The thing was, Akko loved performing. And she had actually gotten sort of good at it, too.

She was far from Shiny Chariot's level of stardom, and still without a real sponsor, so it could be weeks between shows, which she spent fruitlessly throwing her name and resume out to venue after venue. But it didn't really matter to her that she wasn't the best at it, simply because she thought performing was fun.

It had been almost sixteen years since she first saw Shiny Chariot perform, and there were no words for what it felt like to be on the other side of the stage.

Her life felt so much more fulfilling, now that she had graduated from Luna Nova. She was her own witch now (with her own degree!) She didn't have to deal with people like Finnelan and Badcock pouncing on her, or tests built for people who grew up with witchcraft and had a decade of experience over her.

And sure, there were plenty of stresses that came with finally being on stage. Sometimes she felt under constant pressure to make each show more spectacular and dazzling than the last. And without a real agent, she kept running back and forth between England and Japan.

And yet…

It was all worth it to share her love of magic with the audience, to dance among the lights and music, to be the reason a girl could forget her troubles for a little bit and just smile.

Tonight was one of the lucky nights when her persistence paid off.

A few months ago, some company in Blytonbury was looking for entertainment for their annual festival. It would be a larger scale gig than anything Akko had done since the first Samhain Festival at the academy, but she sent over a video of her last show in Edogawa anyway.

And incredibly! They actually hired her.

The dressing room backstage was rather small, and no matter how many air fresheners the festival staff put in, the faint smell of smoke still lingered to the carpets. But nonetheless, Akko found herself humming along to the muffled sounds of the song the band on stage was playing.

She peeked past dressing room divider, to see how her girlfriend was doing. Diana was nose deep in the same thick textbook she had been reading for days. She was waiting for the performer to finish getting her costume on, having come to see her show despite all her responsibilities.

Diana placed the back of her mouth to her hand, unable to fight back a silent yawn. It could not be said those responsibilities did not take their toll. She looked a bit worn down.

"Diana, Diana!" Akko called out. "When I go up on stage for the first time, do you think I should wear my hat up or down?"

Diana lowered her book. "What would the difference be?"

"I mean if I tilt my hat up, then the audience can see my face easier. But if I tilt it down- then I get a mysterious, witchy kinda look. Which do you think would look better on me?"

Diana probably could've still recited Luna Nova's whole dress code on how witches should wear hats in public spaces, but thankfully, she refrained.

"I suppose the...witchy...look might be beneficial. You are representing witchcraft while you're on stage, after all." Diana mused. "Though, worrying about such a thing hardly seems like you."

"I gotta look good for the very first time the audience sees me! Ursula always said first impressions matter, and how can I ignore advice from Shiny Chariot herself?"

Diana hummed.

"What? What's so funny?"

"I can list at least several times you ignored Ursula's advice, if you like."

Akko wasn't quite done changing yet, so she picked up her jacket from the floor and haphazardly tossed it in Diana's general direction.

"Heeey...I took Ursula's advice plenty of times in school! And I'm talking about show advice, not that kinda stuff!"

"I'm just teasing, Akko." Diana said. "Though I do want to ensure your show tonight is a success. You flew all the way out here. I'd hate for you to go home empty handed."

With most of her costume on, Akko was decent enough to step out from the divider into the full room. The sight of her in her partial ensemble was enough to make Diana set her textbook down on the coffee table and give her...undivided attention.

(It was the little things that Akko missed when they inevitably had to turn this back into a long distance relationship)

But she shook those thoughts from her head, and her sunshiny expression easily returned.

"Are you excited? You almost never get to see me perform live!"

"Not for lack of trying." Diana defended herself. "It's been rather hectic lately. I simply don't have as much free time as I'd like."

"Are you sure you're liking that hospital internship?"

"I am. For as heavy as the workload can be, it feels nice to put all my family's knowledge to practical use."

"Is that what that's for?" Akko asked, pointing to the absurdly thick textbook on the table.

Diana's brows stitched together. Her bookmark within it was barely a third of the way through.

