Archive of Our Own

“Absolutely not!”

Akko froze, wand still raised, as Finnelan slammed her hands on the desk. Her smile tightened into a pout before she shook her head and frowned.

“I don't see why this should be a problem. You could at least make an effort!”

“Akko, we’ll find another way,” Lotte whispered, tugging at her sleeve. “We could do it in the daytime, or—”

“Absolutely not! Our plan was to have it at New Moon Tower, and I refuse to change my mind!” Akko turned back to Finnelan and folded her arms across her chest. The smoke screen she had conjured to use as a display still showed the title Diana’s Fabulous and Magical 18th Birthday Party, blinking every so often. “You have ONE student who obeys you to the letter and even goes above and beyond at times, and you won’t even show her that you care!”

“Miss Kagari! That has nothing to do with the matter at hand! As Miss Jansson suggested, hold it during the day. I am quite certain Miss Cavendish would agree with me, and—”

“You want her eighteenth birthday to pass like any ordinary day?!” Akko straightened up and slammed her own hands onto the desk, mimicking her teacher. “She’s already far from home that day, she has guard duty in the evening, she spends the daytime helping you gather ingredients, and you want her celebration to be a ridiculous little afternoon tea after lessons with a few scones?”

“You’re getting carried away, Miss Kagari,” Finnelan tried to say, but Akko barrelled on.

“Three years of loyal service to you, as your best student! She even managed to stand in for Professor Badcock once and teach a class for the first-years! She’s done so much for you, and this is how you thank her? By refusing to let her closest friends show her how much we care about her? How important she is? If we don’t show her, who will? Her aunt? Her ancestors? Her parents? Her parents are dead, Anne — dead! And may the Nines bless their souls!”

Finnelan opened her mouth, then shut it again as Akko caught her breath. Behind her, she heard Hannah mutter, “We’re dead,” while Amanda pressed a hand to her forehead.

It was true Akko had gotten a bit carried away, but it was for Diana. And Diana absolutely deserved people getting carried away for her.

“I think it’s irresponsible to let a group of students have a sleepover at the top of New Moon Tower without supervision!” Finnelan grumbled, though Akko could hear her voice crack.

“Fine then, have Professors Chariot and Croix supervise us! Let them be the responsible adults for the party!”

The elderly teacher scratched at her chin. Chariot was dependable—clumsy, certainly, but more than capable of handling a group of nine students… most of the time. As for Croix, she had been released from prison earlier that year in exchange for community service to magical society, and had chosen to make herself useful by returning to Luna Nova. Gone were the secret laboratories; she was now a full-time professor of modern magic, no tricks this time, and had regained the trust of her peers in surprisingly little time.
She eventually let out a groan and buried her face in her hands, annoyed that she’d lost the argument.

“Very well. Just this once. But know that after this little party, you will be in detention, Miss Kagari.”

“Awesome! — Wait, what? Why?!”

“Disrespect towards your teacher, attempting to guilt-trip that same teacher, shouting in my office, and even getting too familiar while being violent with the furniture,” Finnelan counted off on her fingers.

“I’ll go, fine,” Akko huffed, pouting and looking away. “It’s worth it if it’s for Diana.”

“I do not doubt that, if you are willing to defy authority for it…” Finnelan sighed, though a small smile slipped through.

Akko straightened up, planted her fists on her hips, and turned to the three other witches in her group.

“Alright everyone! Operation: Diana’s Best Birthday Ever is officially a go! We’ve got one week to get everything ready, let’s go!”

“Akko, wait for us!” Lotte cried, hurrying after the brunette.

The doors slammed behind them and Finnelan sighed again. She knew that, one way or another, some sort of disaster was going to happen. But she preferred not to think about it. Simply imagining what might occur was enough to give her grey hairs already.

“May Beatrix bless that poor girl with courage, because she’s going to need it to survive this birthday…” Finnelan muttered, running a hand over her face before glancing out of her office window.

★☆★

“Operation Diana Birthday is officially in motion!” Akko announced, as a few bits of confetti burst from her wand. She watched them fall to the floor and pouted slightly. “I still need to work on that spell… Anyway!” She clapped her hands and looked at the small gathering in front of her.

The Red, Green and Blue teams (minus Diana, of course) had gathered in the Blue Team dormitory — the room with the most space, naturally, aside from Constanze’s laboratory — to begin planning everything. Their excuse for keeping Diana away was a fake meeting for a fake MMORPG combat club and, although Diana had originally wanted to join them, a few technical-sounding words from Akko had been enough to convince her to spend the afternoon in the library instead. Akko felt a bit guilty for lying to her, especially after seeing how disappointed Diana looked when she was left out.

“Today marks our first day of preparing the best birthday in the world for Diana!”

“Do you really think your idea can compare to the ball waiting for her back home?” Sucy asked lazily. “A budget sleepover compared to an aristocratic setting she is already used to?”

“Of course it can compare!” the Japanese cried.

She turned to the screen — a real one this time, with pixels and components, which Constanze had brought in — and clicked to a numbered slide.

“According to my spies — well, I mean Hannah and Barbara — Diana has never had a sleepover. Or a pizza night. Or really had any friends until now…”

A brief silence fell over the group as the comment reminded everyone of Diana’s actual social life: non-existent.
Akko noticed the expressions on her friends’ faces and immediately carried on.

“And that is why our party will be a thousand times more interesting than some diplomatic ball! The ball is there to celebrate the Cavendish heiress, not to make sure Diana has a good evening. Do you think a ball gown is as comfortable as pyjamas? Or even just being in uniform? Didn’t think so.”

A hand slowly rose in the group. Akko pointed at it with her wand.

“Yes, a question! Go ahead!”

“Akko… why are we here? We’re only meant to supervise the party, not take part in it…” Chariot asked.

