Author's Notes:

Happy Mother's Day! Though this has nothing to do with me posting today.

A particular song in the Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale movie felt like just the right amount of bittersweet as I was still finishing up Heart of Steel. So then I thought of this idea as a short continuation to all the bs that Diana and Akko have gone through (so far).

So here's some (bittersweet) fluff to make up for all the angst I put you guys through (and will have more of in Heart of Titanium).

There is accompanying music to this fic. Please look up "smile for you" by Yuna (a song in the Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale movie) when the lyrics come up in the narrative lol.

CRY WITH ME THIS SONG IS SO EMOTIONAL

youtubeDOTcom/watch?v=SRiLZKCChbI

I also included the lyrics in both the English translation and its Japanese romaji in the text. The English is in italics and underlined, while the romaji is enclosed in parentheses and italicized.

smile for you

Her mind is a haze. This world of green hills and patches of white should be familiar to her. Yet, Diana cannot remember where she has seen this scenery before.

She knows she has seen it many times before. Perhaps more often than she should. But every time she leaves this dreamscape, she cannot recall what just occurs. No matter how hard she tries, she cannot remember.

Her legs move. Diana lets her body take her around the plains with no destination in mind. A strange sense of calm washes over her. This is different from how she normally feels around Akko. Diana feels whole and complete with her girlfriend, as if everything will be alright as long as she has Akko by her side. This is… different.

She feels empty and hollow, as if nothing matters in the world except to keep strolling through the hills. The small breeze is cool against her skin. She will never tire. There is no end in sight. She can keep walking and that is fine.

Everything is fine.

The world turns red. The green hills, the white snow, the blue sky, the white clouds; all of that turns blood red.

"...?"

She suddenly feels something strange in her right arm.

A metallic sound.

Curious, Diana rolls up her sleeve.

That is not an arm of flesh and bone. That is a foreign intrusion of steel and blades.

Her mind is a haze.

Diana lifts her right arm and rotates her hand to watch as more of her body turns to steel. The curse crawls up her right arm at such a pleasant pace that it only feels like a pinprick on her sanity. Or is it because she has experienced this affliction before?

She cannot remember. Her mind is a haze.

A jerk in her left arm draws a surprised cry from her dry throat. This time, Diana glances down at her left side with more alarm than whatever is happening on her right side.

There is a gap. From her elbow down, there is nothing but a cascade of dark, red blood.

"Agh-!"

Her body jerks as steel tries to overwrite the missing limb. Not only does it create a copy of the missing arm, it eats the parts of her body that is still flesh and blood.

No, no, it is not supposed to do that. She does not need to become steel. She does not want to die. She does not want to feel this pain again. She does not want to die again. She needs to-

The more she panics, the faster the curse spreads throughout her body. The Curse of Blades consumes and consumes. It will not stop until it overwrites every part of her, until even her senses are steel.

She screams and screams and screams. Screams even after her throat chokes on the blades that replace her vocal chords.

Her mind is (a haze) steel.

Reality slaps Diana back to consciousness. Not literally, but it certainly feels that way when Diana's eyes and mouth fly open in a moment of silent terror.

Diana sits up and covers her face with one hand while the other grips her sheets in an attempt to ground herself to reality. A reality where she is whole, a reality where her body is flesh and blood, a reality where she is alive and not turning to steel.

She tries to keep her breathing quiet enough to not wake Hannah or Barbara. Diana knows how much they worry for her. They do not need to throw their sanity out the window for a small nightmare like this.

A small, recurring nightmare.

Diana can never remember the specifics of her dreams. It is almost as if her consciousness tries to save her from suffering by keeping this information from her. But her body is not as kind. It remembers the pain as if it occurred just yesterday. Not simply from the dream, but because it has happened to her in real life. That makes it difficult for her body to forget such a painful memory.

Even after so many months, it is impossible to forget how steel took her life.

Diana lifts her left arm. Yes, that is still there. It is not a stump, nor is it steel. She releases a shaky breath in relief.

She then holds up her right hand and experiments with each of its digits. Twitch, twitch. First her thumb, then her index, then her middle, then the ring, and finally her pinky. None of them creak or grate like steel. They move just as they should.

Diana lingers on her pinky. The other fingers dip down so that only the smallest finger is up. Such a small thing, yet it holds such a significant weight.

