Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They belong to Trigger.
A/N: Hello my lovelies, I'm back with chapter 2! I want to thank everyone who reviewed, faved, and followed this story. The support is absolutely wonderful and I sincerely hope that it will keep growing as we go forward. Now, that's enough from me, and I hope that you guys enjoy the chapter. :)
Chapter 2: Our First Date
When Diana arrived at the clinic it was still slow on business, just as her cousin had foretold. As soon as the young Cavendish appeared on sight with her purchases she was supremely grateful when Maril noticed her.
The receptionist wasted no time at all getting up from behind her desk, immediately heading over to open the door for her cousin. "Welcome back, Diana dear. You sure took your time." She teased her in greeting.
"Did I?" The physician answered distractedly, still recalling her interaction with the cute cashier. "...I didn't notice."
"You seem to be on a cheery mood. Did something good happen?" Maril inquired.
Diana merely stuck her tongue out, all the while singing out, "It's none of your business~!"
When the blonde passed by, Maril couldn't help but raise a brow in suspicion but she ultimately shrugged it off as she went to catch up with her cousin. The girls made their way over to the break room to find Daryl and Merril chatting away, likely waiting for Diana's return.
The elder Cavendish smiled upon seeing her niece. "Welcome back, Diana. How did it go? Did you manage to talk to her?" She asked, curiosity filling her tone.
Diana merely hummed in confirmation as she placed their food on the table. She then began to take and hand out everyone's order, humming a peppy tune all the while. Daryl nodded happily in response, graciously accepting her designated drink when Diana kindly handed it to her.
Having seen just about enough of her cousin's odd behavior, Maril couldn't help but speak up, "So, you're humming now? Forgive me for saying so, but I feel left out."
"I agree." Merril piped up on her end, eyeing her cousin with the same amount of suspicion herself. She soon set her blue-eyed gaze toward her parent and she certainly couldn't help but voice her betrayal, "You seem to know more than we do, mother. Is there something that you would like to tell us?" She asked, almost accusingly but not quite.
"If Diana would like to share, then she'll do so once she's ready." Daryl answered coolly, hardly suppressing a smile as she began drinking her chai latte.
"WHAT?!" Maril exclaimed in shock, her mother's treachery obviously hitting her full force.
"It's official, Maril..." Her twin sniffled, her voice wavering so as she reached out for a napkin. She soon brought it up to her face to wipe the apparent tears that welled up in her eyes while sobbing dramatically by saying, "We're outcasts!"
Oh Merlin, not this again... The physician thought in annoyance, rolling her eyes on how melodramatic her cousins were acting.
Once she finished handing out everyone's food and finally sat down with her own, Diana felt stared at by two main parties. And by two, in actuality it was a shared one...
Knowing that their dramatic performances obviously didn't have any effect, the Cavendish twins resorted to watching their cousin with curious stares in the hopes that Diana would let them in. Already tired of being the center of attention, Diana sent a distressed glance toward her aunt, who merely looked on in amusement. Daryl merely gave her a sympathetic smile, but showed no signs of stepping in to help, not that it would do any good anyway.
Even if the elder Cavendish told her daughters to settle down and leave Diana be, the twins will still find a way to get the information out of their cousin. Whether it being by begging or annoying the heck out the physician, and honestly, Diana herself doesn't know which one was the worst out of the two scenarios.
Sighing in defeat, Diana finally decided to let them in. "Clearly, the two of you have noticed my odd behavior over the last two weeks..."
"How could we NOT notice?!" Merril exclaimed, grinning as she began to elaborate, "You kept spacing out, locking yourself up in your office whenever your breaks came up, constantly staring down at your watch when you think nobody was looking-"
"Not to mention, the tappity-taps you like to do whenever you ask me if we're going to be busy during the day." Maril added a fact of her own, having a huge grin herself. "Merril and I are pleasantly surprised to see that you finally went to Auriga's after so long..." She purposely trailed off, obviously hinting to her cousin that she expected an answer. "Why the sudden change?"
Diana sighed heavily in annoyance, resisting the urge to roll her eyes again. "You girls are acting like I don't go to the café very often. I go like every other day."
"Which makes you a usual."
"Yes, and?"
"You abruptly stopped going to the establishment."
"And, what does that have to do with anything?!"
