Chapter 25
Blessings
"Where is it where is it where is it where is it?!"
"Akko-"
"It has to be here somewhere! Okay, where was I..."
"Akko!"
Akko had been running circles around the apartment for the last thirty minutes in a frantic search. Diana sat on the couch in her dress clothes and rubbed her forehead when her calls fell on deaf ears. She sighed when the brunette circled the couch once more and stopped in front of her.
"Stand up Diana! I need to lift the couch!"
The blonde stood just in time for Akko to squat down and impressively lift the furniture. However this is when she figured out the error in her plan as she could not lift it high enough to see underneath.
"D-Diana! Is it under there?" She growled through her teeth as she expended all of her effort in not letting the couch crash down to the floor.
Diana rolled her eyes and bent at the waist until she could clearly see the empty floor, devoid of the missing necklace of her frantic girlfriend. The necklace that Diana had given to her for her nineteenth birthday.
"I'm afraid not."
Akko whined loudly and set the furniture down as gently as she could before stomping her foot in frustration while she bit her lip and took another long look around the large open living area.
"Akko, you're going to be late for your own graduation if we don't get going soon." Diana stated in slight annoyance as she moved toward the brunette. "We can find it afterward, darling."
"No! No, I need it!" Akko began her search once more, starting with pulling off every couch cushion and tossing them to the side.
"Why? Why do you need it so badly?" The blonde threw her hands up and stared at her girlfriend in exasperation.
"Diana! That necklace has been around my neck for three years! I..." The brunette trailed off and slumped her shoulders in defeat and sighed before sitting down on the cushionless sofa. She buried her face in her hands before continuing. "When I have that necklace around my neck, it's like you're always there with me. It's comforting. When I get anxious or nervous I can reach up and touch it...and things don't seem so bad. I just...need it today."
Diana stood frozen after hearing the admission. She honestly had no idea the necklace meant so much to Akko. Sure, it was important in the beginning of their relationship, but she had figured the brunette wore it out of habit more than anything else now. The fact that it was a source of comfort and security for her girlfriend filled the blonde's heart with a warmth that only her Akko could be responsible for. Even now, three years after they had agreed to give their hearts to each other, Diana finds herself falling more in love with the brunette every single day.
"I know it's dumb. I just...can't help it."
"What?" Diana's gaze snapped up to find her girlfriend's crestfallen expression. She realized that Akko had probably mistaken her silence as irritation or something of the like. "Oh, no Akko. It's not dumb." The blonde closed the distance between them quickly and stopped just inches away from Akko before smiling warmly. "It's very sweet. Very you." Diana reached up and cupped the brunette's cheek as she stared lovingly into her girlfriend's crimson eyes. "And I am deeply in love with you."
Akko flashed a toothy grin before she slowly rose onto her toes and kissed the blonde softly.
"We have ten minutes. Let's find that necklace." Diana whispered and then jumped at the squeal that made it's way past the brunette's lips.
"Okay! You take the bedroom, I'll take the kitchen!" Akko turned and all but ran to the kitchen without waiting for a reply.
Diana chuckled as she made her way into their bedroom and began scouring the carpet for anything shiny or sparkly. After looking thoroughly around the bed she stood up straight and placed her hands on her hips while furrowing her eyebrows, trying to mentally retrace her hyperactive girlfriend's steps this morning. It wasn't easy.
"The closet?" She whispered to herself and pursed her lips as she quickly walked to the absurdly large walk in closet. After pacing the length a couple times and examining the shelves for good measure, she decided that the piece of jewelry was not going to be found in there. But a different piece of jewelry came to mind as it always did when she stood in that closet. A piece of jewelry that was hidden away, specifically hidden from a certain brunette's eyes.
