Archive of Our Own ^beta

"I didn't realize you and Alberto were together," Giulia said, casually leaning over Lucas' shoulder. He was sitting on his desk, pen in his hand, writing yet another letter to Alberto. It was the second one this week, Giulia counted. Luca always wrote at least once a week, doing so since the first summer they went away. Now, five years later Luca still kept his promise. Sure, sometimes he would send postcards when he was particularly busy and he didn’t have time to sit down and write but letters were a sacred tradition between the boys. Not that Alberto would send letters as often as Luca, but they came in a few times a month, with grease stains on the envelope and Luca’s name neatly written in cursive on top.

At the girl's comment, Luca let out a small embarrassed noise, then turned to her.

"What- we are not!"

Giulia grinned, satisfied by his reaction. She moved over and sat on his bed, swinging her legs as she looked at her friend.

"You really don't need to keep it a secret. My lips are sealed," she then looked at Luca whose face was now blushing red.

"I always thought you two were good for each other," she added, a bit confused by Luca’s baffled expression.

Luca dropped his pen, then scrambled to pick it back up. He avoided all eye contact with her, embarrassment leaking out of him.

"Giulia I really don't know what you're talking about,” he mumbled, “Alberto and I- we are- it's not like that."

Giulia perked up at that, leaning forwards until she almost fell out of her seat at the bed.

"Wait, so you are not keeping it a secret?"

Luca shook his head.

"Alberto and I are just friends" he spoke out, though there was hesitancy in his voice. Like he himself wasn’t sure that was the right answer.

"So why are you writing him love letters?" Giulia seemed genuinely curious, and quite confused if the furrow in her eyebrows were anything to go by. Luca only widened his eyes, he darted his eyes to the letter in his desk and back to the girl.

"What?"

She stood up and grabbed the piece of paper that Luca had been writing on, despite Lucas' weak protest.

"Caro Alberto," she gave him a pointed look.

"What! He's my dear friend," Luca squeaked out. Giulia shook her head and continued.

"School has been going well, but I can't help but miss the days where it was just the two of us. The good thing is next time we go stargazing I can tell you all about the constellations. (If you want!)" She stopped.

"Really Luca? This is-"

"I just want to hang out with him! And tell him what I learned!" With an amused scoff, Giulia continued reading.

"Alberto, I hope that when I come back you're not too busy for me. I miss your laughter and the crazy adventures that always seem to follow you. Somehow you seem to make all summers unforgettable. I miss you. I hope you miss me too, at least a bit otherwise it'll be a bit embarrassing to be the only one thinking about you. Also I think I might have grown a couple more inches, though I bet you are still taller than me.

Anyway, I'll see you soon. Meet you at the train station?

Piacere. Girolamo. Trombetta,
Luca."

When Giulia looked up, Luca had his hands covering his blushing face.

"I-"

"Luca."

The boy slowly uncovered his face, but his eyes were shut, face cast downwards.

"I didn't realize how it sounded." Giulia smiled, approaching him.

"Does he write to you like this too?" She asked next. It was then that Luca smiled, eyes opening. He was looking softly to the side, as if remembering Alberto’s words. He nodded.

"Always," he looked at Giulia, "did you know he worked on his handwriting when we first began writing letters? Your dad taught him. Just so he could write neatly to me.” He paused, then with a soft smile he turned to look at Giulia, “He doesn't look like much of a writer, but he is. Guess his social skills also work on paper."
Giulia chuckled. It was a bit surprising, but at the same time it didn't sound too far-fetched. She knew Alberto. And if Alberto was anything, he was the most devoted person to Luca. She would not be surprised if he ended up writing a book just because Luca asked.

"How long has this gone on?" Luca shrugged.

"The letters?" Giulia rolled her eyes.

"The love letters." Luca scratched at the back of his head.

"A year? Maybe two?"

"Idiotas," Giulia murmured, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Two years? And you aren't together?"

"I didn't realize they were love letters!" Luca added in his defense.

"That's worse. You do get how that's worse right?"

