{Hey lovelies! I got a lot of things to say before we dive into this chapter. First off, very very sorry it took this long to get another chapter out! I really did plan on having this story finished last week. Except my google account got messed up and some of my docs were lost, including the one that had the ending of this written. Never fear, I have rewritten what I can remember! I also have a little epilouge-ish type thing for Saturday! For now, since this is such a long chapter, I'm counting this as the last real chapter. Saturday will be the epilogue, then I'll mark this as finished! Thank you so much for sticking with me through this last month and enjoy nearing the end of our boys' journey <3}

~~~

"Why are we back at your island? Didn't you move in with Signor Marcovaldo when I left?" Luca asked once they shook off the water and started the trek to Alberto's old home.

"I told you, it's a surprise! Now, up the ladder we go! Just don't look once we get to the top until I tell you to, okay?"

Alberto reached the top and helped pull Luca up, who closed his eyes once his hand was grabbed. "Now?" He asked Alberto.

"One more minute," Alberto told him. Luca heard various sounds around him for a few more seconds before Alberto told him to look.

"Woah..." The whole tower's interior had been redecorated. Pillows, new drawings, more human stuff, and even some of Giulia's old "fairy lights" were hung up everywhere. "Did you do all this just for me, Berto?" Luca asked in a breathy whisper, looking around in awe.

It took Alberto a few seconds to answer. He was distracted by the way the fairy lights (he still didn't know why they were called that) cast a golden glow on Luca's rosy cheeks and big, brown eyes. In the dim light, Luca looked just like the shy, adorable boy he'd found herding goatfish all those months ago.

"Alberto?" Alberto didn't realize it, but he was looking at Luca with a bit of a lovestruck look, if you will. Luca noticed right as it disappeared, making him question if he'd even seen it at all.

Luca's concerned voice snapped Alberto back into the present and he nodded, hoping it would cover whatever he was just asked. "Yep! Sure did." He was surprised by Luca throwing his arms around him and squeezing. Not that he minded in the slightest, of course.

"It's wonderful! Thank you so much." Luca's words were music to Alberto's ears. He smiled wider than he had in a long time and squeezed a bit tighter before letting go. "Woah...you kept all my letters?" Luca went over to the wall and let his fingers hover above the well-worn papers tacked on it. They'd obviously been read and folded multiple times, judging by the deep creases.

"Oh, those? Yeah, thought it would be nice, you know? Have something to, ah...remember you by, I guess." Alberto shifted from side to side. Would Luca think it was weird that he'd kept all his letters? "What?" He asked, looking up to see Luca staring at him oddly.

"Nothing, I just..." Luca pulled a worn-out piece of paper from his pocket with the cute half-smile Alberto adored. "I did it too." Alberto smiled as a strange tugging at his gut made him want to wince at the same time.

"Berto? Is something wrong?" Luca asked and put the paper away. Alberto's smile seemed strained. Maybe he shouldn't have shown him the letter because...no, Silenzio Bruno. Alberto deserved to know. Luca shifted closer and put his hand on Alberto's shoulder, who shrugged it off without realizing it.

"No, no! Well, I mean..." Alberto rubbed the back of his neck and glanced up at the emerging stars. Mainly to avoid Luca seeing how panicked Alberto was inside. He didn't know how to approach what he wanted to ask Luca. "Wow, look at those stars, huh?" He said to buy himself some time. Luca looked up and hummed in agreement. Something was up and he wanted to know what.

"Hey Berto, can I ask you something? If...if you want, I mean." Luca could tell that Alberto was confused with how he was acting, so he quickly brought up a new idea. "So...can we maybe sit on the bean bag?" The blue bean bag was the first purchase that the boys had made with the money they earned with Signor Marcovaldo. It seemed insignificant but it was something special to them.

"Oh. Yeah, sure." Alberto decided to wait until Luca spoke again before he asked any questions. He knew Luca's mind went faster than his mouth sometimes so his words might get messed up. He plopped down on the beanbag and once Luca sat, he scooted closer. "What's wrong?" He asked with concern.

"Nothing! At least, I don't think so...?" Luca gulped and let his gaze wander around the room, admiring everything Alberto had done. "I...this is amazing." He gestured to the room around them.

"Luca. Tell me what's wrong, please?" Alberto hesitantly put his hand on Luca's shoulder and Luca glanced back at him. He sighed when he saw the genuine concern in Alberto's eyes. "If someone hurt you at school, I'll-"

"No, not! It's not bad! I just...don't know how to say it..." Luca looked down, embarrassed. Only to see Alberto slide his hand from his shoulder and squeeze Luca's reassuringly.

"Then don't say it." Alberto shrugged and let go, which Luca was disappointed at. "You can draw it or act it out or just not say it at all if it's that hard. That's what I did when-" Alberto was going to say 'when I realized I liked you' and get it overwith, but he was surprised instead by Luca.

Alberto only heard a rushed whisper of "Silenzio Bruno" before Luca kissed his cheek. Alberto didn't shrink back like Luca was worried about, which was a relief. The only sound Luca could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. That, and the quiet breaths his nervous body struggled to take in.

