Hot. The spotlights were too intense. She had too many layers of clothes underneath the frumpy dress. The old wool sheets were too thick and itchy. Barbara felt nothing but an unbearable amount of heat. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and trickled down her temples. She hated that feeling-the sensation of stickiness that permeated throughout her body. Any other day, she would have never allowed herself to be subjected in this situation. Then again, she had no right to complain since she was partially the reason why she ended up in one of Akko's dumb ideas in the first place.

"After ascending the Tower of Trials, the Witch Knight has finally reached the princess' chamber!" Akko's voice reverberated in the gathering hall. "With a flick of her sword-wand, she breaks the sleeping spell…"

There was a long pause, and whispers could be heard throughout the hall. Despite laying on a stuffy bed topped with several layers of blankets, Barbara felt Lotte trembling. She must have grabbed one of the posts to support herself. Every second of waiting passed with sweltering silence and Barbara wished that Lotte could read her mind. Please get on with it Lotte, her inner thoughts reverberated in her head.

"I said," Akko cleared her throat. "Without hesitation, she breaks the sleeping spell…"

Lotte was supposed to wave her wand, release a music spell, and it was cue for Barbara to "wake up" from her "sleeping curse". At least, that was what she was told. Instead, she felt Lotte's cold hand touch hers. This wasn't part of the script, Barbara thought. The rehearsal for this part didn't take this long either. Neither was that kiss.

Wait…?

It was the unmistakable sensation of lips pressed against hers. They were gentle, much like the witch they belong to. Soft, warm, moist. Barbara's heart fluttered. Her mind raced. Every thought was a disjointed mess. She could hear gasps coming from the crowd. There was an shrill scream coming from backstage followed by a muffled thud.

"You what?!" Akko was loud as usual. Barbara disliked how she exaggerated every action she does. Everything just had to have a hundred percent behind it. At least, that's what Akko claims. Maybe that's why doesn't have have an indoor voice.

"I uh… I was just wondering if I can take the lead role…" Lotte's voice on the other hand was several magnitudes quieter. If it weren't for the deathly silent hall, she would have been mistaken for the wind.

By now, Akko's face transitioned into several shades of red. Fists balled, she paced from left to right, all eyes of the crew following her every footstep. Maybe it was around the fourth or fifth circuit did she stop on her tracks with a loud stamp of her foot. "But Lotte, we're only a week from the show! And besides-!"

"Besides what?" Barbara finally had to speak up. She couldn't stand watching Lotte shrink from Akko's overbearing personality. With folded arms, she stood in between Akko and Lotte.

The director recoiled at first, but immediately bounced back with ten times the ferocity. With a sharp glare, she shoved her face up to Barbara. "Besides, this is supposed to be my play…" Every word was sputtered with a low, animalistic growl.

How very in character, Barbara thought. Hands still folded, her nose up in the air, she matched Akko's glare with her own, although she felt like she was only barely keeping up with the energetic witch.

"B-Barbara it's fine, I just wanted to see if Akko's fine with me taking the role." Lotte tugged at Barbara's sleeve, but she ignored her plea.

"Akko, Lotte wanted to take a leading role for once and she thought this was the best opportunity to do so!" Barbara was telling the truth. Lotte did confide in her the day before. She expressed how she wanted to take the Witch Knight role after reading the script.

She was going to give up but Barbara egged her on. "I'll help you do it! I bet we can convince Akko together!"

Silence between the three ensued, which then coalesced into a palpable tension. It was enough to garner the attention of all the witches involved in the rehearsal at that point. Murmurs floated about as the three witch standoff continued. Barbara could only catch a few sentences from familiar voices and they ranged from genuine concern to curiosity and amusement.

It was only when the co-director spoke up did the tension disappear. "I think it's a good idea." Diana had her finger to her chin. "Besides, I'm sure the students have had enough of seeing you in the leading role, Akko." A mysterious smile formed on Diana's face.

"BUT DIANA!" Akko had her arms up in protest. She stared at Diana with intense ferocity, possibly enough to melt any ice cubes nearby. Meanwhile, Diana maintained her calm and collected self. The smile was still present, but instead of her usual quiet and steadfast focus, she had an unfamiliar demeanor. Barbara couldn't put a finger to it, but it was something novel sensation, coming from her roommate. Whatever it was, it seemed to have won the wordless battle.

"FINE!" Akko dropped her arms and looked away from Diana. She heaved a deep sigh as she relinquished her role to Lotte, who was all smiles at this point.

"Th-thank you Akko! Thank you Diana!"

