Sweet Shorts #1

Secrets Never Last

In the Horologium Chamber, 7:30 PM. Back from a long day of adventuring in the dungeons, the team takes some time to unwind as they return to the comfy and well-furnished room hidden beneath the library. Jasminka and Constanze sit side-by-side on the couch. Lotte, Sucy, and Diana find spare chairs to occupy, and Amanda stays standing, stretching her legs. Akko plops down on the last free couch cushion.

"Whew, I'm beat!" Akko exclaims as she lets her body sink into her seat. "I think we had a really productive day!"

"You seem awfully cheerful, Akko," Lotte says, curious. "What's up?"

"Aw, it's nothing. Do I really seem happier than usual?"

"Yes, you do," Sucy says. "Now stop it."

"Sorry, sorry," Akko blushes. "I don't really know why, but I'm just in a good mood right now."

She sneaks a sideways glance at Diana. The star student meets her gaze for a second, gives a small smile, and then clears her throat and turns away.

Amanda, who is still on her feet, seems to catch them in the act and gives her own wide grin, a mischievous glimmer in her eye.

"I think I know why you're so upbeat today, Akko," Amanda says as she comes up behind the witch and puts her hands on her shoulders. "Is it because you've got yourself a little girlfriend now?"

"H-huh?!"

Akko can feel her face glowing red and hot, but she tries to keep calm and play it off.

"You're being ridiculous, Amanda," Akko huffs. "I think I've already heard enough of your wild theories, thank you very much." She crosses her arms to get the point across, but as she peeks around the room she notices that some of the other team members won't look her in the eye, Diana included.

"Oh, this is more than just a theory," Amanda says.

"Shut it…! Diana, make her stop talking!"

Diana looks unpleasantly surprised at having her name mentioned.

"L-leave me out of this, Akko!" she says, suddenly much shyer than usual. "This is your problem! I have nothing to do with this!" She turns her back on the girl, and Akko puffs her cheeks in frustration.

"Aw, that's cute…" Amanda grins. "A little lover's quarrel!"

"We're not lovers!"

"We're not lovers!"

In an instant, half of the eyes in the room are focused on Akko, and the other half on Diana.

"I hate that phrase," Akko mumbles as she stuffs her face into the armrest, defeated.

"Ahem," Diana coughs awkwardly. "I suppose it's pointless to continue on with this charade…How much do you all know?"

"Enough," Amanda smiles.

"I mean, I've had my suspicions for a while…" Lotte mutters.

"It's so obvious," Sucy adds.

Embarrassed, Akko's too flustered to say anything. Diana, however, simply sighs, taking the situation in stride.

"What about you, Jasminka?" she asks, turning to the girl. "And you, Constanze?"

"I had no idea!" Jasminka exclaims happily. "I thought that Akko wanted to break into the kitchen and steal so much food because she was hungry…But it must have been for a romantic picnic!"

Akko groans quietly, and Constanze puts a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"…" she says.

"Wow, you've really known for that long, Constanze?" Akko says.

The girl gives a thumbs up.

"Well then," Diana cuts in, a hint of uneasiness in her voice. "What now?"

Amanda scratches at her neck.

"I'm not sure what you mean," she says.

"I think I understand," Akko chimes in, still quiet. "Do you all have any problems with…this? Us being a couple?"

The question seems to take the five other team members off-guard, and they look to each other for clarification, confused. After a few restless moments, Amanda shakes her head and speaks up.

"Don't get me wrong," she says, waving a finger in Akko's face. "I'm going to make all sorts of inappropriate jokes and comments about you two, but I'm all for it."

"Mhmm," Lotte nods. "If you're happy, Akko, then I'm happy too."

"I'll make you two dinner sometime!" Jasminka says.

"I'm fine with anything," Sucy shrugs.

"…" Constanze says with a thumbs up.

Akko is speechless as she takes in the support of all of her friends, suddenly feeling very warm and emotional.

"All of you…Really…?"

"Aw, here come the waterworks…Constanze, hand her some tissues!"

