Holiday!

By EmmaUnnie

Chapter 2: Confessions

^-^ Enjoy~

The weather was perfect, and a pinkish-orange sunset adorned the sky as the girls searched for a decent place to eat that was under the budget. Lotte, Sucy, and Amanda found a magic café, excitedly walking inside. Jasminka and Constanze ate at a seafood restaurant. At each stop, Akko would shake her head dramatically and continued to walk on.

"Akko, where are we going exactly?" Diana asked. Akko stopped and looked at her quizzically.

"We're going to find that restaurant named after Chariot, remember?"

"Well, we never actually agreed on that…"

Akko gave Diana puppy eyes. "But is it ok?"

Diana sighed, replying, "…Yes, I suppose. In any case, I hope the food is good." Akko beamed gratefully.

"All right. Let's go~" The brown haired girl grabbed Diana's hand and marched off.

After three seemingly long, oh-so-unbearable minutes of searching, Diana began to feel slightly impatient. "Are you sure it actually exist?"

"Why, yes I am! I cannot give up now! I think we're getting closer!" Akko said with overdramatic gusto, and Diana had to hold back a chuckle.

"Hopefully. I am extremely famished."

Akko whipped around the corner of a shop, still dragging the poor blonde with her, holding her hand. Her eyes widened as bright clusters of stars appeared in them "D-Diana! We FOUND IT!"

Diana casually looked up. "Hmm. The Du Nord. It looks quite expensive, Akko."

"Nah, I'm sure it's fine. Come on!" Akko squeezed Diana's hand tighter, causing the esteemed witch to blush.

The Du Nord was overflowing with Shiny Chariot…well…everything. From posters to cards on disaply in the window; it had it all. Akko and Diana were at home.

A kind waiter led them to a table with two chairs, and a sweet-smelling candle between them. The table was snugly located in a romantic-looking room. In fact, all the tables in the room were for two, each filled with heart-eyed couples. The waiter bowed politely and gave them fancy menus. "Please enjoy," he said, and left quietly.

Akko and Diana glanced about the room, and a realization hit them. They both looked down, seeing that their hands were still intertwined. The hold was immediately released.

"I…I think he thought we were…" Diana looked surprisingly embarrased.

"Yeah, probably." Akko smiled nervously, and suddenly the napkins looked very intriguing.

The candlelight illuminated and intensified their flustered faces. They both opened up their tall menus, hiding the shy smile behind them.

Service was fortunatley fast, and there once-starving-to-death stomachs were soon full. The brown haired witch had ordered the Shiny Fish and Chips, while Diana ordered the Seven Meatballs of Arcturus. "Silly, but brilliant names for food." Diana said. They both laughed.

Diana leaned back in her chair, sighing contentedly. "I'm..glad things at Luna Nova are back to a somewhat normal. Without you, there probably wouldn't be a Luna Nova anymore."

Akko widened her eyes, and shook her head. "No, you mean without us. Without the New Nine Witches. Without you and me." Diana sat up, ad the two made eye contact.

"You're correct," the mint-blonde said thoughtfully. "But if it wasn't for your spirit and perserverance, I wonder…I wonder if none of us would be here today."

Akko tried to force back the growing blush on her face. "Really?"

"Really."

Diana reached across the table, and Akko automatically lifted hers to hold it. Their eyes remained in contac, neither daring to break it. I never quite realized how loving and caring she is before. But now I see that it's beautiful, Akko pondered.

"Akko…" Diana began, unusually anxious.

"Diana?"

"I…" Diana closed her azure eyes, and forced them open again. They almost looked watery; hooded over with stress and fixed on the table. She slowly lowered her hand. "…Can pay the bill." She called the waiter over.

An invisible, inpenetrable wall formed between them.

Akko's happy mood faded into nothingness. Diana paid the $30 bill and her and the latter left the restaurant in a tense silence.

"Diana?" Akko chimed as they headed home. The stars were peeking out.

After a minute or so, Diana finally replied, "Hmm"? Her eyes looked like they were far away in another land, not leaving the grass in front of her.

Akko sounded almost exhausted. "What…what's wrong?" She walked to closer to the witch, a look fo genuine concern on her face.

Diana pursed her lips and blushed. "N-nothing. I'm fine, Aksuko." Akko was beginning to dislike when she called her by that name.

"Diana. I know you. I can tell there's something wrong..if you're not ready to tell me, that's fine. But…what is it? I mean, you don't have to tell me ri-"

"Aksuko! Just leave it. I'm fine."

Having enough, Akko side-stepped in front of her and she gasped. Their noses almost touched. Akko noticed how close their lips were, and quickly stepped a bit farther back. "Diana, please…you can tell me anything, I promise." Diana had nowhere else to look but into Akko's determined, cherry-chocolate eyes.

"I…don't want…I can't talk about this right now." Diana managed to step away from Akko, walking briskly towards the cottage, opened the door, leaving a bewildered and hurt Akko behind her.

While the little mouse contemplated why her friend was acting so strange, Diana went straight to her room, not bothering to say "hi" to her confused friends.

"Wonder what's wrong with her.." Amanda saudm lounging on the couch.

Lotte implied, "Has anyone seen Akko?"

Sucy turned towards the window. "I see her pacing outside."

Everyone migrated to the window to watch the show.

"Did I do something wrong?" Akko said to herself. She kicked a pebble off the grass, accidentally falling down. She simply sighed.

