#camilo madrigal one shot

[magicalmadrigals]

Something New, Something True - 3

Synopsis: Newly married and newly pregnant? Ay, life is never simple for Isabela Madrigal...

Turning his head to bury a kiss in his hija’s hair, Agustín smiled when she mumbled something incoherent in her sleep and nestled deeper into his embrace. It was rare she let him hold her like this, rare she fell asleep on him, but she was going through so many changes and she was so worn out at the minute that it surprised him little and he certainly wasn’t going to complain. She and her hermanitas were all so grown up now, even Mira was only a matter of months away from turning twenty which he tried not to think too much about, and none of them were all that eager for his company nowadays and so when they wanted him it pleased him to no end.

He pulled the blanket his daughter brought with her a little tighter around her, not wanting to her to get cold, and when he looked her way again he sighed. It was still hard for him to get his head around the fact she was going to be a mamí before the year was out. In his mind, she was still his little girl and even though he was so impatient to be an abuelo and watch her blossom as a mother he also hated that time had gone so fast. He felt he took for granted her younger years, that he didn’t spend as much time with her as he probably should have done since he was so ocupado and Luisa came along not long after her, and it was something that he regretted.

He remembered everything about the night she was born as though the events only took place mere days ago. Juli was in slow labour for almost three days with her, unable to sleep or think about anything other than the pain she was in, and seeing her like that and being unable to do anything for her was absolute torture for him. It only got harder for him to remain calm as her labour went on and he heard her start crying out, but luckily he had Bruno and Félix there with him and they both managed to keep him from punching a hole in the wall. He doubted doing so would have scored him many points with his mother in law, so he was thankful to them.

It must have been the early hours of the morning when the doctor came to him and told him that it was over. He could remember running from the room the second he heard the baby was born and going upstairs, almost slamming into Alma somewhere along the way, and his whole life changed when he crept inside the bedroom. Julieta had to tell him to go and join her on the bed, he spent so long standing near the door because he was truly unsure as to what he was meant to do in that situation, and the moment he sat down he saw their lovely little girl’s face. He cried unashamedly then, both from relief and sheer happiness, and he still didn’t care at all.

He thought he knew what love was when he met and then later married his wife, but the love he had for their daughter was like something he had never experienced before in his life. It was so intense it left him unable to form a coherent sentence and he made Juli laugh with his stammering. It was when she let him hold her in his arms that he truly fell in love with her, her warm weight and tiny hands and gentle little squeaks, and he made a promise to her then and there that he would always love and keep her safe. Of course, she had no idea what on earth he was going on about back then and she still had no idea he made that promise, but he honoured it.

He honoured that promise to her the same way he honoured it to her hermanitas.

He adored the three of them, that was all there was to it, and he would spend his entire life doing so.

Her moving in his arms with a soft murmur of discontentment pulled him from his thoughts after a while and he looked her way again, smiling at seeing her looking up at him from where her head rested on his shoulder. “Ay, I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” She chuckled, her voice still rough with sleep as she brushed her hair out of her eyes and sat up a little. “Lo siento, Papí, I haven’t been getting much sleep at night and so I’m tired a lot.”

He shook his head. “Don’t be sorry, mi princesa, your mamá was the same when she was pregnant.”

“How can something so tiny be giving me so much trouble already?” She smoothed a hand across her belly.

“Being a papá has taught me it’s sometimes the smallest things that cause the most trouble.” He smirked.

“Perdóneme, I was a delight when I was little.” She feigned hurt.

He laughed at that. “For me, you were always un ángel but you and Lolita liked to scare your mamás to death sometimes. I remember once, the two of you decided to play hide and seek without telling them and they both spent hours looking for you. You were only about three or four at the time, so you were still inside the house, but you were both so small back then that you managed to squeeze into the tiniest space and they couldn’t see you. You gave up hiding in the end and I remember you being so contenta that you won, but your mamá and tía were so upset with you both that neither of you got any galletas that night. You never did it again though.”

“You could have snuck me a galleta,” She pouted. “You always used to do it and still do!”

“Ah, but that would have gotten me into trouble with your mamá too and I wasn’t going to do that.” He said.

She snorted. “Don’t tell me she scares you.”

