Chapter Ten

Admittedly, it took Diana a while to remember where she was the next morning. Waking up to near darkness, the only light coming in through a slat in a wooden board, was not familiar to her at all. Even with her blinds completely shut, some sunlight always managed to get through and keep her room well lit throughout the day. It was the warm, shifting body beneath her that caused her memories to come flooding back and her left cheek to tingle.

Aunt Daryl had hit her. Actually hit her. Diana was only the smallest bit surprised last night had been the first time, but it still did little to take away the shock of reality. Did her aunt truly detest her that much? Diana was no fan of Daryl's by any means, but never had she thought of physically harming the other woman. Even her deplorable cousins Diana had only pondered shoving maybe once or twice in her life, but never her aunt. Despite the animosity between them, Daryl was still her elder, and Diana had been raised to respect her elders. To not do so would be casting aside her parent's teachings, and she had vowed to honor them by upholding those life lessons, even if that meant showing respect to someone who deserves nothing.

A soft sigh beneath her had Diana's cheeks warming, and she inclined her head upwards slightly. Akko still slept peacefully, the light from outside illuminating one half of her face as she slumbered. Diana watched with a smile even as her mind replayed scenes from last night.

Diana had run as soon as Daryl had given the order. For a few panic-stricken minutes, she didn't even know where she was going. Where could she go? She had no other family, and Hannah and Barbara had honestly never even crossed her mind. She could hear some part of her urging her to go to the police, and, being the first rational thought, she clung to it and followed through. It was only halfway into town when another thought popped into her head.

Akko.

She had said those two cops were her best friends on several occasions; maybe she would be there? An ache consumed Diana's heart that she knew had nothing to do with its exertion from running. Several tears fell from her eyes as she pushed herself to move fast.

Please, she pleaded, a single choked sob escaping her on a breath, please be there.

Luckily, someone must have been looking out for her as Diana quickly caught sight of a gray beanie and chocolate brown hair once she got to the station. If she hadn't been so exhausted from fleeing, heartbroken from abuse, and panicked from the adrenaline, Diana may have actually looked happy to see Akko. She found her feet moving her closer to the girl without her brain having to give the command, and when Akko spun to face her, those rubies immediately filling with a brief elation before melting to terror, Diana just wanted to cry harder.

Emerging back in the present, Diana didn't hold back from nestling even closer, burrowing even deeper into Akko's side. A smile broke free of any restraint, though Diana tried to hide it in the burgundy hoodie before her.

Had meeting Akko been some kind of fate?

Diana wasn't sure she believed in fate too much, but ever since the brunette had come into her life, it felt like something was more and more at play. How else could someone so easily come into your life and break down carefully constructed walls? How else could one person give you a more positive outlook on your future, make you so certain in yourself and your capabilities? How else could a single girl capture your heart so quickly and effectively you worry it was malfunctioning? Something powerful had to be tugging the strings, for Diana couldn't possibly simply be that lucky, and surely their budding relationship wasn't some joint effort between the two of them.

That was absurd. Diana making a friend on her own?

But was it really that far-fetched of a thought?

The groan that reverberated through her from the body beside and under her was a welcome distraction. Diana looked up just in time to see bleary eyes blink open and she smiled at the blank look they held only momentarily before recognition dawned and those eyes widened to meet Diana's own.

"Good morning," Akko greeted in a sleep-filled mumble. "Did you…sleep okay?"

"'Morning, and yes I did, thank you." Diana let a grin split her face. "You were right, you know. You are pretty comfy."

Akko, who had leaned over as Diana was speaking to grab the nearby flashlight, fumbled the torch momentarily at the jab which caused Diana to snicker. Akko quickly recovered, however, as she turned on the flashlight and aimed the beam at Diana, though careful to avoid her eyes directly. A similar grin was on her face.

"Well, you make a pretty warm blanket," she replied.

"Of which makes an insanely comfortable bed," Diana added thoughtfully, reaching between them to rub one's fabric between her fingers.

"Yeah," Akko chuckled, looking away nervously. "There was a time where I kinda raided Goodwill of all their blankets. I probably looked like a fool carrying them all down the street."

Diana smiled fondly as she kept her focus on the blanket, the red and gray patches almost hypnotizing her to keep her attention.

"How…" Akko cleared her throat as the arm that was still wrapped around Diana tightened. "How are you feeling?"