Diana looked back toward the entrance to make sure she was still alone before bending down and moving her clothes out of the way to reveal a small safe in the corner. She quickly put in the correct code and the door clicked to indicate it was ready to open. The blonde opened it slowly and her eyes landed on what she was looking for immediately. She didn't know how many times she'd done this in the past two weeks, but it was more than she'd like to admit. She reached out and retrieved the small velvet box housing a ring that she would eventually offer to the girl she was hoping to spend the rest of her life with. As her fingers brushed over the soft material, her nerves spiked as they always did before shaking hands opened the box. The ring sat, still untouched, in the box and the diamonds sparkled in the bright light from the ceiling as she twisted the box from side to side in order to inspect it. The princess cut diamond wasn't overly large as Akko's taste in jewelry was very simple, if she wore any at all besides the missing necklace. Smaller diamonds were set in the white gold band on either side of the larger stone and circled completely around to meet each other at the bottom. After all was said and done, she was not going to tell Akko how much she actually spent on the piece of jewelry if she wanted the brunette to actually wear it and not lock it up in fear of losing something worth more than twice as much as the baby grand piano she so affectionately calls 'baby'. She could have spent more, she was going to spend more, but when she saw this particular ring it just felt right. She knew it was the one no matter the cost. It was the perfect ring for her perfectly imperfect Akko.
As she stared at the sparkling diamonds, her heart began to pound loudly and her breathing became shallow and shaky. She didn't understand this reaction she had every time she held the ring in her hand. Diana was almost certain that Akko would say yes once the time came, so why was she so nervous? Was it that there was the smallest possibility that the brunette didn't want this? They had never really had a conversation about it, but when it was brought up by other people teasingly, mostly by Amanda and Akemi, Akko didn't seem to be opposed to the idea.
"Why is this so hard." Diana whispered to herself as she snapped the box closed and tapped it on her forehead while letting out a long frustrated sigh.
Suddenly a happy shout came from the kitchen and then hurried footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway. The blonde fumbled with the small box as she quickly opened the safe and gently set the box down before slamming it shut. Just as she slid the clothes back over to cover the safe once more, Akko appeared in the doorway holding up her newly found necklace and a proud smile on her face. Her expression faltered, though, when she noticed the awkward stance her girlfriend was in. Diana was standing rigidly with her hands behind her back and an oddly neutral expression on her face. The brunette lowered her hand and tilted her head before narrowing her eyes slightly at the blonde.
"Whatcha doin?" She asked in a playful tone.
"What do you mean? I was looking for your necklace. I see you've managed to find it." Diana cursed at herself internally for turning to her default demeanor. Calm and uninterested. Akko knew her well enough by now that whenever the blonde reverted back to this particular demeanor, there was something going on. But Diana couldn't help it sometimes. It happens whether she wants it to or not.
"Mmhmm." Akko replied, obviously suspicious.
They stood there in a battle of wills for a long moment before Diana's eyes went wide and she looked her watch to see that they should have left for the concert hall ten minutes ago.
"Akko! We need to go. Get your things!" The blonde all but sprinted out of the closet, grabbing Akko on the way out and dragged her into the living room where the brunette's things lay in a pile on the floor. "You have your cap and gown, correct?"
"Of course I..." Akko paused mid eye roll for a moment before unzipping her bag and checking the contents. After she confirmed that she did in fact have her cap and gown, she zipped the bag back up and continued. "Of course I have my cap and gown! Do you really think I'd show up at graduation without them?" The brunette shrunk a bit under the unimpressed stare sent in her direction. "Okay, fair." She mumbled under her breath, making Diana chuckle softly.
"Let's go, Akko. Your mother won't let me here the end of it if you're late."
"Where are they?" Akemi paced back and forth in front of the concert hall as graduating students and guests passed by her in swarms and disappeared through the front doors. "Haruto, do you think something happened? What if they got into an accident?"
"I'm sure they are fine, dear. You know how our daughter is." Haruto took his wife's hand, effectively stopping her frantic pacing.
"Of course I know how our daughter is." Akemi sighed in defeat before suddenly perking up as she spotted a stranger waiting by the doors and checking her watch in annoyance, a somewhat familiar look of annoyance. "Haruto," She whispered loudly. "that woman looks like she could be related to Diana. Let's go introduce ourselves."
"But-" Haruto's words were cut off as he was being tugged toward the woman in question.