There is a promise made so many nights ago between two vastly different girls. What binds them together are their pure, beautiful dreams and their mutual agreement to support each other no matter the trials they face. Diana almost broke that promise. But somehow, the two of them managed to overcome their impossible odds to reach their current point.

Diana never would have thought she'd count on the patience of Atsuko Kagari of all people. Patience was never Akko's strong point. But the girl truly loves her, so much that she was willing to wait as long as it would take for Diana's recovery.

This last year has not been easy for Diana. This is more than simply shouldering a burden that no normal child should. She quite literally died before reaching her twenties. And the affliction that took her life was not a peaceful one. Even now, so many months later, her fate still haunts her both in reality and in her dreams.

But Akko has been there every step of the way. She picks up on Diana's uneasiness faster than Diana herself. The girl is surprisingly perceptive when it comes to emotional turmoil. Perhaps it is because she is used to it herself. Or maybe it is because Akko can tell when Diana is not her usual self simply because Akko pays too much attention to her girlfriend.

No matter the reason, Akko chooses to stay by Diana's side just as she promised. Whether it be forcing her to rest after a long day of studying, or taking her for a relaxing stroll just to hear her own joints move as it should instead of grating steel.

Diana will never forget how grateful she is for Akko in her life. Even if she loses everything else, even if she falls into the depths of hell, she will always cherish the joy and peace she has thanks to Akko's support.

(Truly, what have I done to have you as my love, Akko?)

But Akko cannot be there for Diana all the time. Luna Nova still has its rules. Akko has already tried to move her things into Diana's room and become a permanent resident in the blue team's dormitory.

The professors deny her every time. The rules, they say. We are a prestigious institution, they argue. We cannot allow such scandalous behavior, they drone.

So Akko has no choice but to leave the nighttime terrors to Hannah and Barbara. The girls never protest; of course they don't. Despite their concern, Diana hates to bother them just as much as she hates to bother Akko. It's one thing to have them dote on her during the day. But the night is a time for rest and peace.

Diana hates to disrupt anyone else's life. Only she should have to shoulder her own tumultuous burdens.

Therefore, Diana makes up her mind for her next course of action. Her mind is too frazzled to go back to sleep so soon. So she throws her covers off and changes out of her nightgown into her uniform. She straps her wand into her sash - just in case - and puts on a cloak in preparation for the chilly night. She takes one last look at Hannah and Barbara to make sure they are sound asleep before stepping out of her room and closing her door with a small click.

Unbeknownst to her that hazel and teal eyes follow after her fleeting figure as it disappears into the shadows.

Diana makes the right choice to bring her cloak. The night breeze seeps into her bones. It is considerably less comfortable than the wind from her dreams. But it is not unbearably cold enough to turn her back to her room. If anything, it is a good conduit for her thoughts.

Whenever Diana doesn't want to bother either her roommates or her girlfriend - which is often enough that it upsets the three girls that Diana doesn't trust them more - she likes to make a round through Luna Nova's campus and soak in the environment. Diana speculates that the magic energy that Luna Nova harnesses with so many witches in the area is a reason for the peace she feels whenever she walks through the grounds. But she doesn't have enough evidence to say for sure.

Her feet first take her to a familiar corridor on the way to the library. There is nothing wrong with the hallway. The moonlight shines a clear path for her to walk through. But when a light breeze passes by, Diana cannot fight the urge to grab her chest and pull out her wand.

(Breathe. Remember to breathe.)

The darkness has passed. There is nothing to fear.

Diana moves on.

She walks aimlessly. It isn't important where she goes. Just that she goes. She does do her best to avoid the night sentry that should be patrolling the grounds of the academy.

Her rounds take her to the courtyard. Diana stops by the edge right before the grass begins to overlook the entire plain.

Sometimes the grass will have traces of red when she blinks. Oftentimes, her eyes cannot stay away from the statue at the center of the courtyard. If she dives too deep into her memories, she recalls the face of a madman as clear as day.

Her left arm twitches.

Diana shakes her head and moves on.

A clearing definitely helps. Perhaps her body had the right idea in mind, just not the correct location. She is trying to forget the trauma, not relive it.

The next place place is the opening where Professor Nelson hosts her flying lessons. Her memories of it are not tainted by blood and pain. Therefore, Diana designates that as her next destination.

Her feet stop in the middle of the corridor. Her mind blanks.

A small vibration presses against her chest from the pendant attached to the necklace around her neck. The sensation pulls Diana from her brief stupor. She shakes her head and resumes her walk.