Luca only let out a groan in frustration.

“I didn't know. The letters were fine at first, just school and family. You read them too. But then Alberto wrote just for me and I wrote just for him too and it became more… personal? Then he wrote that he missed me. And it's Alberto. He never says stuff like that. And well-"

Giulia sighed. She sat on the edge of his bed, Luca followed, hands clasped. He sighed.

"What do I do?"

Giulia gave him the letter back, realizing she was still holding it in her hand. Luca grabbed it, his eyes scanning over the words.

Caro Alberto. He really should have seen this coming. Of course he was going to fall for Alberto. it was just a matter of realizing when. Alberto with his confident smile and wild hair that he refuses to cut despite every summer complaining about how hot it is. Alberto, who has grown 4 inches taller than him, reminds him as soon as he steps off the train and sets foot in Portorosso. Alberto who sends Luca magazine cut outs of Vespa models and updates him on how much he's saved up. Alberto who lives fearlessly and cares for him endlessly.

How could Luca not fall in love with that?

Giulia cleared her throat, making Luca snap his attention back to her.

"I think you should give him that letter. And maybe then tell him in person that you two have been writing love letters."

"I can't-"

"Or just read him one out loud. It shouldn't take it too long for him to realize," she added with a smirk. Giulia wanted to add that maybe Alberto already knew, that he was probably aware of the letters and his feelings. She didn’t though, instead she left the room with one last hug to Luca.

A week later Luca had his clothes all neatly folded in his suitcase. Giulia was scrambling to fit all her books into the suitcase (which looked like it was going to explode any minute but that was neither here nor there).

Luca was about to open his mouth when Giulia sent a glare his way.

"Don't you dare tell me I should have started packing earlier." Luca only shrugged, trying to hide his smile.

Giulia shook her head.

"What about you?"

"All packed-"

"Have a plan to tell Alberto how much you loveeeee him?" She sent a teasing smirk his way. Luca tried but ultimately failed to keep himself from blushing.

"I'll wait for you downstairs,” was the only thing Luca said as he disappeared into the hallway, Giulia’s laughter behind him.

"Be there in five!"

Riding on the train was mostly uneventful. The first time back Luca couldn’t stop bouncing on his feet, eager to get home. By now though, he had a strategy. He would read a book. Then take a nap. He would wake and get a snack with Giulia. Then Luca would read whatever book was going to come next for fall semester. By the time he finished the first chapter, he could see Alberto's Island. In the last 10 minutes of the train ride, Luca would then reread Alberto’s last letter, just to make sure he didn’t miss anything. To remind himself where they left off.

"You ready?" Giulia asked, grabbing her bags. Luca grinned.

"Always."

As soon as the train stopped, Giulia jumped out, looked around, and in a heartbeat spotted her father. Rushing to his arms, they collided in a hug. Luca smiled at the sight.

"Luca!"

And there he was. Sun kissed skin, wild curls, bright green eyes. Alberto was running towards him, and like a magnetic pull, Luca met him halfway, dropping his bags on the floor without a care in the world.

He never really thought about how well they fit together. How his hands fit perfectly around his waist, head on the crook of his neck. Alberto smelled like a beach and something else, probably oil from working at the dock fixing boats. He smelled like summer.

"I missed you," he heard Alberto mutter against him. Luca let out a chuckle, because this happened every time he came back. He would try not to cry but every time Alberto would say those 3 words, Luca would realize just how much he ached to be by his side again. A tear always escaped him, though by now Luca knew how to wipe it away fast enough that the other boy wouldn't notice.

"I missed you too."

They pulled away, Alberto’s smile shining bright.

"Now where's that-"

"Alberto!" It was time for Giulia and Alberto to exchange hugs. Giulia was much shorter, and Alberto always picked her up, spun her once and then set her back down. It was much shorter than their own hugs, though by the look in their faces both of them had missed each other more than they let on.

"I'm not sure whether you grow or it's just your hair," Giulia teased.