Akko can't help but smile as she wipes the droplets under her eyes. In the heartwarming moment, her friends can't help but smile too. Even Sucy lets herself smirk.

"Sniff…Sniff…Thank you…" Akko chokes. "It really means a lot…"

On the other side of the room, Diana isn't crying, but the expression on her face is one of gratitude and relief.

"I appreciate this, everyone…" she says as she stands and comes over to support Akko, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It means a lot to me as well."

"Sniff…So the next step is to tell Hannah and Barbara, right? It's only fair…"

"…Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, Akko."

Movie Night

In a darkened movie theater in Blytonbury, 6:12 PM. The motion picture is well underway, a romantic drama about two teens in love but forbidden to be together. Akko's eyes are glued to the screen, but Diana's seem to be wandering…

"Akko," Diana whispers.

"Huh? What's up?"

"I don't think we should be here," Diana responds uncertainly. "This isn't the movie we paid for, and there's hardly anyone in the theater…"

The star student had a point: rows of red velvet seats sat nearly empty in front of the two girls, with only a few couples intermittently scattered around.

In fact, there were only couples in the theater.

"Don't worry about it!" Akko whispers back. "No one's ever gotten in trouble for sneaking into a movie, and who wants to watch a documentary anyway?"

"I did, Akko. I wanted to watch that documentary."

"Aw…It'll be alright, Diana. We can go see it after, okay?"

Diana seems unconvinced.

"I don't like this," she says, her blue eyes uncomfortably shifty as she returns her attention to the movie. "Did you have to choose such a…suggestive…movie?"

"Huh? Suggestive how?"

"Look at the screen, Akko…"

She does, and she suddenly understands why Diana seems so unsettled.

"Oh…Uh…Wow, those two are really kissing…"

"I need you right now," the girl on screen says, breathing heavily.

"I'm here right now," the boy responds before pushing the girl onto the bed, passionately kissing her on the neck and lips.

"Akko? Akko? Ak-ko!"

"Huh? W-what is it?"

Akko is beyond grateful that the light is dim in the theater. Otherwise, it would have been far too easy for Diana to see the clear red blush on her face. Regardless, the girl doesn't seem to be in a great mood.

"You enjoying this, aren't you?" Diana whispers harshly.

"What?! Of course not! I mean…Oh wow, she's really getting aggressive…"

"Akko," Diana growls, barely audible under the panting and rustling on screen. "Did you know the movie would be like…this…before we walked in?"

"I swear, I didn't! I didn't know it was rated 18 and over!"

Diana mumbles something under her breath, but seems to relent with a heavy sigh.

"Fine," she says. "Let's just stay and continue watching, given that we're already here."

"Okay…Are you sure?"

"…I'm sure."

The next few minutes are incredibly awkward as the romance on screen only continues to grow more intense. Akko, flushed and a little too warm, eventually decides to take a hiatus from watching and peeks around the theater. A few rows ahead of them, she spies a couple not so unlike the two actors on screen: teenaged and…engaged in furious kissing. Embarrassed, she quickly returns her attention to the movie, only to run into a similar dilemma.

"I'm going to, uh, go to the bathroom," Akko coughs quietly as she taps Diana on the shoulder.

There's no response. Akko considers trying again, but then she sees that the girl next to her is strangely…into…the movie, her expression an unflattering mix of shame and curiosity as she continues to watch the actors on screen have at it.

Akko smiles slyly, and she decides she can slip away to the bathroom for a second without Diana noticing. But as she tries to stand, a hand pulls on her sleeve and forces her to sit down again.

"Diana?" she says, suddenly very self-conscious.

"Akko...If you want…"

It isn't the words that make Akko anxious. Instead, it's the unbearably sweet and nervous tone of Diana's voice that sends her heartrate off to the races.

"Y-you want to…?"

Diana has no reply other than tightly grasping Akko's hand in her own.

…

…

…

...

…

10 minutes later, on the street outside the theater…

"Come on…Diana…Talk to me."

"I have nothing to say to you right now."