"It has to do with everything, DeeDee!" Maril exclaimed as she slammed her fists on the table, which earned her a glare of disapproval from her parent since she almost made Daryl spill her latte on herself. "Sorry, mother..." She murmured a quick apology before returning to the topic at hand. "Look, all we know for sure is that you've been excited, and when you do go out to the café, you literally come back barely thirty minutes later with a look of shame on your face."
"And by shame, we mostly mean embarrassment." Merril clarified.
Bloody hell... The physician groaned. Her body surely betraying her with a massive blush covering the entirety of her face. Surprisingly enough, Diana still managed to stay composed despite it all as she said, "Very astute observations, detectives. Would you like a medal?"
Maril gasped, "Oh no, she did NOT just use sarcasm on us!"
"It's official: Something or someone has possessed our dear cousin and now she won't talk to us!" Merril yelled exaggeratedly from the top of her lungs, her chair scraping against the floor due to how fast she stood up from it. She then pointed at Diana as she continued badgering her by saying, "Who or what is it?! I DEMAND that you tell us, or else!"
"Diana dear, would you please just tell them already?" The elder Cavendish pleaded with her niece. The poor woman already had an annoyed look on her face and appeared to be near the brink of developing a headache of her own. "It's better to get the teasing out of the way before they get the brilliant idea of interrogating everyone in town. You wouldn't want that, would you?"
"Ooh, that is a brilliant idea!" Maril's blue eyes sparkled with interest from hearing the suggestion.
"Here, here! What would we ever do without you, mother?" The other twin praised their parent in glee.
Merlin, make it stop! Diana mentally prayed for every God deity in existence. She loves her family, she truly does, but at times like these... they can be a bit too much. "Aunt Daryl, are you mad?! Are you really suggesting of invading whatever remaining social life I have left?! I could never show my face around town again at this rate!"
"Pipe down! I merely meant it as a joke, a pretty terrible one obviously, but I do apologize." Daryl turned her head to looked at her daughters. "As for you two, please lightened up on your cousin. It's not her fault for having an interest in someone-"
"AUNT DARYL!" Diana's face was beyond shocked, she was completely mortified in fact. To think that the woman would let such an important detail slip out of her own mouth. "I told you that in confidence!"
The matriarch seems to have realized her own mistake as well, sighing heavily as she leaned forward in her seat to bury her face in her hands. "Me and my big bloody mouth...!" She muffled in reprimand.
And then, the bomb went off...
"D-Diana..."
"...Is ACTUALLY interested in someone?!"
Both Diana and Daryl proceeded to plug their ears from the inevitable squeals the Cavendish twins produced from the top of their lungs. Quite an impressive volume too, opera singers and horror actresses would be put to shame if they were to hear it.
"Our DeeDee's in love, our DeeDee's in love~!"
Another wave of excited squeals and chants rang out as the twins danced around the break room in joy, only for that happy dance to come to an end with an ambush in the form of a bone-crushing hug from either side of the young Cavendish.
"We're so happy for you, Diana!"
"You aren't going to leave any details out of your first meeting with them, right? You better not!"
Diana groaned as she tried to wiggle out of their grasp, but to no avail she couldn't escape from their clutches. "Thanks, I love you both too..." She wheezed in response.
This was going to be a long week...
The rest of the week went by at a slow, but relaxing pace for Diana, who was both nervous and yet very excited for the upcoming weekend. It will not only be her first genuine day off in a while, but it will also be her very first date with someone she was interested in. However, while the prospect of her first date sounded wonderful, there was a slight problem...
I have yet to call her back... The young Cavendish thought distressed, whimpering to herself as she fell back on her bed for the umpteenth time this evening.
It's not that Diana had forgotten to call the brunette. Heavens no! The physician would mentally kick herself for the rest of her life for doing such a thing to someone that didn't deserve such treatment. But the blonde just couldn't seem to muster up the courage to call the girl to even notify her of her day off this weekend.
Sunday was the last time she had seen the cute barista and it was now Friday evening. By this point, one would think that Diana would at least call her on either Tuesday or Wednesday to notify the brunette about her schedule. Alas, that wasn't the case...
Instead, the doctor just worked through most of the week, delaying the inevitable conversation as much as possible while trying to get as much work done to secure her free weekend. And, before she knew it, it was Friday evening. She was at home. In her bedroom. Still mulling over a simple problem.
Diana kept on staring at her cell phone, which was already set up to call the red-eyed girl within a touch of a button, but... "I don't want to be all tongue-tied when I try to talk to her, I don't want to act like a bloody idiot again." She spoke to herself, letting out a soft sigh as she did so.
