Chapter Text
"Caro Alberto,
Hello, Alberto! How are things with Giula's dad?'
There's a few marks of pen ink dabbled up on the corner of the page before he continues.
'I miss you very much. I've been attending school and staying with Giula and her mom. I'm learning a lot! I've gotten really good at writing and spelling, and I'm learning even more about astrology. I got to use the school's telescope and I made lots of new friends; they all thought me being a sea monster was really so cool, I'm so relieved. I wish you were here to see it all. Even though I'm having so much fun, I can't wait to be back in Portorosso with you and my family this summer. I'm eager to get back into the ocean and feel scales on my skin again; it just isn't the same going swimming out here, the water's different and it's difficult being the only sea monster around, even though I have Giula.. We can also go out at night and stargaze, and I can map out the sky for you- I learned it all in school.
Arrivederci, mia stella!
Luca'
Alberto ran his thumb over the edge of the page with affection, smile growing on his face as he read his friend's words. He had just so much to tell him, even if his vocabulary wasn't too wide, he'd definitely try his best to write back. He felt a familiar bittersweet pang hearing how much fun Luca was having somewhere far away without him, but it was soothed with the thought that he said he was having a lot of fun, and that Giula was, too. He'll show him just how much fun he can have in his own letter, Alberto thought, and considered maybe he should stop listening to the Bruno in his head telling him writing was so hard already, and just for extra measure reread the letter a few times to bring up his confidence. 'Mia stella', huh? How about 'mio tesoro'? His head was already racing with thoughts of what to say to Luca, and with his mind firmly made up, he walked over to the desk in his bedroom and procured a piece of paper and a pencil, etching away.
'Caro Luca,
I miss you too, mio tesoro.' (That'll show him, he thought.) 'I'm happy to hear you're having fun staying with Giula and her mom at school; you better be having fun, and learning loads, tell me all about it in your reply.'
He thought for a moment before scribbling down his next line.
'All this you not being here better be worth it.'
Alberto stuck the end of his pencil in his mouth and gnawed for a pensive moment. Where to begin?
'I'm having fun, too, back here in Portorosso with Giula's dad- don't tell Giula this, or I'll kill you, but he's kind of like a dad to me, too! I've also been learning a lot, he's been teaching me how to fish, and I've been teaching him where to fish, and I've been making new friends in the town. We're making so much money selling seafood- with my extra help and neither of your big mouths to feed, business is going great. That said, I'll buy you something soon to remember me by and send it in my next letter, okay? Remember to tell Giula I said hi! I'll get her something too, so make sure to tell her it's from me, OK? Just because I'm rich now doesn't mean you can have all the glory for yourself, mio amico! Speaking of glory, I can't wait to go out swimming with you again, too. We can jump off a cliff into the water and make a big splash! Make sure to write back soon, it's not the same here without you.
Buona fortuna, mia gioia
Alberto'
He grinned wildly down at his handiwork, scribbling a huge smiley face beside his name before folding up the letter, imagining what a wonderful expression it would put on his friend's face.
"Signor Marcovaldo, have you got an envelope? I've got an important message to send!"
He just couldn't wait to see what his friend would say next, he felt a little giddy and light on his feet.
"Yes, Alberto, is this your reply to Luca's letter? Come downstairs and I'll find you one."
Alberto ran down the stairs, paper in hand, to meet Signor Marcovaldo in the kitchen ready with envelope in hand and an old-fashioned wax stamp to seal it.
"Thank you, Signor, thank you! Actually, wait one moment..."
He stopped for a moment to think: a rare occasion.
"Ah, forget it. But, hey, read my letter, would you? I just, uh, want to know if the spelling is right." Another rare moment of humility. Writing to Luca brought out things in him he wouldn't expect, he would later ponder.
"Of course."
The boy thrust out the letter for the man to have, Massimo delicately plucking the letter from Alberto's hands with his comparatively massicio ones and unfolding it with precise motions. He hummed, skimming over it.
"I'll correct it and make sure to put it in the postbox for you tomorrow, OK? Go back to bed, now."
Alberto raised a brow at that, placing his hands on his hips. "Does that mean my spelling is bad, Signor Marcovaldo?"
"I'm afraid so, Alberto, but I'll correct it all for you if you give me some quiet. Upstairs, now."
The way Massimo said 'upstairs, now' just then was a little too threatening for Alberto's liking, even if it wasn't meant to be, so he quickly complied with the demand, (for once, he thought it wise to listen to Bruno), and made his way back up the stairs, head alive with thoughts of Luca. All these "I miss you"s and "I wish you were here"s, talk of stargazing in the black of night with one another and riding the current together deep underwater; his friend really had a vivid imagination, didn't he? Opening his bedroom door and moving to launch himself onto his bed, he felt butterflies in his stomach just thinking about how he was called 'caro" and 'stella'. It made him feel special, he mused. It wasn't unusual for friends to address one another that way; even near-strangers, but with Luca it just felt... different.
Alberto lulled himself to sleep with thoughts of his friend's shimmering blue scales and bright white toothy smile, and that night he dreamt of nothing and wanted for nothing but to spend some time with Luca again.
He couldn't wait for summertime to roll around.