prontissimo | kaisou inbox

[ Alberto's certainly mentioned Bruno in passing before; he's known Katsuki nearly as long as he's known Bruno, after all. But probably it's been no more than an offhand mention that the man's apparently a friend of his, bragging vaguely about how cool he is, dropping relevant superficial details here or there, which is not so noteworthy at the face value he presents it. He's not one to get schmaltzy, not with words, as much as he does praise the people in his life behind their backs offhandedly. It's in subtle, candid, "kind-of-a-given" ways. Not launching into lofty musings about the symbolic roles they might play in his life and elaborating on why they're as close as they are. No, no, it's been more like, "My friend Bruno's great. He's the coolest. And his rats." Alberto's definitely described Bruno a few times to Katsuki in frames like this, but nothing more. Alberto tries to keep his hands clean, emotionally, in many ways. And unfortunately, one way is entirely bottling his feelings up and not telling anyone he's struggling, just pulling away from people and stewing in it. So by this point, well over a month since Bruno's been gone, there's a dwindling likelihood of Alberto spontaneously opening up to Katsuki to give him the full scoop on his deep love and mourning for Bruno Madrigal. The sense of loss has already started to harden, Alberto now yet another member of Bruno's family resenting his absence. And lately, for the first time since Bruno and Alberto became friends over nine months ago — fitting in far too well with the rest of the Madrigals now — he won't talk about Bruno.

So whatever unsettling, inexplicable vibes are hanging in the air about Alberto and his home, will just have to linger there, unspoken and unidentified for now. If it comes up, he won't lie about it. He'll talk about it. But he most certainly won't talk about it. He'll press onto whatever is the nearest exit route from a remotely vulnerable, emotional, uncomfortable conversation. That is not today's mood, regardless of whether he's able to actually shed that aura. It's likely not going to be enough to convince Katsuki that Alberto's okay, but that's okay — or so he tells himself. He's still all about the distractions at hand, full attention.

Katsuki's matter-of-fact but tongue-in-cheek response throws Alberto for a little loop. He looks from the cake to Katsuki, back to the cake, and back to Katsuki, brow raised confusedly once more. ]

Uh— Yeah, I kinda did. Is that a thing? Were we supposed to be paying you all this time? Cuz, uh.

[ He pointedly shuts the box and sets it aside on the table, back in the bag, then leans back into the cushions with his arms spread, crossing one leg over his knee, lounging in a relaxed, businesslike, confident pose. His tone and face are sarcastically rather flat, though. ]

We owe you a lot of cake, then.

[ That's... one way of expressing gratitude for all the help and lessons Katsuki has given the boys over time, yes. Acknowledgement, cheeky as it is. What else does Katsuki expect by now, though. This is par for the course for them both. ]

[Katsuki isn't itching to ask what's up with the weird mood for the moment. The last time he tried to help with something they ended up yelling at each other. Because Katsuki has all the subtlety of a hand grenade.

If it persists, then, well, he'll cross the bridge when he comes to it. But for the moment at least, he's observing. Taking mental notes like he did when Alberto's family life came up.]

That's different. You didn't ask for help. I offered it.

[More like... jumped right into giving it without even pausing to see if it was wanted.]

You don't want it, I can take it back.

[He wouldn't. He's full of hot air.]

[ The way Katsuki flips it on him shoots Alberto upright, leaning forward in a flash to grab the cake off the table and hold it protectively away from Katsuki. Entirely unnecessary but his usual over-the-top knee-jerk reactions. His typical theatrics. ]

What?! No! We want it!

[Katsuki snickers. There's a little of the Alberto energy he's used to.]

That's what I thought. It's damn good, too. You'll see. It's one of my favorites.

[Leaning back to rest on his elbows, he shoots Alberto a grin.]

Worth a lesson in sewing.

Okay... Good...

