Alsenei: So, about time I posted this one up here...

NeoKiti: Yeah, about time!! How long ago did you post up this one on the forums?

Alsenei: Can't remember... Anyways, this one has slight spoilers for later on in the game, so if you haven't been to the Tower of Rem or gotten Luke's medical exam in Belkend and want to avoid spoilers, TURN BACK NOW. Okay, DISCLAIMER!!

NeoKiti: Alsenei does not own Tales of the Abyss nor any of its characters, Namco does, as much as she hates Team Symphonia for stealing her story ideas.

Alsenei: Damn straight!!

"What?! Your birthday is today?!" Natalia cried out when Tear had answered her question as to when her birthday was.

"SHH! Don't let the others hear!" Tear hissed while looking around them to see if any of the others were around to overhear. She didn't want them to make a big deal out of it. How did this conversation get started anyways?

"But Tear, they'll want to know about this, especially Luke!" Natalia whispered as they continued to look at the displays in the frosted windows of Ketersburg. "We never get to celebrate things with all the things that are going on, but today we finally have a chance to relax. Who knows how things will go, especially after what almost happened to Luke…," she trailed off as they both began to remember a few days back, when Luke had almost died trying to clear the miasma.

"I still don't want them to know though. Who knows what they'll do if they find out," she sighed as they continued walking down the snow-covered lanes. Unfortunately, someone was listening.

"I have to tell Master!!" Mieu cried out in glee as he hopped down to hotel where they were staying. A few stared as he walked in and rode up the elevator to their rooms and managed to open the door to the room he was staying in with Luke.

"Master, Master! Guess what?" he cheered as he waddled onto the bed where Luke was laying, staring at the wall.

"What do you want? Can't you see that I'm trying to sleep?" Luke groaned as he turned to face the wall. Mieu was so annoying sometimes.

"But Master, it's about Tear!" Mieu said, swaying slightly.

"What?!" Luke cried as he jumped off the bed quickly. "What's wrong? Is she okay?"

"Mieeuuuuuuuu!!" Mieu cried as he fell off the bed. He straightened himself up quickly and began hopping around Luke in circles crying "Tear! Tear!" which annoyed Luke eventually.

"Dammit Thing!! Just tell me what's wrong already!" Luke cried as he grabbed Mieu and began to pull on his cheeks.

"M-Master, that hurts!" Mieu squealed.

"Then hurry up and tell me what's wrong with Tear! Or I'll go look for her myself!" Luke growled as he continued to pull on Mieu's cheeks.

"What's going on?"

'Oh shit,' Luke thought as he turned around to face Tear herself while still pulling on Mieu's cheeks. "T-Tear, why are you here? Are you okay?" he asked nervously but still holding poor Mieu.

"Luke, let go of Mieu, you're hurting him!" She gasped, ignoring his questions completely while rushing forward to rescue little Mieu from Luke.

"Hey, it's not my fault! He kept saying something about you!" Luke cried as she grabbed Mieu from him while he began too rub his poor, sore little cheeks.

"Mieu, what did you want to tell Luke?" Tear asked gently while Luke was off standing in a corner, sulking slightly.

"Ah! Master Master!" Mieu cried as he hopped out of Tear's arms.

"Please get straight to the point this time," Luke sighed as he scratched the back of his head, awaiting Mieu's answer.

"It's Tear's birthday!"

"Eh!?" Luke yelped his eyes widening as he stared straight at Mieu, who was waving his arm happily.

"Mieu!" Tear cried out in shock. "How did you-? I mean- Why did you tell Luke?" she sighed exasperated. The last person she wanted to know was Luke.

"Why don't you want me to know?" Luke asked somewhat hesitantly, not sure if he would like the answer.

"Never mind it's none of your business!" she cried blushing furiously as she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Tear!" Luke called after her, somewhat too late before he turned and glared at Mieu. "You know why she doesn't want me to know, Thing?" he groaned as he sat back down on the bed, his face in his hands.

"No, mieuuuuuuuuu," he said as he hopped onto the bed next to Luke. He stared at the young cheagle through his hands and let out a soft sigh.

"Do you have any idea what kinds of things Tear likes?" he asked as he got up and headed out the door, Mieu at his heels.

"Tear likes Mieu! And Master! She told me when Master got sick!"

"What?!" he yelped yet again, his eyes widening to the point of threatening to pop out of their sockets. "Since when…?"

