Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was an ordinary day like any other in the rural suburban town of Wedinburgh. In this modest city everybody knew each other friends, neighbors, co-workers, and of course people knew about the Cavendish family. How could they not?

The Cavendishes are a very well-known family of doctors that own a small, but reputable polyclinic that's practically open on all hours of the day. The place itself operated seven times a week, not counting on holidays, to dedicate themselves to the well-being of the people. The establishment might have been tiny in size when the family first opened up for business a long time ago, but thanks to the many years of hard work, the clinic grew in not only in proportion but also in profession.

The most notable members of the Cavendish family that Wedinburgh residents would often talk about were: Beatrix Cavendish, who not only was the founder of the Cavendish family but also the founder and first owner of the polyclinic many years ago. Her accomplishments and dedication in this line of work helped a lot of people recover from many kinds of injuries as well as illnesses throughout the years.

Many generations later, the other noticeable member of the family was Bernadette Cavendish, who not only inherited the family business but also seemed to have gained her ancestors' passion for the medical field and showered people with a kind smile as she helped her patients during their time of need. However, Bernadette's time was cut short because she had a heart defect. Despite her condition, Bernadette was still determined to continue working and taking care of others until eventually... she passed away.

Being the next successor for the family business, Diana Cavendish stepped up to take the reigns. Though this step in particular was delayed for a few years since she was about ten years old when her mother passed away. Because of this, her aunt, Daryl Cavendish, had to act as the main proprietor for the clinic until Diana was officially an adult. However, regardless of this setback, Diana worked hard to meet everyone's expectations. From her education, to getting hands-on training by helping out at the clinic whenever her aunt and cousins needed assistance, and more, she continued doing her best for the following years.

Most people would often complain about having their life be planned out by their family they were involved in some kind of trade. Whether it was a shop, a restaurant, a corporate business, etc. They would think that their life was decided from start to finish, and even if they did have some freedom, most of the time it would be restricted. Diana would disagree, for she felt that she wasn't restrained at all, though it wouldn't surprise her in the slightest if people were to think otherwise.

The young Cavendish felt nothing but pride, satisfaction, and determination to inherit the clinic someday and continue where her beloved mother left off in order to make the clinic more successful. Pursuing the medical field and becoming a doctor was more than just a profession for Diana, in some ways she felt close to her mother. Her mother was her role model, and Diana felt like she would honor her mother's memory by continuing to help others in any way she could. Diana would even go as far to say that her mother's dream was her dream, or so she thought at first...

Throughout her teenage years, Diana never felt the need to experience romance. She just wasn't interested, and even if she was, Diana would be extremely busy keeping up with her studies and helping out at the clinic. She honestly didn't have time, even more so when she started going to college and med school later on down the line. It just didn't feel right to date someone and not have time for them, it just wouldn't be fair for the other person and Diana didn't want anybody to feel neglected.

Now that she has finished with her education and started working the clinic full-time, Diana just felt a bit lost on what to do next. She'd accomplished everything she set out to do to get where she is today, and yet she felt like she was missing something, or perhaps someone in her life. The blonde would be lying if she said that she didn't feel lonely every now and then. Even living in her own flat felt small and empty, despite the fact that the place itself was moderate in size and was very well furnished. She could put herself out there and try to meet someone she could share the rest of her life with, but Diana didn't feel confident nor comfortable enough to go through with it.

After all, who would want to date a thirty year old woman?

Who would want to commit themselves to spend time with someone who will be busy most of the time?

Would someone be willing, be genuine enough to go through with that commitment?

Diana knew that relationships in general took a lot of time and effort. She knew that there could be lots of ups and downs, and she was willing to try but admittedly... she was scared. She was afraid that she wouldn't be good enough to be a suitable partner, she was fearful at the fact that the other person would immediately lose interest in her for not being able to spend time with them. Of not being wanted, of not being loved, but most of all she was absolutely frightened about being used for personal gain...

That terrifying thought had crossed her mind on more than one occasion when she thought about romance in general. This scenario wouldn't be too surprising. Diana was a beautiful woman, who was showered with both admiration and infatuation while growing up. People would constantly flock to her just because she's a Cavendish and for her financial standing as a successful doctor. I mean, who wouldn't want to try to get close to her because of that? Humans were very capable of being cruel and greedy in order to achieve the things that they wanted.

Diana didn't want that. At all. She just wanted someone to love her, for her, and not for her last name nor for her occupation.

Alas, in the end, the young Cavendish ultimately decided to put those thoughts aside and went about her day with her usual routine. It wasn't all that much. She would mostly work at the clinic for eight hours, sometimes more depending on the flow of patients. But whenever she truly did have spare time, Diana would just go for a stroll and stop by her favorite coffee shop sometime during the day before, eventually, walking back to the clinic, working about three more hours before closing the establishment for the night. She would go to her flat and just collapse on her bed, and the same cycle would just repeat again.

Until one day that dull, day-to-day basis was broken by something remarkable that had happened to Diana.

She could remember it like it was just yesterday. (Because it probably was.)

It was a surprisingly warm, sunny winter day. Around noon, Diana was on her way towards her favorite coffee shop. Despite being small, the café was rather popular among the Wedinburgh residents. The shop had a soothing and inviting atmosphere, and the place would sometimes be full to the brim with families, couples, and teenagers. Everyone just felt welcomed there.

The young Cavendish always liked to open the door to the café. Every time she did it her nose would be invaded with the rich, strong smell of warm coffee, and it wouldn't be long for the scent to be toned down as her nose also picked up the smell of pastries and other delicacies the place had to offer. She would usually wait in line, and once it was finally her turn to place an order at the register Diana would usually be tended by a short-haired blond with glasses, but today she was tended by someone else.

At the time, Diana honestly hadn't payed attention to the clerk. Her body just moved on auto-pilot and ordered her usual latte from the menu, but she did remember three key factors on that day...

Long, brown hair.

Deep, red eyes.

And finally, as she walked towards the exit of her favorite coffee shop, she glanced down at her cup.

“You're beautiful” was written in place of her name. She glanced back and their eyes met.

Chapter Text

It's a beautiful spring in the month of March in Wedinburgh. The town's citizens went about their day at their usual pace whether it was enjoying their day off, doing some shopping, going to school, or simply heading to work. And it was no different for Wedinburgh's medical practitioner, Diana Cavendish...

“Alright then, Mrs. Kinsley. That should do it. Everything seems to be healing up nicely.” Diana informed the older woman as she finished bandaging her patient's leg. “If his recovery continues on like this, Thomas will be up on his feet in no time.”

“Thank you, Dr. Cavendish.” The golden haired woman spoke gratefully with a smile, looking down at her teenage son as she ruffled up the boy's hair a bit. “When will my little Tommy be able to start physical therapy?” She asked.

Thomas groaned to himself while crossing his arms, his cheeks obviously having a pink hue on them. “...Mom, please.”

Diana stifled a laugh at the back of her hand. When she composed herself, she answered her guest, “Well, it's just a simple fracture. With a lot of rest, and if Thomas is feeling up to it, he should be able to start with his rehabilitation within the next few weeks. For now, let's just schedule another check up...” She swirled around in her chair, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she updated her patient's information. “Okay, I actually have a spot open at exactly two o'clock for the twenty-fifth, which will be on a Tuesday. Is this alright with you, Mrs. Kinsley?”

“That's sounds perfect, Dr. Cavendish!”

“Very well. I shall you see you both then, please be careful on the way out.”

“Thank you so much!”

“It's no trouble at all.”

“Come on, Tommy, say thank you to the nice physician.” Mrs. Kinsley told her son, gently helping the boy up from the bed.

Once the teenage boy gratefully accepted his crutches, he nervously looked up at Diana as he mumbled, “T-thank you, Miss Cavendish.”

Diana smiled at the young boy. “You're welcome, Thomas. And don't you worry, you'll be better before you know it.” She reassured him.

“Thanks again.”

“Yes! Thank you very much, Dr. Cavendish!”

The physician kept on smiling and waving until Thomas and his mother left the premises, only to let her smile waver just a bit before she stopped waving altogether. A tired sigh soon escaped from her lips as she leaned back against the office chair, stretching her arms over her head while she did so before she sat back up again.

Diana then rolled down the left sleeve of her lab coat, checking the time on her wrist watch. Thirty more minutes and it will be noon soon. She rose up from the chair and exited the room, walking up the hall that led to the front of the clinic.

The front of the establishment was a moderate sized room with its front doors and windows being entirely made of glass. The walls were pristine white with a couple of paintings and health posters hung up in some places, and potted plants decorated each corner of the entrance so that they could get much needed sunlight.

Many chairs lined the walls of the waiting room with a couple of coffee tables situated in front of the furniture, various kinds of magazines laying on top of them for the guests to occupy their attention. As of now, the clinic was slow in terms of business at the moment. No customers in sight.

Turning to the left, the young Cavendish saw her cousin, Maril, manning the front desk.

“Hey Maril,” Diana called out to her cousin, walking up behind her desk. “I just wanted to let you know that I've scheduled another check up for Thomas Kinsley on your behalf.”

“Thank you for telling me, Diana. When's the date?” Her cousin inquired, turning her head to the right as she looked up at the physician.

“On the twenty-fifth, exactly at two o'clock on the dot.” Diana responded while adjusting her glasses.

Maril gave a nod, facing her computer as she looked up the appointment files for the day. “Okay then, I'll be sure to give Mrs. Kinsley a call the day before the appointment to remind her of it.”

Looking over her cousin's work, Diana got curious enough to ask, “Maril, do I have any more appointments scheduled for today?”

“Hmm, let's see...” The older Cavendish hummed as she went to check on her cousin's request.

As she did so Maril certainly did not miss the way on how Diana's finger kept on tapping against the edge of her desk, a nervous tick that the girl had developed over the recent weeks.

Admittedly, depending on the day, Maril found the sudden development to be rather cute, but on other days she couldn't help but voice out her annoyance... “Diana dear, can you please stop that?” She asked politely with a hint of amusement in her tone.

Finally becoming aware of what she was doing, Diana immediately seized the action. Her face was red with obvious embarrassment as she apologized, “I-I'm sorry!”

Letting out a giggle, Maril merely smiled as she replied, “It's quite alright, Diana. I was mostly teasing you.”

Oh no... The physician thought to herself in suspicion. If her cousin was already teasing her about something, it was never a good sign. In fact, if Maril was teasing her already, then surely, both Aunt Daryl and Merril wouldn't be far behind in that department. I really need to be careful.

“Yes, well,” Diana let out a nervous laugh of her own, averting her eyes toward one of the few paintings that hung on the waiting room. “You have yet to answer my question, Maril.”

“Alright, alright, you don't have to get your knickers in a bunch.”

“Do you really have to say something so crude?”

“What else am I supposed to say in order to get a reaction out of you?”

“Maril...!”

“Okay, okay,” The receptionist relented. “You actually won't have any more appointments until three. You have absolute free time until then.” She informed her cousin.

“Thank you. Was that so hard?” Diana spoke up, a bit exasperated than she had meant to.

Maril pouted. “You're no fun, Diana...”

“Correction: I can be fun, I just choose not to!”

“So~, you're admitting it?”

“That's it. I'm done.”

Before she passed the corner to enter the hallway, Diana poked her head out from the corner to say, “If anybody needs me, I'll be in my office.”

“Alright, Diana dear.” Maril waved goodbye to her cousin. Once the physician left, the phone started ringing, and the receptionist immediately picked it up to say, “Hello, and thank you for calling the Cavendish Wellness Center! What can I help you with today?”

Walking down the hallway once again, Diana passed by the patient and examination rooms and when she made it toward the end of the corridor, she walked through the rehabilitation area. Unlike the rest of the rooms in the clinic, the rehabilitation area was a large open space where their patients can focus on the physical part of their recovery.

When she made it to the very back of the building Diana entered her office, a room that her dear mother used to occupy a lot back when she was still alive. Unlike her mother, who kept this office in disarray with countless amounts of paperwork, Diana has a much organized work ethic.

Not that the woman wasn't a hardworker, of course. Sometimes, her mother would literally be buried in the mountain of paperwork that not even the rest of their family could see her working on them half the time, but no matter how busy she was her mother always made time for her. Always showering Diana with constant love and attention.

Most days, this room made her feel close to her mother. And on other days, this small space made Diana feel empty and lonely beyond belief... Sure, she still has her aunt and her cousins. But, in a way, it just wasn't the same.

Aunt Daryl was truly kind and understanding with her throughout the years. The elder Cavendish not only took over the clinic for a time, but she also treated Diana like one of her own. Her cousins, Maril and Merril, are also kind to her. In some ways, Diana saw them more as her older sisters than actual cousins, truth be told.

However, despite the close relationship Diana has with them, it was still nowhere near to the familial love she used to have with her mother... Her one true family, as it were, besides her father, of course.

Letting out a low sigh, the physician walked toward her desk, sitting rather heavily on her office chair. She soon raised her hands up, untying the ponytail holder in order to free her long, fluffy mane from its restraint before proceeding to take off her glasses and laid them on the table.

Diana merely laid her head back and closed her eyes in momentary respite, only to open them again to glance at a photograph that sat by itself at the corner of her desk.

The picture itself was first taken when the clinic had expanded in size and business had grew busier from then on. From left to right, Aunt Daryl, who looked much younger back in the day, was standing beside her older sister bearing a small smile. Her hair was much longer back then compared to how it is now. Beside her was her “identical twin”, as most of the town residents liked to refer to them whenever they were seen together in public (despite the fact that they're not actually twins to begin with), Bernadette Cavendish.

Diana resembles her mother, in both looks and personality. Bernadette looked beyond content being surrounded by her family, even more so since she was staring down at the little bundle in her arms with complete adoration instead of properly looking at the camera. Her child taking precedence over the small business celebration.

Standing behind the two women were their husbands. Diana's uncle, Philip, had a huge happy grin on his face while he held both of his twin daughters on each shoulder, supporting them with his strong arms. A pair of small hands could be seen grabbing a generous chunk of the man's sleek hair as both Maril and Merril, who were no more than four to five years old at the time, decided to grab onto his hair to stay aloft somehow since they were so high up. His neat combed hair may not have been picture perfect, but he certainly didn't seem to mind.

Beside Philip was his best friend and Diana's father, Elliot, who had a smile of his own as he posed behind his wife, laying his hands on her shoulders while leaning over a bit to look over his beloved's shoulder to lovingly stare at his newborn daughter.

Clearly, everyone in the photograph had their attention elsewhere. Except for baby Diana, who seemed to be at peace taking a nap in her mother's arms. Overall, the photo itself truly displayed a big happy family.

Sometimes, I really wish I could go back... The physician thought solemnly.

Before Diana felt her vision blur with tears, she quickly tore her gaze away, swirling around in her chair to face away from the photograph altogether. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of something else...

It was the cup she received by ordering her usual at the café a few weeks back. When she finished with her latte, Diana washed it and kept it with her because, honestly, she just didn't have the heart to throw it away. Reaching for the cup, Diana let her fingers trail the coffee lid, right where the compliment was written with a permanent marker.

The girl's handwriting was small, cramped, a bit messy, and obviously last minute. Understandably so, considering that the restaurant was pretty busy at the time.

Just thinking about it brought a small smile to Diana's face. “You're beautiful.”

The young Cavendish couldn't explain it, but just whispering those words brought a light fluttery sensation to her chest, her ears turning red with slight embarrassment. It's not that she wasn't flattered, but it has been a rather long time since she's received a compliment like that.

Not that it wasn't her first, but in a way, it was. It was her first genuine compliment, compared to the constant admiration she had while growing up. It was refreshing, different, and to top it off, it was from someone she didn't even know.

Those words were actually enough to peak Diana's curiosity, and that wasn't the only thing to capture her attention...

Long, brown hair.

Deep, red eyes.

And that sweet, cheerful smile that could turn someone's dull day into a bright one in an instant.

If only I had time to ask her name... Diana thought sadly, her shoulders sagging in disappointment.

Two knocks on her door caught Diana's attention, and she swirled her chair around in time to see her aunt walk into her office. “Oh. Good afternoon, Aunt Daryl. How are you?” She spoke up in greeting.

“Good afternoon, Diana. I'm doing well.” The elder Cavendish returned the greeting with a smile, shutting the door behind her. “Sorry. I knocked about four times, but there wasn't a response... And so, I let myself in.”

“Oh, really? I didn't notice...” The physician gave a meek response, hiding the cup inside of her lab coat. Of all times, why did she have to approach me now? She thought to herself, clearly distressed.

“Well, it has come to my attention...” Daryl's smile only grew wider, evidently catching her niece in the act of trying to hide something. “That you've been quite distracted lately.”

At hearing that Diana instinctively tensed up, folding her hands in her lap, and in doing so... The container fell out of her lab coat.

The young Cavendish paled significantly at her sudden blunder. B-bloody hell!

“Aha!”

“W-wait a moment!”

Before Diana could even get up from her chair, her aunt had obviously beaten her to it by grabbing the container from the floor first.

“Oho! What is this?” Daryl spoke up in curiosity, holding up the cup to inspect it closely. As she did so, her blue eyes caught sight of the store's logo, which was an accurate depiction of the Charioteer constellation. “A cup, and not just any cup... It's a cup that you can only get in Auriga's Café, an establishment that you have not visited in the last few weeks, if I'm not mistaken.”

“So what?” Diana begrudgingly sat back in her seat, trying to look anywhere except her aunt's inquisitive gaze. “...I-I just haven't been in the mood for lattes lately, that's all.”

“Hmm-hmm,” The elder Cavendish hummed amusingly, her sharp eyes catching on to another detail the cup contained. “Yes, of course, whatever you say... 'You're beautiful'.”

The physician groaned out loud, her face turning a deep scarlet in humiliation as she leaned forward against her desk and buried her head in her folded arms. I wish I could just disappear!

Daryl couldn't help but laugh merrily at seeing her niece's reaction. After a few minutes, she composed herself to say, “Diana, darling, this is nothing to be embarrassed about! In fact, I'm happy for you!”

Surprised to hear such a response from her aunt, Diana barely lifted up her head, only her wide blue eyes being visible over her folded arms. “Y-you are?” She mumbled, her voice being slightly muffled.

“Of course I am! It's about time that you started thinking about romance!” Daryl remarked happily as she rounded around the desk and enveloped her niece into a warm hug. “Though, if I'm being honest, this scenario turned out for the best! Now, your cousins and I can stop plotting behind your back by trying to set you up on a date or two!”

Well, aren't I lucky? The young Cavendish thought sarcastically to herself, resisting the urge not to roll her eyes as she hugged her aunt back.

When she pulled away from the embrace, Diana spoke up, “Aunt Daryl, I appreciate the sentiment. I really do, but...” She trailed off soon after.

“But, what?” Daryl repeated softly, gently laying a hand on the girl's shoulder. “It's okay, Diana. You can tell me.”

“I...” The physician trailed off again, sighing for a bit before she mustered up the courage to say, “I don't know her name.” She admitted.

“What?”

“That's it. I don't know her name.”

“I see, so your secret admirer is a girl...” The elder Cavendish spoke aloud, only catching on to that specific detail in her niece's statement. “And here I thought that you were going to find yourself a good husband.” She added soon afterward with a chuckle.

Diana pouted. “Does it matter?”

“Yes, it does! When it comes to my niece's happiness, of course.” Daryl responded with a wink, setting the cup down on the table. She then leaned against Diana's desk and began interrogating the physician, “Alright then. Let's cut to chase, shall we? You obviously met this girl in Auriga's Café a few weeks back, correct?”

“That's right. She was working as a cashier that day.” The young Cavendish nodded in confirmation. “And, unfortunately... I didn't have the chance to ask for her name due to how busy the restaurant was.” She finished saying with a disappointed sigh.

“That may be so darling, but the solution is simple. You're already a usual at the café, aren't you? Just walk in, order your usual latte, and if she's working, that's when you can ask for her name and go from there. Simple!” The older woman gave her foolproof plan, clasping her hands together for a job well-done.

You make it sound so easy... Diana thought irritably.

“And, to help you out...” Daryl pulled herself away from the desk, opening one of the drawers to take out a pad of sticky notes. She then got a pen and wrote down a couple of items on the piece of paper. Once she finished, she ripped off the page and handed the list over to her niece. “This should help you get close to her, and maybe go through a conversation or two before you have to leave.”

Confused, the physician looked over the note and read it aloud, “Three chai tea lattes, a mocha espresso, and four chicken avocado sandwiches...? Isn't this a bit much, Aunt Daryl?” She asked her guardian.

“It's not for four hungry Cavendishes.” The elder Cavendish chuckled. “Your cousins and I have yet to have lunch, and I know for a fact that you also have yet to eat anything, Diana.”

The list itself looks simple enough, but I still don't see the point of it- And that's when Diana finally registered the last part of her aunt's sentence... Oh, dear Merlin... A CONVERSATION!? I-I don't think my heart can take it just yet!

“A-aunt Daryl, I-I don't think I'm-”

“You don't need to think about anything, Diana. If you do, you'll overthink things, and when you overthink, you're definitely going to be a nervous wreck over something so simple.”

“B-but I-”

“And don't even think about coming back to the clinic until you've talked to that girl! That's an order, Diana!”

What on earth did I just get myself into? The physician mused, clearly distressed.

It has been about a month since Akko had left Japan to come and live with her Godmother in Britain. Compared to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, living in a small town like Wedinburgh was a nice change of pace. It was quiet, peaceful, and most of all...

No nagging from my parents. The brunette thought to herself in contentment, smiling a bit over her little triumph. She was free, she could finally focus on herself, on what she wanted.

Working at her Godmother's café is a very good experience for her, which helped improve her skills in the kitchen. Cooking was not just her hobby, it was her passion. Sadly, her parents don't see it that way...

For as long as Akko can remember, her parents had hardly ever supported her on anything while growing up. Not in her interests, not in her favorite sport, and especially not in relationships! In their eyes, unless it was something that would greatly benefit her future, her parents would just scoff and discourage her from pursuing something she wanted.

Well, not this time! The brunette thought with determination.

“Akko, can you come help me please?”

“Yeah, stop looking out the window and help us.”

The red-eyed girl snapped out of her brooding, turning her head in time to see her friends, Lotte and Sucy, cleaning up a couple of tables in the restaurant.

“Oh crap! Sorry girls!” Akko apologized to them, heading over to one of the tables to start collecting the dirty dishes.

Sure, the restaurant wasn't busy right now, but that still doesn't mean that she can slack off. Once she safely secured a good amount of dishes in her hands, the brunette made her way over to Sucy, who's hauling a dish bin around the café while collecting plates as she went. When Akko approached her, she carefully deposited them into the dish bin.

“Thanks.” The lilac-haired girl thanked her, currently picking up a couple of cups from the table she's clearing up. “It's good to know that you haven't completely zoned out on us.” She teased.

“Zoned out? What is that supposed to mean?” The red-eyed girl questioned her, sounding offended.

“Sucy means that you've been staring out the window since you've started your shift.” Lotte helpfully responded. She then added, “In fact, if I'm not mistaken, you've been doing that a lot these past few weeks.”

“I-I have?” Akko stuttered nervously, walking behind the register and into the kitchen to wash her hands. Once she finished, she grabbed a couple of paper towels to dry them before she walked back to the front again. “I mean, well, the weather has been nice this entire time. I kind of wish I could go out and enjoy the fresh air.” She mentioned rather casually, hoping to divert the conversation.

Unfortunately for her, Sucy didn't fall for it.

“Yeah, sure~ you do.” The lilac-haired girl remarked in a sardonic tone, making her way to the kitchen to start soaking the dirty dishes.

Throwing the paper towels away in a trash can, Akko couldn't help but slam her hands on the counter. Just hearing her friend's sarcastic tone was enough to rile her as she exclaimed, “Oh, come on! It's not like I'm wrong!”

“It still doesn't change the fact that you're lying to us, Akko.” Lotte spoke knowingly, starting to spray and wipe down the tables in the restaurant.

“If I'm remembering correctly, there were like three days out of the week that were nothing but rain.” Sucy cut back in.

Akko huffed and crossed her arms, averting her eyes as she did so. “Okay, maybe, but it was only those three days! The rest of the time was perfect running weather!”

“Who even cares about the weather to begin with?”

“I mean... Some- Some people actually think about the weather more than you think!”

By now Akko's voice was faltering, not that her lying was foolproof. Sucy was continuing to stare on with a raised brow, while Lotte put away her cleaning materials and came back to the group. She had still been keeping up with the conversation, as made obvious by her slight grin.

“Now, now, Akko.” The short-haired girl chuckled. “There's nothing that you could say to us that would change the way we look at you....”

Another snide remark came from Sucy. “It would change my opinion.”

“Sucy!” Lotte lightly chided her before turning back to Akko. “Don't mind her, she doesn't mean it. Go ahead and say it, your secret is safe with us!”

“Partly...”

“That's enough out of you!”

Well, why not? It's not like I have anything to lose... The brunette conceded in defeat.

“Alright, you girls win.” Akko took a deep breath and exhaled soon afterward, and once she gathered her thoughts together she began to confide in them. “I honestly could care less about the weather, but what I DO care about presently is that God has answered my prayers and graced her presence in our lowly café.”

Between the two of them, Lotte was confused from hearing such a broad statement, and Sucy merely stared at Akko with a blank stare.

“Who are you talking about?” The lilac-haired girl deadpanned.

“I actually have to agree with Sucy on this one. Who's 'she'?” Lotte asked.

“Well, to be honest... I don't know. We were so busy a few weeks back.” Akko shyly admitted with a chuckle, nervously scratching the back of her neck.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute.” Sucy interrupted her. “Akko, you do realize that you work at a café, right?”

“Yeah, what about it?” The red-eyed girl inquired while tilting her head in confusion, clearly not knowing where her friend was going with this.

The morbid girl sighed rather heavily, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration as she began to explain, “When you work at a café, the cashier, who's the one that takes the customer's order, usually writes down their name to make it easier for them to call on the person once their order is ready! So, I'm asking right now: Did you or did you not write down her name?”

That's when everything clicked for Akko, and noticeably she started to go rather pale, quickly averting her eyes from Sucy as she responded, “Um, well, you see... I asked her, but I kind of didn't register it at the time...”

“What?”

“I just.... didn't register it. I-I mean, I did hear it, but I got too distracted by her beautiful voice to the point where I... didn't even write it down.”

“Then, what DID you write!?”

The brunette felt herself shrink under her friend's intense glare, twiddling her thumbs as she mumbled, “...A compliment.”

“A compliment? What kind?” Lotte questioned her, curiosity filling her tone. “O-oh! If you don't mind telling us, of course!” She added quickly with a nervous laugh.

“Yes, Akko.” Sucy merely arched a brow, clearly unamused as she impatiently drummed her fingers against the counter. However, regardless of her actions, she decided to play along. “What, pray tell, was the compliment?” She inquired.

And now, Akko was embarrassed. Her face taking the same shade as her own eye color. But after a few minutes, she replied, “You're beautiful.”

A rather unsettling silence followed soon afterward, and none of the girls said anything for a good while. Once the silence lifted, one of the girls obviously wasn't too pleased at hearing the brunette's response...

“Atsuko Kagari, if I had the authority to fire you, I would. But, sad to say, that's not in my job description. It is, however, in Lotte's...” With that, Sucy turned to look at her shy friend. “Lotte, fire her.” She demanded.

The short-haired blonde gasped, “What?! I can't fire Akko over something so silly as that!” She practically shrieked in objection to Sucy's absurd request. “Besides, I can't fire her. Akko outranks me.”

Sucy's visible eye widened in surprise at this sudden revelation. “Akko outranks you? On what grounds?”

“She's the boss' Godchild, Sucy.” Lotte reminded her. “I've mentioned it to you once before, remember?”

“Tsk. Nepotism...” The morbid girl scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

“Aw, come on, Sucy!” Akko whined. “I'm not that bad, am I?”

“Hmph, that depends. You do have your days.” Sucy answered honestly while grumbling, “But, there's still something I don't quite understand... Sure, okay, you unsurprisingly didn't write her name down. But, how can you not remember her name if she apparently left such an impression on you?”

Freaking out, Akko started to explain herself, “I'm sorry, Sucy! I just can't remember, and trust me, I'm STILL kicking myself over it!”

Ever the mediator, Lotte began to calm her morbid friend. “Now, now, Sucy.” She spoke in a soothing manner, “We're all human. We certainly can't recall everything from the top of our heads, especially if it's something from a few weeks ago.” She stated reasonably.

“Look. I may not remember her name, but I do remember how she looks like!” The red-eyed girl insisted.

Sucy chuckled, but it held no humor in it. “This ought to be good...”

“Sucy, please.” The shy girl lightly scolded her co-worker. She then sighed and turned to Akko to say, “Don't mind her, Akko. How did this customer look like?”

“Hmm, let's see...” The brunette thought aloud, bringing a hand up to her chin as she started to recall the details from that day. “She had honey blonde hair. Long, soft, wavy, and very fluffy with tea green highlights. Deep, blue eyes. Hidden behind a pair of black rimmed glasses. My first impression of her was aloof, like a lone wolf. She probably didn't even notice me because all she wanted was to order a latte, but before she left... our eyes met.” Her voice softened significantly as she let out a contented sigh at the end.

“Oh, brother...” Sucy groaned while rolling her eyes, obviously resisting the urge not to vomit.

However, it was quite the opposite reaction for Lotte, who clasped her hands together while her soft blue eyes sparkled in joy, all the while exclaiming, “How romantic! And all of it happened just from a single compliment?”

“Pretty much, yeah.” Akko mumbled in embarrassment, letting out a nervous chuckle soon afterward.

“Well then, congratulations. I guess.” The lilac-haired girl droned, stepping away from the counter. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some dirty dishes to attend to.”

The moment Sucy had left, a new voice called for Akko's and Lotte's attention. “Girls.”

Both of them turned their heads in time to see their boss, Chariot du Nord, coming out from the kitchen.

The older woman had a slight look of disapproval on her face as she stared at them. “Girls, just because the café is slow right now, it doesn't mean that there isn't any work to be done.” She then clapped her hands in emphasis to that statement. “Don't just stand there, chop-chop!”

“Yes ma'am!”

From there everyone went back to work, and the flow of the restaurant got a bit busier after that. Akko and Lotte manned the front by taking orders and tending to their tables while Chariot cooked the food as more orders arrived in the kitchen. As for Sucy, besides cleaning dishes in the kitchen, helped out the others whenever they needed it.

Before long, it was two o'clock in the afternoon and the café had slowed down significantly after the lunch rush. The morbid girl cleared up dishes from the tables before she went back to the kitchen, the brunette sprayed and wiped them down while the blonde passed a broom around the restaurant.

As they cleaned up, Lotte had approached Akko with a question...

“Hey Akko, about that woman you talked about... Did she happen to stop by after that day?” The shy girl asked out of the blue.

“Hmm, now that I think about it... I don't think she has, not from what I've seen anyway.” The red-eyed girl responded.

Lotte stopped sweeping the floors for a moment. “So, she hasn't stopped by the café at all since then? Are you absolutely sure?” She asked again.

Akko paused in her work, trying to recall the last few weeks yet again. “Well, I mean, some days I do see her stop by from outside, but for some reason she doesn't even step inside the café at all. At most, she'd take a side glance through the window, only to suddenly turn tail and walk off. The only time I've truly seen her up close was when she came in to order that latte. I guess I must've scared her off or something...” She finished saying with a weak laugh, almost as if hoping that truly wasn't the case.

Well, that's certainly one way to think about it. Unless... The short-haired blonde stifled a laugh of her own, covering it up with the back of her hand so that her friend wouldn't think that she was laughing at her misery.

“Oh, Akko. I wouldn't think that at all. For all you know, she's probably just shy.” Lotte suggested.

Akko looked unsure, pouting as she said, “Do you really think so?”

The shy girl flashed a bright smile. “I know so!”

After what seemed like a harrowing walk, Diana now found herself in front of the building that would spell her emotional doom. The blonde haired girl stood just across the street, order list in hand, just staring at it. There was no reason for her to be acting like this, it was just a shop after all, but recently, it didn't feel that way.

Instead, it felt like entering a court or a law office or any equivalent of a place that's designed to stress people out. Even the cheery, quaint exterior with its flower beds so neatly arranged and it's rustic outdoor seating couldn't calm her soul. This was going to be more difficult than she thought.

She continued glancing back and forth between the café and the list, obviously stalling for time. By all means I could turn back and say they were too busy, right....? She thought to herself as she took a deep breath. But the thought was quickly pushed away when she came to another realization, No, knowing my aunt, she would rather I wait in line than come back empty-handed... so I guess I have no choice in the matter...

Diana took one last solemn look inside. The patrons that were there seemed to be having a fun and relaxing time, much like how she used to. The interior remained the same as ever, in fact, she believed it hadn't changed since she graduated high school, so a long time ago. The only difference now was the staff, and while she came to know and recognize two of them, one remained but a stranger. While she may have fooled herself into thinking she was reminiscing, she was actually just looking to see if the problematic person was in there.

The blonde, who she had come to know as the manager, had been inside, as always. The same came to be of the lilac haired one, who was not known for being friendly, but always did her job.

Okay... Diana steeled herself, so far so good...! She had begun to cross the street, still looking inside to make sure all was safe.

And then she saw it. Just as she had finished crossing the street, she saw it. The brown hair and red eyes waltzing in from the storage room. The blonde stopped in her tracks immediately, and her legs felt like they would give out from under her at any moment. She just stared in horror through the window.

No... NO, WHY?! Her mind was racing, WHY DID SHE HAVE TO WORK TODAY OF ALL DAYS?! I mean, I know the reason my aunt sent me here was to talk to her, but at the same time... I feel... CURSED!

And while she stood there, her cover was blown. The blond manager spotted her and gave a smile and a wave, it would be too awkward to just leave after being seen. Feeling in much less of a good mood, she slugged her way up the steps and entered the store. Her life was in Merlin's hands now.

As soon as Diana walked inside, her nose was invaded with the rich, strong smell of warm coffee. And it certainly didn't take long for the scent to be toned down as her nose also picked up the smell of fresh pastries and the other delicacies the place had to offer.

Just like always. The physician thought calmly to herself.

Walking over to the register, a couple of the patrons looked up from their meals as they smiled and waved at Diana as she walked, and she kindly returned the gesture.

Just like always.

She then waited in line, and once it was finally her turn to place an order at the register Diana would be tended by a short-haired blonde with glasses.

Just like always...?

Similarly to that fateful day, she was tended by someone else...

Long, brown hair.

Deep, red eyes.

And that captivating smile that can make someone's heart flutter in an instant, or make it stop in this case.

“Hi, welcome to Auriga's Café! What can I get for you today?” The brunette asked her in a cheery voice, and her smile seemed to have grown a bit wider. Whether the girl did it genuinely or because of her job was still up to debate, at least that's what Diana told herself.

Instead of responding like a normal person, all that came out of Diana's mouth was... “...Ewgs.”

The cashier couldn't help but stifle her laugh, trying her best not to be rude, but obviously failing all the same. She composed herself enough to ask, “I'm sorry, but did you just say eggs?”

Another giggle flowed from the girl's lips, and despite the current embarrassment she was feeling, Diana had never felt so alive.

Luckily for her, nobody was behind her to witness this humiliating moment. Plus, most of the patrons in the restaurant were distracted so she didn't have to feel overwhelmed. For now.

Diana fiercely shook her head, stuttering, “N-nuh-uh.”

“Okay...?” The red-eyed girl raised her brows in amusement. “No eggs. Then, what can I get for you?” She asked again with that sweet, tender smile still gracing her features. “I don't think we can serve just eggs, but we can put fried eggs on a bagel for you, if you want?”

“N-no, I-I'm terribly sorry! T-that's not what I meant!”

“It's okay, take your time.”

Come on Cavendish, it's just small talk! Just put in the order already! You can do that much, can't you? The blonde scolded herself, trying her best to stop the sudden tremors she was experiencing.

Noticing Diana's nervous demeanor, the girl tilted her head in concern. “Are you okay? ...You look pale.”

“I-I'm fine...” The physician finally managed to respond with a shy smile, looking anywhere except the cashier. She then remembered that she still had her aunt's list in hand, and so she shakily handed the list over to the girl. “I-I'll just have what's w-written in there...”

Looking at the note, it took no time at all for the brunette to quickly put the order in the register. “Alright then, we have... three large chai tea lattes, a small mocha espresso, and four chicken avocado sandwiches, correct?”

“C-correct.”

“Great! That'll be 47.50 pounds, please.”