(Perhaps it is not wise to become too lax.)

The moments of inattentiveness do not happen often. And even if Diana tells herself to stay on guard, she can never pinpoint when these moments will occur. It does not necessarily hit her during only times when she is too relaxed. It can occur as she speaks, while in the air on her broom, or even mid-battle as before at the Ministry of Magic. Its randomness is what makes it difficult to counter these brief lapses.

The necklace that Croix designed helps to some extent. However, it does have a one second lag that can be detrimental if she spaces out at the worst possible time.

Diana does not like to remember the incident during the broom relay race.

Now her thoughts are trailing back to dangerous territory. Diana pushes the past aside and simply enjoys the night as it is. She is simply taking a stroll, nothing more.

After some time, Diana finally reaches the clearing where Professor Nelson hosts her flying lessons. To her surprise, Diana is not alone. Someone else is in the field despite the hour. It is a familiar Japanese witch with wholesome red eyes and some of her brown hair tied into a small, high ponytail. Her wand is not out. Instead, her hands are clasped at her chest as she concentrates on a specific spell.

The incantation that Akko recites is familiar to Diana. It is impossible for her not to know, not after growing up with the spell and using it so often in the last year alone.

"Spirit and technique, flawless and firm.

Steel is our body, and fire is our blood.

Our strength rips the mountains.

Our wisdom deduces the divine.

Our journey is endless.

Break through the limits.

Magna Aestus."

The familiar green pattern covers every inch of Akko's body. Or at least, it tries to. As the circuits start to snake around Akko's neck and up to her face, the pattern wavers and the color flickers from green to an alarming yellow.

Diana's eyes widen, recognizing the symptoms immediately.

"Agh!"

Akko falls to her knees and dips her head down. One hand desperately grasps her chest as the other braces her body on the ground.

Diana is running and pulling out her wand before Akko utters a single word.

"Akko!"

Diana drops to her knees beside her girlfriend and places her hands around Akko's shoulders to turn her around. She lays Akko down onto the ground and situates herself so that Akko's head can rest on her lap. Diana then holds up her wand and runs it up and down Akko's body with a glowing tip as her other hand moves Akko's bangs away from the sweat caking her face.

Diana keeps herself composed, focusing on releasing the surplus of magical energy accumulating in Akko's body from the botched spell. The only sounds in the next ten minutes are the faint sounds of some spirits dancing at night and Diana's soft voice repeating, "Exonero."

The yellow circuits dim, leaving Akko's skin clear except for the perspiration due to exertion. Akko's breathing also evens out. The abatement of the alarming symptoms from before is enough to reassure Diana that Akko will now be alright.

Diana waits until Akko awakens. It should not take too long. The user only requires at most another ten minutes for it to recover from having an overdose of magic energy concentrated in the body. Therefore, there is no need to take Akko to the infirmary to rest. She should be alright in their current position.

Diana takes this time to study Akko's sleeping form. She has seen many expressions of her girlfriend while asleep. Akko can be sleeping without a sound, or snoring a storm with no remorse and drooling into her sheets. Whether it be in class or cuddling, Akko always looks relaxed after falling into deep sleep. Even now, after abusing her body by overflowing it with magic, there is no strain visible in Akko's expression.

Watching Akko sleep always brings Diana into a tranquil state. Observing another's peace has a strange parallel effect on her own state. It is an easy comfort whenever she needs it.

Akko begins to stir. Her eyes open slowly, her vision still blurry. In her daze, Akko wonders why this angel with blonde tresses looks so much like her girlfriend.

Diana sighs with relief. She utters a single word, nearly breathlessly.

"Akko."

The soothing voice pulls Akko out of her stupor. Her eyes widen as full cognition slams back into her. Akko throws herself out of Diana's lap and scoots back a few paces in shocked horror.

"D-Diana?!" she cries, mouth flapping open and closed in an attempt to say anything else besides that one name.

Diana huffs. "I suppose you should be fine if you are so energetic already."

"Why are you out so late?"

Diana's relieved expression falls into a stern frown. "I should be asking you the same thing. Why were you practicing magic without supervision? And Magna Aestus of all spells?"

Although Diana's voice is level, Akko can sense the anger and concern threatening to burst at the seams. She's seen Diana shaken enough times to notice even through Diana's perfect mask.

