Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Bleb bkeb first chapter draft

The car pulled in the old, rocky driveway. Luca stepped outside only to be blinded by the piercing light of the hot sun. He decided to head inside, but was hesitant from a gross, putrid smell coming from inside the house. He ignored his gut feeling, and decided against being a wimp. He reluctantly made his way inside, only to be greeted with a rickety old house. Screws and splinters coming from the walls, boarded up windows and broken stairs; what a wreck.

He was ecstatic to hear a name call him back outside in the warmth of the sun. “Luca!” Daniela called, while hoarding dozens of boxes under her arms. “Coming Mom!” Luca toppled over the steps, landing face first into the concrete. He sat up immediately, with his nose scrunched up and a face full of mud. “Oh dear.” Daniela quickly set down the boxes and immediately ran over to help Luca up. He walked it off and began unboxing things. Luca, eventually, made it up to his room. It was bare; white walls with paint scratching off it, claw marks and tattered curtains (why is that?) and a worn out, broken old bed. He sighed, sat down, and picked up a box. He studied the box until he found a white label. “Books.” Yes! He excitedly ran his fingers over the words and instantaneously opened it. Suddenly, a knock was presented on the door.

Frowning, he opened the door. “Someone’s here to see you.” Daniela said, with a reluctant, weary expression. Luca quizzically walked down the old stairs and opened the front door. Laid afoot a tall, scrawny tan boy. They had a Mediterranean complexion with emerald green eyes that mesmerized Luca. He had a yellow tank top on with..a bag for shorts? Oh, that's just weird pants with a belt. (They need a wardrobe change, seriously!) “Hello!” The tall human said, with a chirpy tone. “Hello…what’s your name?” Luca replied, almost hesitantly. “Alberto Scorfano.” He said, holding his hand out. Luca took it. “Piacere, girolamo trombetta!” He said, twisting and sliding his hand in all different directions. “I,” Alberto said, gesturing with his hands. “Will be showing you around!” He (yet again) offered his hand. This time, Luca was more than happy to take it.

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“So, you're new in town?” Alberto asked, looking away at the ocean breeze. “Yeah, we just got here. Portorosso, right?”
“Yep, that’s it.” They walked silently for a couple of minutes, just enjoying the summer breeze of Italy and basking in the sun. Alberto took Luca’s hand and then decided to run off, Luca behind him. By the time they made it, Luca had been panting and wheezing. “Dude, what the fish?!” Luca panted, unaware of where they were. “We’re here,” Alberto said, at last, fixing his gaze on Luca and silently grinning.

Finally, Luca looked up. Dry and trodden sand sank into his muddy and bruised toes. Rocks surrounded them, and the ocean was delicate. The ocean breeze drifted Luca far, far away. Soaring across the ocean, flying with seagulls, and swimming with sharks. It carried him to Alberto, who was alongside him. It c-“Luca.” Alberto announced, interrupting Luca’s daydream. “Yes-“ before he could finish his sentence, Alberto folded their hands together and threw him into the water, and Luca, unfortunately, turned into his scaly self. A bluish, greenish skin color with scales for hair, yellow sclera instead of the regular white sclera, and his button-up t-shirt was now soaking wet. Luca gasped and immediately started drying off, embarrassed like mad.

Alberto calmly placed a hand on his shoulder, cupped some water, and threw it at both of them. Luca was confused but understood in a second. Alberto immediately started getting scales too! He had deep blue and purple scales, however. “What a relief.” Luca thought to himself but was cut off short by Alberto tripping over his own feet and knocking headfirst into Luca, creating ripples in the waves, as well as creating a domino effect and whacking them both over onto the now wet sand. Alberto giggled and then stood up instantly. He offered a hand up, and Luca took his hand. Both of them didn’t say anything, only glancing at each other while smiling before quickly turning away on the way back. Before Luca entered the house, he gave a parting hug and said, “You’re like me.” while grinning proudly. Albert returned the gesture and waved him goodbye. Luca, for the first time in a while, was looking forward to tomorrow.

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The sound of sizzling broccoli and carrots was enough to make Luca puke. No matter what, he hated vegetables. Unfortunately, his senses were confirmed by his mother; cooking casserole on an old gritty stove. The smoke was led out by an open window, along with other substances that Daniela threw out the window.

