Smile (ch28)

For Antiqua! Akko returns Sucy and Diana's Valentine's Day chocolates with a White Day gift.

Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

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							Chapter 28.

Ever since Diana and Sucy had gifted her with handmade Valentine's chocolates, Akko hasn't been able to think about anything other than what she might do to repay them for White Day a month away.

Of course, White Day was typically only celebrated in her country, so she knows they really aren't anticipating much of anything in return. Akko has never been more determined to do anything in her life than she is to repay her girlfriends for this.

But she doesn't just want to make some messy chocolates in return for them, (because she knows for a fact anything she bakes won't be half as good as what they made for her).

No. Akko wants to go big. She wants to do something extravagant, something that lets her girlfriends know just how much she loves them. She wants it to be something the world can know about.

And after weeks of toiling and trying to come up with good ideas, she thinks she's finally got one.

Another thing that's more so common in Japan are couples' rings - rings that people who are dating will get to show their loyalty to one another. Not quite an engagement ring or anything that serious just yet, since they are still in school. But after all they've been through this year alone at Luna Nova, Akko believes it's something they can do.

The idea comes to her in the middle of the night (after she'd spent most nights awake and raking her brain for ideas, and then been so tired because of it she'd fallen asleep in class multiple times and gotten scolded plenty).

When she finally comes up with the idea, she needs to restrain herself from yelling out loud at the risk of waking up her roommates - one of whom just so happens to be an intended recipient of such a ring. Akko clamps her mouth shut and tries not to squeal for the whole rest of the night in her excitement.

There are only two more weeks until White Day at this point though, and she has absolutely no idea how to go about finding a blacksmith or whoever the heck it was that made rings nowadays.

Guuh, I can't make them myself. Not even with magic. I suck at alchemy and all the minerals and that stuff! I don't even know if they should be made out of iron or metal or copper or what! There's no way I could make them myself! No way!

She shakes her head into her pillow, groaning softly. And then, the idea hits her like a ton of bricks.

"Constanze!"

She ends up blurting out her friend's name in the middle of the quiet night before she realizes it, then quickly covers her mouth again. Lotte stirs above her, Sucy remains quiet, but neither of them wake up. Akko lets out a big sigh, then reels herself in as much as she can.

That's what I'll do, then! Tomorrow I'll ask Cons about it first thing!

And by that point she's just so excited that she isn't able to fall asleep until about 30 minutes before her alarm goes off. But as soon as it does, Akko jumps up from bed as if she'd slept properly all night, energetic as ever.

"Morning, Lotte! Morning, Sucy! I gotta go do something, so don't wait up for me for breakfast!"

"Eh? Akko-?"

"No use trying to stop her, Lotte."

Akko tears off out of the room and reaches Amanda's in record time, pounding away at the door loudly.

"Amanda! Jasna! Constanze! You guys up yet?!"

There's a bit of shuffling and grumbling before Amanda's scratchy voice replies.

"I mean, we are now!" A moment later she opens the door, still dressed in her sleep clothes with her bedhead ruffled. "The hell do you want so early in the morning, Akko? What'cha break this time?"

"Nothing! I swear! Anyway, it's not you I need, Amanda!"

"Hah-?!"

Akko pushes past her, runs straight to Constanze's bed, and drops down to her knees, clasping her hands together in prayer. When Constanze, who was just waking up and rubbing her eyes, sees Akko so close, she recoils a little.

"Cons! Ol' buddy, ol' pal! I need your help! Please please please!"

A second later, Stan Bot is grabbing Akko from behind and pulling her back a little to give Constanze some space. By now, Amanda and Jasminka have gathered around to listen, too.

And so Akko goes off ranting to explain her idea, ignoring Amanda's taunting comments about how much she loves her girlfriends and instead staying focused on Contsanze. Luckily for Akko, Cons gives her a thumbs-up. Akko squeals with glee and hugs her.

She swears the three of them to secrecy, and from that afternoon onward she spends about thirty minutes a day with Constanze.

Constanze handles most of the creation process, since she actually knows what she's doing with the materials, while Akko helps whenever she's permitted. Molding and making the three rings themselves only takes a few days, but what takes longer is for Akko to learn a certain spell in order to engrave certain things onto the finished products.

All the while, she has to make excuses to Sucy and Diana, and keep her sessions with Constanze a secret for a few weeks.

But once Akko has finally learned the spell to engrave the rings, Constanze gives them the finishing touch to make them shine.

And then, just a few days before White Day itself, Akko has the finished products in her hands…

. . .

The afternoon of March 14th, Akko has Sucy and Diana join her outside in the courtyard to enjoy the day. With the rings in her pockets, Akko bounds around between the two of them, holding one of each of their hands and humming gleefully. Sucy and Diana, while glad that she seems to be so happy, are a bit confused.

