Love Comes in All Sizes (Companion Sequel Fic to "Uniquely the Same")

Breaking and Fixing

"The flowers, first off." Erika replied to me, and I cocked an eyebrow up listening, "They're how I mark the area, so I always know where I'm going."

"Mmm-hmm," I mumbled, folding my arms and she smiled awkwardly before her lips returned to a quick grimace.

"And me?" She continued, "I'm an explorer."

"Really, now?" I smirked and Erika lowered her brow in annoyance at my sarcastic reply.

"Yes, really." She said and suddenly snagged the hook rod away from my grip.

"Hey!"

"Why did you take the flower off?" She asked annoyed, and I only replied, just as frustrated.

"Why did you attach it, to begin with?"

"As a marking flag." She responded and suddenly raised her knee up, snapping the rod in half at its center.

She tossed the two wooden pieces aside, before smiling cheekily at me, and turned to dash away. My eyes were agape at what she had done, and I quickly caught the two pieces as they slowly began to float to the ocean floor. As I held them in both my fin hands, I gave a small growl, eyeing the bubbles and foam she had left behind from her trail. And the flowers... the flowers that floated down in place.

I grumbled annoyed and turned to head back to Portorosso. As my feet hit the ground of the wooden pier, my skin began to slowly change into the skin of a human. My hair bounced up in its curly hazel locks, and I returned to my home. The home of my real family.

As I came in the door, Mr. Marcovaldo was just setting plates full of pasta on the small wooden table, and I plopped myself down, before placing the two broken wooden parts before his eyes.

"What happened to your rod?" He asked as he sat down opposite me and twirled the spaghetti around his fork.

"A girl happened to it," I replied sourly and grabbed my pasta quickly with my hands, not thinking straight. As it reached my mouth, I saw the disapproving stare from my papa, and I placed the slippery spaghetti back down, using a fork instead.

"A girl, hmm?"

"Yeah." I said and stuffed the fork with pasta on it into my mouth, "Trying to make me mess up my job, no doubt."

"How so?" Mr. Mavovaldo asked confused and looked at me with a small smile, "By being a distraction?"

"Exactly..." I grumbled, "Exactly."

The burly man only smiled weakly up one side of his mouth and when I turned to look back up at him, I realized quickly that he thought my interactions with her meant something more.

"No, papa, no." I told him quickly, finishing my meal in seconds, "She's not a distraction. She's a nuisance."

"If you say so."

"I do," I told him, nodding my head and carrying my empty plate over to the sink.

~x~

That night in bed, I was tossing and turning with a cold sweat as dreams took over my mind in my unconsciousness.

I could see her waving. Waving so far off in the distance. I was deep under the sea, but the sunlight was brightening up the whole sea from top to bottom. As I looked on, I saw a sea monster far off in the distance waving at me and calling my name.

"Alberto! It's me!"

"Mother..." I whispered, recognizing that voice even though it had been years since I saw her, "MUM!" I cried and began swimming the distance between me and her. As I reached her, I saw she was looking the opposite way, towards the ever-expanding ocean and I whispered, "Mum, please-"

I touched her shoulder to turn her around and face me, but the moment I looked at her face I saw it was Erika.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, and she looked at me with cold eyes of her own.

"Me? What are you?"

I suddenly gasped awake, springing up in a seating position on my bed. I was breathing heavily, sweat still on my skin and I got the blanket sheet, wiping my forehead with its fabric. Though, it was no use really as my whole bed was heavy with sweat. I sighed barely, knowing I'd have to change the sheets.

Still, I wondered deep inside why I'd dreamt of a girl I didn't even know. And my mother... I hadn't seen her for so long, the dreams of her hadn't been there for more than five years.

I came downstairs and saw there was a new black strong hook rod for me to use. I took it in my hands with awe and amaze, and tapped its bottom edge to the tiled floor. I looked up when I saw Mr. Macavaldo come back in and I said with happiness, "You didn't have to give me a new rod, but thanks."

The burly man looked at me confused and added, "I didn't get you it." My expression quickly turned perplexed, "I found it leaning outside the door with a note."

"What note?" I snapped, as though I knew inside who it was from. He pointed over to a small folded piece of paper that rested on the table and I picked it up, reading the words to myself confused.

Sorry for snapping your hook, but here's a much better one.

"Who's it from?" My papa asked, very lost in all that was happening before him. I looked at the paper, before crumbling it up and throwing it in the bin.

"I'll show her," I growled and left the house without breakfast. While I headed towards the bay, all I was mumbling to myself was, "Give me a 'better' rod, will she? Thinking her things are better than mine!"

I dived into the water without a second thought and quickly followed the flowers that rested on the seafloor. They seemed to go on and on, and soon I realized that they were leading me far away from land to the ever deepness of the Atlantic Ocean. I stopped following the flowers after a while and turned with anger back to the shallower sea which was more inland.

I reached the fish farm and took up guard there like I always did. That's when I heard it.

Laughter.

I turned around and looked through the gates to see a pink sea monster was playing with the fish.

WHA- HOW- WHY?!

"Hey, you!" I yelled at her and she jumped up startled, looking back over with me, her smile disappearing, "What are you doing to the fish?"

She nervously swam up to me on the other side of the barrier and added awkwardly.

"Making friends..."

"With FISH?" I yelled and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, with fish."

"You are as crazy as you are pretty," I growled at her and she suddenly went pinker in her already baby pink cheeks.

"You think I'm pretty...?"

I had suddenly dug myself into a hole.

"...no?" I lied and opened the gate just a crack to let her swim out, "You're just... um..."

"Do you need help?" She asked shyly and floated in a relaxed posture beside me, "A companion...?"

"No, no!" I said, regretting all my words now, "Just go... GO."

She wavered back only slightly, before mumbling out quietly, "I think you need my help."

I would've argued with her more on this, but I was too tired within to have a verbal brawl. So I said the only one thing I could.

"Thanks..."

Not knowing then what I knew now. The beginning of a budding romance. If I'd ever admit it at the time.