This part of the process was much easier for Diana to do as she painlessly handed over the necessary payment and received her change along with her receipt.

“There you go! I'll let you know when it's ready!”

“T-thank you. I'll be waiting by the porch outside.”

And with that, the physician sauntered off, walking the walk of both shame and humiliation over her “confident” performance.

Meanwhile, Akko made a copy of the order ticket and stepped off the front counter to head toward the kitchen, dropping off the order to her Godmother. And when she walked back to the restaurant floor, she belatedly came to a realization...

“Kuso! I completely forgot to ask her name!” She said aloud to practically no one.

Or, so she thought...

“Seriously, again? I really wish I had the authority to fire you now.” Sucy commented disappointingly. She was currently taking her break along with Lotte on one of the café tables.

“I actually have to agree with Sucy on this one, Akko. There wasn't anything to stop you from doing so this time.” Lotte stated. “I mean, I still wouldn't fire you, but come on.”

“Oh, give me a break!” The brunette whined, crossing her arms as she began to explain herself, “I was totally in the zone, but she completely threw me off with her stuttering!”

The morbid girl raised a single brow, obviously skeptical and proceeded to question her friend with a single word, “Stuttering?”

“Akko, it's not that I don't believe you, but... that doesn't seem like her at all.” The blonde said thoughtfully.

“But she did, she did!” Akko spoke insistently, flailing her arms around as she re-enacted her conversation with her crush. “I started off with the typical pitch of, 'Hello, welcome to Auriga's Café! What can I get for you?', and then she said, '...Ewgs.'” She finished saying before she was consumed by a burst of giggles.

Her laugh must've been infectious since Lotte and even Sucy herself couldn't help but join in too.

Unlike Akko, Lotte was a bit more respectful, her slight amusement lasting for a few seconds before she gathered her composure while Sucy kept on laughing without any remorse, but they've made sure to keep their laughter to a minimum so that they wouldn't disturb their customers.

“T-that's hilarious...!” The lilac-haired girl wheezed, obviously trying to catch her breath at the moment.

“It's really not, actually. It could've easily been one of us.” Lotte spoke defensively on Diana's behalf.

“Yeah, right.” Sucy snickered. “Maybe for you two, but not me.” She said confidently.

The red-eyed girl merely nodded, not denying that fact from her friend. “True, true.”

A ring from a bell echoed throughout the café, effectively catching the workers attention rather than the customers.

Chariot's voice could be heard soon afterward as she called out to her Godchild, “Akko, your order's ready! Come pick it up please~!” She said in a sing-song voice.

“Whelp, I guess that's my cue.” Akko spoke up as she headed toward the kitchen.

“Okay, just be sure to properly introduce yourself to the nice doctor this time.” The shy girl teased her friend.

Walking in and out of the kitchen with the order in hand, the brunette still surprisingly heard Lotte. Confused, Akko tilted her head as she asked, “Wait... How do you know that she's a doctor?”

“Oh yeah, we haven't told you yet. She's actually one of our usuals here at the café.” Lotte informed.

The red-eyed girl looked betrayed by this sudden revelation. “What?! So, you girls actually know her?!”She interrogated them.

“Yeah, though we honestly think that she's out of your league.” The lilac-haired girl gave her honest opinion.

“Sucy!” The blonde exclaimed in obvious disapproval. “You may think that, but I don't!”

“Okay, but I do think that.” Sucy admitted happily.

“Geez... Thanks a lot for the support, girls. Can you guys at least tell me what her name is?” Akko droned while rolling her eyes.

“Nope!” Lotte answered with a fierce shake of her head. “Oh, and be sure to not forget her drinks! They're already done on the counter for you. Get them before they get cold.” She notified her friend.

“You have to earn that right, you know. Just go up to her and ASK!” The morbid girl spoke a bit aggressively, mocking her, despite it being the truth.

Fine, I guess I'm on my own then. The red-eyed girl thought in defeat, sighing so as she got the drinks on the front counter. “Fine, I'll go and ask her myself. I'll be back.”

“Good luck, Akko! You can do it!” The blonde cheered for her while clapping her hands, and Sucy merely waved her friend off with a small smile.

Outside on the restaurant's porch, Diana sat with her head down on one of the outdoor tables. The poor girl still felt embarrassed over her interaction with the cute cashier. She honestly never felt like this before.

What on earth came over me?! The young Cavendish thought in distress. She definitely never acted so out of character before in her life. It was almost as if she wasn't even herself, and yet... she was. I acted like a complete, stammering bloody idiot! Ugh!

“It's official. I can't show my face around her ever again...” Diana mumbled under her folded arms, sounding depressed.

“That's too bad, especially since I have yet to learn your name.”

Diana's breath hitched in her throat, hesitantly lifting her head up in time to see the brunette exiting the café, approaching and setting the physician's order on the table.

“M-my name...?” The physician stuttered, all of a sudden feeling small by the barista's presence. Bloody hell! Here I go again with the blasted stuttering! She chided herself.

“Yes, silly! Though, honestly, it's mostly my fault since I completely forgot to ask for your name in the first place. Two times now, to be exact.” The cashier spoke in a light-hearted tone. She then began to introduce herself, “My name is Atsuko Kagari, but you can call me Akko! It's so good to see you again, Miss...”

“D-Diana.” The young Cavendish responded, surprisingly finding her voice. “My name is Diana Cavendish. It's a pleasure to meet you, A-Akko.”

Akko beamed at her. “You're quite shy, aren't you?” She teased.

“N-not really, no.” Diana replied with a small giggle.

“Really? Because, you acted quite differently today compared to the last time I saw you.” The red-eyed girl commented, recalling that fateful day once again. “You just walked into the café, minding your own business while you waited in line, and once it was finally your turn to put an order you looked so calm, cool, and collected. You ordered your latte with almost no care in the world, hardly paying attention to me no doubt, and then... Just when you were about to leave the restaurant, you finally looked down at your cup, and our eyes met!”

“Yes, you're right.” The physician spoke with a smile, probably her very first one today. Her posture had relaxed significantly too, not that she noticed.

“However!” Akko approached, pointing a finger at Diana.

And~ it was back to being tense once again as the young Cavendish straightened up in her seat, being rather startled from the girl's sudden exclamation. “...Y-yes?” She stuttered, gulping heavily as she did so.

“Ignoring someone is one thing, but not acknowledging me is a terrible offense, you know!”

“I-I'm sorry...?”

“So, what are you going to do about it?”

“About what?”

“You hardly noticed me on that day, and the following weeks after that you avoided the café like the plague. I'm assuming that behavior started because I was working in the restaurant on those days, right?” The brunette elaborated, which of course her comments made Diana shrink with guilt at hearing these facts. “That's a big no-no in my book! So... Miss Cavendish, how do you plan to make it up to me?” She finished saying with a playful smirk.

Despite the girl's firm tone, Diana was very grateful to see Akko's smile because she would've gotten the wrong idea otherwise.

Playing along, the physician asked, “Alright then, Miss Kagari. How would you like me to make amends?”

Akko thought about it for a moment. “Hmm, that depends. How does your schedule look like, doctor?”

Not quite expecting such a response, Diana's face turned quite red in embarrassment. “P-pardon?”

“Oh my gosh, you're beautiful!” The red-eyed girl giggled, her laugh triggering the weird, ticklish sensation of butterflies in Diana's stomach. “I meant, are you free this weekend?”

Oh, Merlin... Is she seriously asking me out? ON A DATE!? The young Cavendish could hardly believe that this was actually happening. She's still trying her best to process everything. However, before she could answer, she had to make sure of one thing first...

“Do you... Do you really mean that?”

Akko tilted her head in slight confusion, but regardless she answered honestly, “Of course, I mean it. If I didn't, I wouldn't be trying to ask you out now, would I?” She then started to scratch the back of her neck, feeling a bit shy as she added, “You really are beautiful, Diana. I would be very honored if you want to go out with me sometime and get to know each other better, but... If it truly makes you uncomfortable, I'd understand and I promise not to bother you again.”

Just hearing those words, hearing their truth, was enough to convince Diana. If she didn't know any better... the brunette seemed to be just as nervous, if not more so, about the whole dating aspect. Well, if the heavy blush on her face was anything to go by.

Well... She is pretty cute, and she is being honest... The doctor conceded in her thoughts, finally coming to a decision. “I'd be happy to go out with you, Akko. Though, I do have to check on how my schedule looks for the rest of the week. Is this alright with you?”

“That's great, more than great, actually!” Akko smiled in relief, taking out a pen from inside her apron, “Mind handing me your receipt real quick?”

“Of course, here you go.”

Upon fulfilling the girl's sudden request, it certainly didn't take long for the red-eyed girl to scribble down what she wanted to write before she handed the paper back to Diana.

“Here's my number. If for some reason our outing can't be this weekend, we can just re-schedule it for some other time.” Akko told her, blushing furiously soon afterward as she quickly added, “O-only if it's fine with you, of course!” She finished saying with a timid laugh.

Diana returned that smile with one of her own, safely putting her receipt away in one of her lab coat pockets. “That's perfect. Thank you for being so understanding.”

“No problem.” The brunette replied as she looked over to the café. The restaurant didn't look too busy, but Akko knew that she couldn't leave the others hanging. It wouldn't be fair to them. “Well, sadly... I have to bid you adieu, Diana. I can't slack for too long, or else I might have to face my Godmother's wrath.”

“That's alright Akko, I have to get back to my workplace anyway. My aunt and cousins are expecting me to show up with their food.” The doctor reassured with a slight joke of her own, finally standing up from her chair as she picked up her purchases, balancing and getting the drink carrier with Akko's help. “T-thanks again.”

“No biggie. I hope you have a nice day, Diana! Be careful on the way home, okay?”

“I will. And I wish you the very same, Akko.”

And with that the cashier had waved goodbye to the young Cavendish, heading inside the café to continue working the rest of her shift.

As soon as the girl left, Diana sighed in relief before a small goofy grin took over her face as she started to walk back to the clinic. While a part of her was sad that their exchange was short, another part of her felt excited for the upcoming weekend because for the first time in a while...

She felt truly happy.

Chapter Text

When Diana arrived at the clinic it was still slow on business, just as her cousin had foretold. As soon as the young Cavendish appeared on sight with her purchases she was supremely grateful when Maril noticed her.

The receptionist wasted no time at all getting up from behind her desk, immediately heading over to open the door for her cousin. “Welcome back, Diana dear. You sure took your time.” She teased.

“Did I?” The physician answered distractedly, still recalling her interaction with the cute cashier. “...I didn't notice.”

“You seem to be on a cheery mood. Did something good happen?” Maril inquired.

Diana merely stuck her tongue out, all the while singing out, “It's none of your business~!”

When the blonde passed by, Maril couldn't help but raise a brow in suspicion but she ultimately shrugged it off as she went to catch up with her cousin. The girls made their way over to the break room to find Daryl and Merril chatting away, likely waiting for Diana's return.

The elder Cavendish smiled upon seeing her niece. “Welcome back, Diana. How did it go? Did you manage to talk to her?” She asked, curiosity filling her tone.

Diana merely hummed in confirmation as she placed their food on the table. She then began to take and hand out everyone's order, humming a peppy tune all the while. Daryl nodded happily in response, graciously accepting her designated drink when Diana kindly handed it to her.

Having seen just about enough of her cousin's odd behavior, Maril couldn't help but speak up, “So, you're humming now? Forgive me for saying so, but I feel left out.”

“I agree.” Merril piped up on her end, eyeing her cousin with the same amount of suspicion herself. She soon set her blue-eyed gaze toward her parent, and she certainly couldn't help but voice her betrayal, “You seem to know more than we do, mother. Is there something that you would like to tell us?” She asked, almost accusingly but not quite.

“If Diana would like to share, then she'll do so once she's ready.” Daryl answered coolly, hardly suppressing a smile as she began drinking her chai latte.

“WHAT?!” Maril exclaimed in shock, her mother's treachery obviously hitting her full force.

“It's official, Maril...” Her twin sniffled, her voice wavering so as she reached out for a napkin. She soon brought it up to her face to wipe the apparent tears that welled up in her eyes as she sobbed dramatically while saying, “We're outcasts!”

Oh Merlin, not this again... The physician thought in annoyance, rolling her eyes on how melodramatic her cousins were acting.

Once she finished handing out everyone's food and finally sat down with her own, Diana felt stared at by two main parties. And by two, in actuality it was a shared one...

Knowing that their dramatic performances obviously didn't have any effect, the Cavendish twins resorted to watching their cousin with curious stares in the hopes that Diana would let them in. Already tired of being the center of attention, Diana sent a distressed glance toward her aunt, who merely looked on in amusement. Daryl merely gave her a sympathetic smile, but showed no signs of stepping in to help. Not that it would do any good anyway.

Even if the elder Cavendish told her daughters to settle down and leave Diana be, the twins will still find a way to get the information out of their cousin. Whether by begging or annoying the heck out the physician, and honestly, Diana herself didn't know which one was the worst out of the two scenarios.

Sighing in defeat, Diana finally decided to let them in. “Clearly, the two of you have noticed my odd behavior over the last two weeks...”

“How could we NOT notice?!” Merril exclaimed, grinning as she began to elaborate, “You kept spacing out, locking yourself up in your office whenever your breaks came up, constantly staring down at your watch when you thought nobody was looking-”

“Not to mention, the tappity-taps you like to do whenever you ask me if we're going to be busy during the day.” Maril added a fact of her own, having a huge grin herself. “Merril and I are pleasantly surprised to see that you finally went to Auriga's after so long...” She purposely trailed off, obviously hinting to her cousin that she expected an answer. “Why the sudden change?”

Diana sighed heavily in annoyance, resisting the urge not to roll her eyes again. “You girls are acting like I don't go to the café very often. I go like every other day.”

“Which makes you a usual.”

“Yes, and?”

“You abruptly stopped going to the establishment.”

“And, what does that have to do with anything?”

“It has to do with everything, DeeDee!” Maril exclaimed as she slammed her fists on the table, which earned her a glare of disapproval from her parent since she almost made Daryl spill her latte on herself. “Sorry, mother...” She murmured a quick apology before returning to the topic at hand. “Look, all we know for sure is that you've been excited. And when you do go out to the café, you literally come back barely thirty minutes later with a look of shame on your face.”

“And by shame, we mostly mean embarrassment.” Merril clarified.

Bloody hell... The physician groaned. Her body surely betraying her with a massive blush covering the entirety of her face. Surprisingly enough, Diana still managed to stay composed despite it all as she said, “Very astute observations, detectives. Would you like a medal?”

Maril gasped, “Oh no, she did NOT just use sarcasm on us!”

“It's official: Something or someone has possessed our dear cousin and now she won't talk to us!” Merril yelled exaggeratedly from the top of her lungs, her chair scraping against the floor due to how fast she stood up from it. She then pointed at Diana as she continued badgering her by saying, “Who or what is it? I DEMAND that you tell us, or else!”

“Diana dear, would you please just tell them already?” The elder Cavendish pleaded with her niece. The poor woman already had an annoyed look on her face and appeared to be near the brink of developing a headache of her own. “It's better to get the teasing out of the way before they get the brilliant idea of interrogating everyone in town. You wouldn't want that, would you?”

“Ooh! That is a brilliant idea!” Maril's blue eyes sparkled with interest from hearing the suggestion.

“Here, here! What would we ever do without you, mother?” The other twin praised their parent in glee.

Merlin, make it stop! Diana mentally prayed for every God deity in existence. She loves her family, she truly does, but at times like these... they can be a bit too much. “Aunt Daryl, are you mad?! Are you really suggesting of invading whatever remaining social life I have left? I could never show my face around town at this rate!”

“Pipe down! I merely meant it as a joke, a pretty terrible one obviously, but I do apologize.” Daryl turned her head to looked at her daughters. “As for you two, please lightened up on your cousin. It's not her fault for having an interest in someone-”

“AUNT DARYL!!!” Diana's face was beyond shocked, she was completely mortified in fact. To think that the woman would let such an important detail slip out of her own mouth. “I told you that in confidence!”

The matriarch seems to have realized her own mistake as well, sighing heavily as she leaned forward in her seat to bury her face in her hands. “Me and my big bloody mouth...!” She muffled in reprimand.

And then, the bomb went off...

“D-Diana...”

“...Is ACTUALLY interested in someone?”

Both Diana and Daryl proceeded to plug their ears from the inevitable squeals the Cavendish twins produced from the top of their lungs. Quite an impressive volume too, opera singers and horror actresses would be put to shame if they were to hear it.

“Our DeeDee's in love, our DeeDee's in love~!”

Another wave of excited squeals and chants rang out as the twins danced around the break room in joy, only for that happy dance to come to an end with an ambush in the form of a bone-crushing hug from either side of the young Cavendish.

“We're so happy for you, Diana!”

“You aren't going to leave any details out of your first meeting with them, right? You better not!”

Diana groaned as she tried to wiggle out of their grasp, but to no avail she couldn't escape from their clutches. “Thanks, I love you both too...” She wheezed in response.

This was going to be a long week...

The rest of the week went by at a slow but relaxing pace for Diana, who was both nervous and yet very excited for the upcoming weekend. It will not only be her first genuine day off in a while, but it will also be her very first date with someone she was interested in. However, while the prospect of her first date sounded wonderful, there was a slight problem...

I have yet to call her back... The young Cavendish thought distressed, whimpering to herself as she fell back on her bed for the umpteenth time this evening.

It's not that Diana had forgotten to call the brunette. Heavens no! The physician would mentally kick herself for the rest of her life for doing such a thing to someone that didn't deserve such treatment. But the blonde just couldn't seem to muster up the courage to call the girl to even notify her of her day off this weekend.

Sunday was the last time she had seen the cute barista and it was now Friday evening. By this point, one would think that Diana would at least call her on either Tuesday or Wednesday to notify the brunette about her schedule. Alas, that wasn't the case...

Instead, the doctor just worked through most of the week, delaying the inevitable conversation as much as possible while trying to get as much work done to secure her free weekend. And, before she knew it, it was Friday evening. She was at home. In her bedroom. Still mulling over a simple problem.

Diana kept on staring at her cell phone, which was already set up to call the red-eyed girl within a touch of a button, but... “I don't want to be all tongue-tied when I try to talk to her, I don't want to act like a bloody idiot again.” She spoke to herself, letting out a soft sigh as she did so.

Adding the brunette's number into her contacts was easy enough, but actually speaking to her was a high hurdle to jump through for some reason. And frankly, it was not only beyond ridiculous but also out of character for her! How hard was it to just talk to another person? She's Diana bloody Cavendish!

Get a grip, Diana! You're not in high school anymore, you're thirty years old for Merlin's sake! The blonde chastised herself, swiftly sitting up in her bed while taking a deep breath to settle her nerves. Just press the call button and talk to her. Easy. Yet, despite her little pep talk, Diana's thumb froze, hovering over the phone screen as her hand started to shake. Before long she merely tossed the device away on the other side of the bed in frustration. I can't do it, I just can't do it! Bloody hell, this behavior is SO unlike me!

“I'm so pathetic...” Diana groaned, her words being muffled due to covering her face with her hands. She then fell back on her mattress, laying her arms out beside her as she let out a frustrated sigh.

The physician didn't know how long she laid there, but it must've been quite a while if she had somehow managed to close her eyes and fall to a peaceful slumber. Her kip was soon disturbed when she heard her cell phone ringing. Quickly scrambling to get a hold of her device, Diana felt her head spin from moving too fast, closing her eyes yet again while she stood still for a moment or two before she felt fine again.

“Hello?” The young Cavendish answered the call, still sounding half-asleep.

Diana absolutely HATES it when people interrupt her sleep! She was enough of a workaholic as it is, and because of her occupation, simply sleeping was considered to be a luxury nowadays. Whoever it was on the other line had better have some kind of emergen-

“Oh. I'm so sorry, Diana.” The voice on the other line sounded apologetic, keeping their voice down while trying to be considerate. “Were you sleeping?”

Diana's eyes snapped open, widening in surprise as her body went rigid upon recognizing the voice. Unfortunately, due to her shock, the girl completely forgot to use her inside voice as she exclaimed, “A-Akko? How on earth did you get this number!?”

Too late in realizing on what she had done, the doctor belatedly covered up her mouth, her guilt increasing almost ten fold once she heard whining come from the other line.

Smooth Cavendish, smooth... I might as well have busted her eardrum. Ugh! What is wrong with me today!? Diana chastised herself, deep down hoping that the brunette could find it in her heart to forgive her blunder.

Luckily for her, the girl had yet to hang up. “It's good to hear from you too...” She let out a weak laugh, but she seemed to have recovered enough as she began to answer Diana's question, “And, that's the funny thing... At first, I was going to be patient and wait for you to call me but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday had passed by before I knew it and I thought, 'Either she lost interest, or maybe she's busy.' And so, I decided to wait 'till Friday, but I have yet to hear from you so... I asked Lotte if she knew where you worked, and she told me that your family actually owns a clinic in town. So as soon as my shift ended for the day, I called, and the receptionist was kind enough to give me your number.” She finished with her explanation.

Maril, of course...! Diana thought spitefully, feeling one of her brows twitch in irritation as her grip on her phone tightened just a bit due to her anger. I've got to remind myself to have a strict word with her later.

“...Uh, Diana? You there?”

Shaking her foul mood away, the blonde felt a small smile overtake her face as she continued with her conversation with Akko. “Y-yes, I'm here!” She reassured. Her voice went softer as she began to apologize, “...And, I'm sorry for making you wait so long. The truth is... I just wanted to ensure that I'm free on the weekend, which I am, but then... I just couldn't bring myself to call you.”

“You know, for claiming that you're not shy, you definitely seem like it.” The brunette teased. Diana could already imagine that sweet smile on the girl's face, her red eyes shining bright with mirth. “Not that it's a bad thing, of course.”

The doctor couldn't help but roll her eyes, not that Akko could see it. She soon laid back down on her bed, laying on her side as she grabbed her pillow and hugged it close to her chest. Diana just couldn't explain it but right now she felt relaxed, more than she had been in a long time. Sure, she was still a bit nervous, but at the same time she felt content. It felt nice.

While tightening her hold on the pillow with her free arm, the young Cavendish asked, “...Are you sure that you don't prefer someone with more confidence?”

“Hmm. That would be nice. Though, honestly, that will just be a bonus for me.”

“Is that a no...?”

“Not necessarily. If someone acts confident in themselves, then that's great. And if they don't, that's also fine. Not everyone can be confident in everything, you know.”

“So,” A heavy blush took over Diana's face as she buried her head against the pillow, almost as if she was trying to hide before she pulled away for a moment to say, “You actually wouldn't mind going out with a shy bambi?”

A giggle could be heard from the other line. “I don't mind at all.” She responded.

“And, does this mean that you'll forgive me for not calling you sooner?”

“So long as we have our promised date sometime soon. Then, yes, I forgive you.”

Diana's grip on her pillow slacked a bit, feeling absolute relieve from hearing those words. She soon felt a goofy smile making its way on her face, and within mere seconds it was near impossible to stop it from happening. “Good. Will you be free tomorrow?”

“Yep!” And just from hearing that tone alone, the physician knew that Akko must be grinning herself. “Just tell me where we can meet up tomorrow and I'll meet you there!”

And as quickly as her smile came, it completely disappeared the next moment once she realized her next dilemma.

Here comes the humiliating part... Diana sighed. “Well, about that, I have a bit of a confession to make...” She then took a deep breath, only to release it soon afterward as she blurted out, “Akko, I-I've never went to a p-proper d-date before!”

There was complete silence on the other line, and after a couple of seconds the blonde was already starting to fear the worst. Luckily though, Akko spoke up again, “R-really? You haven't? Not even once during high school or college?” She asked her.

The brunette certainly sounded surprised. Maybe this could be considered as a good sign?

“No, I haven't had the time back then, with school and all. Not to mention, I wasn't really interested in going out with anyone either.” Diana let out a pathetic laugh, only to grow quiet for a moment. She instantly felt her face heat up in embarrassment, her heart hammering inside her chest as she admitted, “Y-you're... You're actually the first person I've ever taken a fancy to.”

“Wow. I really don't know what to say Diana, except... Thank you. I feel honored, actually.” Akko replied, and by the sound of it, she truly sounded grateful for hearing such a reveal.

The doctor's body relaxed significantly from hearing that response, her heart slowing down to a calming rate than it was before. She may have spaced out for a couple of minutes after that because it took her a moment to register that Akko was trying to get her attention. “Diana? Hello? Are you there, sleepy-head?”

“Y-yes, I'm here!” Diana reassured. “Sorry about that Akko, I didn't mean to get distracted.” She apologized.

The brunette chuckled. “It's alright, Diana. So, about tomorrow, I know a couple of places we can go downtown. Do you wanna meet at Bea Memorial Park? Let's say, six o'clock?” She suggested.

“That sounds lovely.” The young Cavendish felt a smile on her lips, and she couldn't help but tease her by saying, “And, if I didn't know any better, it seems like you have a plan for tomorrow evening?”

“Can you blame me? I feel like I'm on a important mission, the goal of which is to make sure that you have a great time tomorrow!”

“Akko... I appreciate the effort, I really do, but you really don't have to try so hard to impress me.”

“I know, but I personally feel like first dates should be special. It... It actually means a lot to know that you really wanted to go out with me.”

“I feel the same way.”

For the first time during their talk, Diana's heart fluttered at hearing such a revelation. She honestly felt happy, more that she had been for a long time, and to think that one person could make her feel that way from a single conversation. It was almost unthinkable, and yet special all the same.

“Well, it's getting late. I'll let you get some sleep now, and I'm sorry for disturbing you earlier...” Akko apologized.

“It's quite alright. I needed to talk to you anyway, so I'm glad you called.” The blonde assured her. “Though, I kind of wish I mustered up the courage to call you in the first place...” She admitted, almost in shame.

There was some shuffling on the other line, along with a clearing of the throat as Akko spoke up again, “Well, I don't mean to sound brash but... IF I am graced with the opportunity of having another date with you in the near future, then you can be the one to initiate our next date. That doesn't sound like a bad deal to me~!” She finished saying in a sing-song voice.

Of course not, you're the one suggesting it. Diana mused while playfully rolling her eyes at hearing the girl's confidence. Honestly, if it had been anyone else, the young Cavendish certainly wouldn't have tolerated such behavior, but even she had to concede that the brunette's self-confidence was very charming.

“We'll have to see on how tomorrow goes. I can't make any promises yet, I hope you understand.” Diana replied earnestly.

“Yeah, I understand. I was mostly joking, for the most part.” Akko couldn't help but laugh on her end. Her composure soon returned as she was about to end the call. “So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?”

“Yes, I'll be looking forward to our date.”

“Me too. I hope that you have a good night, Diana. Sleep well.”

“Thank you. I wish you the very same, Akko.”

And with that, their conversation came to an end once the girl hung up, and Diana couldn't help but stare down at her cell phone, still not believing the fact that she just had a conversation with her newfound crush. Just thinking about it brought a goofy grin on her face as she let out a contented sigh, letting herself fall back on her bed again.

The following day, there was hustling and bustling in the Cavendish manor. Most specifically, in Diana's room.

Diana was nervously looking around for an outfit to wear on her first date. As she looked through her wardrobe, Anna was quite entertained while looking on at the rather humorous scenario happening in front of her.

The head maid couldn't help but feel a batch of emotions swirling around in her head, her heart as well.

It has been such a long time since she's seen the young Cavendish looking rather excited for something she was interested in, and to think that this sudden interest happened to be her very first date. It was truly something to behold.

It's just too bad that Master Elliot and Lady Bernadette aren't here to witness this... Anna thought to herself, a sad smile gracing her features.

"Anna, what do you think of this one?"

Snapping to attention, the maid looked at her mistress, who was holding a possible outfit in her hands, bringing it close to her frame so that the older woman could give an honest opinion.

The outfit that Diana is holding was a simple blue blouse and a black skirt. A formal casual some would say, and yet...

“Are you planning to go to a job interview?”

“No, I'm not.”

“Then, there's my answer.”

To say the least, Diana let out a frustrated sigh. "Very well. I'll look for something else..." She said in defeat.

Once the blonde strode over to her wardrobe to find a more suitable candidate, the maid couldn't help but speak her mind about the matter. "Milady, if I may be so bold, don't you think Miss Kagari would appreciate you being present for your outing rather than your outfit of choice?"

Diana's hand halted when she went to reach for a new set of clothes, appearing to be in deep thought as she contemplated her servant's words. "Well, I can't just act like I don't care either, Anna. I want to at least try to impress her a little bit."

"And that is fine, however, I feel that you might be complicating things."

Diana turned around to stare at her maid. "How so?" She asked.

"For starters, your exaggerated choices in clothing." Anna mentioned as she pointed to the rather large pile of clothes that are on Diana's bed. It's a surprisingly neat tower, but truth be told, overseeing the slight mess was irritating the older woman.

Old habits die hard I guess. The young Cavendish mused to herself in amusement, already knowing that her old caretaker was getting annoyed by the so-called "disaster zone".

"While this may be your first date, just relax and be yourself. The real you is what matters most for this girl. After all, she is trying to get to know you better."

Now that was sound advice, and one that Diana could agree on wholeheartedly, but admittedly, the skeptical part of her is wary about the whole thing. She really does hate it when she thinks this way...

Her overly cautious nature is part of the main reason why she hardly ever goes out to have fun. And when she surprisingly did, it was mostly because of Hannah and Barbara's efforts to make her try new things.

But... I won't let it win this time! Diana thought to herself in determination. She then smiled at her maid as she said, "You're absolutely right. Thank you, Anna."

Anna soon returned that smile with one of her own, which was a rare sight to see for the young Cavendish. "I'm always happy to help. Now, if you don't mind, I think I may have spotted suitable clothes for your outing."

"Very well then. Impress me."

"Is that a challenge, milady?"

"If you wish it to be, though I merely wanted to see what you have in mind."

"Then, I'll be sure not to disappoint you."

The following day Diana was an absolute hot mess. She had woken up refreshed and felt absolutely excited for her soon-to-be date later in the afternoon, but... that was until her shift ended at the clinic.

Naturally, her aunt and cousins insisted that she had an early shift today so that she can relax and prepare herself in time for her outing. However, what the blonde wasn't counting on was the huge control and betrayal her body had on her.

She was completely fine during the morning and all throughout her shift at work, but as soon as she got back to her flat to get ready... her body just felt overwhelmed, emotionally speaking.

The blonde's body was shaking due to nervousness, and her tremors did not lessen very much once she arrived downtown. She and Akko had agreed to meet up near Bea Memorial Park. Once Diana arrived, a few minutes earlier as planned, the poor girl just couldn't seem to calm down. Her heart was going a mile per minute, and quite frankly, it was driving her insane.

Calm down, Cavendish. This isn't something to be fretting about. The physician told herself. Just think of this outing as a simple hangout. Yes, that's it! I'm getting to know someone new. Someone who's kind, wonderful, and very cute- Catching herself a bit too late on her train of thought, Diana fiercely shook her head in attempt to get rid of these abrupt humiliating thoughts. Great. Now I'm jumping the gun on this date, and it hasn't even started yet! Maybe I'm not ready for this after all...

The blonde doctor let out an exasperated sigh while subconsciously tightening her grip on the leather strap of her purse. "Oh Merlin, this is going to be difficult..."

"What's going to be difficult?"

At the sound of the unexpected voice she heard from behind, Diana had instinctively jumped in fright and started to lash out at the stranger. Normally, the young Cavendish wouldn't result to such barbaric action, but unfortunately she couldn't help herself...

Luckily for her though, this particular stranger had impressive reflexes as they simply moved their head to side whilst catching Diana's wrist with a surprising delicate hand.

"Whelp. That's one way to greet somebody." Akko commented with a chuckle, gently letting go of Diana's hand once the doctor recognized her. "If I hadn't reacted in time, I would've gotten a massive slap to the face. On the very first date too!" She added jokingly.

Needless to say, Diana was absolutely mortified for what she almost did. Her face was a deep shade of red in embarrassment. The poor girl proceeded to bow while spouting apologies, "A-Akko, I-I'm so sorry! I didn't even realize that it was you!"

What she certainly didn't expect was how casually her date was taking it all. The red-eyed woman showed a sweet smile. "It's alright, Diana. I was just teasing you. It's mostly my fault since I kind of snuck up on you. Overall, let's just call it an accident for both our parts."

The physician gave a rather hesitant nod. "Very well, if you're sure..."

"Definitely sure."

"You're surprisingly relaxed about all this."

"How could I not be? I'm about to go out with a beautiful woman." Akko stated truthfully, without pause.

The girl's remark certainly worked wonders for Diana, considering that her face soon became flushed. More than it already was, if that was humanly possible.

Diana knew it too, and so she proceeded to avert her gaze away from the red-eyed tomboy. Bloody hell...! If I receive one more compliment like that, I honestly don't think that I'm going to survive the evening. She mused while trying to calm herself.

"I really like your outfit, Diana. It's... uh. How do you folks say it? Smashing?" The brunette spoke uncertainly, tilting her head while bringing a hand up to her chin in thought.

Diana's outfit consisted of a blue sweater, black pants along with a pair of flats. She still wore her glasses and had her hair loose, letting her fluffy blonde mane cascade down her shoulders in waves.

Whereas Akko was wearing a white button-up shirt, black pants, and a brown belt that matched her shoes. She had her sleeves rolled up to her elbows and purposely left the top two buttons of her shirt undone. Otherwise, she had her hair up in a ponytail like she usually does.

That's it, I'm done. The poor physician has officially been pushed off a cliff, emotionally speaking of course. It'd be an absolute miracle if she'll be able to operate for the rest of the evening.

What was most shocking is the fact that Diana actually managed to find her voice. "Y-yes, y-you're absolutely correct!" She responded with a nervous laugh, "...Y-you're quite fetching yourself, Akko!"

Akko merely looked on in amusement when she noticed the look of absolute horror on the blonde's face once she finally processed her own words. Not that the physician said anything wrong, but it wouldn't surprise Akko in the least if Diana was having one of those “Is that really all you could come up with, you dimwit!? I could've said something better!” kind of moment.

The red-eyed tomboy could definitely sympathize with the young Cavendish on this very occasion. However, that still didn't stop her from having that sweet smile plastered on her face as she thought, Damn, she's really adorable.

However, as cute as it was, the brunette decided to move things along for the blonde's sake. "If you don't mind, do you want to walk with me? I could go for a stroll around the park right now."

"O-of course! I don't mind."

"Great, let's go!"

And so, the two of them started their walk through the park. They simply roamed around and took in the sights from the flower beds, the people, and the green scenery surrounding them. All the while enjoying each others company.

Surprisingly enough, this little hike did wonders for Diana. While their stroll was a comfortable and peaceful one, it certainly wasn't awkward for neither of them. It was almost as if...

Could she tell that I was nervous? The blonde wondered, looking to the side to steal a glance at the brunette, who continued walking beside her while showing no indication of being watched. Then again, I was probably being too obvious again...

"Have you calmed down?"

Hearing Akko suddenly talk to her caused Diana to jump a bit, however, she did manage to catch what was asked. "Y-yes, somewhat." She responded with a shaky laugh.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." The red-eyed girl apologized.

"No, no, it's quite alright! I've actually been overthinking things, truth be told." Diana admitted. "I've told you as much last night."

"Ah, the first date gitters. I get ya."

"You do?"

"Oh yeah," Akko nodded, a chuckle escaping from her lips as she continued on by saying, "I've had all the 'symptoms'. The insistent shaking, feelin' weak at the knees, butterflies in the stomach, ticklish flutters in the chest, exaggerating everything, wondering what the heck to wear and where to go on the first date, and DON'T get me started on being ridiculously tongue-tied...!"

The young Cavendish couldn't help but giggle. "My, that does sound serious. And, if I'm not mistaken, it sounds like there's a story there..."

"And, that's where my lips will remain sealed. You will not receive that kind of embarrassing information from me, madam!" The tomboy remarked with a playful huff, crossing her arms to further take the performance home.

"Now, I REALLY want to know." Diana commented, coming to stop.

Akko stopped beside the blonde to look at her. "Then maybe, just may~be I'll be able to tell you someday. That is, if I'm lucky enough to go on another date with you."

The physician raised her brows in amusement as she said, "My, aren't you positive? What on earth makes you think that there will be another date?"

All Akko did in response was give a mere shrug of her shoulders, a hint of a smile showing up on her face. "A girl can dream, can she?"

Diana returned that smile with one of her own. "Yes, she certainly can."

"Great, I'm looking forward to it! Now, for dinner, care to indulge me on a little experiment?" The girl's red eyes seem to shine ever brighter as she asked this.