"So we got kicked out of the theater. So what?"

"So what?"

Diana scoffs and picks up her pace, and Akko struggles to keep up.

"I'm so embarrassed..." Diana mumbles. "What if that man saw us?"

"He was just there to check our IDs…You don't have to worry so much, you know."

"If we hadn't reacted quicker, he surely would have caught us."

"It's not like everyone else in the theater wasn't doing the same thing…" Akko mutters, but Diana isn't having it.

"Never again," the star student says, still walking a few steps ahead.

"Never…?"

"It was far too risky."

"…You didn't hate it, did you?"

"…Hate is a strong word, Akko. I'm merely saying we should try to keep it to the privacy of our rooms from now on…"

Dinner for Two

In a fast food joint in Blytonbury, 6:40 PM. Seated on a pair of barstools in the corner of the restaurant, Akko and Diana are chatting quietly, two plastic trays of food in front of them. Akko seems excited to eat. Diana, less so…

"…"

Diana unenthusiastically pokes at her burger with a finger.

"Is something wrong?" Akko asks.

"Do people regularly eat this…food, if it can even be called that?"

"For sure! We have all of our food prepared for us at school and that's great, but back home I knew people that ate out at places like this every day!"

"That can't be good for you."

"Heh…It's not good for your body at least, but for your soul…"

Akko's mouth starts watering, and she can't wait to dig into her burger-fries combo.

"Let's eat!"

"…Yes, let's eat."

They each take a bite.

"So good!" Akko moans, her face lighting up in ecstasy. "Diana, what did you- Oh…"

Next to her, Diana seems to be having trouble swallowing, her face contorted in disgust.

"Do you want me to get you some water?" Akko asks, unsure. With effort, Diana slowly nods.

A minutes later, she returns with a plastic cup filled to the brim, and Diana gratefully takes it before quickly downing the entire thing.

"…Akko."

"What's up?"

"That wasn't water."

"Sorry," Akko replies sheepishly. "The water dispenser wasn't working, so I got you some soda instead…Is that okay?"

"…Yes, that's fine. Thank you."

It was very clearly not fine, judging by the unpleasant expression on Diana's face. Akko sighs as she sits back down, her eyes low.

"I'm sorry, Diana," she says, dejected. "I should have just let you choose where to eat…"

To her surprise, Diana replies by leaning her head on Akko's shoulder.

"You don't have to be sorry," she says calmly. "After all, that's how a relationship should work out. It's important that we both make decisions, and that we're both okay with them."

"Really? So…you aren't mad?"

Diana smiles weakly.

"Of course not," she says. "It's not important to me where we go as long as I'm with you."

"Diana…"

...

"…Diana?"

"…I think I'm going to be sick. Please take me to the restroom."

Wedding Belles

In the Library, 10:00 PM. As the school bell tolls on the hour, all seems well at Luna Nova. The sun shines down as summer break comes to a start, and the halls are buzzing with excited students. But two certain witches seem to prefer the quiet, tucked away in the library...

"Diana?"

"..."

"Dianaaaa."

"..."

"Diana!"

Seated across from Akko, Diana sighs as she puts down her textbook.

"What is it, Akko?" she asks, clearly exasperated. "I'm attempting to study. Shouldn't you be doing the same?"

"Studying is boring," Akko frowns. "We should go do something else!"

Diana returns her own cold frown, sending chills down Akko's back.

"Do you truly believe I'll allow you to slack on your studies," she begins slowly, "simply because we're more than friends now?"

"Something like that, yeah."

Akko's response seems to irk Diana a bit, and the girl shakes her head like a disappointed parent would at their child.

"Unfortunately for you, that isn't the case. If anything, I have more reason now to make sure you succeed academically. Wouldn't it be a shame if you didn't graduate with me and the rest of your friends?"

"That would never happen!" Akko protests, insulted. "I'm sure I'll graduate on time!"

"Your test scores say otherwise, Akko."

"But-"

"Ak-ko," Diana snaps. "Study now, and we can go do something fun later, okay?"

"...Fine..."

