Chapter Text
If Luca has a photograph of a dolphin in midair, Alberto will somehow catch two in a synchronized jump.
For every photo Luca has of a whale winking, Alberto will somehow have a dozen more and in better lighting.
Despite the other researcher’s pompous hair, lack of lab etiquette and total disregard for certain basic scientific knowledge (like the fact stars are not fish), he always nabs the best shot.
Alberto always, always wins, whatever creature they compete to study and photograph. Luca does everything right and doesn’t understand what he can do better. All he knows is Alberto works alone from his tower lab and nobody knows how he does it.
And right now, the smug bastard is smirking.
“You did pretty good. These are fairly well done for someone like you.”
“What do you mean?”
Luca knows he’s walking into a trap, but he likes dragging his conversations with Alberto as long as he can. The esteemed researcher is always busy, adding new findings to his collection and exploring deep ocean floors. Besides their bets and banter, he has no time for Luca.
“You’re the type to always have their nose in a book,” The tanned man laughs.
Even though Alberto is always making fun of him, Luca really does admire his work and wants to learn from him. If only he could get to his level of advanced tracking. Alberto’s said no to him countless times before, but this time he has something to sweeten the deal.
“I’ve been reading some of the recent studies that Giulia and Massimo have published on mysterious sea creature tracks? It correlates with my theory there’s something else in the water that we’ve never seen before. Why don’t we team up and see what we can discover?”
“I work alone,” Alberto says.
Luca shows Alberto an iridescent scale he found.
“Check it out! Have you ever seen anything shine like this beauty?”
Alberto stares. That’s his scale. He got snagged in a net last week, and an old scale must have fallen off. He reaches for it, but Luca pulls away.
“Let’s work together to track this magnificent creature down.”
“No.”
“Come on, think about how gorgeous this beast could be! I think she’ll be rather big.”
“Why?” Alberto narrows his eyes. He resists the urge to correct the she.
“I found a net with a giant hole torn into it. I think the creature got caught and freed herself.”
Luca’s hands are fluttering all around in excitement.
“Her length must be taller than me!” Luca moves his hand up to demonstrate.
“I don’t chase fairytales,” Alberto waves Luca away. “I don’t know what costume shop you got that at, but I don’t buy this mermaid story.”
Luca gapes. Alberto must be the most unscientific researcher he’s ever met. He literally has evidence right in front of him but Alberto will just turn away just to be a jerk?
Alberto gives him an unimpressed look.
“Besides, if you’re really onto something, why share the spotlight with me?”
Ahhh now Luca really wants to smack Alberto on the head (and ridiculously poofy hair.) What kind of mindset is that? Luca loves researching because researchers build on each other’s findings! But the other man is all ego, only thinking about making a name for himself.
Alberto always refuses to work with anyone else and keeps his methodology a secret! The only reason he gets away with it is that he makes incredible discoveries with photographic evidence.
But before Luca can call him out or argue any more, the other researcher is already walking away.
—
Alberto hides his smile. The cute human researcher is so determined to get a better shot than Alberto. Luca spends hours and hours in the sea trying to get the perfect photo, not realizing Alberto can literally just talk to sea creatures and ask them for a pose.
But maybe he’s getting too close. If they are researching in similar areas, it’s inevitable that Luca will catch a trace of Alberto’s sea monster form.
He knows he should call off the bet soon. But there’s something about the way Luca’s eyes widen in wonder at Alberto’s photo that always makes his day. Not to mention how adorable it is that he tries so hard to beat him.
Alberto may have said once if he takes a better photo than him in any of their bets, he would agree to work with him. Mostly because he was tired of Luca asking him every other week, trying to bribe him with baked goods or swimming lessons. (Alberto never joined work social swims.) For obvious sea monster transformation reasons, they can never work together in the water.
Alberto’s kind has kept themselves secret for so long because of guardians like him. His family is one of the last twelve remaining sea monster bloodlines that can sing and compel humans to forget, like the hypnotic sirens humans tell stories about. Except unlike sirens, they do not compel humans in any ways other than forgetting.
Well they can, but they usually don’t. The reason? Do it too much, and humans will start to notice. That is against sea monster law and the guardian code.
His family on his mother’s side are guardians that protect underwater cities by compelling humans who wander too close to forget. They take their responsibility very seriously. Nobody except Alberto and his dad really goes on land.
But Alberto isn’t living in Portorusso just because he loves land (which he does). He knows not all aquatic folks can afford the clean water neighbourhoods filtered by underwater city technology. Those who live in suburban waters have to breathe in an increasing amount of pollution, which is harmful to their health. That’s why Alberto is leading research to support human conservation efforts.
He wants to fix the rest of the ocean where poorer sea monsters and other creatures live.
Every year, Portorusso Marine Conservatory hosts Mystery of the Sea Photo Auctions where people bid on beautiful research photos that go towards conserving aquatic life. Alberto may have compelled some important people into making that a reality.
He’s bending the rules a bit, but nobody got hurt. No one has discovered them, and no one will.
—
Luca is not usually a stalker. But he is following Alberto right now. Come on, it’s just not fair that the guy is so good at what he does and nobody knows how he does it.
So, Luca took it upon himself to buy a few touristy things from the Portorusso Conservatory gift shop and now he's disguised as a tourist. He has fish-shaped sunglasses, an aquamarine visor, and a starfish patterned Hawaiian shirt he wears over his still slightly wet scuba gear. (He did rush back from a dive to show Alberto his photos.)