Adding the brunette's number into her contacts was easy enough, but actually speaking to her was a high hurdle to jump through for some reason. And frankly, it was not only beyond ridiculous but also out of character for her! How hard was it to just talk to another person?! She's Diana bloody Cavendish!
Get a grip, Diana! You're not in high school anymore, you're thirty years old for Merlin's sake! The blonde chastised herself, swiftly sitting up in her bed while taking a deep breath to settle her nerves. Just press the call button and talk to her. Easy. Yet, despite her little pep talk, Diana's thumb froze, hovering over the phone screen as her hand started to shake. Before long she merely tossed the device away on the other side of the bed in frustration. I can't do it, I just can't do it! Bloody hell, this behavior is SO unlike me!
"I'm so pathetic..." Diana groaned, her words being muffled due to covering her face with her hands. She then fell back on her mattress, laying her arms out beside her as she let out a frustrated sigh.
The physician didn't know how long she laid there, but it must've been quite a while if she had somehow managed to close her eyes and fall to a peaceful slumber. Her kip was soon disturbed when she heard her cell phone ringing. Quickly scrambling to get a hold of her device, Diana felt her head spin from moving too fast, closing her eyes yet again while she stood still for a moment or two before she felt fine again.
"Hello?" The young Cavendish answered the call, still sounding half-asleep.
Diana absolutely HATES it when people interrupt her sleep! She was enough of a workaholic as it is, and because of her occupation, simply sleeping was considered to be a luxury nowadays. Whoever it was on the other line had better have some kind of emergen-
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Diana." The voice on the other line sounded apologetic, keeping their voice down while trying to be considerate. "Where you sleeping?"
Diana's eyes snapped open, widening in surprise as her body went rigid upon recognizing the voice. Unfortunately, due to her shock, the girl completely forgot to use her inside voice as she exclaimed, "A-Akko! How on earth did you get this number?!"
Too late in realizing on what she had done, the doctor belatedly covered up her mouth, her guilt increasing almost ten fold once she heard whining come from the other line.
Smooth Cavendish, smooth... I might as well have busted her eardrum. Ugh! What is wrong with me today?! Diana chastised herself, deep down hoping that the brunette could find it in her heart to forgive her blunder.
Luckily for her, the girl had yet to hang up. "It's good to hear from you too..." She let out a weak laugh, but she seemed to have recovered enough as she began to answer Diana's question, "And, that's the funny thing... At first, I was going to be patient and wait for you to call me but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday had passed by before I know it and I thought, 'Either she lost interest, or maybe she's busy.' And so, I decided to wait 'till Friday, but I have yet to hear from you so... I asked Lotte if she knew where you worked, and she told me that your family actually owns a clinic in town. So as soon as my shift finished for the day, I called, and the receptionist was kind enough to give me your number." She finished with her explanation.
Maril, of course! Diana thought spitefully, feeling one of her brows twitch in irritation as her grip on her phone tightened just a bit due to her anger. I've got to remind myself to have a strict word with her later...
"...Uh, Diana? You there?"
Shaking her foul mood away, the blonde felt a small smile overtake her face as she continued with her conversation with Akko. "Y-yes, I'm here!" She reassured. Her voice went softer as she began to apologize, "...And, I'm sorry for making you wait so long. The truth is... I just wanted to ensure that I'm free on the weekend, which I am, but then... I just couldn't bring myself to call you."
"You know, for claiming that you're not shy, you definitely seem like it." The brunette teased. Diana could already imagine that sweet smile on the girl's face, her red eyes shining bright with mirth. "Not that it's a bad thing, of course."
The doctor couldn't help but roll her eyes, not that Akko could see it. She soon laid back down on her bed, laying on her side as she grabbed her pillow and hugged it close to her chest. Diana just couldn't explain it, but right now she felt relaxed, more than she had been in a long time. Sure, she was still a bit nervous, but at the same time she felt content. It felt nice.
While tightening her hold on the pillow with her free arm, the young Cavendish asked, "Are you sure that you don't prefer someone with more confidence?"
"Hmm... That would be nice. Though, honestly, that will just be a bonus for me."
"Is that a no?"
"Not necessarily. If someone acts confident in themselves, then that's great, and if they don't, that's also fine. Not everyone can be confident in everything, you know."
