Ciao - Luberto

Chapter 16

*Alberto's pov*

They were restless. It had been three days since the first attack, and almost nothing had changed. Massimo assured them they were working on plan, but progress was slow.

"We are sending all the sea folk to the deep" Massimo had explained the day before "Some were refusing to do so, so we brought them on land, but they've been caught quickly as Pellegrini men have been going round door to door, searching for them. So we had no choice but to send them there." Massimo paused "Unfortunately, boys, they.. they have started guarding the water, even at the smuggling bays we were using. And we've checked, over and over and..there's no way you can get to the water. You're going to have to stay hiding."

Alberto felt like all the air had been knocked out of his lungs. Here? In this tiny house, for God knows how long? Luca grabbed his arm "..For how long?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"I wish I could tell you, boys, but no one knows yet. It could take months to ward them all away. We're figuring out if there's anywhere better we can keep you, but for now it has to be here."

"Aren't they gonna find us? Everyone knows we live here." Luca said.

"Everyone has kept their mouths shut, but we have been spreading fake rumours that you are all in Genova, travelling Italy. We told them you left a week ago." Massimo replied.

Now, the next day, the two were looking for things to do. They spent the last few days cuddling and working on their makeshift hiding place, in case anyone came to the door looking for them. A few years back, Alberto had been wandering the cellar and had found an old underground room, but the door way was strangely short, only about a foot tall. Massimo later exclaimed the cellar used to be used to dry clothes, and the furnace once stood where the hole is now. He said he had no idea there was space at the back behind the furnace space. but assumed it was once some sort of store room. Anyway, in this space, they added blankets. matches, candles, emergency food supplies, and some books. The hole/doorway was to be covered up by a worn out couch, unless they needed to suddenly hide.

They also had rules about being seen. No one was to go on the hideout, and only use the rooms at the back of the house. These said rooms were limited to the small living room, Alberto's bedroom and the bathroom. And they could not raise their voices, at all.

The three were sitting on Alberto's bedroom floor, discussing possible places they could go to hide.

"If only we could get the train. We'd been out of here, in Rome or something." Alberto sighed.

"I bet there's a way we could get smuggled there." Giulia said "After all, the train station ain't far from here, and they haven't banned travelling."

"But where would we go? There's so many places." Luca replied, his head on Alberto's lap.

"Who says we have to stay in one place? We could travel, just like papà had made up. We could go to Venice, Amsterdam, Munich. Anywhere." Giulia said "Once we were out of Portorosso, it wouldn't be hard at all."

"We should talk to papà about doing that. Of course, it would take work getting us ok the train, but it would be so worth it." Alberto said

"Where'd you go, if you could go anywhere?" Giulia asked.

Luca spoke immediately "London, definitely. See all their museums and observatories. And the palaces and parks."

"We'd have to go by boat through." Giulia pointed out "We do not have the money for the flights." (Flying in the 60s was expensive, with airplanes being new-ish n stuff yk)

"True" Luca said, fiddling with his fingers. "Where would you go?"

"As many places as I could. Though the main ones are Athens, the south of France and Berlin."

"I'd like to go on the road, camping wherever. On a vespa, just like we dreamed, Luca." he said, kissing his boyfriend's nose, to which Luca smiled.

"And where would I fit into all that?" Giulia remarked. "A vespa is made for two people maximum."

"Then get your own one." Alberto teased "Or sit uncomfortably on the back of the Vespa, clinging on for dear life."

Before Giulia could reply, they heard a somewhat aggressive knock on the door. They all froze in fear, before quietly running to the cellar before Massimo opened the door.

They heard men taking firmly at Massimo. Alberto picked up the words 'residence' and 'Scorfano'. They struggled to push the couch out the way, but eventually did, before all crawling through and pulling back it back in front of the hole. They all sat together, all slightly trembling. They heard Massimo's voice, gruff but steady, before loud footsteps and the sounds of furniture moving around. Alberto turned to face Luca, looking down at him with what he hoped wasn't fear in his eyes. They hugged tighter as they heard footsteps in Giulia's room to Alberto's. They heard Massimo explain something about them being in Genova. The men shouted, stamping their feet, threatening him. Massimo seemed to stand his ground, as they heard the men say something, obviously frustrated before exiting, slamming the door behind them.

The three breathed out a sigh of relief, though none of them dared to move in case the men came back. After a couple of minutes, Alberto stood and pushed through the tiny doorway.

"Berto!" Luca whispered in a shaky voice.

Alberto shot him a reassuring look before crawling quietly out of the hole. He coughed and he inhaled dust, standing up. He gingerly walked up the stairs.

"...P-papà?" he said, his voice wavering.

"Come, bambine. I'm okay." Massimo called down.
Alberto felt dizzy with relief as Luca and Giulia scrambled out the hole. The ran up the stairs into the hall, where they couldn't be seen. Giulia ran into her fathers arms, cupping his face.

"What did they say? What did they do? Are you alright?" she asked hurriedly.

"I'm fine, Giulietta. They messed up your rooms a bit, but it's nothing we cannot put right. But.. they did threaten to come back. I think, boys, we need to get you some place more secure."

Alberto heard Luca breath in shakily. "Where? We can barely go in the garden, let alone leave."

"I think our best, and quite frankly only option, is to get you on a train. Solo il Signore knows how; but we will. As soon as possible." There was a short silence, none of them knowing how to react.

"..I'm going to our room. See what mess there is." Luca announced.

Alberto followed him, scanning his room. There were a lot of opened drawers and clothes and paper strewn about, but luckily no broken furniture. He sat down on the bed next to Luca, who was barely holding it together.

"..What're we gonna do, Berto?" he said, beginning to cry.

Alberto hadn't seen Luca cry since his last departure to Genova, and it felt like a punch in the stomach. He pulled Luca down next to him in the bed, hugging him.

"I don't know, tesoro. But I do know it'll be together. I'm not going anywhere if it's not with you. I cant lose you, Luca. You're.. everything to me." he said, starting to cry too. He tied to brush the tears away, but Luca did so for him.

"I cant lose you either, Alberto. There's got to be a way out of here, out of this. But we go together." Luca said reassuringly, gulping back sobs.

Alberto laughed shakily "I love you, so, so much." he said, kissing Luca's cheek.

"I love you too, so so much." Luca said, cupping Alberto's face.

And they were the only words Alberto needed to hear.

SORRY I TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE! but i am back! I'm almost at 2k reads?? thank you!! lemme know if you want more fluff in the next chapter. Love you guys <3 - May