"there you see him,
looking from across the way . . .
he don't got a lot to say,
but there's something about him.
and you don't know why,
but you're dying
to try you wanna
kiss the guy."
as giuseppe curls up towards the boat, alberto finds himself blinking and looking at luca as the boys face is shined by the stars above. the boy looks down and toward him, before he gasps and spots giuseppe, emotions rushing.
alberto shakes his head when something tells him to kiss luca, he shudders and sputters, trying to play cool.
"did," he croaks, clearing his throat, "did you hear something?" he stammers.
luca just shrugs his shoulders and darts his eyes up at alberto with a coy smile, shaking his head no as alberto blinks.
"yes, you want him.
look at him, you know you do."
alberto gulps, feeling his face burn as he watches luca. he's stopped rowing and just can't take his eyes off luca, whose looking down and playing with his hair.
"possible he wants you too,
there is one way to ask him."
luca risks a glance up at alberto, and flushes under the boys stars-struck expression, the boys lip twitch, and he quips a quivered smile, which luca returns.
"it don't take a word,
not a single word,
go on and
kiss the guy."
giuseppe frowns when he watches luca lean in just a little bit, breaking alberto from his trance and making the boy hitch a breath and advert his eyes, rowing while he pulls his body away from luca.
giuseppe dips his head under water and hisses to some crabs that he recognises are pinchy pelly, and her band.
"sing with me, now." he coos, and they nod and cling onto an ore, singing as it swings up.
"sha la la la la la,
my, oh my
looks like the boys too shy
ain't gonna,
kiss the guy!"
alberto frowns at the voices in his head—or around him(?)—mocking him and bites his lip, looking down at the boy who pouts his plump, rosy lips and rests his cheek on his hand. alberto totally wasn't focused on his lips.
"sha la la la la la,
ain't that sad?
ain't it a shame?
too bad, he's gonna
miss the guy."
alberto bites his lip and adverts his gaze, before sucking in a breath and leaning forward to try and regain the boys attention, "you know, i feel really bad not knowing your name." he admits.
luca blinks, looking over slightly, "heh, maybe i could guess." alberto chuckles and let's go off the ores, leaning back to scratch his chin and goatee.
"is it, uhh," he clicks his tongue and grabs the first thing that comes to mind, "mildred?" he waves a hand and looks at him.
the boy looks over, his nose scrunched as he shakes his head and sticks out his tongue.
alberto laughs, the boy peeks at him and smiles. "okay, no, heh," he waves his hands in a mimic of the boys no in their charade game, he hums. "how about . . ."
he bites his tongue and waves his hand back to place two fingers on his chin, "dean?"
the boy scrunches his lips together and shakes his head no, alberto blurts, "ricky?"
albertos honestly just trying his best and saying the first things that come to his mind, giuseppe can see that, he decides to help and hisses a hush at the boy.
"luca! his name is luca!" giuseppe hisses.
alberto looks behind his shoulder, blinking as he carefully repeats the name, " . . . luca?" he looks over at the boy.
the boy beams and leans forward, nodding eagerly as his hand hits albertos leg.
"luca?" alberto repeats, leaning forward.
the boy nods vigorously again, grin widening as he reaches forward and grabs his hand.
"hmm," alberto looks up, unable to contain his smile. he looks down, intertwining their hands. "well, that's kinda pretty." he tilts his hand and smiles.
luca smiles, looking down at their hands.
he looks back up to alberto, whose breath hitches as he brings his other hand to hold lucas, "okay, luca." he whispers.
luca smiles as the two stare into each others eyes longingly, their boat being led by fish underneath now since albertos obviously busy with something else.
"now's your moment,
floating in a blue lagoon.
boy you better do it, soon
no time will be better.
he don't say a word,
and he won't say a word
until you, kiss the guy."
the boat twirls as the two hold each others hands, smiling at each other like idiots as the fish swam and told the boat around in a twirl, fireflies dancing around them in the water beside them.
"sha la la la la la,
don't be scared!
you got the mood prepared!
go on and,
kiss the guy.
sha la la la la la,
don't stop now!
don't try to hide it how,
you want to,
kiss the guy."
luca bites his lip smiles, looking away and back up to alberto who can't stop staring at him as he shines from the fireflies around them and the moon above.
"sha la la la la la,
float along.
and listen to the song,
the song say,
kiss the guy!"
while they were singing, scuttle flew down and tried to sing along with the symphony.
he was rightfully shut up and held down.
poor scuttle, i love him, he tried his best.
"sha la la la la la,
the music play!
do what the music say,
you got to
kiss the guy."
around them, fish bop their heads up and blow out streams of water, alberto smiles as luca looks down with a giggle at the scene around him. before looking up at him, lucas lashes flutter.
"kiss the guy."
luca giggles as he hears many fish around them slap their lips together to mimic kissing sounds, and looks to alberto. but the boy doesn't take notice and is just, staring at him. slowly leaning closer and closer towards him.
"kiss the guy."
luca blinks as he sees albertos smile slowly stop as he leans in, the gap is closing and luca stops smiling too as he stares up at alberto, tilting his head and leaning in too as their hands tighten.
"kiss the guy."
luca feels his eyes flutter as they get closer.
"kiss the guy."
giuseppe squeezes scuttles neck and shakes it excitedly as he leans in and awaits.
luca closes his eyes as their noses are almost touching, he feels albertos breath on him as they both lean in, albertos eyes finally shutting as he gives in.
and doesn't get to kiss luca, they both yelp as their leaning had edged the boat and tipped and toppled it over. they both fell in the water, their kiss interrupted.
alberto gasps as he rises up from the water and looks around for luca, "woah, hang on!" he turns to the boat. "i gotcha—"
but he stared up, dumbfounded as luca was on the boat, smiling down at him awkwardly and most importantly dry, as if he didn't fall down. he was sure luca did.
"woah," he remarks with a chuckle as he climbed back on the boat, "giulia was right, you really do dry up fast." he laughs.
luca grins a bit too wide and it looks like it hurts his cheeks, alberto fiddles with his still wet clothes as luca insists quietly on rowing them back home, a strained, uncomfortable silence following.