"You are most welcome, Lotte."

"You're welcome, Lotte. And I'm sorry I yelled at you…" She groaned and faced Barbara's direction (her eyes were stared at the ground). "And sorry, Barbara…" It was an almost incomprehensible mumble, but Barbara thought the apology towards Lotte sufficed.

Defeated and dejected, Akko smiled weakly, but was upright within seconds. "Well then, let's get-"

Before the director could resume rehearsals, Diana interrupted her by clearing her throat. "On one condition," she began with icy comportment. "Since Lotte will be taking Akko's role, I suggest that Barbara take my role."

Diana's suggestion was met with a moment of deafening silence followed by a cacophonous roar. Akko's mouth hung open, as if her soul attempted to claw out of it. Barbara's eyes widened and her heart sunk to the pits of her stomach, taking her breath along with it. There were gasps all around, maybe a high pitched scream from Hannah, maybe Amanda's signature amused guffaw, Barbara didn't recognize everything at that moment.

"I shall take your silence as a sign of tacit approval." Diana folded her arms and nodded her head in triumph. "Well, then let's start rehearsals, shall we?"

Barbara opened her eyes as Lotte's lips parted from hers. Lotte's face was crimson and had a bashful smile, oblivious to Akko's ire. Nevertheless, Barbara smiled back. She sat up from her prop bed and recalled Akko's words, "No matter what, the show must go on!" She faced the crowd, her forehead shined with sweat, but she didn't care at that point.

"Thank you, oh brave Witch Knight!" With one hand on her chest, the other up in the air, Barbara projected her voice throughout the hall in dramatic fashion. "Thank you for breaking this vile curse!"

The immediate silence made Barbara's heart sink. She held her position, ignoring what might be blank stares that came from the audience. She waited and waited, until there was a clap. The unmistakable sound of applause started from the right wing of the stage. It was Diana. At the corner of her eye, the co-director clapped elegantly and with refined dignity befitting of any noble witch. Six more claps followed, then nine. Suddenly, the whole room was inundated with applause.

The two faced each other with wide smiles.

Lotte held out her hand in a manner similar to a prince helping a lady down a coach. "May I help you down, my lady?"

"I'd be honored!" Barbara obliged and made her way down the elevated bed. The two faced the cheering audience, held up each other's hands and made a deep bow.

The promised meeting place has become a place of comfort and security for Barbara. Every brick and corner of the alcove reminded her of all the memories she shared with Lotte: the cold nights with blankets and tea, the warm nights of star gazing, and the rainy nights where the two of them giggled over small, trivial things. She smiled as she recalled her treasured memories and it made her heart skip with the kind of happiness that made her hum a simple, cheerful tune. She waltzed along the cold walls of the alcove, running her fingers along them.

It wasn't long before Lotte made her way at the top of the stairs and into the alcove. She panted and wheezed, but it didn't stop her from throwing herself into Barbara's open arms.

"I'm so sorry for being late, Barbara!" Lotte gasped for air as she held Barbara tightly, who reciprocated the embrace. "Akko didn't really like my take on the script so she gave me an earful."

Barbara giggled at the thought of Akko's vividly red face, and violently shaking fists. "I hope she didn't give you a hard time."

Lotte shook her head. Her breathing had calmed down and she smiled warmly. "No, she was just a bit upset, but she doesn't stay upset for too long. I bet she's more happy that everyone liked the play."

The two witches found themselves sitting shoulder to shoulder on the broom landing deck, their feet dangled as they stared out into the dark and at the distant lights. There wasn't a single word uttered between the two of them, and yet Barbara didn't mind. It was the kind of silence that the two found comfort in, as if they have developed a new form of communication that deemed words to be unnecessary, but only required each other's proximity, warmth, and touch. Despite all this, one thing lingered in Barbara's mind, and she could tell, no, she knew that Lotte was thinking of the same thing.

"Lotte, you've changed a lot since we started hanging out." Barbara stared at her hand, which grasped firmly at Lotte's. "I remember when you told me that you didn't want to be on the spotlight. You wanted to be someone who cheered people on. Now you just finished a play where you were the lead role. That's really amazing!"

"Th-thank you, Barbara!" Lotte stared down on her lap, clearly sheepish but the visible smile on her face indicated that she relished Barbara's praise. The redness of her cheeks only served to accentuate her freckled grin. "I hope… I hope you liked the k-kiss…."

Barbara was flabbergasted by Lotte's adorable straightforwardness. Words were supposed to come out of her mouth, but only incomprehensible gibberish flowed. A giggle from Lotte only made her a hundred fold flustered.

