Yahallo!

Our poor Akko was forced to face the truth of her relationship with Diana last time. Poor cute!

Ugh sorry! Another steamy scene or two in this chapter! I can't resist these girls.

Oh, and I just discovered AO3. Any "deleted scenes" in the future of this story that end up getting too steamy for the T rating will find their way over there if you're interested.

As always, thanks for reading and reviewing!

Our Magic!
Episode 03: How Akko Got Her Yay Back
Part II

"Please. Please don't tell Diana," Akko was begging them.

"Akko, this can't go on forever," Hannah reasoned.

Barbara rubbed her back, trying to soothe her.

"Just until our trip is over, that's all I ask. Please let me be happy. Just for this trip."

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Hannah and Barbara walked on either side of Akko on their way back, each holding a different hand. Their tears had dried, but Akko still seemed pretty unsteady and was grateful for their support. When they made it back, they saw no one else had come back yet. Lotte looked up curiously from her book, Jasminka had managed to accumulate quite a platter of meats and veggies and was busy grilling more, and Amanda sat cross-legged looking at them expectantly.

Barbara detached herself from Akko and—throwing her a reassuring look to combat Akko's expression of despair—made her way to Amanda. Hannah squeezed Akko's hand as she let go to put her hand around Akko's waist. "Come on, let's go see Lotte."

Akko nodded, trying her hardest to pretend everything was normal. "Akko? What's wrong?" Lotte asked sympathetically.

Akko shook her head, and together her and Hannah sat down. Hannah and Lotte set about cheering up their friend.

Amanda pressed Barbara for information, "Did you tell her?"

Barbara thought carefully before answering, "Yes, Hannah and I came out to her and told her we are dating."

"And?"

"And she's very happy for us." Barbara forestalled her from responding, "We think she needs some time before confronting things with her and Diana."

"That's stupid," Amanda said, distressed.

Barbara sighed, "Please don't push them, Amanda. At least not until we're back home at Luna Nova. We don't need the drama."

Amanda sighed and turned away, "It's killing me."

Barbara gave her a quick hug, "You're a better person than I am."

"Ha," Amanda scoffed. "I'm a thief and a rebel."

"You're a good friend," Barbara assured her.

Amanda regarded Akko and said, "I'm not so sure."

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"Yatta! Isn't this the greatest?" Akko enthusiastically asked Lotte as they walked along the beach.

"Sure Akko. Are you sure you don't want to talk?"

"Nope! I just want to walk."

"No you're not sure, or no you don't want to talk?"

"Nope! Hey, what's that over there!" Akko took off at a sprint, managing to trip over thin air and recover by spinning around in a quick flip. She continued on her way without acknowledging the fall or the recovery.

Lotte ran up to her as she was filling out some paperwork. A group of people were all around a long table with four workers. "What's going on, Akko?"

"Lotte! I'm signing us up right now, you'll participate with me, won't you?"

"Huh?"

"Say yes!" Akko asked with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Lotte carefully looked her in the eyes, sensing the hurt that lingered there. "Yes."

"Yatta!"

"What did I say yes to?"

"Beach volleyball!" Akko exclaimed. "They're having a tournament tonight! I can't believe they had a worker and forms in English. Isn't this an Italian island or something?"

"I think it's French," Lotte said helpfully.

"Ah, well, I can only speak Japanese and English and you can only speak Finnish and English, so I'm glad they have an English speaker."

"I also speak Swedish, Akko."

"WHAT?!" Akko looked at her friend in surprise, "Was there a Swedish worker there?"

"Well, no."

"Then I'm still glad they had an English one!"

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Akko skipped back to their friends, enthusiastic about her chances of winning the volleyball tournament. "Are you sure you wanted me as your partner, Akko? Wouldn't Diana or even Amanda be a better choice?"

"Lotte! How could you say that? You're the best choice," Akko said sincerely, then ruined it by continuing, "After all, you were the only one with me when I went to sign up!"