“I love her, I really do, but you have never seen your mamá get so upset with someone that she starts speaking full español,” He shuddered. “I have only ever seen her do it twice, but that was genuinely more than enough.”

Shaking her head at him, she moved closer to him on the sofa and curled into his side as her head fell against his shoulder again. It made her smile when he placed a kiss on her forehead and she draped an arm across his stomach, curling a hand into his waistcoat. “I was brought up so well and I am so thankful to you and mamá for all you taught me and all you did,” She told him in a quiet voice, letting him put his arm back around her. “I know I was hard work while I was growing up and…and I know I gave you a hard time sometimes, but you were always so patient with me and I want to be like that with mi bebé. I want to be as good a parent as you.”

“Amor, you are going to be a brilliant mother,” He soothed. “And you are going to make us all so proud.”

“But how can you be so sure of that?” She tilted her head back on his shoulder and looked up at him again.

“Because you have never done anything but,” He smiled, stroking her cheek. “Never…”

#julieta madrigal #agustin madrigal #isabela madrigal #luisa madrigal #mirabel madrigal #pepa madrigal #felix madrigal #dolores madrigal #mariano guzman #camilo madrigal #antonio madrigal #bruno madrigal #abuela alma madrigal #alma madrigal #casita #la familia madrigal #the madrigal family #the madrigal triplets #madrigal family #encanto one shots #encanto fanfiction #encanto fanfic #Encanto thoughts #encanto one shot collection #one shot collection #encanto post movie #family fluff #domestic fluff #pregnancy #romance

[avatarvyakara]

For this month’s Encantober!

Encantubre: What It Means to Me

Uno: Caterpillar

Sometimes it feels like Alma has been waiting to become a butterfly all her life. But she can’t move, not really. She sometimes feels like she hasn’t been able to move for fifty years, not since the night when Pedro…not since The Night.

But lying in the darkness of her old house within the new, she remembers what it was like to live, to thrive. She can replay those dreams as often as she needs to, in the hope of teaching her own little ones the way.

This is her chrysalis. But it’s big enough to be their world, and she watches her children spread their eager wings in safety.

It doesn’t matter if she never leaves—not all butterflies make it, after all.

(In the end, the Song of Songs giving itself to her one more time, she wonders how she could have ignored the sunlight for so long.)

* * *

“Pepa, under no circumstances am I making empanadas out of bugs.”

* * *

They’re kind of squishy. Some of them are poisonous and sting you if you try to touch them. It tickles—feels like a little lightning.

And that’s really about the extent of her thought on the matter.

She is the storm incarnate. She is the sunshine, she is the whispering wind. She has enough trouble reminding herself not to be; it only hurts people when she goes too far. But the little critters hide in the woodwork, in the shadows of leaves, on the ground among the grasses. They, of all things, are safe.

And she’ll make sure they stay safe, but it’s for more selfish reasons than you might think.

As a bringer of chaos, as an influencer of micro-meteorology within a very small part of the rainforest—as something beautiful that is crushed all too easily by those who don’t really see that her power doesn’t stop her from being just her—Pepa feels a particular kinship with butterflies.

* * *

Bruno gets…other kinds of visions, sometimes.

Not just the sand. There are times when it feels like he’s just staring into space, and then a part of him will just click into place and suddenly he’ll know something he honestly shouldn’t. Something from the future, although sometimes the future is mere seconds away. Like parts of his brain are reorganizing themselves without his consent. Those are the hardest visions to explain, but oddly enough they’re among the least damaging to him.

He doesn’t bother with it too much. But he takes heed of his mamá’s stories, the songs she half-whispers, half-weeps to them as lullabies. There is a metamorphosis ever-ongoing, and with him it’s just taking a little longer than it should. He really does need a safe spot to change, though; he’s not as quick about it as his sisters have been.

Ten years behind the walls, and Bruno finally gets to romper a crisálida of his own.

* * *

“Um, hermanito, I really wouldn’t touch that if I were you—”

* * *

“Come on, Félix, it’s just a tiny little wormy thing! You should see the size of the bugs back in Bogotá. Besides, is it at all likely to be more dangerous than a bee Félix I can’t feel my fingers.”