"My supervisor recommended I page through it. It's about applying magic to modern medicine. It's...a little too theoretical at times, but I find it interesting enough."

Akko would be lying if she said she wasn't proud of Diana for it. She balanced that, plus graduate school, plus her personal life at the Manor. But she'd also be lying if she said she didn't worry.

"You do too much sometimes." Akko smiled a little. "That's why I'm gonna make this is my best show ever. I gotta make sure even the biggest stick in the mud in the world can see this thing tonight and have fun on her time off!"

Diana snorted. "How noble."

She caught Diana eyeing her book again out of the corner of her eye. Her shoulders slumped as she realized how much work she had left.

So naturally, Akko flicked it from the table, and sat her bottom down in its place.

Diana was unamused as her book hit the floor.

"...Really?"

"Hmm?" Akko shrugged innocently. "Really what? I just wanted to sit down for a sec."

Akko knew that Diana wanted to mention the three other seats in the dressing room. Diana knew that Akko knew that Diana wanted to mention it, which meant that if she did, Diana would be playing right into Akko's hands.

"Shouldn't you be taking this show more seriously? Diana said flatly. "You have quite the crowd out there tonight."

"How can I take this seriously when the whole point is to show everyone how fun magic is? That just goes against my whole message."

Diana was unamused.

"Dianaaa! You can't go acting like you're my manager too!"

"Who else could possibly manage someone as unwieldy as you?" Diana shrugged. "Certainly not some hapless talent agent. At least I have experience."

"May~be!" Akko answered in a teasing voice. "But I think you're too close to manage someone like me."

"And why is that?"

"Because." Akko narrowed her eyes daringly. "I know all your weaknesses."

She made a show of crossing one leg over the other. Thigh-high boots, incidentally. Part of her costume. Hugged her legs nicely. Diana had definitely noticed that detail.

Which was why Diana kept her eyes very carefully above Akko's neck. "...No, you don't."

Akko's tone lowered, until it was little more than a smoky whisper. "Is that a challenge, Diana?"

She leaned inwards, leering over her rival's chair with a mischievous smile. The way Diana sucked in her lower lip did not escape her attention.

"It was not."

"Sounded like one to me. Maybe I should prove it to you?"

Their noses were getting quite close now. Akko was right on the edge of the table. She could see the muted shiver of anticipation pass through Diana.

Feeling encouraged, Akko closed the gap between the two of them further, and further. And slowly, Diana's lips parted.

"You're going to be late for your own show."

And with that, Akko found a red cape thrown in her face.

She barked out a laugh. That's why she loved performing in England. She just didn't get clothes thrown in her face back home. That was exclusive treatment.

She pulled the cape off her head, stood up, and took to putting it on. As she was fiddling with the straps, she turned and smirked.

"Hey." Akko said. "Remember when I mentioned that stick in the mud? That was you."

"Imagine that."

"Just wanted to make sure you knew." Akko said. "But either way, you really gotta learn to loosen up a little! So much stress is bad for you."

"I-I am not stressed."

Diana crossed her arms in a huff. She was pretending the red at the tips of her ears was simply due to the cold, when she was clearly feeling anything but.

Akko wasn't sure why it made her giggle like it did. She tried turned her attention back to her cape. And she was biting into her lip really hard. And yet…

"...Pfft."

Diana bristled. "And what's so funny this time?"

"S-sorry! Sorry." Akko giggled. "It's just that- No matter how many years pass, you're still the adorable Diana I know!"

That was about as far from the barb Diana had been gearing up for as possible. She flushed, at least partly out of embarrassment. But the corner of her lip snuck up her cheek.

"...Oh." was what she said.

She always had been a little weak for sweet nothings.

Cruel as it was, Akko had a little guilty pride in being able to fluster her girlfriend even after almost five years of dating. Diana would get her back for it soon, and she'd just have to let her.

Five years. It felt strange to think that it wasn't even that yet. They had been by each other's sides through so much already- The Words, the missile, the parasite, that entire disaster at graduation. Akko was already sure:

This was the woman she was going to spend the rest of her life with.