Lotte dropped her head in defeat and morosely followed the skipping Akko as they finally returned; just in time for Jasminka's completed feast. Everyone else had also come back, and Akko sat down on the sand next to Sucy, pulling Lotte down next to her. Diana stopped midstride as she had been making her way over to Akko, and confusedly looked around for a seat. Constanze waved at her and Diana returned it with a nod, sitting down between Constanze and Barbara.

Barbara leaned over and nudged Diana, "I think she had a rough day and just wanted to be with her teammates. Don't take it personally."

"Very well," Diana said with a perplexed look on her face. Wouldn't she want to be with me more than anyone after a rough day?

Amanda, Jasminka, and Chariot served everyone skewers, grabbed some for themselves, and sat down. Constanze looked at Sucy expectantly. Sucy did not wait long before starting in on Chariot. "So how's Professor Croix doing?"

Chariot choked and started coughing. "Croix? What makes you ask that?"

"Oh nothing, just Constanze and I saw you with her earlier on the beach . . . never knew you were so well versed in anatomy. I thought astronomy was your subject." Akko had her head on a swivel, looking back and forth between her idol and her teammate.

Chariot's cheeks colored, but thankfully she was wise enough not to take any more bites of food. Diana, however, was not so lucky, and it was her turn to start choking. Constanze patted her on the back and gestured for her to not take any more bites for a few minutes.

"I'm not sure what you thought you saw, Sucy . . . "

At the snap of Sucy's fingers, Constanze had her Stanbot begin projecting video and audio.

Chariot and Croix lay on the beach, the sunset behind them.

Swanky music began to play as Chariot leaned in close to Croix.

Chariot kissed her.

Then kissed her again.

"I've missed you so much, Croix"

The close up of Chariot's desperately longing face was mirrored by Croix's look of intense desire.

"I'm lost without you."

The Stanbot stopped projecting. Sucy hid her dismay at the editing Constanze had already done. She even added music and a fake sunset?! And all those camera angles?

Akko stood up violently, shaking with emotion, her skewer falling to the ground, even out of reach of the watchful Jasminka. Jasminka frowned in despair at the lost food. "YOU'RE GAY?!"

The accusation startled everyone. Hannah and Barbara gulped down their food, knowing the turmoil Akko was going through; Lotte still had stars in her eyes from the yuri movie, no doubt imagining characters from Nightfall instead of their teachers; Jasminka stopped chewing for a moment to consider the situation, then went back to her food before it got cold; Constanze looked to Sucy in wonder, is this supposed to happen?; Sucy nodded in reassurance, It's within the realm of expectation.

Amanda spit out her food, "You can tell from that, that she's gay?!" But you don't know you're gay?!

Akko did the only thing she could think of. She ran away.

Diana got up and ran after her.

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"Akko! Akko!" Diana's longer legs struggled to keep up with the furiously booking witch.

"Just let me go!"

"No!" Diana shouted as she finally got within reach and reached out to grab onto her. Akko struggled and the two went down to the soft sand. Thankfully, the part of the beach they had fled to was mostly uninhabited, and the few beachgoers still there were involved enough in their own goings on that they had a moment of privacy.

Akko continued to struggle as she laid face-down in the sand and Diana merely wormed her way into a koala-hug on her back. Akko gave a few more token signs of resistance before finally slumping into the sand.

"Why did you come after me?"

"Akko. What we just watched with Professor Chariot was confusing to me, and it obviously upset you a great deal. Of course I came after you."

"Confusing?" Akko said, her voice muffled as she refused to lift her head up.

"Seeing Shiny Chariot like that . . ." Akko could feel the heat radiating from Diana as the blonde witch recalled the scene.

Akko lifted her head, "Yeah, if I hadn't been so surprised that would have been something else."

Diana grinned into Akko's back, "I cannot believe Croix and Chariot are friends like we are."

The smile came out in Diana's voice and struck like an arrow through Akko's heart, she slumped down into the ground. "Ihanfbewebeou."