This time of year, downtown Portorusso is full of tourists. He can weave in and out of crowds looking like one of them. So far he’s followed Alberto through the town square, past a few side streets, and around a corner market. Now the man just ducked into a cafe. Luca is waiting outside when he sees Ercole, Ciccio, and Guido walk past. Ciccio points out Alberto to Ercole and now the three of them are hiding behind a fountain and peeking at him.
What the heck? Are those three spying on Alberto? Ercole is known for his callous methods and borderline animal cruelty. He’s gotten a red card before, but because his uncle is a board member at the conservatory, he is still employed there. Normally Luca stays clear of him, but he can’t just stand there and do nothing when this fiend is stalking Alberto! They are always up to no good.
Luca marches over and taps them on the shoulder. Ercole glares at him. Luca gulps. Silenzio Bruno! (Alberto taught him once at a work retreat to say Silenzio Bruno before cliff diving or overthinking his lunch choices.)
“What are you doing?” Luca demands. “Are you following Alberto?”
Ercole laughs at Luca.
“What the hell are you wearing?” The lanky man sneers. “You look ridiculous number one, and number two none of your damn business.”
Ciccio whispers into Ercole’s ear. The taller man frowns, and then a wicked grin spreads on his face.
“Huh, good idea,” Ercole mutters. He snaps his fingers.
“Ciccio, Guido, hold him.”
Luca struggles but Ercole’s lackey grabs his arms so tightly he can’t break free. Ercole takes Luca’s sunglasses, visor, and hawaiian shirt off. Now he’s just in scuba gear and shorts in the middle of town.
Ercole tosses Luca’s tourist gear at Guido.
“Put this on and go see what Alberto is doing. Something is fishy about that guy and we need to find out everything we can about him.”
Guido hesitates, but after Ercole tells Ciccio to slap him, he puts it on. Luca is about to shout, but Ciccio puts a hand over his mouth and Ercole pulls him down into their hiding spot.
Luca watches helplessly as Guido goes into the cafe wearing his disguise.
Alberto has noticed an odd looking tourist following him ever since the market square. He is no stranger to other scientists following him and trying to figure out his tracking techniques. He has warded off countless others testing their luck every week. Alberto is pleasantly surprised that Luca never tried such underhanded methods to get to him before. Despite the researcher’s insistence they work together and their frequent bets, Luca never tried to do him dirty.
Now he’s hiding out in a cafe, waiting for the obvious looking tourist to leave. He’s still waiting for his order, an expresso and a small scoop of mint gelato. He’ll take his time. If he has to, he can slide out the back. But he hears the chime of the welcome bell, and he glances back to see the tourist entering.
The fish-shaped sunglasses are so over the top. There’s only a handful of people sitting at the tables. Alberto is the only one waiting for his order, and the tourist is second in line.
“Do I know you from somewhere?” Alberto says, casually. The tourist jolts. Underneath the visor he has brown hair that’s cropped short and big, sunburned ears. Is that one of Ercole’s henchmen? What was it, Jiro or Guino or something? No, it was something else.
“Oh I do not know you, I am new in town,” Guido says in a fake english accent. At least Alberto thinks his name is Guido.
“Following me around isn’t very nice,” Alberto says, voice hushed. He leans closer and flicks him in the sunglasses. Guido flinches.
“ You best go elsewhere, if you want my advice,” Alberto murmurs the last part as a melody. Guido’s eyes glazes over, and he turns on his heel out the cafe. Huh, that was easy. He thought he’d need to weave in more song, but it turns out Guido doesn’t really want to follow him anyway.
Alberto narrows his eyes. If his will is this weak, that means it’s not his idea. In other words, Guido is not alone. Likely Ercole and that other guy, Keecho or something is waiting around.
Looks like he’ll need to take the long way back. Damn it. He just found the nicest little sea cave he’s itching to get back to. But Alberto has to get rid of these pesky scavengers before he slips into the water.
—
Guido leaves the cafe fairly quickly. Ciccio and Luca stare at him, eyes wide. Did he get intel already? Or did he blow his cover? But he keeps walking past their hiding spot. He ignores Ercole’s nasty whispers, and only stops when the man chases after him and tugs him down. Meanwhile, Alberto is leaving the cafe and turning a corner.
Ercole tilts his head to indicate to Ciccio to follow him and he does, dragging Luca with him.
“Why do you even listen to him?” Luca asks. “He’s such a jerk to you two.”
Ciccio puts a finger to his lips, watching Alberto from behind a lamp post. Luca seriously doubts that they’re hiding very well, given they are both much wider than this post. But Alberto walks into a narrow alleyway, completely not seeing them. Either that, or he’s planning his escape.
“You don’t need me anymore, right? No more tourist gear!” Luca says, pulling his arm out of Ciccio’s grasp. Ciccio shrugs and lets him go. When Luca turns, Ercole is seething. He nearly knocks Luca over and marches past him.
“Come on, let’s go! Stupid Guido says he has someplace to be. Thought he wanted to work off his daddy’s loans to my family,” the despicable man rolls his eyes.
“He went over there,” Ciccio points at the alleyway. The two of them walk in after him. Luca turns to watch. If the two thugs are going to corner Alberto, Luca is going to be a witness and call the cops. He picks up a newspaper on the ground and pretends to be reading. He’s about to inch closer when he sees Ercole and Ciccio walk back out, a dazed look on their faces. Whatever Alberto said to them must have been nasty enough to get them to leave.
Luca is about to walk over, but he freezes when Alberto leaves the alleyway too. The researcher walks past Luca who hides behind a newspaper, whistling to himself and heads towards one of the paths that leads to a hidden coast to the west. Luca has been there before, but it was always hard to navigate the sea caves there.
Maybe Alberto has a secret there?