"Hello!" Akemi came to halt in front of the woman, who stared at them in shock for a moment before raising her eyebrow. "Are you by chance related to Diana? You two look shockingly similar."
"...Yes. She's my niece."
"Oh. You're the aunt we've been hearing about." Akemi flashed her best smile before leaning closer to her husband. "Haruto, it's the angry aunt." She whispered the last part, but it wasn't as quiet as she thought.
"Excuse me?"
"I am Akemi, and this is my husband Haruto. We're Akko's parents." The brunette woman held her hand out for the blonde woman to take, but the only thing she received was an irritated glare.
"Daryl Cavendish." The woman stated flatly, ignoring the hand that had been thrust into her personal space.
Akemi laughed nervously as she pulled her hand away and took a step back to Haruto's side. The three of them stood in awkward silence for a few long minutes before Akemi spotted her daughter running toward them from the corner of her eye. She turned and smiled as Akko waved at them excitedly as she grew closer.
"Okaasan! Otousan!" The brunette threw her arms around her parents and pulled them in tightly for a hug.
Diana walked toward the group but stopped abruptly when she spotted her aunt watching her. Her eyebrows rose, silently questioning the woman as to why she was there.
"Aunt Daryl! You came to see me graduate!" Akko opened her arms as if she were going to hug Daryl, but halted immediately at look on the older woman's face. "Heh. So you came!" The brunette said in a squeaky voice as she rubbed the back of her neck.
"For the last time, Ms. Kagari, I am not your aunt. How many times must I ask you not to call me that?" Daryl's annoyance was obvious, but it seemed to only amuse the brunette.
"How many times must I ask you not to call me Ms. Kagari hmm?" Akko replied with a smirk, eliciting a frustrated sigh from the blonde woman.
"If I agree to call you Akko, will you agree to never call me Aunt Daryl again?"
"Nope." The brunette replied quickly before giggling at the shock on Daryl's face.
"You insufferable girl." The woman spat out and turned to Diana, who was shaking with silent laughter as she watched the exchange. "Honestly Diana, how do you tolerate this girl's insolence every day?"
"Oh come on aunty! You're the one who came to watch me graduate. You like me, admit it." Akko grinned cheekily as Daryl began to blush slightly.
"I don't give a damn about your graduation you selfish girl. I am here representing Cavendish Medical for the unveiling of the design for the Bernadette Cavendish Cancer Institute being built here on campus."
"But that's not for two hours." Akko smirked once again.
Diana stopped laughing at the look of rage on her aunt's face and was now in fear of Akko being slapped upside the head. Luckily for the brunette, a voice coming from the front doors yelled to any straggling graduating students to hurry inside as they were lining up to begin the ceremony.
"Oh crap. Okay guys! I'll see you afterward!" Akko hugged her parents before quickly kissing Diana.
"I'm so proud of you, Akko." The blonde whispered before leaning in for one last peck on her girlfriend's lips.
Akko beamed before she turned to Daryl and patted her on the shoulder awkwardly when she couldn't think of anything better to do before she ran to the doors and rushed in to find her place. Diana watched her go with a lopsided smile before she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Akemi and Haruto waved her along, urging her to follow them inside as they moved toward the doors. The blonde nodded and laughed slightly when she noticed her aunt frowning at the couple.
"Will you join us?" Diana asked Daryl as she moved to follow Akko's parents inside.
"I suppose I have nothing better to do at the moment." The older blonde replied, seemingly uninterested.
Diana chuckled softly as they made their way into the hall and walked side by side slowly down the corridor.
"How are you feeling, Daryl? Not overworking yourself I hope." The younger blonde broke the silence as she glanced to the side.
"Diana, while I do appreciate your concern, it is quite impossible to overwork myself when you'll only allow me to work once a month." Daryl stated with a roll of her eyes before her expression softened slightly. "I am feeling as well as I can be, I suppose. Given the circumstances."
"Your condition..." The younger blonde trailed off and looked at the ground as she walked.
"It's getting worse. Slowly, of course." Daryl stood a little straighter as to not give away her suddenly somber mood. "The outcome of the most recent experimental medication was not as we had hoped. Although it does slow the spread quite significantly."