"Hmm. That depends. What does it involve?" The physician threw a question of her own while resuming her walk once again.

It didn't take long for Akko to catch up and fall into stride with her. "Food, obviously." She snickered.

Diana playfully rolled her eyes at hearing the remark, shaking her head all the while. "Besides that, silly."

"Alright, alright... It's mostly an observation on my part. All you have to do is accompany me to a couple of restaurant locations, think of it as a culinary food tour." The brunette explained.

"So, we're going to be critics?"

"In a matter of speaking, we'll still get to know each other and enjoy the food as we go."

I may be no expert, but this is definitely out of the ordinary for a typical first date... The young Cavendish mused to herself.

Admittedly, she was curious. Not to mention, what was the harm in playing along?

Diana was way out of her comfort zone anyway, not that it's the brunette's fault of course. Surely, there will be nothing to catch her by surprise by fearing the worst at this point.

"Very well. Where shall we go first?" Diana asked her.

"Well, I heard that there's a really good French bistro nearby that has the best cassoulet." Akko commented interestingly.

"Ca...ssou...let?" The blonde had never heard of it, and so she went with a guess. "Is that supposed to be a casserole of some kind?"

The red-eyed tomboy nodded in confirmation. "That's absolutely right. Though, the most accurate version would be a bean stew. Depending on the establishment, the meat of choice for such a dish can vary, but most of the time it's between pork sausage, goose, duck, and sometimes mutton. Pork skin and white haricot beans are also part of the soup." She elaborated.

Merlin, I'm practically slobbering just thinking about it... Why, of all days, did I decide that it would be a “good idea” to skip lunch today? Diana mentally berated herself.

She knew why, of course. Unfortunately, when she's nervous or worried about something, she's the type of person that would be reluctant to eat because her mind would constantly overthink things that have yet to happen.

Today for example, is one of those very days. The young Cavendish was so anxious about her first date that she couldn't bring herself to eat anything...

Akko giggled. "I can tell! You look like you're even fantasizing about it." She teased.

"As you said earlier, can you blame me? That really does sound delicious right about now!" Diana responded in kind with a small laugh of her own. At least I can thank the heavens that my stomach hasn't betrayed me ye-

And~ that's when it happened...

A fierce growl emanated from the blonde's stomach. It almost didn't even sound human, not that it was in the first place, and whatever semblance of confidence Diana seemed to have disappeared on that very moment. She subconsciously brought a hand up to her stomach, mostly feeling surprised more than anything.

"Whelp. That's definitely a hungry walrus if I ever heard one!" The tomboy cackled, tossing her head back as she continued to laugh.

Bloody hell...! Things just can't ever go my way, can they!? The physician thought exasperatedly while avoiding Akko's gaze, unable to contain the obvious blush that conquered the entirety of her face.

However, despite the obvious humiliation she felt, Diana managed to compose enough dignity, or what was left of it to say, "Atsuko Kagari, if you want this date to continue... then, I HIGHLY suggest that you change the topic for something else!"

Diana had mostly said it as a joke, but that small threat seemed to have worked wonders because Akko had immediately seized laughing, her red eyes wide in fear of that possibility coming true.

"So then," The tomboy spoke slowly, likely thinking of something on the spot. "...Bistro?" She mentioned a bit uncertainly, possibly still debating if Diana's statement was a bluff or not.

Luckily for her, Diana liked that answer. "That sounds lovely."

Hearing that made Akko exhale in relief, her shoulders slumping for a bit before she straightened her posture again. She couldn't help but feel happier when Diana approached her and hooked her arm with hers, dragging her off toward the direction of the restaurant.

When they arrived at the bistro, Diana was surprised at how quaint the restaurant looked from the inside. It was warm and inviting, and most definitely full with many patrons. The moment the girls passed through the doors, it didn't take long for the hostess to greet and find them a table.

Once they made themselves comfortable and got acquainted with their waiter as they ordered their drinks, the two women fell into a pleasant silence while they looked over their respective menus.

After a couple of minutes though, Akko spoke, "So, I have to ask, were you really serious earlier?"

Diana looked up from her menu to stare at her date, humming for a bit in thought. "About what?" She asked.

The brunette blinked in surprise, debating whether or not the blonde was sincere. "About your slight threat earlier, duh! Were you serious about it?"

"Of course not, silly."

"Then, why scare the crap out of me?"

"Because I don't really appreciate being laughed at." Diana responded earnestly, narrowing her eyes at the tomboy with a minor glare. "And, did you really had to be so vulgar phrasing your question?"

"My bad..." Akko apologized while letting out a nervous chuckle, absentmindedly scratching the back of her neck to try to reduce her slight embarrassment. "I honestly didn't mean to laugh, but that was totally unexpected!"

The physician groaned, sliding down a bit in her seat as she purposely brought up the menu to obscure her face in a vain attempt to disappear. Normally, Diana wouldn't have done something so unlady-like in public, but her humiliation seems to have no bounds this evening.

"C-can we please just talk about something else?" The young Cavendish pleaded, trying to fight the obvious blush rushing to her face. "...Actually, it be best if you erase that moment from your memory."

"Why would I? I have witnessed something that was not only cute, but also hilarious." The red-eyed tomboy retorted bluntly, seemingly having recovered from her own blunder as she reached over the table to gently pluck Diana's menu from her grasp.

"Why do you torment me?"

"Hey now, you're making it sound like I'm enjoying this!"

"You are, aren't you? You can't even seem to follow a simple request!"

"Because it's a difficult one! And unfortunately for you, I have a pretty good memory, so I won't be forgetting such a scene for a good while."

"Lucky me..."

"Ahem."

Both girls perked up at the sound of someone clearing their throat, and as they turned their heads to the side they saw their waiter.

The young man before them was quite patient as he looked on in amusement, all the while having a warm smile on his face as he asked, "I'm very sorry to interrupt, but have you ladies decided on what you'll be having this evening?"

Embarrassed, both girls looked at each other and laughed. At least that was until Diana got flustered and proceeded to avoid Akko's gaze once again.

"Sorry about that..." The brunette merely chuckled as she turned to look at their waiter and said, "We're ready to order."

Chapter Text

After having dinner at the bistro, Diana and Akko had decided to return to the park and just roam. The two of them walked for a while until they came across a small bridge overlooking a pond. They simply leaned against the railing and talked most of the evening away. Well, by talking, it's mostly been teasing each other.

Breathless giggles rang out through the night and after a moment the blonde woman composed herself enough to say, “What? You can't be serious.”

“I don't know, you would be a pretty cute poodle.” Was the self-assured reply she received from her companion.

The young Cavendish laughed, lightly shoving the tomboy after hearing a very bad joke. “Stop~! My hair does not look like that...” She spoke in disapproval, despite her obvious laughter.

“It's not a bad thing! In fact, it's gorgeous!” Akko insisted as she turned to face her date. She then raised her hands up to Diana's hair, only for her to stop at the last second to retract them. “...Um, may I?”

A bit startled from the sudden request, Diana avoided the girl's gaze, all the while doing a slow nod. “S-sure.”

Since she received permission, the brunette reached up and started to trail her fingers through Diana's soft mane. The sensation felt absolutely strange for the blonde, and oddly enough, it was comforting in a way.

The only people that pretty much had Diana's permission to touch her hair like this were her family and close friends, otherwise it would feel extremely weird if anyone else was touching her hair like this.

Then again, there were a few daredevils back when she was growing up that actually dared to touch her mane when they thought she wasn't paying attention, when in actuality she was. It may not seem like it to some, but just because the physician has a long fluffy mane doesn't mean that she still won't feel someone touching it, and it happened more times than she can count too.

The most infamous one was when she attended school.

Elementary all the way up to high school had been the same thing with some of her classmates literally playing with her hair while seating behind her in almost every class. In the cafeteria another classmate would play with her hair while waiting in line, others would even touch her hair in passing while walking to class in the hallways, and the possibilities just went on from there.

There would always be some kind of infatuation with her hair that would just draw people in due to how long, soft, and flowy it was.

And every time that Diana had caught them in the act with an annoyed look, they would always reply with, “I'm sorry! Your hair is just so beautiful and soft, and I couldn't help myself.” While others would respond with, “Heh, sorry. Got distracted. I promise I won't do it again!” To which she would always smile, thank them for the compliment and say that she understood while begging them not to do it again, only for them to start doing it again out of impulse within a days time...

Honestly, it infuriated Diana to no end at first, but overtime she begrudgingly grew accustomed to it. She knew that they didn't mean any harm, but it was still irritating nonetheless. However, with the brunette, this was actually the first time that someone asked her permission to touch her hair like this.

I wonder what she thinks about it... The blonde wondered.

Funnily enough, Diana didn't have to think too hard about it since Akko seemed to have read her mind...

“Your hair... it reminds me of a cabbage!”

That unexpected comment certainly didn't fail to catch Diana's attention, which actually made her make eye contact with her date. “I-I beg your pardon?” She inquired, obviously dumbfounded.

The red-eyed tomboy just beamed at her, chuckling a bit as she began to explain herself, “I didn’t mean it as a bad thing, of course! The colors.... they are just good together, you know, like a snack. God, I meant an actual snack like that twirly banana matcha ice cream.”

Now, the physician was even more confused. “...Matcha?”

Akko chuckled again when she saw Diana tilt her head with the most adorable perplexed expression she's ever seen. “Um, let's see... Matcha, or matcha aisu as we refer to it in my home country is Japanese ice cream. As for the flavors, well, you could say that the possibilities are almost endless on that front, but out of all of them...” She trailed off, smiling a bit as she gently caught a lock of blonde hair, tenderly grazing through a specific detail. “Green tea ice cream is the most popular one.”

A fierce blush took over Diana's face by the storm from hearing such a compliment, trying to look anywhere except meeting the tomboy's gaze, but even she found that it was hard to look away from such a sight. They were bright, they were stunning, they were absolutely captivating. In her humble opinion, Akko's red eyes seemed to be the one feature that Diana liked most from the girl, besides her sweet smile of course. It was then that she realized something else...

T-Too close...! The young Cavendish was officially going through an internal freak out, and it got even worse (or perhaps better?) when the brunette's hands suddenly found themselves cupping Diana's face. Feeling a bit startled from the abrupt action, Diana practically went rigid once she finally met Akko's gaze.

Akko's facial expression was a soft one, looking at the blonde with nothing but pure adoration. “...May I kiss you?”

“I... I-I...” This was all happening too fast for Diana's liking. Is this even what people usually do on the first date!? Merlin, I don't even know anymore! She thought in a slight panic. Diana didn't have a clue on what to do next! “I...”

And just when the tomboy was about to lean in...

She woke up.

Diana awakened with a start, the first thing she sees being her white pillow that obscured a good portion of her vision, and for good reason since she found her own arms wrapped around it.

It was just a dream. The blonde sighed in disappointment. But, it felt so real... She thought in a slight daze.

And that's because it was real considering that's exactly how their first date ended, well, all except for the close kiss at the end. That part was indeed a dream. Even if that were to happen in real life, Diana still would've freaked out. But what was real is when she finally decided to rise up from her position on the bed and turn her head to the right, only to see her cousin, who's staring at Diana with a huge grin on her face...

“My, oh my~! Someone certainly had a very good date last night!” Merril teased her.

Oh, bloody hell! The physician cursed internally, her face instantly settling on her infamous scowl as she began to interrogate her nosy cousin. “How did you get in here, Merril?”

“Mother, Maril and I all have spare keys to your flat, remember?” Merril answered as if it was no big deal. She then snickered as she jumped back to their previous topic. “Now, are you going to humor me with what happened last night? Or, can we talk about you practically making out with your pillow just now?”

Diana's reaction to such a claim was immediate as her face turned beet red in embarrassment. “W-WHAT!? I did NOT do that!” She exclaimed in denial.

“Ah, is that a rebuttal I hear?” Her cousin teased yet again, her big grin not letting up for a second. “Did you or did you not just wake up hugging your pillow?”

Refusing to acknowledge or humor her cousin any further on the subject, the young Cavendish got straight to the point. “Why. Are. You. Here?”

“Isn't it obvious, Diana dear? You're late.”

That certainly caught Diana off guard, blinking rapidly as she said, “...I'm what?”

“You're late. For work.”

“T-That's impossible! What time is it?”

“A quarter past ten.” Merril responded, pointing to the clock on Diana's nightstand. “Mother, Maril and I worked downstairs for the past two hours since we opened, but you have yet to show up. They've asked me to come and check up on you since mother can pretty much handle your job and Maril can't exactly leave the front desk, and so I came up here to see that you were still on dreamland.”

“...Merlin, why me?” The blonde groaned quietly to herself. From the looks of it, her humiliation truly knows no bounds.

Embarrassment aside, Diana really did have a bad habit to oversleep sometimes, which is no surprise at all considering how much she attended school during her youth. Lots of late night studying to maintain her grades, getting as much practice as she could for her career in the clinic along with keeping up with her friendships on every chance she got. The poor thing would run herself ragged due to working so much.

Even when she was old enough to move out from the manor, Aunt Daryl was kind enough to help Diana make arrangements to remodel the small living space they've kept above the clinic. The room itself was used to spend the night in case of a patient emergency, and now it was officially turned it into a decent flat that the young Cavendish could live in.

Despite this effort, Diana would still have her moments with sleeping in every now and then, hence why each of the Cavendishes have their own spare keys to Diana's flat.

“Alright, alright.” The physician groaned in defeat, finally getting out of bed. “Go back downstairs while I start getting ready.”

A snicker reached her ears as her cousin said, “Yeah. Sure. Take your time, Diana.”

“And when you do go downstairs, I expect you to keep what you saw to yourself!” Diana spoke seriously, practically growling as she seethed with rage.

“No promises~!” Was the response she received along with another giggle.

Soon after that, the door to Diana's flat opened and closed to signal Merril's departure. As soon as her cousin left, Diana sighed heavily through her nose. The blonde really loves her aunt and cousins, and she knows that they mean well, but at times they can be infuriating as well as embarrassing, depending on the situation of course. Then again, which family isn't?

Exhaling once again, Diana made her way over to the bathroom to get her morning routine out of the way.

Once she was prepared for the day, Diana finally passed through the glass doors of the clinic and Maril certainly didn't waste time on announcing her arrival. “And, sleeping beauty finally decides to grace us with her presence! What took you so long? Mother and I were starting to think the worse, or that perhaps you got carried away with your date last night...”

Note to self: There's going to be one less Cavendish today... Diana thought with a vengeance as she walked passed Maril's desk. “It was only our first date! What do you take me for? An animal!?”

“Geez. I was only kidding, DeeDee. Relax.” Maril said with a smile, returning her gaze back to her computer screen as her fingers typed away on the keyboard.

Sensing that her cousin had a smirk on her face, the physician soon returned to the lobby. “Well, excuse~ me for being on edge! Especially, since a certain someone knows something that they shouldn't know.” She stated matter-of-factly.

It was slight, but even so Diana could've sworn that she saw a twitch at the corner of the receptionist's mouth. “W-Whatever do you mean, Diana? I honestly don't know what you're talking about.”

“Uh-huh, keep telling yourself that. Where is she?” The blonde asked, but it was voiced as a demand.

Not wanting to give up her sister's location, the receptionist played dumb as she inquired, “Where is who?”

“Your twin and my other cousin, that's who!”

“Did someone call me?”

Just then Merril came from the hall as she stopped behind her younger cousin, only for Diana to turn around and grab onto Merril's lab coat with an angry look on her face.

“Hey now, what's with the furious glare?” The nurse questioned.

“You've talked, didn't you?” Diana practically growled at her.

Then it all dawned on her. Merril's face went quite pale, but she played her part well while trying to pry her cousin's hands off of her. “Whatever do you mean, DeeDee? I've told you when I left your flat that my lips were sealed.”

The physician narrowed her eyes at her as she retorted, “Well, your mouth wasn't shut enough since you've shared private information with your sister!”

“Maril's your sister too, for what it counts.”

“That's not the point, and you know it!”

“What's wrong with sharing things with your fellow sister?” Maril piped up on her end, swirling around in her chair to face them. “There are no secrets between us.” She stated innocently, too innocently while batting her eyelashes.

“Exactly!” The nurse agreed with her twin sister. “I mean, it's not like we're running around town and babbling it to complete strangers.”

That was all the proof that Diana needed to hear. “So, you DID talk?!”

“Oh, poo...” Merril had also caught on to her major mistake, sighing in defeat. “You just had to agree with me, Maril. You've made me dig my own grave.”

“Hey, I was just playing along with you to make it sound convincing.” The receptionist stated in her defense. She then chided her sister by saying, “You were the one that said something stupid, stupid.”

“Don't call me an idiot! Also, remind me next time to not tell you anything ever again!”

“I don't know, calling you an idiot seems warranted. And knowing you, you'll blab it to me anyway since you want someone to gush to.”

“How about you don't tell secrets at all?!” The young Cavendish suggested, positively red in the face as she stomped her foot on the floor.

Thank the heavens that there are no guests in the clinic to witness such a spectacle...

On the other side of town, Auriga's Café was hustling and bustling with customers since the lunch rush began. It didn't matter to Akko one way or another since she was at the top of the world, as it were, and hummed along to her own peppy tune as she worked.

“Hey, Akko!”

“Yes, Joey?” The brunette said as she stopped in her tracks, walking toward one of the tables to acknowledge one of their usual patrons. “What can I get for you?”

“Can I please get more of that sweet iced tea?”

“Coming right up! Anything else?”

“Nope. That'll be all, darling.”

Resuming to hum her little song to herself, Akko made her way over to the counter to prepare her customer's drink.

Overhearing her, Lotte couldn't help but giggle while she prepared her own drink for her guests. “Someone seems to be in really high spirits today.” She commented with a smile.

The tomboy chuckled as she finished pouring out the tea on a cup, securing it with a lid. “Is it that obvious?”

“Very.” Was the aloof response she received when Sucy emerged from the kitchen with a dish bin in hand. “I think I prefer you staring out the window like an idiot.”

“That isn't very nice, Sucy...” The short-haired blonde chided her friend, obviously looking at her co-worker in disapproval.

“It's alright, Lotte.” Akko reassured. “It doesn't bother me. I'm too over the moon to comment.”

“Oh? So, you skipped the clouds and went straight to the moon.” The dishwasher chuckled while raising a brow in amusement. “Weirdo.”

“Sucy!”

“What? She was the one who admitted it.”

“I'm not listening~!” The red-eyed tomboy sang out loud, mostly directed at Sucy. She then left behind the counter and called out to the blonde, “Lotte, let's go deliver our drinks!”

And so, the girls continued working from there. When the lunch rush had passed, they settled to cleaning up the restaurant with Akko being near the entrance of the café to clean the windows, Sucy cleared up most of the dishes on the tables and headed straight to the kitchen to wash them, Chariot was in the storage area making a list to keep track of their inventory, and Lotte was about to start sweeping the floors.

“Hey Akko, do you mind manning the register for a bit while I sweep the floors?” The waitress asked her.

“Sure. No problem Lotte. Let me just finish cleaning up this window.” The brunette responded as she finished passing the last remaining swipes to the glass.

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

“Uh-huh.”

Once Akko finished her task, she headed toward the kitchen to wash her hands before returning to the front again. And when she did, a customer had just walked through the doors to the café and made their way over to the register.

“Hi! Welcome to Auriga's Café, what can I get for you today?” Akko had greeted him with the usual business pitch.

“Hello.” The young college student said in greeting as his eyes looked over at the menu. After a moment, he finally made his decision. “Can I get a small caffè crema, please?”

“You got it! That'll be 3.50 pounds please.”

“Here you go.”

“Thank you very much! Can I please get a name for the order?”

“Derek.”

“Alright then, Derek. Take a seat anywhere and I'll bring it to you once it's ready.”

“Thank you.”

When the transaction was completed and the customer left the register, the barista went to set up the espresso machine. Once she prepared the water, Akko turned on the machine and waited for it to heat up. Akko then grabbed the appropriate coffee beans from under the cabinet and proceeded to measure and crush them before she poured it into the portafilter.

As she did so, she made sure to distribute her ground coffee evenly on the portafilter before she started to tamp the coffee dose firmly. Not too gentle, not too hard as she aimed to be as even as possible with the tamper. After she finished, Akko secured it in its designated spot and set the machine up to do its work.

While she waited a couple of minutes, the brunette stayed attentive to the patrons in the restaurant and soon enough she returned to the espresso machine to start doing the finishing touches for the caffè crema. The moment she neared the machine, Akko lifted her head up from what she was doing when she heard the door chime, likely being that someone just came in to the café.

She turned around slightly to welcome the new customer... “Hi! Welcome to-” Her breath got caught in her throat as soon as her red-eyed gaze landed on Diana.

The young doctor looked beautiful as ever, wearing a shy smile that Akko has quickly grown to adore, to the point where it might actually be one of her favorites. It was so cute and it never failed to make the tomboy feel the butterflies in her stomach.

However, that observation quickly came to an end once Diana's expression turned into one of pure horror, and with good reason too. “Akko, the coffee!”

“Huh?” The tomboy looked back to what she was doing, and sure enough, it was a disaster... “Aw, shit! You were supposed to sto-”

Just as she began to say that, the espresso machine kept on going and very soon the coffee had started to overflow out of the carafe onto the grate and... Akko's right hand. The tomboy's first reaction was to instinctively reach out for the pitcher, but she forgot that the machine still kept on going...

What she felt next was almost indescribable, but it wasn't. A sharp, searing pain shot through her hand, which in turn made her limb go momentarily weak as she lost her grip on the pitcher. The carafe fell and chattered on the floor into a million pieces, scattering glass along with huge amounts of coffee on the floor, and onto Akko's pant legs.

Admittedly, on the parts where her pants got splattered with coffee did briefly stung for a bit, but that was nothing compared to the pain she felt in her right hand. Barely letting out a painful cry, Akko managed to push through the pain as she went to turn off the machine before she moved to the side and hunched herself over the counter, cradling her injury.

Everything after that became a blur for the red-eyed tomboy. She didn't faint, but the sounds around her got drowned out significantly when the customers got startled over the incident that just took place, with most likely Lotte and Sucy being the ones to handle the commotion by reassuring them that everything was going to be alright.

Akko couldn't hear anything except for the insistent pounding of her heart in her ears along with the horrible ache in her hand, which seemed to pulsate with each heartbeat.

It was agonizing, almost unbearable.

All too soon her vision blurred with tears, maintaining her breathing was also becoming a bit of an issue while she tried her best not to succumb to the pain.

The brunette was so distracted by it all to the point where she didn't notice someone come to her side while gently, and hurriedly, ushering her to the back of the restaurant. They quickly passed through the kitchen, where they stopped momentarily before they started moving again, and their brief walk ended as they ascended up the stairs to the living quarters of the establishment.

They went to the rather small kitchen of the living space and the moment that Akko felt cool water on her right hand, it made her hiss and her limb jerked a bit from the suddenness of it. Instinctively, she tried to pull it away, but a firm hold on her forearm kept her still.

After fifteen minutes or so, the water had stopped and they were on the move again, though this time their destination was close since Akko was guided toward the couch in the living room. Sitting down was quite a relieve, even more so when the tomboy felt a cool cloth make contact on her face. She blinked a couple of times, her vision clearing a bit before she closed her eyes and sighed in relief.

“Akko, can you hear me?” The brunette opened her eyes to see Diana looking at her with concern, gently maneuvering the rag around her face in attempt to cool her off. “You've been quiet on the way up here.” She commented worriedly.

“Yeah, I'm okay.” Akko swallowed rather heavily, giving a slow nod of her head as she responded, “Or, I will be is more like it...”

“Does it hurt?”

“...It burns like hell.”

Diana set the rag aside and gently grabbed the girl's forearm, inspecting the delicate injury with keen eyes. Akko's hand was extremely red, the burns probably having damaged more than the top layer of her skin. From the looks of it, there doesn't seem to be any blisters present, which was a good sign. “Can you move your hand?”

The red-eyed tomboy looked rather hesitant, her lips pursing into a thin frown. “...I could try.”

There was barely any movement at first, but after a moment Akko tried her best to move her fingers, attempting to make a fist. Unfortunately, her endeavor did not pull through since she was only able to twitch her fingers and curl them about half-way before a hiss left her mouth, stopping the effort altogether.

Diana's lips pursed into a thin frown of her own after making her observation. “Well, for a second-degree burn, it's not as bad as it could've been. However, you'll definitely need to wait about two-to-three weeks for your hand to make a full recovery.” She lamented to inform.

“Great, just great...” The red-eyed tomboy grumbled sarcastically, obviously not happy at all over the whole situation.

The physician was at a loss on what to do. She didn't know Akko well enough to find a way to cheer her up, and honestly, she hated to see the brunette like this.

Hurried footsteps could be heard in the distance as someone climbed the stairs, stumbling through the door of the small flat. Both women looked up at the disheveled redhead while she made her way through the living room with a first aid kit in hand.

“...Here's the first aid kit!” The poor woman seemed out of breath, handing over the case to the young Cavendish. She then straightened up her glasses as she said, “Also, if you need more antibiotic cream, there should be some in the bathroom inside the medicine cabinet.”

“Thank you, Chariot. I appreciate it.”

“No, THANK YOU for taking care of my Godchild! I apologize for bothering you with this, I know that you're quite busy...”

“Don't be. I'm just glad that I'm able to help you in some way.” Diana reassured with a kind smile, heading back to Akko's side as she was about to rummage through the first aid kit for what she needed.

“Yes, thank you so much.” Chariot nodded gratefully in her direction before she turned to look at her daughter, or at least she personally considered the brunette as one. “How are you holding up, kiddo?”

Akko merely responded with a low grumble, avoiding her Godmother's gaze as she preferred to stare off into some other part of the flat. The blonde took notice of such behavior, but chose to concentrate on her patient's injury for the time being.

Hardly receiving an answer to her question, the café owner let out a sigh while bringing a hand up to massage the back of her neck, showing a small smile. “...Right, well. If you girls need anything, I'll be downstairs. It was good to see you, Diana. Thanks again.”

The doctor politely returned that smile with one of her own. “Likewise.”

Soon after their exchange, the red-haired woman took her leave, softly closing the door behind her. And now that they were alone again, Diana looked up at her patient to see that the tomboy had yet to move from her spot on the couch, still staring off at whatever caught her attention.

Letting her gaze fall to the injury again, the blonde concentrated on her work by making sure that the wound was clean. The last thing the physician wanted was for the poor girl to get an infection due to her negligence. Thankfully, there was enough antibiotic cream in the case for Akko's injury. After Diana carefully applied it, she began to dress the girl's wound.

At one point, Akko hissed a bit when the young Cavendish accidentally tightened the bandage a bit too hard... “S-sorry...!”

“It's okay.”

“Just a little longer and I'll be done.”

“Hmm-hmm.”

It soon got quiet again, and Diana was at a loss on what to do. Her visit didn't turn out how she wanted it to... It was supposed to be a good surprise. Stopping by to order her usual and maybe brighten Akko's day, but instead this happened... and, in a way, Diana can't help but feel responsible for being the cause of it.

“...I'm sorry.”

“What?” The brunette finally turned her head when she heard the sudden apology. “What are you apologizing for?” She asked, genuinely confused.

“I just...” Diana sighed for a bit as she tried to come up with the right words, still applying the roll bandage around Akko's hand while continuing on to say, “...I just feel like you got hurt because of me. That I somehow distracted you from what you were doing and-”

“That's not true.”

The physician looked up at her in disbelieve. “But-”

“That's. Not. True.” Akko accentuated every word with as much conviction that she could muster, emphasizing how serious she was about all this. “If it's anybody's fault, then it's definitely mine. I was the one who messed up, I was the one who should've been paying attention to what I was doing, I was the one who messed up that customer's order, and I...”

The red-eyed tomboy leaned forward, laying her forehead against Diana's shoulder. She let out a shaky breath, almost letting a out a sob as she said, “I should really apologize to my Godmother...”

The young Cavendish was absolutely stunned with this sudden turn of events, especially with being this close to her crush. While a bit hesitant at first, she slowly mustered up the courage to raise an arm up and she brought the girl close into an embrace. Diana may not have the words to make her feel better, but she could at least lend an ear and provide some kind of comfort if needed. It's the least she could do.

And yet, deep down, she felt the need to say something. How odd... She thought to herself.

The blonde could hardly remember a time where she's actually meddled into someone's problems. It's not that she didn't care, but more of the fact that she didn't want to overstep her bounds in her relationships with people. At most, she would give them advice, should they ask for it. Give them space, if needed. Otherwise, she would pretty much nod and speak up when needed during her interactions. And yet, with Akko... she wanted to do more than that.

“I...” Unsure of what to say, Diana decided to go with her gut, all the while trailing her fingers through the brunette's long straight tresses. If the girl was bothered with the action, she never showed any indication of it. “I think you should apologize to her.”

There was an uneasy silence for a bit. After a couple of minutes, Diana was starting to think that Akko wasn't going to say anything at all. Just when she was about to pull away, the tomboy finally spoke, “...Do you think she'll forgive me?”

“I've known Chariot for a few years now. Not personally, mind you, but she always struck me as a kind and understanding individual. I'm sure that she'll understand if you talk to her.” The physician gave her honest opinion on the matter.

A low hum was all she received in response. “I also need to apologize to the customer too...” Akko added as an afterthought, burying her head more against the blonde's shoulder.

“Y-yes, you do...” Diana stuttered once she registered how close the two of them were. She actually wouldn't be too surprised if her face was beet red at this very moment.

“Diana?”

“Y-yes?”

A chuckle left the brunette's lips as she nuzzled a bit closer to the young doctor, and Diana just knew that the girl was doing this on purpose by this point. “Are you done bandaging my hand?”

And just like that, it was back to physician mode when Diana pulled away, much to Akko's slight disappointment. In actuality, the young Cavendish didn't have much to do. It was just a couple more wraps and securing the bandage, all the while making sure that she wasn't cutting off the poor girl's circulation while doing so.

“Alright then. That should do it. Be sure to have someone help you change your bandages every couple of hours, and you need to keep cleaning that wound constantly so that you won't get an infection.” Diana instructed her. “And if you're still in pain, feel free to get some over-the-counter medication if needed.” She added.

“Ooh~! Look at you taking charge! I might just get swept off my feet!” Akko commented cheekily, showing her first smile since the incident. “Aw! What the heck? I already am!”

The blonde playfully rolled her eyes, but that still didn't stop the small smile that appeared on her face as she stood up. She raised a single brow as she said, “Confident much?”

“I guess so, but can you blame me? You were so courageous, so beautiful, so sexy...” The brunette gave a bold answer.

Diana abruptly sputtered to the side, almost feeling like her breath was knocked out of her lungs. Well, that's one way to be caught off guard. She chuckled to herself. This girl is really something else...

“I suppose you must be doing alright if you're well enough to get a reaction out of me.” The young Cavendish said with a smile, heading toward the door. “If that is indeed the case, then I think I shall take my leave.”

“Diana, wait.”

“What is it?”

Diana barely managed to turn around in time to see Akko approach her and bring her into a sudden embrace. The blonde went absolutely rigid in the girl's arms, not expecting the hug at all. “...A-Akko?”

The red-eyed tomboy pulled away soon after, looking at Diana with complete adoration. “I just wanted to say thank you. For helping me, for being there. It really means a lot.”

“Y-you're welcome.” The physician responded, the blush on her cheeks no doubt being obvious by this point. “I couldn't leave things how they were.”

“And, it's a good thing you didn't. Otherwise, I would've been suffering with a boo-boo for the rest of my shift...” Akko mumbled with a pout, cradling her bandaged hand.

“...A boo-boo?” Diana repeated. She had to resist the urge not to laugh, but in the end it proved to be futile since a giggle actually managed to slip through her lips. Gathering some form of composure, she raised a brow in amusement while she said, “Really, Akko? At your age?”

“Okay, it's a MAJOR boo-boo!” The brunette conceded, but she still kept insisting. “I still stand by my point that I probably would've suffered without your timely intervention. Speaking of which, did you know that there's actually a magic spell that would help aid in the recovery process?” She commented interestingly, having a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

She can't be serious... The young Cavendish thought in disbelieve.

The red-eyed tomboy seemed to be full of surprises, but deep down Diana knows that the girl meant well. There was just a cute child-like quality that Diana liked about Akko, and it seemed to be further enhanced with how the girl's red eyes always seemed to sparkle with excitement, joy, warmth. The blonde would probably do just about anything to maintain that happiness.

“Alright...” Deciding to humor her, Diana gave in and asked, “What would you have to do for this spell?”

What happened next was also unexpected. One moment Akko initiated the question, and the next she suddenly went very quiet. Her posture was absolutely frozen, almost like a deer caught in headlights. Her red eyes have widened significantly. Half in surprise, half in horror. And Diana could've sworn that she saw the brunette's ears turn a bright red, which Diana found to be quite adorable.

Akko's mouth fell open, but no words came out. In fact, what did came out was a nervous squeak as she quickly turned around, facing away from the physician altogether. “U-um, you know what? Forget about what I just said! I mean, who even has time for childish games, huh?” She spoke up with a shaky laugh.

The blonde smiled sympathetically, not that the tomboy could see it. She then rolled up the sleeve of her lab coat, peeking down at her wristwatch. Diana's break was about to end soon, and as it turns out, she'll barely have ten minutes to walk back to the clinic in time, but before she leaves... she will make sure that Akko would see this.

“Akko, could you turn around for me please? I would like to say goodbye properly before I leave.”

At hearing that, the brunette's shoulders instantly slumped in disappointment, undoubtedly sad to see Diana go. “Oh, right...” When Akko turned around, the poor girl got startled due to Diana suddenly being a bit too close... “Uh...”

The young Cavendish laid a hand on the girl's shoulder to steady her, leaning up a bit to whisper, “And, for the record, I would've kissed your boo-boo.” As soon as she said that, Diana kissed the tomboy's cheek, leaving the recipient with quite a shock. Sadly, as much as the physician would like to see the whole aftermath of her little stunt... she really had to leave. “I'll call you later.”

There was an unintelligible, “U-kay.” she received as a response, which no doubt made a smile blossom on Diana's face.

I suppose I did brightened her day after all, I'm glad. The blonde mused contently, departing from the flat as she closed the door behind her.

Meanwhile, Akko is by her lonesome in the living room, still stupefied over what just happened. Once she processed it all however, a huge goofy grin took over her face. Her body finally seemed to respond as her legs managed to take her to the couch, where her knees suddenly buckled from under her and the brunette fell helplessly contented onto the couch cushions.

She soon released a breath that she didn't realize she was holding, laughing breathlessly while taking a deep breath to whisper, “Kamisama Arigatō~!”

Later on in the afternoon, the clinic was in business with patients and Diana felt like she was going to go insane. Her cellphone kept ringing non-stop, annoyingly so, and the physician could hardly concentrate in her patient consultations. Whoever it was, they certainly wanted to get a hold of her...

“Alright, Mr. Barnes. Please try to relax and take a deep breath.” Diana instructed, standing behind her patient as she got into position to set a dislocated shoulder.

The bone itself was out of place and the area was quite swollen, and the man had expressed that he could barely move his arm because of it.

The middle-aged man let out a shaky breath, asking, “...How much is this going to hurt?”

“You're already in a lot of pain so, in a way, not much.” The young Cavendish responded. “Just do as I say and it will be no more than a quick pinch.” She reassured, before she realized her own words and so she quickly added, “Of sorts.”

“Oh. Joy.”

“Rest assured, I'll make it quick and painlessly as I can. You have my word.”

An exasperated sigh escaped from the man, more so in pain rather than frustration. “...I'm ready.”

“I'll start on the count of three.” Diana gave a firm nod, gently laying her hands on the dislocated bone. “One... two... thr-”

On the very last second, the doctor's cellphone decided to ring. The unexpected noise from the device threw Diana off. A loud pop, along with a pained wail, rang out in the room. The blonde had set the bone back in place, which is good, but due to doing it ahead of her own signal... she accidentally caused her patient some discomfort.

“Oh, Merlin!” Diana gasped, looking absolutely guilty over what just happened. “I am so, so sorry, Mr. Barnes! Are you alright?”

The poor fellow was beyond alright, if biting his own lip was any indication of his pain. Surprisingly enough, he still managed to find his voice. “I-I... I will be. Don't you worry, Doc.” He mumbled. “T-this is nothing...”

All the while, Diana's phone kept on ringing...

Bloody hell! I can't work under these conditions! The physician thought angrily, taking her cellphone out of her pocket and instantly canceling the call without bothering to look at the caller ID. As soon as she put the device away, she directed her concern toward her patient. “Hang tight, Mr. Barnes! I'll be back with an ice pack!”