She was sitting on one of the sofas with a cup of tea in her hands, while Croix sat to her right on the armrest, legs crossed.

“That is where you are mistaken, Professor! The fact that you were assigned to this role entirely by chance—”

“Entirely by chance? I’m not buying that story…” Croix muttered, but Akko ignored her.

“—is merely a coincidence, because I was actually planning to ask for your help with a few tasks.”

“With what, exactly?” Chariot already knew she was going to regret asking.

Akko grinned and changed the slide to reveal her plan. Chariot blushed furiously and waved her hands in panic.

“No, no, and no! Absolutely not! I refuse!”

“Please, Professor Chariot! Just this once! I’m not even asking for myself for once, but for Diana! To make up for the magic you stole from her when she was seven! A chance to make things right! You know, your show was the last gift her mother ever gave her before she DIED.”

“Akko, stop using Diana’s mother’s death as an argument to manipulate the teachers!” Hannah scolded.

Akko brushed the complaint aside with a wave of her hand.

“I’m sure Lady Bernadette would approve if she knew it was for her daughter’s happiness.”

“I find what Akko is doing admirable,” Sucy finally said. She devoured the biscuit in her hand before continuing. “Using the teachers’ guilt to throw a secret party? She’s even willing to guilt-trip her own idol? Even the devil wouldn’t have thought of it.”

She snickered, and Chariot looked away, her tea suddenly far more interesting.

“Back to the main mission, I’ve already assigned the teams,” Akko announced. “Amanda, Sucy and Professor Croix, you’ll handle the shopping. You need to bring back ingredients and drinks. Lotte and Jasminka, you’re in charge of the pizzas and the cake. I’ll come back to you once I’ve secured the dessert recipe. Conz, Hannah and Barbara, you’re in charge of the decorations. If possible, the tower needs to be soundproofed and insulated.”

Constanze gave her a thumbs-up while everyone else nodded, satisfied with the division of labour.

“As for me, I’ll handle the entertainment! I’ve already got a few ideas, but if we all work together, everything will be perfect! Professor Chariot, could you come with me to Wedinburgh this weekend? I’ve got a few things to sort out there.”

“Akko, I may have work to do and papers to mark…” Chariot set her cup down on the table and fidgeted nervously with her fingers. “And Wedinburgh isn’t exactly next door…”

“Oh, please, Professor! There are things I need to collect there, and it’s very important!”

Chariot thought for a moment, then sighed.

“Very well. I suppose if I get ahead this week, we should be able to make the round trip…”

“Perfect! We’ll fly there Friday evening — destination Wedinburgh!” Akko cried.

“Akko, I can’t fly anymore, and you’re not yet capable of flying with two people…” her teacher reminded her.

“Perfect! Then we’ll take the train Friday evening — destination Wedinburgh!”

★☆★

“I still can’t believe Daryl paid for our train tickets both ways! She does have her moments of generosity…” Akko laughed, double-checking she hadn’t forgotten anything.

“What surprises me more is that you showed up unannounced and hardly anyone even questioned it.”

“Oh, you know, once you’ve nearly been killed by Daryl’s snakes and then been blessed in some way by Beatrix herself, the manor starts to feel a bit like home.”

Chariot’s face fell at once. “What?”

“What, what?” Akko asked, as if what she’d just said were perfectly normal.

“Akko, what have you done this time?”

“Well, in my first year, when I said I’d bring Diana back to Luna Nova no matter what it took, I wasn’t joking. I had to interrupt the ceremony to save her—it was a bit of a mess—but we made peace with Daryl, and now she tolerates me! The Kagari charm, in the end.”

“I’m starting to wonder how many times you’ve nearly died without me knowing— Akko, don’t answer that, I do not want the real number, I might have a heart attack.”

★☆★

Throwing a surprise party for the smartest girl Akko knew was no easy task. On one hand, Diana had a knack for being exactly where she wasn’t supposed to be; on the other, she was beginning to suspect something.

“May I ask why I am not permitted to join your game sessions?” she finally asked the following Wednesday, as she and Akko were having tea. Akko choked slightly, panic gripping her.

“It’s just that we know it wouldn’t interest you. And I know you get headaches quite quickly with video games, and we only ever talk about them and—” Akko scrambled for excuses, looking anywhere but at her. Diana rested her chin on her hand and raised an eyebrow.

“And yet, Hannah and Barbara are consistently invited. Curious, considering I would not have thought them particularly inclined toward such activities.”

“Oh, you know, Hannah just follows Amanda to get into what she likes. It’s amazing what people will do for love, haha. And Barbara—I’m sure she just wants to spend time with Lotte.”

“And what if I wished to spend time with you as well…?” Diana asked quietly.

Akko flushed at once—then Diana realised what she had said, and her own face turned just as red.

“With you! All of you! The whole group! All eight of you!” she corrected hastily, tugging at her collar and looking away as her voice pitched higher. Flustered, she drained her teacup in one go and stood abruptly. “Oh, by the Nines, look at the time! I must be off—far too much work, and I cannot afford to—”

“Diana…” Akko murmured, catching her hand. “I want to spend time with you too…”

Diana froze. The blush reached her ears, but her hand tightened around Akko’s. She nodded slowly, sat back down a little too quickly, and stared at where their hands met.
A comfortable silence settled between them. Akko toyed with their fingers, searching for something to say, but guilt began to creep in. She didn’t want Diana to feel left out—quite the opposite. She was doing all this so Diana would feel loved, seen for who she truly was. But in organising everything, Akko had somehow made things worse. The hurt look Diana had given her several times when she’d been turned away was starting to haunt her. She cared about Diana—far more than she dared admit—and knowing she was the one hurting her? It felt like a nightmare.

“May I ask you something?” Diana spoke first. She withdrew her hand and fiddled with her teacup. “Do you… find me dull? Is that why you do not invite me?”

