Chapter 22
Snow crunched beneath the shod hooves of the tall, muscled bay mare as she strode obediently forward in a rhythm of quiet snorts. Vapors puffed into the air with each flare of her nostrils, the gently falling snow settling in tiny white flakes at the ridge of her black mane. She followed the thin path through the forest with little guidance, flicking her ears and obediently correcting any misstep with each twitch of Diana's fingers on the reins.
"This is really cool," Akko murmured from behind Diana, breath tickling stray blonde strands that bulged from beneath the other girl's wool scarf. Her arms were wrapped delicately around Diana's waist, body gently swaying with each long step of the mare's powerful hind legs. It had felt kind of strange and almost scary, at first, sitting behind the saddle and on the bare skin of the horse's back, but the mare seemed kind enough and wasn't bothered by the additional weight. The ride had become rather comforting, almost making Akko a little bit drowsy. She rested her chin on Diana's shoulder and relaxed into her guide's body.
"Good," Diana replied. She had chosen one of the better tempered horses in the barn, an older mare she had affectionately named Thistle, who she could trust to easily carry the weight of two riders without a fuss. She scratched at the mare's withers with a gloved hand, smiling at nothing in particular as she leaned back in the saddle and pressed against Akko. "I'm glad you enjoy it."
They were closing in on their destination, and the ride had been nothing less than peaceful. While she enjoyed having all of their friends spending the holidays at the Cavendish Manor, she savored the opportunity of finally getting some alone time with Akko that wasn't just a lust-filled evening where the only words uttered were, "Sorry!" and, "Did that feel okay?" And, even though they'd hardly spoken, the air between them was different. At night, the magic would spark and course through their bodies in a rush of desire, whereas this was more like a gently pulsing warmth.
At one point, Diana had urged the mare forward in a trot, but Akko had bounced around so much (for such strong legs, she had absolutely no sense of how to use them on a horse) that she nearly yanked Diana from the saddle. They'd had to bring Thistle back down to a walk while Akko giggled, panted, and complained loudly about her the state of her crotch.
Diana pushed her hands forward along Thistle's neck and clicked her tongue, dipping down to avoid a low branch as the mare left the woods and began climbing the snow-covered hill that led to the Cavendish memorial site. She felt Akko's grip tighten on her coat as they both leaned forward into their mount's climbing stride.
"Easy up," Diana said quietly to Thistle as she deepened her seat and steadied her pressure on the reins. The mare halted obediently, a rumbling snort slipping through her nostrils as she lowered her head, tongue and teeth toying with the silver bit in her mouth.
"You have to dismount, first." Diana turned in the saddle to face Akko, only to be met with the wide red eyes of uncertainty.
"What? I don't know how to get down!" Akko exclaimed, turning her eyes to the ground. It looked so far. "She's too tall!"
Diana sighed, gathering the reins into one hand as she pinched the bridge of her nose with the other. "Just swing your leg over, Akko. It's like dismounting a broom."
"This is far from a broom," Akko muttered. She leaned into Diana and tentatively pulled her leg over the mare's back, accidentally kicking her heel into the hard bone of Thistle's hindquarters in the process.
Thistle's head shot up and she side-stepped in surprise. It wasn't a big deal for Diana, hardly anything that would cause more than an easy shift of her seat, but Akko, in her typical penchant for the over-dramatic, panicked anyway. She yanked Diana down with her. The blonde felt her stomach lurch in surprise and just barely managed to kick the stirrups free before she went tumbling into the snow.
Thistle didn't budge. She simply turned and stared at the tangled bodies of the two witches with a flick of her ears before settling her attention on a bit of grass that was still poking through the snow.
"By the Nine, Akko!" Diana grumbled as she climbed to her knees. "You are quite possibly the clumsiest person I have ever met."
"Geez, Diana," Akko said, splayed out in the snow and staring up at the other girl with a red face. "You could at least ask if I'm alright, first."
Diana huffed. She clambered to her feet and stuck a hand out to help Akko up. "Fine, are you alright?"
She felt her body being yanked back down, releasing a grunt of surprise as Akko grabbed her hand and pulled.
"I'm good," Akko whispered, breath hot against Diana's cheek, before lifting her head and capturing cold, soft lips with her own in a slow kiss that made Diana's stomach flutter. Akko pulled away after a long moment, red eyes blinking open to meet sparkling blue. She let out a long breath. "Thanks," she said.