The middle-aged man gave a slow nod while gently massaging his aching shoulder, replying, “Thank you, Dr. Cavendish.”

When Diana stepped out of the examination room, her cellphone started to ring yet again...

“That does it...!” Growling in frustration, the blonde fished the device out from her pocket, and when she glanced at who the caller was... she let out an exasperated sigh. “...Of course. It just had to be her...”

Diana purposely hung up on the call once again and immediately headed toward the break room. Luckily for her, she found the person she was looking for. “Merril.”

“Yes?” The nurse turned around to face her cousin once she finished pouring herself some coffee.

The physician looked apologetic as she began with her plea, “I'm sorry to bother you. I know that you're still on break, but would you mind bringing an ice pack to exam room four for me? I need to take a call in my office.”

On cue, Diana's ringtone boomed once again with a vengeance. The doctor groaned in frustration as she took out her cellphone to stare at the caller ID.

Merril couldn't help the small grin that made its way on her face. “Is that your girlfriend~?” She inquired teasingly.

I wish. Diana mused. Instead of answering with a witty remark, she merely brought her phone up, showing her cousin who exactly was calling her. “Monkey see, monkey do.”

“Hmm. It's been a while since I've last heard from Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum...” The nurse commented while shaking her head in amusement. After the fifth ring, Diana's cellphone stopped ringing, only for it to start once again, the only difference this time was the caller ID, which showed a different caller. “And, I can see for myself that they're doing well.” She added with a small giggle.

“I honestly can't concentrate on my work like this.” The young Cavendish stated, shoving her phone inside of her lab coat pocket. “So, can you please do that favor for me? Pretty please?”

“No problemo, Diana dear. I'll cover for you.”

“Thank you.”

Diana soon left the break room and made her way toward the back of the building, entering her office. Her cellphone began to ring for the umpteenth time today, and she finally accepted the call as soon as she sat down in her office chair.

Once she approved the call, Diana undauntedly replied to it with a dull, irritated, “What?”

“Hey now! Is that any way to talk to your childhood friend?!” Hannah's voice could be heard from the other line, clearly insulted by the rude greeting. “I barely hear from you, for like, a decade, and this is how you greet me!”

“Yes!” The physician remarked with almost no remorse. “You personally know firsthand how much I despise it when my work is hindered by absolute nonsense!”

“So, let me get this straight...” The redhead trailed off a bit before she continued with her statement, “Me, calling you, one of my best friends in the whole wide world, is complete rubbish?”

“Hannah England, you're putting words in my mouth, and I don't appreciate that.”

“To be clear, you were the one who started it. I merely wanted to get a confirmation of what you meant.”

Diana sighed rather heavily, taking off her glasses and set them on her desk. She then laid her head back against her chair as she closed her eyes in momentary respite. “All this time, and you still know how to pull your punches...”

“Damn straight!” Was the proud reply she received.

The blonde hummed, asking, “Is Barbara with you?”

“...H-Hi, Diana. How are you?” Barbara's meek voice could be heard from the other line as well. “How did you know I was here?”

“You're kidding me, right?” Diana remarked with a small chuckle, straightening up in her chair. “You and Hannah are practically inseparable. It was obvious to me that the two of you were together, especially since you girls kept interrupting me non-stop at work with your calls...!”

“It's not my fault, Hannah made do it!”

“Rat me out, why don't you? Some friend you are...”

“What? So, you expected me to lie?”

“Not lie, per say, but you could at least learn how to be discreet about it. Nobody likes a tattle-tale.”

That comment seemed to set Barbara off. “Seriously? I thought that we were adults, not middle schoolers.”

“Geez...” Hannah sighed irritably, “When did having fun became such a crime?” She wondered aloud, mostly to herself.

The physician merely rolled her eyes at hearing her friends bicker with each other. Just like old times... She thought fondly. “It became a crime the moment that 'fun' caused my patient discomfort, which is mostly your fault, by the way.”

“Oh, come on! How was I supposed to know that you were working today?! I barely talked to you over the years, if ever!” The redhead said in her defense. “Not to mention, you're a workaholic!”

“It still doesn't change the fact that you could have taken a hint and call later, you know, like a normal person!” Diana stated matter-of-factly, narrowing her eyes while wearing her infamous scowl, not that her friend could see it. “You're lucky that I was dealing with a dislocated shoulder, and not a more serious injury. I could've made a mistake, one that is not be to taken lightly in my line of work! I could lose my license within a drop of a hat!”

“I think I don't like your tone, Cavendish.”

And just like that, the young Cavendish ended the call in spite. Without regret. Barely a minute, and her cellphone ringed once again, showing Hannah's number on the caller ID. Begrudgingly, and out of politeness this time around, Diana accepted the call.

“Did you seriously just hang up on me?!” Hannah said in outrage, almost in disbelieve over what just happened.

“I thought you said that you didn't like my tone.” The blonde remarked with a small grin, feeling rather proud of her little mischief.

The auburn-haired girl was seething with rage, if her growls are anything to go by. “Ooh, just you wait until I get my hands on you...!”

“Enough!” The raven-haired girl spoke up, ultimately deciding to be the mediator before things got worse between them. “First of all, Hannah, we should really apologize to Diana for distracting her on her job. And second, don't you think it's time to let Diana know the main reason for our call?” She kindly gave a suggestion.

Sighing in defeat, Hannah conceded to Barbara's demands. “Very well. I'm very sorry, Diana. I should've been more patient...”

“And, I owe you both an apology as well. I suppose I could've held my temper better...” The young Cavendish admitted, almost in shame. “My behavior was in no way appropriate to greet my friends, even more so since we haven't talked for so long. I really missed you girls...” She replied honestly.

Barbara sounded close to tears as she said, “Aw! We missed you too, Diana!”

“Yeah, well... I actually missed you too, Diana. Truth be told, the reason we called is because we wanted to hang out with you. Maybe the three of us could go out for drinks sometime next week?” Hannah invited her. She then added, “Only if you're available, of course. We'd understand if you're quite busy.”

Diana hummed in contemplation. It indeed has been a while since she last spent time with them, since their college graduation in fact. It was increasingly difficult to find time to hang out when the three of them had settled into their careers, barely speaking to one another over the years because of it. From the looks of it, Hannah and Barbara managed to find some free time to spend the day together today. If they could do it, then surely, the young Cavendish could do so as well.

Diana swirled around in her chair to look at the calendar she hung up on the wall behind her desk. The almanac was littered with tons of scribbles on certain days for the month of March, but if she could handle her work schedule...

I think I might be able to make it. The blonde thought in determination. “I first need to talk it over with my aunt and cousins, to see if it's alright with them. Otherwise, I can make sure that I don't have any priorities on that certain day. No promises though.”

“That's more than enough for us. Have you decided on the day, Hannah?”

“How about on March fifteen? That day falls on a Thursday. Is that okay with you, Diana?”

“That sounds perfect.” Diana smiled. “I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but I really need to go back to work. I'm still in the middle of my shift.”

“That's fine, Diana. We'll talk more later.” Barbara said in understanding. “Just promise us that you won't go overboard, okay?”

“Yeah. Don't be afraid to let us know if something comes up, alright? We can just re-schedule our girls night out some other time for when you're free.” Hannah added, her tone sounding serious.

“Yes, I promise. I'll hopefully see you girls soon. Take care.”

“Bye-bye, Diana! Don't work too hard!”

“We'll see you later!”

And so, their call session finally ended. Diana couldn't help but sigh fondly as she thought over the entire conversation. It felt like she was back at school again, back when everything was simple and there wasn't much to fret about at the time. She really did miss those days...

I think I'll be able to make it, I know I can! The physician thought confidently, raising up from her chair once she put on her glasses.

When she secured her phone inside her pocket, Diana left her office to resume her shift.

Chapter Text

A couple of weeks had passed, and the meeting night had finally arrived. Diana went out when she finished her shift at the clinic and is currently on her way to meet up with her childhood friends at a pub & eatery in Blytonbury. Aunt Daryl and her cousins were more than happy to grant her the opportunity to hang out with her friends by mutually agreeing that Diana would have an early shift today.

Apparently, going out on my very first date and hanging out with friends is considered to be a miracle of sorts. The young Cavendish thought with slight amusement, feeling slightly irritated at this turn of events.

In truth, Diana couldn't really blame them. It's not everyday that she voluntarily goes out to have fun. So, of course, her family was more than happy to indulge her.

The drive to Blytonbury wasn't bad, plus the trip itself wasn't lonely at all since Daryl kindly volunteered to drive her there. Blytonbury itself was only an hour away from Wedinburgh by car, but depending on the time of day, driving can be quite stressful with people driving in droves...

"Thanks again for taking me to Blytonbury, Aunt Daryl. I appreciate it." Diana spoke gratefully with a smile.

Her aunt returned that smile with one of her own while saying, "It's no trouble at all, Diana." As an afterthought she mentioned, "And, while I know that you're a full-grown woman and that you're fully capable of taking care of yourself... I am going to worry a whole lot if I let you make this trip alone."

The young Cavendish raised her brows in amusement. "Is this because I'm going out drinking with friends?" She questioned.

"Partly," Daryl admitted, sighing in exasperation since she had no choice but to press on the brakes again. Being stuck in traffic on the highway was not fun... at all. "Besides you making the trip alone, you might be a bit buzzed for the drive home. The last thing I want is for my niece to get into a car accident..."

Diana couldn't help but shake her head in disbelieve. "My, that's quite the overactive imagination you have there, Aunt Daryl. Do you honestly think I would do something so stupid and irresponsible like that?" She asked.

"You're right, forgive me. Let me re-phrase my statement: I don't particularly mean that towards you, but more so for the people around you." The elder Cavendish clarified while pointing forward to gesture to the long line of vehicles in front and behind of them as well as on the sides. "They can be inconsiderate, unpredictable, and just overall stupid."

Diana hummed in acknowledgment. "Point taken."

No sooner had she said that, the Cavendishes couldn't help but witness a spectacle that had just occurred in front of their very eyes. A car tried to get out of the lane in order to speed through the walk-way to try and avoid the cluttered traffic, however...

A police siren rang out, instantly making the driver stop his escapade.

Where did the police cruiser come from? Nobody knew, but it was quite the sight to behold for the Cavendishes since they started to laugh at the fellow's stupidity.

Once Daryl gathered her composure, she said, "Did you see that, Diana? What did I tell you? People can be quite stupid while behind the wheel. I mean, it's gotten to the point where I think that everyone in Wedinburgh got their driver's license from a bloody cereal box."

"T-that can't be true..." The young doctor let out a flow of giggles at hearing such a remark from her aunt. "Surely, there are some people that actually worked hard to earn their license." She finished saying once she calmed down.

"Hmph. I'll believe it when this town finally decides to drive better." The elder Cavendish huffed.

Diana chuckled. "If you insist, Aunt Daryl."

A comfortable silence fell soon afterward, and it wasn't long after that that they pulled out of the highway once they found their appropriate exit. One thing's for sure, Daryl's posture relaxed significantly once they were out of that chaos.

Sighing in absolute relief, the older doctor started a conversation by saying, "So, how are things between you and this girl that you're seeing? Well, I hope?"

"O-oh... You mean with Akko?" Diana replied belatedly, completely caught off guard from the sudden question. Her cheeks have a rosy hue to them from the mere thought of the tomboy. "Yes, I think they are. She and I have been texting and chatting over the phone whenever we have time, and we're thinking of going out together again sometime soon..." She murmured at the end, but her aunt still heard her.

Daryl smiled, bringing a hand up to gently trail her fingers through Diana's soft tresses. "That's good to hear, Diana dear. I'm glad that you were able to find someone you fancy."

Diana couldn't help but grumble. Her face was a deep shade of red by this point due to her embarrassment. "Aunt Daryl, please do pay attention to the road..." She mumbled in slight reprimand, carefully removing her aunt's hand from the top of her head.

"Akko, huh? So, that's her name." Daryl teased while laughing merrily, but she did comply to her niece's request and paid full attention to the road. "You're so skittish when it comes to this topic. It's quite adorable, really."

"I just don't understand the big deal of teasing me over it." Diana rolled her eyes in annoyance, speaking a bit exasperatedly than she had meant to. "I'm going out with someone. So what?"

"Frankly, my dear, it IS a big deal!" Daryl stated seriously, her playful tone from earlier was completely gone. "Do you know why that is?"

The blonde thought about it for a moment, but she couldn't think of an answer. "...No."

"Of course, you don't. You've been too focused on other things to even think about this aspect of your life." Her aunt told an obvious, and rather painful truth. "In a way, emotionally speaking, I honestly don't know what was going through your head the moment that... your mother passed away." She let out a shaky breath, her blue eyes fully focused on the road ahead of them. "The same goes after that man practically left our lives, or might as well have..." She grumbled that last part bitterly, almost automatically without even thinking about it.

Diana remained silent, subconsciously balling her hands in her lap.

Despite the girl's silence, Daryl continued on by saying, "I may have lost them too, but my loss would never amount to yours... At such a tender age, you had a one-tracked mind. One that had me concerned, and I was right to be. As I watched you grow up, you constantly threw yourself to your studies, you were never interested in making relationships with people. It was always studying or working with you. I was quite astounded at the fact that Hannah and Barbara put up with you for so long. No offense."

"None taken..." The young Cavendish sighed, leaning her head against the window as she blankly stared ahead. However, her aunt knew that her mind was somewhere else.

The older woman stopped the car once they approached a red light, and as soon as she did the silence inside of their vehicle was almost too much to bear.

"At first, I thought that was your way to handle your grief. It's not the healthiest way, mind you, but people find ways to manage their sorrow differently. And, to my surprise, I suppose it was the right thing for you." Daryl admitted. "You kept working, yes, but you had a goal in mind to distract you. After you graduated med school, however... I've noticed that you were lost. Like you had nothing else to do anymore, am I correct in my assumption?" She inquired, stealing a side glance toward her niece.

"Pretty much, yes." Was the quiet answer she received.

"And, what made you feel that way?" The elder Cavendish asked her, commencing to drive once again once the light finally turned green.

Diana sighed heavily through her nose, straightening up in her seat. "I don't know... It is as you said, after I ultimately finished with school I was... lost. I've always wanted to take over the clinic and make it more successful, for mother's sake. But when I officially started working full-time, I felt bored with the routine I settled on." She then elaborated with more detail, "Working at the clinic for about eight hours a day, sometimes more. Going to Auriga's for my breaks, only to return back to the clinic to finish the rest of my shift. I obviously don't have any plans for when I finish work for the day, so... I just return to a cozy, and yet empty flat."

Daryl couldn't help but smile sympathetically, especially when she caught the slight grumble at the end of her niece's explanation. This was the point where she started to feel lonely. She surmised.

"And," As her aunt spoke, the young physician certainly didn't miss the sly grin that took over her face. "What brought on this change?"

Almost instantly, Diana felt her face heat up at the realization of where this conversation was going...

The blonde closed her eyes in momentary respite as she thought, She wants me to confess...! I honestly don't know if I'm happy or irritated that she supports me. Perhaps both?

Diana sighed, mostly in defeat. "It... it all changed when I waltzed into Auriga's on that fateful day in February." She confessed. "You happy now?"

Daryl's smile grew. "Very much, yes."

And just when Diana thought that their talk would end there, her aunt spoke up yet again, "By the by Diana, this doesn't have to happen right away, but... once you're comfortable and sure about Akko, I expect that you'll set up a date so that your cousins and I can meet her."

To say the least, Diana was caught off guard from the sudden request. "M-meet her!? Wouldn't that be too soon in our relationship? I-I mean, we aren't even an official couple yet..." She muttered shyly.

"The earlier the better, at least in my book." The older woman said with a mere shrug of her shoulders. "Ultimately, you'll have the final say in the matter since you're a grown up. You're very capable of making your own decisions. So, the timing is all up to you. I, on the other hand, would love to meet and thank the woman who has been making the effort to ensure my niece's happiness as of late, and I'm sure that your cousins would agree with me."

The physician let a small smile take over her features. "Yes, yes they would." She agreed, thinking about the request for a moment. In the end, Diana didn't make a decision but decided to compromise for the time being by saying, "...I'll think about it, Aunt Daryl. Thank you for caring."

"It's no trouble at all, Diana dear."

Eventually, the Cavendishes finally made it toward their destination. However, once they arrived at a certain street in Blytonbury, Daryl quickly found out that simply parking and dropping off her niece is going to be quite the task...

"Blimey," The elder Cavendish gasped at seeing a large amount of cars being parked along the crosswalk of the entire street. "It seems that I'm going to have to stop and you have to be quick in leaving the car, Diana."

"It certainly appears so." Diana responded, looking quite surprised herself.

"Do you recall how the establishment looks like?" Her aunt asked her while keeping a lookout on the building in question. It also didn't help that people were walking up and down the sidewalks at their leisure, no doubt frequenting some of the shops and restaurants around the area. "What's the place called?"

"From what Hannah has informed me, I believe that the place is called 'The Little Witch Sanctuary.'" Diana told her.

Daryl chuckled in amusement. "Witches? At this day and age? That's quite eccentric."

"You and I seem to share the same sentiments on the matter, but Hannah told me that that's the aesthetic of the place." The blonde explained. "I'll see the pub for myself soon enough."

"Well then, I hope that you have fun and tell me how it goes later. We're here." Daryl announced, stopping the car in the middle of the street the moment that she spotted the joint. As soon as she stopped the car, already a good amount of vehicles were lined up behind them. "Better hurry up now, before the other drivers get impatient."

"I will." The young Cavendish replied as she grabbed hold of her purse, exiting the car soon afterward. "Be careful on the way home and thanks again, Aunt Daryl."

"I most certainly will, don't you worry. Have fun, Diana! Ta-ta!"

"Thank you, I will! Bye!"

And with that, Diana quickly crossed the street and Daryl was able to drive off, the cars that were lined up behind her following suit. As soon as her aunt's car turned at the corner of the street and was completely out of sight, the physician made her way over to the pub's entrance.

The moment that she opened the door and walked into the establishment, Diana instantly felt that she was transported into another world... and, it was absolutely incredible.

The first thing that immediately caught her eye were the uniforms that the employees are wearing. It's only mid-March and yet it felt like October was right around the corner considering the wide variety of Halloween costumes that they're wearing. From the standard monsters to actual attempts in dressing up as mythological creatures.

What world did I just walk into? Diana thought, completely awestruck. She felt like she was in the middle of a convention, not that she ever been to one.

“Kyehehehehehehe!”

Diana went rigid the moment that she heard that frightful cackle, instinctively bringing a hand up to her chest due to being scared. When she turned her head to the right, she saw the source of that evil laughter.

An old woman, who was dressed up in a very convincing witch costume, had exited the kitchen of the establishment. She was holding onto what appeared to be a cauldron as she made her way over to one of her tables.

The witch had long-gray blue hair, a large pointed nose, and big bulging eyes. Her attire was a complete classic, the exceptions of her getup being longer reaching to cover the feet and having very long and loose sleeves. Once she had reached her patrons, she carefully set the cauldron in the middle of the table for her guests.

“Sorry for the wait.” The old woman apologized, “But I am pleased to announce that your Hangman's Blood has been brewed to perfection...” She informed with a sly grin, lifting the lid.

As soon as she lifted the top, white smoke seemed to flow out of the pot, but Diana knew that it merely came from the coldness of the drink inside. Needless to say, the customers are quite impressed as they said their thank yous and kindly asked the witch if they could take a picture of her, to which the old woman must've replied with a yes considering that the guests were taking out their phones.

“Pardon for the wait, my fair maiden. As you can see, we're quite packed today.”

The blonde tore her gaze away from the old witch to pay attention to the hostess in front of her. This employee is dressed as a Kitsune, though instead of all nine tails she only had two tails to make it more manageable.

The girl is rather short in height, and yet she has a strong and friendly aura about her all the same. Her raven colored mane was tied up in buns, and her chestnut eyes shone brightly with mirth as a smile adorned her cute features.

“I-it's quite alright...” Diana gave a slow response, trying not to let her eyes wander anywhere else in the joint.

The hostess couldn't help but let a small giggle escape from her lips. “Is this your first time here, I take it?” She inquired. “Then please, allow me to welcome you to the Little Witch Sanctuary, where you can dine and drink to your heart's content. Will it be a table for one?”

“Ah, yes. I was supposed to meet up with my friends here...”

“I see. May I have a name then? I might be able to help you find them.”

“It's-”

“Diana!”

The doctor looked up the moment her name was called, and no doubt she immediately spotted her childhood friends, who are standing and waving their arms around from their booth. They both looked very happy to see her.

Thankfully, the lively environment of the pub is rather loud to where each and every one of the patrons are distracted with their own company to even pay attention to such an embarrassing spectacle. The employees are also too busy to notice. The physician would've been absolutely mortified if she was suddenly the center of attention.

“N-nevermind then, I suppose.” Diana chuckled before she turned her attention to the hostess. “That's them. Thank you so much, um...”

“Linlin.” The Kitsune smiled as she introduced herself. “And, it was my pleasure. I hope that you have a grand time with us tonight!”

The young Cavendish returned that smile with one of her own. “Thank you. I think I will.”

“Ugh! What is taking you so long?!”

“Yeah! Instead of gawking at the joint, you should be sitting down and chatting with us!”

Before Diana knew what was happening, she was abruptly bombarded by her friends as each one of them hooked her arms with theirs and started dragging her away from the pub entrance. Regardless of what just happened, Linlin took everything with stride as she merely waved Diana off with a smile before her attention diverted to brand new customers that just walked through the door.

Once she was seated in their designated booth, Hannah and Barbara sat together on the other side of the table. Obviously, Diana was more than a bit displeased over what happened.

“You girls are terrible...” The physician commented without remorse as she safely settled her purse by the booth wall.

“Well, excuse~ us! But you were taking your damn sweet time looking at the place and chatting up the hostess.” Hannah grumbled irritably.

“I don't blame her though. This pub certainly has a unique charm to it.” Barbara stated in Diana's defense. “Also, you seem to forget that I'm also recently new here, unlike you.” She added teasingly.

“What can I say? This place rocks! It's Halloween all-year-round, and their drinks are absolutely out of this world!” The redhead gushed, reaching over to take the drink menu that was settle between the condiments. “Take a look girls!”

However, before even the raven haired girl could even take a glimpse through the menu, Diana slammed her hand on top of it.

“You're acting beyond rude by this point! And honestly, that infuriates me!” The young Cavendish remarked, her infamous scowl was rather easy to spot by this point.

At first it seemed like Hannah acknowledged her, looking rather guilty for her actions. That quickly changed the moment she leaned against the table to reach for Diana's hands. Holding them in her own, a smile blossomed on her lips as she said, “You're absolutely right, Diana! Where ARE my manners?! It's been such a long time! How are you? How's the fam? How's the medical career been treating you these last few years since we've been apart?”

I don't know what aggravates me more... The fact that she KNOWS that she's being rude, or that annoying grin she has on her face! Diana thought to herself in outrage, fully intend on punching the living daylights out of her friend, but then she remembered that they were in public...

There would be too many witnesses for such a scenario occurring.

The raven haired noble stifled a laugh at the back of her hand, commenting, “It's good to see that some things never change.”

“What needs to change, and soon, is her coarse manners! It is really unbecoming of a lady, especially at her age!” The doctor chastised, retracting her hands away from Hannah's hold.

“Aw, but ma! You know you love it!” The redhead insisted in a la-dee-da tone, which added fire for Diana's need for violence.

The blonde sighed heavily through her nose, straightening up in her seat. Restrain yourself, Diana. She's not worth it. She firmly reminded herself.

Barbara shook her head in disappointment, lightly slapping Hannah's arm in reprimand for her actions. “That's enough. We're not in middle school anymore.”

“You're right, you're right. I'm sorry.” Hannah conceded, genuinely apologizing. “But it really is good to see you girls again.” She said with a small smile, sighing as she added, “At least two people managed to make it to our scheduled night out...”

“Two? You mean you invited more people besides the two of us?” Diana asked her.

“Yeah, this is definitely news for me too!” Barbara mentioned with a slight pout, no doubt feeling left out of the loop.

The redhead merely shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal, her hazel eyes skimming over the drink menu while she decided on her alcoholic drink. “Yeah. I originally wanted to invite the whole gang and make this night out as a high school reunion of sorts. Unfortunately though, life got in the way for some of them. So... they couldn't make it tonight.”

A thin frown appeared on Hannah's lips, almost in apparent indecision, but Diana and Barbara knew better. “Chloé is apparently livin' it up as an ambassador in France, so she obviously couldn't make it. Blair and Mary are runnin' their boutique shop together, and apparently they were swamped with finishing up orders for this weekend – they're out too. Andrew, from what he told me, is currently busy trying to secure a seat within the city council since his father is retiring soon. And of course, Frank being his right-hand man, will obviously be helping him to secure that position so... They couldn't make it.”

While Hannah droned on, Diana noticed a slight flinch from Barbara the moment the redhead mentioned Andrew. The action seemed to be out of guilt.

For what? The physician wondered. “I see...” She nodded sympathetically for her friend. I'm not that surprised to hear that, with our careers and all. Though, honestly... I never really liked Chloé to begin with. She thought earnestly.

Sure, that would've been terrible to say out loud. But in truth, Diana and Chloé never got along at all.

The French girl always seemed to have some kind of vendetta against her and she was quite adamant in trying to one-up the young Cavendish on everything when they attended school together. From academics, to sports, in school plays, and this silly competition even extended far beyond school grounds.

The sad part was that Diana never even considered her to be a rival in the first place. But, would the girl listen?

No. She did not.

It was one thing after another with the two of them. Not to mention, it was quite exhausting dealing with the girl. Physically and emotionally draining. Diana to this day considers it a miracle that she somehow managed to focus on her studies, even more so on the day that they finally went their separate ways when they decided to attend different colleges.

All in all, despite their one-sided rivalry, the few times that the blonde had spent with the French girl wasn't all bad, when there wasn't any sort of drama involved at least. Still though... Diana simply marveled at the fact that she didn't have to deal with Chloé's presence, even if it was for a single evening.

“That's too bad.” Barbara commented sympathetically to her friend, gently laying a hand on the girl's shoulder. “What about Avery? I've noticed that you failed to mention her.”

At hearing that, Diana blinked in surprise. How could she have missed that? “You're right, Barbara. Avery wasn't mentioned at all.”

On cue, Hannah proceeded to growl as she angrily slammed her fists against the table, causing the other two occupants to jump in their seats. “I'm pissed at her the most!” She proclaimed with vile resentment.

“With Avery? How come?” The girls asked in unison.

“That woman is nothing but insufferable, and totally unreasonable! She always complains about work, about not going out very often, and the one fucking time that I invite her out for drinks – OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF MY HEART, BY THE WAY – She DARES to tell me, “I'd rather go out drinking for when you win the upcoming election.” And, she left it at that! It didn't matter how many times I insisted! Fucking jerk!” The redhead practically bawled, surprisingly keeping her voice at a medium volume despite it all. “I swear... If she wasn't my campaign manager, I'd totally fire her ass-!”

No sooner had she said that, Hannah instantly covered her mouth. However, she knew by now that it was too late. She then sighed exasperatedly, her body hunching forward in her seat while she rested her chin in her hands, silently cursing at her slip of the tongue as she muttered, “And, I got wound up... Dammit, Avery!”

“You know, it's quite rude to curse someone's name, even more so if they aren't present to defend themselves.” Diana mentioned in slight reprimand.

“Shut up! That little bit was meant to be a surprise for you girls!” The redhead whined, a pout surely evident on her features.

“Now, now,” Barbara cooed, bringing her upset friend close for a side hug. “These things tend to happen. Though, I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that you're part of an election at all. You've never given the impression of being interested in politics, or anything at all really. What position are you running for?”

“And, please do tell us the real version of what happened with Avery.” The blonde added, “Not that I don't believe you, but your version of events seems a bit far-fetched. Avery is much more considerate than that.”

“You're both terrible to me.” Hannah grumbled to them. “I need a drink...” She then turned her head to the side, raising her voice to yell, “AMANDA~! We're ready now!”

What surprised Diana was the fact that despite of Hannah's shout, the atmosphere of the pub still remained the same, a comfortable loud with its patrons and employees remaining oblivious to it all.

Pretty soon a waitress, (or perhaps waiter?) begrudgingly walked up to their table. This LWS employee is dressed up as a vampire, though for some reason this monster looked worse for wear. However, her overall appearance was presentable enough with their orange hair being slicked back. Their green eyes and overall expression certainly told that they weren't amused in the slightest.

Hannah snickered. “You know, for a youthful monster... you look like crap.” She teased the newcomer.

“Ha, ha, very funny.” Amanda remarked with a roll of her eyes. “Now, you'd better have an actual order for me. I can't afford to play the back-n'-forth game tonight.”

The redhead looked displeased, pouting so. “Aw! You can't?”

“No. Unlike you, I have work to do.” The short-haired tomboy stated seriously, her green eyes then landed on Diana and Barbara. “Are these friends of yours?” She asked.

“Yep! They're newbies!” Hannah confirmed while she started making introductions, “The woman sitting next to me is Barbara Parker, and the one sitting across from me is Diana Cavendish. They're childhood friends of mine.”

Diana merely gave a polite nod toward the waitress. “It's nice to meet you.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance.” The raven-haired noble replied courteously, offering a smile as she did so.

“Amanda O'Neill. Good to meet ya, ladies. And, I apologize for not making a very good first impression.” Amanda apologized as she started to set the dinner menus in front of her guests. “My shift has been rather hectic, and I genuinely thought that Hannah here was going to waste my time with her shenanigans.” She explained.

At hearing this, Barbara sent a look of disapproval to her friend. “Really, Hannah?”

“It's quite alright, Ms. O'Neill.” The young Cavendish reassured, giving Hannah a look of her own. “I completely understand how it's like to be interrupted in the middle of your shift...”

“Oh, so now I'm the villain!” The auburn-haired noble spoke offended, laying a hand on her chest while feigning to be hurt. “Last time I checked, having fun was not a crime!”

“It is in my book for being a hindrance. Now, have you ladies decided on what you'll be ordering this evening?” Amanda asked them, having a pen and notepad at the ready.

“Hmm, I am a bit peckish...” Diana mentioned, though she looked a bit indecisive while looking over the menu.

Admittedly, there was a lot of good food on the list. Not to mention, a very extensive drink menu...

“I just don't know what to choose!” Barbara finished saying Diana's shared sentiment. “We're so sorry for keeping you, Amanda!” She apologized profusely.

The red-haired tomboy showed a small smile. “No worries. I know that our wide selection can be a bit much for first timers.”

“Not for me!” Hannah grinned as she looked over the menu in glee, her grin growing ever so slightly once her eyes landed on what she wanted. “We'll start with appetizers. So let's have... a large serving of your famous pub fries along with two orders of buffalo wings.”

“Any preferred condiments with that?”

“I don't know why you're asking me. You know how I like it!”

Amanda had to resist the urge not to roll her eyes as she scribbled the order down. “Blue cheese, got it. Anything else, Your Highness?”

Hannah merely raised her brows as if to say, 'Don't take that tone with me', but then she remembered what she forgot to mention, “Oh! And please be sure to add ranch to that order for the girls too, please!”

“Alright. Any drinks?”

“Now, I do know what I want for this one! I would like a shandy, please.” Barbara ordered.

Diana hummed, flipping through a couple of pages until she finally made her decision. “I'll go with a Snakebite.”

“And, I'll have a Black Velvet.” Hannah said lastly as she started gathering all of the menus and handed them to their waitress, except for one in case they have room for more food later.

Once Amanda accepted the menus from the girl, she looked at her in concern. “Are you okay...?”

Hannah tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean?” She asked.

The vampire blinked, ultimately shaking her head a moment later. “Nevermind. Anyways, I'll put your order in. I'll be back with your drinks momentarily.”

“Thank you so much, Amanda!” The girls said in unison.

“You're very welcome.”

And with that, their waitress took off and the girls were left on their own once again.

“She was nice.” Barbara commented with a smile.

“Agreed.” Diana conceded with a smile of her own. “Though, I still can't believe that you tend to give her a rough time, Hannah.”

“Relax! It's all in good fun. It's been like that since I've first came here.” Hannah reassured them, straightening up in her seat so that she could stretch her arms out above her head. “And don't worry, I always make sure to compensate her for the trouble with a generous tip.” She added.

“Good.” The blonde nodded in satisfaction, more than relieved to hear that. She then changed the topic to their previous conversation before their waitress arrived. “So, what's this about an election? I didn't know that you were interested in politics?”

“Oh, that.”

Hannah's shoulders slumped a bit at the mention of the election, an action that the girls noticed and couldn't help but feel concerned. “Well, you obviously went to med school soon after college. And of course, Barbs did the same herself, only with law school. I, however, just attended a standard college and earned myself a degree in political science with a minor in law. After that, I did a whole lot of volunteer work and started serving on a bunch of local committees to make a name for myself. It's a lot of work to become a mayor, let me tell you...” She finished saying with a sigh.

“Mayor, huh?” Barbara remarked in surprise. “For Blytonbury? Or, another town?”

“Wedinburgh, actually.” The auburn-haired girl answered. “Thinking of starting small for now. Besides, I'd rather compete with Miranda Holbrooke than that old man here in town...”

“You mean, Mayor Lucien Dodge?” Diana inquired.

“Yeah, that's the one.” Hannah confirmed, leaning back on her seat. “That man is quite insufferable. I heard rumors that he'll do anything to win an election. From buying votes, to spreading lies about his competitors, and don't get me started with foul play...”

“I never liked that old coot to begin with...” The raven-haired noble commented in spite. Then, an important question came to mind... “He hasn't done anything to you, right?”

Hannah remained silent, subconsciously bringing a hand up to her right side.

Barbara furrowed her brows in concern. “Hannah?”

Diana was no detective, but she's observant enough to know that something had indeed happened to her friend due to her body language. And that something was most likely a violent incident no doubt, she could bet her medical expertise on it.

“Were you injured at some point?” The physician asked her, deep down hoping that her assumption was wrong.

And, as it turns out... she wasn't.

“I... I kind of got stabbed at the end of last year.” The redhead confessed. “Well, not kind of, I DID get stabbed. It happened while Avery and I were on our way to one of my local committee meetings too, in broad daylight at that.”

“Are you serious?!” Barbara spoke out in outrage, “And, nobody reported it? How far is that old man willing to go just to win an election?” She finished saying with a shake of her head, not quite believing what she just heard.

“At least he wasn't stupid enough to do it himself, though it really is cowardly of him to hire someone else to do his dirty work. It's just a hunch though. I don't have any proof that it really was the old coot.” Hannah shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal. “And the incident was more of a stab-'n-run. The bastard was wearing a black hoodie along with a mask, he even had his hood up now that I think about it. Can't really give an accurate description to the police even if I wanted to.”

“More importantly... Why didn't you or Avery try to contact us?” Diana shot a question of her own. “We could've been there for you!”

“Avery wanted to, trust me, but I told her not to because I didn't want to worry anybody over a little stab wound.” Hannah tried to reason with them, despite of the obvious looks of disapproval she was receiving. “The poor girl was more hysterical than I was, which is saying something because she wasn't the one who got hurt. The point is... If Avery called you girls, it probably would've been blown out of proportion. I didn't want you girls to put your lives on hold for me.” She finished saying with a small chuckle to lighten the mood a little.

Diana looked rather hesitant, not to mention a bit disturbed. “Still though... you could've died. Getting stabbed is no laughing matter either.”

“I know, but I still didn't want to inconvenience anyone. It was bad enough that Avery took it upon herself to nurse me back to health after the incident.” The auburn-haired girl sighed, “Being involved in city politics is tough work, and that's even if I get elected...”

“Well, I'm still mad at the fact that you didn't contact us, but...” Barbara smiled, bringing Hannah close for a one arm hug. “I'm really glad that you're okay, Han. Just... please promise that you'll notify us if something like that happens again.”

“I will, I promise. If there's one thing I learned from that experience, it's to not make any rash decisions.” Hannah stated. She then added, “One of those decisions being calling the old man out during one of our committee meetings. And obviously, that wasn't a very smart move on my part...”

“Indeed, it was not.” The young Cavendish agreed with a shake of her head. Her friend could really be short-tempered at times...

“If that old fart even thinks of laying another finger on you, I'll take his scrawny ass straight to court!” The raven-haired noble proclaimed, slamming a fist against the table.

Hannah and Diana couldn't help but laugh due to Barbara's reaction over the whole thing.