Akko went pale, as if an invisible knife had just stabbed her in the chest. She shook her head rapidly, the urge to blurt out the entire surprise overwhelming her.
You’re not dull at all and I love being with you and I want to throw you an amazing party where you’re the centre of attention because you deserve to be cared for for once because you’re wonderful and brilliant and incredible and clever and beautiful and I just want you to be happy and I love you and—

“I would not take offence,” Diana added, too quickly, and Akko could feel nausea rising. She paused for a second. “I know you all have your own references, and that I exist in a world apart from yours. I know I struggle to keep up sometimes—I do not understand what a ‘meme’ is, and I cannot use a computer beyond basic internet searches. I also know I may not be the easiest person to include…” Another pause, quieter: “But I had thought… that perhaps it did not matter.”

“You’ve got it completely wrong, Diana!” Akko burst out. If this went on, she was certain she’d either throw up on the blonde in front of her or ruin the entire plan—possibly both. “I promise you it’s nothing like that, and I promise I’ll invite you next time, and I promise we don’t find you dull at all, and if you want I’ll teach you about technology, but please don’t think you’re boring or anything because you’re absolutely not and I could listen to you talk for hours!”

As she spoke, Akko had thrown herself at Diana, her arms wrapping around her neck. Diana stiffened in surprise, then awkwardly patted her back.

“Akko…”

“Please don’t ever think we find you dull…” Akko protested, burying her face in the crook of her neck. She ignored their closeness and sighed softly as she felt Diana relax.

“All right, all right… but Akko…”

“Mhm?”

“Could you get up? You’re sitting on my knees and I can’t feel my legs anymore…”

“OH MY GOD DIANA, I’M SO SORRY!”

★☆★

“It’s April 29th, and we’re 24 hours away from the party!” Akko announced through a megaphone.

It crackled suddenly, and everyone winced. Akko tossed it into a corner and clapped her hands.

“Which means we officially have permission from Finnelan to start decorating New Moon Tower! So let’s get to work!”

Constanze set her bag down and pulled out a cube, placing it at the centre of the tower. After activating it on her tablet, a glowing sphere spread out and enveloped the space. Outside noise vanished completely, and the spring breeze could no longer reach them.

“The insulating sphere is in place,” the Stanbot following her announced. “The Sorcerer's Stone’s energy output remains unaffected, allowing it to continue powering the staff and the school. As for sound, it cannot escape. No one can hear us, and no one will see what is happening.”

“Incredible work, Conz, as always!” Akko pulled a scrap of paper from her pocket and, with a grin, ticked off the insulation step. “What about the food?”

“Thanks to the recipe Anna gave you, we were able to recreate her childhood Victoria sponge cake!” Jasminka announced.

“And we used the photos you gave us to decorate it the same way!” Lotte added proudly. The two exchanged a smile.

Akko glanced at the fridge that had been set up in the corner. “And the pizzas?”

“They’re done. Professor Croix supervised that part,” Lotte said.

“And the drinks?”

“Water, tea, juice, a bit of cola…” Amanda listed off. “And we also got some beer, cider, champagne—because we’re not savages—but also vodka and whisky, because we’re not nuns either…”

“Amanda!” the group exclaimed in unison.

“We weren’t supposed to have alcohol! If Finnelan catches us, we’re all completely done for!” Hannah scolded, tugging on Amanda’s ear. Amanda yelped in pain. “And it wasn’t even in the budget!”

“We didn’t pay for it,” Amanda grumbled, trying to wriggle free. “Professor Croix did!”

“Croix!” Chariot turned to her colleague, outraged. “You are supposed to be a responsible adult and set an example for the students! It is completely against the rules to buy alcohol for minors, bring it onto school grounds, and—”

“Relax,” Croix replied, utterly unfazed. “No one’s going to find out. And besides, if I hadn’t done it, Sucy and Amanda would’ve found another way to sneak some in.”

“That’s not the point! It’s a matter of principle!” Chariot cried. “We could lose our jobs, and—”

Akko stopped listening at that point. She looked down at her list, her leg bouncing with nerves.
What if Diana ended up hating the party? What if it was too childish for her? What if, in reality, she actually liked those dull aristocratic balls everyone else found tedious?
Akko took a deep breath and hid her face behind the paper. No—she couldn’t falter now. She’d been planning this for a month. There was no way she was going to start doubting everything at the last minute. She’d deal with the alcohol issue later. For now, everything was going well, and they were on schedule. She had convinced Chariot, she had managed to get what she needed from the Cavendish manor—everything was going perfectly.
Diana would be surprised. Diana would be happy. Diana would be… perfect.
And maybe after all this, Akko would finally have the courage to confess her feelings. Maybe. Or maybe not. Actually… probably not.
Things between her and Diana had been a bit strange lately. Not bad strange—just… uncertain. Akko wasn’t quite sure where they were heading. On her side, it was obvious their friendship had grown into something more than platonic. She’d realised it the night an intrusive thought about kissing Diana had kept her awake. She knew she sometimes had a tendency to drift into daydreams, but when every single one of them revolved around Diana? It was hard to deny it anymore.
But Diana sent some very mixed signals.
And Akko couldn’t tell whether that was because Diana was gay…
…or just too European.

“Akko, are you alright?”

Lotte’s hand on her shoulder pulled her back to reality. Akko shook her head slightly and straightened up.

“I’m fine. Just the stress kicking in a bit, you know. Nothing serious.”

Lotte nodded and gave her a small smile.
Just a few hours left before the plan began…

★☆★

There were very few things that could get Akko out of bed at six in the morning on a weekend. Truly, very few. But it just so happened that love was one of the few things—one of the things that had her standing outside the Blue Team dorm, fully dressed, a breakfast tray in her hands.

“Akko, you’re already here?” Hannah murmured as she opened the door. She was barely awake, and Barbara was just beginning to stir from her bed in silence.