Back inside, Sucy suggests, "Maybe we should help her."

"No, wait! It's just getting good." Amanda grins, taking a handful of Jasminka's popcorn. Contanze walks out of her room to see what's going on, but walks right back inside, rolling her eyes.

Meanwhile, Akko is feeling defeated. She whines and stares upward at the stars. "I guess the only way to know what's wrong with her is to..well, talk to her. No matter what she's upset about, she needs me right now." Suddenly she hops back up from the ground, brushes off a few blades of grass, and begins to walk toward the door. The witches crowded around the window jumped over each other, going back to whatever they were doing before; like nothing ever happened. Akko wearily drags herself in and shuts the door. She goes toward her room but stops, hesistant. Quietly, she presses her ear to the door. Nothing. Just complete silence. The nervous girl takes a deep breath, and pushes her hand against the cool wood.

"Um..Diana?" she asks timidly. Searching the room, her eyes finally rest upon the beautiful witch, who's lying in bed, clearly pretending to be asleep. Akko took a few steps forward, and sat next to her. Diana's hair elegantly flowed over her shoulders and down her back. Akko thought about pushing it behind her ear, but shook her head.

Meanwhile Diana's heartbeat was rapid; she closed her eyes tightly, a half of her wanting Akko to stay and the other half not. Although facing towards the wall, she could still feel how close the latter was near her.

"Diana…I know that something is up. I know you don't want to tell me what it is but…how are you supposed to feel better if you don't tell me what's wrong, so I can help you?"

The Cavendish stayed motionless, and Akko began to think the girl had really fallen asleep. Just to be sure, she bodly placed a hand on her shoulder, causing the other to flinch. "Listen…Diana, I'm sorry for…well…whatever it is I did. I mean…did I do something wrong earlier?"

Still nothing.

Akko's eyes started to fill up with tears. "Diana, please just say something! I'm sor-"

"Akko you have nothing to be sorry about!" At last, Diana sat upwards and gently wiped away the forming tears from Akko's wide eyes; of who was happy the darkness concealed her blush.

Akko stuttered, "T-then…t-then why—" Diana held her face.

"Akko, it's ok."

The brown haired girl began to breathe a bit slower. The other witch closed her eyes, as if frustrated with something.

"I'm the one who should be sorry, not you. My…behaviour tonight was unintentional. And t-the reason behind all of this..is…"

Akko's eyes turned a brighter shade of red.

"Is…um…I don't think I should say this.." Diana turned her head away, dropping her hands from Akko's warm face.

"It's all good, I mean cool-I mean- it's ok. You can tell me. I promise, I won't judge you for whatever it is."

Akko noticed that the moonlight illuminated the comforted smile on Diana's face, making her skin glow supernaturally. She placed Diana's hands in her own sweaty ones, finding that they were shaking.

"I will but…I can't look at you when I say this." Diana wrapped her arms around Akko's small waist. Akko's heart beat increased, and she could also feel that Diana's was just as wildly. She returned the embrace and buried her face into her silky-smooth hair.

They stayed like that for while, enjoying the feel and warmth of each other's bodies. As soon as Diana opened her mouth, Akko made a guess of what she was about to say, and her breath hitched when she was right.

"…I have feelings for you."

All time seemed to have stopped. She almost couldn't believe it. But it wasn't a joke, this wasn't a dream. It's real. If it was a dream, she wouldn't dare pinch herself.

Because she knows she feels the same.

Akko quickly recovered from the confession, releasing the hug, immediately holding eye contact with her.

"Akko…I'm sor—"

"I like you too. I like you, Diana."

Diana's eyes widened and the look of shame was wiped away from them. She smiled, relief washing over her.

Akko chimed in, "H-honestly, I never imagined that you'd like me. Of all people, why me?"

"Because, well, you're so special. You're everything I've aspired to be. You are amazing, Akko. How could I not?" she smiled. "I've tried to deny my feelings for you…every time we get close..I'd told myself to stop, because I don't want to ruin the friendship we have. But I can't. I…really like you, and I just cannot help it. This is probably a lot to take in."

"…Yeah, kind of. I mean, is there anything else, perhaps?" Akko smirked.

Diana rolled her eyes in fake disgust. "Well, I suppose so….you're also, uhm…very adorable…" Diana blushed rose red, trying to refrain from covering her face with her hands.

Akko laughed, wiping a non-existent tear from her eyes.

Diana watched her, smiling nonetheless. The two sat in a comfortable silence for a little while, hands intertwined and sweet smiles on their faces.

Akko dared to move her eyes lower, resting on her lips. Diana took notice of this, and did the same. Her heart seemed to beat impossibly faster as she found herself slowly leaning towards her eye's destination. They both unconciously moved closer, and closer, until their lips were mere centimeteres apart…only a brief moment of hesistancy could ruin this-

"Hey, Akko? Diana? We're watching a movie out here. Want to join us?" Lotte called.

The two jumped back, flustered. Diana's eyes fluttered for a moment, before replying, "S-Sure Lotte! We'll be out soon."

"Okay~" Lotte said. Not until they heard the last of Lotte's footsteps walking away did they sigh in relief. Slowly, soft smiles came to their faces, as did a small, short giggle.

Akko walked towards the door, deciding on talking to Diana about their relationship later. She would take that step when she knew she was ready. The girl had never been with anyone, so she was very nervous about the subject.

She stopped before her hand reached the doorknob, and briskly turned around, gently kissing Diana's cheek.~