“Oh my... A bit gun-ho, aren't we?”

“Careful Barbara, you're lawyer mode is showing~!”

“You girls are laughing, but I'm actually quite serious!”

“Very sorry for the wait ladies, our bartender was quite busy dealing with a full bar.” Amanda apologized, finally arriving with their designated drinks. Tray in hand, she carefully started to hand out the drinks in front of her guests. “A Shandy, Snakebite, and a Black Velvet. Your food should arrive at any-”

“Serves up!”

Lo and behold, Linlin had arrived with a tray of her own. Granted, this particular tray happened to be a bit bigger than she was, and yet the small girl was able to carry it with ease. The hostess carefully set the huge tray on the table and started handing the food to their guests.

“My hero~!” The vampire said gratefully with a grin, obviously impressed. “Not that I'm not grateful for your timely intervention, but you didn't have to do that for me, Lin.” She told her co-worker.

“I wanted to.” The Kitsune insisted, settling the tray under her arm once she finished handing out the food. “I didn't have anything else to do, so I decided to lend a hand.”

“Well, that's very kind of you. I appreciate it.” Amanda thanked her once again. She then turned to her guests and asked, “Do you need anything else, ladies?”

“Nope. I think we'll be good for a while, thanks.” Hannah spoke on everyone's behalf.

The waitress nodded in understanding. “Alright then, I'll be taking my leave. Lin, let's go.”

“I hope you ladies enjoy your meal!” Linlin said to them, bowing politely before she left with her co-worker.

“Thank you so much!”

Soon after the LWS employees left, the girls settled down and began eating their food. They ate and drank to their heart's content, with some of them ordering more than one drink as they chatted here and there. The girls mostly talked about their lives soon after graduating college, some tales being a bit more exciting than others until a certain topic came up...

“WHAT?!” Hannah shrieked, completely shocked at hearing such a revelation from her friend. “You're engaged? To who? Since when?!” She interrogated, obviously demanding an answer.

Barbara stifled a giggle at the back of her hand. “Is not that much of a surprise is it?” She teasingly shot a question of her own, bringing her left hand up to show her engagement ring to the girls. “It was going to happen sooner or later.”

“Congratulations!” Diana said with a smile as she admired her friend's ring in awe. “Who's the lucky fellow?”

“Yes! Do tell us, Barbs!”

“Well, if you must know, it's Andrew.”

“ANDREW!?” Diana and Hannah exclaimed in surprise, obviously not expecting such a response.

Barbara chuckled. “Is it really that shocking?” She asked them.

“Quite.” The young Cavendish remarked. “I mean, you weren't exactly a wallflower during our time at school, but you didn't like putting yourself out there either.”

“Yeah,” Hannah agreed with a nod. “We knew that you fancied Andrew for a long time, but we also knew that you were playing hard to get with him. By the way, who confessed first?”

“Me, of course.” The lawyer answered with a playful roll of her eyes. “I originally wanted him to confess to me first, but... you girls already know how bloody dense he can be. And so, I finally mustered up the courage to ask him out before graduating college. Somewhere in the back of my mind, there was a tiny voice telling me to go confess to him before it was too late because once graduation was over and done with... I'd be near impossible to see each other again, especially with his career as a politician.”

The redhead huffed in amusement while leaning forward in her seat, cradling her head against her fist as she commented, “I'd imagine that dating wasn't exactly easy for you guys, huh?”

“Nope, it was not...” Barbara grumbled, finishing off the last remainder of her Shandy. Her third one of the night to be exact. “Me being a lawyer is one thing, but between the two of us and our busy schedules, I rarely cancel our dates. Him, on the other hand...!” She let out a long sigh, “If it's not one thing, it's another with that man with dates being canceled last minute, or leaving me hanging on a cold and lonely flat when I decide to have a romantic dinner at home...”

However, despite her complaints, Barbara sighed yet again. This time out of contentment as she laid her eyes on the engagement ring on her finger. A small smile took over her face while she gently started fiddling with it. “But I know he doesn't mean it, and I know that he's trying his best to be there for me, for us.” She giggled softly as she recalled a certain memory. “There was one time where we had a get-a-way weekend planned to go to the Bahamas together. Far away from work, just the two of us...”

Diana had a smile on her face as she said, “I sense a but coming in at any moment now.”

“BUT~!” Hannah and Diana laughed at their friend's exaggeration, the young Cavendish obviously being right in her assessment, but they managed to quiet down when Barbara continued on with her story.

“Mr. Ham-bridge had to go to work and associate with other pigs of the highest order! We, of course, had to cancel our plans. Again. We had to cancel our reservations. Again. And we had wasted money on bloody, useless plane tickets...!” The lawyer growled out that last part, she then took a deep breath and resumed with her tale, “I was livid, oh so livid. And he must've known that I was miffed about it because he didn't dare approach me at all for the rest of that weekend. Good thing too, or else he probably would've ended up in a body bag...”

Blimey, I really hope that I won't make Akko feel that way if we continue to see each other... Clearly, Diana was at a loss for words. And honestly, she could hardly blame her friend for feeling a bit neglected in the first place. “I see...”

“Surely, Andrew can't be THAT bad, right?” Hannah spoke up slightly in the man's defense. “I mean, you practically said so yourself, didn't you?”

“He isn't.” The raven-haired noble confirmed, sighing so as she lightly traced a finger along the rim of her empty glass. “Though, it doesn't change the fact that being put in that scenario more than once is frustrating.” She then chuckled, closing her eyes as she continued down memory lane. “There's still a good ending to that story despite of everything that happened. So, obviously, Andrew didn't dare to talk to me for the entire weekend. A very wise decision on his part. Monday morning soon came around and before I left my flat, I realized that my work binder was not in my bag. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to look around for it, and so I headed to work. Lo and behold, when I arrived at my office, my binder was laying on my desk...”

“Yes?”

“And?”

“I opened it, only to find out that man had written an apology letter in his own handwriting. Not only that, but he had also made a collage with pictures of our time together.” Barbara let out a giggle as she mentioned, “It was a sweet gesture, though he is rather clumsy when it comes to arts and crafts...”

“Seriously?” Hannah blinked in surprise, not quite expecting that little detail from the man.

Andrew always seemed to strike for perfection. Not in a bad, but he always made sure not to make any mistakes whenever possible. So, to hear that apparently he's not that good at making a simple collage was rather... amusing, to say the least.

“Can we take a glimpse at it?” The girls asked, curiosity filling their tone.

The raven-haired noble shook her head in response. “Nope. It's for my eyes and mine alone.”

“Fair enough.” Diana conceded in defeat. “Will you at least be able to share the proposal?”

“Yeah! Come on, Barbs! You definitely can't leave us hanging on that!” The redhead pleaded, raising her empty glass in the air once she saw Amanda around the vicinity, all while mouthing the word, 'Please'.

The vampire immediately responded with a thumbs up, heading over toward the bar to get more refills for them.

“Now that, I will gladly share it with you girls.”

It was around late Autumn of last year when the couple was still dating. By this point their Summer plans had not gone through due to the fact that Andrew had to go in for work that fateful weekend, but now that they have reconciled and had talked things over, things were back to normal.

Well, as normal as it could get for them. At this moment, however, the politician was more determined than ever to make this night special for the two of them.

The couple were holding hands as they walked through a park in downtown Blytonbury. To say the least, Barbara was pleased that Andrew managed to get off work early and was kind enough to pick her up at her work place, even more so since the man had declared that they were going out for a picnic. Just the two of them.

At the same time though, while it was indeed a pleasant surprise, the lawyer can't help but feel that her boyfriend was hiding something from her. It wasn't like a bad vibe or anything, but he certainly was acting strange.

Soon enough, they both managed to find a comfortable spot to have their picnic. The couple opened a bottle of wine and simply enjoyed a light meal in comfortable silence. It was nice. Barbara honestly couldn't remember the last time they were together like this... In utter bliss, without any interruptions whatsoever. But, it still didn't change the fact that the lawyer was quite suspicious of her boyfriend's actions today.

If she dared to say so, it was almost TOO perfect...

Whenever Barbara asked about his behavior, the brown-haired noble would always be nonchalant about it and divert the conversation to something else. For instance, he would ask her about her day, how work was going for her, where would she like to go for their next trip, things like that. Her questions were dismissed one after the other until she couldn't take it anymore.

And so, the raven-haired woman decided to be direct. “Andrew, can you please tell me what it is that you're hiding?”

Andrew looked quite relaxed as he merely swirled his red wine around in his glass, having a piece of cheddar cheese from a sampler plate they had settled in front of them. “And, what makes you think that I'm hiding something?” He teased, throwing a question of his own once he finished chewing.

“Andrew Hanbridge, I'm serious. I may not be a detective, but I can tell when someone is lying to me.” Barbara warned him, though the pout on her face made it seem like she wasn't serious enough.

“You're right, I'm sorry.” Luckily for her though, Andrew can take a hint when things went too far. He looked quite serious himself as he admitted, “The truth is, I am hiding something from you.”

Sadly, those weren't the best words to use in this situation as immediate concern had filled Barbara's features, her teal eyes widening in fear. “Y-you... you aren't breaking up with me, are you?” She asked him, her voice wavering quite a bit.

At hearing this, the nobleman straightened up in his spot, almost dropping his wine glass in his wake. Sighing in relief, he carefully placed it down beside him on the blanket.

“Barbs, what makes you think that I'm going to do something so cruel as that?” He sounded quite insulted, with reason.

“Then, did you get fired?”

“Heavens no! Why would you think that?”

“Oh, I don't know! This little date of ours has been too perfect for my liking! To be completely honest with you, I'm quite expecting something to ruin the moment as we speak.”

“To be frank, love, YOU are ruining the moment.”

“I-I... Look, I know that I haven't exactly been an angel over the last few months, but what else am I supposed to think when you admit that you're hiding something from me?!”

This was starting to get ridiculous...

Andrew sighed in frustration, “If you had given me the time to explain myself, and not jump to outrageous conclusions, I could've told you that what I could be hiding from you is a gift. A simple. Harmless. Gift. Nothing more.”

The lawyer's eyes widened once more, but this time out of surprise. “A-a gift?” She stuttered.

“Yes, a gift.” He clarified with a small smile, retrieving the wrapped present from inside the picnic basket they brought with them. The man then held out the gift for her. “You can open it now, if you'd like.”

As soon as the present was in her hands, Barbara took her time opening it. Not too slow, and not too fast to be hasty about it. Once the gift wrapper was off, the lawyer's mouth went agape the moment she saw the latest cover of her favorite novel series...

“NIGHTFALL!?” The raven-haired woman exclaimed in complete surprise, shifting her gaze between her boyfriend and the book in her hands. “It's the latest volume of it too! How on earth did you know which one to get?” She asked him.

Andrew merely raised his eyebrows in amusement as he replied, “I may not be invested in the series like you are, but I do listen when you gush about it.”

“You do, huh? Then, enlighten me, what happened last volume?”

“Uh... Is that the one where the werewolf went to space...?”

Barbara had to resist the urge not to laugh at the adorable perplexed look that her boyfriend had on his face. While the answer itself was wrong, she'll still give credit where it's due...

“Bzz! Incorrect! The events you just mentioned happened on volume thirteen.” The lawyer stated to him, only to relent as she scooted closer to lay her head on Andrew's shoulder. “But... I'll give you an A- for effort.”

“How gracious of you.” Andrew chuckled, leaning his head against hers. “So, what happens on this volume?” He asked, curiosity filling his tone.

“On volume twenty? I don't know. I have yet to read it, silly.”

“Well then, I suggest that you get started so that you can tell me all about it later.”

She giggled and decided to tease him by saying, “Really now? Will you actually listen this time around?”

“Don't you worry, I'll be sure to ace your quiz next time.” He gave a cheeky response, a small playful smirk gracing his features.

“I'll hold you to that, mister.”

As soon as their silly banter was over, Barbara pulled away from Andrew so that she can start reading, but the moment that she opened the novel... she quickly found out that it was manhandled.

Well, manhandled is a bit of an exaggeration, but the book was indeed tampered with. There was a huge clear hole that went through the pages and onto the back cover of the novel. It was almost as if someone had used a hand press paper cutter of some kind in order to make the perfect circle, and the lawyer doesn't even want to imagine how many attempts it took to puncture a hole on the hardback cover of the book...

To say the least, the raven-haired woman was horrified. Just who on earth would even go through such lengths to mistreat informational text like this? To top it off, it was on her favorite series no less!

It was almost unforgivable.

Deep down, Barbara hoped that this present was a practical joke of sorts. If so, then it's a truly terrible one.

“Um, Andrew...” The lawyer began to speak after what seemed to be an eternal silence, still blankly staring down at the atrocity that was currently still in her hands. “What's-”

Her words soon died out once her eyes caught sight of a jewelry box on the other side of the circle, opened and perfectly in sight to show the ring that was inside. When did the man managed to pull the box from? Even she didn't know.

Quite stunned over this sudden development, Barbara slowly turned her head to the right to see Andrew. The man's face was firm with determination, his cheeks having a blush to them as he maintained eye contact with her.

“I'm sorry for getting your hopes up like that, but it was the only thing I could think of to catch your attention long enough to do this...” The politician apologized, and he then began to reassure her by saying, “No need to fret though, I have a spare novel with me so that you can read it to your heart's content later, but right now... I need to know if you're willing to marry me.”

The raven-haired woman was truly at a loss for words. She couldn't believe that this was actually happening. Her mind was still trying to process everything as a heavy blush took over her cheeks by the storm. “A-Andrew...”

Her boyfriend took a deep breath, and exhaled soon afterward. Seeming to have gathered his thoughts together, he opened his mouth to say, “I know that these last few months haven't been ideal nor fair to you, with me constantly being at work and all, but please believe me when I say that the time we've spent together mean so much to me. That you're willing, still willing, to put up with me after so long when you clearly deserve better...”

He confessed, “I'll be honest with you. I know that our work schedules aren't exactly fitting, nor decent for the two of us, but I am willing to fight and maintain what we have. Cause, by the end of the day, I know that you'll be waiting for me. And, of course, I'd gladly do the same for you. It'll be difficult, but with the two of us... I know that we'd be able to manage anything so long as we're together. So, Barbara Parker, will you marry me?”

For a few moments, there was only silence. After a while of not receiving a reaction from his girlfriend, Andrew was starting to fear the worst, even more so when he noticed his girlfriend lower her head to stare at her lap. By this point, the brown-haired man couldn't tell her expression at all due to her hair obscuring most of her face...

Too soon, I suppose. The politician chuckled internally to himself, only for a small frown to appear on his face. Or, perhaps, she doesn't feel the same way after all... He then closed his eyes in defeat. I'm sure that things will be awkward now. Way to fuck things up, Han-

Andrew's brooding got interrupted the moment he got pushed back, but luckily he managed to catch himself with his arm in time. Surprised, he finally opened his eyes to see that his girlfriend had launched herself at him. In one fluid motion, Barbara had cupped his face in her hands and pulled him down for a kiss. The kiss itself was short and sweet, but one that Andrew lamentably couldn't return fast enough since his girlfriend pulled away after a couple of minutes.

“...Yes! Yes, Andrew, of course I'll marry you!” The raven-haired woman managed to speak through her tears, no doubt being overwhelmed by emotions at the moment.

Finally hearing a response from the woman he loved, the politician sighed in relief as a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders. “Bloody hell... For a second there, I genuinely thought that I fucked things up.”

“You did fuck things up.” Barbara stated matter-of-factly, now feeling more composed than before.

Andrew blinked a few times, tilting his head in confusion as he said, “Excuse me? I just poured my heart and soul to you a few moments ago, and you're telling me I fucked up! On what grounds?”

“For murder!”

“Again, why?”

“You butchered a perfectly good book, my favorite series at that! That's a waste of paper! Furthermore, it's complete and utter disrespect for literature! Have you no shame?!” Barbara reprimanded her boyfriend, now fiancé, to no end as she began to smack him with the ruined novel. “Do you know how many trees have suffered in order to print, on what I think, to be a masterpiece?”

“Ouch! Bloody hell! I'm sorry!” The man apologized profusely, raising his left arm in order to defend himself from the onslaught. He would've raised his right arm too if it weren't for the fact that he was still holding the ring box.

“But... I suppose I could still forgive you.” The lawyer had seized her book onslaught, staring at her beloved with a tender smile on her face. Pretty soon a heavy blush took over her cheeks as she admitted, “I appreciate the time and effort you put into this. It's... really sweet of you to do.”

“I'm glad you think so.” Andrew replied with a charming smile, finally taking the ring out from its box. “Well then, my love. Shall we make it official?”

Barbara merely giggled, nodding her head as her fiancé slipped the ring on her finger.

“And, that's how our love story jumped from dating to engaged!” The raven-haired woman spoke enthusiastically as she finished retelling her story.

“Congratulations, Barbara! I'm so happy for you!” Diana congratulated her with a smile. “Have you guys decided on anything for your wedding?” She asked.

Barbara shook her head in response, sighing all the while. “Not yet, considering Andrew has been a busy bee at work as of late...”

“That sucks...” Hannah grumbled, finishing off her fourth Black Velvet of the night. “Do you guys at least know on what month you want for your wedding?”

“Hmm. I wanted it to be in June, but at the rate things are going... we might have to leave it for August or September.” Barbara answered.

The blonde hummed in contemplation. “Well, from the sound of it, at least you have a back up plan of sorts if things don't work out how you want them.”

The raven-haired woman nodded, giving a small shrug of her shoulders. “Yeah, I'm trying not to get stressed out about it. The important thing is that the two of us will marry each other soon enough. Besides, we're in March right now. There's still some time left before June comes around.”

“That's the spirit, Barbs! Plus, you get to enjoy being engaged for a while longer!” The redhead cheered as she patted her friend on the back. “When you and Andrew get everything sorted out, you'd better send the first wedding invitations to us!”

The lawyer chuckled. “Don't you worry, I will.”

“Whelp. Now that we have one juicy story out of the way... I think it's time for another!” Hannah declared with gusto, drumming her hands on the table for dramatic effect before she stopped to point at... “Diana, it's your turn!”

Uh oh... Diana thought in dread, being caught off guard since she was put on the spot. The poor girl looked like a deer caught in headlights as she muttered, “I-I beg your pardon?”

“I said, it's your turn to give us a juicy love story.” The politician elaborated, having a look that clearly said, 'You're not getting out of this one.' “So, spill! And don't you dare tell us that there isn't anything to tell, cause I know there is!”

The blonde merely arched a brow in response to the girl's insistence. “And what, pray tell, makes you think that there's something to gush about? Are you psychic?”

“Nope, but I have a hunch!”

“Oh my, then you need to have that checked out.”

“D-DID YOU JUST SASS ME, WOMAN!?”

“Is that a problem?”

Barbara burst out a laugh, “Oh man...! Diana got you good, Han!” She managed to say before laughter consumed her again, wheezing every so often due to being out of breath.

Diana herself tried her damn best to maintain a poker face as she chose this moment to have a sip or two of her Snakebite, though there still was a tell-tale sign of a smirk while she drank from her glass.

Hannah, however, looked absolutely miffed. In all the years that they have known each other, the redhead has never heard this level of sass from the young Cavendish, with such confidence at that. There would be some sarcastic comments here and there, yes, but never sass. Between her friends, sass was mostly Barbara's forte than Diana's.

Very suspicious indeed... The politician mused to herself, drumming her fingers against the table as she kept her inquisitive gaze on the physician. Either Diana had some kind of change over the years due to something or someone, OR it could be the alcohol doing the talking but... I'm sure Diana is responsible enough not to get too drunk, right? She felt conflicted with all the speculation she was making.

Luckily for her, Barbara came to the rescue once she calmed down from her high to say, “In all seriousness, Diana. There has to be something. You couldn't have just been working all these years since we've last seen each other.”

“That factor has not changed for me in the slightest.” The doctor confirmed, setting her glass down on the table. She then bit her lip, obviously debating on whether or not to tell them. “But...”

“But?” Both Hannah and Barbara leaned forward in their seats, giving Diana their undivided attention.

“I... guess you could say that I am seeing someone...” The blonde shyly admitted, a slight blush evident on her cheeks as she thought about a certain brunette...

Barbara's teal eyes widened in surprise as she slowly said, “You're... seeing someone?”

“Nah. This has to be some kind of ruse, Barbs. Maybe this is Diana's new tactic to try to make us THINK that she is seeing someone, but it turns out that it's a fluke.” Hannah commented with her own opinion on the matter. “I mean, this is Diana we're talking about here. She's never been interested in romance.”

“Still though, she IS blushing! There has to be some truth in her statement, right?”

“She's always been shy, could be the typical norm as we speak.”

“Oh, I don't know what to believe...”

“Well, you believe what you want to believe Barbs, but I think this mystery person our Diana is seeing is imaginary.”

That's it! I think that's quite enough jabbing for one evening, thank you! The young Cavendish thought irritably, putting a stop to this.

“You know, it's quite rude to talk about someone, WHO'S INDEED PRESENT!” Diana reprimanded them, obviously feeling quite insulted. “I also don't appreciate being called a liar when I was genuinely being honest with you girls!”

“Oh! I'm so sorry, Diana! I never meant to call you out like that!” Barbara apologized, looking quite guilty as she flailed her hands around, obviously not sure on how to remedy this situation.

“You were at least kind about it Barbara, unlike a certain someone...!” The physician stated with a low growl in her tone, glaring daggers at the redhead.

“Wait... You were serious?” Hannah deadpanned.

“Fuck you!” Diana cussed at her, in a rather playful manner whenever someone gets pissed off at their friend.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry! This is just... surprising to me, that's all.” The politician admitted to her, looking quite shocked over the whole revelation. And something else too, though Diana couldn't tell what it was.

“What do-” Diana's sentence got cut off when her phone started to ring, making her look down at her purse that sat by her side. Who on earth could be calling me? She wondered as she went to take out her cell phone. “Please excuse me, girls. I need to take this call.”

“It's okay, Diana. We don't mind.” Barbara reassured her.

“Much.” Hannah grumbled, raising her empty glass once again when she saw Amanda in the vicinity.

Spotting the empty glass from a distance, the waitress responded with an arched brow as if to say, 'Aren't you having a bit too much?'

The auburn-haired noble gave a reply of her own by bringing up her free hand while rubbing her fingers together, signifying that she'll willingly pay for it. In the end, the vampire merely shrugged her shoulders in defeat and went to get the redhead's drink.

Witnessing the display, the lawyer arched a brow of her own as she looked at her friend with concern. “Are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah?” Hannah answered her with a rather comedic look, not knowing what the big deal was. “Is there a problem?” She asked with a question of her own.

“Not really, no, but you do realize that this is your fifth glass of the night, right?”

“Yes, what about it?”

“Just making sure you knew, is all. Try your best not to go overboard.”

“I know, I know.”

As their talk ended, Diana had finally managed to find her phone from the abyss that was her handbag. Bloody hell, I really need to organize my stuff later... She thought to herself, sighing in frustration as she accepted the call without bothering to look at the caller ID. “Hello, this is Diana Cavendish.”

“Hmm,” A thoughtful hum could be heard from the other line as they said, “I'm not sure whether I'm surprised or amused with how you answered the phone this time around.”

The reaction was immediate once Diana recognized the voice, her face set aflame as she became frazzled in an instant. “A-Akko! I-I'm so sorry, I-I just picked up the phone and didn't notice that it was you!”

Akko? Hannah thought to herself, trying to recall if she had heard that name before, but it turned out to be in vain since she couldn't recall anything. There's definitely no one with that name in our immediate friend group... Maybe it's someone that Diana met as an acquaintance at one point over the years? She speculated, only for her to get suspicious soon afterward. Then again, Diana's reaction just now seems to indicate to be more than just a mere “acquaintance”...

“Ehhh. So, you never even bothered to look at the caller ID?” The red-eyed woman sounded shocked, and Diana could already picture the adorable pout she must have on her face while saying so.

“N-no, I haven't...” The blonde admitted, almost in shame as her blush worsened in embarrassment.

“And here I was thinking that I was going to hear a peppy hello from you, but instead I got the business tone.” The tomboy continued saying in mock disappointment. “Is this how you usually greet people?” She asked, half in curiosity, the other half in a teasing manner.

“Only when it's work related, I assure you.”

“I'll hold you to that, pretty girl. So, how are you doing tonight?”

Noticing that the young Cavendish was indeed distracted with her call, a mischievous grin made its way on Hannah's face as she purposely dropped her fork under the table. Gasping, “Oh, silly me! I dropped my fork! I better get that...” She said with a chuckle when she went under the table.

As the politician went undetected under the table, Barbara waited a couple of minutes before she sent a glance toward the physician, who still appeared to be invested in her phone call. When the coast was clear, the lawyer cautiously lowered herself down enough to whisper, “Han, what in the heck are you doing?”

“What does it look like I'm doing? I'm eavesdropping! How else am I supposed to listen in a conversation in the middle of a loud pub?” Hannah answered, carefully maneuvering and making herself comfortable on the other side of the table, making sure in not touching the physician while doing so cause otherwise her plan will be ruined.

“You're terrible! This is beyond rude by this point!” The lawyer chided before stating the obvious, “Diana won't like it!”

“Diana won't willingly tell us either.” The redhead made a point of her own.

Barbara looked absolutely miffed, resisting the urge not to grind her teeth. “And, who's fault is that?!” She hissed.

Hannah leaned back a bit, bringing her hands up in defense. “Hey now! You partially insulted her too, you know! So don't blame it all on me!”

“You started it!”

“And, you went along with it. Your point?”

“You're awful!”

“And, you're just as awful as I am! Just admit it, Barbara.”

“At least I know my limits! This is an invasion of privacy!”

“So what? It's not like we're reading her diary.” Hannah said with a roll of her eyes. “It's just one measly little conversation. No harm, no foul.”

“Yes harm, yes foul! Now, get back in your seat this instant!” Barbara demanded, reaching over to grab the redhead's forearm and fully intent to drag out from under the table.

“Let go! You're not my mum!”

“Han, I'm serious!”

“Barbara.”

“Ouch!” Startled, the raven-haired woman had accidentally banged her head against the table before she managed to sit back properly in her seat, stuttering a quiet, “Y-yes, Diana? I'm sorry for not paying attention! I, um... dropped my fork.”

The doctor merely nodded in response, she had momentarily stopped talking with the brunette once she noticed that a certain occupant wasn't present on the table... “Where did Hannah go?”

“O-oh! Um... She went to the restroom?” Barbara sounded quite unsure with her lie at first, but then she decided to own it. “Yes, the restroom!” She spoke more confidently this time around.

“Alright... If she indeed went to the restroom as you say, then why didn't you get up in order for her to leave then?”

That was indeed a good point.

Bloody hell! I completely forgot for a moment that we're sitting in a booth...! The lawyer thought in late realization. Think Barbs, think!

Luckily, Barbara managed to think of something in a pinch. “Oh yeah, about that...” She let out a laugh as she began to explain, “You know how impatient Hannah tends to be. She didn't wait for me to stand up since she claims that I'm too slow, and so she went under the table. Like a child!” She finished saying, the last part being purposely loud for a certain someone to hear.

In retaliation, the raven-haired woman had received a swift kick to the shin, which no doubt caused Barbara to jump a bit in her seat while she bit her lip to keep a cry of pain at bay.

Noticing the pained look on her friend's face, Diana asked, “Are you alright, Barbara?”

Taking a deep breath through her nose, Barbara somehow managed to release it soon afterward without letting a yelp slip through her lips as she responded, “...Y-yes, I'm alright. My apologies, I seem to have developed a sudden Charlie horse and I need to walk it off. Please excuse me.”

And with that, the lawyer had taken her leave as she limped toward the pub's entrance. Diana couldn't help but look on in concern for her friend, but soon enough her attention had diverted to her phone once she realized she left someone hanging...

“Diana? Helloo?” Akko's voice could be heard from the other line, a bit impatient at this point. Understandably so. “Are you busy or something? If so, I can call later.”

“No, no! I'm back now! Sorry about that...” The physician apologized, fully focusing on the brunette now. “And I'm not busy, so to speak, but I'm actually out drinking with friends tonight.” She explained.

“Oh, no wonder it's a bit loud on your end. Are you having fun?”

“Yes, the most I've had in a long time actually. I really missed hanging out with them.”

“I can imagine. Sorry if I interrupted your time with them. I can call you back later, if you want me to.”

“And leave me alone?” Diana teased, having a small smile on her lips as she silently thanked Amanda when she came by to deliver their next order of drinks.

“Alone? Didn't you just say that you were with friends?” The red-eyed tomboy asked her, sounding genuinely confused.

“Yes, but they unfortunately had to step out for a moment.” The blonde informed her. “One just went outside to walked off a Charlie horse, and the other apparently went to the restroom when I wasn't looking.”

“I see. Well, I finished my shift not to long ago and I just wanted to call to...” Akko trailed off a bit, softly chuckling to herself soon afterward. “N-nevermind! It's going to sound weird!”

It was quite unusual for Akko to be shy, and so Diana decided to encourage her. “What is? It's okay, Akko. You can tell me.”

However, the brunette kept being dismissive about it. “I-it's okay, Diana. Don't worry about it. It's just a silly thought, that's all.”

“Akko, please?” The physician pleaded with her, absentmindedly tracing her finger along her glass as a minor distraction. Whatever it was though, it surely made Akko sound nervous and Diana's curiosity kept on growing as a result. She didn't want to push the girl into telling her anything, but at the same time... “Why won't you tell me?”

“Truth? I just don't want to make things awkward between us, especially since we're starting to get to know each other and all...” Akko spoke earnestly, and the young Cavendish could already picture the poor girl biting her lip in hesitation as she said this.

Diana furrowed her brows as she thought about what potential problems could arise from this apparent secret. Finding none, she gave an honest reply of her own. “While your worries seem considerate and warranted, I still fail to see on what could cause this apparent 'awkwardness' to occur.”

“Oh, I don't know! It's kind of embarrassing...” The red-eyed tomboy sounded unsure, grumbling some things that Diana couldn't comprehend due to her mumbling.

“Try me.”

“What?”

“Try me.” Diana repeated once again, taking a sip of her drink before she continued, “Just say what you have to say. I'll listen. I won't laugh, and I would most certainly not judge you over it. You have my word.” She promised.

Akko let out a shaky sigh, “With an honest statement like that, I almost feel obligated to tell you.” She said in jest.

“Akko, you don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“N-no! No, no! I'm not uncomfortable at all! It's just... Ugh, nerves...! This is more difficult than I thought...”

“Take a deep breath.” The doctor instructed, hearing the girl doing as requested on the line. “Now exhale.” She had to resist the urge not to laugh with how frazzled the poor girl sounded during this process. “Better?”

The tomboy giggled. “Not really, but I do feel a bit calmer. I guess?”

“Honestly, I don't understand what the big deal is. You say that it's embarrassing, but even then I can't seem to think on what it could be.” Diana wondered out loud, feeling a bit exasperated over this apparent mystery. “Are you sure that you can't tell me?”

“I want to...”

“But?”

“It'll be weird. And after telling you, I'll wish for the ground to swallow me whole and out of existence, but that will heavily depend on your reaction.”

The young Cavendish playfully rolled her eyes at hearing the girl's exaggerated remark, not that the girl could see it obviously. “Akko, it can't be that bad.”

“That's what they all say!”

Diana smiled as she raised her glass, but before she drank from it she commented, “My, oh my, how the tables have indeed turned for us...”

At hearing this, Akko hummed inquisitively. “What do you mean? I don't follow.”

“Oh, nothing. It's just that the last time we spoke like this I referred to myself as a shy bambi. Meanwhile, you were all sweet bravado with all that confidence of yours. I suppose that was all for show then?” The physician inquired teasingly, beginning to indulge on her fourth Snakebite of the night.

“Wha-” The brunette gasped.

Did she hear that right? Was Diana Cavendish seriously teasing her? Akko could scarcely believe this was happening right now. Nevertheless, Akko let her feelings be known.

“Oh-ho...! Diana, if you are insinuating, even for a moment, that my bravado is false... Then, you're sadly mistaken.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes, really! I only wanted to hear your lovely voice, especially since it's been almost a week since I last heard it! Is that a crime?!”

And just like that, the young Cavendish choked on her drink. She wasn't expecting that kind of response, and she also wasn't expecting making a bit of a mess by spilling a good portion of the alcoholic drink on herself either...

Blimey, what a mess... Diana thought irritably while trying to overcome the slight coughing fit she was suffering through.

“Whoa. That doesn't sound good...” Akko commented from the other line. “Are you alright, Diana?” She asked in concern.

“I-I'm fine...”

“You weren't expecting that kind of response, were you?”

“Not really, no.” The blonde coughed, a couple of giggles slipping out of her mouth as well.

The tomboy groaned, half expecting a laughable reaction. “Told you that it was going to be embarrassing...” She mumbled.

“I still fail to understand what's so embarrassing about such a statement.” Diana spoke earnestly, finally gathering her bearings as she began to clean the mess with a good amount of napkins.

Most of the disaster was, for the most part, cleaned up. She will have to remember to ask for more napkins when Amanda comes by again.

The doctor heard some shuffling on the other line for a couple of minutes before Akko ultimately settled down and began to explain, “Well, for starters, most people would consider that comment to be kind of desperate. Since, you know, we more or less have started to get to know each other and all. The second factor is that, sadly, most people think that such behavior is outright creepy.”

That's a bit of an overreaction, to say the least... Diana thought with a roll of her eyes. At times like this, societal standards are truly beyond her comprehension... “Well, rest assured, that I am not 'most people'. I appreciate the sentiment very much, Akko. Thank you, really.”

“G-good to know!” The brunette certainly sounded surprised by her crush's answer, laughing a bit nervously on her end. “So, um... To clarify: You do miss me too, right?”

The blonde could already picture the girl with a heavy blush on her face while bashfully scratching the back of her neck, a small grin adoring her features.

Just thinking about it brought a smile on the physician's face. “Of course I do, silly. What made you think I wouldn't miss you?” She asked.

Akko merely hummed, if she were present she'd likely shrug her shoulders. “I dunno. I just wanted to know if you felt the same way I did. It's just... good to know that I wasn't alone on that front, you know?” She replied with a light-hearted chuckle before she continued on by asking, “And, speaking of 'I miss you', is there a chance that we might be able to go out together again sometime soon?”

Good question... Diana thought to herself, feeling a bit stomped on how to respond to such a question.

Spring and Autumn are pretty much the busiest time of the year for the clinic. Minor and major injuries are a given, but add allergies and the flu into the mix then it's a different matter entirely work-wise. The calendar in Diana's office was pretty much littered with important to-do's and patient consultations for the month of March, and the blonde honestly didn't want to push her luck too much when it came to asking her family for some time off, but then again...

I know that I rarely go out to begin with, but even so... I don't want to take advantage of the people I care about just for the simple fact that I'm genuinely interested in someone either. The young Cavendish mused in distress, groaning a bit as she considered her next course of action. Oh Merlin, I don't know what to do!

Almost as if sensing her indecision, Akko's voice interrupted her brooding by offering words of salvation to her slight dilemma.

“Sorry if I put you on the spot, I just thought that it wouldn't hurt to ask.” She apologized, chuckling for a bit before she continued in a more serious tone. “In all seriousness though, there's no rush. If you genuinely can't make time for our next outing, then I understand. Do what you have to do, and once you feel ready... Whelp. You know that I'm only one call away.”

Diana smiled. “Thank you, Akko. You are the most patient, understanding person I have ever met. I promise that I'll make it up to you when I can.”

Akko giggled. “No problem. Another date with you will be plenty. If not, then a simple phone call like this will do.”

“You'd be satisfied with a single phone call? I can't accept that.” The blonde said with a shake of her head.

“You'd be surprised. After a hectic dinner rush, I feel like I can handle another after talking with you.”

“That terrible, huh?”

The brunette took a bit longer to respond due to the fact that she was trying to keep a yawn at bay. And sadly, it didn't work since it escaped. “Not really, but it's up there.”

“Someone's tired.” Diana teased, shifting a bit in her seat while she tried her best to stretch out her back.

“Who? Me? Nah.” Akko replied casually as she could before another yawn took over.

“Yes, you are.” The young Cavendish spoke firmly, “Head to bed. We can talk more tomorrow.” She told her.

The red-eyed girl hummed in contemplation. “...Do you promise?”

“Yes, I'll even pass by the café. Promise.”

“Alright then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Of course. Have a goodnight, Akko. Sweet dreams.”

After a good chuckle, Akko said her goodbyes, “Thanks. Goodnight, pretty girl.”