Diana nodded her head slowly as she took in the information. Another experimental drug had failed. The only medication that had seemed to work as expected only worked for a short amount of time before the patient's body would adapt and drug wasn't any better than a placebo. She would not give up however. As long as Daryl was willing to fight, Diana was willing to help in any way she was able. Right now, that help entailed funding research on the cancer that had taken her mother after from her and building a whole institute dedicated to cancer research in her mother's name.
"I see." The younger blonde chewed on her lip before taking a deep breath to compose herself once more. Right now, it wasn't about about herself or her aunt, it was about Akko. "You really came to watch Akko graduate, didn't you."
"As I said before, dear niece, I simply had nothing better to do."
Diana's lips threatened to upturn into a smile at her aunt's facade. She could see right through it but thought it better to let the subject drop. Daryl would most likely have to deal with Akko later, it was best to give her a rest before having to endure the storm once again.
The ceremony was as boring as Diana had remembered it being. Except for one significant difference. Beach balls. Someone was filling beach balls and throwing them around during the various speeches. And with every ball that was confiscated, another would be flying through the air within minutes. They seemed to originate from all directions making it nearly impossible for the administrators to find the source of the disruption, or more likely, multiple sources. The blonde's eyes had found every one of her friends in the mass of students and had seen the first ball being thrown into the air by none other than Amanda O'Neill. Diana chuckled at the teachers and employees of the university chasing the beach balls from one side of the auditorium to the other while the person currently holding the microphone struggled to keep their composure. That went on for quite a while, but after the last ball was caught and popped, the rest of the ceremony went along without any further interruption.
After the ceremony ended, Diana and Akko's parents made their way outside to wait for the brunette. When the blonde turned around and noticed her aunt wasn't with them, she furrowed her brows and began to search the crowd and realized why her aunt had left so abruptly. Amanda's family had seen them and were quickly closing the distance. The O'Neill's were friendly enough, but they were a bit much to handle. Think if Amanda had a bunch of clones with much more loose tongues. It would be hard to imagine if Diana wasn't already acquainted with them. Thankfully they all but ignored the blonde and chose to ambush Akko's unsuspecting parents instead.
Soon enough though, she was wrapped up from behind by her excited girlfriend. Diana immediately turned around in Akko's arms and hugged her back tightly. Suddenly the blonde's feet left the ground and a squeak escaped her lips as the brunette twirled her around through the air.
"Can you believe it Diana?! I'm an adult! I have a degree!" Akko shouted happily, making Diana laugh loudly.
"A-akko! Please put me down!"
"Oh God." The brunette dropped the blonde rather unceremoniously and her expression turned from glee to one of utter fear in the blink of an eye. "I'm an adult. I'm done with school. What am I going to do? Diana what am I going to do?" Akko grabbed Diana's shoulders and stared at her with horror filled eyes.
"You just graduated less then thirty minutes ago, Akko I think you need to relax a bit and we'll think about the future later on." The blonde stated softly, pulling her girlfriend in close in an attempt to provide some comfort.
"But...it all feels so real now. What if I can't get a job? I don't want to be mooching off you for forever. The premier league doesn't pay enough to really live. What am I going to do?" Akko's voice cracked a bit.
Diana couldn't believe she was hearing this genuine admission. The brunette was worried about not contributing even though the blonde made more money than she knew what to do with. She would find it quite humorous at any other time, but Akko was really worried about this.
"Akko, we will get through this together. I will be by your side regardless of your employment status. So I will make you a promise." Diana reached up, cupping the brunette's cheek before she leaned in close to Akko's ear, so close that her lips brushed ever so slightly over the shell as she spoke. "If all else fails, I'll hire you as my maid. I already have quite the outfit in mind."
"Diana!" The brunette yelped and shoved Diana away immediately, revealing the fierce blush that had overcome her features in the matter of seconds. "You can't...don't...don't you have a meeting to get to or something?"
The blonde couldn't hold back her giggling as Akko refused to make eye contact with her. So she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's neck and leaned to place a gentle kiss on her still very warm forehead.
