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“Guess it’s not going to snow,” Sucy remarks, looking up at the cloudy weather above the Blytonbury markets.
“Well let’s make sure we get this shopping done before it does snow,” says Lotte. She walks to the next stall, carrying a large woven basket with plastic cups and tape and wrapping paper.
“Are you sure we can trust Akko to do the decorations?” Sucy asks. “She has tendency to go over the top with it.”
Lotte thinks for a second. “Well… If she does go over the top with it then we’ll just have to reign her in when we get back,” she says.
“Like we usually do…” Sucy relents.
A few stalls down the lane, the glint of something shiny catches Lotte’s eyes!
“Is that a Shiny Chariot card?” Lotte asks.
On closer inspection, it is! Displayed on sale amongst an assortment of other random trinkets, each with no easily discernable function.
“This would be a good gift for her, don’t you think?” Lotte points out the card to Sucy. “You haven’t gotten a gift for Akko yet, have you?”
Sucy grumbles under her breath, regretting that she told Lotte that of the eight little witches she could have gotten as her secret santa assignment, she just had to get Akko.
“Yeah, maybe I could put a hex on it to make it evaporate as soon as she touches it. Now that would be a fun gift,” the mischievous witch giggles.
“Sucy!” Lotte scolds her.
“Can’t you take a joke?” Sucy says.
“Why are you always so mean to Akko anyway?”
“She’s just…” She pauses for a moment to think, then shrugs. “fun to mess with. That’s all.”
Lotte tilts her head in suspicion.
“Anyway,” the purple haired witch continues, “She already has every card. Why would she want another?”
“It’s just sentimental.” Lotte answers. “She likes Shiny Chariot, you like mushrooms, it’s just something to show your friendship with. It doesn’t really matter what it is, as long as you get her something thoughtful.”
“What does me liking mushrooms have to do with it?”
“It’s the mushroom card.” Lotte holds it up for Sucy to see.
“Oh… so it is.” Sucy eyes the card in front of her. The first in the series, the Loveshroom. It’s said to awaken a hidden love in the heart. Sucy’s face scrunches up “You want me to give Akko the Loveshroom card?”
“The Loveshroom?” Lotte checks the card again, carefully reading its description this time.
Sucy looks away, hiding her face behind her bangs. “Won’t that give the wrong impression?”
“Oh, haha!” Lotte starts to laugh. “Or maybe you two can run away together! An ideal Christmas romance!”
Lotte pokes her tongue out at Sucy, who only continues to look away.
“Sucy, what’s wrong?” Lotte asks. She was expecting Sucy to yell at her for that, or grumble, or promise to prank her in return for it, not become silent. “What, can’t you take a joke now?” Lotte prods, trying to provoke a response from her.
Sucy just turns away from Lotte.
“I’m sorry, okay? I was just kidding, I didn’t mean it.” Lotte circles around Sucy to look her in the eyes. Sucy keeps trying to evade her gaze, but eventually Lotte sees what she was trying to hide.
Sucy’s face had completely turned a bright red.
“Sucy! Are you okay?” Lotte asks. “Do you need to sit down? Or to see a healer?”
“N— No, I’m fine.”
“Then why is your face red?” The concerned friend presses.
Sucy refuses to answer, her face turning even redder.
“Oh, Sucy…” Lotte starts to realise what’s happening. “Are you blushing?”
“No I’m not!” Sucy shouts in Lotte’s face.
“Because I joked about you and Akko?”
“It has nothing to do with that.” Sucy says, but her face turning an even brighter red betrays her true answer.
“Oh my!” Lotte exclaims. “You and Akko? I can’t believe it! That’s wonderful!!” The excited witch clasps Sucy’s hand. A real life romance unfolding right in front of her, in her own dorm room! How wonderful!
“Okay, fine!” Sucy pulls her hand back from Lotte’s grasp. “I have a crush on Akko. Just don’t tell anyone.”
“Okay, I won’t, but you should definitely get her the Loveshroom then!” Lotte shoves the card in Sucy’s face.
“No!” She swipes it away.
“Why not?” Asks Lotte.
“I don’t want to like her, I just kind of do. I’m waiting for these feelings to pass.” she admits.
“No! How could you do something like that? The gift of love is something special and magical, you can’t just let it pass through your fingers!” Lotte declares.
“You’re getting too carried away with this,” Sucy grumbles. “This isn’t one of your books.”
“I know, but it’s still exciting. If you like her then you should tell her, not push it down.”
Sucy purses her lips.
“Is that why you prank her so much?”
Sucy turns away.
“Awww, it is, isn’t it?” Lotte pouts. “You’re like a pair of star crossed lovers. You can’t bear to admit your feelings, but the heart wants what it wants, always!!”
“No it’s not like that!” Sucy says.
“Then what is it like?” Lotte teases her back.
Sucy grumbles, not knowing what to say. Lotte’s excited grin just makes her grumble more. She hates to admit that Lotte might have a tiny bit of a point.
“Lotte!! Sucy!!” the voice of an overenthusiastic witch Sucy knows all too well calls out from across the lane. Lotte quickly hides the card.
Akko comes running, two different stars for the top of a christmas tree in hand, a vendor further down the lane shaking his fist at her for running off with his wares without paying for them.
