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AN: Should note I guess that Luke is appropriately aged to 24 here and Athena is 21. Going off how old Luke was in PLvsAA/Unwound Future this is the correct age difference.
Athena tried to think of the last time she'd been this nervous. She sat quite still and quiet, watching the London scenery flick past her window. She supposed this was comparable to her first day in court.
(What if he doesn't like me?)
She glanced at the person driving the rental car beside her. He was half the reason she was in London and entirely the reason for her intense nerves. He looked very content as he drove, obviously glad to be back in London. Athena was careful not to let Luke know she was very nervous to meet his best and oldest friend.
Professor Hershel Layton was so famous Athena had even heard of him long before meeting Luke. She never dreamed she'd actually meet the man, not even when Luke had told her they were friends and she was still nervous despite the Boss telling her about Layton as well.
Athena fiddled with the lace-trimmed hem of her skirt. Sure, she'd heard wonderful things about Layton. Nothing but wonderful things. But the idea of meeting him made her nervous because he was Luke's friend. His approval of her could be important to their relationship.
Luke stopped at Gressenheller University and smiled at Athena, who smiled back.
"We're here."
He got out and hurried around to get her door as Athena untangled her purse from the underside of her seat. Luke held her hand as he pulled her excitedly along to meet the Professor, who wasn't in his office. A woman was, though, with long brown hair and wearing a salmon-coloured dress under an unbuttoned crochet white cardigan. She had large, dark eyes that were currently fixed on a book in her lap. She looked up from her reading at the sound of the door opening.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Flora! It's been a while!"
The woman called Flora smiled brighter than the sun. "Luke! Welcome back!"
She rushed forward to hug him. Athena stood there feeling slightly awkward until Flora stepped back.
"Flora, I'd like you to meet Athena," Luke said, indicating her. "Athena, this is the Professor's daughter, Flora Reinhold. Flora, this is my girlfriend, Athena Cykes."
Flora beamed, but her voice was slightly nervous. "It's nice to meet you. Luke tells us a lot about you."
Athena smiled. "He tells me about you, too."
Flora looked pleased by this, looking at Luke. "I didn't know he'd mention me."
"Of course he does. He tells me you're like a sister to him."
Luke's already perpetually pink cheeks turned even pinker. Flora, however, looked flattered and promised to go fix some sandwiches. Luke looked apprehensive about this and followed her.
"Can I help you?" the voice was warm and kind, piqued with curiosity and interest. Athena turned so fast she stumbled and felt herself blush as she fell on her backside.
(Great first impression...)
Professor Layton offered her the hand not holding a newspaper to help her up. Athena took it and thanked him, answering the affirmative that she was all right.
"I don't need help- er that is, I'm not lost," she said awkwardly, smoothing her skirt. "I'm actually here to meet you, Professor."
"To meet me, you say?" he considered for only a moment before smiling. "I beg your pardon, but are you Miss Athena Cykes?"
She nodded. "Yes. I am."
The professor continued to wear an easygoing smile as he formally introduced himself. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Cykes. Luke has told me quite a lot about you. As has Mr Wright."
Athena's face burned. "He has?"
(The Boss has? I bet he said stuff that'll just embarrass me...)
"No need to worry, Miss Cykes. It's been nothing but good things," there was a note of amusement in his voice, obviously guessing what Athena was thinking. "Luke in particular seems very taken with you."
"I've heard lots of good things about you, too," Athena sputtered out. "Luke and the Boss both talk about you."
She made to sit down but missed the cushion entirely in her nerves and lay on her back, stewing silently in humiliation.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm good," Athena said. "I'm um- I- I missed the, um, chair. Cushion. Thing. There's a thing under here."
She held it up questioningly.
"It's a hint coin," the professor said, intrigued. "I wonder how it got under there?"
"What's it for?"
"If you need assistance with a puzzle, you can use a hint coin to to get some."
Athena made an "O" with her lips of understanding. "I see."
"Would you like to try a puzzle?" she detected a not of excitement in his placid voice. "I have one you can try."
"O-Okay."
The professor put his paper down on the coffee table before he sat across from her in the chair from his desk, putting down eight playing cards from a stack nearby in front of her.
"Put these eight cards into two even rows but using these rules," he said, handing Athena a sheet of paper.
1. The diamond is never next to a spade.
2. No card is above or below a card of the same suit.
3. The club is never on an end.
4. The first card in the first row and the last card in the last row are the same.
5. The third card in the first row is a heart.
6. The spade is always to the right of a heart.
Athena read over these instructions a few times before placing one of the Heart cards in front of her and one of the Spades to its immediate right. To its left she placed a Club, and then picked up both Diamond cards, putting one to the left of the Spade and the other below the other Spade. Beside it she placed the last Club, then the Spade to its right and the Heart last on the far right end. She re-read the rules again, pointing at each of the cards before looking up at the Professor.
"Is this right? The first row is a diamond, then a club, then a heart and a spade... Then the second row is the heart, the spade, the club, and the diamond? Er, from left to right?"
He smiled. "That's correct, Miss Cykes. Well done."
"It is?" Her eyes lit up. "Luke and I do puzzles together but he always ends up helping me because he can't resist."
The professor chuckled. "Luke is quite a handful, isn't he?"
"I can handle it," Athena grinned, noticing how solving the puzzle seemed to eradicate her nerves. "I've got two hands, and he's only a handful!"
Layton looked perplexed by this take, not least because Athena was sincere in this remark.
"Yes, I suppose that's true," he sounded highly amused. "Where is Luke, anyway?"
Luke returned at that moment, carrying a tray of tea and walking behind Flora.
"Professor!"
"Ah, Luke my boy. It's been a long time indeed."
"Professor, I see you met Athena," said Luke, sitting beside her and smiling. "Athena, this is Professor Hershel Layton. My best and oldest friend."
"She's a charming lady," Layton said, his dark eyes twinkling," with an aptitude for puzzles!"
"Athena's really good at puzzles," Luke said, nodding and grinning.
"How would you know?" Athena turned to him, her blue eyes alight with playfulness. "I just got done telling the Professor about how you never let me solve one alone. But! I just did and you didn't see so ha~!"
Luke blushed. "Sorry... I can't help it! I just want to solve every puzzle I find."
"Trucy's still mad at you," Athena told him. "She doesn't like people figuring out her tricks."
Luke sighed. "I don't think Miss Trucy and I will ever get along."
"Probably not," Athena agreed. "But that's okay."
"Oops!" Flora interrupted their banter by knocking a teacup over as she picked up one to hand Athena, the saucer catching on the other. Tea spilled over the coffee table.
Layton calmly picked up the newspaper and the deck of cards as Flora made to mop up the mess.
"What a waste of perfectly good tea," were Luke's thoughts on the matter.
(That was... British of him to say...)
Layton examined the newspaper and he looked troubled by an article. When Flora went to the kitchen to get a different towel he looked up at Luke and Athena.
"Luke. I trust you remember Clive?"
Luke narrowed his eyes. "How could I forget? He pretended to be me before he kidnapped Flora and destroyed half of London."
Layton nodded, holding out the newspaper. Even Athena had trouble picking out what emotion he was feeling when he spoke. "Clive was just arrested for the murder of a prison inmate."