"Ha ha. Say that next time you want me to reach for your books on the top shelf." Giulia stuck out her tongue, and Luca chuckled at their exchange. The two had grown close in the past years, and Luca wasn’t sure if it was because they shared a parent or if they both had changed in a way that made them click together.

They followed Massimo back to the house, Giulia talking about anything and everything, and being questioned by Alberto everytime she said something that seemed too crazy. By now, they all knew the routine. Lucas' parents would wait at the house, and it would be a big family dinner filled with laughter and anecdotes and their favorite pasta. (No one mentioned how Luca always stayed with Alberto that night, and at this point, no one really dared to ask them to change their routine.)

The dinner went well. As it always did. He hugged his parents for too long yet not long enough. He assured his mom that he was staying safe, (and promptly left out all the times he and Giulia almost got in trouble for trying to sneak into the observatory following Alberto’s suggestion to use the telescope late at night after the school closed.)

Alberto never left his side. Or maybe it was the other way around. With Alberto by his side, Luca realized that missing him was similar to his phantom tail. The way you felt it there, but couldnt touch it, or see it. Just like the phantom tail, Luca got used to its absence. But now having him by his side, Luca was unsure how he ever went so long without him.

He felt someone squeeze his hand.

"You okay?" He looked at Alberto, who had a worried expression on his face.

"Yeah sorry, just thinking." Alberto chuckled.

"That's what school does to you. You keep thinking and then you can't get that huge brain of yours to stop." Luca laughed, returning back to the conversation that his family was having. It was something about how Alberto got a job, and how he almost has enough for a vespa. (Not that this was news to Luca, Alberto always told him anything related to their vespa. Because even though Luca knew a vespa didn’t mean freedom, it was a shared dream.)

As the night came to a rest, Lucas’ family said goodbye and invited them over for breakfast the next day. Giulia then led them to her room, where she opened her bag and began to unpack, leaving all the books scattered on the floor. Alberto took a seat on the floor, stretching his legs. If Luca noticed how Alberto’s muscles flexed as the boy stretched, he did a good job at pretending to be interested in Giulia’s empty walls right after.

"What about you Luca? Any cool space books you brought along?" Luca smiled, taking a seat next to him, trying to ignore the beating drums in his ribcage.

"Just a few."

Giulia stifled back a chuckle, making Alberto laugh.

"Well now I know you are lying." Giulia smiled as she dodged a stranded t-shirt that Luca threw at her.

"Your Luca here has at least five more books since last time." Alberto let out a whistle, and if he ignored the way Giulia said 'your', Luca didn't point it out.

"Any I would like?" At that both Giulia and Luca widened their eyes. Not that Alberto didn't read, but he was often very picky. If it wasn't about Vespas or some sort of vehicle engineering thing, Alberto lost interest pretty quickly.

Alberto sensed their shock, to which he only rolled his eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just didn't know you were into astronomy now," Giulia answered, going back to unpacking, a stack of folded shirts and hats beginning to form beside her.

"I'm not," Alberto turned to Luca, "but he is. Figured I should at least try to know what he is going to be talking to me about."

Luca felt his face heat up. He tried to come up with something to say, anything. But his mind was empty and even if it wasn't, his throat had dried up. His eyes turned toward Giulia, hoping she'd be able to read his expression and help him. Otherwise Luca was sure he was going to pass out, then maybe die. Luca Paguro. Cause of death: Alberto Scorfano's sweet words and breathtaking eyes.

Luckily, Giulia understood. And even though Luca knew she would tease him about it later, she had his back.

"Alright Beto, I'm pretty wiped out and I think my dad still wants you to have a morning shift so-"

"I'm being kicked out!" Alberto exclaimed, pretending to be offended. He stood up and made his way towards Giulia's hide out. By now Alberto had worked on it throughout the years to make it more of a tree house. No roof still, so they could go stargazing. But now it had a more solid base, stairs so one wouldn't have to necessarily enter through Giulias window, and a few walls and more lights.

"Luca, you coming?"

Luca nodded, waiting until Alberto was out of sight to talk to Giulia.

"I don't know if I can do this," Giulia only took a deep breath.

