Can I Hold You Now? ~Luberto~

~13~

Ok before we begin, I know technically it's Luca's day today but I had a cute idea. So- yeah.

~

"P-please don't hurt me!" Luca tried to back away from Alberto, but only shoved himself closer to the stone wall behind him.

Alberto smiled as he put his face in front of the young sea monster's, "Boo," he said mockingly, then pulled off the top part of the suit he had found, "It's fine. I'm not human."

"Phew," the small boy laughed nervously, still curled up in a little ball at the back of the cave.

Alberto wasn't sure why, but he liked this boy since the first time he saw him. He had a feeling that they would get along very nicely. [:)]

•

"Okay, all you need to do is sit in the back and hold onto the front, or the whole thing falls apart," Alberto motioned to their newly-made Vespa and tugged the handlebar.

"Okay," Luca made a motion as if he were going to hop on the Vespa, but stopped.

"You coming?" Alberto asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope. Never in a MILLION years." Luca crossed his arms and took a step back, planting his feet.

Alberto had no idea why, but he found it so adorable when Luca did that. He later realized anything Luca did was cute to Alberto.

Alberto thought for a moment, then diagnosed Luca's issue, "I know your problem," he rearranged himself in their Vespa, "You've got a Bruno in your head."

"A Bruno?" Luca asked, leaning in closer to Alberto.

"Yeah, I get one too sometimes," Alberto thought of the first time he rode their Vespa, or when he jumped off of the tower for the first time. He merely used the phrase as a way to mock his father's stupid rules, "Alberto, you can't. Alberto, you're gonna die. Alberto, don't put that in your mouth!" He waved his hand and laughed, "Luca. It's simple. Don't listen to stupid Bruno."

"Why is his name Bruno?" Luca asked.

The question caught him off guard, but he recovered quickly, "I don't ca- It doesn't matter! Call him whatever you want! Just shut him up; say, Silenzio Bruno."

"Si- Silenzio Bruno?" Luca tried, attempting to stare Bruno in the face.

"No!" Alberto pressed, the memory of his father angering him, "Louder! Silenzio Bruno!"

"Silenzio Bruno!" Luca shouted, beginning to get the feel of it.

"Silenzio Bruno!"

"Silenzio Bruno!"

"Can you still hear him?"

"Nope! Just you!"

"Good! Now hang on!" Alberto grabbed Luca and yanked him onto the Vespa, then looked at a photo he had and clicked his mouth, "Andiamo!" He shouted, pushing them down the hill.

Luca grabbed onto Alberto's waist, giving Alberto butterflies, and repeatedly said "Silenzio Bruno" to himself as they flew down the hill.

•

"I'm not telling you again, get out of my town!" Ercole Visconti shouted, then pressed down on one of the pedals on his bike, sending him flying down Mount Portorosso. He flew right beside Alberto, causing the umbrella he was holding to fly far away from his grasp. Alberto could hear Luca's gasp as he rolled onto the wet cobblestone.

Ercole laughed at himself, then turned around with a swivel of his wheels and faced Alberto.

Luca began to push away from the shelter he was under. Although it gave Alberto butterflies to think of Luca coming to save him, he couldn't risk Luca's life for his own.

"No. Stop! You're still okay," Alberto reassured him, using his hands to keep Luca back. Luca obviously didn't want to listen but backed up slightly. Alberto smiled at him and turned to face Ercole, shouting random bits of nonsense as he charged for the angry teenager.

Unexpectedly, Ercole threw a net at Alberto, throwing him to the ground once again. Alberto thought this may be the end but lucky for him, he had Luca Paguro waiting patiently in the wings.

Maybe it was then, maybe it was a few months prior, maybe it was the first time he ever laid eyes on the blue-green scales that were now the purpose of his existence, but Alberto knew he was in love as he stretched his hand to meet Luca's.

•

"A-Alberto?"

He felt a hand nudge his shoulder.

"No fishing! I'm having a dream Paguro!" Alberto picked up his pillow and shoved it into his face, then remembered his cat can't speak.

"Alberto? Did you just call me by my-" he hesitated, confused, "other name?"

"Uhh-" Alberto sat up, all the memories of the previous night coming back to him, "No, it's- my cat's name. He usually wakes me up in the mornings." Alberto yawned and stretched his arms, getting mild deja vu from the morning they were nearly outed as sea monsters.

"Did you name your cat after me?" Luca blushed, one of his curls of hair blocking his vision.

"Yeah," Alberto said coolly, "You have a pretty cool last name."

"Well maybe if I ever get a pet, I'll name it after you, Scorfano," Luca smirked, very much like Alberto himself would, and proceeded to watch as Alberto found himself blushing for no reason.

It could have been how tired Alberto was, or the crazy dreams he had just experienced, but Alberto had the bravery to utter, "What if we got married? Then one of our cats would have a non-existent name. What would we do then?"

Luca froze, blushing uncontrollably, his face pale in the yellow sunrise.

Alberto bit his lip nervously, "Sorry- I-" he had no idea how to finish that sentence; was he sorry? Did he think that was okay to say?"

"It's- fine." Luca managed to say, then collapsed onto the bed and pulled the covers up to his ears, "I'm going back to sleep."

"Okay." Alberto looked around the room and laid down again as well.

Suddenly, the door banged open, "WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD!" Giulia stomped in, startling both the boys.

"Huh?" Luca picked his head up. Alberto's eyes widened as he realized what was about to go down.

Giulia clapped her hands to her mouth and squealed, "ALBERTO! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!?!" she bounced across the room and sat down at the foot of the bed, staring into Alberto's eyes smugly and contently.

"Because then I know neither of us would be able to sleep peacefully because you would just be smothering us all night," Alberto grimaced at her, while Luca proceeded to pull the covers up to his nose.

"Am I in trouble?" He asked quietly, "Please don't tell my parents!"

"No, you're fine. Signora Paguro placed a bet with me, and I just won!" Giulia bounced up, "Now I'm collecting my soldi!" She skipped out of the room.

"Did my grandma seriously do that?" Luca asked, yawning again.

"I don't know," Alberto responded, snuggling up to Luca, "Maybe she ships us." He closed his eyes and wrapped a hand around Luca's torso.

Luca blushed and cuddled up to Alberto, "Maybe she does. Honestly, I think we're already shipped."