A Case Of Hiccups

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR MY HIGHER-PLEDGING PATRONS!

I got this idea a few weeks ago and so I whipped it up. It's just a silly little fic, nothing too crazy for once~ I wanted to call this "Hiccups" but I already have a fic by that title.

Disclaimer: I do not own Little Witch Academia.

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													A Case Of Hiccups

Recently, Akko's really been buckling down with her studies. Since she'd started being able to ride her broom, she's wanted to try and prove to her professors that she can get better at other forms of magic as well, so she's been a bit more serious about completing homework assignments on time.

Once classes have ended for the day, she returns to her dorm room with Lotte and Sucy and begins picking through her books to find out what kind of homework she has.

"Okay let's see... magic linguistics I can do. Probably. But I might need to get a book from the library for magic history..."

Her teammates are still getting used to this side of her – the almost-studious side. Lotte is trying to embrace it.

"It's great that you're getting more serious about your homework, Akko."

"A little creepy though," Sucy mutters.

"It's not creepy," Akko whines. "I'm a brand new me now! I still gotta work hard towards being a great witch, even if that means I gotta do a lot of boring studying and homework first." She looks through her notes one last time before straightening up. "Okay, so I have to run to the library real quick. I'll be right back!"

"Sure, take care!"

"Don't get lost."

"I'm not gonna get lost!" Akko twirls around and hurries out the door. The sooner I get all the homework done, the sooner I can focus on my own stuff!

She makes her way down the dormitory hallway, passing by dozens of her classmates as she goes. But Akko pauses when she spots a particular pair of witches.

Hannah and Barbara are heading toward her, likely going to visit Avery and her team. As usual, they're close together and seem to be gossiping. But as they pass Akko by she catches a bit of their conversation.

"I hope Diana's gonna be okay."

"Yeah. It's like, totally weird. That's never happened to her before, has it?"

"I don't think so..."

Akko halts and raises an eyebrow. /What's up with Diana? She seemed fine all day in class. She's just about to call out for Hannah and Barbara to ask them more details, but they've already turned the corner and disappeared. Akko purses her lips. Well if those two left her alone it can't be that bad./

She continues on her way toward the library for a few steps, then stops. /Maybe I should go check on her? I can just get the book afterward. This isn't an excuse to skip my homework, I'm just worried about Diana, that's all!/

She mentally battles with herself for a minute before turning down the other hallway that leads to the student suites. Akko comes to a stop outside Diana's door and debates whether or not she should knock.

/She's probably fine... But wait, what if she isn't?/

That's all it takes to get Akko to rap her knuckles against the wood.

"H-Hey, Diana? Are you there? It's me."

Akko waits for a response. At first, she thinks she hears a strange little sound, but she can't quite determine what it could've been. A second later, Diana's voice follows.

"Akko? You may come in."

Slowly, Akko pushes her way through.

She finds Diana standing in the middle of the room near the couch in somewhat of an odd pose. One of her arms is crossed over her stomach and her other hand is raised to her mouth. She only moves it aside briefly to greet her unexpected guest.

"Is there..." She stops awkwardly, looks away, then continues. "Something I can assist you with? Homework, perhaps?"

Akko walks over to her, eyeing her skeptically.

"No, not really. I just-" Suddenly she hears that weird little noise again, almost like a squeak. "What was that? Do you have a mouse in here?"

"Do not be absurd. Now what was it you needed?"

"Well... I'd just heard Hannah and Barbara talking in the hallway about you. They made it sound like you were sick or some-"

This time she cuts off when the squeaking noise happens again, only she notices Diana jolt in time with the sound. The white-haired witch quickly covers her mouth again and turns away. Akko blinks, baffled.

"Hah? Diana, was that you? What was that noise?"

"I -hic!-" Diana's shoulders jolt and her face turns pink. "I-"

"Do you... do you have the hiccups? Is that what all this is about?"

Her classmate heaves a sigh, but even that is interrupted by another jolt.

"It would appear so... I had -hic!- dismissed the others so I would not impede on their study time."

The corners of Akko's lips twitch upward in an amused little smile that only grows wider with every squeak Diana makes.

"So wait, wait, is this really your first time ever having the hiccups?"

Diana jolts again.

"It is."

"Pfft."

"What in the world is so -hic!- funny?"

