(I know that the setting around her birthday won't be exact, just lemme have some creative liberties lol. As suggestive themes and cursing.)

Akko's POV

"So is she all set to get out by February twentieth?" I ask and the women behind the desk rolls her eyes.

"It's only the sixth time you've asked," She responds, "Yes,"

I nod my head and grin at Diana sitting in the chair next to me. I can't believe she agreed to come with me to do this. She normally doesn't want to be seen in public with me, but maybe since it's for professor Ursula's birthday, she wants to help out. 

It's a fact that the second that Croix left Luna Nova, professor Ursula started acting unlike herself. She would no longer take long walks around the courtyard or hang out and talks with the students at lunch. She's quieter than usual, even during her lectures. I took the liberty to find out that Croix's absence and her growing depression were just cause and effect. So to make professor Ursula herself again, I figured out I could pull some strings to get Croix out of jail the day of her birthday.

Croix's sentence is ending soon anyway, so I just asked them to take two days off the initial date of her release. What am I even saying, Diana is the one who convinced them to let her get out two days early. She used smart lawyer talk and won over the case, it even went to court! I'm so glad she decided to help me, I sure couldn't have done this all by myself.

As we leave the cramped office of Diana's attorney, Diana grabs my hand and holds it tightly. I giggle softly while she has a goofy grin on her face. Hopefully, professor Ursula will have that look on her face soon enough.

Chariot's POV

I wake up to the sound of Alcor cawing in my ear to wake up. I bat my arm at him to try to get him to leave me alone so I can sleep. It's my birthday, can't a girl sleep in? Plus it's the weekends too. So why does he have to be so loud?!

"Shut up! I'm trying to sleep!" I yell into my pillow, but Alcor doesn't shut up.

"Caw caw caw caw," He crows persistently, which means get up in English. 

I sit up and wipe the sleep from my eyes, ready to hit Alcor with all I got. But when I open my eyes, he's nowhere to be seen. And yet the cawing persists. I get out of bed and listen to where the noise is coming from, tracking it over to my desk. To my surprise, there's a tablet on it that has an alarm to wake me up called "Happy Birthday Chariot!". Who could this even be from? No one calls me Chariot here, I told everyone not too. That's my old identity, the only person I might allow to call me that is Croix, but she's still locked up for another few months.

Maybe she set it up for Alcor to bring it to me? But why a tablet, and why Alcor crying "get up" as it's alarm? 

Whatever, I need to get dressed and start the day anyway. Akko planned a "surprise" party for me, so I got to attend it. I heard about it from some students in the hallway, apparently, she told all the of school she was planning a party for me. Sure, it's a nice gesture, but I don't really like big parties. Most of the kids are just using it as an excuse to get bouncy houses and carnival rides like it's a fair or something. Though rumor has it Headmistress Holbrooke is the one who gave Akko the go-ahead to do all of these festivities. 

I just hope I can manage to get through the day...

Croix's POV

Watching everyone work to set up all these crazy things for Chariot's birthday is maddening. They refused to let me help, they think I'll try to blow it up or something. So I'm just sitting under a tree and watching the sunrise. Behind me, they are building the Ferris wheel and setting up the stands with carnival games. It's like they don't even care that it's Chariot's birthday, they are using it as an excuse to have a carnival at Luna Nova. It's kind of sickening. 

I fold my arms over my chest, not knowing what today will be like. Chariot has no idea I am here. How will she react to seeing me? Will she be ecstatic and energized, or hateful and horrid? Does she even want me to be here? I have no idea...I don't know anything. I really don't. I try to pretend like everything is fine and I'm alright but I'm not. I'm really not.

Hopefully, Chariot likes my present, the tablet I left on her desk. It has all of her favorite games and apps that I had previously on my personal tablet that I snuck into Luna Nova when we were younger. I did add a few extra things like my number to the tablet so I can talk to her, but other than that I didn't do much. I wish I could be working on the Wagandea Curse Reversal Plan or WCRP for short, a plan I devised to get Chariot back her well-deserved magic. 

"Croix! We just got word from Alcor that Chariot's awake, she'll be out here soon!" Diana shouts at me, "Get in position!"

Now to go along with the stupidest plan ever devised. To go along with the "surprise" party, Akko wanted me to get into a large present box so I could be presented to Chariot. It's stupid and I really don't want to go through it, but Diana threatened to get me a parole officer if I don't do what Akko says. 

I go up to the bright colored box and open the secret latch, then jump inside. It's hot in here, uncomfortably hot. You got this, Croix, just do it for Chariot. That's the only reason your alive right now, Chariot. It's all for Chariot. Everything you ever do in life is for her, for the semblance of a chance that I could make it up to her. I wait in the box, bored, hot, and sticky (not in that way you pervs).

From outside the box, I hear people shout, "Happy birthday professor Ursula!" at a terrifying decibel. This is the moment where I learn the truth when I figure out if Chariot is happy or not to see me. I hear Akko dragging Chariot over to the box and I hold my breath. Akko presses the button in her hand to make the box fall apart and it actually works, surprisingly. 

