Where Geno finally starts hearing Alter's family story (and the readers get a good cringe dose (':).

No one's POV:
-

"As you've surely observed, when I first narrated you my story, I avoided mentioning anything about my parents or brothers. So if some things sounded to ya 'incomplete', 'indefinite', or 'unclear' and unanswered now you'll have the whole icon."

"That's alright."

"So… where do I start from?"

"How about describe your parents? And how they met?"

"Well… why not…" Alter agreed and stayed silent for some seconds before starting.

"… My mother's name was Calisto. She was coming from a poor low class family. However her and her parents were known for their endless kindness and hospitality. They were very religious and loyal to God and following His will. All monsters liked them, even many humans. The little kids seeing Calisto would ran at her calling her nonstopping and ask for hugs and attention. Despite not having the highest education and just knew writting and the basics for reading, she was calm at all times and knew how to handle difficult situations. Truly, for someone her class, she was intelligent, observant and her mind was working fast. She was her parents' pride and joy. If there was another thing Calisto was admired for, was her beauty. If she was going out with her parents everyone immediately would nail eyes on her, especially many male admirers."

"That reminds me of someone…" Geno threw the innuendo looking at Alter. The other chuckled.

"Anyways. However my mother was tending most of the time to be very unreadable, impossible for most people to understand what she was thinking. Her smile was friendly and kind, however mystery was surrounding her, making it difficult for anyone to understand her feelings and thoughts. If men were trying to show their appreciation to her, she always had her way to slip from them without breaking hearts. She didn't want serious relationships, especially from such young age."

"Why, how young was she to get male attention already?"

"Eh, from 12 years old."

"Whaaa-! God!"

"I know. Luckily for her like I said, she knew how to avoid it. When it needed, she knew how to play dumb for defence."

"She wanted to feel ready herself and then choose a partner?"

"Not quite. She had other plans which her parents weren't against. But I'll say later why she was avoiding relationships. Life was quiet and wonderful for her…" Alter lowered his head and his expression got a little sad. "… But when she was just 20, life took her parents away from her."

"Oooh no. How?"

"… She was outside and far away from the village to take water from the well. But suddenly she felt the ground shaking under her feet. Earthquake. A very bad feeling embraced her. When the earthquake had stopped she was back to the village. The few destroyed houses she saw made her worries even bigger and running she went to find her house. But… it was already destroyed. And she couldn't find her parents. There were a lot of human corpses and monster dust in the air. Calisto approached closer… she only saw her father's necklace lying on the ground and picked it up. As she told me, the emotions in her at first were very mixed. But she didn't cry that day. Not even a tear. Quaintly as she told me, after a while realising that her parents were gone and after the first shock, she felt… empty. She just wore the necklace around her neck, fell on her knees and stared with a blank expression at the house."

"After mourning for my brothers, I became the same way, an empty wreck. Couldn't feel or care for anything for long…" Geno thought and looked down.

"After that, things changed drastically for mother. She had short of… lost her mind. While the victims of earthquake were mourning for their lost loved ones, Calisto kept a chill, rather annoying for everyone. She wasn't crying, she wasn't expressing any strong emotion. She had stopped talking a lot. She was only smiling just like before the loss, a cold unreadable smile was plastered on her face that everyone could see it when she was going out. And that behavior exactly made her, instead of a lovable skeleton lady, a weirdo. Outcast. When they were seeing her walking with her black dress and hood, everyone would step back and whisper behind her back many things that she could hear but she didn't care."

"What were they saying?"

"They were saying things like… she didn't even seem sad for her parents' death, she was a cursed and crazy witch, a demon to smile at the death of her loved ones when the village was mourning for their lost people. And many other things, that she didn't even care, she had no sorrow and never had respect for the ones that raised her. The children on the streets, hearing about her nonstopping, made her the nickname «The scary black maiden» and would point at her when seeing her in the distance."

"Brats…"

"… And that nickname, even adults started calling her that. Because even when the mourning days passed and they all returned to their normal lifes, Calisto was still dressed in black, wandering in that appearance. Eventually the villagers started getting bored with her, others fearing her, not daring to approach. Unnecessary to say that no man was approaching her also. But it was what she wanted. Stay alone. She didn't want interactions with anyone almost. The only close friend she had was dead from the earthquake too."