"I do. I'll meet you at the restaurant then?" Diana arched her brow at the brunette who still refused to look her in the eye. Akko nodded shyly before rising up on her toes for one last kiss.
"Good luck, Diana." The brunette smiled warmly while finally looking into her girlfriend's eyes.
"Thank you, love." Were Diana's parting words as she turned and began walking down the sidewalk, seeming to put extra sway in her hips for Akko's benefit as she watched her go.
The restaurant was the same one that Diana had taken Akko's parents to the first time they had gotten together. Other than the unfortunate event of Akemi walking in on her and Akko doing...'things'...in the bathroom, it had been a great dinner. Diana and Akko had come to this place at least once a month since then. The blonde stepped out of the car that had brought her to the restaurant and gave the driver a generous tip like usual before she walked confidently into the restaurant. By this point, everyone working at the restaurant knew who she and Akko were, and they never failed to acquire a table, even on the busiest of nights. The hostess smiled at her as she approached.
"Ms. Cavendish, pleasure to see you this evening. Your party has already been seated. If you'll follow me."
Diana gave a curt nod and followed the young woman to her usual table where Akko and her parents sat, carefully scouring the menu. When the blonde approached, Akko smiled brightly and stood up to greet her girlfriend with a kiss on the cheek.
"I apologize for being late, Akko." Diana whispered as she gestured for the brunette to sit. "The meeting went much longer than I had anticipated. Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Kagari." The blonde smiled at the other occupants of the table as she sat.
"Always so formal Diana." Akemi teased as she always did when Diana called her that name. "If you don't stop calling me that, I'll start calling you Mrs. Kagari."
"...Pardon?" The blonde's eyes went wide as she immediately understood the implication behind that. Her poor girlfriend was as dense as ever it seemed, thankfully.
"Don't you mean Mrs. Cavendish?" Akko furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Oh, is that how it's going to be?" Akemi smirked at her daughter who still had no idea what was going on.
"I don't-" The brunette started.
"I will try my best to kick the habit, Akemi. No need for that." Diana blurted out before her girlfriend could catch onto to the game the older brunette was playing.
"Good girl. Now, where is that waiter with our wine?" Akemi craned her neck to search the restaurant for the waiter who was away getting their drinks.
"I should probably use the restroom before we start. Be right back!" Akko stood up and hurried away.
Diana nodded and picked up her menu to begin browsing. She did this every time she ate here, but in the end she would end up ordering the same thing.
"Not joining her this time?" Akemi whispered loudly across the table.
Diana raised her menu high enough to cover her blushing face from the couple across from her. She could hear the woman chuckling at her expense before Haruto chimed in for the first time since Diana had arrived.
"Akemi, go easy on the girl."
"Come on, Haruto. It was funny. She'll have to get used to it if she's going to be a part of this family."
"She won't be part of this family if you do-"
"Actually," Diana interrupted and finally lowered her menu when she was confident her blush had mostly disappeared. The couple turned towards her, eyebrows raised and waiting for the blonde to continue. "There is something I'd like to talk to you about while Akko is away from the table."
Akemi's face immediately lit up, seeming to read Diana's thoughts, while Haruto looked genuinely curious. They both stayed silent, urging the blonde to continue. The blonde opened her mouth but nothing came out. Her heart began beating rapidly and the nervous energy from this morning came back in full force and coursed through her veins as she stared at the two people across from her. Again she tried and failed to speak, her mind suddenly drawing a blank. The speech she had practiced over and over again for the past two weeks was no where to be found.
"Hmm." Akemi hummed as she tilted her head and regarded Diana with amusement. "Diana, I know I can be...difficult to deal with sometimes."
"Sometimes?"
"Quiet, Haruto." Akemi shot her husband a playful glare before turning back to the blonde, who noticed the loving smile on Haruto's face as he watched his wife. Diana's anxiety began to melt away just watching the older couple interact. This is what she wanted with Akko. She wanted to be married to her love for twenty years and never lose that spark, that unconditional love that they have right now. The blonde blinked a few times, snapping herself out of her thoughts when she realized that the older woman had continued to speak.