I put on my biggest grin and look at Chariot, but all I can see on her face is terror and hurt. Tears form in her eyes and she turns, running across the newly decorated lawn. Away from me, away from her festival, away from everyone. What the hell just happened?!

Akko's POV

"What the-" I begin to say at professor Ursula races past me. 

I thought she would be happy to see Croix........it's the whole reason she was sad. It was because of Croix.....WAIT. What if Croix had hurt her? Like emotionally? Is that why she is acting this way now? Why did she just run away? What is going on? Croix dashes after her with me in tow. 

I run past some carnival game stands when someone tackles me to the ground. I look up to see Diana, her face scrunched up and fierce. Our panting faces are inches apart, but I still try to push her off of me. I need to see professor Ursula, I need to find out what's wrong with her. As I try to squirm away from Diana, she hugs me tightly, pinning my hands against her...........amazingly plump.......brain.exe is not functioning right now.

"Akko! You can not just run after them! Give them some alone time!" Diana shouts at me, but my focus is not at her shouting, it was at the two things my hands were placed on.

"Wha-" I manage to say, completely brain numb and staring at perfection.

Diana then takes my hands away from where they were grasped and hugs me, putting them behind my back.

"Your such a dork, Akko," Diana says, in an almost sweet tone. 

Then my brain focuses on the situation and I again try to scramble away from her. Diana sighs and pins me down on the grass, her body on top of mine. I glance around and notice people trying not to stare at us. We are making a scene though. Diana's body is pressed all over my own and it's doing all kinds of things to me that I feel confused about.

Diana must notice to, because she stares at everyone's faces and then turns to mine, "If I get off you, do you promise not to run off?"

I stare at what is right in front of my face, "Y-ye-yea-yeah."

She gets off of me and helps me up. I feel everyone staring at us while we do so, there eyes stabbing me like little pricks of needles. My face was probably red and I don't let go of Diana's hand when she helps me up. 

She averts her eyes from mine, but whispers, "Want to go play a few carnival games? Unlike real carnivals, these ones aren't rigged,"

Chariot's POV

I've most definitely have gone insane. Croix isn't supposed to be out of jail for another three months! Seeing her, looking at me like I am a prize to be won, it made me nauseous. I want it to be real...but I wasn't expecting her. She's twisted my emotions and made me feel so many things, that at the moment I don't know what to think. I thought when she left for a jail that she had left me for good once again...

And she smiled at me, sitting in that fake present box. It was genuine and sweet. Maybe I just confused something nauseating with the butterflies I get whenever I see her?

I stop running when I am enough distance away that everyone can't hear me crying. I roll myself up into a ball, leaning on the side of the school. The world around me doesn't seem to exist as I heaved sob after sob. I don't know why I'm even crying. It's most likely from heartbreak, or maybe just because Croix is here. 

I have my head in my hands and I can't see, but someone touches me I flinch. I scoot away and continue to cry, not even looking up at whoever had just touched me. I don't care who touched me, they would never be able to know all the things I think about Croix. They would never know the turmoil of just looking at her and how much pain it brings to me. 

"Chariot, please don't cry," Croix coaxs and I look up at her. 

"You're the reason I'm crying!" I shout, although it was irrational and there's no way she could change the situation to be much different. 

She reaches to put her hand on my shoulder slowly, and this time I don't scoot away. Instead, I crawl up to her, lay my head down in her lap, and cry. She strokes my long red hair and hums quietly to a tune I don't know. But I continue to cry until I can't anymore, then hug her waist tightly. She scoops me into her arms and holds me loosely against her so that I can shift and get into a comfortable hugging position. I smile into the crook of her neck.

"Croix..." I manage to choke out.

"Chariot," She hums. 

I pull away from her hug, "Can I get a birthday kiss? Please?"

Croix rolls her eyes, "You don't have to wait until your birthday to do such a thing,"

I kiss her softly, running my hands through her fluffy hair. No doubt she just took a shower a little bit ago, I can still smell the shampoo in her hair. I take a deep breath of her wonderful scent, grinning. She kisses me back, but with a fiery passion that I wasn't expecting. This unexpected passion gives Croix enough time to get her tongue into my mouth. Our tounges dance in an elaborate ballet. Everything feels like it was meant to be. 

(I feel like you all are going to hate me for this next part).

Akko's POV

As soon as I win a carnival game for Diana and give her the stuffed animal, I run towards the direction I saw Chariot go before. I'm fast enough this time that Diana takes a moment to process what just happened and doesn't go after me right away. I turn a couple of corners, winding my self around the sides of the school until I see Croix and Chariot both in a passionate make-out session.

They don't notice me since their eyes are both closed to savor the moment. What the fuck? I knew they were close, but this close? It's disturbing watching my former professor and current professor making out, so I turn to make a run for it-------and smack straight into Diana. We both fall to the ground, alerting Croix and Ursula of our location. Well shit.

Croix's POV

Why is it always Akko that ruins all my plans..?