"None of what they said was true huh? Your mother, she… must've been in a lot of pain and inner suffering, right?"

"She was capable show only what she wanted, something that, later on as she pointed out, I seemed to have inherited from her. But yes, her soul had break in pieces from her parents' loss. This situation lasted 10 years. Almost everyone had condemn and leave her alone. Only with a very few she kept interacting knew her suffering, which I'll talk about later ahead. But then…" There finally a little smile appeared on Alter's face. "… That's where my father appears in her life. To discover what she was feeling and take her out of the sorrow she was in."

"Oooh, how was your dad ? And how they met?"

"… My father's name was Felix. He was in the monster navy, a sailor and for the village's status he had good enough wealth. He had started of as fisherman but after training hard he managed to climb higher on status. 6 months he was away to other lands, 6 months in the village. He was very passionate, educated, he knew his job well and anything he would do, he wanted it perfect until he was satisfied. But mostly, when it was coming to his job, there especially he was ace."

"How was he in character more accurately?"

"The quick answer is this: the exact opposite of Calisto. Was she patient like a rock, calm, chill and talking quietly? Felix was impatient, worried, anxious and his voice was booming uncontrollably, even when he was 'calm'. Was Calisto able to hide her feelings and thoughts? Felix was open book, impossible most of times for him to hide. But he was alright, he was also very kind and cheerful."

"Pf. Now I definitely see who you took from." Geno said. Alter chuckled. "… What about his parents though? Your grandparents from his family tree."

"He never met them. His mother died during birth and his father died in one of his trips. Storm. His grandparents raised him but when he was just 26 years old they died too, they were very old…"

(moral lesson: never shout near my helpers who are both phonophobic and misophonic)

"… At least Felix was able from even younger age take care of himself and soon enter the navy, becoming successful. Being a sailor makes you important. Your status is high. It makes most people interested in ya. Whatever is shiny attracts, right? And if the sailor is handsome, it's not impossible to magnetise girls. Welp, it wasn't like Felix was lacking anything from what I said. Status, wealth, beauty. Many girls from the village were dreaming of marrying him and have a wealthy life."

"I imagine your mom how jealous she must have been after marrying."

"Aaah, no. Quite the opposite. When they married and my mother's reputation in the village was restored long time now, she had again admirers which father wasn't appreciating. He needed mother to reassure him that she belongs to him and only…"

"… Though at first, deep in her sorrow for her parents, she didn't even know he existed. She wasn't caring. But after 10 years since Calisto's parents' death, fate decided tie them together with that way: mother would go almost everyday outside and get out of the village. She would climb high, until the sea was many feet below her. There was a hill she loved going with her father when she was little girl. There, opposite the most beautiful view the village could have, she had raised 2 tumuluses for her parents. While villagers were thinking that going out without any strong reason was just one of her weird habits she had because of her 'craziness'. But she would sit there for hours and cry. Only there she was letting out all of her pain. Sometimes she would even sleep and only when the sun was about to go down she would return to the village, calm and phenomenally emotionless in villagers' eyes. Welp, the same day Felix returned to the village and was welcomed, he felt nostalgic about the old places he would explore often when he was little kid. And so he happened to take the same path mother would take to go for the tumuluses. The hill was his favorite spot too and careless and excited was heading to see the view from there. But hearing sobs in the distance he stopped abruptly. He slowly approached where he was hearing the sobs."

"And he saw her? Calisto?"

"Seeing a dressed in black skeleton lady crying, layed prone on the one tumulus and shaking, he couldn't hold back his surprise. He made enough noise for Calisto to realise she had company and immediately raised head, stopped sobbing and stared at Felix. Their looks were nailed to each other for a minute or so before he finally approach slowly, asking her what was wrong. She didn't reply, just kept staring at him. He sat next to her. She turned her look ahead and while she was staring far away to the horizon, he was looking at her. After a while he decided to break the silence and asked about the tumuluses and why was she crying. She didn't reply again and kept a cold silence. If she wasn't talking, Felix had to find out himself. And so, after looking carefully at the tumuluses he short of recognised her from that. These names… Are you Calisto? Their daughter? He started. After some seconds my mother finally nodded slowly. And then he revealed that for quite many years he would hear rumors and gossips about her. He had actually got curious to see who was that «Scary black maiden» everyone feared so much, that monster that lost her mind after her parents died."

