Disclaimer: I don't own Professor Layton nor Luke Triton since they both belong to Level-5 games and nobody else, in fact I own nobody of the professor layton franchise!
Down goes the apprentice.
Luke just lay there in bed, his sweaty hands clasping on tightly to his equally damp bed sheets. He couldn't fathom why he felt so awful and he knew that he had been feeling sick for the past few days now. He didn't tell the professor since he thought it would just go away in its own time like other ailments but, sadly for him, this was not the case. He hardly got a wink of sleep from the unbelievable pain he felt stabbing his chest, his pulse kept on thumping through his entire body and he also felt like he could hardly breathe most of the time!
The boy tried to sit up as he kept his eye on the open door, hearing the murmurings and low mutters coming from the Professor and the doctor who had examined him moments ago but due to how hard his heart was pumping and how rough his own breathing was, he couldn't make out much. He could only hear the word 'pneumonia'. He didn't know what that word meant or what it was but for some reason it made him shiver but it wasn't from the icy cold chills that were sent through his body even though he felt hot at the same time.
He tried to open his mouth and call the professor as loud as his lungs would allow but he just couldn't muster the energy to do this task. He shuddered as he reluctantly gave up trying to call the professor and try and hear what his mentor was being told although the throbbing pain in his chest made this even more difficult as he could feel and hear his heart thumping away like mad and his own breathing also was blocking up most of the sounds.
Luke sniffled as he sunk deeper into the mattress although he hated it. He wanted to remain in the professor's much cooler arms and nestle in the cool temperature that came off from Professor Layton, his temperature being a lot lower than his. He could hardly stand being unwell since he thought that Gentlemen were not supposed to get sick, he shouldn't be making a scene and seeing the professor worry so much made him feel even worse on this matter! The professor hardly shown concern let alone this type of concern, it must have been him trying to mask his disappointment for how uncouth he was acting!
Luke Triton was a strong boy who never let his professor down and he felt like this was exactly what he was doing!
He lifted his head at the sound of the doctor's voice being icy and chilly as he said his last words "After all, this isn't a piece of old relics or a silly little puzzle."
Luke could hardly believe what he had just heard. Was that children's doctor dissing the professor!? He wanted so badly to get up and give that man a piece of his mind but before he could so much as move, the professor had already returned to the scene with an icy contrast being reflected in his eyes. It was like the professor was feeling intimidated by that man himself and also shared his desire to punch the daylights out of that pompous doctor.
The boy silently looked up at the Professor with a pleading look and no matter how much he wanted to avoid it, that kindly gaze that swapped that icy one had totally came and smoothed everything over a little. He couldn't help but feel safe as the professor paced himself as he walked towards him, knelt down a second time at his bedside and felt the professor's hand rest against his shoulder. He turned his head to the top hat-wearing gent and could hardly believe what had been said next.
"Luke, my boy..." The professor's voice sounded so calm and soothing that it sounded almost like a melody to his ears but he knew it wasn't "I will take care of you."
Luke had to blink twice to see if he had heard right and his desperately hot temperature wasn't making him hallucinate. What did the professor just say, he was going to look after him!? The professor couldn't do such a thing since he had so much to do! He couldn't possibly put all that stuff on hold!
Thankfully, the professor seemed to have known exactly what Luke was thinking before he could even make a movement of objection. His seemingly normally blank face smiled softly as he tipped his hat as Professor Layton assured his apprentice "Not to worry, my boy, I have called Rosa to take care of everything while I look after you."
Luke almost smiled upon hearing the name of the professor's kind-hearted house maid. Even though he had done the housework normally, Rosa would sometimes come and lend a hand when needed as everyone knew that even a young boy couldn't do everything in the house. He sighed forlornly as his the crestfallen look in his eyes betrayed the fact that he was very apologetic yet he wasn't able to express it.
He put a hand over his mouth as a sudden fit of heavy, mucous laden coughs attacked and forced him into a sitting up position as he hacked and coughed to try and prevent the sudden outburst of coughs. His chest caved in as he felt horrid while in that sitting up position but he did feel a little comfort as he felt the professor's hand on his back. He could determine that it was professor Layton's hand because of how much cooler it was comparing to him and because he had felt its touch many times before. It was a mistake not easily made.