"So," A heavy blush took over Diana's face as she buried her head against the pillow, almost as if she was trying to hide before she pulled away for a moment to say, "You actually wouldn't mind going out with a shy bambi?"
A giggle could be heard from the other line. "I don't mind at all." She responded.
"And, does this mean that you'll forgive me for not calling you sooner?"
"So long as we have our promised date sometime soon. Then, yes, I forgive you."
Diana's grip on her pillow slacked a bit, feeling absolute relieve from hearing those words. She soon felt a goofy smile making its way on her face, and within mere seconds it was near impossible to stop it from happening. "Good. Will you be free tomorrow?"
"Yep!" And just from hearing that tone alone, the physician knew that Akko must be grinning herself. "Just tell me where we can meet up tomorrow and I'll meet you there!"
And as quickly as her smile came, it completely disappeared the next moment once she realized her next dilemma.
Here comes the humiliating part... Diana sighed. "Well, about that, I have a bit of a confession to make..." She then took a deep breath, only to release it soon afterward as she blurted out, "Akko, I-I've never went to a p-proper d-date before!"
There was complete silence on the other line, and after a couple of seconds the blonde was already starting to fear the worst. Luckily though, Akko spoke up again, "R-really? You haven't? Not even once during high school or college?" She questioned her.
The brunette certainly sounded surprised. Maybe this could be considered as a good sign?
"No, I haven't had the time back then, with school and all. Not to mention, I wasn't really interested in going out with anyone either." Diana let out a pathetic laugh, only to grow quiet for a moment. She instantly felt her face heat up in embarrassment, her heart hammering inside her chest as she admitted, "Y-you're... You're actually the first person I've ever taken a fancy to."
"Wow. I really don't know what to say Diana, except... Thank you. I feel honored, actually." Akko replied, and by the sound of it, the red-eyed girl truly sounded grateful for hearing such a reveal.
The doctor's body relaxed significantly from hearing that response, her heart slowing down to a calming rate than it was before. She may have spaced out for a couple of minutes after that because it took her a moment to register that Akko was trying to get her attention. "Diana? Hello? Are you there, sleepy-head?"
"Y-yes, I'm here!" Diana reassured. "Sorry about that Akko, I didn't mean to get distracted." She apologized.
The brunette chuckled. "It's alright, Diana. So, about tomorrow, I know a couple of places we can go downtown. Do you wanna meet at Bea Memorial Park? Let's say, six o'clock?" She suggested.
"That sounds lovely." The young Cavendish felt a smile on her lips, and she couldn't help but tease her by saying, "And, if I didn't know any better, it seems like you have a plan for tomorrow evening?"
"Can you blame me? I feel like I'm on a important mission, the goal of which is to make sure that you have a great time tomorrow!"
"Akko... I appreciate the effort, I really do, but you really don't have to try so hard to impress me."
"I know, but I personally feel like first dates should be special. It... It actually means a lot to know that you really wanted to go out with me."
"I feel the same way."
For the first time during their talk, Diana's heart fluttered at hearing such a revelation. She honestly felt happy, more that she had been for a long time, and to think that one person could make her feel that way from a single conversation. It was almost unthinkable, and yet special all the same.
"Well, it's getting late. I'll let you get some sleep now, and I'm sorry for disturbing you earlier..." Akko apologized.
"It's quite alright. I needed to talk to you anyway, so I'm glad you called." The blonde assured her. "Though, I kind of wish I mustered up the courage to call you in the first place..." She admitted, almost in shame.
There was some shuffling on the other line, along with a clearing of the throat as Akko spoke up again, "Well, I don't mean to sound brash but... IF I am graced with the opportunity of having another date with you in the near future, then you can be the one to initiate our next date. That doesn't sound like a bad deal to me~!" She finished saying in a sing-song voice.
Of course not, you're the one suggesting it. Diana mused while playfully rolling her eyes at hearing the girl's confidence. Honestly, if it had been anyone else, the young Cavendish certainly wouldn't have tolerated such behavior, but even she had to concede that the brunette's self-confidence was very charming.
"We'll have to see on how tomorrow goes. I can't make any promises yet, I hope you understand." Diana replied earnestly.
"Yeah, I understand. I was mostly joking, for the most part." Akko couldn't help but laugh on her end. Her composure soon returned as she was about to end the call. "So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yes, I'll be looking forward to our date."