"And then?"

"At first mother looked at him coldly and with condemn. Wow, another one who wants to make fun of me, nothing new. She had think. But there father started talking about himself. Who he was, what he was doing, about his early parents and grandparents. However mother's silence and her apathy slowly was discouraging him. The moment he decided to stop talking because he had think Calisto wasn't even listening nor caring, after some seconds it was her turn to start. She was talking monotonously and without emotion. But reaching the point of the catastrophy from the earthquake, plus her mental state, she couldn't contain herself, started crying again and sobbing bitterly, spasming."

"What did your father do?"

"At first he let her release her pain for a minute. Then to her surprise he hugged her. And then he said these, for the first time talking very very calmly, I don't know how it feels to loose parents, the closest to your life ever, but I understand how it is to loose family. I've lost grandparents and felt sadness, but I moved on. But while I don't know you well enough and I'll never feel like you did, I can see this: You're a very strong woman. You're hiding pain you can't completely contain but stays invisible from everyone. They say you don't care but I see how wrong what they're saying is. You're having emotions in you which you do not show for anyone. However sticking to your parents' death isn't okay. 10 years you're doing that from what they said, don't you? You love them very much, but you forget about yourself. You need to move on. If your parents loved you too, wouldn't they take care of you, try to make you happy? Wouldn't they want to grand your every wish to know their child is truly happy? Wherever they are now, if they knew how you are, they would be hurt. By being sad, they're sad too. What's gone is forever lost. Now all you can do is live. That's what I did and while I still miss close to me people, I have bigger room for happiness. You have so many years ahead to truly live your life. Better days will come, you'll see."

"What's gone is forever lost…" Geno thought and looked down.

"All this time mother was listening silent, still crying but a little calmer. When Felix was done, after some seconds she asked, And how should I do that? There father looked down at her and suddenly determined and excited he said that he would become her new friend and help her find her happiness again. He said it so thrilled and with such certainty mother couldn't hold back her laughter. For the first time he saw her laughing, quietly but at least she didn't seem sad anymore, making him freeze in awe. Mother had the most beautiful laughter he would tell me often. And as mother would say, father was so adorable when embarrassed and pouting."

"Pfff!" Geno did and wheezed.

"The close hug they had, plus the laughter had make Felix blushing, which made mother laugh even more cheerfully and the other would pout and look away with crossed arms, breaking free from the hug. After that though, father said he had to leave. But he promised he would come back again and find her. Same place. With that he got up, said goodbye and walked away. Mother stared at him and only when she lost him from her field of view she turned again to look ahead. Thoughtful as she was her socket fell on the tumuluses. Every mood to start crying again had magically left her and as she brought back in her mind again Felix and the words he said, she smiled. And that way they had started breaking the ice. Indeed they became best friends. True to his words, Felix came the next day again and they got to know each other some more. And the next days again and again. Everytime he would leave he would always promise to come the next day."

"Did your mom enjoy his company everytime? I mean, ya said she didn't wanna interact much with the villagers."

"She wasn't denying his company. She was rather confused with his perseverance coming everytime to see her. She would always go first to the tumuluses and think again about her family. But the moment Felix was coming and they would start hanging out, everytime he managed take her mind off her sorrow. Because he would always find new subjects and things to show or discuss."

"Like?"

"One time he came carrying in a bag to show her, tools they were using in navy such as astrolabe, protractor, octane, compass and other."

"Wow. I know none of these except what a compass is, but I actually enjoy hearing ya. So ya know about navy stuff from you dad also?"