* * *

“Ew, no! They eat my plants! And they look like bird droppings! What are they doing here?”

Quite unconsciously, Isabela spends the next seventeen years trying to banish the look her abuela gives her from her mind. Some days, she almost feels like she’s succeeded.

* * *

“Lola? What’s the problem?”

Whimpering, Dolores whispers as loudly as she dares in her papá’s ear.

“Huh. Really?”

“They’ve got so many little feet and they don’t stop moving and they don’t stop eating—”

Papi cuddles her tight.

“Ah, lo sé, conchita. But it’s only so they can grow big and strong, and learn to fly away to where they’re needed.”

“Would it kill them to do it more quietly?” asks Dolores, and she’s not entirely sure why her father bursts out into silent giggles but the rumble is as comforting as Mami’s thunder. (Well, as comforting as it usually is. Which is a lot, surprisingly.)

* * *

“Is this absolutely necessary?” queries Padre Flores, who did just happen to be passing by.

“Yes,” says Dolores in equally absolute seriousness.

Luisa, genuine eagerness her face, holds the two up in her hands—and anyone who saw the seven-year-old pick up a bridge five minutes ago might have been surprised that she could carry two tiny bugs between finger and thumb and keep them whole—and tries hard not to look expectant. (Luisa Does Not Expect Things Of People.)

Padre Flores sighs.

“Oh, alright. Only for you, Luisa.”

She beams.

“Dearly beloved…”

* * *

“Isabela said I could use them however I wanted, so let’s make empanadas!”

“Camilo, mi nieto precioso, I am not making empanadas out of bugs.”

* * *

It’s odd, seeing the memories like this, wrapped in chrysalis mist. But it’s also oddly enlightening.

For Mirabel, her grandmother has always been a rock. She keeps—kept—the encanto together, she didn’t budge or change. It never occurred to her that it was because her abuela really couldn’t change, or felt she couldn’t. Until now. Now, with the crisálida impenetrable rota, standing by a river that washed away bodies but made memories sink into the ground.

And suddenly there’s a lightness in the air. Abuela loves her. Abuela is human. They’re all human, and they’re together, and they’re alive.

All this time, she’s been munching away on leaves in a secret garden, never quite realizing how much more there was to the world. And now, seeing the place she called her home from the outside in more ways than one…

There’s so much more to learn. So much to do.

And they can do it. All of them.

Together.

Doce oruguitas.

* * *

“Her name is Babilonia and you’re not allowed to eat her!”

#fanfic #encanto #encanto fanfic #encanto 2021 #tiles on the roof #one shot collection #alma madrigal #julieta madrigal #pepa madrigal #bruno madrigal #felix madrigal #agustin madrigal #isabela madrigal #dolores madrigal #luisa madrigal #camilo madrigal #mirabel madrigal #antonio madrigal #encantober #encantubre

[justanisabelakinnie]

October 17

(Aka my birthday fanfic for Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno. If you’re thinking it’s out late, that’s because it is. But I ended up deleting a large chunk of it and having to rewrite most of it from scratch and memory, so I hope you will forgive me. I still couldn’t bring myself to abandon this story because the triplets deserve their birthday fic the same way the primas-hermanas do and so I had to give it to them. I hope you all enjoy nevertheless!)

Isabela peeked around the corner. “Is the coast clear, Dolores?” 

Dolores chirped then gave a thumbs up to her prima-hermana. “The coast is clear as a whistle.” She squeaked. 

Isabela grinned. “Great! Now’s my chance!” She ran to the kitchen, she knew it was now or never, if only she hadn’t procrastinated. But someone stopped her. 

Before Dolores could tell Isabela to abort mission and turn the other way, before she could even call “code yellow”, she was too late. Because Pepa was there in the kitchen. 

“Oh, hello, mi amor!” Pepa chirped with glee as she bent down into the cupboard, Isabela praying that she would never open the one with the surprise in it. “Just getting some desserts to take to Bruno’s room. We decided to have a triplet sleepover reunion, you know how it is.” 

Isabela gave a stilted nod in response, not wanting to ignore her tia but not wanting to answer and occasionally give away the secret either. 

Pepa tilted her head to the side. “Is everything all right, Isabela?” 

Isabela nodded once more. Pepa continued to look at her confusedly. 