As soon as the call ended, Diana looked down at her phone with a fond expression. That contentment abruptly ended however when a disappointed groan emerged from... the table?

Confused and about to investigate the source, the doctor cautiously lowered herself a bit to look under the booth table to see Hannah, who looked quite discouraged along with something else that Diana couldn't identity.

“Hannah, what are you doing down there?” The blonde interrogated, her infamous scowl settling on her features due to her irritation growing by the second.

“Didn't you hear Barbara earlier? She said that I apparently left for the restroom, remember?” The politician reminded as she properly went back to her seat. Might as well since her cover was blown.

“If that's the case, then you should've come by and sat down like a normal person.”

“Glad that you finally caught up with the lie, detective. Want a medal?”

“Smartass.”

“Yes, I am. More importantly, I'm shocked to have found out that your mystery imaginary lover is indeed real.”

“Rude!” Diana sounded quite offended at hearing such a remark, glaring daggers at the redhead. Then she belatedly realized something else... “Wait a minute... YOU WERE EAVESDROPPING!?”

“Look, I'm sorry.” Hannah apologized, closing her eyes while pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. She sighed, “I guess you could say that I'm very salty tonight, or to be more accurate... I'm jealous. Of you, and Barbara.” She admitted.

That certainly caught her interest. Furrowing her brows, the young Cavendish asked, “You're jealous of us? How come?”

“Unfortunately for you, that's as much as I am willing to share for the night.” The politician lamentably informed, obviously not budging on the subject. However, she seemed more than willing to start on another topic... “As I was saying earlier, I was surprised that you're actually going out with someone. A woman, no less.”

In response, Diana merely raised a brow. “Is that a problem?” She said in a warning tone, almost as if daring her friend to say something.

“None in the slightest.” Was the cool reply she received from the redhead.

Sensing no hostility in her answer, the physician decided to hold her tongue for the time being.

“No offense when I say this, but... Why should I give a damn on who you date? It's not really any of my business. And please, don't take it as 'I don't care'. I care, immensely. I'm your best friend, and Barbara is also your best friend. We both love and support you as a sister, and we know that you'd do the same for us. The main point of what I am trying to say is... If this woman makes you happy, then that's all that matters to me.”

Diana was at a loss for words. “Hannah, I... I don't know what to say.”

“I know, mushy right?” The redhead joked. “Anyways, from what I could gather from that conversation alone... This Akko girl, for starters, sounds hot.”

Diana's eyes narrowed dangerously, her voice lowering quite a bit as she growled, “Back off. She's spoken for.”

Amused, Hannah leaned back in her seat while raising her hands up in defense. “Noted. Don't worry.” She soon relaxed for a moment as she continued on with her assessment, “What I've also caught on is that you actually found a good one. Not many people are lucky enough to find a good partner the first time around.”

“Well, um, the thing is... we aren't really official yet.” Diana confessed, a heavy blush settling on her cheeks as she avoided her friend's inquisitive gaze.

“Excuse me?” Hannah deadpanned.

“You heard me. We're not official yet, we're just testing out the waters. Basically.”

“So, you guys haven't even gone out together on one measly little date? Really?”

“We have, just the one though.” The doctor sighed, prompting her head against her fist while drumming her fingers against the table with her free hand. “We merely had dinner on one of the restaurants she recommended, which was very good and I'm looking forward to go back again with her sometime soon.” She said fondly.

“I see. Nothing else since then, huh?” The politician asked her.

“Sadly not. It's been a bit challenging to work around my schedule as of late, it's pretty much a miracle that I managed to make it tonight.” Diana admitted.

“Well, the way I see it, schedule or no schedule, you need to start putting your part into this relationship. At least try, otherwise the poor girl is going to get tired of you.”

“I am trying!”

“Not hard enough from the sound of things. Calling and texting is all well and good at first, but it grows stale pretty quick. You like her, yeah?”

“Of course I do! Akko has been such a sweetheart, and her patience rivals a saint's with how understanding she is. It's more than I deserve...” The young Cavendish sighed exasperatedly, mostly feeling frustrated with herself. “This is why I never tried to date anyone when I was still at school... I know that what I'm doing to her isn't fair, but I'm still trying to figure out how to balance my life both in and out of work.”

“With responsibilities being a constant thing on the line... it's never easy.” Hannah stated a sad truth. “That's why, as cheesy as it sounds, love is worth fighting for. Show that you care, show that you're willing to fight. That is, of course, if you decide that you want to pursue a relationship with her. Speaking of which, between the two of you, which one initiated the first date?”

Diana groaned, slumping forward in her seat while laying her head on top of her folded arms on the table. “Akko did. I was too much of a chicken to even ask her out in the first place...” She mumbled in shame, adding, “Pathetic, I know...”

The redhead raised her brows in disbelieve, commenting, “Calm, cool, and collected Diana Cavendish. Reduced to a blubbering mess by a woman. I never thought I'd see the day.”

“Rub more salt on the wound why don't you...”

“I gotta meet this woman, she already sounds wonderful! I bet that she's drop-dead gorgeous too! Ooh! You should introduce me! She could probably give me a couple of pointers in the romance department, ha!”

“Please stop...!”

“Alright, alright, I'll spare you the melodrama as a courtesy of our long friendship.”

“Thank you.”

“BUT!” Hannah exclaimed as she slammed her hands on the table, startling Diana to sit back properly on her seat again. “This doesn't mean that you're off the hook, missy! You're going to have homework, and the assignment is that you need to pull up your big girl pants and ask Akko out!”

Oh Merlin, give me strength... The blonde pleaded, technically not looking forward in making a fool of herself yet again on the phone with Akko. Technically, it's gotten a bit easier talking to the brunette over time, but it still doesn't change the fact that she gets frazzled every now and then. Ugh, she makes it sound so easy...

“I-I'd love to, believe me, I do!” Diana said insistently, a bit lost on what to do. “But, I don't even know where to take her.”

“Well, it's only March. And since it's Spring time, I'd enjoy the outdoors as much as I can to see what nature has to offer so...” The redhead brought a hand up to her chin in thought. “How about the botanical garden? There's one here in Blytonbury.” She suggested.

“A botanical garden?” The young Cavendish repeated slowly, and moments later her blue eyes lit up at the prospect of the idea. “That's a good one! So many flowers will be in bloom, and she and I would have so much to talk about in terms of a plant's cooking and medicinal properties. Hannah, you're a genius!” She praised her friend with a grateful smile.

Hannah showed a grin of her own, taking the praise with stride as she straightened her jacket. “I know, I'm just that good!”

Diana playfully rolled her eyes at hearing such a remark, commenting, “Okay, now, you're full of it.”

The politician scoffed, feigning offense. “Touchy.”

Both girls soon laughed merrily once their serious facade had broken away, and their laughter subsided altogether once Barbara had finally returned from outside. To their surprise though, she wasn't alone...

“Hey girls! Look who I found when I was out!” The raven-haired woman spoke happily, heading over to their table with her fiancé in tow.

“Andrew!”

The brown-haired noble chuckled, greeting them with a smile. “Hello girls, sorry I'm late. It's good to see you.”

“Barbara made it sound like you were going to have another late night at work.” Diana commented.

“I was.” Andrew admitted while nodding his head. “But it was thanks to Frank that I was able to make it. He was kind enough to cover for me on the later half of the shift.”

“I swear... That man deserves a medal. He's such a good friend.” The lawyer remarked, latching onto Andrew's arm as she said, “You better make it up to him somehow!”

“Don't worry, love. I most certainly will. I just need to figure out how to go about it.” Her fiancé reassured. “He's quite stubborn when it comes to people doing him favors.”

“Yeah, like someone else we know...” Hannah spoke knowingly, sending a glance toward Diana. “Anyways! Now that Andrew is here, we can continue on with this little reunion of ours! Diana, scoot over. I'm seating next to you!”

“Do you have to be so demanding?”

“I will be if you don't move your ass!”

“Rude!”

“So crude...” Barbara said with a shake of her head. Hannah could be so inconsiderate at times...

“And then she wonders why she's still single...” Andrew gave a comment of his own as he and his fiancé sat down together on the spot that the redhead previously occupied.

“I HEARD THAT!” Hannah yelled at him before shifting her gaze at Diana, who was obviously trying to keep a laugh at bay due to Andrew's remark. Unlike the couple that was seating across from them, the physician was not so lucky in trying to escape the redhead's wrath, even more so since she was trapped seating inside of the booth. “And what are you smirking at, huh?!”

Diana squealed since Hannah was relentless on her tickle assault, “I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please stop!”

Meanwhile, Barbara's mouth went agape, lightly slapping the man's arm in reprimand.

The politician gave a small shrug of his shoulders. “What? It's the truth, isn't it? It's all in good jest.”

“That's still not nice, mister. Apologize.”

“Alright.” Andrew relented, and so he began to make amends, “Hannah, I'm truly sorry for my insensitive comment. Is there any way that I can make it up to you?” He asked her.

The redhead thought about it for a moment, finally releasing Diana from her tickle assault. “Well, if you'd be so kind as to take care of the tab tonight, I might forgive you.”

“Now I regret asking...”

“Relax, relax! You'll only be paying for the food, I'll handle the drinks. Half-and-half, see?”

“I suppose...”

“Great! Now that that's settled, you can fill us in on your side of the marriage event!” Hannah declared, and then she remembered one crucial detail... She hollered, “AMANDA! We're ready to order for-realsies!”

At hearing that, both Diana and Barbara leaned forward in their seats for a slight huddle. Keeping their voices low for their small meeting. “Looks like we're in for a long night, Barbara.”

“Yup, I already feel sorry for Amanda. Want to split a good generous tip with me for her?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Forty-forty sound good to you?”

“There's four of us and a lot of food and drinks in our near future. Eighty bucks sounds good to me.”

The lawyer gave a firm nod of her head, patting the doctor's shoulders. “Good pep talk.”

Diana giggled, whispering, “Same to you.”

Chapter Text

About a week later it was a sunny afternoon for Wedinburgh, and a certain blonde was more than happy to have finished with her shift.

Alright, time to head to Auriga's! Diana thought in determination, taking off and hanging her lab coat on her chair as she left her office.

When the physician walked toward the front of the clinic, Maril looked up from her computer in time to see her cousin pass by her desk. “What's the rush, DeeDee?”

Diana stopped in her tracks, turning to face the receptionist. “There's no rush.” She answered.

“Really now?” Her cousin spoke in disbelief, her eyes soon returning to her computer screen to continue with her work. “If I didn't know any better, it looks like you're on a mission. Care to fill me in?”

“Well, if you must know, I'm heading to Auriga's to ask Akko out on a date.”

“On a date you say?”

“Y-yes, that is what I just said.” The young Cavendish replied with a hesitant nod.

Maril merely smiled. “Well then, I really hope that it all goes well for you.”

“T-thanks! I will let you know how it went later!” Diana yelled over her shoulder, a fierce blush taking over her cheeks by the storm, taking off on a run once she left through the glass doors of the clinic.

“You better!” The older Cavendish yelled out to her cousin, but she wouldn't be surprised if Diana didn't hear her at all considering that the girl was long gone by this point.

Meanwhile at Auriga's, while the business itself may be slow it doesn't mean that the shift has been uneventful...

“SUCY!!!”

The whole building seemed to shake due to Akko yelling from the top of her lungs. Luckily, there weren't any patrons around to hear such a startling yell and the commotion that would soon follow.

A few minutes later, Sucy came from upstairs and stood around in the kitchen doorway wearing her nightgown. From her tired look alone, the red-eyed girl knew that her morbid friend had pulled an all-nighter last night and decided to sleep in through the day. Not that it mattered much, considering that Sucy had the day off today.

“You bellowed?” The lilac-haired girl remarked sarcastically, crossing her arms as she leaned against one of the kitchen counters.

Deciding to ignore the sass in her friend's tone, Akko merely pointed to the open fridge beside her. “Care to explain what the fuck this thing is occupying the restaurant fridge?”

Since the café was slow, the brunette decided to take advantage of the slight free time to distract herself by cleaning the fridge, and as she did so... she was quite startled at finding such a repulsing sight in its depths.

Sucy raised a single brow as she approached closer to the apparent crime scene, bending down a bit to see what was inside. Her visible eye widened once she recognized the culprit... “Oh. That's my yam.”

“THAT'S A YAM!?”

“To be precise, it's actually a purple yam.”

“I know that purple yams are a thing! However, that thing in the fridge does not look like one anymore!” Akko mentioned the obvious. She then sighed exasperatedly as she asked a very important question... “What I really want to know is... How long has it been there?”

“Hmm...” Sucy hummed, bringing a hand up to her chin as she contemplated her answer. “What month are we in right now?”

“We're in mid-March.”

“March, you say? Fascinating! My yam experiment has been in that fridge since December.”

“SINCE DECEMB-”

Akko's words soon died in her throat, her anger slightly diminishing for the time being. Surprisingly, she managed to calm her frustrations long enough to say, “Sucy, do the words “Health Inspector” mean anything to you?”

“No, not really.” The morbid girl replied with a shake of her head, nonchalant as usual.

“Well, first of all, they should.” The barista spoke seriously, looking her friend in the eye as she began to explain how serious the situation is. “Second, this is a restaurant, and if today happened to be a day where a health inspector wanted to waltz through the front door to inspect the place for the hell of it... we would've failed. Big time. Shut down. No excuses, no remorse.”

“Well, where else am I supposed to keep my experiment? You obviously won't let me do it in our fridge upstairs.” Sucy stated a fact of her own.

“And... you think putting a disfigured yam in our restaurant fridge was a good idea?”

“Again, where else would you want me to put it?”

“ANYWHERE BUT HERE! IN FACT, IF YOU WANT TO DO EXPERIMENTS LIKE THAT, THEN BUY YOUR OWN DAMN FRIDGE!” Akko raised her voice once again as she slammed the fridge door shut in her fury.

Soon after yelling, the barista clasped her hands together and closed her eyes while she proceeded to calm herself once again.

Regardless of the spectacle she just witnessed, Sucy was completely unfazed by her roommates' outburst. For starters, it wouldn't be the first time the woman would yell at her. Not to mention, it would take a whole lot more to catch Sucy off guard.

It's an absolute miracle that Chariot had the day off today. That woman would've blown a much bigger gasket than her Godchild, despite what her kind demeanor would suggest.

Once she collected herself, the barista opened her eyes when she finally made up her mind. “Sucy, do me a favor. I want you to go upstairs, get dressed, and come down here to clean up your mess.” She ordered.

Hearing such an abrupt order certainly made Sucy displeased, narrowing her visible eye as a scowl took over her features as she said, “Who died and made you captain?”

“Nobody assigned me to that specific role, but I can guarantee you that when my Godmother isn't here... I'm next in line to ensure that this café runs smoothly during her absence.” Every word that Akko spoke was filled with venom as she approached her roommate, meeting Sucy's glare with one of her own. Her height definitely aided more to the intimidation factor as Akko continued by saying, “And so, I HIGHLY suggest that you take your ass upstairs, get changed, and get down here to clean up your little experiment. Cause if you don't, then I will, and you won't like the measures I'll be taking.”

“Is that a threat, Kagari?”

“No, Manbavaran. It's a promise.”

Upon hearing that, Sucy actually cracked a smile. She even let out a chuckle as she commented, “Very cute. But honestly... I don't think that you~” She dragged on that particular word as she poked the brunette on her chest, the slight shove being enough to force Akko to take a step back. “Have the guts to go through with your little bluff.”

The tall girl chuckled while she slowly nodded her head. “You think I'm bluffing?”

“Frankly, yes.” The morbid girl answered.

“Okay...” Akko sighed, dragging a hand down her face.

Since they were obviously at a standstill, the red-eyed woman took matters into her own hands. Sucy couldn't help but raise a brow when she saw Akko step away from her, heading toward one of the counters to grab a pair of gloves from a glove box.

“What are you doing with those?” The lilac-haired girl interrogated.

“Going through with my promise.” The barista replied while she put on her gloves. She then opened the drawer to take out a box of matches and started heading out the back of the restaurant.

“Where are you going with that?” Sucy asked another question, following the girl outside to see that Akko had moved and taken the lid off a trash can and was about to light up a match.

“ARE YOU MAD!?”

“I told you you weren't going to like it, didn't I?”

“Yeah, but at least I'm not being a complete psycho over it!”

“You made me do this! I'm putting this yam out of its misery!”

“Um, Akko?” Lotte's voice cut through the tension.

“What?” Akko spoke rather irritably, turning her head to see Lotte standing by the back door. Despite focusing on the waitress, Akko still kept Sucy at arm's length with her free hand so that she wouldn't try to steal the now lit match she held in her other hand. “This better be important, Lotte! I'm about to perform an exorcism here!”

“Lotte, stop her! She's mad!”

“Being mad is an understatement, I'm sure...”

“There's someone here to see you.” The blonde manager informed her co-worker. She then teasingly added an important bit, “And, I believe that her name starts with a D and ends with an A...”

The red-eyed woman tilted her head in confusion, but it was only for a moment before all her anger and irritation over the whole yam situation cleared up. She then stared down at her roommate, who was still persisting to steal the lit match from her. Without a second to spare, Akko threw the match on the ground and stepped on it with her shoe, shuffling a bit to ensure that the flame was put out.

“You got lucky, Sucy.” The barista told her friend, maneuvering her hand that kept the girl at bay onto the girl's shoulder. “But this doesn't mean that this is over. Not by a long shot.”

“Oh, goodie...” The morbid girl grumbled, swatting Akko's hand away. “I suppose that I should thank my lucky stars and be thankful for your girlfriend's timely intervention...” She finished saying with a roll of her eyes.

She's not my girlfriend. Yet. Choosing to ignore that remark, Akko decided to let her go with a warning. “And while I'm gone... I expect that yam to move out of the kitchen before I return, or I'll do it for you.”

Sucy had to resist the urge not to roll her eyes again in annoyance as she said, “Message received.”

“Good.” The brunette nodded in satisfaction before she turned to look at Lotte. “Mind keeping an eye on her to make sure that this is taken care of?”

The blonde manager stifled a giggle at the back of her hand. “Don't you worry, Akko, I'll make sure that Sucy does her part.”

“Thank you.”

And with that, Akko quickly headed inside the café to toss the gloves away and wash her hands before she made her way to the front. When she did, a smile made its way on her face in seconds once her eyes landed on Diana, who sat patiently on one of the tables in the restaurant while she waited for the brunette.

Since the blonde had yet to spot her, Akko decided to walk over and surprise her from behind, obscuring Diana's sight with her hands. “Guess who?”

“Akko.” The physician answered with a giggle, gently prying the girl's hands away from her eyes.

“Aw, you remembered!” The barista cooed with glee, seating across from her crush. “I'm also very happy that I actually got to see you today!”

“Well, I did promise, didn't I?” Diana smiled. Her gaze soon shifted to Akko's bandaged hand. “How's your wound?”

Blushing, Akko absentmindedly moved her good hand on top of her bandaged one. “I-I'm doing better, thanks to you! But~ I also know that you didn't come all this way just to ask how I'm doing.” She spoke knowingly, returning that smile with one of her own. Compared to the day of the incident, her wound has healed significantly since she didn't have to rely on thick bandages anymore.

“You're right. There's more to it than that, but first, I need to confirm something...” The young Cavendish trailed off for a moment, asking, “When are you off this week?”

“When am I off? Uh...” The brunette closed her eyes, tapping her knuckles against the table while trying to recall this week's schedule. “What day is today...? Monday! Yes, Monday. I'm off on Tuesday, which is obviously tomorrow... and Friday for the week.”

Perfect! Everything worked out in my favor after all. Diana thought to herself, bringing a hand to her chest while she sighed in relief.

An action that certainly didn't go unnoticed for Akko, who chuckled in amusement as she said, “If I didn't know any better... It looks like you have something planned?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.”

“Care to tell me?”

“Of course.”

“Then you, my dear, have my undivided attention.”

It's now or never. The doctor thought nervously for the big moment. She took a deep breath, exhaling soon afterward before she began to say, “Akko, would you-” Almost in an instant, the words soon died out. Diana felt her breath hitch in her throat, opening and closing her mouth several times but no words seem to come to her aid. Not now...!

“W-would you...” To gather some kind of composure, Diana clasped her hands together to stop the insistent shaking she's currently experiencing. Of all times... Why now?! What was the point of practicing in front of my own mirror last night if I'm going to flop in front of the woman I fancy?!

Her internal freak out was soon interrupted when the blonde felt a pair of warm hands enclose over her own. Being startled and equally flustered over the abrupt action, Diana managed to raise her gaze to meet Akko's, who was waiting patiently while staring at her with complete adoration.

“Yes?” The barista spoke softly, hoping that it'll be enough to boost Diana's confidence.

“Akko...” Taking the encouragement, the young Cavendish took a deep breath and tried again. “Would you like to go out with me to a botanical garden this Friday?”

A comfortable, and yet agonizing silence fell between them, and with each second that passed was absolute torture for Diana. Her heart was hammering like crazy inside her chest, so much so that it was almost impossible to breathe.

However, Diana's patience was soon rewarded when Akko had leaned forward in her seat, gently brushing her forehead with hers as she responded, “I'd love to.”

“Good, good...” The physician soon closed her eyes in relief, feeling her own shoulders slump a bit since a huge weight has been lifted from them. When she opened her eyes again, she let out a small chuckle as she said, “We'll have to leave early so that we can spend the day together in Blytonbury. Does eight o'clock work for you?”

“Eight o'clock sounds perfect!” The brunette responded as she sat back in her seat. “I'll even pack lunch for us!” She added excitedly.

“Akko, you really don't have to do-”

“Bop-bop-bop!” Akko spoke up, interrupting her crush with a gentle boop on her nose. “I want to, and there's nothing you could say that would change my mind on the matter.”

Diana blushed in embarrassment, absentmindedly bringing a hand up to her nose. “V-very well...”

“I'm already looking forward to our next date! I can't wait!” The red-eyed woman had a big goofy grin on her face. Her facial expression soon changed to a nervous one once a blush took over her cheeks as she began to say, “A-and, uh, speaking of dates... Are you free after work today?”

“I finished my shift about an hour ago. Why do you ask?”

“G-great! That's great!” Akko sounded relieved, turning her head to stare at the clock that hung over the storage room door. It was only three forty right now. “My shift is going to end soon. Think that you could stick around for another twenty minutes? I-I was thinking that maybe you and I could see a movie and have dinner together... O-only if it's okay with you! I'd understand if you don't want to, or if you already have plans...”

“Akko, that sounds lovely. I'd love to go.”

“S-seriously?”

Diana stifled a giggle at the back of her hand. “Yes, seriously.”

Almost in an instant, the barista rose from her chair and quickly made her way around the table to scoop Diana up in a hug. The blonde let out a squeal when Akko started to spin around a couple of times before she let her down again, but the red-eyed woman still had her arms around Diana's waist to support her.

Feeling a bit dazed, Diana settled her hands on the tall woman's shoulders to steady herself. “I'm happy that you're happy, but please... give me a warning next time.” She said with a small laugh.

In response Akko had an adorable pout on her face, spouting an apology, “I-I'm sorry, Diana. Would a medium chai tea latte make you feel better? My treat.” She offered.

The blonde was not only impressed but she was also swayed at the fact that the tomboy remembered her favorite drink. Sure, there may be the possibility that Akko may have a good memory since she probably remembers most of her customers’ orders, but for the moment Diana can't help but feel special since she was receiving Akko's undivided attention.

“A latte does sound nice right now.” Diana conceded with Akko's proposal, but she remained insistent on one thing... “I'll still be paying for it though.”

Akko chuckled. “If you insist, pretty girl.”

Before everyone knew it, the weekend was here and the weather was a pleasant one for a very special day. Or, perhaps a very special date seems to be more accurate for a certain brunette, who was already eagerly waiting on the front porch of the café for Diana to come and pick her up.

Besides constantly staring at her wristwatch, Akko also kept double-checking everything inside the picnic basket she had settled on the table. A possible downside of being ready early for an outing or event was the anxious feeling you get from being excited for what's to come, or that you might be forgetting something important, or just waiting around in general.

By all means, Akko could go back inside and just occupy herself with something upstairs, or maybe help out a little bit in the café, but the last thing she wants is to get too distracted with what she's doing which will result in her forgetting about Diana altogether by making the doctor wait for her. And so...

Waiting it is... The red-eyed woman thought to herself in defeat, staring down at her watch for the umpteenth time this morning. It was only seven-thirty. Thirty more minutes to go. It honestly doesn't feel like a lot, and yet... It feels like an eternity...! She groaned, closing her eyes for a moment before she opened them again in determination. Alright, airport security one last time! I hope!

But before Akko could even try to rummage inside the basket again...

“How many more times are you going to fret over the food?” A familiar voice said in a teasing manner.

When Akko looked up, she saw her Godmother walk through the door of the café, approaching her table but chose not to sit quite yet.

The older woman looked quite unsure of what to do with herself, but she at least found the courage to ask, “...May I join you?”

“S-sure.” The tomboy gave a small shake of her head. When Chariot sat herself down across from her, she made sure to respond to the teasing, “And I'm just making sure that I'm not forgetting anything!”

“If you say so.” Chariot merely chuckled, leaning back and slouching a bit in her seat as she closed her eyes in momentary respite. She soon let out a content sigh as she stated a well-known fact, “Look kiddo, I may be starting to get old, but I can still tell when you're impatient. Just relax.”

“I am not impatient.” Akko insisted with an angry pout.

The café owner hummed while showing a small smile, deep down knowing that she didn't have to open her eyes to see that her Godchild is currently pouting. In some ways, despite her age, the girl still acted like a child.

Pretty soon a comfortable silence fell between them. A silence that the red-haired woman started to appreciate as she was slowly succumbing to slumber. ...A little nap won't hurt. She thought to herself, letting out a yawn while she got more comfortable in her chair.

But unfortunately...

“So, you're taking your break now?”

The silence did not last for very long.

“Yes,” Chariot sighed in response, mostly in disappointment since it's clearly evident that she won't be able to enjoy a thirty-minute nap. Oh well. She soon turned her head to the side, ultimately opening her eyes as she decided to humor the girl with conversation. “I figure that Lotte and Sucy are quite capable of holding down the fort while I relax for a bit. Now more so since the morning rush ended.”

Akko merely hummed in acknowledgment, directing her gaze elsewhere as she absentmindedly leaned back on her chair, pushing her foot against the pole support under the table. The outdoor seating of the café is bolted down to the front porch so it was relatively safe for the brunette to lean back and balance herself like she was doing, or at least she was perfectly fine until her Godmother brought up a certain topic...

“So, how are things going with Diana?” Chariot asked her, straightening up in her seat before she leaned forward and prompted her elbows on the table. She rested her chin on the top of her hands as she looked at the red-eyed woman with a smile. “Well, I hope?”

Almost instantly, Akko's eyes widened as a huge blush had spread to the entirety of her face as she muttered, “Uh...”

She definitely did not expect the older woman to ask such a question. Akko didn't even notice that she had accidentally pushed off a bit too much against the table, which obviously resulted in her falling backward onto the hardwood floor of the porch, and since she had also fallen along with her chair... the landing was not so good for her poor back.

“Itai...!” The tomboy groaned in pain, squeezing her eyes shut as she carefully maneuvered herself away from the chair.

“Akko!” Chariot yelled in concern, clearly in shock over the spectacle that just happened. Standing up from her seat, she quickly hurried over to check on the girl.

Soon enough, Akko surprisingly started to laugh to distract herself from the pain. She reached behind her back to try and rub against the sore spot, waving her Godmother off in reassurance with her free hand. “It's okay. I'm fine, I'm fine...”

The redhead looked quite unsure, feeling the need to ask, “...Are you sure?”

“Yep. Very sure.”

“I beg to differ. That was quite the overreaction over something I said.”

Because, for me, IT'S EMBARRASSING! Akko thought to herself, whimpering a bit as she finally managed to sit up, and with her Godmother's help she sat properly in the chair once again. “Y-your question took me by surprise... that's all.” She insisted.

“I can see that.” Chariot chuckled, returning to her seat. “Forgive me. I was just curious, and I thought that it wouldn't hurt to ask how your life is going without meddling too much.” She explained herself, adding, “You know, unlike a certain someone...”

Please. Don't remind me...! The brunette tried her best not to scowl at the mention of that person. Not letting the remark ruin her good mood, Akko decided to skim over it. “I know. And, I'm sorry too. For overreacting.” She apologized. “I appreciate that you care about me.”

The café owner smiled, but she was still expecting an answer to her earlier question. “So, will I get an answer? Or, will I be left in suspense until further notice?”

Almost all too soon, the blush returned to Akko's cheeks. Feeling bashful, she merely brought a hand up to scratch the back of her neck as a minor distraction. “...T-things are going well between us. At least, I-I'd like to think so.”

“That's great to hear!” Chariot clapped her hands in joy, letting her curiosity take over as she asked another question, “And with today's main activity, it will be date number...?”

“Four.” The tomboy answered with a small grin, fondly remembering her past three dates with the woman she was interested in.

Her very first date with Diana was at the French bistro, their second was at a bowling alley – which was a rather amusing outing considering that the doctor literally pulled a muscle in her arm attempting to impress her, but Diana still surprisingly managed to get a strike on that turn despite the slight humiliation – and earlier this week, the two of them went to the movies together.

Their previous dates together were really fun, and Akko is looking forward to their date at the botanical garden. However, on this date in particular, she's hoping that she could pop up a question to her crush but...

I'm not sure if I should... The red-eyed woman thought nervously, twiddling her thumbs while lost in thought.

Noticing that look, Chariot called on her Godchild. “Something on your mind, kiddo?” She asked in concern.

“It's nothing major, but...” As she bit her lip in hesitation, Akko ultimately decided to go with her gut. There really wasn't any harm in asking for an opinion anyways. “I was thinking about whether or not to ask Diana if she's willing to be my girlfriend.” She confessed.

“Then, why don't you?”

“Maman, this isn't my first rodeo in the romance department.”

“And I'm well aware of that, but I still fail to see your predicament.”

Akko sighed, a bit exasperatedly that she had meant to as she slouched in her seat. Leaning her head back, she idly stared at the sky while watching some clouds pass by for a moment before she went into more detail. “Truth is: this is Diana's first relationship. Like. Ever. And right now, we're just testing out the waters, so to speak. I want to ask her to be my girlfriend, but I also don't want to rush or force her into anything, you know?”

“Hmm, I see.” Chariot nodded in understanding. “Well, the way I see things... If I were you, I'd still take the courage to ask her. There's no harm in asking, and the worst Diana can say is no.”

“If you're trying to rub salt in the wound concerning my past crushes, then you're doing a 'terrific' job...” The tomboy grumbled sarcastically.

Trying her best to maintain a good poker face, the redhead continued to say, “Or, the less painful answer: Maybe. There may be a slight chance where she could say that she's not quite ready to make things official between the two of you.”

“Of course...” Akko sighed, closing her eyes in defeat while slouching further in her seat. “Typical answer.”

Chariot couldn't help but laugh this time around. “I'm sorry, kiddo. But what else do you want me to say?”

“Honestly, I don't know. I guess I'll just wing it.”

“Akko, you don't have to-”

A car horn suddenly blared through the vicinity, effectively startling both women as they turned their heads toward the direction of the noise.

The two of them were surprised to see that Diana had already parked her car in front of the café. When exactly? They weren't too sure, but it must've been a while if Diana actually turned off the car and simply situated herself to sit on the car door of the driver's side, folding her arms on top of the roof of the vehicle as she waited to be noticed. She didn't look mad. Quite the opposite actually, with a little hint of embarrassment as a huge blush took over her cheeks.

The poor girl tensed up at being the center of attention, bringing her hands up in defense as she stammered, “S-sorry! My leg fell asleep, and I accidentally brushed it against the wheel! T-that's why the horn went off...” She explained while spouting apologies.

From where she was Diana could clearly see the two women laughing good-naturedly on the porch, their earlier conversation was clearly forgotten. It truly seemed like her humiliation knew no bounds as of late, so much so in fact that the physician is starting to wonder if she was cursed...

Groaning to herself, Diana merely laid her head down. Trying her best to hide from the world in her folded arms as she thought, Smooth Cavendish, smooth...

Once they managed to compose themselves, Akko finally rose from her chair.

“I guess that's my cue to get a move on.” The brunette joked while letting out a chuckle. Taking the picnic basket with her, she turned away from her Godmother as she was about to head down the small steps of the establishment. “I'll see you later, Maman.”

However, before she could, Akko felt a pair of hands on her shoulders. What impressed Akko the most was how surprisingly strong the grip was, but it wasn't enough to hurt her. The action was merely done to stop her in place. “Un instant s'il vous plaît.”

Having been forced to stop in her tracks, the red-eyed tomboy turned around to face the older woman. “Oui?” She said hesitantly in a manner that practically said, 'Am I in trouble...?'

“Non. Vous n'êtes pas en difficulté.” Chariot responded with a small smile, gently tucking a strand of hair behind the girl's ear. She then stole a glance toward Diana, who had yet to move from her spot since she was still moping in her own little world, and so Chariot returned her gaze to her Godchild and said what she wanted to say, “I hope that you have fun today with Diana.”

“Thank yo-”

“And,” The café owner raised her voice a little, emphasizing that she wasn't done yet. “As I was trying to say to you earlier... You don't need to wing it, Akko. Just have fun. Enjoy the day, the moment, the TIME that you get to spend with her. Cherish it. Like I said, “The worst thing Diana could say is no.” And even then, it doesn't necessarily mean rejection. She may just need time to adjust to something new in her life. Give it time. So long as the both of you enjoy your time together, everything else will fall right into place. You'll see.”

Now that was sound advice and one that Akko could certainly get behind. A small grin worked its way on her face as she finally responded to her guardian, “Go with the flow. Got it. Anything else I should know?”

Smiling from ear to ear, Chariot finally releases Akko's shoulders. “That's all the wisdom I wanted to give to you. Have fun today, kiddo. You deserve it.”

Soon enough, the brunette's grin was fully evident on her face. “Thanks! I'll see you later, Maman!”

Once Akko said her goodbyes, the older woman saw after her until the tomboy reached Diana's car before she headed inside the café to resume the rest of her shift.

When Akko went down the small steps of the establishment, she soon stopped short in front of Diana's car. Her red-eyed gaze soon fell on her crush, who had yet to move from her spot since her most recent humiliation stunt. Akko found it cute that Diana was trying so hard to impress her.

Approaching the vehicle, she carefully placed the picnic basket on the passenger's seat since the windows were down before she leaned against the car door and folded her arms on the roof of the car. More amusing still was the fact that during this entire process Diana had yet to raise her head to acknowledge her, and so with what she hoped was a charming smile Akko lightly tapped her knuckles on the roof of the car.

The light thump was enough to snap the young Cavendish from her moping episode, quickly raising her head and her blue eyes immediately locked onto Akko's. The poor girl resembled a deer caught in headlights as she remained frozen in place, but she mustered up the courage to mutter a barely audible, “H-hi...”

“Hello to you too, pretty girl.” The tomboy greeted her. Her smile soon faltered a bit, looking a bit guilty as she asked, “Were you waiting long? If so, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get distracted...” She apologized.

Diana perked up at that, her eyes widening in alarm as she was quick to reassure her date. “No, no, no! You're absolutely fine, Akko! I wasn't waiting for too long.”

Akko didn't look convinced. Raising a brow in suspicion, she decided to verify once again. “...Are you sure?”

The blonde reached over, gently holding onto Akko's hand in her own while maintaining eye contact with her to show that she was serious. “Yes, I'm sure.”

The brunette tried her best to ignore the butterflies in her stomach, her arms no doubt covered in goosebumps due to holding hands with her crush. Her own ears felt warm too, and she wouldn't be too surprised if they were red enough for Diana to notice.

Evidently, it must've been plain as day since the physician was trying her best not to coo at her. Despite her date's reaction, Akko still felt happy over such a simple action.

“Alright, pretty girl. I'll take your word for it.” With a soft smile gracing her features, the red-eyed woman gently squeezed Diana's hand. As soon as she did she felt a squeeze in return, and as much as she would like to stay in the moment for a bit longer... The two of them have a date to go to. “So, shall we go?”

“Certainly.”

After their hour commute to Blytonbury, both women finally arrived at their destination. Botanical gardens feature plant life in all its varied forms, even more so during the spring and summer growing season since most of the plants will be at their peak.

Many botanical gardens are quite large and may not all be seen in one day, which is fine. Whether or not they got to see the garden as a whole was the least of Diana's concerns. After all, nothing was stopping them from planning another outing sometime in the future.