"What was that?"

Akko squirmed around until her back lay on the sand and looked up into Diana's smiling eyes. Diana let her arms loose and Akko brushed Diana's hair out of her face. Diana frowned, "Why do you look so sad Akko?"

"I'm so happy to see you smile."

Diana smiled even brighter at her words. Suddenly, she dipped low and kissed Akko's cheek, before kissing the corner of Akko's mouth, then her nose, then her other cheek, then finally directly on the lips.

Akko lay there. "Why aren't you kissing me back?"

"I dunno."

Diana frowned, "Do you not want me to kiss you?"

"I always want you to kiss me."

Diana smiled again and Akko couldn't see for the brilliance of it. Diana kissed along her jawline and moved down to her neck. Akko moaned in spite of her feelings, and Diana began nursing on the tender flesh above her collarbone.

Akko moaned again and gripped Diana into a tight hug, one hand on her back and the other laced through the blonde's silky tresses. "Diana!" she groaned out. Diana lightly bit Akko and continued sucking, "Diana, Diana, oh Diana."

Diana looked up through her eyelashes and paused kissing her long enough to say a word at a time, "Yes. I. Am. Diana."

"Oh kami-sama!" Diana nipped her again and shook her head.

"No, that's not my name." She looked up and slowly dragged her half-naked body up Akko's to kiss her on the lips.

Akko gave in to the kiss and pulled on Diana's head, trying to crush her lips against hers. Akko's tongue slipped through Diana's parted lips and licked at her teeth. Diana groaned and returned the kiss wholeheartedly.

"A~ko," Diana broke the kiss. "I'm burning up. I don't know what to do!"

Akko groaned and rolled her hips, pushing the blonde witch down into the sand before resuming kissing her. "You're so beautiful."

Diana groaned as Akko pushed herself up to look down on at her. Diana's eyes dropped southwards for just a moment before she gasped and turned beet red. Her hands shot up to cover her eyes and Diana shouted, "Your top!"

Alarmed, Akko shot off Diana, grabbing at her breasts to keep from exposing herself to the entire beach. Diana began pawing at the ground with one hand, covering her eyes with the other, and peeking out the entire time. Finally, she grabbed onto Akko's bikini top and thrust it at Akko's chest, her hand brushing lightly against Akko's sternum before retreating to cover her eyes.

Akko grasped desperately at the lifeline and stopped suddenly. "Diana?"

"Yes! Are you decent?" She peeked out and saw Akko holding her breasts to keep them from being seen. Despite the situation, Diana screeched, "Why are you still naked?!"

"I can't put it on without letting go!" She furiously whispered back, "Shh! Help me!"

"What? Help you?"

"It's no big deal if you see me naked! It's just like a public bath!"

"They don't have public baths in England!"

"You know what I mean!" Akko couldn't stop herself from adding, "We're friends so nudity shouldn't matter, right?"

Diana stopped arguing to think about the claim, "I think it might matter whether we are friends or not!"

"Do you want me to flash everyone here or do you want me to walk back naked or do you want to help me?"

"I will help you, Akko."

"THANK YOU," Akko said slightly loudly, before furtively looking around to look and see if anyone was paying attention to them.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Tie it in the back!" Akko pressed her bikini tightly against her chest with the straps hanging down at her sides.

Diana dove to comply, her fingers fumbling at the straps and dropping them several times. "I am sorry, Akko," she said after dropping the right strap for the fourth time.

"Are you doing this on purpose?!" Akko asked, horrified.

"No! I cannot seem to concentrate!"

"You're Diana flipping Cavendish!" Akko shrilled at her.

"There!" Diana said in accomplishment.

"Oh my god, I thought I was going to die." Akko shrugged her shoulders and grabbed the top straps and laid it behind her, "Can you tie me up here, too?"