“Yeah, I was worried she might wake up before I got here, so…”

“I doubt it. You know, despite appearances, Diana’s not actually a morning person. Take away her alarm and she’d sleep until noon. Honestly, she’s seriously in sleep debt… At this point she’s overdrawn.” Hannah chuckled softly as she opened the door carefully to keep it from creaking.

Akko nodded, slipped off her shoes, and proudly showed the tray she’d prepared with help from the Luna Nova staff. Barbara clapped silently before holding up the mechanical alarm clock they had “borrowed” from Diana the night before. Akko whispered a quick “good job” before heading towards the partitioned part of the room.
Despite the sunlight brushing against her cheek, Diana didn’t stir. Akko approached quietly, hoping the floor wouldn’t betray her. She moved a few textbooks aside from the desk to set down the tray, then crouched beside the bed. She was about to wake the blonde—but paused, sighing softly as she rested her head against the mattress instead.

“How am I supposed to wake you when you look so peaceful…” Akko muttered.

Her gaze lingered on the freckles scattered across Diana’s face, and her breath caught. Her crush on the other witch was getting ridiculous—worse by the day. It was becoming harder to hide, and even if Diana were to reject her… at least she wouldn’t have to carry it alone anymore.
Akko picked up the small digital camcorder resting on the tray and switched it on. Buying it second-hand had definitely been worth it. Twenty pounds to give the day that soft early-2000s video feel that modern tech had lost? Best deal of the year.
She turned the camera on herself and pressed record.

“Good morning, Luna Nova. Today is…” She checked her watch, then rolled her eyes. “Actually, no need. It’s officially April 30th, and it’s 6:46 a.m. And today is someone very special’s birthday!”

She turned the camera towards Diana, zooming in on her face.

“That’s right—happy birthday, Diana! I’m the first one to tell you, and you don’t even know it yet, but don’t worry—I’ll also be the first one you remember saying it!” She pointed the camera at the breakfast, then back at Diana. “I can’t wait for tonight so you can see everything your friends have prepared for you! But for now…”

Gently, Akko began to shake her. Diana groaned, burrowed deeper into her blanket, and turned her back to her.

“Don’t ever tell me I’m hard to wake after this…” Akko muttered, shaking her a bit more. “Oi, Diana, wake up!”

She heard a faint “Five more minutes…” before Diana’s shoulders suddenly tensed. She turned towards Akko, sat up, squinted—and then, as if her brain hadn’t quite caught up with reality yet, stared at her for a moment before lying back down again.

“No, no, no. We’re getting up!” Akko laughed.

Diana groaned but let Akko help her sit upright.

“Good morning to you too.”

“Akko…?” Diana asked weakly. “What are you doing in my dormitory?”

“I came to wake you.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s your birthday.”

Diana opened and closed her mouth like a fish. She rubbed her face, yawned, and slowly began to process that Akko was actually there. Akko smiled softly.

“If you’re not more awake in five minutes, I’m kidnapping you into a birthday hug. No time to think, no time to analyse—just you trapped in my arms before breakfast.”

Diana yawned again and shuffled back slightly, making room for her.

“How could I refuse that, coming from you?”

Akko blushed faintly—but climbed into the bed anyway. Mixed signals, Akko thought.
She opened her arms, and Diana crawled into them, resting her head on Akko’s shoulder and pulling the blanket over them both.

“I never thought I’d see you up this early,” Diana mumbled, still half-asleep. “What brought about this miracle?”

“I told you—it’s your birthday. I wanted my angelic face to be the first thing you see in the morning.”

Diana laughed softly against her shoulder. Akko could feel the faint tremor of it and smiled.

“And I brought you breakfast.”

“You actually did that?”

Akko pointed towards the tray, and Diana’s surprise was immediate. She pulled away—to Akko’s quiet disappointment—and stretched. The teddy bear she’d been holding slipped onto the floor.
They both looked at him.
Diana flushed and quickly hid him back under the covers.

“You saw nothing.”

“I saw everything.”

“Akko! No—don’t film him!”

“Remind me—when did you get him again?”

Diana paused, then picked up the bear. Her expression softened, turning wistful as she ran her fingers over his paws.

“My father gave him to me on the day I was born. He was enchanted so he wouldn’t wear out over time,” she explained. She fiddled with the tag on his ear, while Akko remained quiet. Diana took a breath and held him close. “It’s… all I really have left of them, in a way. The first thing I was ever given.”

“Diana… I’m really sorry about what happened to them…” Akko took her hand and squeezed it gently. Diana smiled faintly and shrugged.

“Fate decided things would unfold that way. There’s nothing I can do about it. If I stay stuck on it, I’ll never move forward.” She turned her head towards Akko, frowning slightly. “Are you really documenting all of this?”

“Oh—shoot, I forgot to turn it off!” Akko muttered. She glanced at the screen, still zoomed in on Diana’s face, then bit her lip. “You know… wherever they are, I’m sure they’re proud of you. Not for what you’ll bring to your family—but for the person you’ve become.”

She looked up and intertwined their fingers. Diana stared at their joined hands, then lifted her gaze.

“Thank you, Akko. What you said… it means a lot. Truly.”

“I mean it. They couldn’t have hoped for a better path for you than the one you’ve taken.”

“I hope they would have approved of the choices I make… and the person I’m becoming…” Diana murmured.

Akko leaned a little closer, the camcorder resting on her knees. She gently brushed a strand of hair behind Diana’s ear—then froze mid-motion.
Maybe, if Akko had been braver, she would have kissed her. Right there. Right now. On that bed.
Maybe, if she’d managed to see past her own fear, she would have noticed Diana’s gaze flickering to her lips, would have felt the tension in her hand, the subtle closeness between them.
Maybe, if Akko thought a little less, she wouldn’t have started trembling. Ironic, for someone who usually followed her heart before her head.
But she was the first to break the moment.
She pulled back abruptly, cheeks burning, stammering as she placed the breakfast tray onto Diana’s lap.