Luca sighed and pulled out a foldable chair, then placed it. He sat incorrectly, which his mother sternly corrected him on. Minutes passed, and without anything to do Luca headed upstairs. He pulled out his marine biology book, and immediately started reading. Luca didn’t even realize the time until his mother called him down for dinner. Luca placed the book on the rickety bed and toppled down the broken stairs, one step at a time.

By the time he’d gotten there, his mother lectured him on the importance of eating dinner quickly, and made him promise that he would arrive on time. Luca unenthusiastically started picking at his carrots and broccoli, and made his tongue stick out everytime Daniela looked away. His mother (like usual) was scrolling through her computer, her eyes with darker bags under them every time he looked away. “Eat your food.” Daniela aforementioned, looking disappointingly at Luca. “No thanks. I don’t eat broccoli.” Luca pushed his plate away profusely while mimicking his tongue out similar to before, although his eyes were shut now. “You are going to eat broccoli tonight.”
“Am not.”
Daniela stood up, and Luca scrambled to stand up as well. Nothing. Luca, being an idiot, decided to throw away his food and rush to go upstairs. Daniela rolled her eyes and sighed.

That night, Luca dreamed of fish and anchovies. He missed the sea, the breeze of the wind when you gracefully rise from the water and jump in the air, changing into a human but then instantaneously turning back. He missed his friend, as well. He didn’t have many friends back in the sea, so he just daydreamed. He didn’t really need friends. But now, it felt like he did. He lied in bed, longing for something, anything to happen. Then, a scratch on the window. As to any kid, this would have been terrifying. To Luca? All in a day’s work. He reluctantly opened the curtains to find a grinning Alberto on the outskirts of the window. Confused, he slowly opened the window. Alberto’s curly hair was now more down and messier, and a little tuft of hair could be seen.

“Hey.” Alberto announced quite loudly.
“How? What? Did you-“ Luca got cut off by a finger pressed to his mouth. “Shh.” Alberto led him outside, and climbed to the top of the house. Luca noticed a ladder at the side. Luca reached for Alberto’s hand, and looked up. Then, a galaxy was present. Beautiful celestial bodies. Royal purple, a beautiful pink and a deep blue. Stars were scattered across the deep blue sky, and it looked like something you would see in a photograph. Alberto said nothing. Luca took his hand and pointed towards a constellation. “Casseopia.” He whispered into the boy’s ear.
“Why are we whispering?”
“So we don’t wake anyone up?”
Alberto gave a long quizzical look, but eventually turned it into a smile. They both didn’t say much; only pointing to stars and telling stories of them. “They said Poisedon tied Cassiopeia to a chair and left her there for thousands of years.” Luca said, smiling proudly to himself. “Woah.” Both boys were content but happy, but as the night grew, they both started getting tired. Alberto surprisingly hugged Luca, bid adieu, and left for his house. Luca, nervously, crawled back into his window and shut it. Not locking it, just in case Alberto came back. He snuggled into the dust that was the covers, and dreamt contently.

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When Luca woke up the sunlight was so piercing he felt like he went blind. Dust was sprinkled all across the windowsill where Alberto had originally woken him up from his peaceful slumber.

Luca decided to finally wake up around 10:00, put on his gray hoodie with blue jeans, and headed downstairs. He had forgotten that the stairs had splinters, so he yelped with pain whenever a splinter had pierced his foot through his own socks.

He quickly pulled out the splinter with his bare hands and headed downstairs to get cereal. Only this time without milk, as their fridge didn’t work. “Buongiorno.” Daniela said, monotonlingly. “Ciao, mother.” Luca replied, only much cheerier and chirpier. He pulled the bowl out of one of their cabinets, got the cereal, and- “We’re out of milk.” Daniela cut the montage short with the same dreaded voice. “Si, madre.” He’d quickly eat, as he had a plan to meet his best friend this afternoon. He washed his dish and hastily put it in the old dishwasher. (Seriously, how could that thing even function properly.) Luca ran upstairs, grabbed his yellow coat and yellow rain boots. He swung open the door and…oh. It was pouring. Lightning reflected off of the sea as rain was dancing in the near distance. “Going somewhere?” Daniela called from the table. “Alberto. I’m meeting him.”
“Not in that rain you aren’t.”