"Me too. I hope that you have a good night, Diana. Sleep well."
"Thank you. I wish you the very same, Akko."
And with that, their conversation came to an end once the girl hung up, and Diana couldn't help but stare down at her cell phone, still not believing the fact that she just had a conversation with her newfound crush. Just thinking about it brought a goofy smile on her face as she let out a contented sigh, letting herself fall back on her bed again while staring up at the ceiling.
The following day, there was hustling and bustling in the Cavendish manor. Most specifically, in Diana's room.
Diana was nervously looking around for an outfit to wear on her first date. As she looked through her wardrobe, Anna was quite entertained while looking on at the rather humorous scenario happening in front of her.
The head maid couldn't help but feel a batch of emotions swirling around in her head, her heart as well.
It has been such a long time since she's seen the young Cavendish looking rather excited for something she was interested in, and to think that this sudden interest happened to be her very first date. It was truly something to behold...
It's just too bad that Master Elliot and Lady Bernadette aren't here to witness this... Anna thought to herself, a sad smile gracing her features.
"Anna, what do you think of this one?"
Snapping to attention, the maid looked at her mistress, who was holding a possible outfit in her hands, bringing it close to her frame so that the older woman could give an honest opinion.
The outfit Diana was holding is a simple blue blouse and a black skirt. A formal casual some would say, and yet...
"Are you planning to go to a job interview?"
"No, I'm not."
"Then, there's my answer."
To say the least, Diana let out a frustrated sigh. "Very well. I'll look for something else..." She said in defeat.
Once the blonde strode over to her wardrobe to find a more suitable candidate, the maid couldn't help but speak her mind about the matter. "Milady, if I may be so bold, don't you think Miss Kagari would appreciate you being present for your outing rather than your outfit of choice?"
Diana's hand halted when she went to reach for a new set of clothes, appearing to be in deep thought as she contemplated her servant's words. "Well, I can't just act like I don't care either, Anna. I want to at least try to impress her a little bit."
"And that is fine, however, I feel that you might be complicating things."
Diana turned around to stare at her maid. "How so?" She asked.
"For starters, your exaggerated choices in clothing." Anna mentioned as she pointed to the rather large pile of clothes that are on the Diana's bed. It's a surprisingly neat tower, but truth be told, overseeing the slight mess was irritating the older woman.
Old habits die hard I guess. The young Cavendish mused to herself in amusement, already knowing that her old caretaker was getting annoyed by the so-called, "disaster zone".
"While this may be your first date, just relax and be yourself. The real you is what matters most for this girl. After all, she is trying to get to know you better."
Now that was sound advice, and one that Diana could agree on wholeheartedly, but admittedly, the skeptical part of her is wary about the whole thing. She really does hate it when she thinks this way...
Her overly cautious nature is part of the main reason why she hardly ever goes out to have fun. And when she surprisingly did, it was mostly because of Hannah's and Barbara's efforts to make her try new things.
But... I won't let it win this time! Diana thought to herself in determination. She then smiled at her maid as she said, "You're absolutely right. Thank you, Anna."
Anna soon returned that smile with one of her own, which was a rare sight to see for the young Cavendish. "I'm always happy to help. Now, if you don't mind, I think I may have spotted suitable clothes for your outing."
"Very well then. Impress me."
"Is that a challenge, milady?"
"If you wish it to be, though I merely wanted to see what you have in mind."
"Then, I'll be sure not to disappoint you."
The following day Diana was an absolute hot mess. She had woken up refreshed and felt absolutely excited for her soon-to-be date later in the afternoon, but... that was until her shift ended at the clinic.
Naturally, her aunt and cousins insisted that she had an early shift today so that she can relax and prepare herself in time for her outing. However, what the blonde wasn't counting on was the huge control and betrayal her body had on her.
She was completely fine during the morning and all throughout her shift at work, but as soon as she got back to her flat to get ready... her body just felt overwhelmed, emotionally speaking.
The blonde's body was shaking due to nervousness, and her tremors did not lessen very much once she arrived downtown. She and Akko had agreed to meet up near Bea Memorial Park, and once Diana arrived, a few minutes earlier as planned, the poor girl just couldn't seem to calm down. Her heart is going a mile per minute, and quite frankly, it was driving her insane.
