A/N: And Luke becomes a 'badass'...not really

It was Sunday, and Tear sat on her bed, playing around with the phone. She was mainly trying to work out how it worked, pressing buttons and fiddling around. As she did, she tried to think what type of personalisation had been done to the red-headed twins' phones. They were probably aware of it, whatever it was, but she couldn't think what could be added.

Pressing another button, the screen changed and she blinked. Moving it around, she saw that the screen also changed. Pressing the button again, there was a click and then the screen froze

"Oh! A camera," she giggled, deleting the photo she had taken of her bed and half her leg and looking through the other things.

There was a beep, the phone vibrating in her hands, and she almost dropped it in surprise. A symbol had appeared at the top, and she hesitantly pressed it, bringing up another screen.

'So you have a phone? - Luke'

Tear looked at it in confusion. What on Auldrant was this? It beeped again, and she pressed the symbol.

'In case you don't know, the images on the side mean - reply, forward, and delete. Just press the first one and then write what you want, then press the first symbol again, because that one means send. - Luke'

Tear did as he instructed, quickly pressing out a reply, then pressed the first symbol. It remained for a minute, and then vanished. Waiting a moment, her phone beeped and she pressed it.

'Imaginative. Hey, come over to my room for a bit? Yulia won't let me out, and I'm bo~red. - Luke'

Tear pressed the same buttons again, slowly getting more confident.

'Sure. Where is it? - Tear'

'Same building as Dad's office, second floor, first door on the right. Don't go left, that's Asch's bedroom. - Luke'

'Okay, I'll be there in a minute. - Tear'

Tear stood up, slipping her shoes on and grabbing her jacket before heading for the door.

"Where ya going?" asked Natalia, looking up.

"Heading over to Luke's. He asked me to keep him company," Tear replied, zipping up her jacket.

"Say hi to him from me," Natalia replied, going back to reading her magazine.

Tear headed out, closing the door, then walked down the hallway. She headed across the courtyard, listening to the birds chirping and people chatting as they lolled about in the sun. Reaching the main building, she headed in and went up the stairs. Soon reaching the second floor, she hesitated briefly then went for the door on her right. Knocking, she waited a moment.

"Come in," Luke's voice called, and she breathed in relief before pushing the door open. He lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, but sat up as Tear entered and grinned. "Hey, that was quick," he noted.

Tear smiled, taking a seat at the end of the bed. "I told you I'd be a minute," she said.

"Nah, you were a little longer," Luke teased, and Tear shook her head in defeat. Looking at him, she was struck by how he looked a little different, then suddenly realised.

"What did you do with your hair?" she asked, and Luke blinked.

"Oh, this? Yulia did it, said it would keep it out of the way," he said, bringing it round. The crimson hair was plaited, a few locks hanging freely at the front, and messy at the top. Tear blinked, taking it in, then smiled.

"It looks good on you," she noted, and Luke coloured a little.

"You think? I thought it was a bit girly..." he mumbled.

"No, it suits you," she replied, and Luke smiled.

"Thanks," he said, crossing his legs and giving a sigh.

"What's the matter?" Tear asked, confused.

"I'm so bored. I hate being stuck in this stupid room.."

"Don't you have anything to do?"

"No, not really. A few books, but Asch is more into reading that I am."

"Huh. He doesn't really seem the type," Tear commented with a frown.

"Yeah, I know, but he is," Luke said, then gave a frustrated cry and lay back.

"I could knock you out again," Tear offered.

"No thanks. Whatever you did, it gave me a huge headache," he said, rubbing his head absently.

Suddenly he blinked before sitting up again, looking excited. "Let's break out!" he cried.

"What?"

"Yeah! We could climb out the window or something, and go outside for a bit, then get back before they notice we've gone! It's perfect!"

"Luke, isn't that a bit...dangerous?"

"Ah, who cares. Come on!" He was already standing up, leaping off his bed to the window and unlatching it. He pushed it open, looking down then back at Tear. "You coming?" he asked.