Just thinking about it brought a small blush to the physician's cheeks. Once she paid the entrance fee, she met up with her date, who was eagerly waiting for her by the garden entrance.

“Are we all set?” Akko asked her with a smile.

“Yes,” Diana answered with a nod of her head. “I sincerely hope you picked some good walking shoes today. I wouldn't want you to have regrets later.” She teased.

“Shoes or no shoes, we're still going to be tired and achy once the day is over.” The brunette told honestly once the two of them walked through the gates together. “It's inevitable.”

“That's also true.” The blonde giggled, not denying the fact.

From there, the girls went to the nearest directory and planned their route. Akko was very pleased to see that this botanical garden allowed their guests to bring their own picnic and spread out a blanket, which obviously worked in favor of their lunch later on.

The garden also offered other kinds of activities for their guests to enjoy, but the girls merely settled with their paced tour and their eventual picnic for the day.

And so their walk, and their date, began in earnest.

Both women were instantly fascinated from all the foliage and greenery surrounding them. So many flowers were in bloom, though there were a few that were slightly behind the blooming process. Every so often the two of them would hear birds in the vicinity, some of them would fly by the area while others are in flocks as they rested on tree branches, a large cacophony of hoots and tweets filled the garden space as they interacted.

“Wow. Those are the loudest birds I have ever heard in my life.” Akko commented, turning her head toward where she heard the commotion. It was almost impossible to ignore it. “Do you think that they're having a business meeting?” She joked with a grin.

Amused, Diana stifled a giggle at the back of her hand. “That, or maybe they're having a lively family reunion?” She suggested.

The two of them shared a laugh. Either one of those scenarios seemed probable, but of course neither of them could speak bird so it'll remain a mystery.

“Ooh! Diana, look!” The red-eyed woman pointed to a batch of flowers. “It's a Hummingbird! I've never really seen one up close before!” She said in awe, her red eyes growing wider in fascination as she watched the creature feeding on the plants.

Witnessing such a beautiful display, the young Cavendish couldn't help but smile at seeing her date's enthusiasm. Akko's child-like behavior was such an entertaining sight to see.

Afraid of stepping closer and interrupting the animal's feeding session, Akko absentmindedly hooked her arm with the blonde's to keep herself in place. The last thing she wanted was to startle the creature.

An action that certainly didn't go unnoticed by the physician, who was trying her best to remain as composed as possible to not appear weird in public, but she was obviously failing. Of course, it's not to say that Diana was opposed to the slight predicament she was in. Truth be told, she was relishing every second of it. She honestly wouldn't be surprised if a huge blush had taken over the entirety of her face by this point.

Luckily, Diana wasn't too distracted as Akko's 'Oohs' and 'Aahs' brought her back to the present. She then turned her blue-eyed gaze to the fine specimen that her date was still ogling at. Upon doing so, her fond smile from earlier turned into a slight frown...

“Um, Akko...” Diana hates being the bearer of bad news, especially since she'll unfortunately have to botch the moment. “...That's not a Hummingbird. W-well, in a way, it IS, but not quite...” She told the brunette before she let out a small sigh.

How do I put this delicately...? The doctor asked herself, bringing her free hand up to her temple as she thought of her next words. Once she found them, she clarified things by saying, “This 'bird' is actually an insect, known as the Hummingbird Hawkmoth. This fascinating creature is surprisingly often mistaken for the Hummingbird, a bird that's not native here.”

Instinctively, Akko held onto Diana's arm even tighter, not enough to hurt her though. “What?! Are you serious?”

These facts seemed to be news for the barista, who's eyes widened in surprise from hearing this information.

“Y-yes, very much so.” Trying her best to focus on the conversation, Diana continued with her explanation, “A-and, if I'm not mistaken, you should've at least seen the Hummingbird Hawkmoth every so often in your home country since it's one of the few countries that they reside in.”

At hearing this, the tomboy couldn't help but voice a slow, “...Huh?” While still trying to process the information, she confessed, “I honestly never really paid attention. I lived in a city, and it wasn't every day that I actually got to go out and spend the day at a park...”

It may not be her place to make assumptions, but the blonde took a guess. “Too busy making a living?”

“Yeah...” Akko answered rather distractedly, looking rather sad while having a far-off look in her eyes. “Now that I think about it... there aren't any Hummingbirds in Japan.” She added as an afterthought.

“Sadly, there aren't any in the UK either...” Diana muttered quietly, somehow feeling rather responsible for the sudden mood shift. “They prefer warmer climates.”

“Well then, that's another thing to add to my bucket list.” The barista suddenly proclaimed, detaching her arm from Diana's to cross her arms.

Not wanting to pout in disappointment from the loss of contact, the blonde asked, “Add what? If you don't mind me asking.”

“Travel to another country. Preferably, one with a warmer climate so that I can see my first Hummingbird in person!” Akko's mood shifted to a cheerful one once again as she said this, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the mere thought of adventure. “It'll be a vacation!”

“That does sound exciting.” Diana conceded with a smile, feeling relieved that Akko was cheerful again.

“Right?! It'd be awesome if you could come with me too!”

“Excuse me?”

Her date was certainly full of surprises.

“You heard me! You and I could go on an adventure together!” Akko repeated excitedly, grabbing both of Diana's hands in both of her own as she continued her thought. “We could go to the Philippines or Hawaii for some hula dancing, or-or any of the Caribbean islands for all I care! Admittedly, I'm not much of a dancer, but I think I wouldn't mind taking some salsa lessons too. I heard that it's very fun!” She finished her ramble with a nervous laugh.

Just hearing the mere idea was already a dream come true, but even so...

Somebody, pinch me. I must be dreaming. The young Cavendish pleaded to no one in particular.

Smiling in kind, Diana managed to find her voice. “That sounds like a grand idea, Akko. Though, surely, there's a lot to plan for that kind of vacation.” She stated.

“I know. It's still something to think about.” Letting go of Diana's hands, the brunette reached inside her pocket to fish out her cellphone. She then set up the camera on her phone before she slowly started to approach the hawkmoth, which was still getting a bountiful harvest from the batch of flowers it was in. “And to look forward to.” She added with a wink in Diana's direction once she finished snapping her picture.

The blonde groaned in embarrassment, shyly averting her eyes as a massive blush took over her cheeks. Her reaction was rewarded with a laugh from her date, which no doubt made Diana's heart flutter from hearing it.

Moving on, the girls explored different areas of the botanical garden. They visited some separate areas like the rose and desert gardens and a conservation space that housed tropical specimens as well as cacti, orchids, and succulents. Both women took their time walking and took breaks whenever they needed it, they also took a lot of pictures along the way.

Before they knew it, it was lunch time. And so both women headed over to the break area of the botanical garden, which had a huge expanse of grass for miles around for the guests to do as they pleased. Once the two of them found a comfortable spot, Akko handed the picnic basket for Diana to hold while she began to set up a blanket for them to sit on.

While her date set things up, Diana looked off to the side, noticing in the distance that there was a gardening class going on. Some of the participants were adults, but a good majority of them turned out to be children. The group seemed to be a part of a school trip since they all wore matching uniforms, and judging by how they looked, the kids seemed to attend a prestigious academy.

Following her line of sight, the brunette spoke up, “I remember the last time I went to a botanical garden I was in elementary school. It was probably in my third or fourth grade year on a school trip.” She chuckled, letting herself fall on the ground once the blanket was set up. When she settled her hands underneath her head, she looked up at some clouds that were passing by. “To be honest, I'm not too sure about the details from that point in my life.”

Smiling, Diana sat down to join her, setting the picnic basket beside her. “I'm the opposite. I have an easier time recalling my childhood.”

Intrigued, Akko turned her head to the side to stare at her date. “Is that a fact?”

The blonde couldn't help but laugh, confessing, “Okay, I'll concede that I don't remember it a hundred percent, but I do remember a good chunk of it.”

The barista smirked, chuckling for a bit before she sat up. She reached for the picnic basket, rummaging through its contents as she said, “I hope that you're hungry! I've made us some gyoza as an appetizer and panini sandwiches as our main course.” She announced, laying the containers on the blanket.

While Diana was familiar with one food item, she was unfamiliar with the other... It did, however, look delicious.

Curious, the young Cavendish reached out for the snack. As she inspected it, she asked, “What's a gyoza?”

“Gyoza is a Japanese style of potstickers that consists of a meat base, traditionally pork, mixed in with garlic chives, finely minced cabbage, and sometimes shitake mushrooms all wrapped into a thin wonton wrapper. Gyoza is usually dipped in a mixture of soy sauce and rice vinegar with some chili oil called ra-yu dribbled in. Oftentimes it is either served as a side order to ramen, but in Japan, you can also find people eating it with rice. Depending on the type of gyoza, the sauce it is eaten with may vary.” Akko explained.

“So... it's similar to a dumpling, correct?”

“No. While the two are similar, dumplings and gyoza have distinctly different flavor, texture, and cooking techniques that set them apart.”

Diana hummed thoughtfully as she heard the information, and as she took an exploratory bite... she was quite surprised that the snack had retaliated. Instinctively, she instantly brought a hand up to her chin to stop the juices from dribbling down her chin.

Trying her best to suppress her giggles, but failing to do so, the red-eyed woman took out a bundle of napkins from inside the basket. Taking a couple of them, she reached up to hold Diana's chin and with the other hand she helped clean up the mess.

Flustered, Diana's body went rigid due to Akko being so close to her. The poor girl tried to focus her eyes on something else while Akko finished.

“Sorry,” Akko giggled, retracting her hands once the crisis was taken care of. “I should've given you a heads up about that...” She apologized.

“I-it's quite alright...” The blonde muttered, mustering a small smile. Her cheeks had a rosy hue on them as she added, “Thank you, by the way. The gyoza was delicious.”

The brunette returned that smile with one of her own, deep down feeling happy that her culinary creations were enjoyed. “You're welcome.”

Once their lunch break was over, both women got to a section of the botanical garden that Akko was really excited about when she first noticed it in the directory.

Unable to contain her excitement, Akko took hold of Diana's hand and dragged her along. Once they walked through the gate, the physician's mouth hung open in amazement once she laid eyes on the garden before her...

It was absolutely breathtaking.

The Japanese garden design appears most prominently as the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. This garden style is more relaxed, especially when compared to European gardens. The Asian plants are laid out in distinct areas of smaller flowering trees and shrubs in the foreground, with hills, a small pond, and forest trees in the background.

The plants in the foreground are pruned into rounded shapes, to be reminiscent of hills and clouds. Another form of Japanese garden design is the Stroll-Garden style. In this style of garden, a path is placed in the garden to allow the visitor to “stroll” through the garden, experiencing various focal points within the garden.

And this botanical space was big enough to display both, and Diana was thankful that she actually got to see it.

“It's beautiful, isn't it?”

Akko's voice was enough to bring Diana back to the present. When she turned her head to look at her date, she replied, “Yes, it is.”

She soon got startled when she felt a soft squeeze on her hand, and when she looked down Diana couldn't help but blush when she saw that Akko was still holding her hand. Not that she minded, but she couldn't help but be flustered over the action. “U-um...”

Following her gaze, Akko's eyes fell down to their joined hands. Unlike her date, she was taking the situation in stride.

“...Is this alright?” The barista asked rather quietly. When Diana looked up to meet her gaze, she noticed that Akko was blushing, not by much like herself, but it was noticeable. Akko had a determined look on her face as she added in reassurance, “If not, then, we can stop if you're uncomfortable.”

Upon hearing that, the blonde's eyes widened as she instantly blurted out, “No!” Her reaction made the red-eyed woman give out a hearty laugh, and Diana couldn't help but pout in displeasure. “I-I... w-what I meant was...”

“It's alright, pretty girl.” Akko assured. “We'll do what you want. And, I don't know if anyone has told you this before but... you're awfully cute when you're angry.” With a grin, she brought their joined hands up, laying a soft kiss on the top of Diana's hand.

She's definitely enjoying this! The young Cavendish thought to herself, clearly embarrassed as her pout intensified. However, she'd be lying to herself if she didn't at the very least admit that she was swooned from hearing the woman's words, along with the gesture. Though, that's a fact that she'll keep to herself.

Gathering some form of composure, Diana shook her head to shake the feeling off. She then walked off, dragging Akko along with her as she said, “Let's go. Surely, there's a lot more for us to see.”

Knowing that she was slightly in trouble, the barista merely kept her mouth shut and let herself be led by her crush. Though, it didn't stop her from grinning all the while.

Together, they went off to explore the Japanese garden. Both women took in all the sights, took pictures, and Akko even opened up talking about her culture, which was certainly a good learning experience for Diana since she likes hearing what Akko had to say.

Once they explored everything, they soon strolled out hand in hand, until the brunette suddenly stopped.

Confused, Diana turned to look at her date, who had a rather pained expression on her face. Furrowing her brows in concern, she asked, “Is everything okay?”

“Um...” Akko closed her eyes, releasing a breath that she didn't realize she was holding. “Can we... sit down for a bit? Please?”

“Yes, of course.”

The young Cavendish looked around the vicinity, spotting an intersection that had a water fountain for people to sit on. It wasn't a proper bench like she had hoped, but it was certainly better than nothing. I suppose that it'll have to do... She conceded.

“I found a spot that we could rest in, but... it's a bit of a walk.” Diana informed her date, who still had her eyes closed while she took deep breaths. “Is that alright?”

Akko vaguely nodded in response, letting herself be led.

Once they've made it, the red-eyed woman was the first one to sit down on the edge of the fountain, letting out a relieved sigh while she stretched out her legs. As Akko tried to relax, the physician kneeled down to search inside the picnic basket that Akko had set on the ground to look for their water bottles. Evidently, both of their water bottles were empty due to all the walking they did throughout the day. 

Unsure on what to do, Diana sat down next to her. “Do you need anything? I could go and try to find a concession stand if you need some water.” She offered.

The barista shook her head, still having her eyes closed. “I'll be fine. I just need to rest my feet for a bit...” She insisted.

The physician didn't look convinced. There seemed to be more going on, but at the same time Diana didn't want to overstep her bounds. “Are you sure that there isn't anything I could do for you, Akko?” She asked again.

“Just... stay.” The brunette sighed, wearily as she shifted closer, laying her head on Diana's shoulder. “Is that okay?”

The doctor's body grew stiff at first, no doubt being a bit surprised for being in this position, but soon enough she managed to relax once again. “O-of course...” She stammered.

Akko merely smiled. She didn't even have to open her eyes to see that Diana was currently blushing. “Thank you, Diana.”

The two of them remained like that for some time, in silence as they enjoyed each other's company. They would look at the plants from afar and the occasional fauna that would fly by the vicinity. Well, to be precise, Diana was the one who was focusing on her surroundings, bird watching and even witnessing a flutter of butterflies hovering near their spot.

Every now and then, the young Cavendish would worriedly look down at Akko, who hasn't opened her eyes since she laid her head down on Diana's shoulder, not that she minded.

She must be tired. Diana thought with a fond smile, gently bringing a hand up to brush some of Akko's bangs away from her face.

The action caused Akko to stir, though not by much. She did finally open her eyes, however, catching Diana in the act.

Smiling, the brunette quietly said, “Hey.”

Flustered, and being caught red-handed, the blonde retracted her hand away as she shyly returned the greeting, “H-hey...”

Amused from the woman's reaction, Akko couldn't help but chuckle.

Thankfully, Diana's embarrassment didn't last for very long as concern took over once again. “Are you feeling any better?” She asked.

“Much better.” The red-eyed woman replied, absentmindedly laying her hands on top of her knees. As she did so, Diana couldn't help but take note of how tight Akko squeezed her hands, particularly her left hand rather than her right. “I guess I picked the wrong shoes to walk in today after all.” She joked with a smile.

Half-heartedly, the physician returned that smile with one of her own. She couldn't put her finger on it, but her intuition as a doctor kept telling her that something was wrong just by Akko's smile alone. It was a practiced mask of indifference, and the woman wore it well.

Suspicions aside, Diana ultimately decided to play along. “I warned you.”

“Hey now, I can't be the only one with achy feet from all the walking we did today!”

“No. It's just you. Honestly, I could run a marathon if I wanted.”

“Okay,” Akko spoke up, pointing at Diana with a disbelieving look on her face. “Now, I KNOW that's a lie!”

The young Cavendish laughed, folding her confident outlook as she admitted, “You got me. To be honest, I'm not very athletic. I'd probably kill over half way through the mile.”

“Aw, running ain't that bad.” The brunette insisted. “Exhausting, sure, but strangely it's refreshing once you achieve the runner's high.”

“I beg to differ. I had my fair share of PE when I attended school, thank you.”

“I assume that gym was your least favorite class?”

“Definitely.”

The two of them shared a laugh, and silence fell between them once again. But it was soon lifted when Akko spoke up again, “Say, Diana...”

At the sound of her name, the blonde turned her head to the side, giving Akko her undivided attention. “Yes?”

“U-um...” The tomboy mumbled for a bit, her cheeks having a rosy hue to them as she crossed her arms over her chest. As a distraction, she looked up at the sky as she finally found the courage to continue by saying, “W-what do you think about us? You know... as a potential couple.”

Did I hear that correctly? Diana wondered to herself, her blue eyes widening in shock over what she just heard. However, instead of responding properly, all that came out of her mouth was, “...U-ple?”

Breaking the seriousness of the moment, Akko couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh. “What?” She wheezed, clearly out of breath. Managing to take another breath, she asked, “Did you just say apple? How cute!” She cooed.

“Stop~! That's NOT what I meant to say!” The physician groaned in embarrassment, her face beet red over the spectacle that just happened. Her humiliation truly knows no bounds it seems. And yet, just hearing Akko's laughter was like a mere ray of sunshine. It made her feel warm, it made her feel alive.

“I don't know. I think this tops your ewgs comment when we met for the first time.” The red-eyed woman teased, lightly tickling Diana's sides.

“Bloody hell...” Diana sighed, laughing slightly as she playfully swatted the woman's hands away. “I'm never gonna live this down, am I?”

“Never ever.”

“Lucky me...”

“Anyways, uh... you never really answered my question.” Akko reminded her. She had a determined look on her face as she said, “I mean, I'd totally understand if you're not ready to make things official between us but honestly... I'd want nothing more than to hold your hand and yell to the rooftops just to say that you're my girlfriend.”

The young Cavendish was stunned, speechless even as no words came to her aid. At this very moment, she felt flattered, cherished even at the fact that Akko truly wanted to pursue a relationship with her. And if she were honest with herself... she actually liked the idea. Just the mere thought of it brought a goofy smile to her face, though she managed to hide her smile enough to not make a fool of herself. Even so, her heart pounded with excitement from it all.

In response, Diana merely scooted closer to her date, close enough for their shoulders to touch. She then leaned close, brushing her forehead against Akko's as she whispered, “I like the sound of that.”

“So... is that a yes?” The barista inquired with a smile on her face, her eyes half-lidded as she briefly glanced at the blonde lips. Silently asking for permission.

In the end, she didn't need to.

“I'd like to think so.”

What happened next caught Akko off guard. Initially, she was the one who initiated the conversation, and she intended to take the lead if things went her way, however... Diana had beat her to it.

It was like she was under a spell. One moment she was staring at Diana, and the next thing she knew the physician had closed her eyes and her lips met with hers...

Akko was absolutely stunned, but she soon recovered as her own eyes closed and kissed her back. The kiss itself wasn't that long, but it felt like a blissful eternity for both women as they simply enjoyed the moment.

Almost all too soon, their kiss ended, much to Akko's slight disappointment. Before a pout could make its way on her face, being replaced with a fond smile instead once she saw Diana's face. The young Cavendish had a shy smile of her own, averting her eyes from her new girlfriend as a heavy blush took over her cheeks by the storm, likely questioning her own actions at this point. Not that there was a hint of regret on her face, quite the opposite actually.

Swooned, the barista laid a hand on her chest. “It's official: I'm swept off my feet.”

With a playful roll of her eyes, Diana merely responded by lightly punching her shoulder.

Chapter Text

The day, along with their date, went by in a blink of an eye and pretty soon both women decided to call it a day. Since Diana was the one who drove them to Blytonbury, Akko volunteered to drive them home so that her girlfriend could rest.

On the ride back to Wedinburgh, the brunette would glance at Diana every so often, who was fast asleep on the passenger's seat. Not that she minded. After all the walking they did today, it was only natural that they would be exhausted. Though, unlike Diana, Akko at the very least had the slight advantage of resting her eyes during their date.

Pretty soon the drive was coming to an end once they arrived in the city, and it wasn't long until the red-eyed woman recognized her surroundings. When she stopped at a red light, Akko sighed while shifting in her seat to be more comfortable, and when she decided to stretch her arms above her head... her eyes widened in horror once she took a glance at the rearview mirror.

“You've got to be kidding me...!” The barista whispered in disbelief, her irritation no doubt flaring up as she laid her hands on the steering wheel. It's okay, it's okay... She thought calmly to herself, deciding her next course of action, I'll try to lose them on the next intersection. No biggie.

From there, the light had finally turned green and Akko started driving once again. She tried her best to remain composed and hurriedly tries to lose the pursuer on intersections with busy traffic. As she did so, the red-eyed woman was very careful with playing a bit with the speed limit.

Four streets and intersections later... She still has a persistent customer.

Akko silently cursed under her breath, clicking her tongue in displeasure as she did a sharp turn at the end of a street. She must've done it a bit too fast considering the turn was enough to move Diana from her spot, jostling her from her slumber when they hit a bump in the road.

“Bloody hell...” The blonde groaned, bringing a hand up to massage her neck, which was likely sore due to her sleeping position. She then blinked, her eyes coming into focus as she took in her surroundings and immediately realized that they weren't anywhere near the café. In fact, they weren't anywhere near the suburbs either. Furrowing her brows in confusion, she turned her head to look at her new girlfriend and asked, “Um, Akko... Do you know where we are going?”

The reply she received was a curt one. “Yes.”

Casting a quick reassuring glance toward the physician, the tomboy merely focused on the road, briefly glancing at the rearview mirror. Taking note of how she answered the first time around, Akko made sure to soften her tone this time as she explained, “I just thought that we could take the scenic route. I don't want our date to end just yet...”

While Diana could tell that her girlfriend was being genuine, she can't help but feel suspicious over Akko's behavior. “Akko, is there something wrong?” She asked.

“What?” The red-eyed woman let out a shaky laugh, stopping the car at another red light before she turned to look at the doctor with a smile. “There's nothing wrong.”

As she said so, Diana caught the brunette glancing at the rearview mirror once again, only for Akko to get flustered and start looking around, finally settling down somewhat once she found what she was looking for.

Diana's lips pursed into a thin frown, leaning forward in her seat a bit to look behind her girlfriend on the driver's side. At the stoplight, there was one other car besides theirs. Well, to be precise, this vehicle, in particular, was a police cruiser. Inside the police cruiser were two women, a tall lilac short-haired woman and her partner, who seemed to be on the short side. They merely conversed with one another as they patiently waited for the light to change.

There didn't seem to be anything suspicious, not from what the young Cavendish could tell anyway.

Shifting her attention back to her girlfriend, who seemed rather pale as she stared straight ahead, absentmindedly drumming her fingers against the steering wheel while trying to hum a random tune.

Soon enough, the light finally turned green, and Diana instinctively reached for the handlebar when Akko floored it. Feeling the breath being knocked out of her lungs, the physician soon recovered to glare at the red-eyed woman. “Akko!”

“My bad! Heavy foot!”

Akko's weak laugh then turned to a whine when she noticed that the police cruiser had changed lanes, and was now driving behind them once again.

More than concerned over her new girlfriend's demeanor, Diana asks, “Akko, what is going on?”

“Nothing!” The brunette insisted, exasperated while she kept an eye on the police cruiser. “Cross my heart! I swear on my grandmother's grave that nothing is going on!”

Diana looked skeptical, raising a brow as she stated, “Your shady behavior suggests otherwise. If what you're saying is indeed the truth, then why are you avoiding the police? Who, by the way, aren't even in pursuit?”

“I... I-I...” By this point, the tomboy couldn't even think straight, especially since she was being bombarded with questions. “I don't even know what to say, except... it's complicated.” She finished saying, her voice sounding squeaky near the end.

“Complicated? Really?”

“Yes! In fact, it's harassment!”

“EXCUSE ME?!” The young Cavendish was absolutely flabbergasted from hearing this accusation from her girlfriend. She then slammed her hand against the car dash, causing Akko to flinch. “I have a RIGHT to know what's going on!”

Akko groaned in frustration. “I didn't mean YOU! I meant someone else, someone who shouldn't even be here!”

At this point, Diana has had enough. “Atsuko Kagari... If you can't be honest with me, then I'm sorry to say, we're over.”

By Kami! We just STARTED going out! Akko cried out in her thoughts, tightening her hold on the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. Damn it! Of all nights, why did it have to be this one?!

The tomboy was angry, but her anger wasn't directed at Diana. Furthermore, Diana was right. She had a right to know what was going on. After all, a relationship is mostly built on trust. Akko may be many things, but a liar is not one of them. She couldn't lie to people she cared about.

And so, Akko decided to come clean. “Dia-”

However, Akko's words soon died in her throat as a police siren blared out, effectively startling both women. And unfortunately, the siren itself was fully meant for them since the police cruiser was still on their tail...

“Akko...!” And now it was the physician's turn to look pale, certainly not liking the odds of how this situation could go. “Stop the car. Please.”

Kami-sama, why me? Sighing in defeat, the barista obliged her girlfriend's request.

Akko soon slowed down and parked the car on the side of the road, the police cruiser doing the same behind them.

Once Akko turned off the engine, she sat back in her seat, turning her head to look at Diana. “You happy now?” She asked, but there wasn't any sass in her tone. Her question was genuine.

“Yes. Thank you.” The blonde replied quietly, looking rather uncomfortable as her hands clenched the hem of her skirt. She didn't even want to look at the brunette right now.

In fact, Diana didn't even know what to think. She didn't even know what was going on, and it didn't help matters that her mind was already jumping to outrageous conclusions since the police were now officially involved.

...Am I, perhaps, dating a convict? A petty thief? The young Cavendish wondered, her mind racing as she blankly stared at her lap. Her heart pounded in fear just thinking of what-if scenarios, and yet... deep down, she was hoping that she was wrong about it all. That perhaps she was merely exaggerating everything and that there was a simple explanation to what was currently happening. No... Akko's a kind person. Gentle. Sweet. She's not the type of person who-

“Diana... Can you look at me? Please?”

Hesitantly, Diana raised her head and turned to look at the brunette.

Akko looked nervous, a bit scared even as she quietly said, “Are you willing to listen to what I have to say? It's not that bad, I promise.”

The doctor had a pinched expression on her face, hugging herself with her arms. “I...”

A tap from the window startled them from their conversation, and begrudgingly, the tomboy lowered the car window on the driver's side and greeted the officer with the typical phrase, “Is there a problem, officer?”

“I'd say there is.” The officer responded, their tone all business. With a flashlight on hand, they flashed it down at the car passengers. “With all the reckless driving you've been doing since you got into town. May I see your driver's license and vehicle registration, please?”

Both occupants remained silent.

Diana honestly wasn't exactly sure what to do, especially since she had never been pulled over by the cops before.

Akko, however, decided to go with the truth. “Sad to say, this isn't my car.”

Her statement certainly caught the policewoman's attention. And if Diana wasn't mistaken, the woman sounded rather amused as she said, “Not your car, eh?”

“That's right.”

“Uh-huh...” Then the lilac-haired woman turned her attention towards Diana, directly flashing the flashlight towards her. “What about you, miss? Are you a victim of a car hijacking, or an accomplice?” She interrogated.

“Heavens no!” The young Cavendish exclaimed from the top of her lungs. She was so frazzled to the point, that she couldn't even unbuckle her seat belt right away due to nerves, but she finally managed to do so and immediately opened the glove compartment to search for her vehicle registration papers. “In truth, this is my car! I-I even have the papers and my driver's license with me to prove it! I-If you'd just give me a moment, I'll-”

“Don't bother, Diana. Proof or no proof, there is absolutely nothing that this old broad can do against us.” Akko proclaimed, resolutely as she crossed her arms while glaring at the policewoman.

Upon hearing that, Diana stopped what she was doing and couldn't help but be mortified over what she just heard from the tomboy's mouth. Just what on earth is wrong with her tonight?! She then opened her mouth to chastise the girl, “Akko!”

Despite being scolded, the red-eyed woman remained firm. Showing no remorse whatsoever.

“Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to step out of the vehicle.”

Akko merely scoffed at hearing the command. “So, we're actually doing this? Really?”

Beyond concerned, Diana leaned over as best as she could and grabbed onto Akko's arm. “Akko, please! Just do what she says!” She pleaded.

“Don't make me repeat myself. Step out of the vehicle.”

“I'd rather get arrested...”

“Akko!”

After being scolded yet again, Akko went along with the officer's demands, but only because Diana told her to. Diana proceeded to exit the vehicle as well, and the moment she did... she immediately heard shouting from the other side of the car.

“Get your hands off me!”

“Stop resisting! You're making this worse for yourself than it already is!”

Bloody hell! The physician hurriedly made her way over to the other side to try and diffuse the conflict somehow, but when she got there, she soon found out that it wasn't how she was expecting the situation to go... “What the...?”

What Diana witnessed confused her more than anything. Initially, she thought that Akko was resisting arrest for not cooperating with the policewoman, but it appears to be something else entirely. Akko was trying to push the lilac-haired woman, who apparently wanted to hug her, away from her.

“Aw, come on!” The tall woman whined, wrestling with Akko to try and get close enough for a hug. “I JUST found out that you were in town for the first time in like, ten years, and you won't even hug me and say hello! So cold!”

“I have absolutely no reason to say hello to you whatsoever!” The brunette remarked with utmost rawness, trying to back away from the officer as she added, “By the way, this is harassment and complete abuse of your authority as a police officer!”

“It's just a harmless prank! No big deal! I just want to get a reaction out of you, maybe crap your pants a little, but still have a memory that we could both laugh about for years to come.”

“And this is exactly why we don't get along!”

“Um... Can somebody please tell me what's going on here?” Diana finally spoke up, which effectively caught the attention of both women.

Finally managing to push the tall woman away, Akko tried her best to explain, “Diana, this is what I was trying to tell you back on the car! When we arrived back in town, I recognized the troop car number of the cruiser, that's why I was acting all weird and exasperated. I honestly didn't want to explain my relation to this woman! That's all.”

“Wow! You're such a rude little brat!” The lilac-haired woman interjected, tackling Akko from her right side, but since the tomboy was expecting it she held her ground. But that still didn't stop the woman from wrapping an arm around Akko's neck in a side hug. “Gotcha!”

“Ugh! Let go!” The barista tried to wiggle out of the officer's grasp, but lamentably her grip was strong.

“Never!” The policewoman proclaimed out loud with a devilish grin, finally turning her head to acknowledge the young Cavendish with a friendly smile as she began to introduce herself, “Hiya! The name's Croix du Nord! Sorry for the slight scare earlier, but the moment I spotted Akko in town... I just had to chase and say hello somehow.” She apologized.

Du Nord... Wait, as in- Now everything made sense for the young Cavendish, her mouth going agape in surprise as she muttered, “So, you're Chariot's...”

Croix's smile grew wider as she confirmed, “That's right, I'm Chariot du Nord's wife!” She then turned her attention to the brunette in her clutches. “And this little rebel happens to be my Godchild!”

Akko growled in displeasure, elbowing the woman on the ribs so that she can be released. “Correction: I'm Chariot's Godchild, not yours!”

“Ah, but the two of us are married. So, by extension, that makes you my Godchild too.”

“Piss off!”

Soon enough, their argument had escalated yet again, and Diana was at a loss on what to do now. She definitely hadn't expected an end to her date like this...

Her contemplation soon stopped when she felt a sudden tug on her skirt, and when the blonde looked down she spotted the officer's partner, who was rather short in stature compared to the tall woman. The small girl had long blue hair that was tied back on a bun, her facial expression had a tough outlook that meant business as she waved a yellow piece of paper in the air.

Hesitantly, Diana reached out for the paper that the small officer wanted to give to her, and the moment that she glanced at it... she nearly fainted on the spot.

It was a ticket. Joy.

After that night, the weekend passed by without incident. However, it still didn't change the fact that Akko was pretty grumpy over the night fiasco, especially since she hasn't seen nor heard of Diana since that fateful night. No calls or texts either, and by this point, the barista was not only concerned but also a bit hysterical as her mind started jumping to conclusions on what her girlfriend(...?) might think of her now.

Honestly, even Akko wasn't sure anymore of that relationship status thanks to Croix's stunt, a stunt of which she won't let the woman hear the end of. Everything had been absolutely perfect, at least until Croix decided to do her horrid prank, which in the end resulted in a speeding ticket for Diana.

Even though she wasn't actually driving that night. Akko groaned in her thoughts, folding her arms in front of her to lay her head down on the counter. She felt absolutely guilty for her part on everything, in fact, she should've been honest with Diana from the start. This is all my fault. I don't blame her if she hates now...

As the brunette sighed yet again, this time a new voice interrupted her brooding as they said, “Geez. How long are you going to mope about an event that has already happened?” They then added, “Unless you have the ability to go back in time to fix everything, there's nothing you can do about it.”

Akko's inner fire was lighted in an instant as she raised her head to meet Croix, who was leaning over on the other side of the counter, with a glare. “And, who's fault is that?!” She whispered in spite, keeping her voice low enough for the woman to hear to not bother the customers in the café.

“Look,” It was Croix's turn to sigh as she straightened up, looking her Godchild in the eye as she began to explain herself, “I already said that I was sorry, kiddo. I really am. I genuinely didn't know that you were on a date, with a Cavendish, no less. My bad for crashing on your date like that...” She apologized sincerely, laying a hand on her chest to show how serious she was. “I mean, sure, I was out of line with the stunt I pulled, but at the same time... Can you blame me? I haven't seen you in so long!”

“Don't call me kiddo. You, of all people, have no right.” The red-eyed woman grumbled, clearly brushing off the woman's apology.

As soon as she said that, the alarm on Akko's wristwatch started blaring. Turning it off, Akko announced, “Would you look at that? My shift is over. If you'll excuse me.”

The brunette proceeded to take off her apron along with her hat, heading towards the kitchen.

In a flash, the lilac-haired woman rounded around the counter and followed behind. “Akko, wait! Please, just, hear me out!”

“Sorry. Can't hear you.”

No matter how many times Croix apologized and tried to make a case with her Godchild, Akko would not listen to her. The woman tried and tried as she walked with Akko to the restaurant, and when they headed up the stairs... Akko had beat her to the top, slamming the door on Croix's face. No doubt locking it from the other side.

The force of the slam was strong enough to overcome the hustling and bustling of the employees in the kitchen, the work stalling for a bit before Chariot's voice broke through the silence and the work resumed once more.

The tall woman's expression turned into one of remorse, her shoulders slumping in defeat as she muttered, “Way to botch things up, Meredies...”

Dragging her hands down her face, and against her better judgment, Croix went back downstairs. She made her way to the front of the restaurant, sitting outside by herself on the front steps of the café.

This certainly wasn't how Croix expected things to go. At all. Horrid prank aside, she was hoping to make things up to Akko by inviting Diana over to dinner to get acquainted, and perhaps all three of them could start over with a clean slate. But, understandably, the brunette rejected the offer altogether and brushed off her apology...

The policewoman then hung her head, passing a hand through her short hair before hugging her knees to chest, or as much as she could anyway.

Croix didn't know how long she was outside, but it must've been a good while since she finally heard the café door opening, followed by some footsteps. She initially thought that those footsteps belonged to a customer, but she was quickly proven wrong the moment that they stopped. She soon felt someone sit beside her, wrapping their arms around her in a comforting embrace, and it didn't take her long to guess who it was...

“Ciao amore...” The lilac-haired woman mumbled in greeting to her beloved. She soon felt a kiss on the top of her head, the arms wrapped around her tightening a bit. Despite her wife's loving gesture, Croix still couldn't bring herself to lift her head from her knees.

“Bonjour amour.” Chariot softly returned the greeting with one of her own, finally letting go of her wife. “I take it that your chat with Akko didn't go well?” She asked.

Upon hearing that, Croix chuckled, but it obviously didn't have any humor in it. She then straightened up, loosening her muscles for a bit before she leaned forward to prompt her chin in her hands. “What do you think? She doesn't want anything to do with me. I apologized to her over, and over, and over, but she won't hear any of it. Akko even rejected the idea of inviting Diana over for dinner so that I can properly apologize to her too.” She sighed, “When did my life become so complicated?” She asked out loud, mostly to herself.