Akko gulps. "Uh, well, I thought it'd be a nice spell to know. In case, you know, we ever run into a situation we need it…"

Diana sighs so hard she fears her soul will leave her new body. "Why must it be Magna Aestus of all spells? If you want to learn to enhance your body, you could ask Professor Ursula for the enhancements she uses. Magna Aestus is a specialized spell for the members of the House of Reinhardt. Do you know how long it took me to utilize it correctly with the proper instruction?"

"Is that how you knew what to do in case you mess up like I did?"

Diana's glare abates a bit. "Yes. Though, Mother and Father were more knowledgeable about the treatment than I. I was usually on the receiving end, not the healer. In any case, what were you thinking?"

Akko scratches her cheek sheepishly. "But I wanted to use yours since… well, you use it. I even got your cousin's permission too."

That takes Diana aback. "You asked Daniel about this?"

"I don't hate following traditions that much," Akko huffs. "And yeah, I did. He even gave me the okay. He did say to have you supervise me…" Akko twiddles her thumbs. "I wanted to practice a little first to show you that I can do it though…"

"There is a reason why Magna Aestus is specialized to only members of the House of Reinhardt. It takes many years to master the spell, no matter how talented you are. Lacking the proper supervision can lead to dire consequences. Incorrectly conducting the magical energy from the outside into the body can cause an extreme influx of magic that consumes the user. There are cases when users die from this type of magic poisoning." To prove her point, Diana adds, "Imagine receiving fifty Murowa spells in one sitting."

Akko grimaces. "Oh… that… doesn't sound good."

"Thankfully, I was able to release the surplus of magic from your body quick enough before it destroyed you from the inside out."

"Okay, okay, I messed up big time. Could've died, again. I didn't though!"

An uneasy silence permeates.

"I… I spoke too much." Diana tries to rub the exhaustion from her face. "I apologize. It has been a long night."

Akko shakes her head. "I did do something pretty stupid. I should've asked you for help first. But I didn't want to bother you."

"Akko, you are never a bother."

Akko plays with the hem of her skirt. "That's actually why I'm out here. I couldn't go back to sleep and I didn't want to wake anyone so I just came out by myself to practice. I just picked Magna Aestus because it reminded me of you. I just wanted something hard to make me forget the stupid dream I had."

"What kept you awake?"

"It's stupid," Akko grumbles. "Just a stupid dream."

Diana shakes her head. "Dreams are never 'stupid.' They are a way for your subconscious to speak."

Akko pulls her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around her legs. "I had that dream again. The one where I wake up and you're not here anymore."

"Where Lady Sophia and Sakura's procedure fails?"

Akko nods. "I wanted to find you as soon as I woke up. But I didn't want to bother you again. Not after waking everyone up the first nine times I had that nightmare."

"Akko, you are always welcome in our room no matter the time. Even Hannah and Barbara agreed upon this."

"Yeah, I know but I still didn't wanna barge in after doing that nine times. So I just sucked it up and came out to take my mind off of things. I guess I wasn't concentrating hard enough and almost overdosed myself with magic."

"The spell is difficult to cast correctly even with the proper concentration. As for your dream, that is not insignificant either," Diana assures. "Dreams… are not so easy to simply push aside."

Realization dawns on Akko. "Did you have another nightmare? Is that why you're out?"

Diana's hand twitches. Her throat clenches, as if expecting blades to grate against each other in place of her vocal chords.

"It is… difficult for the body to forget a death by steel," Diana chokes out at last.

Akko moves to Diana's side and throws her arms around her girlfriend. Diana leans in to the touch with an exhausted sigh.

There is so much that affects the both of them. Diana, who suffered so much and actually died. And her death was not peaceful, but a slow, torturous conversion of human flesh to steel. Then there is Akko, who fears that such a fate truly befell Diana. Akko, who watched Diana suffer in so many ways and was powerless to help at the time.

They speak of their demons, of course. Talking about what affects them is better than holding it in. They both understand what frightens the other in great detail. There isn't much either of them can do except to find each other when they are at their lowest.

This time Akko chooses not to dive too deep into this conversation. Instead, she just says, "When do you think we can sleep normally again?"

"Not for some time, I'm afraid. I wish it can be sooner."

"This sucks. I actually wake up often enough now that Sucy can't feed me her potions in my sleep."

"I suppose that is a blessing, is it not?"

Akko giggles. "Yeah, that's one good thing. Even though I can't get enough sleep anymore by waking up so much."

