Uniquely The Same - Luca (Pixar) Fanfic

Reunited and Departed

It was so dark up on that island. The man before us almost seemed a shadow in the night, but Alberto had recognized him almost instantly.

I was frozen up myself, as I watched the two stare at each other... both seeming perplexed and afraid of how to handle this situation.

Finally Alberto broke the silence, yelling in tears of heartache, "DAD!"

He ran towards the man, swinging his arms around him and the two fell backwards into the waves from the sudden impact of the hug.

The man slowly sat up in the lapping water and Alberto let go of him, wiping the tears away from his now blue coloured sea monster face.

"I thought you'd never come back."

"Of course I'd come back... you're my son."

Alberto took in some deep heavy breaths and his father stood back up, lending his fin hand to his son and Alberto gulped afraid, before taking it in wariness.

"You're Alberto's father?!" I suddenly yelped out and took a step away from them both. The sea monster man quickly took back on a human form.

"The one and only," He said softly, tousling his son's curly hazel hair and Alberto smiled weakly, "Like no other."

"Hmm, yeah..." I hummed back, but I didn't trust this guy. He had been gone for up to three years now, and only NOW was returning back to his boy?!

"Name's Marco," He said to me, reaching out his tanned hand to shake my own. I gripped his tight, so tight I hoped it would leave a red mark but I overestimated my strength. He looked me in the eyes and chuckled slightly saying.

"You're friend, Alberto, he has a good grip."

"Right? I know?!" Alberto said in a giddy voice, "That's Luca, he helped me get off the island and start living my life."

"Off..?" Marco responded a little lost and confused by his son's words, "Why would you want to leave this beautiful island? And this cosy little stone tower?"

"Well..." Alberto said, his voice dipping into a lower volume as he uttered, leaning against the stone bricks, uttering, "It gets lonely when one is alone for so long."

Marco's eyes widened slightly when he heard his son say this, and he came over to his boy, reaching his hand to Alberto's shoulder and placing it gently there, "That's why I came back," He said, his words dripping with regret, "Loneliness... it hurts."

Alberto turned back to look at him, his eyes shining from the moonlight, showing tears had swelled around them. His father smiled gently and Alberto grabbed him in a hopeless hug again, crying.

"Dad!"

"I think I should leave..." I mumbled uncomfortably at this family reunion. I began to head back to the water and Alberto opened his eyes, looking at me and saying.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Luca, okay? I have to stay with my dad tonight. Sorry..."

"I understand," I whispered and dove deep under the waves, leaving the two and heading to my family's cave.

But all the while as I swam deep under the sea I could not get the angry thoughts out of my head.

Alberto's dad had left him for three years, and instead of being angry, Alberto was full of happiness at his father's return. Would I be the same if something like that ever happened to me? I didn't know, I didn't want to know... but his dad... I did not like him. He had abandoned him, and that's all I could think about as I entered the darkness of my parents' cave.

Mum and dad looked up at me as I arrived and both broke into joyful smiles. My grandma was just sitting down at the table, doing her own thing and my mother hugged me tight as a welcome home.

"Where's Alberto?" She asked, clueless to all that had gone down.

"He's with his father..." I uttered, not sure how else I could get that information out and I swam to the seat beside my grandma. My fin feet pressed against the cold ocean floor and my mother's jaw just dropped open as she said.

"He is?! When did he get back?"

"Tonight... tonight..." I whispered upset, and I didn't know why this was affecting ME so much, but it was. I felt a deep hatred for Alberto's dad, and I think anyone reasonably would feel the same.

"We should go meet him!" My mother quickly said, pulling my dad's arm for the three of us to leave.

"No!" I shouted suddenly, and mum and dad both turned to look at me, "Not tonight... we have to give them some time."

Mum looked deeply into my eyes, seeing how much this pained me, and she sighed gently, her and dad returning back into the cave.

"Okay, okay." She said.

It wasn't very long afterwards that I was laying in my sea bed and just thinking of all the things that had happened today. And it was still only my FIRST day home from Genova. I hoped that the rest of the Summer Holidays would be less dramatic and intense but I knew deep down my wish wouldn't be granted.

I sighed, turning over onto my side and seeing my granny asleep with her fish eyes wide opened again. I smiled weakly and began to blink my own eyes slowly till darkness befell my conscious and I slipped into a deep slumber. Sleep, something that allowed me to stop thinking and be nothing for several hours.

When I woke up the next morning it was because the summer sun had penetrated the depths of the sea and had lit up the whole ocean floor. I stretched my two blue arms tiredly and then suddenly sat up in a jolt, remembering something so dire, so important I thought I was gonna die from the realization.

Today was my date with Giulia! Our very first date!

I knew quickly I had to find Alberto so sprang out of my bed and began swimming frantically through the deep water till I reached the island again. Just as I was climbing ashore, I noticed something instantly.

There was no sign of Marco and no sign of Alberto.

"Alberto!" I screamed nearly in panic as I looked everywhere for my friend, "Alberto! We have to get ready for our date with Giulia!"

Still no answer. I took deep heavy breaths in and out as I realized I was going to have to do this alone. How could he bail on me?! For a man that had abandoned him for years?

I felt that same anger boil up inside me once more and I huffed heavily, turning my sight away from the stone tower to the town of Portorosso in the distance.

"I can do this," I told myself as I paced back and forth with fret and worry within me, "I can do this for sure."

Realistically I probably COULD do this, it's not like I would die from excitement inside. I wanted to see Giulia, no matter what. And I could.

And I would.