[ Alberto listens to Luz with a hard look fixed on the water. Her final point strikes a nerve, and he inhales sharply, swallowing the lump threatening to form in his throat. Luz is up against a tough cookie, unfortunately, and it's hard to convince him to agree to his own vulnerability, as old habits are hard to break when push comes to shove. It's been a while since Alberto's had reason to lean on old coping mechanisms, but he goes back to the familiar: pretending everything's fine or else steeling himself to weather the storm alone. But Luz is exactly on the mark on her final note; Alberto knows that, of all people, Bruno would discourage him from pretending everything's fine and weathering the storm alone... Realizing that brings a tight feeling to his chest, clenching his jaw as he wills himself to keep composure. He sniffles, as if clearing his head of these emotions, and keeps his eyes on the water; he doesn't manage a real response, but does clarify something important, at least, his voice thick and tempered. ]

...Don't worry, Luca already knows. We found out on Thursday. Luisa told me. He's been gone five days.

[ Being that today is only Sunday, it's not too much time to count; but even if he doesn't intend to keep it up this time, it's still his first inclination to keep track of time like that... a coping mechanism that hurts more than pretending everything's fine. He didn't want to ever count even five days again. It makes him bitter to hear himself say it aloud. So he shoehorns in a lighter note, following it with an abruptly mundane change in topic. ]

The rats are probably still here, though. I need to ask. My phone's broken. Oh, by the way— My phone's broken. So if you need to reach me, go through Luca, okay? I'll let you know when I get a new one.

[ At least he's shaken off those pesky feelings tugging his voice... Kid's got bigger problems showing vulnerability than Luz probably realized — though it's no surprise, either... ]