"What's got you so gung-ho?"

"You certainly seem to be in high spirits."

Both witches speak at the same time to Akko, who pauses in her merry humming to present them both with a huge smile.

"That's because today's a special day!"

"…You mean Sunday?"

"Is it a special day?"

Akko slings an arm around both their shoulders.

"Yeah! Well, at least in Japan it is! Today is White Day!"

"What Day?"

"Now that you mention it, it does sound familiar…"

"Yeah, yeah!" Akko bounces up and down excitedly, already wafting more energy than the sun. "White Day is the follow-up to Valentine's Day! After someone gives you chocolates or whatever, you repay them a month later on White Day! That's pretty much how it goes! And since you guys both made me chocolates and stuff last month…" Akko trails off grinning, pulling her arms away from her girlfriends and folding them behind her back instead.

As Sucy and Diana share a curious glance, Akko reaches into her pockets.

"I've been working on these with Constanze for a while now to make sure they're top quality!"

"Constanze?" Diana says. "So that's where you've been going just about every evening."

"I thought you just had more detentions."

"No way!" Akko conceals the three rings in her palms, still covering them up. Now, the nervousness starts to kick in. "I did my best, but they might not be super amazing or anything, okay?"

"Akko," Diana says with a gentle smile. "Whatever it is you've made for us is incredible just because it is from you."

"Yeah," Sucy grunts. "So out with it, already."

"Okay." Akko draws in a deep breath, then lets it out.

Sucy and Diana lean in a little as Akko reveals her gifts.

The three rings are shining silver, glinting in the sunlight like gems. For a second, both witches are stunned into silence.

But of course, they're quickly inclined to misinterpret things without proper explanation. Diana blushes within seconds.

"A-Akko! Is this-?"

"Whoa, you proposing or somethin'?"

Akko blinks.

"Eh…? Ah-wwaaahhh, nonononoo, no way! Th-That's not it, I swear! These are partnership rings, that's all!"

"Partnership rings…?"

"You gotta say that sooner, idiot."

"Sorry!" Akko sheepishly explains herself. "It just means we're all going out! It's for our relationship! We can wear them all the time and everyone will know we're together!"

With that now made clear, Sucy and Diana share another glance with each other, then look back to Akko.

"I see…" Diana murmurs. "Akko, that is truly quite the gesture."

"Never expected something like this from you," Sucy says. "I'm kinda impressed."

"Aww, gee, thanks! So! This one is yours Diana! And this is Sucy's! And this one is mine!" Akko distributes each ring to the rightful owner. Diana and Sucy look theirs over with interest and amazement.

"My… the craftsmanship is wonderful. It's beautiful, Akko. I don't know what to say…"

"Hey, did you carve this with magic?" Sucy holds up her ring, indicating something engraved on the inside.

Akko nods bashfully.

"Y-Yeah. Can you read it?"

The three witches peer at Sucy's ring first. On the inside the words "Arae Arryrha" are carved.

And inside Diana's ring is "Sybilladura Lelladybura."

The two Words of Arcturus that Akko had revived together with each of them.

And inside her own ring is the final Word: "Phasansheer Shearylla."

Each with its own meaning. Each with its own significance in their hearts.

Akko peeks up at her girlfriends a bit nervously still, and is shocked to find Diana already in tears.

"Ah… Akko…"

"Uwaaah! Diana?! Wh-What's the matter?! Don't cry!"

"Forgive me… it's just… these rings are so beautiful…"

"Hah?! I mean, I'm glad you like them, but don't cry!" Akko quickly throws her arms around Diana in a big hug. Just then, Sucy promptly turns away, and Akko thinks she hears a small sniffle.

"Waaah!? Su, no way! No way you're crying too!"

"Course I'm not."

"Suuuucy, c'meeere!"

"No way."

"Ahaha, you guys are so cute!"

After a few moments of consoling the crying Diana and the definitely-not-tearful Sucy, Akko eases back.

The three witches each take their respective rings and decide to put them on their left index fingers. The second the rings touch skin, they can each feel a magical pull of sorts, something that connects between the three of them no matter the distance.

Akko is absolutely beaming, and the other two find they can't stop smiling either. The three of them come together for a soft group hug.

"Thank you, Akko," Diana murmurs. "I know Sucy and I will cherish these rings."

"Yeah," Sucy agrees. "Thanks, Akko."

Akko squeals with delight and squeezes them both tightly.

"I'm so glad! I love you guys!"

"The feeling is mutual."

"Yeah, yeah."

They share a laugh, then ease apart.

Akko takes her place in the middle and grabs onto each of their hands, then begins leading them back inside for their first lunch together with their new rings.

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A/N: Couples/partnership rings is soooo cute~ I liked this idea a lot!