[ Alberto eyes him suspiciously, letting this little hiccup slide, before setting the cake off to the side — on the cushions beside him now, furthest away from Katsuki, ahem. He goes ahead and plucks the example pair of pants up off the table, idly fiddling with the tail hole in it before they start, ready to get down to business. ]

Mah, dai. Shall we commence?

[ Look at him, "shall we commence..." Slowly been picking up hodgepodge smatterings of human-isms and more elevated language than he's ever used before, since picking up school four months ago. Things he's been ~~forced to~~ able to glean from reading short stories in English class, having regular vocab quizzes, needing to really rely on using context clues to figure out the vast bulk of any story he's assigned to read. He does pretty poorly in English class because he doesn't have the context, granted. But bewildering as most of it is to him, he's still been learning a lot, even if his grades don't show his progress accurately. He's still kinda... not quite using this language incorrectly, but may be a bit socially tone-deaf in how he's using it, since it's clear in his tone that he's not trying to be facetiously formal or tongue-in-cheek or anything. He's being completely serious and unironic. The Alberto Katsuki met in the woods definitely wouldn't have asked him "shall we commence" with a straight face — couldn't have asked him... He didn't know those words. These days, every now and again, some little slaps of education just come flying out of left field like that. Even when he's not trying to be, the kid's just funny. ]

[Really something, this kid. Not just that line being dropped so seriously. But the way he sets that cake away from Katsuki like he thinks he might really try to take it back.

He sits up, grabbing the other bag he brought with him. Practice pants to try this out on. Fishing out a pair, he turns his body so he can face Alberto, giving him full attention.]

I'm ready when you are. Where do we start?

[ Alberto scoots closer to Katsuki and holds out the example pair he'd grabbed from the closet. He reaches one hand inside to splay out the hole in the seat of the pants, sticking his fingers through the hole (and wiggling them for added effect) as he flips the seam over to show Katsuki his work more clearly. ]

First — this is what it's supposed to look like. You can use whatever you want to close it. I like these little snappy things best, I never had those back home, but if you— I mean— ...do you even need to close it?

[ Alberto none-too-subtly leans backward and eyes Katsuki's butt trying to catch a glimpse of his tail again with a discerning look. ]

Does it ever go away? Or is this just— the new you?

[ Guess that's an important question to establish before they get into the mechanics, huh... ]

[The tail is still there, now tucked through the hole in the borrowed pants. Fluffy and white and obnoxious as ever.]

It can go away. I'm still learning how to keep it away for any period of time. But I'm not giving up on fighting the damn thing into submission. So I wanna be able to close the hole.

[ Alberto grins wide at this idea, mischief and good humor painted clearly over his face. ]

I'd definitely wear an ugly sweater for Christmas fun, hah. But I wouldn't ignore the snobby people's snide comments. Ha! I knew this guy back home — Ercole — he was the snide snobby sweater-type. He's not even here and it'd still feel like sticking it to him, heh — y'know? That kinda guy. A bully.

[ Bruno has heard earfuls about Ercole plenty of times — had told Alberto about some bullies in the Encanto, in turn. So Alberto just assumes Isabela must know — but then again... while she definitely hasn't struck him as a bully herself, she also doesn't exactly give "underdog" vibes the way Bruno and Alberto share. Maybe she's never been bullied. Hard for Alberto to imagine. He's far less meek than her uncle, so even if Alberto's lost every fight or argument with Ercole he ever had, or at the very least had to be saved by Luca or Giulia or Massimo, Alberto was always quick to fight back and stand up for himself, dishing that snideness right back — for better or worse. He's not met anyone as bad as Ercole here in Kaisou, thankfully, but... the eighth grade is rough no matter what time or place, man. He's got a shit list at school, naturally. And he's also made it onto a few of his classmates' shit lists, as well... ]

Hm, he sounds like a major pain to be around. That one person who thinks that they’re better than everyone else in the room. Is he always this bad to begin?