"Of course, Akko," Diana replied cheerfully, now that the crisis had been handled. She hurriedly tied the strap behind Akko's neck and reached around her front to tug on the bikini, making sure it covered Akko completely.

She then gave Akko's breasts a quick squeeze to check everything was in properly—Akko seized up, squeaking out an "Eep!"

Diana recoiled, falling backwards completely to land on her butt, "I am so sorry! I was just putting it on like I do mine own!"

Akko froze, her hands hovering inches over her chest as she slowly turned her head and shoulders to look at Diana, horrified at the course of events. "Waaaa! Now I can't get married!"

Diana finally couldn't handle any more stimulation and fainted. "Ah! I broke Diana!"

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Akko could barely look at Diana, and Diana was in about the same boat. All nine student witches lay on the mattresses and futons strewn about the large room. In the planning of the trip, Akko had insisted that they all sleep in the same room, "So it's like a school trip!"

She was so enthusiastic about it that everyone had gone along. Now, Akko was regretting having to be sleeping in the same room as her crush that had just . . . squeezed her.

My first time and she didn't even think about what she was doing! I know they're not as big as Chariot-sensei's, but they shouldn't just be ignored!

Everyone else remained mostly blissfully unaware of exactly what had gone down after Diana had run after Akko, but that didn't stop the young witches from gossiping about their professor while she slept next door in a private room.

"But seriously, Chariot and Croix? Talk about star-crossed lovers, am I right?" Amanda broached the subject.

Lotte and Barbara sighed dreamily in sync with each other, "It's so romantic!" Lotte began.

Barbara seconded it, "It's like in Volume 324 of Nightfall when Arthur finally reunites with Edgar after the Vampire-Werewolf War! Their embrace on page 402 had me blushing and grinning like mad for a week! You know that's when I started shipping them like crazy. Edgar was so happy that Arthur had survived, but they still had work to do and they allowed themselves only a moment to hug it out!"

"Oh! I was thinking it was more like Volume 279 when Bella manages to return to the future and meets her former best friend, only to realize she was in love with her when she sees she's married, then goes back in time farther than ever before to meet the ancient matriarch of her best friend's family and falls in love with her!"

Barbara began enthusing back, but everyone else tuned out the two. "Anyway," Hannah started, slightly embarrassed about her girlfriend's fandom, "Chariot and Croix are a thing."

Constanze continued to look back and forth between Barbara and Lotte before Amanda finally took pity on her and pulled the smol witch into her lap. Constanze looked surprised for just a moment before she made herself comfortable and turned her attention to the others. Sucy stared at the duo blankly, not revealing any emotions.

"Do you think," Jasminka paused to eat a crisp, "They dated even when they attended Luna Nova? Or did they wait until they were adults?"

"Oh definitely when they were students, right Akko?" Hannah asked.

"I mean, now I think that."

"Excuse me just a moment. So everyone thinks they were a . . . couple?" Diana asked tentatively.

Hannah rushed in as Amanda opened her mouth to answer, "Professor Chariot came clean after you two left. Professor Croix and her are ex-girlfriends and she still has feelings for Croix."

"Wow," Diana said in wonder, "I have always heard Shiny Chariot was popular with the LGBT community, but I assumed it was said as an insult because they did not approve of her."

"Why would that be an insult?" Hannah asked hurriedly, again cutting off Amanda from speaking. Amanda continued cuddling Constanze as a stress reliever.

Diana opened her mouth to answer; then closed it as she thought. Akko chimed in helpfully, "People suck."

Diana nodded in agreement, "I would not have phrased it in such a way, but I agree with the sentiment, A~ko. People have a tendency of thinking that the way a person is should be considered an insult. Why, some would even hold it against a witch for not being born to a family of witches."

Hannah held up her hands in surrender, "I guess people do suck," she grinned at Akko, "but sometimes they get better."

"Heh heh, are you referring to yourself or Akko?" Sucy asked.

"Myself, of course!" Hannah responded immediately.

"So Shiny Chariot is a lesbian," Diana mused.