Luca ignored his mother’s objections and hastily put on his rain boots, and ran out the door. Then, he came to a realization. “Where would Alberto live?” He thought to himself quite wearily. Instantaneously, a blurry figure appeared from the distance. His poofy hair was now demolished to a damp head of scales, and his yellow tank top was soaking wet along with his pants. Luca smiled to himself. “Don’t run! You’ll tri-“ Luca obviously noticed that Alberto had absolutely ate it on the concrete. He quickly speed walked to his friend. “Alberto!” He called, focusing on his injured friend. “I’m good!” He gave a thumbs-up from a distance. See, Luca didn’t have a plan when he caught up with Alberto, so naturally they ran into each other. They both toppled over each other, and laughed as they helped each other up.

“Wait, why don’t you have a raincoat?”
“Who needs a raincoat?”
Luca playfully smacked his friend’s head, because his idiotic nature was killing him. “Come on, I have something to show you, Luca.”

Luca and Alberto quickly made their way to the sea with the help of the threatening thunderstorm coming their way. “So,” Luca said, catching his breath. “What are we here for?” “Look what I found.” Alberto picked up something in the sand. At first, it was hard to register. Then he realized what it was. It was a doll. A doll of him. His curly hair was sewn into the doll, and buttons were for eyes. His yellow rain jacket was sewn in as well, only it was stitched and not actual rubber. His yellow rain boots were now little stubs on the ends of his feet, and overall it was a weird sight to see. “But…how?” Luca gasped. “I..found something even weirder. Come with me.” Alberto replied with a fierce look in his eyes. He took Luca’s hand and swam to..wherever they were going. Then, Luca shuddered. There was a half submerged sunken ship. The flag was ripped to shreds, and it looked like it had been ripped out of a nasty storm. Boards, nails, glass shards were floating all around the ship as well. Luca backed off. For some reason, it was giving him bad energy. “We-we should go back, Alberto. It isn’t safe here.” Luca stammered, his heart beating like crazy. Alberto offered his hand. “Do you trust me?”

So, the sunken ship was pretty creepy. “That’s alright.” Alberto thought. “All I need to do is show Luca the trapdoor and get the hell out of here. Simple.” However, it was not simple. Ever since they had swam into the abandoned shipwreck, Luca would not move. “I can carry you to the secret.” No response. Alberto took that as a yes.

“What’s making you so scared?” A flash of sympathy came over him. He’d been scared of being alone, but he wasn’t. He had Luca here and that’s all that mattered. “It’s just-just creepy.” Luca shuddered, trying to whisper. “Hey, I’m here. You’re safe.” Luca sighed, and hugged him. Alberto felt like a wimp. “Hey, I know what you're going through. You have a Bruno in your head.” Luca looked at him funny. “A Bruno?” “A little voice in your head. I get one sometimes. Alberto, don’t fall off the tree. Alberto, don’t run with a watering can because you ate it on the concrete last time. All you have to say is, ‘Silenzio Bruno.” “And why is his name Bruno?” Luca replied quite dumbly. “It doesn’t matter call him whatever you’d like. Say, ‘Silenzio Bruno.” Luca crossed his eyes and repeated, “Silenzio Bruno.” “Perfecto! Now! Let’s get moving, pal!” He patted his friend’s shoulder.

Alberto quickly set down Luca quietly, as he was afraid that something was here. “Watch out for the glass.” Alberto pointed to little shards of glass sticking out of the floorboards. He had to admit, it was painful not having shoes. But shoes made him feel like he was going to throw up, or like nails scratching on a whiteboard. It sets his teeth on edge. While Luca was happily stepping over the floorboards, Alberto was carefully calculating his steps. (Luca taught him all about it on the roof last night.)