"Th-the nerve!" She threw her arms at Lotte and the two were laying down on the landing platform, laughing together, arms locked in a tight embrace. As the laughter subsided, Barbara found the words she wanted to convey.

"I loved it! It was unexpected, but that's what makes it so special, doesn't it?"

Lotte nodded. "You've changed a lot too, Barbara. You're much kinder to everyone now, even towards Akko."

"Nuh-uh! Not after dress rehearsals!"

"But you two were getting along so well after the play."

Lotte was right. Barbara was indeed getting along with everyone, even Akko of all people. Despite the loudness. And the occasional obnoxiousness. And the unending energy.

"I'm probably just getting used to her… volume."

"If you say so!" Lotte giggled in response. "But I think you're still a lot nicer, and sweeter to everyone. You've gotten along with everyone and we've tried all those silly things that I thought you would've never thought of doing. That's what made me really love you."

Barbara didn't realize how close their faces were, until she felt the heat of Lotte's cheeks. The gleam of Lotte's glasses was no longer visible and she could see right through them. She always loved Lotte's eyes. There was a sense of inner beauty within those sparkling blue orbs that was constantly obscured by oversized glasses. There they are, so close and yet so out of reach. It made them wholly desirable.

"Barbara…"

"Lotte?"

"Th-that was our first kiss together, wasn't it?"

Barbara nodded. It was nothing like playful kisses on the cheek. Nothing like pretend kisses up on stage under Akko's "supervision." It was truly something else that cannot be easily conveyed, and yet there it was, summarized into two words. "First kiss" was something that was so simple yet so complex.

"I was wondering if we can have our second kiss right now."

Barbara didn't hesitate. She found herself on top of Lotte. Her long black hair flowed down like curtains and framed Lotte's freckled face. The other witch looked up expectantly, one hand over her head, the other grasped Barbara's hand firmly. Both in total surrender. For a moment, the couple stared deeply at each other, unsure as to how to proceed. A bit of awkwardness, a bit of smiles, but Lotte closed her eyes, as if beckoning Barbara to take the lead.

Barbara gulped and lowered her head. She steeled herself. She closed her eyes. Her pulse pounded in her ears. Barbara could smell Lotte's shampoo as it wafted between the two of them and it calmed her down. It was intoxicating, much like Lotte's soft, warm lips.

"It's very rude to spy on people's intimate moments, you know?"

Akko winced at the sound of Diana's voice. The voyeur swiftly turned her peaking head away from the alcove entrance and towards a smiling Diana.

"D-Diana?" Akko tried to keep her voice down. "How did you know I was up here?"

"I had a hunch that a certain nosy witch might want to know more of the two lovebirds."

Akko had a look of shock, as if Diana read her thoughts perfectly, but quickly rallied back with a loud whisper, "Am not!"

Diana shrugged. "Whatever you say, Akko." She turned back towards the steps. "Come, let's not disturb them."

Akko nodded and followed. As the two silently made their way down, Akko chimed in.

"Say Diana, you didn't just go up there to catch me, did you?"

Diana hummed, her head lowered and watched every step on the dimly lit staircase. "Hm, what makes you think so, Akko?"

"Just a feeling. Like, how you let Lotte take my role. And how you made Barbara take your role. I mean, you really wanted to play that role, you told me!"

Diana stopped and looked back at her companion. A mysterious smile was on her face. "Alas, my ruse has crumbled. I admit that I am complicit to this, although it was at the request of your persistent roommate."

"Hah! I knew it!" Akko's voice increased in magnitude. "I mean, you might think I'm dumb but I still got intuition!"

"Yes, yes." Diana turned away and resumed walking. Her curls bobbed with every step. "Now please quiet down before you disturb everyone in the tower. Also, for the record I don't 'think that you're dumb'. Just very… forward."

Akko couldn't wipe her triumphant grin as she relished a rare victory against her so-called rival. Her hands on the back of her head and her steps skipped from victory.

"I must admit," Diana began "I'm rather envious of their openness with each other."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

Diana didn't turn around. She could sense the heat on her face and she wasn't willing to allow Akko another victory against her for the night. "It's nothing. I'm sure it'll be clear to you some other time."

AN: Diana also had to convince Finneran that there were no real kisses involved. SASUGA DIANA! It's been a while and thanks for reading this series of fics. I had a lot of fun writing it and I know I may not be the best writer out there, but I still love contributing to this fandom and especially anything that involves these two adorable dorks. I still plan on writing some more fics in the future, but I might give Barb/Lotte a rest for now.