Chapter 10: Hidden Chapter by TextileTown
Summary: Following Akko's decision to move back to her own room Diana went to see Ursula. The massage that followed gave them both cause for guilty feelings.
Chapter Text
Diana attempted to banish the memory of her massage with Ursula to the mental wasteland where her sexuality had wandered for so long and hoped its howls for her attention would abate. Ursula greeted her as always the following day as they passed in the corridor; the fact they both turned to see the other walk away was a sign for both of them that they were better at ignoring the symptom of their affliction than the cause.
On Friday news came through that Lotte and Sucy were firmly on the road to recovery and Akko was to go to the hospital with the Headmistress on Saturday afternoon to collect them. She had informed Diana, Barbara and Hannah of it during lunch and also that she had appointed herself chief nurse to her recuperating friends. Later that day Akko had run into Diana again and, amid various random questions on nursing, mentioned her normal Sunday broom practice would happen on Saturday morning so she would be on hand Sunday for any nursing duties her friends required, Diana observed that she may see her as she would be going for a run in the morning.
Saturday morning arrived and with the fresh air for company Diana waited by the door Akko would exit from. Her hand gripped the familiar hazel wood of her broomstick and instead of shorts and t-shirt she wore the full witch uniform, expected when riding a broom at any time of day even early morning.
"Diana!" Akko exclaimed when she saw her friend had foiled her plan to be the one waiting for the other to emerge.
Diana woke from a daydream of Akko and saw the real thing in running gear. Their nervous laughs could not hide what their choice in clothes revealed about their mirroring plans to join the other on their chosen activity.
"I'll go change and get my broom" Akko said excitedly.
"Wait Akko," Diana called before fleet feet could carry her friend away, "why don't we practice flying tandem?" the suggestion delivered with enthusiasm she hoped would overrule any objection.
"I've never flown tandem before" Akko said in innocent defiance of Diana's hopes.
"Nonsense you've flown tandem with me on several occasions, I remember one notable occasion at thirty thousand feet" Diana said with the manner of a barrister closing her argument.
"Oh yeah, although that was a bit different...wait! I'll still need my uniform if I'm flying"
"No need, it's my broom so you will be my passenger and passengers are not bound by the dress code"
"Wow, you really are a genius Diana!"
"Indeed, it says so on the certificate"
"You have a certificate!?"
"No - no, just a silly attempt at a joke, shall we get started?"
Akko climbed aboard the finely crafted broom and prepared for lift-off, which was not helped by a whisper in her ear, "I'll hold the back of the broom...to begin with", the implication clear even to Akko that at some point she would be the thing being held.
"OK...three, two, one tia freyre"
The broom lurched into the air like a drunken dancer. As it rose Akko tried to adjust to the different weight distribution until she realised they were approaching the roof level of Luna Nova and would be very visible to anyone near a window. Leaning forward and narrowing her eyes she accelerated the broom forward over the thick forest beyond the school grounds. Her flying had come on very well since her first successful attempt, but she was still a little unstable and preferred to stay close to the ground.
"Akko, as you're driving you should have this" Diana said, her hat soon placed on the head of her riding partner. The vote of confidence meant an increase in altitude and speed.
For Diana being a passenger was a chance to enjoy the view and indulge in a little Akko teasing.
"You're not going to impress me like this you know" Diana said with the pompousness reserved for someone who did not meet her standards.
"Who said I was trying to impress you?" Akko responded in kind with her own mimicking haughtiness that Diana found adorable.
"Oh, no-one in particular...it's merely if you did impress me I planned to take you somewhere secret"
"Where?" Akko demanded with a look over her shoulder that sent the broom veering to the right.
Diana moved her arms around Akko's slender waist and with velvety hushed tones said, "You need to impress me first," Akko's face glowed red enough to pull a flying sleigh, "I want to see how high you can take me" wished Diana and up they sailed.
"It gets cold up so high" Akko said as they levelled out.
"This is much higher than you've flown before isn't it, you're beginning to impress me. Now take us down, over...there and we'll test your control."
The broom descended to the indicated spot of woodland. Diana gave another instruction and the broomstick dipped under the canopy and slalomed between the trees with as much speed as its pilot could manage. Akko had little experience at this taxing skill and so when they came into a clearing and dismounted, the hunched and heavily breathing form of Akko contrasted with the serenely statuesque Diana. Feeling a hand gently placed on her shoulder, Akko suddenly inflated like a balloon, standing as if nothing had been the matter.
"You did well Akko," Diana said, her voice full of earnest praise, "you've improved so much and have truly impressed me, now would you like your prize?"
Akko's felt a sudden tug as she was lead by the hand out of the clearing and through the forest. Before long they came to a steep slope and made their way down, stepping over roots and slippery moss. At the bottom Diana proudly announced, "We're here."
Akko gasped at the beauty of the secret spot. A dozen ancient weeping willows surrounded a small and perfectly clear pool. The trees' branches drooped and caressed the water as they swayed in the delicate breeze. Diana voice broke Akko out of her admiration, "This is my secret, I come here to think in peace, or to swim and stop thinking."