“Yup. Totally. I’m fine,” she responded, making sure that Pepa knew she could speak, unlike her girlfriend Monika. 

“Okay, that is great, mi sobrina.” Isabela almost had a heart attack as Pepa opened the cabinet right next to the pantry was in and took out two muffins. “I’ll disappear and get out of your way for the night. Love ya!” 

“Love ya too, Tia Pepa.” Isabela waved as Pepa walked off. She looked up to the upper floor on the other side, where Dolores gave her a thumbs up. 

She had to hurry quick and get to work, carefully opening the pantry, Isabela took out the birthday cake and placed it gently on the kitchen counter. Then she used her vines to open the refrigerator and take out the yellow, green, and blue icing. 

Placing them next to the cakes, she picked up one at a time and used each of them to write “¡Feliz cumpleaños, Pepa, Bruno, y Julieta!” Pepa was written in yellow. Bruno was written in green. And Julieta was written in blue. 

When she was done, Isabela wiped her brow. Phew. And she didn’t get caught. 

But then she noticed that she had squeezed the blue icing a little too hard, and now there was an ugly blue smudge next to Julieta’s name. Isabela winced. What was she going to do? 

“Isabela? ¿Mija?” 

Uh oh. Isabela panicked, scrambling to hide the icing and cake behind her back as she stood awkwardly in a manner that blocked it. 

“What’s the matter, mi vida?” Julieta was standing there, looking confusedly at Isabela with an eyebrow raised. 

Isabela shrugged. 

“Nothing? You don’t know?” 

Isabela shrugged again. 

Julieta smiled. “You sure that’s not a birthday cake behind you?” 

Isabela was sweating bullets at this point as she rapidly shook her head. 

“Oh,” Julieta said, somewhat let down. “Well, that’s a disappointment, because I was so excited to try it. I guess mi familia doesn’t care about me after all.” She lowered her head sadly. 

Isabela felt very ashamed and disappointed to see her mother in such a state of sadness. But she knew she had to keep it a secret. The rest of her sisters and cousins were counting on her. 

Isabela sighed. “Look Mami, I’m sorry. But you don’t want your birthday surprise to be spoiled, do you? Just trust me and let me plan a birthday for you and the triplets that you’ll never forget. Please?” 

Julieta smiled. “I understand, mi vida. Mind if I give you a hug? I promise I’ll keep my eyes shut so I don’t take a peek!” 

“You promise?” Isabela asked suspiciously. 

“I promise.” Julieta’s smile seemed to be sincere. 

“Oh, Okay!” Isabela extended her arms. “Get in here!” 

Julieta walked over to her daughter with similarly outstretched arms, and hugged Isabela warmly, her eyes being closed, as promised. The hug lasted for about a few seconds, however, before she was abruptly shoved aside as Julieta’s big, greedy eyes took in the birthday cake. 

“Aha!” She cackled. 

Isabela watched in astonishment, gaping. “Mami!” She roared. “You promised!” 

“I promised myself that I would have some of this delicious cake!” Julieta sneered at her daughter, taking off some of the icing with her finger and sticking it in her mouth. “Mmm! Green and sweet!�� She bent down into the cupboard to get a knife, fork, and plate. “An early birthday present for moi,” she was saying as she giggled, shoulders heaving, and started to cut the cake. “It’s what I deserve for being the best mother the world has ever known—“ 

“CAMILO!” Isabela screeched. “What are you doing?” 

Julieta sighed, then shapeshifted back into her nephew. “So you finally figured out it was me, huh?” He grinned. “Gotta say, I’m pretty disappointed in you Isabela. You need to be more perceptive and better at keeping secrets.” 

“You need to be better at not snooping!” Isabela roared. “This is exactly why we didn’t invite you to be part of the plan!” 

“Well, you did a bad job of trying to hide it from me!” Camilo mocked, sticking out his tongue. “And anyway, I think I deserve a slice for being so unbelievably smart and funny and sneaky and handsome—“ 

“Do NOT DARE take a slice!” Isabela hissed, vines erupting out of the ground and tightening themselves around Camilo’s wrists, cuffing them together. He winced at the pain. “Or you will feel my wrath.” 

