Chapter Text
Chapter 4: Akko's Day Off
[...]
In the morning that followed, the arrival of a mysterious woman changed the atmosphere at the inn.
Sucy arrived unexpectedly, two days earlier than planned. Lotte was radiant, Akko was clearly excited, and the newcomer seemed to be in a good mood.
Diana observed the changes from a safe distance, trying to understand who that woman was and how she had arrived.
Diana didn't want to admit it, but she was slightly uncomfortable realizing the magnitude of the impact this stranger had on the atmosphere the Cavendish was beginning to get used to.
Akko had stopped following her like a crazed stalker, and the attention that had once been suffocating was now strangely missed. Diana must be ill; it was the only explanation for feeling so… strange.
While lost in her tumultuous feelings, Diana didn't realize she was staring at the trio of women a little too much, and soon all eyes were on her. Lotte smiled gently, Sucy watched her with challenging eyes that didn't even try to hide her amusement, and Akko stared at her as if she knew exactly what was going through Cavendish's head at that moment.
Diana blushed furiously and turned around quickly, wanting to disappear anywhere but there. When she realized it, she was outside, and the cold caught her off guard, seeping in through the holes in the sleeves of her pullover and chilling her neck even under the turtleneck she was wearing. But the trio was still standing at the entrance of the inn, and it would be too embarrassing to go back like that.
Diana would endure the cold for a few minutes and return as if nothing had happened; it was a perfect plan.
She mentally cursed herself, rubbing her hands together, hoping the friction would bring some warmth. Her cheeks were still red, from embarrassment, but now also from the cold. This cold was certainly another reason to hate Christmas.
[...]
Too busy trying to keep her hands minimally warm and prevent her fingertips from freezing, Diana didn't notice the presence approaching her from behind — not until she felt an extra weight on her shoulders. She turned around with a start, only to find Atsuko Kagari trying to hide a smile, with an enormous coat in her hands.
“Oh? I’m sorry for scaring you, Miss Scaredy Cat!”
Diana squinted and frowned, as if judging the other for having fun at her expense.
“I wouldn’t be scared if you had some manners instead of sneaking up behind people’s backs.”
“Something tells me that if I had just offered you the coat, you would have refused with some stupid excuse.” Akko smiled sideways, lifting the coat in her hands, “May I?”
Diana nodded, and the brunette quickly threw the coat over Diana’s shoulders so she could put on the sleeves and adjust it properly.
Akko didn’t wait for an invitation and immediately began buttoning each of the outer buttons while speaking without looking at the blue eyes staring at her.
“Do you want to tell me why you disappeared from the inn when we caught you staring?”
Diana grunted.
“I came out precisely to avoid this conversation.”
“I know,” Akko admitted. “But I’m curious. And… I came to save you from the cold. You could return the favor by answering a few questions while we walk around town. What do you think?”
Now, Akko was looking at Diana. Staring, even. Deep into her eyes.
Darn.
Diana blushed again. She felt the heat rising up her neck, felt it warming the tips of her ears, and, surely, painting her cheeks red.
How would she reject that woman now? Her big, bright red eyes had already worked their magic again!
Diana was a strong woman, but some things in life are harder to resist than others. And it turns out that Akko’s gaze was, apparently, very hard to resist.
But Diana tried anyway.
While Akko stood on tiptoe to put a scarf around Cavendish's neck, she concentrated and tried very hard.
She bit the tip of her tongue and tried.
She frowned and tried. It was no use.
“All done!” Akko exclaimed.
And her smile was so sincere. And her eyes were so sincere. The expectation was so sincere.
Diana took a deep breath and let out an audible sigh.
“Fine. I suppose I owe you this much.”
“Awesome! I’ll be your tour guide today.” Akko’s smile brightened even more, if that was possible, and she winked at Diana.
“But it’s still early, are you sure it won’t cause problems if you leave the inn so suddenly?” Diana put her hands in her coat pockets, trying her best to appear casual and not nervous at all.
Akko slipped one arm through the space between Diana’s shoulder and elbow, embracing the blonde’s arm, and gently guided her along the way.
“Oh, don’t worry about it, it’s my day off. And even though the inn is busier than usual, Sucy will help Lotte today; they can handle it.”
“So that’s the name of the girl who was with you earlier.” It wasn’t a question; Diana was just storing the fact in her head. “By the way, if it’s not too much intrusion on my part, who is she?”
“Sucy Manbavaran. Lotte’s girlfriend, and also our best friend. We met years ago when she stayed at the inn while traveling with one of her sisters. At the time, we exchanged phone numbers, and we’ve continued to talk. She always comes here at the end of the year to catch up and spend time with her girlfriend.”
“Oh, I never would have imagined she was Lotte’s girlfriend. They seem so…”
“Different? Yeah, I totally agree. If you ask them, they’ll deny it, but I’m sure it was a very rare case of love at first sight.” Akko gave her that knowing look. “I suspected from the beginning that they would end up together. On the 21st, they celebrated their two-year anniversary, so it’s safe to say I was right.” She winked, convinced.