Stunned, Alberto grazed his fingers over where Luca had kissed. "So the dream was true..." he started to grin, though Luca didn't understand why. "You missed, though."

"Missed? Missed what?" Luca leaned back in a little bit, Alberto mirroring him.

"The target, Bubble." Alberto's eyes widened and he rushed into an apology, sitting back. "Sorry! Is it alright if I call you that, or not? I heard your grandma use it for you at the train station and thought it might be nice, I guess..."

"I like it much better from you," Luca admitted quietly with a small smile. Alberto took that as a sign to go ahead. He leaned right up to Luca to whisper in his ear.

"Can I kiss you?" Alberto started to worry when Luca didn't respond. "Bubble?" He tried the new nickname and Luca shook his head as if exiting from a trance. "Did you hear me?"

Luca nodded and looked away. He didn't want Alberto to see how hot his cheeks were. This was obviously an amazing feeling but it was also a lot at once.

"So...is it okay?" Luca hesitated, then nodded. This feeling was too good to pass up.

"I...don't know how to, though." Luca protested weakly, though he didn't not want to kiss Berto. Alberto shrugged, shifting so he was halfway in Luca's field of vision.

"Neither do I. Guess we'll just...do it. Figure it out as we go." How was Alberto always so certain what he was doing was right? Luca wished he had that confidence.

Actually, he could have that. "Maybe I can...close my eyes?" He asked softly. Alberto shrugged again, then nodded. "Alright..." He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for Berto. A second passed, then another, then...

Oh.

So that's what a kiss felt like. Soft but insistent, with bubbles in his belly. Luca didn't really know what to do. Neither did Alberto. But all too soon, Alberto pulled away and grinned.

"That was amazing." Luca said with a little giggle. He'd never seen Alberto blush before. It was kind of cute! "So...do I get to do that again?" Alberto laughed. Luca was adorable!

"Duh! I mean, if you want to, like...go on a date." He tried to sound casual with the suggestion, though inside he was hoping desperately the answer was yes.

"Yes! I mean, yeah." Luca's answer made Alberto laugh again. "So where are we gonna go?"

"Well, I was thinking about the gelato shop. You know, the one we went to last year? Except this time, we can go by ourselves! Then maybe a swim after, wherever you wanna go. Giulia's gonna be busy all day helping her dad and I'm sure I can sneak you away from your family for a little while, right?" Alberto winked.

"That sounds fun!" Alberto felt a warm pressure on his hand and he realized it was Luca's hand grabbing his. He let Luca lace their fingers together and his stomach jumped. Warmth flooded up his whole arm and he squeezed Luca's hand. He looked back up and Luca was looking at him as if he'd found the world's most precious treasure.

"Oh my gosh! My family!" Luca suddenly exclaimed and his eyes went wide. "My mom and dad! What are they gonna say? What if they kick me out of the house? Or make you leave? Or really send me to the deep? Or, or-" A kiss from Alberto quieted his worries and his mind for a moment.

"It'll be alright, Bubble," Alberto said after they separated. "If they don't support you, well...they don't deserve you. We'll just take care of ourselves if they don't want you." Coming from Alberto, he couldn't help but hear Bruno in his head telling him how ironic it was; he was telling Luca his parents would support him and wouldn't leave when his own dad left him so long ago. He responded by looking up at the stars again to distract himself.

"Yeah, I guess you're right...you always are." Luca offered a small smile and they fell into silence for a moment. "Berto?" He asked quietly. Alberto hummed in reply. "Can you hold me?" He was embarrassed to even ask, but Alberto's touch always made him feel better. Safer.

Alberto didn't hesitate and pulled Luca close to him, onto his lap. Luca sat sideways with his head laid on Alberto's chest, right over his heart. Luca pulled his legs up and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Alberto's clothes smelled like salt and cedarwood, which was probably due to the treehouse around them. It was a strangely comforting combination.

Luca was amazed at how quickly he and Alberto were adapting to this new relationship. Or whatever this was...

His rushing thoughts started to slow and were only interrupted when Alberto's chest started to vibrate. He lifted his head just enough to glance up, where he realized Alberto was humming. It was the tune of one of the records Signor Massimo liked to play in his house last summer. Alberto wasn't even looking at Luca. Instead, his eyes were closed and his arms were tightly wrapped around Luca.

Luca closed his eyes and snuggled closer. He could live like this forever, just here with Alberto and the fish. He'd never felt more secure or sure things would turn out okay. The warmth radiating from his new boyfriend underneath him anchored him in the sureness of the present.

Luca was asleep in moments. He didn't worry about the end of summer, when he'd have to take the train, far, far away back to Genova. He only dreamt of the good things to come by Berto's side. They would never be too far apart for their connection to hold them together.

Alberto's eyes cracked open and he smiled sleepily at the sight and sensation of Luca pressed against his chest. "G'night, Bubble."

THE END
(...or is it?)