Diana moved to fiddle with a loose string on Akko's hoodie as she refused to look at her this time. Her free hand came to curl by her chest.

"Okay," she answered, even though both of them knew it was a lie. "I guess I'm…still in shock."

"And your eye?" Akko had a far-off look in her own eyes as her other hand seemed to absently reach across to Diana's cheek. A thumb gently ran over the bruise, causing Diana to shudder from the feel, not to mention the hooded red gaze burning a hole in her. The movement seemed to break the spell Akko was under though as she quickly shook her head, eyes becoming wide with fear and cheeks red with embarrassment, before she looked away from Diana, almost laying on her other hand simply to keep it in place.

Diana's affectionate smile went unnoticed.

"It doesn't hurt," she reassured. "The cut is a bit uncomfortable, but that's all."

Red eyes flashed over to meet hers for only a second before looking away again.

"G-Good."

Silence passed between them, though Diana could feel how stiff Akko had become and decided to put the girl out of her silent suffering.

"I believe someone told me last night they would treat me to breakfast today," she began in an innocent, lighthearted tone, wanting to put Akko at ease once again and assure her Diana hadn't been put off by anything the girl had done. "Do you happen to know if that offer is still available?"

Thankfully, it worked. Akko sat up and finally looked back at her with a grin. Diana returned it with a laugh. This time it was her to look away momentarily as she chewed her lip. A desire left her mind as soon as it entered, and, mustering any remaining courage and dousing any lingering doubt, she leaned towards Akko and kissed her cheek softly. As she pulled back, they were both red in the face, but Diana was certain the light alive in Akko's eyes then would have been enough to fill their dark alcove even without the flashlight.

"Thank you for last night, Akko," she said sincerely. "You… It meant a lot."

"O-Of course!" Akko responded in her usual excited squeak. Then, mellowing considerably, she added just as honestly. "I…want to be there for you, Diana. A-A-Always."

Diana returned the tender smile, and that initial spark between them that had ignited upon their first meeting now fanned into a great flame.

Diana hadn't been quite confident in what an eleven dollar breakfast would get you, and she was delighted to be shown it wasn't at all what she expected.

The two now sat across from each other in a booth at a bustling 1950's-esque diner. The menu was plentiful—and shockingly cheap, Diana noted with evident surprise—and the plates of food that had gone by so far had looked delectable. Currently, she and Akko were simply nursing a cup of coffee, but with every dish that went by, Diana's stomach cried out more and more.

"This is an amazing little place," Diana spoke her mind. "You never cease to amaze me."

Akko flushed a bit as she shifted in her seat. "Heh, yeah, well whenever I do have money, this is usually where I come. The food is much better than fast food, but it's priced the same. Where else can you get bacon for ninety-nine cents?"

"I am certain I know of nowhere," Diana answered with a chuckle of her own. "So, aside from the bacon, is there anything else you recommend?"

"Ohmigosh, you have to get their potatoes too—if you like potatoes, that is. Please don't eat anything you don't like just for my sake!"

Now Diana was laughing without restraint. Akko's rambles were truly endearing.

"I like potatoes, Akko, have no fear," she assured. "So long as there is not a mushroom in sight, I am fine with just about anything."

Akko slammed her hands on the table so hard then that their coffee nearly splashed onto the table. She leaned forward in her seat, her eyes coming alive again in a way Diana was starting to love almost as much as the girl's rants.

"I hate mushrooms too!"

Diana found herself giggling for the hundredth time, surely. "Well, I'm so glad we have that in common."

Akko simply beamed.

They ordered their meals soon enough, and the rest of their breakfast was spent much in the same way: cracking jokes, telling stories, and doing everything in their power to make the other smile or laugh. When the bill came, Diana almost had to physically restrain herself from offering to pay—she did at least have her wallet and phone on her. Still, she knew this was important to Akko, and so she let her do it. The smile and triumphant laugh from the girl upon seeing their receipt was reward enough.

"Hah! Just enough!" Akko exclaimed, slapping down her eleven dollars on the table. Diana tried not to think about the fact that Akko had just used all her money.

The waitress took their bill with a polite smile—nodding at Akko from familiarity, no doubt—and they were left alone once again. A slightly awkward silence filled the space between them, and Diana's fists clenched around her coffee mug. Across from her, Akko fidgeted in her seat again. Diana didn't try to guess what Akko was thinking about, but she knew she was wondering what would happen next. They hadn't discussed anything beyond this. Was Diana expected to leave? Was she supposed to go crawling back to Daryl? If not, where was she supposed to go? Even the other side of the dilemma didn't assuage her fears. What if Akko invited her to stick around? Could she stay in the brunette's care without the pervasive thought of being a burden? Akko already had herself to worry about day in and day out, Diana couldn't possibly expect to add another weight to her shoulders.