"Diana," Akko began.

"Yes, A~ko?"

"What. How. Um. What do you think—about lesbians?"

Everyone went silent at the question, including Barbara and Lotte. All eyes turned to Diana. "I suppose I have never really thought about it," Diana answered.

"You should think about it." Amanda finally managed to get a comment in despite Hannah's watchful gaze.

Diana inclined her head towards Amanda, "I am not someone that thinks people should be a specific way. Everyone has their own interests and desires, and if it makes them happy, so long as it does not infringe upon the safety of another, then I do not see a problem with it. Knowing Shiny Chariot is a lesbian or that you are one, Amanda, does not change my opinion of her or you in the slightest."

Amanda's grip on Constanze went slack, and Constanze went about lifting her arms and placing them back around her. Akko laughed, slightly pained as she pretended it was news that Amanda was a lesbian, "Wow, first Ha—hearing about Chariot-sensei, now Amanda."

Barbara gently scolded Diana, "I believe we all knew about Amanda, but that is still not something you should do, Diana."

"What is?"

"You shouldn't out someone that you do not know is out," Akko volunteered.

"But Amanda is definitely out, right?"

"Hmm. She never told me," Jasminka said, "But I had my suspicions."

"You sure you're fine cuddling like that, Constanze?" Sucy asked.

Constanze nodded and Amanda finally began to snap out of it, "Oh please, there's nothing wrong with cuddling between friends! Even I agree that's fine!" Constanze froze and Sucy caught the beginnings of a frown, but Constanze dismissed it with a shake of her head and turned around and hugged Amanda. "See! Constanze thinks so too."

"So who do you think is the top?" Lotte asked in the silence that stretched out during the two girls' hug.

"Lotte!" Akko laughed out, incredulous. "What kind of question is that?"

"I think that's more of a BL thing," Barbara volunteered.

"Definitely Croix though," Sucy voted.

"What? No, that's Chariot-sensei. Have you seen her fight? She's totally the top."

Jasminka agreed, "Chariot is impossibly strong."

"That means a lot, coming from you," Amanda said, "But Croix has my vote, I mean, she looks like a dominatrix half the time."

Constanze shook her head, and had a Stanbot project an image of Chariot looking down into Croix's eyes.

"I believe Chariot is the type to be meek and humble in her daily life," Diana said.

"Exactly," Hannah thought she was agreeing, "Croix would totally take control."

Diana continued, "But when it is something she cares about, she is fiercer than even Akko."

Barbara chuckled, "It's not like you have to have a top and a bottom when it's two girls though, I'm sure they go back and forth."

Hannah began blushing and the girls around her started laughing at her discomfiture . . . SLAM! The door to their room careened open, smashing against the wall. "GO TO SLEEP!"

The glasses-less red-haired bishoujo towered over the nine teenagers. They stared up at her in astonishment. "NOW."

Immediately, every girl in the room dove for their sheets and pillows, pulling them up and over their heads. "Honestly," Chariot murmured, flicking the light switch off and gently shutting the door.

Croix consoled her, "Go easy on them, it's not every day you find out your teachers are hooking up."

"Don't you start, we have hardly hooked u—mmph," Chariot trailed off into a squeal as Croix kissed her soundly.

Back in their room, the nine girls lay staring at each other with their eyes wide open. "That was Croix! Did that just happen? That just happened."

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Hmm. This chapter was mostly gay things. I think I'll wrap up the episode in the next chapter. Next time: VOLLEYBALL AND LOVE! . . . or at least, volleyball and drama!

Also, I know a growing number of people are incredulous about Diana being so innocent in the way of love, but (1) there's nothing in the canon to suggest she has ANY experience in the way of friends and lovers and (2) she's going to figure it out pretty darn quick. The way I see her actions, she wants to do those things to Akko and her trusted friends told her that means Akko is her best friend. It just so happens that this results in her definition of "best friend" being conflated with the definition of "girlfriend".