Ciao - Luberto

Chapter 22

*Alberto's pov*

It had been a week since they had arrived in the hut, and Luca was still ill, and showed pretty much no signs of improvement. Giulia took his temperature everyday, and it always stayed the same, about 41 degrees (celsius). Throughout the days, Giulia and Alberto would perform small tasks and chores, like chopping firewood and cooking, but mostly they got to do what they wanted. One day, after Giulia persuaded Alberto that Luca would manage on his own for an hour, the two siblings decided to go and explore the forrest further. It was truly beautiful, filled with tall trees, some trunks spindly, some thick. Something Alberto had never experienced was the blissful sounds of birds singing, and nothing more. But he loved it. As much as the sound of crashing waves and laughing children were his home, it was one of the most peaceful places he had ever visited. Or- was it living? Were they going to be here long enough to call it living here? He pushed the thought aside. The best part about the forrest though, was a big freshwater pond-river type thing, with a willow tree delicately hanging over it. Alberto dipped in here most days, Luca was yet to join him, but he couldn't stay in for more than an hour as sea folk like himself were used to saltwater.

The two were climbing some over logs, landing in the ground with a gentle thud. "How was Luca this morning?" Giulia asked. It was fairly early in the morning, she hadn't had the chance to go and check on him before they left.

"He's.. okay. Having a lot of weird fever dreams though. Last night, you probably heard, he screamed something about sea kelp and then said 'Piacere, giorolomo trombetta' with the hand actions and all." Alberto chuckled.

"Santa Mozzarella, he is such a sleep screamer. Im surprised you hadn't experienced that before now. He was always screaming about Vega and Altar, Sagittarius, yada yada yada. Back when we were in Genova, of course. Oh, and you- like he giggled your name? Or are would just say it in his sleep, I don't know, but I suppose it was pretty cute."

"Huh. I didn't know that." Alberto said smiling to himself.

"At least he doesn't snore" Giulia replied pointedly, smirking.

"I do so not snore! You don't even sleep in the same room as me! How would you know?"Alberto exclaimed, facing his sister.

"That night were we had the sleepover in my room." she giggled "I swear to God, all I heard was-" she imitated Alberto snoring.

"Shut up." He chucked, shoving her slightly.

"Is that a challenge?" Giulia asked giddily, just like she would back when she was 13. Before Alberto could answer, she shoved him back, knocking him into a tree.

"Oh it's on." he replied, standing up.

~15 mins later~

Not long after, the two Marcovaldo siblings were lying on the forrest floor, gasping for air as they wheeze-laughed, still pushing each other slightly.

Once Giulia had her breath back, she sighed happily "We should get back. Don't want your lover boy to be feeling lonely~" she teased.

"Hey, at least I'm not single." Alberto retorted as they started to walk back.

They arrived back quickly, to which Giulia immediately turned on her tiny radio and resigned to their makeshift hammock outside. Alberto pattered up the precarious staircase, to which he surprisingly found his boyfriend sitting up right reading.

Luca looked up and smiled as he entered the room, his glasses on and his hair all messed up and fluffy "Morning, Berto."

"Good morning amore mio. How are you feeling?"

"Surprisingly, a lot better, I had some strange dreams though." Luca replied, shaking his head.

"You don't have to tell me." Alberto chuckled.

Luca blushed profusely "W-what? Did I say something in my sleep? Did you hear... everything?" he stuttered.

"Uhm- no? You did the twisty trombetta thing, what else do you me- OH." Alberto stoped, blushing, realising what Luca had meant. Everything.

"Mhm." Luca replied, hiding his face with his hands.

"I mean.. do you.. want to?" Alberto asked, hoping for an agreement.

"I.. don't know. Not right now. But.. you never know." Luca giggled, still hiding his face.

"Well, for now Mr Paguro, focus your energy on getting better. Let me take your temperature." Alberto replied, ignoring the heat in his own cheeks. Giulia had taught him how to take temperatures a few days ago, leaving him feeling like a doctor by the end of it.

He took the thin glass stick out of Luca's mouth and inspected it. "39 degrees." he said "Not great, but definitely better." he smiled.

"Hey.. I know you're still not feeling great, but this might help. Do you maybe wanna go out to the pond..?" Alberto asked. He had been dying for some time alone with Luca in their natural form.

"I mean, I may as well give it a go." Luca said, shifting out of bed.

The two set off for the pond, reaching it in under 5 minutes. It wasn't too far from their house, which made it even better.

They both pulled off their tops, diving in, finding each other quickly. Alberto blushed slightly and his beautiful- topless- boyfriend floated there before him. The pulled each other into a long hug, wrapping their tail around the other's. They both purred softly in enjoyment, which Alberto partially forgot they could do- in retrospect it must seem very weird to humans, but he was with Luca, underwater, where no one could judge them. Alberto pulled out, admiring his beautiful boy before kissing him gently. They just floated there, kissing and hugging and loving one another for a good half and hour. Luca pulled away, looking at his webbed hands.

"Me hands look all shrivelled up like Giulia's do after she goes swimming." 

Alberto chortled "That's freshwater for you. Does weird stuff to you. We should get you out anyway, you're still ill." Alberto replied picking Luca up and bringing them to the surface.

OH MY GOSH I KNOW I KEEP SAYING THIS BUT IM SORRY I WENT- AGAIN! MY LIFE HAS JUST BEEN SO BUSY AND HECTIC BUT IM TRYING TO WRITE MORE NOW- ANYWAY HERES A CUTE LIL CHAPTER. THANK YOU SM 6K READS, I LOVE YOU GUYS. - May <33