"Master isn't supposed to know! So don't tell Tear!" Mieu gurgled as they exited the hotel and headed towards the shops. "What are you looking for, Master?"

"Something to give her. Kind of like a thank you for everything she's done for me. And for keeping her promise to watch over me," he trailed off; smiling softly as he remembered the day they had made that promise. They continued to wander around the shops, but it wasn't until they had almost reached the last shop that something caught Luke's eye. He ran into the small shop just as the owner began to lock up. "Hey! Wait up!" he gasped as he hunched over in front of the counter, his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"Sorry, sir. I'm afraid that we're closed for the day," the young owner said as she locked away the register.

"How much for that?" he asked once he had regained his breath, pointing at the object in the window.

"Oh, that? Probably more than you'd be willing to pay for," she laughed.

"How much?" he asked again, desperate.

"Forty-five thousand gald," she replied, examining her fingernails.

"WHAT THE HELL?! All it is is a-," he started.

"That's the price, take it or leave it."

"Fine!" he yelled, slamming down the money on the counter.

"Do you want it wrapped?"

"Huh?"

"It's for a special girl, right? So how long have you been together? She's lucky," she sighed as she began to wrap Luke's purchase in delicate tissue paper.

"Well, were not exactly together, but yeah, it is for someone special to me," he answered, blushing. He hoped it was true, but he hated the idea of being with Tear and then having to leave her when he finally disappeared.

"Just tell her, because you never know," she said as she handed him the gift.

"Thanks," he smiled as he left the store, Mieu at his heels once more.

'He's cute,' the storekeeper thought as she went back to closing up.

"Alright, I just have to give this to Tear. I hope she likes it," he whispered to himself as he rode up the elevator to their rooms.

"Master, do you think Tear will like it?" Mieu asked happily.

"You know, I should've just wrapped you up and given you to her," he said with an annoyed expression on his face. "Stay out here, okay?"

"Mieu..."

"Alright, here goes," Luke sighed as he listened to the muffled singing coming from the other side of the door. He took a few deep breaths and knocked on Tear's door.

"Yes?" Tear's muffled voice traveled to the door. At that, Luke entered, opening the door slowly.

"Tear?" he called out softly, poking his head out from behind the door.

"Oh, it's just you," Tear sighed as she returned to her singing.

"Are you still upset about earlier?" he asked hesitantly as he sat down on the bed, being careful to hide the wrapped bundle behind his back.

"Not really," she answered, staring out the window behind Luke. "I just it would be pointless to stop what we were doing just to celebrate my birthday. I wonder if Natalia or Mieu has told them yet."

"I don't think it's pointless at all. I'm glad you were born Tear. I know that if you weren't I certainly wouldn't be alive now. I'm glad you're still alive," he whispered, blushing slightly. She smiled when she heard this, although not sure why. She sat down next to Luke, but he jumped away from her when he did.

"Luke? What're you hiding?" she asked as she tried to look around him.

"It's nothing!"

"I can see something behind your back. You're easy to read," she said, smiling.

"I am not!" he scoffed, looking away from Tear, but she still stared at him, smiling. "Fine, here," he sighed, taking the bundle out from behind him and handing it to her, noticing her shocked expression.

"Luke, what is this?" she asked her eyes wide as she accepted it. "Why did you get me...?"

"I just really wanted to get you something. I mean, after all you've done for me, this barely seems like anything," he said quietly as he watched her unwrap it.

"Luke!" she gasped as she lifted the gift out of the tissue paper. It was a small, stuffed blue cheagle. She loved it already, but then she noticed the delicate silver chain around its neck. She removed it, and gasped once more at the small charm hanging off it. It was a pearl selenia flower with a tear-shaped gem the same color as her eyes hanging off it.

"I thought you might like it," he whispered, blushing furiously as he lifted it from her hand and fastened it around her neck. "Especially since it looks like Mieu."

"Luke, thank you," she whispered as she hugged him. He tensed slightly in surprised before relaxing and hugging her back. He wanted to stay like this forever, he didn't want to disappear.

'Someday… Someday I'll tell her, how I really feel' he thought as he hugged her closer.

"Happy Birthday, Tear."

Alsenei: Well, there ya go!! I hope I took out all the AN's this time, I've been forgetting to take them out lately...

NeoKiti: How many did it originally have?

Alsenei: I think it was fifteen or something...

NeoKiti: O.O

Alsenei: Anyways, please review with your thoughts and if there is anything I should improve upon!! And no flames please!

NeoKiti: I still want that toast