(Isabela is seriously feeling tempted into wanting to run after Ercole with tons of cacti on tow all over the streets if she could and he did show up in Kaisou. Call her a little stir crazy, but she would react with some serious plant power if ever someone close to her gets bullied around these days.)

And I didn’t know how much of a fashion snob this Ercole guy is until now. Is anything he wouldn’t want to be caught dead in? Like mismatching patterns?

[ Alberto nods in understanding, taking this surprisingly seriously, no jabs or jokes at Katsuki's expense. He just turns his attention back on the pants in hand. ]

Okay, then. So. I like the snappy things. Your tail can just come right out. My dad used to use buttons — which are fine, but, eh. These are easier. After Luca showed up, I tried the black — [ he makes a scratchy noise by sucking his teeth, emulating peeling something in two with his hands — his best impersonation of Velcro, for which he's forgotten the word... ] — scratchy stuff for a while. That also works well, better than buttons, but it feels weird on our scales. It'd probably suck with your hair, too. So these little snappies are the best, I think. I'll give you some. We've got a ton.

[ Even if his terminology is not so pro, his tone is tempered and thorough, taking this task seriously. For all Alberto's many mistakes and messes, the kid does have a surprising amount of knowledge — stuff like this that one wouldn't expect, that he can just whip out authority on from his back pocket. Nothing he does is ever so polished, and his sewing knowledge is no exception, but, in fairness, as he snaps the fasteners on the hidden seam back in place, someone really wouldn't notice there's a secret hole in these pants if they weren't looking for it. The things Alberto needs to know how to do well, he does well. ...Well... sometimes. Some of it. Usually. Results may vary. ]

[ That the sheer reputation of Ercole Visconti has inspired violent temptations in both Isabela and Bruno Madrigal, is really saying something. It's hard to stir up visible anger in almost any Madrigal, but Isabela and Bruno have a special talent for hiding it, for better or worse. Lord help Ercole if he ever does turn up in Kaisou. Thanks to Alberto and his love of dramatic storytelling and embellishment on his homelife, Ercole will have a list of enemies waiting for him right off the bat.

However, Ercole really is more fashionable than Alberto wants to give him credit for, and since Alberto did think Ercole looked very cool when they first met, he's not quick to shit on the guy's aesthetic, just because the guy happens to be a jerk... he's a cool jerk and he knows it and that just makes him more of a jerk, especially now that Alberto knows more about coolness...! So Isabela poses a tough question, to a boy who's still figuring out human fashion norms, himself. Mismatching patterns have never stopped Alberto from walking out the door confidently. So this takes a little bit more deliberation than she likely meant it.

That said, Alberto scrambles up from his spot in the cushions, clambering over the pile of pillows to grab a maroon wool pullover that'd apparently fallen behind the music cabinet. Who knows how long it's been there, but Alberto seemed to know exactly where it was... He hastily climbs to his feet and throws the sweater over his shoulders the way Ercole used to dangle his fashionably, puffing his chest out with his wrists bent against his hips, nose haughtily pointed in the air with a stiff upper lip. Alberto's best impersonation of Ercole Visconti. ]

Ercole wouldn't be caught dead in a blue ribbon, that's what — cuz me and my friends beat him in a big race and kicked his catfish-butt!

[ ...Missing some key context clues, there, Alberto. He's not told Isabela about the Portorosso Cup, nor Ercole's sad little catfish-like mustache, so these details are mystifying as much as they are entertaining, given the panache he tells them with. But nevertheless, he presses on, collapsing into the pile of pillows beside Isabela again, though keeping his cardigan draped over his shoulders like Ercole used to wear his — and, uncouthly, resting a bare foot up on the coffee table with his leg stretched out, the way Ercole also might've... He's invested, as an actor, clearly. ]

But he's a huge snob, and he definitely thinks he's better than everyone else in town. But he's really just a jerk. And I bet he's terrible at Christmas-ing, too. He wasn't even good at summer-ing. He wore a wool sweater in the middle of summer, and he didn't even really wear it, I mean— come on.