“H–Here! Happy birthday! Eat it quickly before it gets cold—uh, even though that’s not really possible because I enchanted the tray to keep everything warm, so, um—just enjoy it and—”

Diana watched her for a moment, then smiled.
That smile—the one that made Akko’s heart skip. The one that, for half a second, made her think she might sacrifice the world just to see it again.

“Akko. Thank you for being the first to wish me a happy birthday.”

Akko opened her mouth—but suddenly something jumped onto her back. She heard Hannah grumbling from behind the bookcase as Amanda latched onto her shoulders.

“Oi, Cavendish, happy birthday! Welcome to the adult club! You can officially order a pint at the pub now! Or join the army. Or start gambling, buy fireworks, get a tattoo, or—”

“We get it, Amanda,” Diana laughed, though she thanked her anyway.

One by one, the others arrived, and the room soon filled with laughter. But Akko’s gaze drifted elsewhere—lost in thoughts of what might have been.

★☆★

“Akko!” Diana gasped, hurrying after her. “What’s so urgent? Is everything alright?”

“I don’t have time to explain!” Akko shouted as she raced up the stairs leading to the top of New Moon Tower. “All I know is there was an explosion, I heard people screaming, and—”

She kept running, dragging Diana along by the wrist as the blonde did her best to keep up. Panic was already visible in Diana’s eyes as she readied her wand.

“Professor Croix and Professor Chariot are already up there, but I don’t know what happened and—”

“Let’s not panic,” Diana ordered, nearly tripping as she climbed. “I’m sure the situation is under control and that everyone is safe!”

Akko slowed, letting Diana move ahead of her. By reflex, Diana raised an arm in front of Akko as they reached the top.

“Everyone, stand back! Are there any inj—”

She was cut off by the sound of an explosion. Diana covered her eyes instantly, pulling Akko close to shield her from any debris.
The only thing that ended up hitting her… was paper.
Cheers rang out across the tower. Diana stepped back from Akko. The cries, which should have been terrified, were instead full of joy.

“Surprise! Happy birthday, Diana!”

Diana froze for a moment, then began to stammer. She pointed at Akko, then at the banner, then at their friends, then at herself—before lightly smacking Akko on the shoulder.

“You made me panic and sprint up a hundred stairs three at a time!”

“No regrets,” Akko grinned, rubbing the spot.

Diana was about to scold her again when the reality of the situation finally sank in.
A party had been organised. For her. For her birthday.
Sleeping bags were already laid out in one corner of the tower, her belongings had been brought up, and large plastic tables divided the space in two. Snacks and drinks were spread out in a chaotic but cosy arrangement. A giant screen displayed photos of everyone from the past two years.

“You… did all this? For me?” Diana asked, unable to stop herself.

“No, it’s for your neighbour across the countryside,” Amanda shot back automatically, before Jasminka elbowed her sharply. “I mean—yeah. Obviously. Under Akko’s very questionable organisation.”

Diana turned to Akko, hands over her heart. Akko could have sworn there were tears in her eyes—but it might also have been the glow of the Sorcerer's Stone above them.

“Akko… I don’t know what to say…”

“Then don’t say anything—just enjoy your birthday party!” Akko grabbed her wrist, pulling her along as Diana laughed softly. “We’ve got loads planned for your first sleepover!”

“And who said it would be my first?” Diana asked, raising an eyebrow.

Her answer came in the form of Hannah and Barbara’s unimpressed looks. Diana rolled her eyes, blushed slightly, and admitted it was indeed her first sleepover.
It took about twelve seconds before everyone burst into applause and cheers.
In the middle of it all, Diana barely had time to thank anyone before she was swept into the chaos. Hannah started crying as she hugged her, Barbara started crying because Hannah was crying, and Diana started crying too—but only because of “allergies”, absolutely not emotions, even though Akko had seen how tightly she held her friends.
At some point, someone placed a paper hat on her head—and the party truly began.
Which brought Akko to the first part of her plan.
She clapped her hands as she moved towards the screen, drawing everyone’s attention. She saw Diana struggle to stop laughing before finally focusing on her.

“Ladies, welcome to this very special evening, organised for the sole purpose of celebrating Diana here!” Akko announced. “As you all know, I’m Atsuko, and I’ll be your host for the night!”

Applause broke out as she gave a theatrical bow.

“I’ll ask each of you to take one of the tablets provided…”

“Akko, how did you even get this many tablets?” Diana asked, suspicious but not unkind.

“That might be my doing,” Croix said from her chair, inspecting the beer in her bottle before holding up a tablet proudly. “They’re meant to be introduced next semester for my class, but I have early access. And this time, I promise, they’re not powering any destructive weapon.”

Diana nodded and reached for a tablet, but Akko pulled her back.

“If you play, that’s cheating—you already know the answers. You’ll be my assistant and help explain them.”

“Akko! What exactly have you planned?”

“My dear Diana,” Akko began, as a bit of waiting music started and a QR code appeared, “are you familiar with the concept of Kahoot?”

“Vaguely…”

“Let me explain,” Akko said, taking her arm. “Our contestants here will face a quiz. Each question has four possible answers. The faster and more accurately you respond, the more points you earn. You also get streak bonuses, and there’s a full ranking system.”

“And why can’t I take part?” Diana asked, hands on her hips.

“Because you’re the subject of the quiz!” Akko declared, as if it were obvious. She counted the number of connections before launching it. “First question!”

She flicked her wand, transforming it into a microphone that amplified her voice.

“For 1,000 points—what is Diana’s date of birth?”

Everyone rolled their eyes as they selected an answer.
Moments later, horror spread as April 30th was marked incorrect, replaced by some random date in November.