"Naaah. I don't know anything important from there. I didn't even wanna become sailor. But the few things I know, I've learned them very well because of my younger broth-" Suddenly Alter stopped as if lightning had hit him. He looked away for a moment before turning to look again ahead calm and hummed. "… my younger brother's enthusiasm."

"He seemed uneasy a moment ago. Maybe I shouldn't pressure him talk about his brothers later?" Geno questioned himself.

"I'll talk about him and the other brother later ahead…" Alter said calmly as if he had read Geno's thought. "… When Felix showed Calisto the tools, he enjoyed seeing her interested and curious. Even more he liked it when he would explain how these tools were used to help the sailors in the sea and mother was listening focused. Other times he would bring books mother had never seen and they would read together, sometimes with father explaining more accurately some things. But the time mother was betraying more fascination and impression was when father was talking about his trips and the lands he would go. He was trying to describe in the best detail possible all he had see. But I think that from all trip descriptions, mother liked hearing more about Venice. She liked how the language sounded, which father knew fluently."

"Ya learned from him?!"

"If I learned most things from my mother, at least that, yes, I learned italian from my father. When still friends, the first time mother heard him singing absent-minded in italian, she said, I have no clue what you're saying but this sounds beautiful, especially coming out of your mouth, and of course that flattered him. All 6 months Felix stayed in the village, he would always give some of his time to Calisto and keep her company. Through their interactions he got to realise how clever she actually was and open-minded, be impressed with her way of thinking. And mother was enjoying seeing his enthusiasm, be impressed with his knowledge and experience about the other lands but most importantly, she was seeing what a cheerful and nice monster he was. Little by little Felix had managed to help her with her mentality and unlock again emotions she had banished so long ago. Though she wasn't showing it much, father had actually make it. And so, the last day of his stay, he told her that tomorrow he had to leave for his business. The 2 friends though kept talking as if they would do so the next days again. After hours, when father said he had to go, they both got up. They agreed that when he would return, she shall wait again at «their hill». Then he took out from a little bag he had an apple and with a 'knightly move' he turned and offered it to mother, To the most beautiful, he said. Mother laughed again, making father blush lightly, but accepted the apple. Why thank you my knight in sailor armor. And why from all girls the village has am I the most beautiful you think? She asked."

"And what did Felix say?"

"Though embarrassed already, he managed to say stably, More than the fact it's true, don't you know that your name literally means «Most beautiful»? And he left with fast steps and face all red waving goodbye. Mother looked at him surprised and honestly, she felt flustered a little. She looked at the apple, but laughed again quietly and murmured, to the most beautiful from the most adorable. Then out loud she wished him to have good and safe trips."

"Daaaw, she loved him?"

"She did. But then father didn't know. Calisto was hiding her emotions well, while like I said he was open book. During his absence, mother felt again a little lonely. But at the same time she started reconsidering again some things. She was finally able to move on. And so, from the next day she stopped being the village's ghost. She stopped wearing black, wasn't pushing anyone away and became more social. At first it was difficult for everyone to see her all of a sudden changed. But in a few weeks she was again the lovely monster villagers used to know. The kids were more difficult but eventually they got used to her too and loved her again."

"Oh what love can do!" Geno said a little dramatically but smiling.

"Indeed what love and care accomplished. While waiting for him to come back she kept living like she used to years ago."

"Did her 'admirers' returned?"

"New and old started showing their interest again for her. But again she would kindly reject them all. Waiting for Felix to return, she would count the days, weeks, months. In around 6 months she had to expect him come back. During his absence she had stopped going so often to the hill and see the tumuluses. It wasn't necessary anymore, she had get over very well her sorrow. But the last month she would go more often, watch far away and wait to see the ships of the monster navy returning. 6 months and a couple of weeks after, indeed, Felix returned. Once he minded the last details of his return and was completely free he went to find Calisto. The 2 greeted each other with a big warm hug and immediately mother asked how were his trips. They hanged out like casual, though father stayed a little longer to say as many news as he could and learn how mother was during his absence. Hearing her saying how well she was going he got really happy. When the sun was about to touch the sea, they decided to separate and again tomorrow meet. But before Felix could leave, mother called him. He turned and waited for her to approach, only to soon get surprised when she cupped his face and received a kiss on his cheek from her."