[ He plucks at the sleeve of the cardigan draped over his shoulders, rather exasperatedly. Even from an era that was at the height of this fashion trend, it's beyond Alberto's sensibilities. He can let Ercole have this little piece of poshness... It's lost on him. ]

What?!? He hates blue ribbons for no good reason other than you guys beating him in a race? That is pretty childish of him to react the way that he did. Still he probably deserves losing to you and your friends in the race.

(Seriously if she had been in Alberto’s world when the race happened, she could have silenced Ercole with her vines and possibly dangle him up on a tree so he wouldn’t try to attack Alberto and his friends, including Luca. Logic has definitely been thrown out the window in situations like this)

Yeesh! Nobody should be wearing sweaters in the heat of summer ever. I mean, who in the right mind wants to be all sweaty dressed for the winter during the summer? That is not only stupid of him but also very crazy of him to try defying the seasons too.

[With the mail, Alberto will be getting a letter that appears to be from Luca. When he opens it, he'll find a Valentine's card with a blue vespa on it and a note inside that reads:

Alberto,

You're my best friend in the whole wide world, and the way I feel when I'm with you is more amazing than I've ever felt ever. When we hold hands or hug or even just hang out I feel all tingly and happy and want to be around you always. I don't know how to describe how I feel, but with the theme of the holiday I figured this would be a good time to say it.

Will you be my valentine?

Luca

[That sure is one way to describe velcro. Effective. Because Katsuki does know what he's talking about from that display.

He also proves as good a student as he is a teacher, giving Alberto his full and undivided attention.]

Yeah, velcro and fur sounds like a nightmare. If you say the snaps work best, I'll go with that.

[ Alberto nods decisively, already making a mental list of sewing supplies they can part with to share with Katsuki. He splays the hole in the seat of the pants open again with one hand, holding it open and pointing along with his free fingers as he talks. ]

All right. So basically this is what we're gonna do: We're gonna cut open the threads here, then we're gonna sew the snappies on this little ribbon, and then sew that ribbon on the seam we made. So the stitches from the snaps are, one, hidden, so it's extra secret and no once notices, and two, so the backs of the snaps don't pinch you in the butt when you're sitting down. That part's prooobably more important with fur on your butt.

[ Seems like Alberto's perfected this. He certainly wasn't so advanced with it back home, and really didn't take such extra care until recently, after starting school. He used to just sew the fasteners directly onto the denim and dealt with it; he spent most of his time on his feet until the autumn. But, like anything else with his endeavors living in the human world, over time he's slowly gained more polish. The tempered way he's holding himself today, plus the (for once) credible authority with which he speaks about this little tutorial, it's good proof of Alberto's progress and competence. It's spotty and hodgepodge, but all the same, he's making it work, clearly. ]

[ Come Valentine's Day, after school Alberto produces his own intentional Valentine's Day gift and card. He'd already pumped ~~himself~~ Luca up about it on the way home, always eager to celebrate human holidays and curious about all the different traditions. He doesn't always hit the mark, exactly — in fact, he's... always had some wires crossed, no matter the holiday — but apart from his very vague and hazy comprehension of romance as a concept, he basically gets the gist of this holiday, he thinks. Celebrate love. All the people you love. And eat chocolates and candy — he's about that part, for sure. Plus he's gotten a kick out of how... punny... this holiday seems to be, compared to others?

He found a pack of children's Valentine's cards to hand out amongst his friends, as he'd heard is tradition, and got a big kick out of the card he picked for Luca. To boot, he also got him some freeze-dried ice cream as a sweet treat to go with it. He's keen to hand it off to Luca once they're home, not even bothering to put his book bag down before grabbing the gift from where he'd stashed it within some pile of «??? misc items» in the kitchen. The card attached reads:

卄ᗩ! Too pɘrfect, Right?
But really, you do.
You’re my favorite person and my best friend ever FOR EVƎR
AND! The Smartest Nicest Bravɘst Funniest Coolest CRAZIEST* guy I know
*(within reason)
Ahah
ㄒi ꪜටᎶLiට ᗷƎꪀE ᗰiට ᑕᗩᖇට
Happy Valentine Day!