“Akko!” everyone shouted.

Akko went bright red, stammering apologies about having made the quiz at three in the morning and probably clicking the wrong option.
The second question appeared, and she took a breath.

“Alright, alright—everything’s correct from here on! We all know Diana is from the United Kingdom, but where exactly?”

Akko folded her arms, smirking slightly. The first questions were easy—but she knew they’d get more obscure as it went on.
Within seconds, everyone had answered.
Then came another wave of outrage.

“What now? I checked this one—I put the right answer!”

“Akko… you marked Diana is English,” Chariot pointed out.

“Yes, and? That is the correct answer, isn’t it?”

Amanda snorted with laughter while the others grimaced.

“If the whole quiz is like this, we’re going to discover this party is for a completely different Diana…” Sucy muttered, taking a sip of her drink.

“Akko, I’m sorry to inform you that I am anything but English…” Diana said quietly.

Akko frowned. “What do you mean?”

“We’re a wee bit further north than that…”

“Liverpool?”

“No, that’s still England…”

“What we’re trying to tell you is that Diana is Scottish…” Lotte explained.

“Wait—what? No way, you don’t sound Scottish at all.”

After a brief identity crisis for Akko—which included a crash course on British accents and a very embarrassed Diana—the quiz resumed.
Thankfully for Akko, things went smoothly after that, though she kept receiving confused looks from Diana, along with comments like, “How do you know that?”, “Who told you this?”, and “How on earth did you get these photos and this information?”
Hannah and Barbara fought for first place, followed—surprisingly—by Constanze and Croix. Lotte wasn’t far behind, ahead of Jasminka and Chariot. Meanwhile, Sucy and Amanda battled for last place, deliberately choosing chaotic answers just to annoy Diana.

“And now, the final question! Which is strange, because I’m sure I only wrote thirty…” Akko muttered, staring at the screen.

She scratched the back of her head, catching Amanda and Sucy giggling out of the corner of her eye. She ignored it—until she saw the question.
Her face turned bright red.
Diana read it too and let out a small squeak before burying her face in her hands.

“I’m going to kill her…” Akko muttered.

It all made sense now.
While Akko had been distracted, Amanda had added one final question.

“For those who can’t read, I’ll say it out loud!” Amanda announced cheerfully, snatching the microphone from Akko, who looked ready to disappear into the ground. “Who has mentioned Diana’s name more than fifty times this week—and who does Diana secretly have a crush on? Multiple answers possible! Akko, Akko in disguise, Akko pretending to be subtle, or Professor Chariot—careful, that one’s a trick answer!”

The room erupted in laughter.
Unsurprisingly, most answers included Akko.

“Don’t thank me for setting that one up,” Amanda said, nudging her.

“I can’t wait to see you burn in hell…” Akko muttered.

“I’ll tan nicely there. Now go check on your sweetheart—she’s practically overheating. If we hadn’t stepped in, you two would’ve stayed stuck like that forever.”

“I had it under control—” Akko tried to argue, but her voice cracked embarrassingly.

Amanda rolled her eyes and shoved her forward, towards Diana—who had stepped out onto the landing for some fresh air.
Akko took a deep breath and shuffled over to the blonde. Diana tensed when Akko sat down beside her. She avoided her gaze, fiddling with the pleats of her skirt.

“I’m sorry about how that ended… On the bright side, we now know Hannah and Barbara know you inside out, eh?” Akko tried to joke, but Diana kept her eyes fixed on the horizon.

“I just didn’t think it was that obvious…” Diana finally muttered. “I’m sorry if, you know… it makes you uncomfortable.”

Akko’s head snapped around so quickly she was surprised she didn’t give herself whiplash. Her mouth opened, a silent “oh” escaping her lips. Diana finally dared to look at her, but quickly looked away again.

“Please, say something…”

“I, um…”

“At least tell me we’ll stay friends—and that I don’t disgust you…”

“Diana, I—”

“I didn’t tell you to avoid this exact situation,” Diana cut in, hiding her face in her arms. “Now everything’s going to be awkward between us. I don’t want to lose you, Akko. I thought it would be for the best, but…”

“You’re asking me to say something, but you keep interrupting me—by the Nine, you’re unbelievable when you want to be!” Akko finally managed.

Diana looked up at her, startled.
Oh no—she was on the verge of tears…
Akko took a deep breath and placed a hand on her knee.

“If it helps… I’ve got a bit of a crush on you too. A small one.”

“Just small…?” Diana asked quietly.

“Small as in massive…” Akko admitted with a nervous laugh.

She felt Diana rest her head on her shoulder, relaxing slightly. With all the courage she could muster, Akko wrapped her in a gentle embrace, her hand rubbing Diana’s shoulder reassuringly.

“I’m sorry Amanda exposed us like that. I suppose she couldn’t stand watching us circle each other forever…”

Diana stayed quiet, staring off into space, though she leaned in a little closer. Akko gently rested her own head on top of Diana’s, unable to stop the smile spreading across her face as a few strands of blonde hair tickled her nose.

“May I ask how you obtained all that information? I knew you knew me well, but to that extent…” Diana eventually asked.

Akko scratched the back of her neck with a sheepish laugh.

“Let’s just say… I had some help.”

Diana straightened, raising an eyebrow. “Help?”

“It might be,” Akko began, “that I made a little stop at your place this weekend. And that I may have barged into Daryl’s office and asked Anna a thousand questions.”

“Akko!” Diana scolded, though there was no real bite to it.

“I just wanted to do things properly!” Akko protested, raising her hands defensively. “And it worked! Even if… Amanda kind of ruined the quiz…” she grumbled.

“It was perfect,” Diana cut in. “Truly. Perfect…”

Their noses brushed lightly.
Akko could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears as Diana’s breath ghosted over her lips.