But at the end of the day, Akko lived in Japan, and Diana in England.

They no longer could just drop everything and see each other whenever they wanted. Some days, their lives felt as different as possible. A healer and a performer, the Head of a House and a girl who barely made rent half the time.

That's why Akko needed an actual sponsor. No more long distance. She could live here, not just crash on the couch during the holidays. She and Diana could be together all the time. They could work together, live together, and maybe one day…

(Ah, she'd save those thoughts for another time…)

"Anyway...don't worry so much." Akko told her. "I just know there's a talent agent or something out there somewhere, and when I find them, I'm gonna blow their socks off."

"I'm sure you will." Diana brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "In any case...it would certainly be nice if you managed to land a contract here in the country."

"Yeah, I'm almost there!" Akko agreed.

She fastened the cape around her shoulders and let it fall to her calves. And once she set the hat atop her short crop of brown hair, her performer costume was finally complete.

She turned back and struck a small pose.

"So how does it look?"

The sleeveless tunic, white as a bunny's fur and emblazoned with glittery buttons and a purple sash, was maybe more cutesy than Shiny Chariot's number, but then, Akko didn't want to be Shiny Chariot 2.0, she wanted a costume and a name that was all her own.

Diana must've seen the costume a dozen times by now. And yet, every time, her expression seemed to melt as those blue eyes traveled down the length of her girlfriend's body. And every time, Akko couldn't help but feel emboldened. Somehow both herself, while also something larger than life.

"...You look breathtaking."

Akko flicked the brim of her hat upwards, grinning ear to ear like an absolute moron. She spun on the toe of her boot, enjoying how the light material of her cape flowed with her, how her skirt lifted and twirled with her.

And especially, the way Diana looked at her. She leaned into the armrest with a dreamy sigh. Her gaze overflowed with love, and the kiss of rosiness of her cheeks contrasted so nicely with her light hair.

A thousand pairs of eyes could be on Akko, and none of them could make her feel quite as admired.

The band outside on the stage was playing a love song Akko recognized from the radio. She didn't know the words, but she liked the slower, melodic tune. She could picture it in her head, the lights, the music, the romance of it all.

Gradually, Akko swayed her hips with the beat.

"What do you think of this song, Diana?"

Diana wasn't even listening. "It's pretty."

She stood upright, and fluffed out Akko's cape, smoothing out the fabric and making it sure it sat in a pleasing way. And with her girlfriend's hands running down her shoulders, Akko snaked her arms around Diana's waist.

And again, Akko swayed. With Diana in her arms, she bobbed from one foot to the other. She danced to the mystery love song, and she moved Diana right along with her.

Diana tried very hard to keep her serious demeanor up, but even now, she found herself falling so easily, willingly, into the performer's spell.

"…Y-you realize this makes fixing your ensemble needlessly difficult."

"Is it really too difficult for the illustratus Diana Cavendish?"

"Illustrious." Diana corrected.

"I bet you can do it. You're good at dancing, right?"

She stepped to the side, and Diana simply went along with her. The two of them twirled in a slow waltz to a muffled song. Akko's hands snaked up the curves of Diana's torso, until they finally came to rest on her cheeks.

As the sound of Akko's humming found its way to Diana's ears, her blush deepened.

"Akko…" She mumbled. "...We're not even on beat."

"Ah, who cares?"

And there it was, the fruit of her labor. Try as she might, Diana couldn't fight down the embarrassed grin any longer. No matter how many years passed, the sight of that grin was a magic in itself.

Finally, Diana danced with Akko. Her hand trailed down her back as they lazily twirled around the dingy dressing room, lit by a single lady buzzing fluorescent bulb. Diana was practiced in waltzing, but it hardly made a difference here.

They were just having fun. The rhythm of the music was more of an afterthought than an actual direction. Their bodies moved in tandem, rocking and swaying.

"Just so you know…" Akko whispered into Diana's ear. "One day, I'm gonna find a way to make you so happy, you're not even gonna remember all the things that are stressing you out right now."