Letting Luca read and examine his gift, Alberto goes about making their afternoon espresso. As it starts to brew, he picks up the mail they'd brought in, and leans against the kitchen counter lazily as he starts sorting through it. Some notices from the school about Alberto's poor behavior, all addressed to Bruno Madrigal, ignoring those, ahem... In the stack of envelopes, he finds a small one addressed to Luca, and idly hands that off, too — not paying attention to the fact that it's written in his own handwriting... Inside, Luca will find a second Valentine's card from Alberto — but this one, Alberto has no recollection of ever writing. It still sounds very much like him, but... far more open and intimate than usual:

I’m happiest when I’m with you.
Sɘɘing you smile makes mɘ smile.
Doing anything with you makes Ǝverything ɘxciting.
just Being around you is exciting (AND WE LIVE TOGETHER! Ha!)
Holding hands, Hugging, any time we touch...
Ǝvɘn just sleeping together and waking up togɘther. I Feel so Lucky everyday.
Plus You smɘll Amazing.
I like Everything about our Lifɘ Together, even when it’s hard. Happy, Scary, sad, Mad, Busy, boring, Calm, Crazy… Being with you makes it all worth it.
i Never want Us to be AparT again, But I know we’ll Never REALLY be apart. Just Like Before.
ㄒ'ᗩᗰට ᒪᑌᑕᗩ

ᗩㄥᗷƎᖇｲට

Alberto doesn't pay it any mind that Luca got another Valentine's card, he assumes — it's about the same size as the ones he'd given himself, after all. He just assumes it's from a friend of theirs; Alberto sent out cards to his own friends, too, as per tradition (as he understands it)... So when he finds his own card in the stack of mail, he recognizes Luca's handwriting right away, but while he thinks it's kind of funny and clever that Luca apparently hid it in the mail, it doesn't strike him as odd at all. ...Until he reads it.

He stays leaning against the kitchen counter as he rereads it two, three times over. He doesn't say anything at first, though he glances up at Luca a few times. He feels that tingly feeling Luca writes about, almost overwhelmingly, his heart beating much faster all of a sudden. He can agree with everything Luca wrote, and while it's nothing he'd deny, would absolutely readily admit, he'd just... never really thought to. This is their normal. But something feels— different, somehow, now that Luca has apparently said it outright. After his deliberative pause, Alberto just as uncharacteristically asks for clarification, tone tentative... ]

...Luca. What do you mean, "Will you be my Valentine?" Are we supposed to ask each other's permission?

[ ...just... clarification about the wrong part... ]

Edited 2023-02-24 15:19 (UTC)

[Luca, of course, absolutely loves the card from Alberto and thinks it's absolutely perfect. Naturally, he loves the 'astronaut ice cream' as well. As he reads the note inside he smiles, feeling giddy thinking about the idea that he's Alberto's favorite person even if he already kind of knew that. He then hurries off to grab a Valentine's card he has for Alberto from his room. It's not much, but it has a simple note inside.

Alberto,

I just want you to know how happy I am to be able to spend all my time with you! I'm always happiest when we're together.

-Luca

He heads back when Alberto hands him an envelope.]

Oh, thanks. And I liked the card from you! It really was perfect.

[He then momentarily forgets to hand Alberto the card when he notices that the one he was just handed is addressed to him in Alberto's handwriting. He's a little surprised, but not too surprised. It's just like Alberto to want to do something extra, especially when it comes to Luca. Then he reads it. His heart races and he can't stop grinning as he processes the words, and part of him wants to run around like crazy or dance or something, because he feels the exact same way and it makes him so happy to know that Alberto does, too. Then he suddenly remembers, he still needs to give Alberto his--

Wait, what does Alberto mean about the 'will you be my Valentine'? Luca never said that, and confusion shows clearly on his face.]

