Everyone stared at the young redheaded man embracing Tear in the warm moonlight of Tataroo valley.
Anise was the first to shake out of the stunned silence.
"You jerk!"
She muscled past Tear and punched Luke squarely on the chest.
"Ow! Anise, what the...?"
"Anise! Come on, cut it out." Guy said "You were just saying the other day how much you missed him."
"Yeah, and now I'm going to kill him! Where were you? You were gone for two years! Two years!" her voice broke "You made Tear cry!"
"I did not!" Tear protested, blushing.
"She's crying now!" Anise continued.
"I am not!"
"You did! And you are to!" Anise cried in frustration.
She shoved Luke halfheartedly and dissolved into a sob, burring her face in his shirt.
"Now, now. Come on, Anise." Guy said gently, pulling her away.
"I missed you too, Anise." Luke laughed. "I'm sorry it took so long."
He looked at Guy and they both grinned. Guy grabbed him and pulled him into a fierce bear hug.
They laughed delightedly.
"You stupid bastard! Welcome home."
"Thanks, guy."
Natalia walked up to him in a daze. She put a hand on his face tenderly.
"It is you..." she mumbled.
"I'm sorry...Asch didn't...I mean, he's..."
Natalia cut him off with a hug.
"I'm just glad you're alright."
He took her hand and started when he saw a delicate gold ring.
"Is that a...? Who...?"
Natalia blushed and Guy looked embarrassed, telling him everything.
"We haven't set a date yet" Natalia told him shyly. "But it would mean a lot to us both if you came to the wedding."
A smile spread across Luke's face. "That's awesome! Congratulations!"
Jade came up and offered his hand. "Well, well, looks like we aren't rid of your presence yet. What a shame. Welcome back, Luke."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, old man." Luke smiled, shaking his hand.
He looked around.
"Wait, there's something missing...oh"
Lying by a boulder was a worn leather bag with an unnatural bulge.
He nudged it gently with his foot.
"Hey, Thing! Your master's calling!"
Immediately a blue ball of fuzz leaped from the bag and attached itself to Luke's head, knocking him over.
"Master!" Meiu shouted happily. "You're back!"
Luke laughed, holding Meiu as he sat back up.
"Yep. It's sure good to be back."
Later that night, Luke and Tear sat huddled together around a campfire as everyone else slept around the dying embers.
"By the way" Luke whispered, leaning in closer. "I love you too."
Tear jumped. "You...you heard..."
Luke nodded seriously. "Yeah. I heard you. And leaving after that was the hardest thing I've ever done."
His bright green eyes shone with longing, but he faltered and looked away.
"But I mean...that was awhile ago..." he mumbled awkwardly "I understand if..."
"If I what?"
"You know..."
"No, I don't know." she said, mystified.
"If you have...you know...another..." he babbled "I mean, you're...very beautiful, and I'm sure there are plenty of guys who would feel lucky to have you so...I understand if you've moved on."
Tear laughed. "Is that what you were worried about?"
She turned to face him.
"Luke, if you look in my desk there's a draw with nothing but the letters I wrote to you every day. I have a reputation as an ice queen for not giving men the time of day because I can't forget you."
She took his hand and looked into his eyes.
"I love you."
Luke broke into his widest smile yet and on impulse kissed her.
They pulled away and stared at each other in disbelief, slowly devolving into giggling.
After they subsided, Luke looked happily up at the sky.
"Y'know" he sighed "For the first time in a long time...I feel like I have my whole life ahead of me."
A/N: TOA is one of my favorite games and yet I've never written for it before so here this is! I was thinking this will be a drabble series about Luke's life after the game. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and feel free to tell me what you think!