"That!" Akko blurts. "Diana, your hiccups are too cute! You can't try to sound annoyed like that!"

"Wh- -hic!-" Diana hears for herself just how dire the contrast of her high-pitched hiccups is as opposed to the tone of her voice. Her face only heats up more.

Akko steps in closer and leers up at her.

"Hey, hey, do you want me to help you get rid of them?"

Diana looks down at her with mild interest.

"You -hic!- know of a remedy?"

"Do I?" she grins. "As a kid, I used to get hiccups like once a week at least and there's one thing that always worked for me! Wanna try it?"

Diana tries to ponder for a moment, but she can't even have peace and quiet for five seconds before another hiccup pops in her chest. She lets out a long sigh.

"Very well."

"Yeay~! Okay, so first you're gonna need to do a headstand-"

"Rejected."

"Haaah?! But that's the only way I know how! It always worked, I swear!"

"I appreciate your input. But I would rather -hic!- continue to wait it out." Diana actually winces at that one and puts a hand to her chest. "Though I must admit they are almost painful at times..."

"Hmmm then that's no good," Akko declares. "We're gonna have to get some more opinions on it."

"I beg your-"

"Here, just sit down for a second." Akko puts her hands on Diana's shoulders and pushes her down to sit on the couch. Diana hiccups again and Akko feels her entire body jolt. "Yeesh, you've got it bad! Just sit tight and I'll call Lotte and Sucy!"

"Akko, that will not be-"

"Hey, Lotte!" Akko's already drawn her wand and cast a little video-screening type spell that allows her to have long-distance 'calls' with her friends. "Do you know any remedies for curing hiccups?"

"Hiccups?" Lotte looks back into her screen with a puzzled expression. "Akko, what are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be getting that book for your magic history homework?"

"I will! I just stopped by to see Diana first and we need to figure out how to stop her hiccups!"

"Diana has hiccups?" Lotte falls silent for a moment to think. "Well, when I was a kid my parents would always have me drink a glass of water while holding my nose. That always seemed to work."

"Hiccups?" Sucy's voice joins in as she pushes her way in beside Lotte on the screen. "I have a few mushrooms that might be able to do the trick. Of course, she might turn into a frog or lose all her hair too..."

"Akko!" Diana's heard quite enough from her classmates' teammates. Akko turns back to give her a reassuring thumbs-up before looking back to Lotte and Sucy.

"Okay, thanks guys! We'll definitely try Lotte's idea!" She cancels the spell and shakes her wand off, then sheepishly turns back to Diana. She has her arms crossed and she looks irked, but another little squeak of a hiccup takes away from whatever intimidating demeanor she'd been aiming for.

"Don't worry~" Akko grins. "I wouldn't ever give you any of Sucy's weird mushrooms. I know how that feels. Lemme just ask a few more people what they think."

"Akko, -hic!- I do not-"

"Hey, Amanda!" Once again, Akko ignores Diana's plea for her to stop. The white-haired witch buries her face in her hands and massages her temples.

Meanwhile, Akko gets on call with Amanda and her team.

"Sup, Akko? Hey, where you at right now? That doesn't look like your room."

"It's not. I'm with Diana."

"Diana, huuuuhh~?" Amanda grins suggestively. "You two ain't alone, are ya?"

"Well yeah, but that's because I'm trying to cure her hiccups."

"Hiccups? Diana Cavendish has the hiccups? No way."

"Do you know any ways to get rid of them?"

"Sure, that's easy! Ya just gotta give her a good scare!"

"Scare?"

"Yeah! Just scare 'em right outta her!"

"Akko-" Diana grunts. "I believe I can figure out a method without -hic!- her help."

"Ooh, was that it?" Amanda cackles. "Was that a Cavendish hiccup? Adorable."

"You could give her some sugar," Jasna sings from behind her. "Sugar always helps."

"Or peanut-butter," Amanda goes on. "Or wait, can't you like bite a lemon or something too?"

Diana shakes her head in her hands.

"This is getting ridiculous. Akko, h- -hic!- hang up."

"Uh, o-okay!" the brunette says to Amanda. "Thanks, you guys!" She swishes her wrist and ends the call, then puts her wand back in her sash and turns to Diana. "Well, we got some input!"

"Hardly any of which was even somewhat feasible," Diana sighs. "I fail to see -hic!- how eating sugar could help."

