Work Text:
It was a very quiet evening in the archeology department on Gressenheller college. Test season was already over, so all the students were either celebrating or preparing for next semester. Either way, they were out of the classrooms.
Hershel Layton was asleep on his office, sitting on the orange couch, finally able to rest after correcting a towering pile of exams. His head was tilted towards and sinked on his shoulders.
Luke, on the other hand, was nothing close to asleep. While Layton corrected the tests, the little child read a book and took a stroll across the campus picking up and talking to every animal he found (a cat, two squirrels and a toad). When he came back, he found the professor sound asleep and snoring lightly.
He took a look at his mentor’s hat, he always was kind of curious about it. “What is under that? Does he hide something?” He thought to himself. Suddenly, he remembered Layton’s words
“A gentleman never takes his hat off”
Luke wanted to be a gentleman, of course. Did he need a top hat? Maybe if he borrowed it for a little while… “He won’t even notice” He said to himself.
Slowly and very carefully, Luke got close to Layton and lifted the hat by the brim. He was surprised by its weight. How could Layton wear it all the time? He was surprised, the hat looked old but it was in perfect condition.
Luke ran to the mirror and put the hat on his head, very slowly, like an astronaut putting on its helmet. It was a little too big for his head but it felt weirdly good.
He smiled, pointed to the mirror and giggled.
When he decided it was enough already he went to return the hat, with the terrible luck of knocking over an empty teacup. The second the cup hit the floor (fortunately not breaking) Luke realized he was in big trouble. “I shouldn’t have took it. It’s his most favorite thing!” He scolded himself “What if he gets mad? What if he doesn’t want me to be his apprentice anymore?” The thought of not being around the professor, solving puzzles and mysteries terrified him.
The first thing Hershel noticed was that his hat wasn’t on his head. The second was a very apologetic Luke at the verge of tears.
“I’m so sorry professor I-I thought that y-you wouldn’t notice if I tried it on f-for a little while while” He sniffed “while you were asleep. I-I’m so sorry please don't be mad.”
When he realized what was going on, he felt a slight panic about seeing Luke so distraught. He got up and lowered himself quite clumsily and put a hand on the young boy’s cheek.
“Calm down, my boy. I would- I would never be mad with you.” He smiled softly “You were curious, that’s a good quality, Luke.”
“B-But, this hat is so dear to y-you. What if-” He dried up a tear with his sleeve “What if something bad happened to it?”
“I care more about your wellbeing. That hat is dear to me, you’re right, it’s from a very dear person. But It’s nothing you should cry over. Alright?”
Luke nodded and sniffed, afraid of talking because he didn’t want to start crying again. After all, a true gentleman never loses his composure. Layton picked the boy up.
“How did you look with it on?”
“Huh?”
Layton chucked, picked his hat from Luke’s tiny hands and put on the boy’s head. Maybe that would cheer him up.
“It’s a little big… Maybe in a couple of years It will fit you.” He lifted up Luke’s chin. “It definitely looks good on you. You look like a very fine gentleman, my boy.”
“I do?”
“You know a gentleman doesn’t lie.”
Luke giggled, that brought an immeasurable amount of relief to his mentor.
The young boy looked at Layton, he looked very weird without his hat.
“What is it, Luke?”
“It’s very weird to see you without the hat” Luke ran his hands across Layton’s hair “Your hair is so fluffy!”
Layton laughed softly “I must admit I look shorter without the hat. Maybe I should try on yours...” He said pensive while he grabbed Luke’s cap and accommodated it on his head with one hand. “A little bit small, don’t you think?”
Luke smiled “Blue is definitely not your color, professor.”
“Oh? Why not”
“Because it’s mine!”
They both laughed at the silly situation but where cut off by a loud growl.
“Are you hungry, Luke?”
He nodded “Can we go home so we can have dinner?”
“Of course, wait a second” He took his tophat off Luke’s head carefully and replaced it with the classical blue cap not before giving Luke a soft kiss on the forehead. Then, he put on his own hat and lowered the boy to the ground.
“So… What do you want to have for dinner tonight?”