"Thanks?" Diana pursed her lips in confusion, scrambling to her feet and pulling Akko up with her before her body betrayed her into inappropriate thoughts. "Did you just thank me for a kiss?"
"Er—yeah." Akko reached up and tossed the snow out of her messy brown hair. "Guess so."
Diana shook her head and chuckled, running her hands affectionately down Akko's arms and backside to brush off the snow. She slid the reins from Thistle's neck and led the mare to a tree, where she tied her off to a low branch before stepping through the snow to the nearly covered marble stones that lined the hill. Akko trailed after, stopping momentarily to pat Thistle's neck and mutter a, "Sorry about that."
Diana turned and walked backwards as she watched Akko's interaction with her horse, feeling herself smiling at the adorable way she let her kindness show, even to a creature that certainly didn't understand the sentiment. She waited until Akko caught up before taking the other girl's gloved hand in her own so they could walk together.
She could have gone alone to the cemetery. After all, paying respects to her own family did seem like something that should be done in solitude. Even still, she found herself asking Akko to come with her. The girl had readily agreed without hesitation, even when Diana explained the nature of the visit.
It felt right to go alone, but it felt more right to go with Akko.
The snow rose halfway up most of the stones, showing only the snow-dusted names of her relatives and nothing more. When they reached the large memorial that held both her mother, her brother, and her own name, she released Akko's hand and began to brush the snow off the front. Akko, without being told, ran her hands over the top of the stone to gently clean it off.
Diana felt her heart humming at Akko's actions.
When the two finished, they took a step back to look over the cleaned marker, at the names etched into the marble that reflected back at them. It still unnerved Akko to see Diana's name carved into a stone that signified death, but she shrugged those thoughts away and instead focused on Damien's side.
His death date had been changed to the day they'd sealed the Second Realm and, with it, Damien's chosen fate.
"I had it corrected," Diana murmured without prompt. "It seemed only right."
Akko nodded. She said nothing, instead reaching down to take Diana's hand into her own. Though, surprisingly, as the magic shifted between their bodies, she felt no sadness. There was only content, only warmth and another powerful surge of energy that Akko couldn't even begin to describe.
Diana felt it, too.
"I really just wanted to make sure the job got done," Diana said finally, reaching forward to place a hand against the cold marble. "And say a final goodbye. But… would you maybe just like to sit for a little while? I'm not ready to go back yet."
Without offering a response, Akko turned to settle down into the thick snow, stretching her legs out in front of her and kicking some into a pile at her side. Diana sat down next to her, as close as she could get, feeling the warmth spreading between them despite the cold ground biting through her clothes.
She leaned against Akko, sighing contentedly as she gazed across the winter-covered Cavendish Estate. In the distance, the Manor loomed large beneath a blanket of snow, lines of Christmas lights that Aunt Daryl had the servants put up twinkling in a pleasant outline. She could see a few of their friends: Amanda zooming around on a broom with Hannah tucked up behind her, Lotte and Barbara sitting on a bench together, and Sucy—Nine, was that girl poking around in their garden?
Diana assumed the others were likely inside, surrounded by the warmth that emanated from the many fireplaces that burned day and night.
From the frozen moat rose the towering Cavendish unicorn, one hoof pawing majestically into the sky as the blue light of the Philosopher's stone in its horn emanated a welcoming beacon into the clouds. A fog had settled in, nearly obscuring some of the towering monoliths that rose around it.
Nearby, Thistle stomped a hoof into the snow, snorting passively as she stood, patient and quiet, by the tree. Her eyelids had drooped, one back hoof cocked in relaxation as she dozed. Behind them, a few branches cracked somewhere deep in the forest beneath the weight of winter.
Diana took a deep breath. As her mind settled on the one question she had for Akko, she could feel her skin begin to quiver in anticipation.
"Are you cold?" Akko asked, peering over with large red eyes. She wrapped an arm around Diana's shoulders and pulled her in close.
"No," Diana replied. It was cold out, that much was true, but it was difficult to feel the bitter chill when Akko surrounded her entire body with a tingling warmth. "I—just—can I ask you something?"
"Er—" Akko sounded unsure. She bit down on her bottom lip and scrunched her eyebrows together. "Sure. Is everything alright?"
"It's fine—I mean, I think so—it's just—" Diana hesitated, placing a hand on Akko's thigh and giving it a small squeeze before lifting her eyes to meet a worried red. "You're not… embarrassed of us, are you? Of me?"