Calm down, Cavendish. This isn't something to be fretting about. The physician told herself. Just think of this outing as a simple hangout. Yes, that's it! I'm getting to know someone new. Someone who's kind, wonderful, and very cute- Catching herself a bit too late on her train of thought, Diana fiercely shook her head in attempt to get rid of these abrupt humiliating thoughts. Great. Now I'm jumping the gun on this date, and it hasn't even started yet! Maybe I'm not ready for this after all...
The blonde doctor let out an exasperated sigh while subconsciously tightening her grip on the leather strap of her purse. "Oh Merlin, this is going to be difficult..."
"What's going to be difficult?"
At the sound of the unexpected voice she heard from behind, Diana had instinctively jumped in fright and started to lash out at the stranger. Normally, the young Cavendish wouldn't result to such barbaric action, especially since she doesn't get scared easily, but unfortunately she couldn't help herself...
Luckily for her though, this particular stranger had impressive reflexes as they simply moved their head to side whilst catching Diana's wrist with a surprising delicate hand.
"Whelp, that's one way to greet somebody." Akko commented with a chuckle, gently letting go of Diana's hand once the doctor recognized her. "If I hadn't reacted in time, I would've gotten a massive slap to the face, on the very first date too!" She added jokingly.
Needless to say, Diana was absolutely mortified for what she almost did. Her face was a deep shade of red in embarrassment. The poor girl proceeded to bow while spouting apologies, "A-Akko, I-I'm so sorry! I didn't even realize that it was you!"
What she certainly didn't expect was how casually the brunette was taking it all. The red-eyed woman showed a sweet smile. "It's alright, Diana. I was just teasing you. It's mostly my fault since I kind of snuck up on you. Overall, let's just call it an accident for both our parts."
The physician gave a rather hesitant nod. "Very well, if you're sure..."
"Definitely sure."
"You're surprisingly relaxed about all this."
"How could I not be? I'm about to go out with a beautiful woman." Akko stated truthfully, without pause.
The girl's remark certainly worked wonders for Diana, considering that the blonde's face soon became flushed. More than she already was, if that was humanly possible.
Diana knew it too, and so she proceeded to avert her gaze away from the red-eyed tomboy. Bloody hell...! If I receive one more compliment like that, I honestly don't think that I'm going to survive the evening. She mused while trying to calm herself.
"I really like your outfit, Diana. It's... How do you folks say it? Smashing?" The brunette finished saying, uncertainly tilting her head while bringing a hand up to her chin in thought.
Diana's outfit consisted of a blue sweater, black pants along with a pair of flats. She still wore her glasses and had her hair loose, letting her fluffy blonde mane cascade down her shoulders in waves.
Whereas Akko was wearing a white button-up shirt, black pants, and a brown belt that matched her shoes. She had her sleeves rolled up to her elbows and purposely left the top two buttons of her shirt undone. Otherwise, she had her hair up in a ponytail like she usually does.
That's it, I'm done. The poor physician has officially been pushed off a cliff, emotionally speaking of course. It'd be an absolute miracle if she'll be able to operate for the rest of the evening. What was most shocking is the fact that Diana actually managed to find her voice, "Y-yes, y-you're absolutely correct!" She responded with a nervous laugh. "...Y-you're quite fetching yourself, Akko!"
Akko merely looked on in amusement when she noticed the look of absolute horror on the blonde's face once she finally processed her own words. Not that the physician said anything wrong, but it wouldn't surprise Akko in the least if Diana was having one of those, "Is that really all you could come up with, you dimwit!? I could've said something better!" kind of moment.
The red-eyed tomboy could definitely sympathize with the young Cavendish on this very occasion. However, that still didn't stop her from having that sweet smile plastered on her face as she thought, Damn, she's really adorable.
However, as cute as it was, the brunette decided to move things along for the blonde's sake. "If you don't mind, do you want to walk with me? I could go for a stroll around the park right now."
"O-of course! I don't mind."
"Great, let's go!"
And so, the two of them started their walk through the park. They simply roamed around and took in the sights from the flower beds, the people, and the green scenery surrounding them. All the while enjoying each others company.
Surprisingly enough, this little hike did wonders for Diana. While their stroll was a comfortable and peaceful one, it certainly wasn't awkward for neither of them. It was almost as if...
Could she tell that I was nervous? The blonde wondered, looking to the side to steal a glance at the brunette, who continued walking beside her while showing no indication of being watched. Then again, I was probably being too obvious again...
"Have you calmed down?"
