn resulted in the blonde witch's cheeks flushing in a very impressive pink tint.
"It was filled with so much emotion and longing!" Lotte began. Beside her, Barbara was nodding fervently to confirm the ginger witch's claim. "You see, after a falling out between Edgar and Belle over how they should've handled the threat of Arthur's wolf pack, they literally don't see each other for years-!"
"- that's when a mini-series centred around each of their characters is introduced, and it mainly encompasses their character development outside of their relationship!" Barbara added on.
"Yeah! And after that mini-series, they reunite but something seemed to change in Edgar. He was a lot more pragmatic, and developed a disregard for humanity. Belle, on the other hand, somewhat lost her spark... but when they see each other..."
"That spark reignites!" Barbara declared.
"They happen pass by each other as they were idly walking on the streets of France, and once they actually see one another its like they finally found the missing piece of their puzzle!" Lotte exclaimed as she sighed dreamily. "Edgar immediately closes the distance between them, and stares longingly down into Belle's eyes; he then tilts her chin up and says-!"
"Belle, out of the thousands of years I have existed within this time plane, I have never felt a love as strong as the love that I have for you." the girls finished together as they squealed like banshees.
Everyone gawked at the girls explanation of the supposed 'romantic confession scene.' Honestly, to Sucy, it all just sounded like some cornily-written fan fiction.
"That's-" Sucy began.
"Romantic?" Barbara interjected.
"Passionate?" Lotte added.
"Stupid." the Filipino witch deadpanned.
Both Lotte and Barbara dramatically gasped at Sucy's bluntness. Suddenly, the dark-haired witch pointed a vindictive finger at the mushroom-enthusiast, and huffed.
"You wouldn't know romance if it rammed into you like a truck!"
"Yeah!" the Finnish witch avidly agreed. Which in turn, caused Sucy to lift a mildly entertained brow. Usually, Lotte wasn't the type to get worked up about something, but apparently Night Fall was the exception to that fact.
"Oh really?" Sucy challenged, as she mainly directed her attention at the riled up ginger beside her.
"Yeah, really!" Lotte reaffirmed. "The only thing you get passionate about are your potions! I bet you can't even begin to pull off a romantic confession like Edgar-!"
SLAM!
All of the girls jumped when Sucy suddenly slammed a hand against their lecture desk.
She ignored the surprised looks that she was getting from their audience, and focused on the ginger witch before her that dared to challenge her. She then leaned in towards the shorter, Finnish girl and smirked. In response, the said Finnish girl simply gulped audibly while everyone else seemed to silently anticipate the Filipino witch's next move.
Sucy continued on to lift her right hand to lightly tilt the other girl's chin upwards. She became very aware that their faces were merely inches apart, but quickly shoved that thought down so she wouldn't get embarrassed by what she was doing. Her gaze began to soften as she stared down at the short girl, who was incidentally gazing right back at her with wide eyes. The Filipino inwardly chuckled at Lotte's expression.
In an uncharacteristically soft tone... Sucy began to speak.
"Lotte, with a voice as sweet and beautiful as yours, how could you not expect me to fall in love?"
Then... dead silence.
Why isn't anyone saying anything.
Okay, so half of the reason Sucy even did all of this was to prove to Lotte that she was capable of being 'Romantic' or whatever. She was challenged, and the Filipino girl (although she would never admit it) never liked backing down from one. And the other half of the reason? Well...
It was true.
She really did like, if not love, Lotte.
Which she pretty much just declared in front of all of their friends, and the Finnish girl herself.
Sucy quickly realized her feelings for the Night Fall fanatic about a month ago, and there was no way in hell she was going to dance around her feelings like a certain Prodigy and knucklehead she knew. Sucy didn't think she had the emotional capacity to go through the mental strain of denying her feelings for the ginger. So she just hastily decided to-
"Wow! Good job, Sucy!"
What.
"That's exactly how Edgar would confess. You actually had my heart beating really fast just now!" She then turned around to question the dumbfounded, other Night Fall lover next to her. "Isn't that right, Barbara?"
The dark-haired witch seemed to snap out of it, and tentatively agreed with Lotte's claim. Soon, the two girls began discussing the various love confessions in the Night Fall series. Completely overlooking the fact that Sucy just (kind of) told Lotte about her feelings.
Sucy, on the other hand, resisted the overwhelming urge to slam her entire face against the lecture hall desk.
Oh... My God.
She's... She's just as oblivious as Akko.
She then heard a certain American witch snicker from the row above her.
"Heh, looks like you're stuck in the same ship as Diana..." Amanda whispered with a small, teasing smirk.
Honestly, at this point, Sucy could only sigh.
"I guess I am."
Hehehe well that was a chapter xD.
Hope you guys are still enjoying the fic!
Until Next Time,
MediocreWriter.