"Who knows! Weird stuff works sometimes. But we don't have any sugar or lemons to try that out with. And we're not gonna risk Sucy's mushrooms. So that leaves us with trying to scare you or having you drink the water like Lotte said."

Diana lifts her face and straightens her back.

"Then if we must, let us -hic!- try Lotte's method."

"Okay!" Akko gives a salute. "You have a fridge in here, right? Lemme get you a glass of water. Stay there, I'll be right back!"

With this Akko turns around and disappears behind the corner into the small kitchen area. Diana sits on the couch and waits, partially regretting having let Akko in.

"This girl, I swear..."

She leans back and looks up at the ceiling, her chest still jolting every few seconds. Diana closes her eyes for a moment.

But then she realizes just how quiet the room is. A room that has Atsuko Kagari in it.

Perplexed, Diana reopens her eyes and looks across the room to the kitchen area, but she can't see or hear Akko moving around at all.

"Akko?"

But even after a moment there's no response. Diana heaves a sigh and gets to her feet.

"What in the world could she -hic!- possibly be doing..."

She makes her way across the room and peers into the kitchen area. But Akko is nowhere to be seen. The small refrigerator hasn't even been opened. Diana blinks.

"Akko?"

She's about to start questioning her own sanity. She turns to look elsewhere and is about to call for her again when suddenly something falls from the ceiling.

A tiny little brown bat darts right up into her face.

"Boo!"

"Wha-?!"

Diana makes a sound that is part-shriek, part-gasp, and part-hiccup all at once. She reels back and bumps into the wall, slapping her palms against it in an effort to keep herself on her feet as her heart jumps halfway up her throat. The little bat disappears in a poof of smoke and is replaced by a grinning Akko.

"Well? Did it work? Are they gone?"

"Ah-Akk -hic!-"

"Aww maaaan... I thought that'd do it for sure."

Diana puts a hand to her chest until her heart drops back to where it's supposed to be. Once she's caught her breath – or most of it – she gets to chiding her classmate.

"Akko, rather than cure the -hic!- hiccups, you very nearly gave me a heart-attack instead."

"S-Sorry. Guess I was a little too good at it, huh?"

Diana heaves another sigh.

"Perhaps I should simply -hic!- wait it out after all."

"N-No, wait! We can do Lotte's water thing for real this time! Promise!"

To show her good intentions and that she isn't going to scare Diana this time, Akko quickly loops her pinkie finger around hers. A second later she darts across the room to open the fridge and grabs a bottle of water. She then takes a glass from the cupboard and fills it nearly to the top.

"It'll be easier for you to drink it from a glass," she explains. When she's finished she turns back to where Diana is still pressed against the wall. "Come on, let's go back!"

Without waiting she grabs Diana's hand and leads her back over to the couch. Akko has her sit first, then plops down beside her.

"Okay, so Lotte said you have to hold your nose while you drink. Drink as muuuch as you can in one breath!"

"Yes, I understand the concept. Now if you would." She looks expectantly to the glass in Akko's hand.

"Okay, good luck!" Akko hands her the glass and Diana gives a small nod.

With this, she pinches her nose with her left thumb and index finger, then lifts the glass to her lips with her right hand. She takes the first sip and is just about to get ready to continue when she notices Akko eagerly leaning into her side, staring intently. Diana hiccups and chokes at the same time, spilling a bit of water onto her uniform as she pulls the glass away from her face and releases her nose.

"Ak-ko!"

"What? Oh, am I too close? Sorry."

"Goodness..." Another squeak bubbles past her lips and Diana heaves yet another sigh. "These may be fruitless efforts."

"Try one more time!"

Diana sees no point in letting a perfectly good glass of water go to waste.

"Very well..."

So she gets back into her previous position and tilts her head back to begin taking sips again. The water seems to be pushing down the air bubbles that want to rise up, and for a second it feels like it's working until one sneaks its way up the back of her throat. Diana jolts again, making a small whimpering sound. But before she can stop or sputter, she feels a hand steadying hers, preventing her from spilling the glass.

"Easy!" Akko says. "Keep going! Try to drink the whole glass!" She supports Diana's hand with one of hers, then rests her free hand on Diana's back to help her maintain her posture.