"Huh?" Akko's expression contorted with confusion as she stared into Diana's soft blue eyes. "Why would I ever be embarrassed of you? That's ridiculous!"
Diana rolled her shoulders in a shrug. She suddenly felt ashamed, like she had let her thoughts run wild and take control. "You just seem different when everybody else is around," she replied, following with, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"I thought you wouldn't be okay with me being too close!" Akko exclaimed. "I was trying to be respectful. You're so uptight, you know?" She winced and looked quickly away at the realization of what she had just said. "Plus, I'm used to having everyone laugh at me, but I don't want you to be subject to that," she added.
Diana could have chosen to be offended by Akko's comment, but she was right. The corner of her mouth twitched into a small smile. "I am rather uptight," she admitted, earning a surprised arch from Akko's dark eyebrows. "But… I'm okay with this. With you."
"I didn't mean to make you feel that way," Akko said, placing a hand on Diana's and wishing she wasn't wearing gloves so she could feel her skin. "I could never be embarrassed of you. You're smart. And gorgeous. And kind. And so—" Her hand left Diana's to wave in front of her. "You're so perfect." She smirked, turning to meet Diana's eyes once more. "But, I'm glad you're okay with me," she joked with a chuckle.
Diana had to squeeze her eyes shut as she felt the familiar pang of affection in her chest. Nine, Akko was… incredible. How could she ever have thought differently so long ago? She swallowed hard and said, "I am quite a bit beyond okay with you."
She could feel the sharp intake of breath as Akko's body shuddered.
"I'm sorry, I—" Diana started, regret slowly taking hold as she clenched her jaw.
Akko was moving beside her. Diana sat up, watching as the other witch pulled the glove off her right hand and began digging through her coat.
"What are you doing?" Diana asked, only for the answer to come rather quickly.
Akko pulled her hand out of one of her inside pockets. Between her fingers, she clutched the premium Shiny Chariot card that Diana had given her so long ago, under the same snow-covered conditions, in the Blytonbury café.
"Why did you bring that?" Diana's eyebrows stitched together as she looked at Akko. The other girl was quite focused on the card, turning it thoughtfully in her fingers. "You don't want that to get banged up," she added, even though she knew that wouldn't happen because she herself had cast a protection spell on the card to keep it in immaculate condition.
"I brought it—" Akko started before exhaling sharply through her nose. "Er…"
Diana could feel the tremors running through the other girl's body. The magic between them was glowing a pale, transparent green, rising and shifting between them. It felt so vibrant, so wonderfully alive, that for a moment she wasn't entirely sure there wasn't an outside influence. She even lifted her head and peered around their surroundings, only to find that they were still very much alone.
"Are you alright?" Diana asked. "Are you cold? We can head back."
"Yes—no—I'm fine—I brought it because I was hoping it would give me confidence—" Akko took a shuddering breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and then in one, rushed sentence, blurted, "TotellyouI'minlovewithyou."
It honestly felt like something inside her had burst. Diana's breath hitched, her mind blanked in a fog that seemed to spread like wildfire through her entire body. Their magic wavered and pulsed with Akko's confession, nearly stinging their skin with an unshakable sensation of pins and needles.
"I—what?" was all Diana could say.
"I'm in love with you," Akko repeated, tugging wild red eyes to meet Diana's searching blues. "I've loved you for so long. I didn't know if I could ever tell you. I didn't think I would ever have the chance. Or the courage, for that matter. And I'm so, so sorry if it isn't okay," she stammered, "but I need you to know. I love everything about you. I love the way you look at me. I love the way you touch me. I love the way you kiss me. I love how much you believe in me even though I do the dumbest things." Akko hitched her chin and Diana could see the tendons pulsing and tightening in her jaw. She suddenly realized that Akko's eyes were glimmering beneath the threat of tears.
"I am absolutely crazy about you," Akko continued, her breath hiccuping in her throat as she struggled to not let the tears free. "And, Nine, Diana, I am very much in love with you."
Diana didn't know what to say. She felt her body lock up as she watched a single tear break free from the corner of Akko's eye and streak down the soft skin of her cheek. Instinctively, she reached up and gently wiped it away with her thumb.
She had practiced this so many times. In her floor-length mirror back at Luna Nova. In her mind on repeat as she stared at the back of Akko's head in nearly every single lecture they had together. In the open lawn of the vestibule, watching while Akko kicked her heels into the ground and tried desperately to get her broom to take flight.
In the shower, as the hot water draped over her body and the skin of her fingers pruned with the length of her thoughts.