Diana decides to change the topic to something lighthearted. "Akko."

"Yeah?"

"Do you know how to dance?"

Akko plays along despite her confusion. "I guess I know a little bit. There was that one time you caught me dancing to Cascada and Camila Cabello and got a weird nosebleed, remember?"

"I thought we were never speaking of that incident again."

"Aw, don't be upset! I didn't know my shirt riding up would affect you that much!"

" … That was not the only thing that affected me." Diana coughs into her fist to redirect the conversation. "I was thinking more along the lines of traditional ballroom dances."

"Oh, those old fashioned ones? No, not really. I've seen it on TV and movies before but that's pretty much it."

Diana hums.

"What about it?" Akko asks.

"Nothing important. I was taught the basics of ballroom dancing due to my upbringing. And I am positive I am skilled enough to have never stepped on a single toe. Yet…"

Akko frowns. "Your memories aren't matching up?"

"My partners tend to be shorter women, so I have a hunch these are actually my father's memories."

"You're still getting that mismatch thing?"

"It is not significantly detrimental to my health. It is more of a… nuisance." Diana scowls and rubs her cheek. "Father seems to have been slapped quite often by his partners. Mother included."

"Wow. No offense, but your dad must've been a horrible dancer if even your mom thought so. Your mom seems like the nicest person you can ever meet!"

"Well, Father drove Mother up the wall with his impulsivity. It is no surprise she would lose her temper with him. Mother kicked him out of the window of her bedroom before."

Akko gapes. "No way. Your mom kicked someone out of her window? And it was your dad?"

"She did not appreciate his overprotectiveness, apparently." Diana sighs. "In any case, it reminded me that I should allocate some of my free time to practice my ballroom dancing. I have never found the time to, with my studies of greater importance and interest." Diana stands up and offers Akko a hand with her palm up after starting with a bow. "Can I have this dance?"

"Uh, no idea how to ballroom dance, remember?"

"What better time to learn a few of the basics? We are both out after curfew with nightmares biting at the heels of our sanity. I find dancing to be a good way to take my mind off of things."

"There's no music."

"This is not a formal dance, Akko. Consider this a free lesson." Diana's lips pull up into a teasing smile. "Learning how to dance is a good skill to have. I would love to see Aunt Daryl's shock when she sees that a witch from the backwaters, as she calls it, knows how to ballroom dance."

"Ohhh. Now that's something I wanna do. Count me in!"

Akko jumps to her feet and places her hand in Diana's outstretched one. But it's more of a slap than a gentle touch, and so it pushes Diana's hand down so far that the girl nearly tips over.

Akko chuckles nervously. "Ah, woops. So uh, what's first?"

Diana sighs. "I suppose we can begin with the waltz. Its basics are simple enough."

"Oh, that! It's the one where you move in a circle, right?"

Diana chooses not to comment that there are many dances that move in a circle. "The basic movement is more of a square than a circle. But it is the right idea."

Akko nods and laces her and Diana's hands together. The idea of dancing with Diana starts to grow on her. She can't quite stop rocking on her feet in excitement.

"So what's first? Oh, there should be a lead and a follow type of thing, right?"

"In this case, I will lead and you will follow. My guidance should allow you to grasp the flow of the movement easier."

"You know how to lead and follow?"

"Mother instructed the tutors to teach me both ways and made sure I practiced both. She explained that it is better to have more versatility."

Diana closes the distance between her and Akko so that they are standing only shoulder distance away.

"There are rules for where the dancers should orient themselves in the room based on their roles, though we are outside so that is not important in this case." Diana places her right hand on Akko's left shoulder blade. She wraps her left hand around the Akko's right and lifts her elbow up at shoulder height. "Place your left hand just below my shoulder. For your right, keep your elbow up at shoulder height."

"Like this?" Akko does as she is told.

Diana nods, ignoring the warmth from Akko's hand so she doesn't get flustered enough to worry Akko. "Now we begin the basic movements for the 'box step.' As the name indicates, we travel in the direction of a square. For you, we move in a clockwise direction. First, step back with your right foot."

Akko steps back and keeps her right foot extended behind her with the balls of her foot touching the ground. "Like this?"

"Now, follow by stepping to the side with your left foot. Then, close your right foot to your left foot."

Akko moves to do that. At the same time, Diana takes her own steps forward with her left foot first instead.

"This time, take a step forward with your left foot. Then to the side with your right. And finally close your left to your right back in our beginning position."