"Woah, now that was quite unexpected! Why did she do that?"

"When asked, she replied that she didn't get to tell him how thankful she was for everything he had done for her to change back to her old self and feel happy again. And that she wish she knew how to repay him for everything. Stuttering, father managed to say that it wasn't necessary, he did what he did with his own will and that he was glad he helped her. Then he quickly turned his back and mother heard him murmuring, Non laverò mai più quella guancia."

"And what does that mean?" Geno asked. Alter chuckled.

"I'm not washing that cheek again…" He said, making Geno snort and try cover his laughter.

"Did your mom know what that means?"

"Hmmm…" Alter did menacingly. "… From the day Felix returned, mother started observing more peculiar behavior on him. How easily he was getting lost while looking at her, getting flustered, stuttering and being more nervous when trying to excuse his behavior. Luckily for him mother was playing dumb well to not make him feel bad and waiting to calm down, while trying not to laugh or betray that she was understanding anything. And it was harder pretend she wasn't understanding what was going on when Felix was thinking she wasn't understanding if he was saying anything in italian… cause unluckily for him mother knew some italian already. Before meeting him she didn't know, but after getting impressed with Felix speaking them, she learned while waiting for him to return."

"Oooh, now if that's not menacing! What did she get from his italian?"

"Why you have to be so pretty? Your laughter is so beautiful. I like you. How I wonder if you could ever feel the same way I do. I think ya get it young one. He was more obvious than the obvious. Every single time Felix would turn his head away from mother and murmur to himself things like these, thinking she wouldn't understand italian, Calisto was fighting harder not to laugh. At the same time it was flattering her hearing these coming out of his mouth. Well, she liked and appreciated him a lot, but, she waited for him to confess first. Luckily, waiting was a strong element of hers and patience? Countless."

"So, when did he confess?"

"It took 2 more years to get along with each other and feel completely comfortable. Their relationship got sometimes tested when arguing, or having to face each other's negative mood. There were misunderstandings at times but luckily the egoism wasn't making them stay like that for long, they would apologise and become besties again. But meeting always each other, made some villagers guess that something was going on between them. Rumors and gossips were spreading about them, making father feeling more and more awkward everytime he would meet mother. Something like that made him finally confess what he was hesitating to say out loud. But he tried his best to make it special."

"How?" Alter closed his eyesockets and brought back in his memories how his mother was narrating, like a fairytale, the day his father confessed to her. When he was a young boy…

Many years ago…

The night was beautiful and many stars were decorating the sky. An explosion of thousands of lights could be seen wherever your eye was turning! 2 lonely figures were standing on the hill, beneath the stars. The 2 figures, which were no one else except Calisto and Felix, were in front of a telescope.

Observing the beauty the sky was giving them. He requested her the next day they would meet, to stay for the night and show her something. She had agreed and was looking forward to see what Felix had for her. She couldn't believe her eyesockets that the night sky could become that beautiful. She had never observed it like that.

And the best was that Felix had came prepared. He had bring telescope. The female wouldn't stop observing, with pure interest, the stars. And Felix couldn't get enough of watching her. The moonlight seemed to make her look even more beautiful and her happy expression was making it even better.

If only, he thought, he could make her happy like that everyday…

"Beautiful view isn't there?" Calisto suddenly said, interrupting him from his thoughts. Felix looked away rubbing the back of his head, realising he was staring again at her absent minded.

"H-HUH?! Y-Yeah…" He threw and wished the red of his cheeks wasn't so noticeable.

"It was as if you knew that tonight the sky was gonna be this pretty."

"WELL, I'M A SAILOR, I KNOW THE POSITION OF THE STARS AND WHAT NIGHTS THEY'LL BE MORE NOTICEABLE. S-So I decided to share t-this view with you."

"How sweet of you…" Calisto said calmly. But she didn't turn again to the telescope. She kept staring at Felix with that calm mysterious smirk of hers.

"IS SOMETHING THE MATTER?" He asked. Calisto hummed.