"You've surprised me before. But I have to say, I'm not sure that's even possible."

"Then I guess I'm gonna have to keep performing, just for you. You'll be in the front row, I'll be on stage. And we'll keep going over and over until you finally believe me."

Akko craned upwards and pressed a kiss to her lips, and a light, breathless, and simply carefree giggle escaped Diana (And gosh, that was a lethal combination. Oughta be a law)

The back of Diana's hand ran down Akko's cheek, and she shook her head in disbelief.

"You're the most ridiculous girl I've ever met."

"I know. But it sells tickets, so what can you do?"

So Akko pressed yet another quick kiss to Diana's face, hitting the corner of Diana's mouth instead of her actual lips. And then she pressed another, and another. And Diana's laugh simply broke through more and more.

"A-Akko…! Stop it!"

Naturally, Akko's assault did not cease.

"I mean it! S-stop!"

Diana's face even felt warm in her hands.

"Why did you have to go and get taller anyway?" Akko accused. "I didn't used to have to stand on my toes."

"A-aren't...aren't those boots platforms?"

"Rude!" Akko gasped in mock offense. "I can't believe my greatest rival would stoop so low."

"Stoop so low? Now you're just calling yourself short, my love."

My love.

A warm glow spread through Akko's face at the silly pet name. "Y-you're so sappy, Diana! I can't believe you just actually said that!"

"Mhmm." She cupped Akko's chin, and urged her closer. Akko's lips gladly met her halfway.

Diana was a much better kisser than she was anyway. The nerve of her.

She barely pulled away, and instead rested her forehead against Akko's. But they only just know noticed the band out front had long since stopped playing.

Diana chewed on her bottom lip for a moment.

"Did...I really seem like I was in need of comforting?"

Akko looked up at her. Diana figured her out?

"...I'm sorry." Diana said. "I don't mean to be so distracted, or bossy. This should be your night, not mine."

"No, Diana-"

"Even if I do have a lot of work, I don't want to diminish your career. I have time to take care of it, and It's not-"

"Hey." Akko gently cut in. "You're following your heart. And to me, that's all that matters."

It was a very Akko way to answer. Diana's face settled in that soft smile yet again.

Worries or not, it was these small reminders that reminded her why their relationship could survive the distance. The doctor and the entertainer. It had a nice, lyrical quality to it.

They could've kept going for hours, laughing, talking (and really, just flirting shamelessly)...but a heavy hand knocked on her dressing room door, and after a moment, he peeked his head in at the couple.

"Miss Kagari?" Roy said. "Yer on in five."

Roy was a cyclops. He worked for the festival. Akko had asked him if she could go grab a bag of M&Ms and he went and got it for her. She liked Roy.

Diana forced herself to part away. Averting her eyes, she brushed a lock of hair behind her ears.

"I suppose it's time for me to go then…"

"Guess so." Akko nodded. "But I expect you to have the time of your life tonight. This is going to be my most amazing show yet, I guarantee it!"

Diana took a moment to fix Akko's hat, before she started towards the door. With her hand resting on the door handle, she turned back, that soft look still playing across the blue of her eyes.

"In that case, if you're up there, and you doubt how happy I am for you…" Diana said. "Then...just watch me."

Akko stuck her tongue out at that.

Her song began to play through the stage's speakers. The announcer out front began to rattle off her introduction.

She carefully peeked through the stage curtains, and saw so many aspiring little witches in the audience. Had she looked that excited when she first saw Shiny Chariot?

But most of all, she saw Diana in the front row- with that proud, goofy, lovesick smile spread on her reddened cheeks. (Such a sap. Akko loved her so much)

She readied her magic as the curtains began to part. She felt larger than life, and finally the show could begin anew again, where everything she had ever wanted was possible again. Diana's seemingly important textbook was left forgotten on the dressing room floor until long after the show was over.

A.N. This chapter's dedicated to two of my closest friends in the LWA fandom, undersea_anchor and all-the-cliches for always being so supportive. Love you two!