Akko follows these instructions without any issue. Once their feet are back together and at their starting position, she looks up and waits for any further instruction.

"Those are the basic movements of the box step."

Akko blinks. "Wait, that's it? Why are all of these super important things so short and simple? Luna Lana is this super important spell and it's also really short!"

"Those are only the basic movements. There is much to do to perform the dance correctly. The formal dance takes into account the room, the music, and the other dancers. For now, we will focus on improving our motions to create a smooth dance." Diana holds them in position again. "We time our movements in a three-step beat."

"A what?"

Diana chuckles. "Count to three. Do not worry; following my lead should help with the timing."

"Okay, I can count to three. Doesn't seem too bad."

"Remember, right foot back."

Akko nods. She times it so that each movement is a count while keeping pace based on Diana's lead.

One, two, three. Right back, left side, right to left.

One, two, three. Left forward, right side, left to right.

At first, Diana keeps the pace slow enough for Akko to think about which leg to move. After she thinks Akko is familiar enough with the steps, she increases her lead so their dance more closely resembles an actual waltz. Diana also adds in a rise and fall to the dance in time with the three step count. Down on one, up on two and three. Diana doesn't explicitly tell Akko this addition to their dance. Instead, she trusts that Akko will follow her lead and adapt to the added movement.

Besides, Akko has other parts of the dance to worry about. And it isn't just about stepping on Diana's feet.

"Agh, sorry!" Akko groans as she steps with the wrong foot again, throwing off their rhythm. "I just keep wanting to step with my right since that's my better side!"

Diana shakes her head. "It becomes more difficult as we increase our pace. Most dancers have years of experience to dance as well as they do."

Diana decides to take a down a notch and switch off from the dance. The two stay in each other's arms and simply sway together in place.

"How long did you practice?" Akko asks.

Diana hums. "A good decade, if I have to quantify it. Aunt Daryl always stressed the importance of these skills during parties and social gatherings. Mother was much more lenient about my interests. She is the one who taught me how to horseback ride." Diana's eyes soften and her lips turn up in a melancholic smile. "As her health deteriorated, she had Father take over the lessons as she supervised. I never understood why the horses were so unruly around him. Even Bruno as a pony was unsettled when Father came near. But the horses would act shy and lovely around Mother!" Diana shakes her head fondly. "Father said they were trying to curry favor with the better rider. He really was an awful horseback rider."

"Your parents sound like really cool people. More fun than your aunt at least," Akko snorts.

Diana smiles. "I wish you could have met them. They would have loved you."

"Well, I did kind of meet your dad, remember? It was him as you but I guess that's as close as we can get."

Diana remembers. "Oh, that's right. How could I forget?"

(How could I forget how much Father teased me in my own dreamscape?)

Diana looks up toward the sky with a smile as she recalls that fond memory. Her interactions with her father seem so long ago. Perhaps they were. So much has happened since she first met her father in her dreamscape.

Akko's nod pulls Diana from her reverie. "Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, no. I'm just taking advantage of how lucky I am."

Diana lifts an eyebrow. "In what way?"

"You know how much I like your smiles! They're the best thing in this world. Okay, maybe second to Chariot's shows. Actually…" Akko furrows her brows as she thinks about this. "Maybe equal. Both your smile and Chariot's magic can bring happiness to the entire world."

"I doubt my smile has so much power."

Akko shakes her head fervently. "It really does! When you smile, it gives me this warm feeling just like Chariot's magic did! And if she can inspire people everywhere with their believing hearts, then so can you!"

Diana has heard this declaration a few times before. But every time she hears it again from Akko takes her breath away anew. It is always so astonishing how much love Akko has for her.

"Perhaps I am the one who is lucky to have you by my side," Diana replies.

Akko hums. "If you wanna show your appreciation, then just do one thing for me."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"Smile! Just smile more, okay? That's all I'm asking for."

Even amongst her confusion, Diana remembers to keep her and Akko moving in their slow dance. "Is that all?"

Akko nods. "Yup, that's it. Because as bad as the nightmares are, there's always one thing I can count on to chase them away."

Diana connects the pieces together. "And that would be… my smile?"

"It sounds kind of stupid, but yeah that's it. You're always so stressed and overworking yourself. And you're always so serious about everything. It's not bad, at least not all the time. I mean, you've been through a lot I get that. So whenever you let yourself relax and have fun… that always gets to me. If you're happy, then that makes me feel good too."