Tear bit her lip then joined him, and he went over the windowsill, grasping it and pushing himself off the wall into the tree growing a little over. Tear did the same, nearly missing the tree, but Luke grabbed her in time. They leapt out of the tree, then strode off, Luke stretching in pleasure.

"Man, it's great to be outside again!" he sighed happily, hands behind his head.

Tear was keeping a careful eye out for Asch, Lorelei or Yulia, but so far none of them had shown up. Still, it didn't do for Luke to be so relaxed.

"Will you be serious? If they notice you're gone, they're going to freak," Tear pointed out.

Luke waved it off. "Dad won't freak, he always knows where we are."

Tear rolled her eyes, but relaxed a little as well. They strode across the grounds, the sun shining down on them. Tear smiled lightly, tilting her head with her eyes closed to catch a few more rays on her face. Luke glanced at her, then looked away, ignoring the blush that rose in his cheeks.

Tear opened her eyes again, eyes sliding to Luke. His hair was aflame, even more prominent in the bright sunlight, and she was certain that if she didn't know better, she would think his hair was on fire. He glanced at her, emerald eyes catching the light and seeming even deeper than they did before.

"Hey Tear, you okay? You're kinda spacing out," Luke said, eyebrow raised.

"Huh? Oh, um, yes, sorry," she said quickly, going red. Luke noticed, appearing a little concerned.

"I think we should go rest in the shade for a bit. It looks like the sun's getting to you," he noted. Tear nodded mutely and they crossed over to a large tree, sitting down at its base. The branches swayed above them hypnotically, the light making dancing patterns on the floor.

Luke lay down on the grass, hands beneath his head, and stared up at the leaves. Tear joined him, slightly curled to get in a more comfortable position.

"My mum planted this tree," Luke said suddenly, and Tear looked at him in surprise.

"She did?"

"Uh huh. On the day we were born. She said it would represent our bond, and if it ever withered, it meant we were growing distant."

Tear looked up at the huge, healthy tree. "I guess it's always grown pretty well then?"

Luke shook his head. "No...A little while after Mum's death, it started to wither. The leaves fell even though it was summer, the bark was rotten and sap leaked out...So I thought, I have to get everyone back together. Yulia went along with my games, and we managed to get Asch and Dad to join in too, and eventually the tree started getting better." He smiled softly. "It's been growing strong ever since, getting bigger every year. I hope it doesn't rot again."

"Was your mum a fonist?" asked Tear.

Luke shrugged. "I don't know. If she was, she couldn't have been very strong; she was always pretty weak, and ill a lot of the time."

Tear considered this, gazing up at the tree. Finally she looked at him, smiling. "Even if she wasn't, I think she must have been stronger than a lot of people realised. After all, her feelings reached this tree, right?" she said.

Luke gazed at her a moment, then looked away, nodding. "Yeah..I guess," he murmured. Tear gave a light giggle then rolled onto her back, staring up at the leaves.

'Whoever you are...Thank you so much for giving birth to such wonderful children,' Tear thought, willing the tree to send it to Luke's mother. She didn't know if it would ever reach her, but she wanted the thought to at least be there.

Luke had pulled out his phone, and now put it back, sitting up with a yawn. "I suppose we should get back now," he said, Tear sitting as well. As he stood up and stretched, he heard Tear give a sigh and then suddenly pain erupted at his ear lobe.

"Ow ow ow!" he gasped, reaching up to try and push whoever it was away.

"And what are you doing out of your room?" came Asch's icy voice, and he froze, looking up into his older twin's eyes.

"Um..."

Asch rolled his eyes, then looked over at Tear. "And I notice you didn't stop him?" he noted.

Tear shrugged. "He can be very convincing," she offered.

Asch snorted. "As if. Now come on, I don't think Dad'll be pleased to hear you snuck out of your room when Yulia told you to stay in there," he said, dragging Luke off. Tear waved after him, then headed back for her own room. As she reached the door, she paused, glancing back at the tree. It was large, reaching almost up to the top of her building, and was healthy and strong. If it really represented their relationship...

She gave a smile, then headed inside, certain she had just figured out a little more of their personalities.

A/N: Oh you perceptive Tear, you!

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