“Are you going to kiss me now…?” Diana murmured, a faint smile on her lips.

Akko flushed bright red and immediately pulled back, stammering.

“S–Sorry!”

“For what?”

“I was too close and—”

“And I wanted you to be. I really did. To kiss me, I mean.” Diana stumbled slightly over her words but didn’t break eye contact.

Akko suddenly remembered something.

“Oh—wait! Before that, I’ve got something for you!”

“For me? Again? But the party—Akko!”

Akko had already jumped to her feet and dashed inside. She returned moments later with several wrapped packages, cheeks flushed and slightly out of breath.

“Akko… don’t tell me all of that is from you?”

“I don’t quite have the money to spoil you that much yet,” Akko admitted as she sat back down. “Some of them are from your family.”

“My family?” Diana echoed, picking up the first package.

She opened it slowly, revealing what Akko knew was a signet ring. Diana let out a soft breath as she took it in her hands.

“Your mother intended for this to be yours when you came of age. I deemed it appropriate to return it now. With love, your aunt Daryl…” she read from the card.

“What is it?” Akko asked, pretending not to know.

“My mother’s signet ring…” Diana murmured. “In my family, when someone becomes head of the house, a ring is made. For a long time, my mother’s was displayed in the hall of honour, alongside those of her predecessors.”

“Isn’t it a bit… improper to take it down just to give it to you?” Akko asked curiously.

“Normally, yes. But… Mother always said she would rather I have it than see it sitting in a glass case no one looks at,” Diana replied with a small laugh, holding the ring to her chest. “She always tried to break traditions—to make our family more human, in a way. She hated the image we had… just aristocrats coasting on our reputation as Beatrix’s descendants. Until her death, she worked constantly—whether at the family hospital or volunteering in different towns.”

Diana stopped as her voice began to tremble. She took a moment to breathe, then slipped the ring onto her finger, turning it slowly as she gazed up at the sky.
Akko cleared her throat and handed her the next few packages. Diana looked surprised to see her cousins’ names.

“We thought maybe you’d tolerate spending time with us.”

Diana opened them to reveal a tea set, a book about the most beautiful lochs in Scotland, and a train ticket.

“They’re inviting me to travel with them this summer? I… I would never have imagined wanting to spend time with them three years ago.”

“Things change, you know,” Akko said, flipping through the book. She noticed Diana watching her. “What?”

“You showed up.”

“I didn’t do much. I just, you know, walked all night, hitchhiked to your place, fought giant snakes and—okay, wow, no wonder Professor Chariot worries so much. Anyway! This one’s from Anna!”

Akko shook her head and slid over the third gift. Diana took it carefully, placing it on her lap.

“Anna has always had a way of giving me exactly what I need, exactly when I need it,” Diana said softly as she unwrapped it. “It’s as if she can read my mind, and—”

She froze.

“What? What is it?” Akko asked. Anna had wrapped it beforehand and refused to reveal what it was.

Diana lifted a small wand from the box—barely half the size of the ones used at Luna Nova. A tiny serpent curled around its wood, and it was clearly too small for Diana’s hand now. Alongside it came a music box, a folded piece of paper, an old blanket, and a worn journal.
Akko leaned closer to get a better look.

“Were these all yours?” she asked.

Diana nodded, her fingers brushing over the blanket.

“Things from my childhood. I thought I’d lost them—or that they’d been thrown away. I can’t believe Anna kept all of this.”

“That’s amazing…” Akko whispered, opening the journal.

Diana immediately flushed and snatched it from her hands.

“Don’t read that! It’s embarrassing!”

“Why?” Akko pouted.

“It was my… diary when I was a child.”

“And? Are you worried I’ll discover you were… a child? That you thought like one?”

“No, but… I remember writing about my mother’s death in it, and…” Diana trailed off, setting the journal down carefully.

Akko understood and nodded quietly. Then she suddenly jolted, as if remembering something important.

“Speaking of your mother!” Akko exclaimed.

This time, she didn’t add anything else. She simply handed over the final package. It was flat. Light. Carefully wrapped, without anything extravagant.
Diana frowned slightly as she took it, then tore the paper away.
An album. Plain. A simple cover, slightly worn at the edges. Nothing particularly impressive, nothing… Cavendish.

“…A photo album?” Her voice betrayed her confusion.

She turned it over in her hands for a few seconds, as if searching for something hidden. Then she gave a small shrug and opened it.
The first page took her breath away.
A newborn. Tiny. Wrapped in a blanket far too big. Her eyes.
Diana froze, her fingers tightening around the page.
Her. It was her.
She turned the page more slowly this time. A photo of her in someone’s arms. Another against a shoulder. Another where a hand held hers—absurdly small. Smiles. Looks. Gestures. Gestures she didn’t recognise.
Her throat tightened as her eyes caught a line of handwriting. Fine. Elegant, despite a faint tremor. And before she could even process—

“You were only a few hours old here… You refused to sleep unless I was there.”

Diana jolted violently. The album trembled in her hands. She drew a sharp breath.

No. That couldn’t be—

She gripped the page tighter, her eyes racing over the words as if they might disappear. The voice continued—soft, clear, achingly familiar.

“Anna said I was going to spoil you… but I could never refuse you anything.”

Her lips trembled. A tear fell onto the page. Then another.
Diana shook her head faintly, unable to accept what she was hearing—unable to stop, either. She turned the page.
Every photograph. Every word.
And each time—
Her voice. Narrating. Remembering. Speaking about her as though she were still there, right beside her.
Diana’s breathing grew uneven, her fingers trembling more with every page she turned.
Twelve years. Twelve whole years without hearing her voice..
And yet—
She was here.
Diana pressed a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle a sob that escaped anyway. She kept going, unable to stop—because stopping meant the voice would stop too.
The pages blurred past. She was growing up. The photos changed, but not the presence.
Until her seventh birthday.
Diana froze.
She recognised it. Vaguely. The cake, the decorations, a dress she had forgotten.
Her eyes drifted to the text. Longer. Denser.
Her heart clenched painfully.
She drew a shaky breath… and kept reading.