Diana's heart swells from the overwhelming love and relief flowing from Akko's eyes when Akko tilts her head up to lock her gaze with Diana. Akko's feelings are clear even after she closes her eyes and smiles.

How can Diana not see how Akko feels with a smile as dazzling as one that can erase even the darkest shadows in her heart?

"So can I just ask for you to smile more? They're…" Akko turns her head when her cheeks start to flare red, "they're really pretty…"

Diana feels her own smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Rather demanding today, are we?"

The heartfelt moment seems to shatter as Akko balks in response. "Wha- I'm just asking for a smile! That's not even a lot!"

Diana chuckles and tilts her head down to touch her forehead to Akko's.

There is so much Diana wants to say. There is no perfect way to convey how Akko has changed her life. For all of the good and the bad times, Diana does not know how to cherish all of the moments she shares with Akko. But she does know that she would never trade Akko for anything else. Not even her own life.

But there is time. After cheating death once, Diana will make sure she spends as much time as she can with her most important person.

So for now, she answers Akko's small request.

"Of course, Akko. There is no reason for me to deny you of such a simple wish. I only ask for the same in return. That you also smile as well."

Akko grins. "I can do that! Then we have another promise!"

"To continue to smile for one another."

Akko shifts forward to seal their new promise with a kiss. Diana reciprocates, closing the distance by tilting her head down and meeting Akko halfway.

They've shared numerous kisses since Diana's revival. But this one is different. Both girls allow this one to last as long as possible to pass their mutual feelings to the other.

Promises may be difficult to keep. But they can damn well try their hardest.

A small glimmer near the school grounds catches Akko's eye when they move apart. She looks over Diana's shoulder as discreet as possible to not bother Diana in her bliss. Akko narrows her eyes to look past the shadows at whoever is signaling to her.

(Lotte… Sucy…? And Hannah and Barbara?)

The two members of the blue team hold up their fingers to their mouths. Whatever those four are planning, apparently they don't want Akko to make a scene to startle Diana.

Lotte pulls out her wand and whispers something that might have been Turuto Estida if Akko lip reads that correctly. Lotte points her wand at various parts of the clearing to summon multiple small spirits into the air. They dance around as specks of green light around the swaying couple.

At the same time, Sucy takes out a few bottles and vials of her potions. Rather than the destructive poisons that she often uses, these create a small garden that keeps the spirits within a certain radius of Diana and Akko. It isn't much, but it serves as a small enclosure that provides some privacy for the two girls.

All of this is impossible for Diana to miss. She looks up at the dancing small specks of light in confusion.

"What on earth…?"

Before Diana can pull away, Akko closes the distance between them and dips her head down to Diana's shoulder. She keeps her right hand in Diana's left while her left palm shifts over to the front of Diana's shoulder.

"Akko?"

"I don't really know what's going on either but apparently we're just supposed to act like they're not there."

"I… see?"

From over Diana's shoulder, Akko sees Hannah and Barbara give her two big thumbs up. They then bow at the waist and step to the side to give Lotte the main stage.

Lotte steps forward with her the tip of her wand glowing and held just beneath her face. She takes a deep breath.

The sounds of the night change. It almost seems like the spirits dancing around them are vibrating at the tune of specific instruments as the familiar, soft voice filters through the night.

Diana looks up. "This voice is…"

Akko presses closer to Diana.

When Diana turns her head down, all she can see are brown locks.

"Akko?"

You gave me words of kindness

You held me when I was lonely

(Yasashii kotoba o anata ga kureta

Sabishii toki ni wa dakishimete kureta)

Sad things happened

But together we shared

the joy of early spring

(Kanashii koto mo atta kedo

Asai haru no yorokobi mo

Futari de wakeatta)

I searched for the words that I wanted to leave behind

for someone far away

before my time ended

I simply repeated, "Thank you"

I hope that's the only thing

that reaches your heart

(Toki ga owaru mae ni

Tooi hito ni

Nokoshitai kotoba o sagashita

Arigatou to tada kurikaeshita

Sore dake ga anata no mune ni

Todokeba ii)

"Thanks for being here, Diana," Akko mumbles against Diana's shoulder.

The relief in Akko's voice soothes whatever worries remain on Diana's mind at the moment. She turns her head to plant a small kiss to the side of Akko's temple.

"That is my line," Diana replies with a small chuckle. "Thank you; for everything, Akko."

