Luberto Oneshots

~ s u m m e r l o v e ~

~may~

•"you were my summer love, you always will be my summer love"•

"it's finally time!" alberto yelled out in excitement. it was finally time for luca and giulia to be back from genova. massimo couldn't help but laugh at alberto's excited energy. it was nearly time for the two to meet luca's family at the train station. massimo couldn't help but notice alberto put on his nicest outfit in anticipation. "is it time yet?" alberto had been asking repeatedly for the last half an hour and each time massimo said, "not quite yet, poco pinna."

finally, after what felt like forever on alberto's end, it was time for them to go. it took everything alberto had not to bound down the street with all of the joy bubbling up inside him. they arrived with nearly ten minutes to spare, greeting luca's parents with warm hugs as if they hadn't seen them just last week. alberto gripped the gift he brought for luca tightly before slipping it into his pocket. he saved some of the money that he has made life guarding that summer to buy a gift for luca, especially since he wasn't able to see him on his birthday.

again, waiting for them go arrive felt like it took hours and alberto nearly couldn't contain his excitement when the train finally pulled up in front of them. they all rushed to the slowly-opening train door. first giulia, then luca stepped out of the train and alberto immediately felt tears in his eyes. 'why are you crying? stop crying,' alberto scolded himself in his head. "mom, dad, grandma! i missed you so much," luca exclaimed, throwing himself into their arms. giulia did basically the same with massimo, but alberto kept his eyes and focus trained on luca. after a few long seconds, luca and his family broke their hugs and luca turned around. "alberto!" he exclaimed as he launched himself into alberto's arms. he had tears streaming down his face and alberto had to resist the urge to wipe them away as he pulled him into a hug. "i missed you so much," alberto said, surprising himself. he wasn't usually one for sentiments, but he suppose luca brought out a different side to him. "i missed you too, berto. so much," luca whispered softly in alberto's ear. he was grateful that they were in a hug, because he didn't want luca to see how hard he was blushing.

~june~

•"so please don't make this any harder,
we can't take this any farther, and i know there's nothing that i wanna change"•

it wasn't until weeks after they had arrived home that alberto realized that he had forgotten to give luca the gift he bought for him. with each passing day, alberto felt himself getting more and more nervous to give it to him. he tried to ignore the way he felt lighter when luca was around, the way his stomach hurt when he thought about his feelings towards his friend, the way he was sure his face lit up when he was speaking to luca. he had briefly heard about all of these qualities from his father before he took off. it took alberto nearly all year to come to terms with how he felt about his best friend, before making the decision that he was going to tell him how he felt. he decided that one day, a few weeks before luca was due to arrive back home, but as it got closer and closer to the day, alberto felt himself getting more and more nervous. for as long as he could remember, alberto never wanted to back down from a challenge, but this time, he felt himself hesitating. what if luca thought alberto was weird? what if he didn't like the gift he bought him? what if he didn't feel the same way?

what if he wanted to stop being friends with alberto?

alberto didn't think he could handle it if that happened. it often felt like luca was all he had when he was really down. he knew that he could count on him. he knew that every other day, there would be a new letter for him in the mailbox, signed with a drawing by his best friend. his letter exchange with luca made him giddy most days and he kept all of the letters that he had received in a shoe box under his bed. of course, alberto knew that other people cared about him, but no one could care as much as luca. luca was the kindest person alberto had ever met. he wanted to tell him how he felt, he wanted to express his feelings, but he knew that he couldn't bear to lose him.