Admittedly, the redhead had a lot to say on the subject, mostly things among the lines of 'I told you so', but she ultimately restrained herself. Instead of focusing on the past, she focused on the now, especially since her wife has had her fair share of shortcomings for her actions over the years.

Taking pity on the woman, Chariot stated, “Life is complicated for everyone. Akko even has her fair share of ups and downs. She's a full-grown woman, not a child. You can't expect her to just accept your apology overnight.”

“It's been a WHOLE weekend!”

“Even so, she's clearly not over it. In fact, Akko even told me that instead of arriving back with Diana... she, begrudgingly, had a ride with you and Constanze to return home...”

“What the hell do you expect me to do?! Leave my own Godchild on the side of the road, in the dead of night might I add!”

“No, of course not. However, that outcome didn't have to happen at all if you hadn't meddled in the first place.”

“Per l'amor di Dio!” The policewoman yelled exasperatedly from the top of her lungs, looking up at the heavens as she raised her arms in frustration. “Give me a break! I didn't know that she was on a date! Heck, I didn't even know that she was in town...!” She finished saying, glaring at her wife for the slight betrayal.

Chariot merely brought her hands up in defeat, admitting, “She swore me to secrecy. Truth be told, that was Akko's only condition she had for me before she moved here.”

Upon hearing such a revelation, the lilac-haired woman deflated in her seat. “Now that's harsh man...”

“Just wait and be patient, Croix.” The café owner told her, shrugging her shoulders as if to say, 'What else do you want me to say?' “You, of all people, know first-hand that it takes a while to build trust with someone after it's been broken.”

“Please, don't remind me...” Croix groaned, hiding her face in her hands. “It's official: I ruin everything I touch.” She spoke, her sadness being muffled due to her hands.

“Croix...” Chariot stood up from her spot, moving in front of her wife. She bend down on one knee and reached out to gently pry Croix's hands away from her face. “...That's not-” She soon stopped herself. It wouldn't do good to lie about what she's about to say. When she found her voice again, Chariot continued, “That's not... entirely true. Everyone on this earth makes mistakes, nobody's perfect. Not even me. I mean, look at us, we're married! Despite our mistakes, our differences, our many, many fights, and we still managed to work things out! You and I had chances to make things right between us.”

“Yeah, but that's us.” The policewoman mumbled, dejected. “And, it's like you said to me once before, “Trust isn't built on a single night” And the same goes with people accepting apologies. I just don't know what to do anymore...” She spoke quietly, her voice cracking since she was so close to tears. “It just breaks my heart, you know? Akko used to look up to me, and now she can't even stand looking at me, let alone being in the same room with me. It hurts...”

“Oh, Croix...”

Not knowing what else to do, Chariot merely brought her wife into another hug. Croix didn't even fight it, and just laid her head on her wife's shoulder, hugging her back as she finally let the sobs overtake her.

A couple of hours later, both women looked up in time to see Akko stepping out of the café. She must've been in a hurry because she didn't even notice them while going down the front steps, or jumped down to be more precise. Her landing, as short as it was, must've been rough because she momentarily hunched over to touch her knees, but she soon recovered as she broke into a run.

Or at least she would've if she didn't get called on...

“Akko!”

Stopping in her tracks, Akko turned around to see her Godmother. “Yes?” She asked out loud, a bit exasperated that she had meant to.

Chariot jogged a bit to meet her, asking, “Can we talk?”

The barista furrowed her brows in irritation, clearly displeased. “Can it wait? I'm in a hurry.”

“It'll just be a quick minute of your time.” The café owner reassured her, having her hands together in a pleading gesture as she softly added, “Please?”

“Oh, alright...” Akko sighed in defeat, her shoulders slumping for a bit before she ultimately crossed her arms. Regardless of what mood she's in, she really can't say no to her Godmother. “What about?” She threw a question of her own, but she can already guess on what the topic was.

“It's about Croix.”

“Ooh, what a shocker...”

“Akko, I'm serious.” Chariot's warm demeanor changed to a firm one, crossing her arms herself as she began to make her case, “I know that what Croix did this past weekend was a bit out of line. How-”

The brunette scoffed. “A little...?”

“However...” The redhead drawled out the word, traces of her anger bubbling beneath the surface. Any more attempts to probe the hibernating beast residing within her would surely lead to a broken cage... “Croix is trying her best to make amends with you, and Diana. She feels absolutely terrible over what she did, and wants nothing more than to reconcile and spend time with you.”

Despite the obvious warning in Chariot's tone, Akko confronted her with her own facts. “Oh, I know. She was terribly sorry before... And the time before that, and the time before that, and the time before that...!”

A few feet away, with each word that she spoke, Akko could see Croix visibly shrink on herself with guilt on the small steps of the café.

Unlike her Godchild, Chariot didn't need to witness that display to know that her wife was closing in on herself again. Needless to say, this fueled her anger further... “Atsuko!”

The red-eyed tomboy flinched this time around. She'd done it now. Despite feeling a small shred of guilt for overstepping her bounds, she also knew that she was speaking nothing but the truth. “...It's the truth, and you know it.”

“Listen to me. Whatever Croix has done in the pas-”

“So, you're telling me to forget about her misgivings? Just like that?”

“It would be a start.”

“To forgive and forget, and give another chance. Does that pretty much sum it up?”

“Yes, that is what I am trying to ask of you.”

Upon hearing that, Akko fiercely shook her head. “Forgive me, but I can't do that.”

Now it was Chariot's turn to cross her arms. “And, why not?”

“Personally, the way I see it, if someone truly felt sorry about what they did. They would've done something about it to improve themselves and become a better person.” The brunette stated her opinion on the matter.

The older woman couldn't really argue with that logic. Chariot sighed, “I understand that. I really do. But, can you at least give Croix another chan-”

“Which brings me to my other point...” Akko interrupted, bringing up two fingers for emphasis. “The topic of 'second chances' can easily be turned to a third, to a fourth, to a fifth, and so on... The point is: Why should I give it to someone, who I think doesn't deserve it?”

The redhead opened and closed her mouth several times, but ultimately she couldn't come up with anything to say, except, “We're still family...”

Those words were spoken so softly that Akko almost didn't even hear them, but since she was standing in front of her Godparent she certainly heard them. Regardless, those words didn't sway her resolve on the matter... “A fact that I have to live with. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.”

And with that, the red-eyed woman had straightened her jacket and left.

Back at the clinic, Diana was holed up in her office ever since her break had started. She blankly stared down at her phone, which was filled with missed calls and texts from Akko throughout the weekend.

The brunette tried to call her multiple times on Friday night the moment that their date abruptly ended, most likely to apologize, but Diana ignored her calls completely.

On Saturday, the brunette had sent her an apology text in the morning and wished her a good day. On that same day, Akko tried calling her about three times at around noon, only because she knew that Diana would relatively be having a break around that time. And finally, the barista had sent her another apology text during the evening and wished her a good night.

And, to Diana's surprise, Akko didn't bother her at all on Sunday. So naturally, the young Cavendish thought that she gave up.

Sighing, the physician took off her glasses and laid them on her desk along with her phone. She soon laid back on her chair, staring up at the white ceiling.

She was just so angry. About everything, really. Her latest date with Akko was not what she expected. To be fair, it started great and she had a grand time with the cute barista. Of course, that was until they had an unexpected run-in with Akko's other Godparent, who Akko apparently has issues with. Not to mention, the speeding ticket she had received on that fateful night...

While Diana may not have been the driver that night, it still didn't change the fact that that was indeed her car, and since Akko's name is not on the vehicle's insurance... the ticket would naturally go to the owner. Needless to say, the doctor responsibly headed downtown to pay off the fine the following day after the incident. That was no issue, especially with her salary.

What really did bother her, however, was the fact that Akko didn't confide in her about her other Godparent. Granted, the brunette didn't have to explain everything about the lilac-haired woman, but at the very least she could've told Diana that she just doesn't get along with the policewoman instead of going on a technical high-speed chase.

The whole event was just horrible, not to mention scary. The blonde honestly thought that Akko would get arrested for some crime that she didn't even know of, and if not that, then most definitely for her defiant attitude against a police officer. Not counting the fact that both women are actually related, that still could've been a terrible scenario.

To top it off, Diana was so pissed off that night that she literally left without the brunette. Surely, not by herself, considering that Croix and her partner were still present when that happened, but the young Cavendish can't help but feel a bit guilty over her actions on that fateful night. And yet, deep down, a part of her felt justified over the actions she took despite the circumstances.

Sighing once again, Diana closed her eyes in momentary respite.

Pretty soon, a knock on her door snapped her out of her brooding, but even so, Diana didn't open her eyes. She didn't even bother answering either.

“Diana dear?” It was her aunt, who sounded concerned as she knocked on the door again. “Is it alright if we come in?” She asked tentatively. By 'we', it surely meant that her cousins are also with her. “Sweetheart, no matter what is bothering you, you can talk to us. We'll listen.”

“We bought pizza!” Maril's voice piped up on the other side of the door, only for her voice to go quieter as she timidly added.“That is... if you want to eat with us...”

“Which you better will! I know for a fact that you haven't eaten anything today.” Merril's voice soon followed after her sister's, no doubt putting her hands on her hips while waiting for a response from Diana. “So don't even bother weaseling out of this one!”

“Merril, don't talk to DeeDee like that! We're trying to gain entry!”

“What? Somebody needs to be firm with her. Besides, I'm not lying!”

“That's enough!” Aunt Daryl's voice cut through the tension, ending the argument between her daughters before it even started. “We're here to support your cousin. Not to fight.” She reminded them.

“Yes, mother...” Both of the Cavendish twins mumbled in defeat, no doubt feeling guilty.

Inside her office, Diana sighed yet again, this time in defeat while she rose from her chair.

Since all three women are present, it meant that the clinic was slow enough to momentarily close for a lunch break. And, evidently, they used that excuse to their advantage to check on the young Cavendish.

Deep down, Diana was flattered, but she honestly wanted to be alone. But due to being part of a caring family, that's an impossible request. Knowing her aunt and cousins, clinic or no clinic, they would not move from that spot until they saw some form of progress or movement from her.

And so, Diana begrudgingly opened the door for them.

“DeeDee!”

When she did, the doctor got ambushed with a bone-crushing hug from either side, which no doubt knocked the air out of her lungs.

“It's okay! Everything's going to be okay.” Maril reassured her, holding her cousin close.

“Yeah!” Merril agreed, pulling away from the embrace to look Diana in the eye as she asked, “Who do I need to beat up?” Realizing what she just said, she quickly re-phrased her question, “I mean, who do I need to have to interrogate?”

Little did the young Cavendish know, being around her family was already doing wonders for her since a small giggle escaped from her lips.

Hearing Diana's laughter, as small as it was, was enough for the Cavendish sisters to smile. If their cousin was capable of laughing, then surely, the problem at hand wasn't that serious. Or at least, they hoped so.

“There she is~!” Merril cooed, bringing her hands up to lightly pinch the physician's cheeks.

“Stop.” The blonde reprimanded, trying to sound serious but obviously failing since more giggles escaped.

“Not until you tell us what's wrong,” Maril told her cousin, following her sister's lead as she started tickling Diana's sides.

“A-alright! I think you girls m-made your point...!” Diana admitted defeat, trying to swat their hands away, but it proved to be in vain since she was outnumbered. “Please stop!” She wheezed, clearly out of breath at this point.

Witnessing the display from the doorway, Daryl finally decided to step in. “That's enough now, girls. Do your mother a favor and go gather some chairs from the break room so that we can eat. You girls don't want the pizza to get cold, right?”

“Ew! No!” The receptionist wrinkled her face in disgust. “I can't stand cold marinara! It just doesn't taste right on a pizza.”

“Get over it, Maril! You can just reheat it in the microwave.” The nurse said with a roll of her eyes, playfully shoving her twin as she dashed out of the office, but not before yelling, “What I'm more worried about is the cheese!”

Maril scoffed, chasing after her sister while remarking, “You're one to talk! You should listen to your own advice, you dumbo!”

“Nu-uh! Extra cheese or not, it won't be as cheesy compared to the first day it arrives! And don't even get me started on the dough!”

“So your complaints are more important than mine? I'll have you know that marinara is practically nonexistent on pizza dough after the first day.”

“Don't know, don't care!”

“Ugh! You're absolutely insufferable!”

As soon as the twins' voices died down after their departure, both Daryl and Diana shook their heads at their silly banter.

“And that is why you should invest in an oven.” The young Cavendish commented.

“There isn't one in the clinic.” Her aunt stated, placing the pizza box on Diana's desk. “So we should probably invest in one before we have a future riot on our hands.” She added as an afterthought.

The physician hummed, acknowledging her aunt's request while approaching her desk to take out a pencil and a pad of sticky notes. “I'll pencil it in.”

Daryl chuckled.

Pretty soon the Cavendish twins returned with a couple of chairs and some drinks they've brought from the break room. While they ate, it didn't take long for Diana to tell the events that occurred on her date with Akko, and there were mixed reactions all around...

Needless to say, Aunt Daryl almost had a heart attack once she saw the yellow slip of paper. “You've got a speeding ticket?!” Upon hearing this, Merril burst out laughing, much to her mother's disapproval. “Merril, this is no laughing matter! This is serious!”

The nurse took the reprimand in stride, all the while adding her input by saying, “I know! I'm sorry, mother, but stuff like this doesn't happen everyday.” She then added, “Especially to Diana, of all people. No offense, DeeDee.”

Diana merely grumbled in response, her mouth currently full as she ate lunch.

“Bullocks is what it is! It's so unfair!” Maril exclaimed, outraged while looking over the now paid fine for the umpteenth time. “Paying a bloody hundred pounds over a measly ticket... Something that DeeDee didn't even commit!” She soon slammed the piece of paper down on the table, furiously poking at it as she stated a rather unfortunate fact of the matter, “That's THREE penalty points added to her license!”

“Speaking of which, did you know that you could be disqualified from driving if you build up to twelve or more penalty points within three years?” Merril stated a fact of her own, absolutely nonchalant about what was currently happening.

The other three Cavendishes in the room were not amused as they leveled unimpressed looks toward the nurse.

“This isn't a contest, Merril.” Her twin said with a roll of her eyes.

“Dad and I beg to differ.”

“Merril!”

“What? I honestly don't see what the big deal is!” Merril let out an uneasy laugh, leaning back in her seat while she raised her arms. “I mean, sure, what DeeDee went through was absolutely terrible and very scary, but receiving a ticket is not the end of the world! It's just three little points!”

The receptionist shook her head in disbelief. “Do you even hear yourself right now? That's permanent on her record...”

Upon hearing that, Diana whined on cue. She put her face in her hands, mumbling, “I no longer have a clean slate...!” She didn't sound like she was on the verge of tears, but her family wouldn't be surprised if she already was.

“...Though, I suppose, we shouldn't mention something so trivial to someone who's practically following in her father's footsteps.” Daryl grumbled, bringing a hand up to cover her eyes while shaking her head, obviously in disapproval. “Damn it, Phil...”

The nurse slammed her hands on the table. “Hey! You can't deny our need for speed!”

“And you can't deny your knack for getting into trouble!” The physician remarked, throwing a scrunched-up napkin her way. “You were worse when you attended school!”

Merril shrugged her shoulders this time around. “What can I say, it runs in the family... kind of.”

“I swear, your glove compartment is full of tickets...” Maril commented, weaving a hand through her short locks as another thought occurred to her... “Did you even pay those?”

“Of course they're paid! I'm not THAT crazy!”

“Enough!”

All three Cavendishes flinched upon hearing Daryl's sharp tone, feeling supremely guilty over the scolding afterward. “Sorry...”

“Now then, Diana,” The elder Cavendish cleared her throat, getting back to the matter at hand. “Disregarding certain family matters... What I think that Merril was trying to say is that all families have their issues and some things that they would rather not share with someone. Take your cousin's and your Uncle Phil's mishaps as an example. I'd be a tad embarrassed of introducing someone to such a spectacle...”

“A tad?” Her twin daughters questioned in unison, both of them looking skeptical while raising a brow. “Really, mother?”

“Poor Uncle Phil...” Diana spoke fondly with a shake of her head.

“Hush, all of you.” Daryl playfully reprimanded them, a small smile on her lips. She soon rose from her chair, making her way over to her daughters and her niece, and once she stood behind them she pulled the girls close for a big hug. “Antics aside, you girls know first-hand how much I adore that man.” She confessed, her voice going soft as she added, “Besides... even I have to admit that life can be pretty dull without shenanigans to spice things up now and then.”

Once she finished with her confession, the older woman kissed the top of their heads before she finally let them go. “Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I have an important call to make...” She announced, clearing her empty plate from the table.

Chuckling, Maril couldn't resist teasing her mother by saying, “By chance... that call wouldn't happen to be for daddy-dearest?”

Diana had to bite her tongue, trying her best not to giggle the moment she heard Merril making kissing noises.

Daryl soon stopped, leaning against the doorway. “There's no use hiding it.” She sighed wistfully, “I miss that man...”

The Cavendish twins saw after their mother with a smile on their face, and once their parent left the twins turned their attention to their cousin.

“Mother is right, you know.” Maril spoke up, glaring at her sister the moment that she cleared her throat as if to say, 'Aren't you forgetting someone?' “...And Merril too, I guess.” She mentioned offhandedly.

The receptionist's attitude was soon rewarded with a swift kick to the shin, and despite the terrible pain she was in, Maril pushed on with what she wanted to say, “As I was saying... Mother is right. Life can be full of surprises. Whether they're good or bad, it will be up to the person to decide on which. And misunderstandings-”

“Some, not all!” Merril quickly chimed in.

“Are also part of that.” Maril finished, nodding in agreement with her sister. “It certainly doesn't hurt to try and talk things out with Akko. It's not like she wanted that horrible prank to happen, you even told us that she told you so.”

Diana looked unsure, folding her hands together in her lap. “I don't know... What if she hates me now?” She asked them, feeling anxious if that were to come true. “I did ditch her at the end of our date...”

“DeeDee, trust us.” Merril got up and pulled her chair closer to Diana's, and once she sat down again she pulled her cousin close for a hug. “If Akko truly hated you, she wouldn't have bothered trying to reach you all weekend.”

Her twin mirrored her sister's actions, only opting to hold Diana's hands in both of her own while calming her cousin's worries. “Exactly. So, if you have any doubts in that pretty little head of yours, then I highly suggest that you clear them up.”

“Thank you, girls.” The physician smiled. “I'll be sure to contact Akko as soon as my shift ends.”

“Anytime, DeeDee.” Maril finally rose from her seat, starting to clear up their plates from the table since their break is going to end soon.

“Yeah! What are sisters for?” Merril said with a wink.

On her way to her destination, Akko stopped at an intersection. She briefly looked around her surroundings, instantly feeling unsure and a bit intimidated because she didn't know where she was going.

Sighing, the brunette rummaged around the inside of her jacket pocket, taking out a scrunched-up piece of paper. After straightening it out, she resumed walking and looked down at the small map that Lotte had sketched for her. While the map itself showed an outline of the area with street names, there weren't any specific landmarks for Akko to identify.

At most, Akko at the very least knew that she was nearing Bea Memorial Park. Anything beyond this part of town is a whole new territory for the brunette. Hence, she was lost...

“Who knew that a clinic would be so hard to find...?” The red-eyed woman said out loud to no one in particular. “And, where the heck is Wells St-” Her words soon died out in an off yodel the moment that she slammed face-first onto a lamp post.

Akko's vision turned white for one moment and black the next as her body stumbled to the side, her body collapsing over some shrubs.

“Bedda Matri!”

A surprised wail drifted over Akko's consciousness, followed by a pair of hands on the back of her shoulders trying to lift her, but the person was having a bit of difficulty doing so since Akko's body was completely limp.

After giving up the attempt to lift the brunette, the pedestrian immediately switched to lightly poke at her cheeks.

It took a bit, but Akko finally stirred and opened her eyes to see a blonde woman. Though, sad to say, this woman's blond hair was not the one she was hoping for...

Of course it's not Diana... The tomboy thought in disappointment, sighing.

Disappointed or no, this civilian could care less, even more so since she was currently working. “Are you awake? Good! Now, could you get off my Gardenias before they die on me?! Per favore!”

Sensing the distress from the woman was enough to make Akko get up, albeit slowly since she was still dizzy from her fall.

“Sbrigati, sbrigati! Per favore!”

“Sto cercando! Non mettermi fretta.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold everything!” The blonde woman spoke English once again, her green eyes widening in surprise before she quickly reverted to her native language to ask, “Tu parli Italiano?”

“Un po...” Akko groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose while she shook her head. All that did was make her headache worse. “If you're hoping to hold a conversation with me in Italian, then you're out of luck...” She lamented to inform.

“Well, it didn't hurt to ask...” The gardener laughed, adjusting her sunhat as she asked, “How's your face? I, uh... saw you when you hit the lamp post.”

The barista waved her hand dismissively. “My face is the least of my concerns...” She sighed and began to explain what she was doing before the incident. “I was trying to follow some directions that my friend drew for me on a map, but I can't make heads or tails of the street names here since I'm not a local.”

“Oh? Is that all?” The blonde spoke up while trying her best to salvage the flowers she was maintaining. “If you want, I can give you directions. I've lived here long enough to know my way around.”

Akko's red eyes lit up at the proposition, a genuine smile making its way on her face. “Really?”

“Yep. Though, to be honest, I should be mad at you.”

“What?!”

“You heard me, stranger.”

“What for? I don't even know you!”

“Trust me. You WILL know about me once I give you an earful for murdering my babies!” The gardener proclaimed in fury, roughly poking the red-eyed woman on the chest.

“What? For murdering-” Akko was flabbergasted, a scowl settling on her features. Only to realize the meaning behind the statement. “Oh, the flowers...”

“That's right, lady! You ruined my Gardenias!” The green-eyed woman huffed, crossing her arms. “Thanks to you, I'll have an earful of my own the moment I pass through the door of my store! My wife is going to be heartbroken once she finds out I screwed up on the job! No, scratch that, heartbroken is an understatement. She'll be PISSED at me!”

By this point, the woman's accent was really starting to become apparent as she continued with her angry rant, and while the tomboy knew that she deserved the scolding, it also made her a bit uncomfortable. Mostly because other passersby were starting to stare...

“L-look! I'm really sorry!” Akko sincerely apologized, raising her arms in defeat. “I-I don't know how yet, but I promise that I'll make it up to you! How much are the flowers, miss...?”

The blonde pouted, opting to play with one of her pigtails as she listened to the apology. Once she was sure that her companion was being genuine, she finally decided to introduce herself. “The name's Blair Fiore, and the Gardenias you crushed cost eighty pounds.”

“WHAT?! Eighty pounds for a batch of flowers?” The brunette gasped, raising a hand to her chest from shock. “I don't have that kind of money!”

“Listen here, lady-”

“Stop saying lady, I have a name! It's Atsuko Kagari, but just call me Akko.”

“Fine then, Akko.” Blair said with a roll of her eyes, continuing on with her explanation, “As I was trying to say, those may be just flowers to you, but I'll have you know that each bloom on those shrubs approximately cost twenty-six pounds and sixty-six cents each. And thanks to your spectacle, you ruined a total of three blooms on this shrub. Therefore, your total for the damage is practically eighty pounds. Tax included, by the way.”

The explanation made sense, but unfortunately, Akko had to remain firm on one thing...

“I'm sorry, I really am, but I genuinely don't have that kind of money on me.” The red-eyed woman spoke lamentably, shaking her head.

Upon hearing this, Blair looked discouraged. In frustration, she took off her work gloves and threw them to the side before running her hands through her hair, her sunhat falling off in the process.

Akko had a frown of her own while she stared at the blonde. She felt bad for ruining the flowers, for hindering the woman's work, for not paying attention to her surroundings... she especially felt terrible at the fact that she couldn't offer anything to remedy this situation. Financially, that is.

“What am I going to do?” The gardener said out loud, but she was mostly talking to herself. “...Mary isn't going to be happy once she finds out about this. And I don't even want to imagine what the Cavendishes will do to me once I give them the bad news, given the fact that they already paid in full...!” She whined.

This piece of information caught Akko's attention. “D-did you just say Cavendish?”

Furrowing her brows in confusion, Blair gave her a cautious look. “Yes... Why do you ask?”

“Do you know Diana?”

“Um, yeah... I'm actually a good friend of hers. But, I don't see why this is relevant.”

“Before my fall, I was trying to find her family's clinic. I really need to talk to her. If you could just tell where it is-”

“Hold it right there, missy! If this is your way to try and hightail out of this predicament, then you have another thing coming!”

“If you'd stop yapping, then you would HEAR my offer!” The barista said, exasperated as she stared at the blonde, who was still glaring daggers at her since apparently, she didn't look trustworthy. “Look. All I want is directions to the Cavendish Wellness Center, and in return... If you're willing to give me a couple of days 'till my next payday, I will volunteer to work at your store for free. That way, you can keep an eye on me to make sure I don't run off and you'll eventually have your money to replenish what I ruined.”

A brief silence overtook them as the green-eyed woman thought about Akko's offer.

After a few minutes, Blair's lips pursed into a thin frown while she crossed her arms. “Hmm, I don't know...”

“Listen. This offer is as good as it gets. If I had the money, I would've paid you upfront.” Akko told her earnestly, shrugging her shoulders as if to say, 'What else do you expect me to do?' “This way you can replace the flowers with my eventual money, plus you'll have free extra hands to help you around in your store. All I ask in return is directions to Well Street. Whether or not you want to explain the situation to your wife is entirely up to you. Either way, we both win.” She then chuckled pitifully, correcting herself. “Well, honestly, you'll be winning more so than me... but you get the point.”

Hearing the girl out, Blair had finally made her decision. Not that there was much to think about in the first place. As she extended her hand, she said, “It's a deal.”

Having a small grin on her face, Akko shook hands with her to seal the deal. “Sono felice di essere utile.”

Blair had a small grin of her own, asking, “Sei sicuro di non parlare Italiano?” She teased.

The brunette laughed. “I'm sure.”

The gardener shook her head, putting her hands on her hips. Clearly, she didn't believe the woman's answer. “And yet, you understood what I said?”

“Oh, I understand you perfectly. Speaking it, however, is a whole matter entirely.”

“We'll have to change that. Maybe I can teach you a thing or two while you help out.”

“I'd like that.” Akko smiled.

“Alright. Everything seems to be in order here.” Maril confirmed to her guest while she looked over the paperwork, lightly tapping the stack of papers on her desk to straighten them out. When she did, she reached out for her stapler and stapled the papers. “Okay, Ms. Williams, you could take a seat anywhere in the waiting room. Our nurse will be right-”

“Here!” Merril announced with a giggle, effectively making her sister and her patient laugh with her timely arrival.

“Nevermind.” The receptionist chuckled.

Once she received the papers she needed from her twin and placed it on her clipboard, the nurse beckoned the young woman to follow her. “Now then, Ms. Williams, if you would please follow me.”

When her sister disappeared down the hall with her patient, Maril decided to relax since she was finally alone in the lobby. She leaned back in her office chair, closing her eyes while stretching her arms out above her head. The moment she finished stretching, she opened her eyes in time to see someone waltz through the glass doors of the clinic...

“Hello there! Welcome to the Cavendish Wellness Center!” Maril greeted her guest with a smile. “What can I help you with today?”

“Hello.” The brunette slowly walked up to the receptionist's desk, having a nervous smile while she returned the greeting. “...I was wondering if Dr. Cavendish is working today. Is she?” She asked, only for her to shake her head before she elaborated, “I meant Diana Cavendish in particular, my bad.” She apologized while awkwardly scratching the back of her neck.

The moment that Maril heard her cousin's name come from the brunette's mouth, her blue eyes widened in surprise before she looked at the woman from head to toe.

She looked taller than most average women.

Long, brown hair.

Deep, red eyes.

Is this, by chance, HER?! The blonde thought to herself, already feeling excited at the prospect of seeing her cousin's crush in person. And that feeling disappeared just as quickly once she realized a slight problem... But, what do I do? We're still working, and I can't exactly interrupt DeeDee's patient consultations.

The red-eyed woman shifted from one foot to the other, mostly feeling uncomfortable for being stared at. She sighed quietly to herself. What do I expect? For all I know, the receptionist is probably related to Diana. After a glance at the receptionist, she corrected herself, Yep. They're related. I'm probably not welcomed here now that I think about it...

“Look, uh...” Akko stuffed her hands inside of her pockets, averting her gaze. “If Diana really is working today... Could you please just tell her to meet me outside? I just want to talk with her. That's all.”

Concerned, Maril merely nodded. “Of course. She'll be finishing up soon. She just has one last patient consultation, it shouldn't be long.” She reassured her.

“Thank you so much.”

And with that, the brunette left the premises. As soon as Maril saw that she couldn't see Akko by the glass doors and windows, she bolted out of her chair, nearly tripping in the process as she ran down the hall.

Hearing footfalls from the hallway, Daryl stepped out of the break room in time to see her daughter pass by. “Maril! No running in the hall! This is a clinic, for Merlin's sake.” She scolded.

When she heard her mother's voice, the receptionist stopped in her tracks, walking up to her to ask, “Is Diana still in exam room six?”

“No. She's currently with the Kinsley's in the rehab area.”

“Okay, thanks!”

Daryl raised a single brow when she saw her daughter walk off in hurry. At least she was kind enough to remember not to run in the hall again. “Maril, is there something I should know?”

“I'll fill you and Merril in later! I promise!” Maril yelled over her shoulder.

Once she reached the rehabilitation area, the blonde looked around for her cousin, spotting her near the parallel bars with her patient.

“That's it, Thomas!” Diana encouraged the boy, keeping an eye on him while she wrote down his progress on her clipboard. “You're nearing the end! Just a couple more steps now!”

“You can do it, Tommy!” Cheered Mrs. Kinsley, who was standing near the end of the bars, waiting for her son with open arms. Literally. “Come to momma!”

“Mum...!” Thomas grumbled, exasperated as he managed to pass a hand through his sweaty hair. His face was flushed from the effort of his workout, and possibly embarrassment from his mother's smothering. “I'm not a baby!”

“That may be true, but in my eyes, you'll always be my baby boy!” His mother cooed, not the least bit bothered by her son's attitude.

The teenage boy just sighed in defeat, and instead put his focus on the exercise once again.

Diana couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of her. Her smile soon dropped the moment that she felt a tap on her shoulder, startling her.

When the physician turned around, she glared at her cousin. “Maril, you know I hate it when you sneak up on me!”

“For the record, I wasn't trying to scare you. I even tapped your shoulder. What you need to do is to stop being jumpy.” Maril said with an annoying roll of her eyes, and her actions made Diana scowl at her. Ignoring the look from her cousin, she cut to the chase. “More importantly, Dr. Cavendish, there's someone who wants to see you.”

Upon hearing this, Diana tilted her head, her brows furrowed in confusion. “Really? I thought you told me that the Kinsley's were the last ones for the day. Is there a walk-in emergency?” She asked.

The receptionist debated on whether or not to tell her the truth. “Not really...?”

The young Cavendish sighed, now her turn to be annoyed. “Okay, which is it? Is there an emergency or not?”

“Not of the medical nature, no, but it's an important matter nonetheless. There's someone here to see you, and I'll leave it at that.” Maril replied, not budging further on the subject. “And now that I have delivered my message, I must return to my post. See you later!”

“Okay...?” Diana said slowly, still not knowing what was going on.

Once her cousin left, the doctor's attention soon returned to her patient when she heard Mrs. Kinsley's cheers. Diana turned around in time to see that Thomas had finally reached the end of the parallel bars, humoring his mother with a hug, which the woman was more than happy to return.

“Good job, Thomas!” Diana praised, momentarily holding the clipboard between her arm and chest while she clapped for the young boy. “That'll do for today. No need to overexert yourself now.”

Thomas chuckled, having a small smile on his face. “Thanks!”

“Thomas, feel free to sit down on a bench and relax while your mother and I set up your next appointment.”

“Oh yes, very important!”

“Yeah, yeah...” The boy sighed, wearily as he made his way towards the bench. When he sat down he sighed once again, this time in relief since he was finally off his feet. “Take your time.”

Once Diana made sure that the Kinsley's were taken care of and escorted them out of the clinic, she was now free to meet with her mystery guest. She tried to get more information from Maril, but it was in vain since her cousin gave a curt reply of, “They're waiting outside.”

And so, since she had no choice but to find out on her own... Diana stepped outside of the clinic. She looked to her right and then to her left on either street. There was no soul in sight.

Scratching the back of her head, the blonde walked towards the right part of the building, taking a glance at the alleyway. Empty.

At this point, Diana was starting to get annoyed. “I swear, if Maril is messing with me I'm going to-”

As soon as she reached the left side of the building to go up the stairs to her flat, her words died in her throat when she saw someone she wasn't expecting to see... “Akko?”

Upon hearing her name, Akko lifted her head from her knees. Her eyes lit up the moment that she saw Diana, immediately getting up from the bottom of the stairs to hug the physician.

The moment that she felt Akko's arms around her, Diana returned the embrace.

While the hug itself was pleasant, it also felt odd to her. It was almost as if all her anger and sadness she felt over the weekend disappeared without a trace. Almost. And yet, here she was, hugging someone that she's supposed to be angry at, if only a little considering the circumstances behind the incident.

But at the same time, Diana would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that this hug was doing wonders for her. It made her feel so safe, so cherished. Diana instinctively held tighter, her hands clenching the fabric of Akko's jacket while she closed her eyes and buried her face against the woman's shoulder. The smell of coffee and pastries clung to the brunette, a scent that she was quickly associating with the girl, and the blonde found herself slowly relaxing into the embrace.

“I'm sorry...”

Akko's voice was so quiet to the point that Diana almost didn't hear the apology. Something else caught her off guard too... She's shaking. The blonde realized.

“I'm so sorry, Diana...”

Lifting her head from the woman's shoulder, Diana immediately felt concerned once she saw that the brunette was indeed crying.

“It's okay, you really don't have to apologize.” The doctor reassured, lifting a hand to Akko's cheek, wiping the girl's tears away with her thumb.

“I think I do.” Akko insisted as she closed her eyes, leaning into Diana's touch. “I shouldn't have acted so reckless that night. I should've been honest with you, but instead, I kept everything to myself and all that did was make things worse. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm so sorry...”

“Don't be. I acted just as awful...” Diana confessed, continuing to apologize, “Angry or not, I practically shouldn't have left you alone on the side of the road. I... hope that you can forgive me for that.”

“Are you kidding?” The red-eyed woman cracked a small smile, holding the physician closer as she said, “Listen, pretty girl, you had every right to do what you did. What I made you go through was inexcusable. And I'd... understand if you don't ever want to see me again.”

Diana bit her lip, absentmindedly playing with Akko's hair. “...And, what if I do?”

“Wait...” Akko furrowed her brows in confusion. “So, you're not mad at me?”

“I was.” The blonde admitted. “I had time to gather my thoughts throughout the weekend. Though, honestly, all that thinking made me angrier over the incident.”

“Yeah, I figured as much...”

“Yes. And, surprisingly enough, I had the chance to talk about the incident with my family for a second opinion on the matter.”

“You did...?” The tomboy couldn't help but flinch, a part of her not looking forward to hearing the blonde's response. “W-what did they say?”

“While they're equally upset at the fact that I received a speeding ticket, they ultimately concluded that you weren't entirely at fault for your actions.” Diana answered honestly, smiling to reassure the girl that it's okay.

“I-I see...” Akko flinched yet again, this time out of guilt.

Diana fondly shook her head at seeing the woman's reaction.

Thank you, Kami-sama. The brunette thought in gratitude, feeling absolutely grateful that everything turned out fine for the two of them in the end. “That's a relief. At least I get another chance to redeem myself for your folks!” She soon went quiet before she added, “That is, if you'll still have me...”

In response, Diana wrapped her arms around Akko's neck, brushing her forehead against hers. “Of course.”

In one quick motion, Akko kisses her, and unfortunately, the young Cavendish was too slow to reciprocate since she was caught off guard.

When the red-eyed woman pulled away, she confessed, “Forgive me if this sounds dramatic, but... I genuinely thought that I'd never get to kiss you again...”

“It's not,” Diana replied, giggling while she laid her head on Akko's shoulder. She couldn't help but smile the moment that she felt Akko kiss the top of her head. “If anything, you're in luck because there's plenty more to look forward to.”

“Lucky me.”

“Yes, lucky you.”