In the library, her notes muddling together before her hazed eyes into a single splotch of ink that Diana couldn't make sense of.
In the cafeteria, while she watched Akko joking with her friends as Barbara and Hannah's words became nothing more than background noise to the harmonic tune of Akko's laughter.
She had daydreamed a thousand ways or more to tell her, and it was always the same: "Akko, I think I'm in love with you."
But she didn't think anymore. She knew. She had never known something with the certainty in which she knew how she felt about Akko. The library of knowledge in her mind paled in comparison.
"I'm sorry—" Akko breathed, chapped lips quivering, pulling Diana from the mist of her thoughts and back to the moment that she had dreamed of for so long.
She gently cupped Akko's cheek, turning the girl's head toward her. Akko's lips tickled her own as she pressed in with a sharp inhale through her nose. It was a different sort of kiss, the kind that made Diana's insides lurch with an emotion she'd never felt before, one that was far beyond the simplicity of desire or lust. She felt Akko's bare hand sliding against her neck, the edge of the Chariot card between her fingers tickling her ear as she drew them closer.
The magic was surging, rippling in great waves between them, and for the single moment that Diana's thoughts drifted from the soft lips that moved so tenderly against her own, she wasn't sure anymore where her magical signature ended and Akko's began.
Diana was the one to break away, breath coming in short pants as she stared into Akko's unwavering gaze, and said, "Akko, I am ridiculously in love with you."
It was Akko that moved this time, her gaze dipping to Diana's lips as though breathing in the words that she'd just said. She captured her in another kiss, squeezing her eyes shut hard, feeling herself melt into Diana's arms as every little thought fell from her mind.
Diana was in love with her.
Nothing more needed to be said. Instead, the two let themselves fall back into the blanket of snow that crumbled around them, each wanting nothing more than to simply let the moment be.
Later, as Akko was settled once more on the rippling muscles of Thistle's soft back, as she pressed close into Diana and let her fingers mold to the hand that the other girl had dropped from the reins, she realized that the fierce, throbbing waves of energy that had flowed so effortlessly between them... wasn't really magic at all. Their magic simply fed off it, swirled through and around the surge of emotions that brought the two witches so close together.
No, it wasn't magic they shared.
And, now, with the clarity of the sun breaking from between clouds to cast light into the dark, both of them knew exactly what it was.
Christmas at the Cavendish Manor came with a flurry of excitement. The massive spruce tree that now adorned a great portion of large den reached nearly to the vaulted ceiling, bright green limbs stretching wide across the expanse of its designated corner. Maril, Merrill, Hannah, and Barbara had decorated the tree together days before, belting Christmas carols that made Diana squeeze her palms against her ears while Akko sang along through bouts of laughter.
Anna sat in the corner nearest the tree, heavily engaged in a crochet of some sort, but smiling and humming to herself at the raucous chatter that rang out around her. She seemed content, if not even happy, much to Akko's wavering disbelief.
Aunt Daryl, too, was celebrating in her own way. With a loud, dramatic pop! she'd uncorked three bottles of champagne, which she'd made sure to very loudly emphasize the price and age of, before passing two around with a, "Please don't tell Headmistress Holbrooke." The last she kept for herself, stating very loudly that she, "Needed some way to cope with the amount of estrogen in the house," and chugged glass after glass to Maril and Merrill's delighted cheers.
In the corner, hammering loudly at an ancient GameBoy that she said she had "found at a civilian relic store", was a very flustered Chariot. She moaned loudly, throwing herself back in an almost childish manner to collapse into the deep leather armchair that she had sprawled out on. "Honestly, how are you supposed to collect this Peek At You when it won't even allow itself to be caught? I've used every single one of these stupid balls!"
"Pikachu," Akko corrected. "It's Pikachu."
"Peek At You!" Chariot repeated, lowering the GameBoy and rubbing at her temple, glasses tilting on her nose. "That's what I said!"
Barbara and Lotte had parked themselves before a blank white canvas that Constanze had constructed. One of Lotte's orbs was being used to project a very overdone and very obnoxious (in Akko's opinion) live-action holiday special of Night Fall. The two were absolutely smitten with the actor that had been chosen to play their beloved Arthur, but complained in high volume about the lack of emotion of the actress playing Belle.
"She is absolutely dreadful," Barbara moaned, covering her face in her hands. "There were so many better options!"