“Here it is.”
A flash of purple light was coming through a small hidden trapdoor, stained with mysterious substances. “Don’t fall in.” Alberto carefully opened the trapdoor, and inhaled and exhaled deeply. “Where does it lead?” Luca asked. “Don’t know.” Luca looked at him, and then gestured at the trapdoor. “I’m not going down, how about you?” Alberto pointed at Luca.
“Me? No, no way.”
“Alrighty.” Alberto sat up, and then started walking away.
“Wait! Don’t-“ Luca tripped over his own feet, and plummeted down the trapdoor.
“Luca?”
Alberto turned around.
“LUCA!” He called. Nothing.

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Luca, meanwhile, was stuck in a small tunnel. However, this was no ordinary tunnel. Blue and purple were splattered across the walls, and the tunnel felt like it was bouncy. Luca couldn’t see the trapdoor anywhere. He was stuck in a small, weird tunnel. “Alberto!” He called out. He was on the verge of tears. “ALBERTO!” Luca cried. Nothing but his own sniffles.

Luca noticed a small blue door up ahead. Crawling, he made his way to the door. He forcibly pushed it open, for it to reveal a white hallway. Luca hastily got out, and immediately recognized the hallway. It was his hallway. To his room. He quickly turned around to find that the door behind him had immediately disappeared. Luca shuddered. He headed downstairs to find a racket in the kitchen. It was his mother, only her skin looked like it was made of blue porcelain skin , thick porcelain skin that glistened every time she moved. Her brown eyes were now black buttons that looked too realistic to be on her face. Her pale skin was now back to her scaly cyan-green color in the ocean.

Luca stumbled on the stairs, immediately tripping and falling onto the floorboards. He scrambled to get up and tried to run out the door, only it was locked. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?” This voice was not his mother’s. Daniela’s voice was sleep deprived, tiring. This one however was energetic and bubbly, way different from the usual voice he heard. “Mom..?” He cried, sounding way more confused than he meant to. Then, a knock was at the door. “Ah, good! He’s here.” Luca hastily unlocked the door. Someone, anyone was here to help him wake up from this nightmarish dream he called reality. Then, Luca let out a shriek. Standing in front of him was Alberto. However, this wasn’t Alberto. His scaly skin looked like porcelain as well, and his scale-like hair was now dripping. He had emerald buttons for eyes, which infuriated Luca the most. His eyes couldn’t be compared to some buttons. It was an insult to injury. This…Alberto looked excited, even ecstatic to see him. Other Alberto quickly bear hugged him. “Hey!” The other Alberto seemed to say, with a goofy smile on his face.
“What’s going on?”
“Sit down and let me explain.” The other Daniela called from the table, pointing to two empty chairs next to her.

Luca looked at the other Alberto. At first, he didn’t say anything. He just ogled at him, waiting for anything to happen. The other Alberto took his hand, and swam him towards the table and pulled out a chair. He pushed it in once Luca reluctantly sat down. “You,” the other Daniela said, stirring her spoon in a chamomile tea she had pulled out of what seemed like nowhere. “Are in a parallel universe that seems close to your own.” At first, Luca didn’t believe it. Who would? But, as he thought about it, it made sense. “But…how? How do I leave?” He said the question like he had to get out of there. Confused, bewildered, and hungry. Hungry to leave, that is. “Mmm, yes. To leave. But first, why not play with your friend? Surely you are kind enough to play with your mate.” Luca said nothing, only silently staring at his ‘friend.’ He sighed, then forced a smile. “Of course. Only for a little bit, though.” He took his friend’s hand and led him out the door to the entrance. He put his hands in his gray pockets.

“So..” Luca said, trying to get a conversation out of him. “What is it? Need anything?” When Luca blinked, he saw his purple scaly friend two inches away from his face, which made him step back a bit. “Well,” he coughed. “What would you like to do?” Luca said.
“We could hang out with nonna Sandy and nonna Bessy upstairs.” other Alberto said, while smiling to himself.
“Oh-sure.”
“Well come on then!”
Luca grabbed the other Alberto’s hand and ran with him. Today was going to be a long day.

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Ciao everyone! Unfortunately, life is getting busy right now and I don’t have the time to keep a consistent, daily chapter update. Sorry for such the short notice but unfortunately due to personal events I can’t upload right now. I hope you understand, and thank you for reading this far! Of course I will be posting, just not as regular. Thank you for your time.

Ciao, Nyx.