Hearing Akko suddenly talk to her caused Diana to jump a bit, however, she did manage to catch what was asked. "Y-yes, somewhat." She responded with a shaky laugh.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." The red-eyed girl apologized.
"No, no, it's quite alright! I've actually been overthinking things, truth be told." Diana admitted. "I've told you as much last night."
"Ah, the first date gitters. I get ya."
"You do?"
"Oh yeah," Akko nodded, a chuckle escaping from her lips as she continued on by saying, "I've had all the 'symptoms'. The insistent shaking, feelin' weak at the knees, butterflies in the stomach, ticklish flutters in the chest, exaggerating everything, wondering what the heck to wear and where to go on the first date, and DON'T get me started on being ridiculously tongue-tied...!"
The young Cavendish couldn't help but giggle. "My, that does sound serious. And, if I'm not mistaken, it sounds like there's a story there..."
"And, that's where my lips will remain sealed. You will not receive that kind of embarrassing information from me, madam!" The tomboy remarked with a playful huff, crossing her arms to further take the performance home.
"Now, I REALLY want to know." Diana commented, coming to stop.
Akko stopped beside the blonde to look at her. "Then maybe, just may~be I'll be able to tell you someday. That is, if I'm lucky enough to go on another date with you."
The physician raised her brows in amusement as she said, "My, aren't you positive? What on earth makes you think that there will be another date?"
All Akko did in response was give a mere shrug of her shoulders, a hint of a smile showing up on her face. "A girl can dream, can she?"
Diana returned that smile with one of her own. "Yes, she certainly can."
"Great, I'm looking forward to it! Now, for dinner, care to indulge me on a little experiment?" The girl's red eyes seem to shine ever brighter as she asked this.
"Hmm, that depends. What does it involve?" The physician threw a question of her own while resuming her walk once again.
It didn't take long for Akko to catch up and fall into stride with her. "Food, obviously." She snickered.
Diana playfully rolled her eyes at hearing the remark, shaking her head all the while. "Besides that, silly."
"Alright, alright... It's mostly an observation on my part. All you have to do is accompany me to a couple of restaurant locations, think of it as a culinary food tour." The brunette explained.
"So, we're going to be critics?"
"In a matter of speaking, we'll still get to know each other and enjoy the food as we go."
I may be no expert, but this is definitely out of the ordinary for a typical first date... The young Cavendish mused to herself.
Admittedly, she was curious. Not to mention, what was the harm in playing along?
Diana was way out of her comfort zone anyway, not that it's the brunette's fault of course. Surely, there will be nothing to catch her by surprise by fearing the worst at this point.
"Very well. Where shall we go first?" Diana asked her.
"Well, I heard that there's a really good French bistro nearby that has the best cassoulet." Akko commented interestingly.
"Ca...ssou...let?" The blonde had never heard of it, and so she went with a guess. "Is that supposed to be a casserole of some kind?"
The red-eyed tomboy nodded in confirmation. "That's absolutely right. Though, the most accurate version would be a bean stew. Depending on the establishment, the meat of choice for such a dish can vary, but most of the time it's between pork sausage, goose, duck, and sometimes mutton. Pork skin and white haricot beans are also part of the soup." She elaborated.
Merlin, I'm practically slobbering just thinking about it... Why, of all days, did I decide that it would be a "good idea" to skip lunch today? Diana mentally berated herself.
She knew why, of course. Unfortunately, when she's nervous or worried about something, she's the type of person that would be reluctant to eat because her mind would constantly overthink things that have yet to happen.
Today for example, is one of those very days. The young Cavendish was so anxious about her first date that she couldn't bring herself to eat anything...
Akko giggled. "I can tell! You look like you're even fantasizing about it." She teased.
"As you said earlier, can you blame me? That really does sound delicious right about now!" Diana responded in kind with a small laugh of her own. At least I can thank the heavens that my stomach hasn't betrayed me ye-
And~, that's when it happened...
A fierce growl emanated from the blonde's stomach. It almost didn't even sound human, not that it was in the first place, and whatever semblance of confidence Diana seemed to have disappeared on that very moment. She subconsciously brought a hand up to her stomach, mostly feeling surprised more than anything.
"Whelp, that's definitely a hungry walrus if I ever heard one!" The tomboy cackled, tossing her head back as she continued to laugh.
Bloody hell...! Things just can't ever go my way, can they?! The physician thought exasperatedly while avoiding Akko's gaze, unable to contain the obvious blush that conquered the entirety of her face.