"Well, I don't think she's that bad," Lotte said, but upon a pointed glare from her raven-haired friend added, "Though I do agree that they could have cast her better!"
Meanwhile, Jasminka was happily munching on sprinkle covered sugar cookies as she watched Constanze, whose was engrossed in rigging the old Cavendish Christmas train set to do... well, something, Akko wasn't sure. She finally got an answer when Constanze stepped back, accepting a sweet from Jasminka to shove into the corner of her mouth, and pressed a button on a thick remote in her hand. The train took off through the air, swirling in curved lines around the room while bellowing smoke and blaring a crackled White Christmas. Akko watched, amused, as Aunt Daryl poured a fresh glass of champagne and threw it back with a loud groan.
Sucy, with a wide smirk that showed she was very clearly up to no good, dribbled a hissing blue potion on the train as it passed by her face. The train began garbling the words to the song, coughing loudly as the steam spilling from the front engine began to sputter. In a matter of seconds, it had crashed back to the ground in silence.
Constanze crossed her arms and glared at Sucy as a Stanbot stomped over to the cackling witch. "Miss Constanze is not happy with you, Miss Manbavaran!" Stanbot chirped, to which Sucy merely laughed harder. She held the vial out as though she was going to pour the potion on Stanbot, who turned and fled back to a wide-eyed Constanze.
"Thank the Nine," Aunt Daryl moaned. "I like you!" she exclaimed, lifting a well-manicured finger to point at a very amused Sucy.
"Where is Amanda?" Hannah whined from where she sat cross-legged by the fireplace. She had two large mugs of hot chocolate, one of which was clearly meant for the American witch. "Her cocoa is getting cold and she's the one who asked for it!"
Diana, too, was missing. Akko huffed from where she sat on the soft velvet cover of the Cavendish's very pretentious sofa.
"That's an antique!" Aunt Daryl had yelled when Akko spilled a little bit of tea. Akko had merely shrugged and wiped her palm against the dark drops that stood a stark contrast to the lighter material, earning a loud gasp from Maril (or Merrill?) and a, "Did she even listen to our mother?"
"I wonder where they could be," Lotte mused from where she lay on her stomach next to Barbara, legs kicked up behind her.
They didn't have to wait long for an answer. At the sound of shuffling footsteps echoing down the hallway (and a very irritated, "I cannot believe I let you do this, Amanda," from Diana), everyone turned their eyes to the arched entrance of the room.
And there stood Diana—cute as ever in one of Akko's favorite and most well-worn Sailor Moon shirts (which, let's be honest, Akko had only given her because Diana's torso was slightly too long and it showed just a little bit of midriff) and a pair of baggy gray Arsenal sweatpants that Diana had sworn she'd only kept because they were "comfortable". Though, she had seemed rather well-versed in the team's history when Amanda tried to say that Liverpool was far superior...
But the one thing that made Akko inhale her tea and nearly choke was the very large, very gaudy red bow that had been placed carefully on top of Diana's wild blonde hair.
Diana looked less than pleased. She stood in the entrance way with her arms arms dangling lifelessly at her sides and a rather endearing pout. "I had absolutely nothing to do with this," she announced, throwing her hands into the air in emphasis.
"She's lying!" Amanda yelled, gut heaving as she gripped her mouth and tried to hold in the laughter that was threatening to pour out. "It was all her idea! I asked her what she was getting Akko for Christmas and she said, 'Me'. Her idea!"
A deep blush had risen to Diana's face. Her bright blue eyes fell on Akko (who had, at this point, set her tea down and rolled off the sofa in her own laughter) as she shook her head vehemently.
"This is utterly humiliating," Diana exclaimed. She folded her arms across her chest and rolled her shoulders forward into a hunch. If she had her wand, which she'd most unfortunately left back in Akko's room, she would have very quickly cast a spell to make herself disappear. She didn't know one, sure, but by the Nine she would make one up.
"That is so cute!" Akko howled as she struggled to her feet, shamelessly using the sofa (much to Aunt Daryl's chagrin) to help her up, and clutched one hand over her trembling abdomen.
"Aw, Diana!" Lotte squealed, rolling over and flopping onto Barbara, who was staring at Diana with her mouth open. "How sweet!"
Even Anna was staring at her with an unprecedented grin. Chariot had let the GameBoy fall into her lap and was chuckling into the palm of her hand.
Diana rolled her eyes, trying to reach up and snatch the bow off her head but finding her arm immediately yanked down by Amanda's hand.
