Uniquely The Same - Luca (Pixar) Fanfic

Gone

I knew what I should've done. Be there for Alberto as he lay critical in the doctor's emergency room. I should've been by his side and explained it all.

The whole town was in shock about what had happened. To be honest, the whole merfolk from under the sea were still grappling with the attack themselves.

There was only one sea monster I wanted to see, though. Marco. And I had a feeling where he would be.

My gut feeling was right a second time that night.

As I slowly walked out from the waves onto the island's shore, I could see a tall dark shadowy figure moving about frantically from here to there. I grabbed to rocks and made a spark, quickly lighting a stick that was laying on the ground. I held it up like a torch and walked over to the man as he quickly put things away in a bag – similar to what I had done when I had planned to run... run away?

Wait. Was Marco going to leave? Leave, once more?

I stared at him in shock, reaching my stick torch forward to hit light off him and he jolted back, squinting at the heat of the fire near his eyes.

"Where are you going, Marco?"

He looked at me, his hand trying to block the blinding light from his eyes. When he realized who I was he took a deep relieved breath out and swung his bag over his shoulder, heading for the waves.

"Marco?" I asked nearly spitting his name in anger and shock, "You're going to leave... again?!"

He turned his head back to look at me and saw the fury in my eyes.

"I have too," He spoke, the waves spreading over his bare feet and revealing his scaly blue skin, "They're coming after him... after me."

"No, you – YOU CAN'T!" I roared at him and he only took silent steps back into the sea.

"Tell Alberto... I love him... and I'm sorry."

He dived into the deep and I watched him go. But I couldn't stand here and do not a thing. Alberto didn't just stand there when I was about to be attacked by the town's people. I had to stop this man from leaving. I had to for Alberto.

I quickly dived in after him and followed his trail as bubbles and foam were left behind as a mark of him.

When I realized we were going too far out to the huge ocean, I stopped my pursuit and only roared at him from away, screaming, "YOU COWARD! YOUR SON NEEDS YOU!"

But he was gone after that. Gone for good. And I just didn't have the heart to tell Alberto that his father was a no-good abandoner.

I floated there in the darkness, but put my fin hand up to my forehead as the moon's light shone through the water and until my blue scaly skin. I slowly gulped and turned around, heading back towards Portorosso.

I couldn't tell Alberto that his father had left, it would break him up inside. But the truth would eventually come out, I knew that for certain.

As I climbed onto the wooden docks I shook off the water from my body and returned to human form, seeing a tanned hand reaching out to me, and I slowly looked up to who it was. Giulia.

I smiled with tears leaking from my eyes helplessly and she helped pull me up back onto my feet.

"Giulia, I-"

"It's okay, Luca." She told me squeezing my hand tight in hers, "They know, everyone knows."

"That...?"

"That Alberto did it."

I clenched tight my eyes closed in pain at this new piece of information, "How?"

"He told them."

"Is Alberto alright?"

"Yeah..." She said sadly as if hiding back hidden news on the subject.

"Giulia." I said to her, holding onto both her upper arms and looking her straight in the eye, "You can tell me."

She sighed heavily, shutting her own eyes closed as my own were wide open now in worry.

"He needs some stitches... and he can't go back into the water for two months."

"That's-"
"

Ridiculous, I know." She agreed and I let go of my grip on her just staring ahead mystified, "But life is ridiculous sometimes," She smirked, nudging me barely and I smiled sadly in emotional pain back at her.

I let out my own heavy defeated sigh and sat down on the edge of the wooden dock, only staring ahead at nothing as I thought things through. She joined me after a few moments and placed her hand on my shoulder.

"This whole thing is a mess."

"What-?" She asked, nudging me on the side with a low dead laugh, "Us?"

"Wha- No," I said quickly and it was only when I looked into her eyes that I could tell she was joking. She smirked again gently, and I smiled weakly... but I was in no mood for a laugh. Giulia quickly realized this and gripped my hand gently in hers, as the two of us just gazed on at the never-ending ocean, cut from the sky from the invisible horizon.

"Did you find him...?"

She asked this question blankly, and I exhaled deeply, whispering.

"Si..."

"And...?"

"He left again."

"That coward."

"Just to be sure, we're both talking about Alberto's dad, si?"

"Of course," She replied and added on confused, "Who else..?"

"I have to tell him." I said, turning my head around and looking at the doctor's practice away in the distance, "Tell him that his father doesn't care enough to stay."

"Luca, no."

I turned to look back at her, surprised by her response.

"-But?"

"Alberto still believes his father cares enough to be here. If you go and tell him while he is in pain, he could DIE of a broken heart!"

"No- really?!"

Giulia nodded her head speedily and crossed her chest where her heart was hidden within, as if to truly show her sincerity, "Si."

"But we have to tell him." I told her, my eyebrows lowering and my blood-curdling in rage, "He has to know."

"And he will, Luca," Giulia told me, gripping my hand tight again and I panted out sorrowfully, muttering.

"Okay... but soon-"

"Yes," She agreed and stood up again, pulling me up with her. I looked around the town and could see that the chaos and mob mentality from before had calmed down quite a bit.

"Where is everyone?"

Giulia gave a small smile and pointed her finger towards the huge queue of people that were standing outside the practice, many being the fishermen with gifts and dishes of pasta all ready to make amends with Alberto.

"But I thought they hated us?"

"Sometimes people only see sense when something wrong happens, and they can feel it in their souls, their hearts."

"-But?"

"Will he be punished?" She continued and nodded her head to the question before I even asked it, "Si... but not for a while... and not as severe as you're probably imagining."

I laughed awkwardly at that response, as what I was imagining was Alberto being lit on fire tied at a stake.

I knew I had to tell him though, eventually, about his old man leaving again.

But not tonight... not tomorrow... not the next few days.

After all, I didn't want him to have a heart attack like Giulia said he could.

So I waited... and soon the time came when I got out the sad news... his expression?

I don't think I could even describe it in words.