What did she do?

"D-Diana?"

The meekness in Akko's voice caused Diana's heart to clench, and she dreaded looking up. If she did, those haunting rubies would ensnare her and immediately have her at their mercy. She knew what the girl was going to offer, and her stomach rolled with detest.

Yet another part was lifting in hope, ready to jump at the opportunity to say yes.

"If you…don't have anywhere else to go, you can…" Diana could see Akko look away from her as she adjusted her beanie. "We could always hang out more, you know?"

The wording was simple, but the implication was still there, and it was heavy; bearing down on top of Diana, breathing down her neck. Saying yes should be easy and simple; it was just an innocent day with a friend. Diana wasn't quite sure what a typical "hang out" day with a friend was like, but she was keen enough on to activities of her peers to have a general idea.

But the sun would set, she knew, and then what? Akko would surely invite her back to her place. Diana knew without a doubt that Akko would open her home to Diana for as long as she needed. The girl was completely selfless when she had every reason to be anything but. As much as Diana didn't want to think of Akko any differently, she was still homeless. Her own well being should be her first priority, not someone else; not Diana. Diana could easily go back to her posh and lavish lifestyle in a blink. It may be a shot to her pride, but it was still an option. Anna would at least let her back in and hide her away until Daryl cooled down.

But that's no way to live. And that place hasn't been my home since mother died, Diana raged internally. It's a house, not a home. I don't belong there. I don't want to belong there. I…

Diana would have gasped out loud if it wouldn't have been completely random and out of place to do so. A sudden realization hit her hard.

I'm…homeless. Not in the same way Akko is, per se, but in this moment right now I am. I have nowhere to go, nowhere I belong. Except…

Finally, Diana met Akko's eyes. A curious, hesitant, wavering red bore into a thoughtful, enlightened, radiant blue.

And dragged her home.

Except with Akko.

A wide smile broke free as she replied, "What did you have in mind?"

Across from her, Akko beamed once more.

"I always had this…fantasy, I guess, of ways I would spend my days if I had someone to spend them with," she began explaining. "We may not be able to watch a movie or anything like that, but there is one thing…"

"And what's that?" Diana prodded, her smile continuing to grow the more Akko started to shy away.

"Promise you won't laugh?" Akko had nearly retreated like a turtle into her hoodie.

"I promise."

"You think we could…just go to the library? I love going there anyway and could stay there for hours. I know it's not real exciting or anything, but I've…always wondered what it would be like to just read in someone else's company."

"Why would I ever laugh at that?" Diana honestly pondered aloud. "That sounds like a lovely idea, Akko."

Akko went beet red and Diana laughed only then.

"C-Cool," she stammered. "Then, are you finished here?"

Diana gestured towards the door. "Lead the way."

Blushes ignited—or reignited, in Akko's case—on both their faces as Akko took Diana's hand and pulled her out the door.

Diana had spent many a day lost in a book, whether it be fiction or her textbooks, but she could say with confidence that it had never been as enjoyable as it currently was. Upon entering the public library, Akko had spent some time telling Diana about her favorite books before Diana recommended some of her own. Akko then showed her where she had found the guitar piece she had played for Diana—before she banged her head against the bookshelf purposefully for some reason—and confidently stated she would learn more compositions to play at a later date. Eventually, they had each chosen a book, Akko some fantasy novel and Diana a mystery, and Akko led her to the brunette's favorite place to settle down and read. It ended up being a corner in the far back of the second floor, surrounded by the reference section which Akko assured was scarcely visited, making the area her "secluded retreat." There was a plush couch and several comfy chairs by a large window which looked upon a courtyard out back. Diana could immediately tell why Akko loved this spot.

They had started off at opposite ends of the couch—which still only had them about a foot apart from the other—but somewhere along the way Akko had started leaning on Diana, still completely engrossed in her book. Diana didn't dare make any attempt to move her.

It was only several hours later once Diana had finished her own book that she listened to her legs which were screaming at her to stand and stretch. Akko had apparently dozed off at some point as Diana realized the girl had been on page 147 for the past hour. Chuckling, she gently removed the book from Akko's hands, marked the page she was on, and gently shook her shoulder.