Akko bolted over, flailing a little as her ankle caught the foot of a very pricey looking ottoman, and threw her arms around the blonde witch. "I love it! You're the only present I could want, babe."
"Gah! Gross!" Amanda yelled, retreating from the two witches to find her way to Hannah. Akko could hear Aunt Daryl behind her, groaning once more and clinking the champagne bottle against her glass. Sucy was absolutely doubled over on the floor laughing, Jasminka was grinning into her cookies, and Constanze was rapidly shoving something into Stanbot's grip and pounding away at her remote.
Akko could hear the motor of the Stanbot as he zoomed over. She looked down, still clutching Diana tight in her arms, to see one of his arms extending in an expanding metal rod high above them. In its tiny robot grip dangled a single bough of mistletoe.
Diana groaned in embarrassment, feeling a hot flush rising, fresh and angry, into her neck and ears.
"Welp," Akko mumbled. With a shrug, she lifted her hands to cup the sides of Diana's face and pulled her in, smashing their lips together in what Diana considered to be an extremely amateur kiss. Though, despite her best efforts, she felt herself grinning against the other girl's mouth. "Perfect present," Akko whispered as she broke away, smiling in a way that made Diana's skin tingle. "I love it."
"Wonderful," Diana muttered. "Now may I please remove this ridiculous bow?"
With a chuckle, Akko pulled the bow from Diana's head, making sure to affectionately smooth the other girl's hair. She guided Diana to her place on the sofa, ignoring the finger that pointed at the tea stain and the accusatory, "What exactly happened here?" and instead pulling the taller girl into her arms.
The Cavendish Manor was filled with the foreign sounds of the variety of personalities that had come together. Lotte and Barbara, fangirling over Night Fall, both squealing and groaning in exasperation at the events that took place on the screen. Amanda and Hannah, being very public with their displays of affection, earning numerous side-eyed glares and grumbles from Anna. Sucy, no doubt burning holes in the rug that Diana's mother had imported from India, as she ground up and combined alchemy ingredients that she had quite clearly stolen from the garden. Jasminka, chewing with her mouth open and dropping crumbs literally everywhere. Constanze, making foul-smelling smoke erupt from the very old train that had been passed down through generations of Cavendish. Chariot, using some extremely questionable language as she yelled at her game, which she had insisted on turning up to max volume so she could, "hear when something happened." Aunt Dary, who was notably intoxicated before the hour struck noon and had opened a bottle of one of the finest Malbec's in the wine cellar. Even Maril and Merrill, who were commenting extremely loudly on the behaviors of their guests even though Anna had attempted to hush them numerous times.
And Akko.
Akko was breathing in a steady rhythm into her ear, face pressed into the crook of Diana's neck where she had fallen asleep some time ago.
Diana leaned down, pressing her lips against the soft skin of Akko's forehead, and smiled at the sleepy mumbles that she received in return, at the fingers that tightened around her waist and the nose that pressed deeper against her pulse.
Resting her cheek to the top of Akko's head, she squeezed her eyes shut, listening contentedly to the unfamiliar and (somewhat) exasperating noises of their friends. She was well aware of her own magic threading into Akko's, twirling around them in gentle, comforting waves, though she knew that the welcoming sensation of home wasn't the result of the magic between them.
Home was her family, those that had both betrayed her in the past but redeemed themselves in the present, those that had been laid to rest during the expanse of her lifetime and, arguably, even those before.
Home was the variety of friends that had gathered, of their own volition, to help when she had needed it the most. The friends from every single different background that had come together through the gravitational pull of the smaller witch in her arms.
Most of all, home was Akko. It was the great emerald waves that surrounded them, that enveloped and warmed them when they came together, that flooded between them in pulsing tendrils that took Diana's breath away and made her whisper a silent prayer to the Nine for gifting her with someone so incredible.
Home was the magic—no, the love—that Diana and Akko shared.
Author's Notes
This is the end of The Magic We Share and, quite fittingly (in my opinion), the longest installment of all 22 chapters. I hope you enjoyed the 5,000+ words of pure cheese.
Thank you to everyone who has commented, favorited, bookmarked, or left kudos on this work. It was an absolute pleasure to write and I enjoyed every moment of it. I plan on going back and making edits/correcting lore/etc, so if anything stands out to you, feel free to let me know.
A shoutout to unableToSleep, who set the stage for the first scene with a detail that I had definitely not thought about-thanks for keeping me in line!
See you all in the future. Soon. :)