Luke Triton and the Great Farewell –Part 5-

Luke had never liked taking his clothes off around people.

Well, that wasn't totally irrational, or even uncommon. People feel the most vulnerable when the security thin layers of cloth provide suddenly vanishes, exposing weak flesh.

Luke shook his head. It wasn't that bad. He was paranoid. Or was he? What did other people look like? Should he hang back? Maybe he could lose the professor in the changing area, then—

"Luke, you're looking rather pale. Are you quite alright?" The professor tipped his hat up. "It wouldn't do for you to get sick on our vacation."

"I'm fine, professor," Luke replied, flashing an empty smile. He fingered the hem of his blazer anxiously. "Why don't you go first? I'm sure Flora will be nervous alone with so many strangers."

Layton tapped his nose. "So you're trying to lose me, then."

Luke recoiled, surprised at the professor's insight. He then scolded himself; he should have known. The professor was a master of observation, of course. "Not at all," he replied nonchalantly. "I just thought that it would be best for Flora. She is rather timid, and with her looks—"

"Flora is nowhere near as delicate as you seem to think," the professor said. "She's actually quite brave. You should have seen the things she made me do when you left…"

"I see. Well, gentleman should go fir—"

"Go, Luke." The professor gently pushed Luke forward with his palm so that he stumbled forward. Luke flinched, defeated. He sighed as he pushed back the curtain to the changing room.

Well, Luke thought, reasoning, he would probably see eventually. With that, he pulled off his clothes and on his swimming trunks.

When Luke stepped back out, he was relieved to find that the professor had disappeared. Perhaps now he could leave now, and not be caught. The thought had barely crossed his mind when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Luke…"

"It's nothing." Luke shook the hand off lightly. "I got into a few fights at the new school after I moved."

"Luke, this is not 'nothing'."

"I assure you that it is, professor."

"These marks are fresh. Don't lie to me."

Luke shrugged. "Accidents happen."

"Are you going to tell me that you fell down the stairs, too?"

"It wasn't the stairs, exactly. I did fall off the bus when I was moving into residence, though. The luggage was rather…unwieldy."

"Why won't you tell me anything?" Layton's mouth tightened into a horizontal slash on his face. "I thought we were friends."

"I have told you everything," Luke replied.

Layton regarded Luke for several moments, frustrated. At last, he turned. "Come. A good, long soak would do us both good. And remember, a true gentleman never leaves a lady waiting."

"Yes." Luke followed the professor to the open air pool. The hot springs were surprisingly empty, though he supposed it was a rather unusual weekend for a vacation. Was this why they had passed so few people in the changing rooms?

"Professor, Luke, over here!" Flora called, waving from one of the walls of the spring. "You two took forever to change, so I got in because it was col—Luke!"

"Hm?" Luke slid into the water, moving to sit beside her.

"What happened to you? Those bruises…"

"I tripped off a bus when I was moving." Luke waved his hand dismissively.

"But…those other marks... Certainly, you couldn't have—"

"Young boys get into fights sometimes. These are the marks of the victories and losses suffered in those wars."

"Are you sure?"

"What are you asking?" he laughed. "Of course I'm sure. You worry too much." He leaned back, looking at the sky. "It appears we really did take a while. The stars are out so soon…"

"Night falls early in the winter," the professor remarked.

"This feels amazing," Flora said. "I'm really glad I won this trip. Wasn't it lucky?"

"There is no luck in this world, Flora," Luke said. "Only coincidence."

"A lucky coincidence," the professor mediated. "A true gentleman takes time to appreciate the miracles of nature once and a while."

"Quite so," Flora giggled. Luke said nothing, choosing to stare up at the stars instead. He wondered what life would have been like if he had stayed with these two…the two he considered his real family. Would he be the same man? Would they have had more adventures, like the ones in his memories?

"Luke?" The professor's voice brought him back to reality. What ifs didn't matter. He was here now, with the people he treasured most in the world. He couldn't change the past, but he could certainly manipulate the future.

"Yes?" Luke turned his gaze back to the man beside him.

It was obvious that the professor hadn't thought of something to actually say to him. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes," Luke said. "Definitely. I've never had this experience before. It is quite…cosy, I suppose." The water was comfortable. It undid the knots in his shoulders and back, and yet…he still felt a weight in the pit of his stomach.

"Luke?"

"Yes, professor?"

"…welcome back, my boy."

"Thank you."