"I dunno, is there? C'mon, stargazing that specific night? Your body language betraying that something bothers you and you want to say it out loud? What is it?" She asked and waited with the exact same unreadable expression.

Felix gathered all courage he had in him to walk away, take something behind a near tree and approach again Calisto with hands behind his back. The discreet sweet scent that prevailed betrayed to the female skeleton short of what he had. But she waited. Felix stood in front of her and exhaling quietly revealed what he was holding.

"These are… for you…" He said shyly. Calisto took the bouquet of night flowers and touched their petals with the edge of her fingers gently.

"They are very beautiful." She said calmly with a very happy yet still calm expression. She breathed in their sweet scent and sighed again satisfied. "Thank you…" She added looking up to Felix, making his soul skip a beat. The male skeleton didn't need long to collapse from the embarrassment.

"Calisto…" He managed to say.

"Hm? Yeah?" She asked not taking her eyesockets from his. Felix took 2 steps back. He was very pale and nervous. But he finally did it. He confessed. He admitted everything. The moment he saw her it was… love at first sight. That's why he wanted to help her, it was what kept him motivated to never leave her sight.

Starting as friends and then hoping it would turn to something more. He was admiring and respecting her a lot. And that he wished no one else was taking her from him, he knew from what the gossips in the village were saying how much attention Calisto was attracting.

"I DON'T WANT ANYTHING, YOU AND ONLY YOU IS ENOUGH. I want you in my life m-more than as a friend… I love you. Do you feel the same?" He asked stably and looked at her with agony. All this time he was confessing, Calisto hadn't stop staring at him with the same exact smile and calm expression.

When Felix stayed silent, only the crickets and the calm breeze were heard for a while. This silence made his mind start panicking. It wasn't a good idea, damnit, she was probably thinking this was a joke, he had messed up, God, she was going to reject him, wasn't she?, JUST SAY IT ALREADY AND PLEASE DON'T KEEP ME IN AGON-!

"Felix…" Hearing her calling him he looked again at her. She was smiling wider. She approached him and slowly stretched her arms towards him.

"W-What are Y-?!" Before he could finish his sentence, Calisto cupped his cheeks and gently kissed him in his mouth. That caught off guard Felix who didn't just step back, he fell backwards, taking Calisto down too. Now she was above him, their faces inches away.

"S-SORRY…" He apologised looking to his left. Calisto chuckled and approached her mouth near his ear hole.

"Anch'io ti amo." She said cheerfully. Felix's face turned red.

"YOU KNEW ITALIAN THIS WHOLE TIME?!" He asked surprised and never again so embarrassed.

"Are you never going to wash your mouth too now?" It took a few seconds for Felix to realise what else Calisto was meaning with that phrase. He realised how long she could understand his italian and covered his face trying to hide his embarrassment. Calisto snickered and covered her mouth.

"A-ALRIGHT THAT'S IT!" Felix suddenly declared. Without warning he wrapped his arms around Calisto's waist and rolled over so now the smaller was beneath him. That surprised her and looked at him all of a sudden not with the calmest expression but the cutest.

They stared at each other with tension and tenderness at the same time. Felix placed his hand at her cheek, his face approached closer hers. She didn't move, just waited, smiling calmly.

"I love you Calisto. I really do…" Felix whispered and this time he kissed her first, a sweet tender kiss Calisto responded to by kissing back. They both closed eyesockets and surrendered into each other's embrace.

They married 2 months later. The news of their marriage spreaded fast and made everyone happy. They were wishing the best for the couple and their souls to never separate even distant. It didn't bother Calisto that she couldn't have her Felix all the time because of his trips.

She would miss him of course but she was an independent monster, she knew how to spend her time. As for defending herself, no problem. As for Felix he wouldn't stop thinking about her and wishing to see her again soon when far away. But they both couldn't ask for a better life partner. Because,

Love ties everything and nothing is able to stop it,
No distances, no hatred and death can never call it.

Present…

congratulations, ya reached the end of the chapter. now wait for the next cringe in 1.000.000 years. bye bye bembe fasolakia. 5400 words. *pet pet*