"But please know that you can come to us with anything. Whether it be about Akko or not. You are like a daughter to us already, so please, say what you need to say before my other daughter comes back."
Akemi's calm, motherly tone chased away any remaining nervousness, and she finally felt confident enough to have this important talk. She knew how this talk would end though, of course. The older woman knew exactly what was coming and had already given Diana an answer in a round about way. But that wasn't good enough. She needed a direct answer. This was not something she was going to take lightly, it was too important. This was her future.
"Akemi, Haruto, I love your daughter very much. And nothing would make me happier than to love her, cherish her, and take care of her for as long as I am breathing." Diana took one deep breath and fixed her gaze on Akko's parents with a fire burning inside of her. "Will you give me your blessing to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage?"
The blonde watched the couple closely as they let the question sink in. Akemi brought her hands up quickly to cover her mouth and Haruto's mouth upturned into a wide smile that Diana had never seen on him before. Soon enough, there were tears pooling in the corners of the older woman's eyes as her husband put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her from the side. Akemi uncovered her mouth and wiped the tears away before they could fall and smiled so brightly back at Diana that she swears she should have been blinded by it.
"I knew it was coming but I just..." Akemi paused to compose herself a bit and take a few breaths. "Of course you have our blessing, Diana."
The blonde's smile mirrored Akemi's as a huge weight was lifted off of her. She began to feel her own tears threatening to trickle down as she felt love radiating off of the couple in front of her. When suddenly Akemi gasped, eliciting looks of concern from both Diana and Haruto.
"A wedding! Oh Haruto there's going to be a wedding!" The older woman said dreamily, and was being very loud. Restaurant goers from nearby tables were glancing over at their table in annoyance and curiosity.
"Dear, you should probably keep your voice down. Akko will return at any second." Haruto calmed his wife down immediately before she looked around with a face that read 'oops!'.
"Sorry!" She whispered loudly before continuing. "I know a lady that does wedding invitations! She'd probably give you a discount!"
"Akemi-" Diana spotted Akko leaving the restroom on the other side of the restaurant and needed the woman to stop but she was cut off before she could warn her.
"Oh! And food! We should look into catering. Japanese food would be so lovely. Oh! Japanese themed wedding. Diana you would look gorgeous in a kimono!"
"Akemi please-"
"And the cake!"
"What cake?"
Diana, Akemi and Haruto froze before slowly turning their heads to look up at Akko with wide eyes. The brunette's smile faded slightly before she tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows.
"Uh..." Diana racked her brain for any good reason why they'd be talking about cake. Cake...wedding, birthday...birthday! Akko's birthday was coming up! "A birthday cake!" The blonde said a little too loudly as she glanced at Akemi whose mouth hung open before she suddenly picked up on the excuse she need to validate.
"Yes! A surprise birthday cake! For you!" The older woman said in a voice an octave higher than usual.
Akko opened and closed her mouth a few times, clearly very confused as to why everyone was acting so weird.
"But you just told me about it." The brunette stated simply as she arched her brow.
"Oh. Right. A...not...surprise birthday cake then." Akemi fidgeted as Akko sat down across from her when a waiter approached their table holding a bottle of wine.
"My apologies for the wait, we are sorely understaf-"
"It's fine. Just the leave the bottle." Haruto said impatiently, cutting the waiter off as he rubbed his head, signifying what was no doubt going to be a doozy of a headache.
"That's right! We're celebrating!" Akemi stated excitedly as she began pouring everyone a glass of wine. When she noticed an odd look from her daughter she elaborated. "Your graduation. We are celebrating your graduation. Because what else could there possibly be at this very moment to celebrate?" The woman winked at Diana, who closed her eyes and sighed. That was the point when she realized that Haruto was who she was destined to become one day. Loving his partner dearly, but spending an awful lot of money on headache medication. The blonde then opened her eyes to see beautiful crimson ones staring back at her and a dopey grin on her girlfriend's face. Even if she had to buy all the headache medication in the world, it'd be worth it if it meant she could spend forever with Astuko Kagari.