"Akko," she whispered. At the first sign of life, she slyly added, "Do you always take naps when you come to the library?"

"Wha-?" Akko lifted her head and looked around before she smacked her forehead in a cartoonish manner. "I did it again, didn't I?"

"Well, I can't vouch for the 'again' part, but yes, you did fall asleep."

Akko groaned as Diana finally stood and stretched. "And the book was actually interesting this time!"

"I saved your spot if you wish to return to it," Diana said with a laugh, inclining her head to the book that lay on a nearby table. "Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to run to the bathroom and pick out another book on my way back, since I, unlike someone, actually finished mine."

"Ouch, Diana, that was harsh," Akko said with a mock cringe.

Diana shrugged and turned to walk away. "Don't fault me for the truth."

She would never see Akko stick her tongue out in retaliation.

Just as she said she would, Diana returned to the shelf she had taken her first book from to return it on her way back. Staring at the surrounding titles, she pondered what to read next. She wasn't sure how much longer Akko planned to stay here—not that Diana was complaining—so she didn't know how long of a book she should choose. She was a fairly fast reader, but still…

A group of schoolchildren walking past had her suddenly recalling her absence from school today and she frowned, a wave of guilt washing over her. She should work on a paper she had due soon. After all, she had the perfect opportunity to get all her research out of the way right now. She did enjoy her schoolwork most of the time, except when it had cut into her time with Akko; but now she could do it and be with Akko at the same time. It was the perfect scenario.

Grinning, she quickly left the fiction aisle and turned a corner.

She returned to Akko and immediately had to stifle a laugh behind her hand. The brunette was now upside down on the couch, her head nearly touching the floor and her feet straight up in the air, with book in hand.

"That's attractive. Although you are beginning to turn a bit red in the face, and not by my doing this time."

Akko let the book fall to floor unceremoniously before hauling herself back into a proper sitting position. She smirked.

"Jealous you weren't the cause?"

Diana rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, I'm so jealous of gravity and natural physics."

"You wound me again, Diana."

Diana would have swatted Akko with her book had it not been so dense. Instead, she simply chuckled and took her spot back on the couch. Akko looked down at the new book in her lap and wrinkled her nose.

"A textbook?"

"Just because I took today off school doesn't mean I can slack off on my studies," Diana replied with a shrug. "I have a paper due soon, and I'm actually really interested in the topic I chose."

"And what's that?"

Diana opened to the page she had dogeared earlier.

"'Florence Nightingale,'" Akko read the bold heading at the top of the page. "Who's that?"

Diana was teeming with excitement as she answered. "She was the woman who essentially started the standard practice of nursing. She treated soldiers in the Crimean War, and it was only then nursing really came to prominence." She looked to Akko. "Have you ever heard of The Lady and the Lamp?"

Akko shook her head and Diana's smile turned childlike as she began turning pages, bringing the book in between the two of them so Akko could see better.

"Akko, she's basically the reason my family got its fame," she explained. "Before her time, nursing wasn't seen as anything impressive, anything necessary. But she knew its importance. Because proper nursing techniques hadn't been established yet, so many more soldiers, or just civilians in general, were dying of things from which they could have been saved with proper treatment. The nursing school—the first nursing school—she established back in 1860 still exists today at King's College in London. I believe it was my great-great-grandmother who actually studied there during her own time."

"So, even if you don't want to go into the medical field, you're so interested in all this because it's a part of history?" Akko asked.

"It's a major part of history," Diana emphasized. "Doctors or physicians get all the credit in the field, but imagine trying to get well without all the aftercare you receive, all the sanitation precautions. She's the reasons those exist. Before then, a doctor could stitch you up or administer medication, but you were on your own after that. There was no one to watch for infection, or monitor for adverse reactions. Imagine being operated on with dirty instruments, or ones that had simply been wiped down, maybe soaked in unfiltered water at best."

Akko shuddered at the thought. "Okay, so what's up with The Lady and the Lamp?"

Diana turned some pages. "It was a nickname soldiers gave her during the Crimean War. When everyone else had retired for the night, including all the other medical professionals, she would make her silent rounds holding a small lantern, ensuring the ill were recovering alright. Her dutifulness in her field saved countless lives; on the battlefield and off."

Akko chuckled softly from beside her before Diana could feel her staring. Glancing up, she blinked, her joy submitting to uncertainty.

