[Text; UN: DemonsandSugar]

[cultivatingsin]

What's the worst thing that has ever happened to you?

[Please, go into detail. Hearing about the misery of others is a bonding experience for him.]

How did you handle it? Did you get revenge? Could you get revenge?

Comments

[cultivatingsin]

And you will be, but you gotta give it time. It doesn't happen overnight.

He could be a good teacher.

[prontissimo]

[ His mind goes to Massimo immediately; he misses his last "teacher" on how to be a good man. Not because he needed Massimo's help — which he knows he did, and still would, were the fisherman here — but because he respected him. The thought, the invitation of those fond memories, softens his reaction to Xue Yang's suggestion a bit. ]

fine
how do i reach him

[cultivatingsin]

You can reach him here.

[He's impressed with himself, okay. Magic has always excited him and this stuff is useful.

Also Xiao Xingchen is someone who should be respected. He's everything Xue Yang isn't.]

[prontissimo]

ok

[ There's a delay before his next response... a deliberative silence, before deciding, indeed, to hit this guy up. What's the worst that can happen, right? No one taught Alberto stranger danger, clearly... But he does at least know well enough to be kind to Xue Yang for trying to help. He's maybe not polite, exactly — but sincere. ]

hey
thanks

[cultivatingsin]

No problem! We'll see each other plenty if you get friendly with the daozhang. He's keeping an eye on me.

[For many, many reasons.]

[prontissimo]

really
why?
arent you a grown up??

[cultivatingsin]

And a criminal.

[prontissimo]

oh

[ There's a slight delay, but another text follows after a couple beats. ]

why

[cultivatingsin]

The world treated me like a dog, so I bit back!

[prontissimo]

[ Oh, god, Xue Yang, don't put it like that... Alberto is already walking a thin legal line in society... ]

ah.

and your uh
what is he called again?? the dao guy
hes helping you not be a criminal anymore?

[cultivatingsin]

[He might be an awful influence. No, he absolutely is. This is why Xiao Xingchen exists.]

He caught me and he is the reason I was put in prison. Can you believe that?

[prontissimo]

but i thoguht he was your friend

[cultivatingsin]

We're a work in progress!

[prontissimo]

ha!

[ He likes that response more than he can say... ]

yknow
i had a guy kinda like that back home
my boss
Massimo
i worked in his pescheria and he put me up in his house and taught me all kinds of stuff
made sure i wasnt getting into trouble......
well
or at least TRIED TO ha!!
i wasnt really the best employee but... whenever i messed up
we fixed it.

[cultivatingsin]

The kind of trouble I got into couldn't be fixed. But I've been pretty good here. I think he's beginning to like me~

[ALSO.]

What's a pescheria?

[prontissimo]

we were fishermen
he sold fish
id help him fish and then deliver the fish on a bike to everyone in town

i didnt think he liked me either cuz he never talked…… like EVER
and then i uh
burned his boat… i ran away cuz i thought for sure i was fired and hed hate me for ruining his business
but he stopped me
and we fixed the boat together
and he started talking finally
told me stories about his life
it was nice…

[ This is the first time Alberto’s told anyone here about his father — and while it’s not the first time he’s told someone about Massimo, Xue Yang is now the only person to get the full picture about their dynamic, the gravity of the contrast between the two men in Alberto’s life. And while he wouldn’t normally be so brave to be so frank about it, were he not under anonymous, too prideful, too much to prove… being honest and open talking about his life in Portorosso, without boasting, is also nice, in itself. More relieving than he’d expected it’d feel. ]

[cultivatingsin]

Sounds yummy!

Did you really burn his boat? How did you manage that? Was it an accident?

[He is SUSPICIOUS. But also. This is obviously just a kid he is communicating with and kids make silly rash decisions.]

I'm glad he didn't hate you. It must've been a relief when he forgave you, huh?

[Yes, he does miss those innocent days when he might have been forgiven. Somehow. Now? All he can do is laugh. That's usually how he expresses his pain; laughter is just...nicer, isn't it?]

cw: Ciao Alberto spoilers (but nothing that'll ruin it once it's officially released, promise)

[prontissimo]

what OF COURSE it was an accident!
why would i burn Massimo's boat on purpose?!

i knew i was messing up a lot
people were complaining about my deliveries
i exploded a can of tomato sauce all over the kitchen... and Massimo... and his cat...
im just... not good at a lot of stuff.... ha.

[ Would definitely never say this were he not under anonymous, oh man. Though... frankly his identity is probably already gonna be pretty clear, especially once he meets Xiao Xingcheng. ]

anyway
i wanted to make up for it and impress him
im a GREAT fisherman like the best in the world except for Massimo ha
so one night i took the boat out alone so i could make a huge catch and surprise him
but... the lantern fell over... and the fire started leaking......
i managed to get the boat to shore
but when Massimo saw it burning... he didnt say ANYTHING.

thats when i packedup and left.
but he stopped me.
and we talked.
then we fixed it.

[ This got far more emotional than Alberto intended, even though it's just straight details. There's obviously so much more meaning behind the bare facts, unspoken but surely crystal clear. One short story can speak volumes; he learned that from Massimo that night, too. ]