"Isn't it cold?" the question came unprompted from Akko's mouth and brought a sly smile to that of Diana's.
"Why don't we find out?"
The borrowed hat was carefully removed and placed on the lush grassy verge and piece by piece the pair removed each item of clothing until there were two piles of clothes and two naked figures in the warmth of the dappled light. Diana once again took Akko's hand and led her in to the water.
"It's chilly" squeaked Akko as they entered.
"Give it time" Diana advised as they continued towards the middle, the dangling branches brushing their goose-bumped skin.
When they stopped at the centre the water reached up to just above their belly buttons. A congregation of drooping branches created a little leafy alcove and inspired a fantasy in Akko that they had entered a secret realm. Diana reached down and plucked both of Akko's hands from their playful touching of the water and held them daintily in her own. Wide red eyes gazed up above at the patches of blue sky.
"It's a special place when I need to forget the world. You're the only person I've brought here," Diana said to Akko, who heard, yet kept her attention skywards and caused a flutter of irritation in the never ignored Diana, "Akko! Akko look at me."
Finally the two girls truly faced each other, Diana smiled and ran suddenly nervous fingers through Akko's hair, reaching up to remove the band on her crown to let it float beside them and allow the locks of brown hair to fall about exposed shoulders.
"That's better, you should feel free here...it's just us here...all alone."
Akko nodded as Diana continued to stroke the brunette hair around attentive ears, "Akko I brought you here to give you something, it's something very precious, something I can only give to one person."
Diana stilled her hand in Akko's hair and gently placed a single finger under her chin and raised it slowly as she moved her lips towards Akko's. With a feather light touch they kissed. Akko's eyes widened and then as Diana's lips continued to press against her own, her eyelids fell and she knew nothing of the world.
Fine fingers entangled themselves in long dark hair gripping tighter and tighter as the passion grew. The reality of kissing exceeded the imagined pleasure and Diana pulled Akko towards her, into her, to be one with her. Akko raised herself to tip toes and found Diana's arm about her to keep her steady and she rested her own around Diana's back. Their bosoms glided together the sensation giving strength to the arms that bound them.
Slowly Akko raised her hands to Diana's shoulder and with gentle pressure parted their lips to speak as Diana continued to seek them, "I liked your gift" Akko teased, only to be met with a far away gaze and a slight nod, "I've wanted to kiss you for ages, that's why I moved back to my room because it was getting so strong. It's been a really weird week and I've been getting all tangled inside, when I know Lotte and Sucy are definitely going to be okay I'd like to come back here again...and we can give each other lots of... gifts."
Diana listened and yet her mouth moved to return to the place of bliss that had forsaken it so cruelly.
Akko placed a finger across the hungry lips,"Uh-uh, you're a naughty girl Diana, you have to wait for Kissing Christmas to open your gifts from me."
When Atsuko Kagari smiles, truly smiles from her heart, her whole being is transmitted. In all their time together Diana had seen smiles for success, for joy, for all manner of things, never had the smile been so completely and utterly directed at her.
"Yes I understand, I will look forward to it very much, with all my heart. Shall we head back?"
"It's okay Diana, I was kind of hoping we could have a swim before we left, the waters not too bad now"
"Yes, that would delightful, the water is deeper at this end."
Akko splashed her way to the part of the pool where she could swim more freely and where the trees left room above for the sun to send its warmth. Diana followed and paddled with only token effort. She focused on Akko. How she would dive beneath the water and her little bum peeked out and glistened for an instant in the light. The way she burst out to reveal her taut athletic physique full of energy and youth. When she would swim on her back and reveal the dark fuzzy forest Diana would happily explore until the end of time. Jealousy for Amanda was forgotten and replaced with envy at the pool's intimacy with every part of the cavorting little nymph.
As she continued to watch, Diana's hidden machinations did not match the innocence before her. Carnal cravings had begun to infect her heart, had already pushed lust fuelled actions forward when friendship should have been her only aim. It compelled her to see Akko naked in her room, to bring her here and feel her body and for the first time to know the taste of another. She did not know how long it would take for Akko to give the gifts she promised and when she did who knew how far she would want to go. Diana could not help believing she could make things how she wanted, Akko would be easy to direct, would be so pliable. She could be an equal to her Aunt and her deft manipulation of her countless admirers, or her cousins subtle guile with their many boyfriends. If they could use their ploys with men they cared nothing for, was it so wrong to bring her closer to Akko, who she cared for so deeply.
"You okay Diana?" Akko voice made Diana taste the bitterness of her sordid schemes and see Akko standing before her as a very real young woman undeserving of anything less than all the time and space she needed.
"Yes yes, I'm fine, I was just confused about something for a moment."
Diana dismissed the disturbing thoughts with the aid of dreams of nobler deeds and finer people. They returned to the school with Diana steering the broom, Akko's arms around her waist more than enough temptation to make the return leisurely. On their arrival Akko headed off for her hospital visit with the Headmistress. Diana headed into town for her rendezvous with Ursula – certainly one of the finest people she knew.