“I’m not scared of you,” Camilo lied. 

“Get out.” The vines pulled Camilo out the door, forcing his feet to skitter towards the exit. 

“Woah!” Camilo squeaked, as he made it past Isabela, who couldn’t help but notice that some of the icing had somehow spontaneously ended up on his face. 

“And clean off your nose before you look suspicious,” Isabela ordered. 

“Will do, big prima.” Then, with a grin, he shot forward, touching noses with Isabela’s, until her face had green icing and crumbs on it too. 

“Urrrrrrggghhh!” She growled, wiping it off. But Camilo soon left the room. 

Gazing sadly at the messed up cake, Isabela sighed as she continued trying to fix it before putting it back in the pantry. 

💙💛💚

“So we’ve got the gifts,” Mirabel said while in her new room with Luisa. “And we’ve got the presents and ribbons too. All that’s left is to sign the card, which Antonio has. And then we’ll be good to go.” 

“All right!” Luisa was very pleased. “We should start wrapping then!” 

The two sisters started wrapping. Bruno’s wrapping was green with brown hourglass patterns on it. Julieta’s was blue with cupcakes on it. And Pepa’s was a yellowish-orange with teddy bears on it. 

Wait— 

“Umm, Luisa…” Mirabel paused skeptically, then gasped. “Luisa!” 

Luisa looked up. “What?” She asked confused. 

“That’s the wrong wrap for Tía Pepa! Don’t you see?” 

Luisa gave Mirabel a blank expression, then turned her head down. She gasped as well. “Uh oh. Mirabel, you’re right. This is Antonio’s gift wrap!” 

“We have to go to his room and find the right one. But we’ve gotta hurry and be discreet!” She rose to her feet. “Or—“ 

But Mirabel was cut off by a rhythmic knock on the door. 

Knock knock knock-knock knock. 

Mirabel and Luisa exchanged a fearful, worried glance. That knock was code for “we have an emergency.” And not the good kind of emergency. 

They raced towards the door, Mirabel opening it. And Dolores stood there with a worried expression. 

“Code orange.” Dolores said. The granddaughters and Antonio had a unique code for every form of emergency and to let the others know who was in their vicinity. Code yellow was for Pepa. Code blue was for Julieta. Code green was for Bruno. Code orange was for Camilo. 

“Excuse me?” Mirabel gawked. 

“We have a code orange,” Dolores repeated. “The chameleon is onto our plan. He ruined the cake for Isabela. And he’s trying to ruin or plan for the triplets! We’ve gotta stop him.” 

“We do!” Luisa whispered, agreeing. “But how?” 

“And we’ve got another problem on our hands!” Mirabel took the wrapping paper from Luisa’s hands and showed it to Dolores. “We need the correct wrapping paper for Pepa! Otherwise we’re in for a birthday disaster!” 

“The we’d better get from your room—“ Dolores turned and pointed ahead to Antonio’s room. “To across there to Antonio’s room fast. Without the chameleon being hot on our trail.” 

“Then let’s go, now!” Mirabel hurried over to Antonio’s room, and Dolores and Luisa followed. 

But on the way there, they saw the very last person they wanted to see. 

Camilo opened the door to his bed room and yawned. Blocking their way to Antonio’s room. “And just what do you girls think you’re doing?” 

The granddaughters gulped. This was not good news. 

“Camilo, it is frankly none of your business,” Dolores spoke up first. “Just let us pass and we can—“ 

“Oh, I don’t think so, my sweet sister!” Camilo cut off with a creepy giggle. “The three of you are up to something, and I am going to figure out what it is.” 

“Cami—“ 

“Oh wait!” Camilo interrupted Luisa. “I already know what it is! You three are trying to plan a birthday surprise for Tia Julieta, Mami, and Tío Bruno. And apparently Antonio is in on your little plan. Well, rest assured that you won’t get away with it that easily. Once the triplets find out about what you’re trying to do, the birthday surprise will be ruined! And you’ll all have made fools of yourselves! Isn’t that right?” 

“Why are you even trying to do this?” Mirabel demanded. “Why can’t we plan something for the triplets? What is your problem? What does it cost you?” 