With Akko's help Diana continues to drink from the glass until it's dry. At last she lets go of her nose and moves the glass away from her mouth, panting lightly as she tries to catch her breath. Akko waits eagerly next to her.

"Well? Did it work? Are they gone?"

"I presume... we shall soon find out..."

The two young witches wait in silent anticipation for a few seconds. Diana shifts a little when she feels an odd sensation in her stomach, like multiple strings of tiny bubbles popping before they can rise up her throat. She hopes that means the hiccups have been cured.

Slowly, cautiously, she lifts a hand to her collar and waits, but nothing happens. Akko squeezes her hand.

"I think it worked!" she blabs. "We did it, Dian-"

"-hic!-"

A mutual groan comes from both girls as their shoulders slump in defeat. Akko plops her chin on Diana's shoulder dramatically.

"Well, I guess you're just gonna have them forever..."

"It -hic!- is honestly beginning to feel that way..." Diana closes her eyes and lets out another sigh, and she feels like that's all she's been doing since she got these hiccups. Akko slumps against her.

"Sorry I couldn't help after all. I've tried everything those guys suggested."

"I appreciate the efforts nonetheless," Diana says.

"Unless we can try one last thing..."

"Pardon?"

But before Diana can even turn her head, she feels Akko's hands snake around her waist.

"There!"

Without warning, Akko jams her fingers into Diana's sides simultaneously. Diana shrieks and jumps as another sharp jolt shoots through her, hitching her breath as the shock of the jumpstart registers. As soon as she's able to, she swats Akko's hands away.

"Akko! What in the world was that so suddenly?"

"Sorry! I just wanted to try one more thing and it'd only work if it was a surprise!"

"Honestly, sometimes your ridiculous tendencies are beyond my comprehension. Do you have any idea how-"

"Wait, Diana!" Akko throws up her hands defensively. Diana glares back.

"What is it? Can you not even permit me to finish speaking?"

"I think it worked! You just managed to say all those long complicated words without hiccuping!"

Diana has to swallow back whatever chiding words she'd been about to say in favor of sitting back and being silent for a few seconds. There's no more bubbling sensation in her stomach, no more unexpected rushes of air shooting through her chest. She's almost cautious to breathe for a few seconds, expecting her body to attack her once again. But no more hiccups hinder her.

Diana blinks as she finally realizes it's over.

"I... I suppose it was effective."

"Yeaaay!" Akko grins, clasping Diana's hand in hers. "I did it! I cured you, Diana!"

"Hardly. I wasn't interrupted by those hiccups even before you startled me like that."

"Ehhh?" Akko pouts and drops her hand. "So what, you really think they just happened to go away right before I jumpstarted you?"

"It is entirely possible. I suppose we will never truly know for certain."

"Aww c'mon, Dianaaaa! I cured you and you know it!"

"I know nothing of the sort."

"You're too stubborn!"

But in spite of their bickering, Diana actually cracks a tiny smile. The second Akko sees it she does the same.

"Well, guess my work here is done. I should probably go to the library and get that book for homework..." She stands and stretches her arms up above her head until her shoulders crack. Diana stands as well.

"Book? What kind of book are you seeking?"

"Oh, uhh one about magic history. Witchcraft of the Middle Ages or something like that."

"You should have said something sooner. I have a copy of that one myself."

"Really? As expected of you, Diana."

Diana retreats to the bookshelves by her bed, browses for a second, and then pulls out a book. She returns to Akko and passes it to her.

"Consider it payment for curing those hiccups," she smiles.

"Eh? But I thought you said you didn't think I actually cured-"

Diana cuts her off with a pensive glare. Akko quickly clams up and changes her words.

"R-Right! Payment accepted! I'll return it as soon as I'm done! Thanks, Diana!"

"Likewise," she dips her head. "I was unable to concentrate on my own studies with those hiccups constantly interrupting me."

"No problem! See ya around!"

With a big grin and a salute, Akko tucks the book under her arm and heads for the door.

Diana watches with a smile on her lips and a tiny flutter in her heart, but it isn't because of any hiccups this time.

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A/N: I thought of it a month or so ago: what if Diana got the hiccups? But instead of all the other witches trying to cure her with their methods, I just had Akko do them all because I'm Dianakko garbage haha. I didn't make it explicitly shippy though, because I do enjoy writing just their regular canon relationship as well.