Hey there! Just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to read my story. This is my first one ever, so some feedback would be great. Enjoy!

It was a bleak day in the streets of London. Rain poured down and on the crowed streets, and no one seemed particularly happy.

No one except Lucy Baker.

She skipped happily down the street, not caring about the fact she was soaking wet and probably going to be late for work (again). Her sunny disposition never changed. But today, she was especially happy. Because today was the Prof's birthday! And she had the perfect present.

'I reckon I've found summat the Prof'll love!' Lucy laughed.

'Hmm...'

This sound was heard a lot in the Mystery Room. But usually it was because of a puzzling case. Not this time. There was something Alfendi had to figure out, but it wasn't a murder.

'How to tell her...'

It was a question he'd puzzled over for weeks. Murder mystery with 8 suspects? Easy.

Love confessions? That was another thing entirely.

I took him nearly a year to figure out he loved Lucy Baker. Her hair, her eyes. Her adorable laughter that would brighten his day no matter what. The way she was always determined to solve a case. But most of all, the way she didn't back away from either of his personalities.

Suddenly, the Prof's hair turned red and fell in his eyes.

'Of course... Why didn't I think of this before?' A mischievous grin crept onto his face. 'Yes... I've got the perfect idea'.

'HAPPY BIRTHDAY PROF!'

Lucy's voice rang out loud as she swung open the door to the Mystery Room. Alfendi looked up from the newspaper he was reading, to see Lucy holding a messily wrapped box.

He smiled as she sat down next to him. 'Thankyou Lucy, but you really didn't have to get me anything.'

'Course I'd get ya something! Wot kinda friend would I be otherwise?'

Alfendi's confidence faltered a little. 'Friends? Maybe that's all she wants to be,' He thought. 'Maybe I shouldn't do thi-'

'What are you thinking?' Potty Prof cut in. 'The great Alfendi Layton? Doubting yourself? This plan will work. I'm... 98.3% sure of it.'

Lucy's voice roused him from his thoughts. 'Open it! Open it!' she insisted.

Alfendi carefully tore the wrapping paper off the box. He opened the lid and found...

'A photo album?'

'Yep!' Lucy laughed. 'But that's not all. Look inside it.'

Curious, Alfendi opened the album. It was full of photos, from every case they'd ever solved together.

'Lucy...' The Prof was speechless. He couldn't believe she'd kept all of these photos.

'I must mean something to her...' He thought.

'Do ya like it, Prof?'

'Its wonderful Lucy. Thankyou.'

Lucy beamed. 'Aw, it was nawt. So, any new cases?'

Alfendi sighed. 'No. It seems like we haven't got any work today.'

'Oh.' Lucy sounded disappointed.

'If only I could cheer her up...'

'Then tell her, you idiot!'

'No! Well, not yet.'

'If you're just going to sit there, I'll go through with my plan.'

'Prof? Are ya alright?' Lucy asked. His hair had been flashing from red to purple, and Lucy was a little worried.

Alfendi looked up at her. 'Yes, I'm fine. Thankyou, Lucy.'

'Alrighty then. If there's no mysteries, then there's cleaning to do.'

Lucy began to organise some of the clutter around the room. Alfendi watched her, as she practically skipped around the room. Her optimism never faltered. It was so cute...

'Okay, now or never,' he thought.

He stood up and walked towards her. 'Lucy,' he began.

'Wot is it, Prof? Is summat wrong?'

'No, it's just... Well...'

'That's it,' Potty Prof thought. 'We're doing this my way.'

'No... Not now...'

Alfendi's hair turned red and fell forwards.

'Yes. Something is very wrong, Lucy.'

'Potty Prof,' Lucy sighed. 'Wot's wrong now? Ya haven't made enough death threats lately or summat?'

Potty Prof snickered. 'Oh, no. This is a much bigger problem.'

'Like wot?'

'You see, that fool doesn't have the courage to tell you what he's really feeling.'

Up to this point, Lucy was feeling fairly confident. But now, she noticed how close Alfendi was.

'...Prof?' She said nervously. 'W-wot are ya talking about?'

He smirked. 'You're a smart girl, Lucy. You can figure it out.'

A look of pure bewilderment was on Lucy's face. 'Prof, I really don't know wot ya mean.'

'Then I'll just have to show you.'

Every coherent thought disappeared from Lucy's mind when Alfendi kissed her. She barely had time to respond before he pulled away, his hair suddenly purple again.

'Lucy, I'm so sorry, I-'

He was cut off when she pulled him back into the kiss. Alfendi pulled Lucy in closer as she ran her fingers through his hair. They stayed there for what felt like forever.

Evetually Lucy pulled back slightly. 'Prof?' She whispered.

'Yes?'

'I don't think ya understand birthdays.'

'What do you mean?'

'Well ya see,' she giggled, 'you're supposed to get t'presents. Not give 'em.'