However, despite the obvious humiliation she felt, Diana managed to compose enough dignity, or what was left of it anyway to say, "Atsuko Kagari, if you want this date to continue... Then, I HIGHLY suggest that you change the topic for something else!"
Diana had mostly said it as a joke, but that small threat seemed to have worked wonders because Akko had immediately seized laughing, her red eyes wide in fear of that possibility coming true.
"So then," The tomboy spoke slowly, likely thinking of something on the spot. "...Bistro?" She mentioned a bit uncertainly, possibly still debating if Diana's statement was a bluff or not.
Luckily for her, Diana liked that answer. "That sounds lovely."
Hearing that made Akko exhale in relief, her shoulders slumping for a bit before she straightened her posture again. She couldn't help but feel happier when Diana approached her and hooked her arm with hers, dragging her off toward the direction of the restaurant.
When they arrived at the bistro, Diana was surprised at how quaint the restaurant looked from the inside. It was warm and inviting, and most definitely full with many patrons. The moment the girls passed through the doors, it didn't take long for the hostess to greet and find them a table.
Once they made themselves comfortable and got acquainted with their waiter as they ordered their drinks, the two women fell into a pleasant silence while they looked over their respective menus.
After a couple of minutes though, Akko spoke, "So, I have to ask, were you really serious earlier?"
Diana looked up from her menu to stare at her date, humming for a bit in thought. "About what?" She asked.
The brunette blinked in surprise, debating whether or not the blonde was sincere. "About your slight threat earlier, duh! Were you serious about it?"
"Of course not, silly."
"Then, why scare the crap out of me?"
"Because I don't really appreciate being laughed at." Diana responded earnestly, narrowing her eyes at the tomboy with a minor glare. "And, did you really had to be so vulgar phrasing your question?"
"My bad..." Akko apologized while letting out a nervous chuckle, absentmindedly scratching the back of her neck to try to reduce her slight embarrassment. "I honestly didn't mean to laugh, but that was totally unexpected!"
The physician groaned, sliding down a bit in her seat as she purposely brought up the menu to obscure her face in a vain attempt to disappear. Normally, Diana wouldn't have done something so unlady-like in public, but her humiliation seems to have no bounds this evening.
"C-can we please just talk about something else?" The young Cavendish pleaded, trying to fight the obvious blush rushing to her face. "...Actually, it be best if you erase that moment from your memory."
"Why would I? I have witnessed something that was not only cute, but also hilarious." The red-eyed tomboy retorted bluntly, seemingly having recovered from her own blunder as she reached over the table to gently pluck Diana's menu from her grasp.
"Why do you torment me?"
"Hey now, you're making it sound like I'm enjoying this!"
"You are, aren't you? You can't even seem to follow a simple request!"
"Because it's a difficult one! And unfortunately for you, I have a pretty good memory, so I won't be forgetting such a scene for a good while."
"Lucky me..."
"Ahem." Both girls perked up at the sound of someone clearing their throat, and as they turned their heads to the side they saw their waiter.
The young man before them was quite patient as he looked on in amusement, all the while having a warm smile on his face as he asked, "I'm very sorry to interrupt, but have you ladies decided on what you'll be having this evening?"
Embarrassed, both girls looked at each other and laughed. At least that was until Diana got flustered and proceeded to avoid Akko's gaze once again.
"Sorry about that..." The brunette merely chuckled as she turned to look at their waiter and said, "We're ready to order."
A/N2: That's it for chapter 2 folks! I hope that you guys enjoyed every bit of it, I know I did. Anyways, I wanted to play with some aspects for this particular AU the obvious details being...
-Daryl and her daughters being nice and supporting instead of cold, rude, and mean to Diana
-Diana being a rather shy individual instead of calm, cool, and collected. I mean, she still is, in a way, but we won't see it as often
-And finally, if the cover art wasn't that obvious, Akko is actually tall in this AU. Well, she's two-three inches taller than Diana for this story. Not only that, but she's also very confident and charming. I honestly wanted to change the personality roles a bit between Akko and Diana
And, that's pretty much what I'll share for now. I hope that you guys appreciate these little changes as much as I do to make things refreshing/interesting. Please let me know what you guys think so far in your reviews! Faves and follows are welcome too! Chapter 3 is finished, but it needs to go through some editing. Until next time! X3
