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"Alberto? Is there something on your mind, ragazzo? You've barely touched your food."
The boy in question raised his eyes from his plate, and looked up at Massimo. He just opened and closed his mouth, before opening it again.
"It's nothing, Signor Marcovaldo. I'm just.. Tired."
The fisherman sighed. From his experiences with Giulia, he knew it was not his place to push. The kid would speak up when he felt like it. With a gentle smile, he said: "I know how that is. Now eat up."
~.~.~
Later that night, Alberto found himself laying down in Giulia's treehouse. It had become a little hideout of his own, during the weeks that her and Luca had been off to Genova.
He glanced at the spot beside him, and thought about the other boy. He missed him like crazy, despite their frequent phonecalls and letters.
He felt at home in the Marcovaldo household. It felt strange to have a proper home again. Sometimes, in the quiet hours of the night when he couldn't fall asleep, Bruno would tell him how he didn't deserve this. That there was a reason why his dad had left. But then he would think about Luca, and that would usually make the voice in his head shut up.
Now, he looked up at the fish, or stars, as he'd been told they actually were, and his thoughts started to drift again.
The other seamonster was having fun in school, that was clear from their converstations. He was so enthusiastic about everything the humans had to say about the world around them. He had even picked up math, which Alberto, on his part, couldn't comprehend.
Despite the way his heart would ache for Luca to return, he knew that it was all worth it, just to make him happy.
When Luca would laugh on the phone about something Giulia had said, or what had happened with Giulia's mom, his heart would do the opposite of aching. It would feel warm and light, like a little star of his own had been lit up in his chest. He cherished those moments the most.
The other day, he and Massimo had watched a movie on tv while Machiavelli had curled up on the fisherman's lap.
The man had told him it was an American film. Alberto wasn't sure what that meant.
He liked the movie at first. He had even laughed about the Vespa they drove, saying it was exactly like him and Luca. But when the man fell into the river and the woman jumped after him, the two main characters kissed and his jokes stopped short.
And when the movie ended with the two tearfully parting ways, he had glanced at Massimo, who kept his eyes glued to the screen.
That had gotten him thinking, which was apperantly very dangerous. He wanted to have that with Luca. A kiss. It felt strange to think about, but he was no stranger to the concept of love.
He saw couples around town, holding hands. He watched Luca's parents when they would look at each other a certain way. And his heart would begin to hurt again.
Because despite what he wanted, what would Luca want? For all he knew, Luca didn't feel the things Alberto did. Bruno would chime in here, telling him that of course he wouldn't love him back, why would he? And then he'd have to wipe away some stubborn tears.
Another thing that Alberto had noted, was that the couples he saw on tv and on the streets of Portorosso, were all women and men.No two women, no two men.
Maybe it wasn't normal? For a boy to like another boy. He didn't know, and he was too scared to ask.
A gentle knock on the windowsill behind him, made him jump.
"Alberto? It's time to go to bed."
The boy cleared his throat and climbed inside. He walked into his bedroom, which used to be the guest room, and curled up in bed. Massimo waited until he was settled before saying goodnight.
Just as the man turned off the lights and was about to leave, Alberto gathered his courage and spoke up.
"Signor Marcovaldo?"
"Yes, Alberto?"
The young seamonster took a deep breath before quietly voicing the question that'd been bothering him for days: "Can boys like other boys?"
Alberto had closed his eyes, terrified to see Massimo's reaction, terrified of rejection, anger, disgust.
But none of it came.
He heard the fisherman pull up a chair beside the bed and sit down.
"Yes. Boys can like other boys. Just like girls can like other girls, and boys can like girls."
Alberto stared up at him, shocked. "Then why haven't i seen-?"
"Because not everyone thinks that it's okay." Massimo said, sadly. "Some people think it's wrong. And so, it's not always safe to show it in public."
The boy nodded. He understood. Just like it wasn't okay for everyone to know he and Luca weren't human.
"But you think it's okay?" He asked carefully.
Massimo laid a large hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Yes, piccolo. It's okay. Infact, i've had this converstation before. With Giulia."
Alberto's mouth fell open.
"When Giulia was 12, she told me she liked girls." Massimo continued. "And i've always supported her. I can't lie and say it didn't take me some time to get used to." He admitted. "But all i want, is for my daughter to be happy and love who she loves. Sometimes i get scared. Of the idea that there's people out there who won't accept her as she is. But do you know what the most important part is, Alberto?"
"What?"
"It's that she herself, knows who she is, and that she has people in her life who accept her, just the way she is. Same goes for you, Alberto. Just be yourself, stay safe, and find your happiness."
Hot tears gathered in Alberto's eyes and he got up, hugging the older man in graditude. "Thank you, papà." He mumbled into his shoulder, and Massimo smiled, petting the boy's hair.
"Anytime, figlio."