What are you talking about? I didn't say that. Oh, and here! I got you this!

[He then, finally, hands Alberto the card.]

I am not sure what a bus is or how to find a magical map that would help me get around.

[Pepa has not discovered the glory of google maps. She mostly uses her phone to text. Which she finds delightful. But most of the colorful buttons on her phone's screen have gone uninvestigated as of yet. A mystery to be solved by Alberto at some point, surely.]

You can do something like that? Ay... buying something for one price and selling it for more... to think such a thing is possible. The people of this world are very strange. But I suppose the value is up to the buyer...

I'll show you later, don't worry! We can take the bus home, heh.

[ Alberto seems inordinately proud of his reselling scheme, puffing his chest out with a smarmy grin when she says the value is up to the buyer. ]

Yeah, it is! I think it's because the people selling a lot of this stuff are selling it for too cheap, because they just wanna get rid of it. Like at estate sales. Those are the best. Dead people have the best stuff.

[ ...Does Bruno need to have a talk with his boy, or is this harmless fun...? ]

[ The confusion shows on Alberto's face, too, and he gingerly accepts the card, eyeing Luca oddly... ]

Thank— you...?

[ Luca got him two things? That in itself is extra sweet, quite touches Alberto, even if all Luca said was "cheers" or something. But Luca's said more — though less than the first card he'd sneakily sent in the mail. Alberto reads over it quickly, smirking wide. He gives Luca a little knowing nod, waving the card at him teasingly. ]

Heh. Cute. Right back atcha, Luca. Sorry I only got you one card. But I both of yours! Although I think I like your other card a little better, ha.

[ Ouch. But honest. Not that he doesn't like this one, of course, but— that first one just made him really happy... ]

What do you mean? I only got you the one card...but I did get two cards from you...

[He holds up the two cards to demonstrate.]

[ Alberto eyes Luca suspiciously, feeling a cold rush wash away that warm fuzzy feeling suddenly. He looks from Luca, to the cards Luca's holding out, to the cards in Alberto's hands, and back to Luca, and then again, his face the image of confusion and worry and— a hint of resentment. This was all so sweet and happy, then it just had to turn spooky and weird... Of course it did...

Abruptly, he pushes himself off the counter with some aggravated animation, stepping forward to snatch the cards from Luca's hands. However, he does replace them right away with his own cards, exchanging for inspection. Alberto sits on top of the kitchen table, swinging his legs (a bit nervously), as he reads over the other card Luca received, signed "Alberto" indeed. At a couple points, he glances over at Luca, face flushing slightly with— is it embarrassment? Not quite. It's a new feeling, somehow, surreal and transparent at once...? He feels very seen. He has no idea where this card came from, but it certainly spoke his mind for him... which is mildly scary and alarming, uh? Because all of that is true.

But he's never talked about those feelings to anyone — acknowledged them to himself, yes, sure, but never told anyone... Why would he tell anyone how great Luca smells?! So he knows it's not some forgery or any social ill will afoot. It's just... more random, confusing magic crap... He shouldn't be rattled by stuff like this by this point, he thinks, but though they really do roll with the punches well generally, this bothers Alberto. This is very personal. His face sours a little bit, turning to Luca and waving the more intimate card in the air. ]

I didn't write this.

Dead people?? Dead people are selling you things??

[Look. She had to ask. There were skeletons in the land of the forgotten and she had to fight one a little to protect her niece. She would not be surprised if dead people rising back up to sell things are just a thing in the city for some reason...]

No, no, no, signora. The dead people's families sell all the dead people's stuff at their old house. I've found some of my best stuff like that! You should go to one someday, signora, it's fun~

[ ...Alberto... Completely impervious to how morbid his nonchalance over this is. ]

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Belated Valentine's card plot!

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