Can I Hold You Now? ~Luberto~

~8~

🚨Breif mention of su*c*de🚨

Paguro jumped onto Alberto's bed, then began scratching and pawing at his feet. He mowed and crawled up to Alberto's face, then rubbed his chin all over Alberto's face.

"Urg," Alberto groaned, "why, Paguro. Why?" He shoved the cat off his bed and put his pillow over his head.

Paguro cocked his head and mowed again.

Then it hit him.

"Paguro! Today's the day! I'm seeing Luca again!" He jumped up and shouted.

Paguro blinked and left Alberto's room, leaving him in a state of the worst possible gay panic.

"Figlio?" Massimo asked as he walked in, "are you alright?"

"Yeah, dad, I'm fine," Alberto said while rummaging through a pile of clothes, "do you think I should wear this- or-"

"Figlio, calm down," he put his hand on Alberto's shoulder, "I'm sure Luca won't care,"

Alberto looked at the shirt in his hands. Maybe his father was right, wearing an ancient yellow tank-top in the middle of a snowstorm was a bad idea. He sighed and set the shirt down, "Thanks, Dad,"

Massimo smiled and nodded his head slowly, then left the room. Paguro walked back in and settled himself on top of one of Alberto's shirts.

Alberto looked at Paguro, who blinked slowly. Alberto looked at the shirt under his cat, it was a simple grey-blue polo. He put it on and looked at himself in the mirror hanging on his wall. He liked it, not too casual, but not too fancy either. He put on a pair of cuffed jeans, along with his fishing hat, and went downstairs.

Massimo was waiting for him when he got downstairs, "Nice outfit," he commented while pouring two cups of espresso, "do you know when the train is arriving?"

"Nope!" Alberto said, a bit of sadness quieting his voice, "but I'll wait all day if I have to!"

"Okay, just stay warm for me, Figlio, and steer clear of strangers,"

"It's alright, dad. I'm fine! I once dodged three harpoons, I think I can survive a train station," Alberto's eyes widened once he realized what he said, "bye!" He blurted, then slammed the door shut behind him.

"When would you ever need to dodge three harpoons-" Massimo started, but Alberto was long gone.

Alberto rushed up the street, glancing behind him. Why did he have to bring up the harpoons? What son would make their father worry about that?

It was pretty cool though... he thought as he arrived at the train station.

The only other person at the station was a tall man in a fancy suitcoat with a matching hat and briefcase. He was tapping his foot impatiently while staring at a stopwatch, "where is it?" He scolded.

Alberto didn't mind the man and sat down on one of the waiting benches. He pulled out a random drawing pad that he kept with him and began sketching, trying to pass the time.

The man acknowledged Alberto's presence but didn't pay much mind to him. He tried to see what the boy was sketching, but it was no use. He was too far away.

"Sir?" Alberto asked, edging away from the man, "Can I help you?"

"Sorry," the man said. Apparently, he had moved closer to the boy than he was aware of, and was looking over his shoulder, "my bad,"

The boy shot him a confused look and continued drawing. It seemed to be a drawing of a girl his age in a skirt.

Ahh, that must be who he's waiting for. A girlfriend in Genova,

"Who's the lucky girl?" He asked, his boredom and amusement getting the best of him.

"Uhh-" the boy hesitated, his cheeks turning red. He tugged on his collar nervously, "no one, really. Just a friend," he closed the sketch pad and put it back in his pocket.

"Nothing to be ashamed of, ragazzi, I'm sure she's very smart," he sat down on the bench beside the boy.

"Yeah, she is," the boy's eyes darted around.

They sat in silence for a few moments, watching the snow fall and the wind intensify.

Shouldn't the train be here by now? The man thought nervously, opening his pocket watch again.

"I'm sorry," the boy suddenly said, "I feel like I know you. Do I know you?" He looked up at the man.

His heart skipped a beat. His eyes, the eyes. They were just like hers- He stood up and walked to the bench on the other side of the station.

"Does your name happen to be-" The boy paused, "is your name Bruno?"

Bruno paused, looking across the station at the boy. After all the years of drinking, trying to forget, he had finally dealt with the guilt of the child nearby him. But it was all back now, and it nearly brought him to tears to think of the boy's mother.

"Sorry, sir," the boy sat back down again, "you just reminded me of someone else,"

"Alberto," Bruno stood up and walked across the station. Alberto's eyes widened with fear, and he pressed against the wall behind him. "I never forgot you, or your mother. I've always loved you, Alberto. Can you forgive me?"

Alberto furrowed his brows, "Forgive you?" He stood up, "I almost died! Multiple times!" He showed the back of his left arm, "I nearly passed out when a harpoon cut through my arm! Was anyone there to help me? No!" He began to tremble, "I was alone for three years, Bruno. I was about to kill myself because nobody cared about me. The only reason I'm still alive is-" his voice faded off and he calmed down.

Bruno blinked. He never thought about that before. He must've been too drunk to think of poor Alberto alone. He put an arm on Alberto's shoulder, "It's time I tell you about your mother,"

Alberto sniffed and looked up at him, "Leave me alone," he said, taking out his sketch pad again and turning to a page with a printed picture on it.

The picture was of a pale boy with brown curly hair, he was standing in front of a beautiful sunset, wearing a blue school uniform with a skirt. On it were the words, "Wish you were here!" Written neatly with a black pen.

"I don't care about her, I just want you to leave me alone," he pulled the picture close and glared up at Bruno.

"Hello, sirs," a female police officer walked up to them, "I need you both to go home. A severe snowstorm is coming, and this place won't be safe for much longer,"

"What about Lu- the train?" Alberto said to her, "wasn't it supposed to be here a while ago?"

The cop looked at him, "It was, but it was caught by the storm,"

Alberto's whole body went numb. That was it. Luca was trapped miles away, in the center of a storm, far away from Alberto's reach.