“Which star do you think I should get? This star’s like the star from the Shiny Shiny Christmas special. It’s so cool! I bet it’d make the party way more awesome having it!” she holds up a large star in one hand. “But it’s also really expensive and this one’s nice enough, and half the price,” she holds up the other.
Lotte and Sucy look at each other for a moment, trying to take in everything she said. Sucy hides her bright red face from Akko.
“Which one do you think I should get?” Asks Akko.
Lotte thinks for a moment, then flashes a big grin and starts to talk. “You really like that first one don’t you Akko?”
“Yes!! It’s really cool!! But do you think it’s too expensive?”
“Well you know what they say, Akko,” Lotte secretly passes the Chariot card to Sucy. “The heart wants what it wants.” Lotte gives Sucy a sly look.
“You’re right!” Akko exclaims. “I’m gonna get the cool one! Who cares if it breaks the bank! You can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, right Lotte!?”
“Ri—right!” Lotte says.
Akko runs off back to the stall she plundered the stars from, Lotte following behind.
The heart wants what it wants…
The phrase echoes around in Sucy’s head. She looks down at the Shiny Chariot card in her hand…
★
Later that week, Sucy, Lotte, Akko, Amanada, Constanze, Jasminka, Diana, Hannah, and Barbara, all gather together in Diana’s room on Christmas eve to celebrate the holiday together! There’s food, and music, and games. The friends chat the night away together. Eventually Diana turns the music down and announces it’s time to exchange gifts. One by one, each witch reveals who their secret santa was and presents their gift. The last in turn is Sucy.
She hands Akko a red envelope.
Akko hesitantly, cautiously, takes it from her.
She eyes it carefully. Looking at it from the top, the bottom, holding it up against the light.
“What are you doing?” Asks Sucy.
“I’m trying to figure out what trick you’re going to play,” Akko says.
“What trick?” A hint of agitation rises in Sucy’s voice.
“There’s always a trick,” Akko declares. “As soon as Amanda gave you your present, I just knew you were planning some sort of prank.”
“I’m not pranking you, it’s just a normal gift,” Sucy insists through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, knowing my luck, it’s gotta be a prank. No way I’m getting a normal gift my first Christmas here!” Akko says. It sounds almost like she’s bragging about her track record of misfortunes.
“Just open the card!” hisses Sucy.
“I’m getting to it! But I just know there’s going to be some trick.”
Akko slowly starts to tear away at the envelope. She tears it off very slowly, very cautiously, with her arms outstretched, holding it as far away from her body as she can. When the envelope finally opens up, she looks away, hiding her eyes from any potential booby trapped materials. When she’s sure the coast is clear, she very slowly slides the letter out of the envelope.
“It’s not a trick, just open your present!” Sucy rushes her along, hoping no one notices her face starting to turn a tiny bit red.
“Okay, fine, fine!” Akko pulls the card out of the envelope and opens it. A small object falls out of the letter into Akko’s lap. “A Chariot Card!?” The excited witch holds it up and inspects it. “The Loveshroom card!!” She begins to recite the card’s description from memory, until Sucy clears her throat.
“Ahh, Akko…” Sucy hides her face behind her bangs. She can’t believe she’s about to go through with this, in front of all their friends no less. She looks over at Lotte, who gives her an encouraging grin and two thumbs ups!
“Yes, Sucy?”
The purple haired witch takes a moment to collect her resolve…“Don’t forget to read the message in the card itself.”
“Oh right!” Akko exclaims. She returns her attention to the letter, and reads the message out loud.
Dear Akko,
Since I've met you, I've given you a hard time, it's true
but I guess you could say I must be biologically rich soil
because you've really grown on me.
You have me tripping, just like a loveshroom.
There is mush-room in my heart for you.
You're the only one I want to pluck this Christmas.
Will you be my Shiny Enoki?
Yours fungally,
Sucy
Everyone gasps! The chatter falls silent. None of the other witches in attendance could have ever predicted Sucy would confess to Akko! Besides Lotte that is.
Akko silently picks up the Chariot Card, places it back in the letter, and sets it in her lap.
Sucy gulps, awaiting her response. Maybe she shouldn’t have taken Lotte’s advice after all. What is Akko going to say? How could she ever return her affections towards a witch who teases her so much?
Akko slowly turns to face Sucy, her neutral expression giving away nothing. But slowly, very slowly, Sucy notices the corners of Akko’s mouth turn upwards, just slightly. Then her nose wrinkles. Then she sees that spark in her eyes that she hates to admit how much she loves to see.
“Ha! I totally knew it!” Akko giggles. “You’re totally into me!!”
“You did not know that!” Sucy hisses back.
“Yeah I totally did!” she teases her back. “It’s so obvious, the way you prank me all the time.”
Sucy grumbles under her breath. Has she made a big mistake?
“Well, okay, maybe I didn’t know.” Akko admits. “But I’m glad you like me.”
Sucy looks up at her in surprise. “You are?”
“Of course I am!” Akko flashes her a big grin. “Because I like you too, Sucy!!”
“Awwww!!” their friends say in unison. The chatter starts back up again. Akko gets up and sits down next to Sucy and puts her arm around her.
“Haha, I had you sweating for a moment there, didn’t I?” The cheerful witch teases her.
Sucy looks away, hiding her face. “Yeah yeah, whatever.” Despite how aloof she tries to act, she still accepts Akko’s arm around her, and leans into the Christmas cuddles.