“If you are reading this, my darling, then it means I am no longer here to tell you myself.”

The sob broke free immediately—raw, uncontrollable. Her vision blurred, but she didn’t look away.

“I am sorry I could not stay. You deserved more time, more memories, more ordinary moments that we will never have.”

Diana shook her head, her shoulders trembling.

“I hope you are well. That you are healthy. That you eat properly, that you sleep enough—even though I already know you probably don’t, not always.
I hope you are happy. Not just accomplished, not just admired, but happy. That you have found things that make you laugh for no reason—moments where you can set everything down and simply exist.
I hope you have friends. Real friends. People who do not only see the name you carry, but the person you are. People with whom you can be imperfect without fear.”

The tears flowed freely now.

“I know you are strong. Too strong, sometimes. You have always had this tendency to keep everything to yourself, to try to handle everything alone, to think that asking for help is a weakness. It is not.
You do not need to be perfect, Diana. You never needed to be in order to be loved. I hope someone has told you that. I hope someone shows you that.
I hope you have not closed your heart to the world. That you have not let solitude become more comfortable than company. You deserve to be surrounded, to be understood, to be supported.”

A silence. Then, more softly—

“Live. Make mistakes. Learn. Fail, start again. Discover what you love, what you want, what makes you you. You are not just a Cavendish. You are my daughter.”

Another sob slipped from Diana—quieter, but just as broken.

“And if you ever feel lost… know that I am proud of you. No matter who you have become, no matter the choices you have made. I am proud of you.”

Her hand trembled violently.

“I love you.”

Diana froze. For a few seconds she couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe properly. Then she forced her fingers to turn the page.
The following photos were different. Simpler. Less staged.
Anna.
Her handwriting—recognisable, more direct. Straightforward descriptions, dates, a few sentences. Everyday moments. Quieter birthdays. Glances captured without her knowing.
Diana lingered on each page longer than she meant to.
Then more photos. Recent ones—sometimes blurry, poorly framed.
Akko. Lotte. Sucy. Hannah. Amanda. Barbara. Jasminka. Constanze. Even, at times, Andrew, Chariot, and Croix.
Even Finnelan.
Laughter. Stolen moments. Times when she wasn’t even looking at the camera.
Her heart tightened differently. Less violently. But more deeply.
She recognised those moments. She hadn’t known they’d been kept.
Her fingers trembled as they brushed over one of the photos. She stayed still, eyes fixed on those pages—on that continuity she had never seen, never understood.
Then she slowly closed the album.
Her shoulders were still shaking, her tears still falling without any attempt to hide them.
Akko stood beside her, awkward, not quite knowing what to say. But she figured the best thing she could do was wait—just show Diana she was there.

“Akko…” Diana finally said. Her voice broke as she turned towards her.

“Yes?” Akko murmured—

—and was cut off by a pair of lips.

She blinked, then closed her eyes, her hand coming up to rest against Diana’s cheek.

After a few seconds, Diana pulled back. “Thank you.”

“Does that mean we’re, you know, like—”

She was cut off by another kiss, softer this time.

“Yes,” the blonde whispered against her lips.

Akko couldn’t help but smile as she pulled back, placing a small box on Diana’s lap. “This one’s from me.”

Diana looked down at it. Smaller. Wrapped hastily, with far too much tape and not nearly enough skill.
She struggled to tear the paper off, revealing a small jewellery box.

“It’s not much compared to what your family gave you, but—”

“It’s perfect,” Diana cut in gently.

She had opened the box, holding the gold necklace between her fingers.

“Thank you, Akko. For everything. Not just the party. Just… for being in my life. For making it better. For showing me it can be better.”

Akko smiled softly, then pressed a light kiss to her cheek. She helped her put it on, then took her hand.

“From today onwards, you’re stuck with me. Every morning I’ll come and bother you, every day I’ll remind you that you’re loved—”

“And every day I’ll give back just as much love as you give me,” Diana promised.

“Miss Cavendish… are you secretly a romantic?”

Diana was about to answer when Amanda dropped in, plonking herself between them.

“So, how’s it going here? We saw you kissing and just wanted to make sure things weren’t getting too spicy on the platform.”

“Amanda!” Akko yelled.

“You know, even if Diana’s eighteen, Akko’s still only seventeen, so technically that could count as corruption of a minor—meaning Diana’s basically a predator. Unless Akko’s aiming for MILFs?”

“AMANDA!!!”

“Relax, relax, I’m joking. Anyway, I came to tell you—the show’s about to start.”

“The show?” Diana asked.

Akko turned her head and spotted Chariot—looking visibly uncomfortable—in a toned-down version of her old costume. She was waving a replica of the Shiny Rod while Croix made last-minute adjustments.
Diana followed her gaze, raising an eyebrow.

“Akko… what did you do?”

“Oh, just a little something. Nothing important.”

“She blackmailed Chariot,” Hannah chimed in, leaning against Amanda, who casually slung an arm around her waist.

“You did what?!”

“I regret nothing!” Akko shouted, grabbing Diana’s hand.

Diana started scolding her—something about how manipulating their teachers’ feelings was not productive—but cut herself off mid-sentence.
She watched Akko guide her to the front row, sit her down, and then run off to join Chariot before changing outfits with a flick of her wand.

“Everyone… are you ready to journey into the land of magic?”

And maybe—just maybe—Diana thought, for a brief second, that her magic wasn’t just her believing heart.
Maybe it was also a girl from a small Pacific island, known as Atsuko Kagari.
Or simply—
Akko.