Diana could only try to stifle a laugh and shake her head in denial, amused by the intimacy those girls seemed to have.
Silence filled the space for a few steps. Akko was taking Diana to her favorite café, intending to warm the blonde’s heart and hoping it would also warm her body up. After all, there was a whole day of Christmas activities planned.
While Akko was going through the details of her plan in her head, she had an epiphany.
“Wait a minute! Don’t tell me the reason you left the inn back then was because you were jealous!”
Akko’s face lit up at the possibility, and a mischievous smile immediately appeared along with the teasing tone of the question.
“N-no! Of course not! I don’t… I have absolutely no reason to be jealous of you! Why on earth are you asking me something so stupid?!”
The barely concealed embarrassment in Diana’s voice became even more evident as her cheeks, ears, and even the tip of her nose turned as red as the holly berries scattered throughout the city’s decorations.
Faced with the blonde’s bewilderment, Akko’s previous smile bubbled up to a laugh.
“Oh, so it was me you were jealous of?”
Akko didn't even bother to hide her delight at that, and her laughter was so contagious that Diana ended up joining in without even realizing it. Soon, the shame and discomfort evaporated into thin air, and the blonde felt her chest lighter.
Taking advantage of the small distance between them, and their arms linked, Diana took the opportunity to give Akko a light nudge in the ribs.
“Don't get presumptuous because of that, you hear? I already said it wasn't jealousy, and even less so of you.” Diana tried to sound serious, but she was sure her voice and expression had betrayed her; she would never be able to fool someone as sharp as Akko.
Akko laughed softly and replied, “Of course, if you say so…”
The pair continued their walk along the sidewalks, dodging the small piles of snow accumulated on the curb, and the silence from before was filled with light conversation and sincere laughter.
Suddenly, the wind didn't seem so cold anymore.
[...]
The first stop on the itinerary was a small café with old architecture and a divine aroma. The place was dimly lit, but the treats were mouthwatering.
Akko said that this had been her favorite café since before she moved to the city, and that it had been the first place she visited when Lotte brought her to spend the holidays in her hometown. Apparently, it was a family business that had been around for decades, its quality and tradition being one of the main reasons their menu was so well appreciated.
Seated at a table, Diana and Akko shared a steaming espresso to warm their chests, along with some cookies and sweet doughnuts. The elderly lady who owned the establishment had insisted they try the gingerbread cookies that had just come out of the oven, and Diana was amazed at how something so simple could taste so delicious.
“Warm gingerbread cookies taste like Christmas and nostalgia,” Akko had said.
Diana was sure that it was impossible. But she was wrong. They really did taste like Christmas and nostalgia.
During the conversation with the owner, they discovered that a contest on gingerbread houses and cookie decorating would take place in the café, later in the afternoon. The old lady insisted that the girls come back and participate with them, and while Akko loved the idea, Diana seemed a bit reluctant. They didn't promise to return, but they did promise to think about it carefully.
Leaving the café, Akko invited Diana for a slightly more… practical outing.
“I know I said I’d be your tour guide today, and also that I was off from the inn, but I still need to run a few errands around town. So… would you do me the honor of accompanying me? I’ll show you the best shops in the local market!”
“Truly, I have nothing planned for today. I don’t see any problem in accompanying you,” Diana replied, voice sweeter than she had intended. The day was just beginning, and she was already enjoying the stroll a little too much.
Control yourself, Diana!
And they continued on their way, arm in arm.
Akko’s tasks were simple: buy new Christmas decorations and the ingredients needed for the next few days’ meals, both for her house and the inn; and she also had to pick up the orders Lotte’s mother had placed at the bakery.
With each establishment they passed, Diana was slowly realizing more and more the true charm of a small, peaceful town like that one.
The shops weren't large or extravagant like those in New York, but the window displays were breathtaking. The snow accumulated on the edges of the roofs, in the window frames, and on the steps of the front porches reflected the warm, yellowish lights, making the cold weather seem almost cozy, as if only that light could transport a little of that warmth outside. Everything aligned perfectly, as if the cold of the harsh winter were just another detail of the city's festive decorations.
The smell of warm bread at the bakery, the welcoming smiles of the market attendants, and the children playing in the snow on the sidewalks. Everything was so inviting, so simple, and so beautiful. So much more welcoming than the cold, gray office where she worked.
Suddenly, Christmas didn't seem so awful anymore.
And looking at the brown-haired figure walking right beside her, who insisted on swinging their intertwined hands as she talked nonstop about the city's historic buildings and monuments they passed, Diana added something to that mental note:
Here, Christmas didn't seem so lonely either.
Turns out, Akko was a great tour guide — and an even better Christmas advocate.