Deflated, Akko picks a book out at random from a nearby stack and starts absentmindedly flipping through the pages.

...

...

...

"Hey, Diana?"

"Akko, for the love of..."

"Have you ever thought about a wedding?"

Diana blinks, momentarily lost.

"If this is your way of asking for my hand in marriage," she sighs after a few seconds, "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to ask again in five or so years."

"You know that's not what I meant!" Akko says. "I meant, have you ever...fantasized, I guess, about your own wedding? Like when you were a little kid?"

"No."

"What?! Everyone has at some point!"

"Everyone besides me," Diana responds coolly. "I never had time for such things. In fact, I would say that the notion is-"

"Childish, yeah, I know, but..."

Akko suddenly has a shine in her eye, and the enthusiasm in her voice is hard to miss.

"I've thought all about what I want my wedding to be like!" she says. "Ever since I was a little, I've been planning it out, and it's only gotten better since then!"

"...Yes, Akko, that's very nice."

...

...

...

"Do you want to hear about-"

Diana closes her book and softly sighs once more.

"Very well," she says with a tired smile. "Presuming you won't stop bothering me with this until I listen to you, go ahead."

Akko's eyes light up like stars.

"Okay!" she says. "So first, I've always wanted my wedding to be at Luna Nova!"

A skeptical eyebrow raise is Diana's initial response, but she stays quiet.

"It has to be in the fall, too!"

"Not the summer?"

"The weather is cooler," Akko says as she shakes her head. "And the leaves are really pretty!"

"I see…Continue, please."

"Ah, where was I…Oh! So the ceremony will be outside in the field, and everyone will be there! Lotte and Sucy will be my bridesmaids, of course, and I'll be sure to invite Professor Ursula, Amanda, Constanze, Jasminka, and everyone else!"

"Oh?"

Diana curiously rests her chin in her palms and smiles.

"What about me?" she asks playfully.

"Hush," Akko responds. "Of course you'll be there…"

There's a brief pause. Akko suddenly finds it hard to look Diana in the eye, and settles on staring into the corner of the library instead.

"Ahem. As I was saying…When the ceremony starts, everyone will stand up, and then they'll see me, walking down the aisle in the most beautiful white dress. My dad will be walking right next to me, his arm around mine…"

…

…

…

"Is that it?" Diana asks after waiting for a bit.

"Yeah, I guess that's it," Akko sighs. "I haven't gotten all of the details worked out exactly, okay?"

Across from Akko, Diana can't help but laugh.

"No, no, I think it all sounds wonderful," she says. "It will be a great wedding, Akko."

"Aha…Thanks Diana."

"Now…would you like to hear about my ideal wedding?"

"But I thought you said-"

"Well, I've now given some thought to it," Diana says. "It can't hurt to imagine, can it?"

"Ah, that's great! So what-"

"My ideal wedding would be here, at Luna Nova, sometime in the mid-fall when the air is crisp and the leaves are all shades of red and orange. October, or November perhaps."

Confused, Akko watches silently as Diana gets up out of her seat and comes around the table.

"It will be a gorgeous day," Diana says, sitting down next to Akko, "and the sun will be shining above as friends and family gather here on grounds to enjoy a truly special moment."

She moves a little closer and gently places Akko's hand in her own.

"The ceremony will start, the music will play, and the bride, wearing a white dress more beautiful than any dress anyone has ever seen before, will walk down the aisle, arm-in-arm with her father, who will be so proud of her. When she finally gets to the altar, she and her loved one will exchange their vows, devote their lives to each other, and then…"

Brushing her golden hair back, Diana leans over and presses her lips to Akko's softly but surely, and they close their eyes for a few blissful moments before the star student slowly pulls away.

"They'll kiss."

It takes a sweaty and dazed Akko a minute to fully return to reality, by which time Diana has returned to her seat across the table, already back to her reading.

"Y-you were just messing with me, right?" Akko stutters. "I mean, you don't really…?"

"Hush, Akko. I'm studying."

I told you the story is never really over, didn't I?