I Can Kiss You If You Want (Luberto Fanfiction)

The Next Right Thing

Luca didn't even need to see his face to know that it was bright red. He stared up directly into Alberto's seaweed green eyes.

Dio mio, they were so beautiful. Luca thought.

He needed a map to even begin to navigate the intricate details and millions of tiny specks of different shades of green surrounding his heavy black, dilated pupils.

Alberto gazed right back down into brown pools of honey that were Luca's eyes. His eyes wandered around Luca's features. He truly wasn't the boy that Alberto had met just one summer ago, at least not physically.  Puberty had done Luca wonders.

Alberto observed at how his jawline was not as round, rather it was sharper and more masculine. His nose, the same adorable button shape, was now more pronounced. Alberto's eyes fell upon his lips. They were so perfect, soft and inviting. There was nothing more he wanted than to encapsulate them with his own.

Luca felt Alberto's heavy breath on his face. It was warm, sending shivers and memories of the night before down his spine. He noticed Alberto staring at his lips. 

Please kiss me. He thought. But as quickly as the moment came, it went.

"Good morning little sta-" Alberto covered his mouth with his hand. He didn't mean for the nickname to slip out, maybe he should lay off of them for now, just until things weren't so akward between the two seamonsters.

Alberto calmly climbed up off of Luca, extending his hand out to help Luca off the ground.

Alberto cleared his throat. "Good morning Luca." Alberto said, as smoothly and masculine as he could. His hand slipped out of Luca's as Luca stood upright.

"Good morning Ber-, I mean Alberto." Luca replied, fixing his mistake as not to make the same one as Alberto had.

Luca not using his usual nickname for Alberto was like a punch in the gut. Alberto quickly brushed it off and continued on his way to retrieve some breakfast.

Giulia came to the rescue with some rags to clean up the egg residue that remained all over the kitchen floor.

"Luca, go clean up, I'll take care of this." Giulia said wiping some of the egg off his shirt. Luca noted the close distance she was to him, a bit too close to his liking.

"Thanks Giuls." Luca replied grateful for his friend.

Luca turned to walk out of the kitchen, making eye contact with Alberto once more. He offered a shy smile. Luca's smile made Alberto smile, but he quickly turned his face away before Luca could see it, and scolded himself. He didn't want to give Luca any mixed signals. 

Giulia came over and sat down next to Alberto at the dining room table. She put her hand on his shoulder

"Fratello, can we go out into town and get some gelato and eat by the docks? There's something I want to talk to you about and get your advice on." Giulia asked. 

"Of course, mia sorella!" Some of Alberto's favorite moments were with his sister. He was always willing to her her, he cherished their bond very much. 

Eventually, Alberto and Giulia settled into their favorite grassy spot that laid on a hill side over looking the docks. Alberto tried to save his gelato from melting by eating it quicky. It was all over his hands and face. Giulia giggled as she observed him. 

"So how have you been Giuls, I've missed you a lot! I feel like we haven't really gotten to talk much this summer because we're both always so busy." It was true, their were both busy with their own endeavors, Alberto at the pescaria and Giulia with her internship.

"Iv'e been good Alberto, school is so fun but I've missed home and you guys, plus it's nice to have a break from the homework."

" Yeah, it's really quiet without you guys during the year. I miss you both so much, especially Luca."

"EHI! What about your buona vecchia sorella?!" Giulia hit him playfully on the shoulder. Alberto laughed in return. "Ayee, I'm joking fratello. I know you and Luca are best friends."

Alberto frowned at the words "best friend". He know shouldn't have but he did. 

"Yup! The best of the best!" Alberto gave a flashy smile, hoping to cover his secret of being in love with his best friend. Alberto knew it was wrong and he was determined to fix himself and get back his old friendship with Luca. 

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." Giulia started.

"About what?" Alberto said with a look of confusion.

"Luca."

"What about him..?"

"Well, we've gotten really close this school year and I've learned so much about him, I think he's so sweet, and cute, and overall an amazing person!"

"Uh huh." Alberto  didn't like where this was going. 

"I think I have a crush on Luca!" 

Giulia was grinning ear to ear. Alberto could feel the jealousy raging inside of him. Luca was his. 

"Oh!" Alberto replied, doing his best to hide the fact that he absolutely wanted to explode right now. "What are you gonna do about it?" 

"I'm going to tell, him but I have no idea how yet, that's why I'm asking you, you know him better than anyone."

It was true, Alberto knew Luca better than anyone in the whole world. He knew things about Luca that nobody else knew. He held a sense of pride for that fact. 

But what was he doing? Was he really going to help Giulia ask out the love of his life. It felt like he had no choice, Alberto was the one who had pushed Luca away. Luca would never forgive him now, he missed his chance to be with the only person he ever loved. Besides, he would probably say yes to Giulia, they were close and she was a nice girl and no doubt would treat him right. But could Alberto live in torment for the rest of his life? The though of them together made his intestines tie themselves into knots. It was too late. This is how it was going to be. Besides, even if Luca liked him back, it would be wrong, a boy can't like another boy. 

All these thoughts spinning in his head, Alberto silently came to the conclusion that he would never be normal. He would never be able to fix himself, he couldn't not love Luca. At least he had the guts to admit he would love him for the rest of his life. Alberto's goal had now changed. Get his friendship with Luca back and support him no matter what, if Luca wanted to be with Giulia, he would make it happen. He would do the next right thing and this was it. Alberto put on his best fake smile and was ready to brain storm with Giulia on how she should confess. 

"Luca really loves lillies and gelato and swimming..what if you two get some gelato and you can pick a lily for him and then tell him how you feel?" 

"Perfetta, thank you fratello, I'm so exitced." Giulia exhuberantly talked him into the grass and they started play-fighting, one of their favorite pass times. 

Alberto knew he was doing the right thing, but he couldn't shake the very strong, anxious feeling that was boiling in the deepths of his stomach.