The professor gingerly patted the boy's back as Luke broke into a fit of nasty coughs that even made him grimace from how heavy and raspy they sounded. He supported him as the coughs finally began to show signs of subsiding and when they did, Luke fell back into a heap on the bed. The professor's heart sunk upon realizing how dreadful Luke felt as he cringed, noticeable drips of sweat tricking down from his forehead and brows as he tightly squeezed his eyes shut.
"My poor boy..." The professor couldn't help but croon as he wiped away the beads of sweat pouring from his apprentice's head.
Hershel Layton couldn't deny it but he did feel an ounce of sympathy towards his apprentice as he stroked him as gently as he could. Why did it have to be Luke? The professor would have instantly taken his place, even if he wouldn't admit it to others. He could handle being in bed for awhile but Luke couldn't! He had duties after all!
Luke shuddered as a sudden chill took hold of him like a tight grip and he had bitten his lower lip to try and hide it but the professor had noticed either way. He looked into the eyes of his mentor once more as he felt the professor's arms wrap around him to envelope him in a tight hold as he was deftly moved from the bed and found himself curled up on the professor's lap with his soaking wet blanket wrapped around him. The professor had now sat on the floor with Luke sat on his lap yet he was also secured so he wouldn't find himself on the floor a second time.
Professor Layton stared down softly at Luke as he held him close to his chest so he could rest his head against that sturdy yet slender chest belonging to his mentor. Being a father already proved that the professor did indeed have a knack for handling children whatever the condition or circumstances, be it they be spoilt or even hot tempered then the professor would touch their hearts like a true gentleman would. Luke felt proud to be the apprentice of such a noble and kind-hearted man.
As apprentice and mentor sat cozily on the floor, the atmosphere was quiet and somewhat comforting as the slight breeze blowing in from the window noted that it had been raining quite heavily outside even though the sky was still dark and gloomy. Professor Layton played with Luke's hair as softly as he could while he continued to hold him as if he was made of 100 percent glass that could easily shatter.
While Luke didn't really mind being treated this delicately, it still worried him a bit that his busy mentor was putting his work on hold just to take care of him. He wanted to object and tell the professor to go back to work or get some sleep but he clearly couldn't do that since he was in no condition to do this.
"Luke" The professor's voice was a very soft whisper now as he held him "why don't you try getting some more sleep, hmm?" his hold on his apprentice tightened ever so slightly "I'll make sure nothing happens to you."
Luke could barely register what his mentor was saying as he was once again slipping from his half conscious state. Throughout the night he had found himself blurring between reality and a cold dark world where he had no sense of touch or sight and half the time he even asked himself if he was in the morgue. It soon grew annoying but Luke didn't dare dwell upon it as he was already out like a light moments after Layton had made his suggestion.
Luke sighed a little as he fell limp in the professor's arms, concerning the archaeologist for a moment, but he was still alive. His gentle snores and raspy breathing was definitely something to keep a sharp eye on as the professor decided to put Luke back into bed while he decided to look into home-made remedies considering they may as well had effective ones in the old days of yore. Besides it would be something to do until Luke regains consciousness again.
He very, very slowly climbed to his feet so he couldn't wake Luke and took great care into putting him back to bed as he laid the young boy back into bed and wrapped him snugly in his quilted silk blankets as if it were but a cape belonging to a master magician of sorts. He also made sure to nestle Luke's teddy bear beside him to at least give some subconscious reassurance if he were to awake while he wasn't there.
However, he was very worried about one thing: He hadn't had an attack on his life in ages. Normally he would have some sort of enemy to get revenge on him for something incredibly stupid or even insignificant but he hadn't had something like that for awhile. What if they were to attack his very office? What if they were looming outside, waiting for the right moment to strike much like a lion would with their potential prey?
He pressed a finger to his chin and scratched it as he glared out the window. He knew he had to leave to research a remedy but felt some cautionary chills down his spine, making his eyes glare inadvertently as he watched the huge drops of rain pelt against the window. Slowly he decided to dismiss it as he walked out the door, his harsh glare never leaving the gloomy view outside until he was walking downstairs.
But he should have looked harder as a certain enemy popped up from the window and glaring right down at Luke's sleeping silhouette before grinning a snide smirk. What was going on?
A/N: Oooh dear! Someone is stalking the professor and is probably going to do something awful. I know that I am probably making the professor a bit out of character here but I can see some sort of father-son, mentor-apprentice relationship going on for some reason. I just see that connection even though professor Layton seems reluctant to allow these feelings to take hold. Thats just me, though.
Anyways, I can't wait to make more chapters and I hope I get some reviews. Thanks!
-Chloemcg