A Train's Too Far Away

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

That night, each of the boys had a dream about the other. This wasn't uncommon, but these dreams weren't like the others they'd had.

Luca's started off with the two riding a Vespa through the clouds, where stars turned into fish as they rode past and there was Italian music in the background. It was an amazing sight if Luca was being honest.

"Hey, Luca?" Alberto suddenly asked from where he sat behind Luca. "Let's hop on a train and run away. They wouldn't even notice we're gone." That startled Luca. Why would Alberto want to run away from Giulia and Luca's family?

"What? Why? Berto, we've got everything we need right here!" Luca patted the handle of the Vespa. The stars around them went out and the music faded. This was starting to feel not as fun, he noticed as a cold feeling settled in his chest.

"C'mon, Bubble. It'll be fun! Just you and me under the fish, every night, for the rest of our lives. Doesn't that sound wonderful?" Alberto grinned when Luca turned back to him. Where did the Vespa go? They were floating! Alberto's grin seemed unusually wide.

"Bubble? I- Alberto, are you-" Before Luca could finish his sentence, Alberto shot forward and kissed him! Luca's eyes widened and he gasped.

"Alberto!" Luca shot up and yelled. His hands flew over his mouth when he realized he was awake again. His hands were shaking when he pulled them off and he gulped, face heated. Why did that happen? None of his dreams had ever ended like that before.

When nobody came running into Luca's room to make sure he was alright, he breathed a sigh of relief. He slowly laid down and took deep breaths, closing his eyes. "Silenzio Bruno. Silenzio Bruno." He whispered.

No matter how much he wanted it deep down, he doubted Alberto felt the same way. So he should just forget about it and sleep. Yeah, sleep before tomorrow rolled around and he would finally be back with Berto...

~

Alberto's dream was different from Luca's. Once he got home from preparing his surprise, he fell into bed and immediately started to dream.

Instead of being in the sky, they were exploring the reef around Alberto's island. Even though he'd seen it many times before, it somehow seemed new with Luca there. Or maybe it was actually different, now that he thought about it. Maybe it was the way Luca's "hair" looked like one of those flowers in the windows of Portorossos's shops. What were they called? Roses, maybe? Yes, a blue rose. That's what it w-

"Berto, look! A conch shell!" The cyan sea dragon shouted. He swam over to Alberto, holding something in his hand. He held it next to Alberto's ear. "Listen, there's something inside."

Luca shook the conch shell and caught what fell out. It was a mini Vespa, complete with a little Luca and Alberto riding on it. Only instead of Luca holding on for dear life behind Alberto, Luca looked more at ease. He had his head resting on Alberto's shoulder with his eyes closed peacefully. He was leaning against Alberto's back and his arms were wrapped around Alberto's waist, who didn't seem fazed. In fact, Mini Alberto looked like he enjoyed it if his small smile was anything to go by.

"Oh." Alberto managed to squeeze out once he could form words again. "Where-"

"Down there, where we first met. Must be fate!" Luca held out the tiny Vespa to Alberto. "See? We should go riding on it tomorrow!"

"Riding on what? We don't have the Vespa anymore." Alberto glanced up from the Vespa figure to Luca's face, which looked bluer than it had before. Luca laughed.

"Silly Berto! Yes, we do! We just bought it, remember? With the prize money we got from teaming up with Ercole to win the Portorosso Cup."

"Erc- what?! No! That was Giulia!" Alberto insisted. Luca rolled his eyes and "dropped" the figure with an exasperated sigh.

"Oh, Berto," he shook his head, "let me help you remember, hmm? This is what happened when we won." Luca slowly floated forward and kissed Alberto's cheek. "Now do you remember?"

'This is wrong. Not how it's supposed to be. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Not Luca.' Alberto's brain kept repeating at him. Finally, it took mercy on him and he woke up.

Alberto woke up in a cold sweat. The dream had started off so well. What happened? He tossed and turned before finally falling asleep what seemed an eternity of "Silenzio Bruno"-ing later.

~

{This one was a bit short, I'll admit. If I had combined it with the next scene, it would've been quite a lengthy chapter! So I'd rather do two smaller sections than one long one, just to spread it out a bit more. See you Saturday!}