The spirits dance, continuing their soft melody as the two witches sway in place.

May my heart

soar far through the sky

and convey my smile to you

A warmth

that feels like the last traces

of the fading spring—

If I can quietly

leave just that inside of you

(Kokoro yo douka tooku

Sora o kakete

Hohoemi o anata ni tsutaete

Kiete yuku haru no

Nagori no you na

Nukumori dake o sono mune ni

Sotto

Nokoshite yuketara)

The two pull away to gaze at one another. They take this time to simply enjoy each other's presences as the song seems to wind down.

I'll smile for you

(smile for you)

The light dies down as Lotte's voice falls into silence. The spirits retreat after performing their duties. The garden around them also disappears in a puff of smoke, leaving Diana and Akko alone on the field.

Once everything is clear, Diana finally turns around while still maintaining a light embrace by keeping a hand around Akko's waist to address the bystanders.

But first, Akko has to give credit where it deserves. "That was amazing, Lotte!"

Lotte chuckles bashfully. "Thanks! I've never tried speaking to spirits with songs with lyrics. It turned out pretty well for a first try."

"You girls… what are you doing out of bed?" Diana asks.

"You two aren't sleeping, so what's wrong with us out too?" Sucy counters.

Hannah doesn't stop to regard Sucy's comment. "We saw you leave the room awhile ago and wanted to follow. But…"

"But we thought you'd probably need the time alone for a bit," Barbara continues. "Except we might have given you too much time because you were gone for so long and we didn't know where you went."

"Akko was their first choice to ask," Sucy says.

"But Akko wasn't in her bed either," Lotte says. "It's common for Akko to be out, but we figured it'd be better to find her if we're going to find Diana anyway. So we all decided to come out to look for you."

"I kept telling them you two are probably spending the time together being gross. But they wouldn't listen to me."

Hannah and Barbara throw simultaneous glares at Sucy. Not that Sucy pays attention to them.

Akko sniffs and wipes the remaining tears from her eyes. "You guys…"

Hannah crosses her arms over her chest. "For the record, we're happy too."

Diana frowns as Akko tilts her head in confusion.

Barbara places her hands on her hips. "While it's not good for our hearts to find either of you missing, I guess it's okay since you're with each other."

Lotte catches on. "As long as you two are happy, we're all happy for you too."

"As long as you're happy, at least." Sucy raises an eyebrow. "You guys are right? That sweet fluffy dance just now wasn't an act or anything?"

Diana and Akko turn to each other. Their true feelings speak for itself, pulling their lips into simultaneous large and dazzling smiles.

They look so content that Sucy almost wants to gag. Almost.

Even Sucy can't deny that it really is heartwarming to see the two finally reach their peace.

The road to happiness is long and arduous. It is inevitable that trouble will find its way into Diana and Akko's lives. The past has shown as such, their present is plagued with nightmares of the past, and it is expected that it will be the same for the future.

But they are not alone. Together, and with support from those dearest to them, Diana and Akko will find a way to their own happy ending.

Author's Notes:

Ya'll should be happy I Googled "how to waltz" and looked up waltz videos for this oneshot. And I hate dancing.

Yes, I know Lotte's VA is not the same VA as Yuna. And that Lotte is Finnish. It's a nice song and Lotte's VA has a nice voice anyway. Let me live.

This chapter is inspired by the art "Dancing?" by kodraws on Tumblr. The link is:

kodrawsDOTtumblrDOTcom/post/163625415436/dancing

As noted in the author's notes before the chapter, this is also inspired by the song "smile for you" by Yuna (VA is Sayaka Kanda). I'm not a fan of SAO for various reasons, but Ordinal Scale is a movie I can say I enjoyed. The fact that Yuki Kajiura composes SAO's music is definitely a plus XD

She also composes music for the Fate series… and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles… hm, I see a trend XD

Please leave a review! Comments make this tomato happy =D

Fun Fact:

The nosebleed incident that Diana is embarrassed about refers to a certain comic by superevilbadguy on Tumblr where Diana catches Akko dancing to "Everytime We Touch" by Cascada and "Havana" by Camila Cabello. The link is:

superevilbadguyDOTtumblrDOTcom/post/169098569463/whoo-kay-animation-is-hard-even-the-smallest

This is totally not a shoutout to the person who drew the first fan art for Heart of Iron and Heart of Steel. Of course not XD