"You can. And you will. Alberto has always been there for you, you just have to go for it."

Like diving off a cliff, Luca thought. Alberto was always good at that, just taking a leap, consequences be damned. Luca would have to try to follow.

Giulia pushed him towards the window and then gave him a thumbs up. The window closed behind him and slowly, he began to climb up. He ignored the pit in his stomach, and the way his hands were growing sweatier by the minute.

By the time he reached up, Alberto was laying on his back, hands tucked under his head. He had a soft smile on his face, eyes looking at the stars. The string lights were carefully placed so as to not block the view, and they made Alberto glow in a way Luca swore it was unfair.

Luca cleared his throat, and Alberto sent him a quick smile before patting the spot next to him.

"Thought you weren't coming."

"Just had to talk to Giulia about something." Alberto hummed in response.

"They remind me of you." Luca turned his head to look at Alberto. Even now, it still felt like the first time they came to this town. Wonderstruck.

"What?"

"The stars. I thought they were fish and you show up with your book saying it's actually tons of balls of fire. You’ve always been so curious."

Luca chuckled.

“You know, most stars live in solitude,” he glanced at Alberto and continued, “like if you actually went to space you’d only find one star and then you’d have to travel a long while before bumping into another.”

“So that settles it then. I couldn’t be a star,” Alberto stated like it was the most obvious conclusion.

“Why not? Don’t like being alone?”

“Don’t like being without you,” he responded in a heartbeat.

Luca stopped then, breath taken away. How was it so easy for Alberto to do this? To blow him away like a house of cards. There was a pause in the conversation, and Luca scrambled to think on how to follow up on his comment. There were binary stars, where two stars orbit a common center of gravity. Like him and Alberto. Before he could say it, Alberto spoke.

"So what's up with you? You've been quiet since you stepped off the train. Not one fun fact mentioned at all up until now. Usually during dinner there’s at least five."
Luca wasn't even aware that was a habit of his. Of course Alberto would take notice though. Because apparently Alberto was sweet, and attentive and he noticed things about Luca that not even he knew.

"Nothing."

"Giulia know?" Alberto asked, ignoring Luca's lie. Luca let out a sigh. Laying down made it a bit easier. He didn't have to face Alberto. He did however fely his skin buzzing, his right side where it was touching the other boy's felt like it was touching the sun. Burning, so aware of just how much space there was between them. Where his body ended and Albertos started.

"Do you know what love letters are?"

Luca could feel Albertos gaze fall on him. Still, he kept his eyes glued to the stars.

"Yes, I do."

There was a beat of silence, and then Luca spilled his thoughts. Or tried to at the very least.

"Do you- I think we- Our letters-"

"I've been writing you love letters for the past two years Luca," Alberto sat up then, making Luca follow in motion. Alberto looked away from him then, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. He looked… shy, rose-colored cheeks and wide eyes. Probably one of the few times Luca had ever seen him not overflowing with confidence. He took a deep breath, "and maybe I'm crazy, but I think you've been writing them to me too?"

They stared at each other, Alberto's green eyes searching for a sign. Luca nodded, opening his mouth to tell him that yes, he had been but only just realized because loving him came as naturally as breathing. It was then that he realized that they had been inching closer to each other. Noses almost brushing against each other.

"yeah, I think I have."

That was the only answer Alberto needed to plant his lips on Luca's. It was a short kiss, sweet with a hint of mint chocolate gelato from dinner and soft despite Luca knowing Alberto never put chapstick and also electric like a shot of espresso. When they pulled apart the smile that appeared in Alberto’s face made something in Luca's heart bloom. Luca realized then, he would write a thousand more letters for that smile.

“Binary stars.”

“What?”

Luca grabbed Alberto’s hand, interlocking their fingers together.

“That’s what we would be. Two stars that are gravitationally bound.”

Alberto laughed then, pulling Luca towards him until they were both laying on their back, legs tangled over one another, hands not letting go of each other. The summer breeze enveloping them both.

“Yeah, that's what we would be.”