"What?"

Akko just laughed again. "Nothing, you just… Diana, if you don't become a teacher down the line, I'm going to call you insane."

She felt her cheeks heating up as she—perhaps stupidly—asked, "Why?"

"Did you not just hear yourself?" Akko took the textbook from her and started flipping through the pages on her own. "You took maybe ten minutes lecturing me about Florence Nightingale, and now I feel like I could write an entire essay on her myself. That, or I'm very tempted to find more material to learn even more about her." Akko fixed her with a stare, her eyes shimmering with something Diana couldn't name. "You make learning fun, Diana. Hell, you don't even make it learning like it's a task. You immerse yourself in the history and bring the past to life. I've never been the person who would willingly sit through a history lesson about someone's family history, or some woman who did some thing in some war, but you made me want to. You held my attention. It's not history to you, it's…passion."

Overcome, Diana looked away, quite aware her cheeks were now burning, her ears as well.

"I-I mean…m-maybe…"

Akko scoffed lightheartedly. "Oh, don't be so modest. If you had taught at the orphanage I would have never left the classroom."

"Do you have any passions?" Diana asked then, anything to get the spotlight off of her.

Akko rolled her eyes, and Diana could hear the unnamed dark bite to her words as she quipped, "You mean besides thievery?"

"Akko, I know you're not passionate about that," she deadpanned, watching for the exact moment the strange darkness retreated. Akko never looked any worse for wear; like she wasn't even aware of her change in attitude. "That's what you do to survive. But what about your hobbies? Your passions? Like, guitar."

Akko shrugged. "I dunno… Music's great and I enjoy it and all, but… I guess I'm not passionate enough about it to do anything with it."

"You would never want to play for an audience?"

Another shrug, and it appeared Akko was closing in on herself, the last thing Diana wanted. Quickly she tried turning the tables on Akko by asking her the same questions she had previously asked Diana.

"Well, what is a passion of yours?" she tried again, adding, "What would you want to study in school?"

"You're gonna laugh…"

Dianna did, but not for the reason Akko thought she would. "Akko, you said that earlier and I didn't; I'm not going to now under different circumstances. What you like is not for me to mock or make fun of, and I would never."

Akko squeezed her eyes shut as she reluctantly admitted, "I don't know."

"Well, it's perfectly okay to not have any fascinations," Diana said gently. "You can still enjoy things without being enthralled by it."

"Yeah…" Akko didn't sound convinced. "I've never given it much thought because I figured I'd never be able to actually follow through on anything, so what's the point? I know it's good to have dreams to aspire to, but to me it just seems silly. For me, they'll always be just that: dreams."

Diana frowned at Akko's gradual emotionless tone, and she regretted prodding into Akko's mind. She understood the girl's thought process, and although she wanted to try and lift her spirits—the rags-to-riches idea existed for a reason—Diana knew from prior experiences that she could well set the girl off, or at the very least bring back that looming shadow.

And so, afraid to press the matter forward, Diana backed away completely.

Or, she tried…

"It's getting a little late," Diana pointed out, hoping her changing the topic wasn't completely obvious. "Are you hungry again? I could repay you for breakfast and we could-."

Akko cut her off with a violent shake of her head. She still wasn't looking at Diana, although Diana could see that she was glaring at the floor.

"You've already done too much for me," Akko muttered. "I can't let you waste your money on me."

Diana scooted closer as she replied, "It's not a waste, Akko, it's something I want-."

Akko stood suddenly and Diana gulped at the fury raging in the girl's eyes. This was something completely different than before. This was a vicious beast clawing its way out of Akko, something that had likely been laying dormant but could no longer.

"Well I don't want you to!"

Diana froze immediately, shocked from the anger pouring from Akko's being.

"You're just like Chariot and Croix, always trying to coddle me! I don't need you to take care of me! I don't need anything!"

Tears were streaming down Akko's cheeks now and Diana's heart was breaking.

"I don't care if you're rich and buying me dinner wouldn't even be something you'd miss, but it's a big deal to me! You don't understand how precious money is! None of you do!"

Diana tried once more to reach out. "But Akko-!"

Akko's fists clenched, her posture went rigid, and Diana shut her mouth.

"I don't deserve anything!"

And then Akko was gone.

Only with me can there be absentminded fluff and flirting about potatoes and mushrooms and then go straight into…that just a few pages later. Um… Bye?