Te Adoro - Book 2 ✔️

• 4 •

By the time he was out of the water, he was drunk.

After his mom took out the wine, there was no going back. He wasn't known to get even the slightest bit tipsy but here he was, downing glass after glass, needing a much-needed moment to forget his troubles. After all, his Nonna told him drinks kept the sadness at bay.

At least, that's what he thought.

His eyes burned from crying, wine loosened him up so much he told his family everything. From his feelings about Genova to his and Giulia's situation to his sexuality. Well, more or less.

He still didn't understand it. He managed to tell his parents that he loved Alberto, yet didn't know how he loved him or what it meant, and tried with Giulia without slurring his words or crying. The exchanged looks made him nervous and confused, but he let it go.

Now he was here on the shore, his legs covered with his scales as he let his bottom half be swallowed up by the water. He was there for hours, thankfully the sun was setting by now, the light was hurting his eyes.

Luca sighed and looked at the water and then at his half-empty bottle his Nonna let him take it to the surface, and set it in the sand. Sure, he enjoyed the scenery around him, but for some reason, it was unsettling now.

He didn't know what it was, but something told him to look behind him. The breeze played with his hair, and the very silk he refused to touch.

Wait, something wasn't right here.

He stood up and stumbled to the rustling fabric and went on his knees, touching it for the first time since it was placed. It felt wrong to do it, but he continued to listen to the voice in his head and ever so carefully picked it up.

It was a beautiful white, blinding too in fact, making him squint as it reflected brightly against the remaining sunlight.

It took a few minutes of looking at the fabric to finally realize something. He nearly dropped the silk, blinking rapidly before turning it to look at the underside.

The very subtle red was there, just as always, showing evidence of Alberto's injury when he was placed. But there was something that unsettled Luca, yet gave him hope.

When a sea monster dies, they turn to sea foam. As the foam does dissolve over time if on land there is an iridescent appearance to where they died, a shifty pastel rainbow if you look at it from a certain angle.
The fabric had none of that.

Alberto was alive.

But, how? And where was he?

He stood again and grabbed his bottle, rushing to get to the Marcovaldo household, opening to see Massimo and his daughter having dinner. They took one look at him and knew he'd been drinking.

Giulia stood to lead him to a chair, but he instead went to the table himself and set the bottle down, simply announcing, "He's alive"

She blinked at him, and shook her head, sitting down on his usual spot, "Ma. You're drunk Luca. You're talking nonsense."

"I know what I saw!" He exclaimed, catching her by surprise. Giulia searched his face for something, anything. Luca saw her eyes soften, his lips pursed into a thin line. She doesn't believe me, she doesn't believe me-

"Let's get you to bed," Giulia cleared her throat and looked at him with a hardened expression. Luca shook his head roughly, needing to hold the edge of the table due to the dizziness it caused.

"You have to let me explain! Please..." He looked into her eyes, giving her the saddest eyes he could.

Too bad she was as stubborn as a mule.