“Why am I trying to do this, mi querida primita? Because I can, that’s why! Because it’s fun!” Camilo laughed. “Seriously, why else would I do it? Although maybe if you had included me in your plan we wouldn’t—no, you wouldn’t—be in this situation!” 

“This is literally why we didn’t include you, Cami!” Mirabel groaned, facepalming. Unfortunately, the hand she used to attempt a facepalm was the one behind her back, with Antonio’s wrapper in it. 

Oh no. 

“What’s that? Gift wrap?” Camilo reached to snatch it, but Mirabel quickly put it behind her back. 

Camilo circled the three of them like a hawk as the girls awkwardly rotated so that they were facing him. It got to the point where they had to hide the wrappers under the bottom of their dresses. 

Except for Luisa, as Camilo snatched Julieta’s birthday present wrapper from her hands. 

“Hey!” Luisa angrily growled. 

“Ha!” Camilo laughed out loud at the girls’ angry, disappointed faces. “It’s mine now! Sorry you don’t have anything to wrap your gifts in, what a disappointment! But it’s not like I care!” 

Dolores pushed Camilo aside and forced open Antonio’s door, not even bothering to knock like she always did. Mirabel and Luisa glared at Camilo as they followed their dear older prima. 

“Antonio, come quick!” Dolores said, not knowing where Antonio was in the jungle that was his room. 

But before she could step in, Antonio came out riding a Jaguar, with armadillos surrounding him and Parce. “I got the birthday card!” Then his smile disappeared as he noticed his older brother giving him a shit-eating grin. “Oh no.” Awkwardly, he was about to hid the gift behind his back, before Camilo snatched that from him too. “Camilo, no!” Antonio cried. 

“Camilo yes!” Camilo shot back. “Sorry not sorry, hombrecito, but this is my birthday card now!” Camilo couldn’t wait! It was a good thing the others hadn’t signed the card yet, aside from Antonio who had signed it in pencil because he was too little to use pen, because now he could put his name! All he had to do was erase Antonio’s and replace it with Camilo! Yes, this was all going perfectly as planned. 

“Well, I love you all, but I have a gift to go make. And I know it’ll be much better than all of your gifts combined. Later!” He ran away. 

Everyone blinked, unmoving for a second. 

“Oh no,” Mirabel lamented. “What are we gonna do?” 

Luckily, Antonio had the answer. Climbing back onto Parce’s back, he pointed at Camilo. 

“Charge!!!” 

Parce roared, and made a beeline(or a jaguar line, if you will) towards Camilo, the girls screaming angrily at Camilo as they joined him(Dolores covering her ears as she screamed along). 

“CAMILO! GIVE IT BACK!” Luisa roared. 

“Camilo, don’t you dare go into my room!” Mirabel commanded. She knew this boy like the back of her hand. The rest of the gifts were in there, wrapped and set to be presented to the triplets on their birthday. Camilo was probably going to use the wrapping paper to wrap his own gifts. If not pass off the girls’ gifts as his own. And with the birthday card, who would know otherwise? 

Being the second oldest and the most reasonable, Dolores instantly took to calling the shots. “Antonio! Try to sneak up on him!” She whispered in her youngest brother’s ear. Antonio sped off. Luisa was about to join him. 

But that’s when someone else got in their way. Abuela came out of her room and stopped the trio in their tracks. 

“Hello, mis nietas,” Alma folded her hands formally. “I’m so sorry to bother you now,  but I really need help trying to plan a birthday gift for mis hijos. Care to lend a hand?” 

Dolores, Luisa, and Mirabel blinked awkwardly, twiddling their thumbs as they looked past them to Camilo, Antonio, and Parce, begging internally for Alma to get out of their way so that they could finally stop Camilo from ruining the surprise for everyone! 

Isabela saw what was happening from below. Gasping in horror, she knew exactly what to do. 

Spontaneously sprouting figs from the floor underneath Camilo’s feet, she caused him to gasp in shock as he tripped, tumbling and trying his hardest not to fall, but that wasn’t enough as he got back on his feet. The figs rolled behind him and strategically around the granddaughters, Antonio, Parce, and Abuela, leaving them out of harm’s way. 

Alma looked down, raising her dress as she watched the figs roll. “What in God’s name—?” 

That’s when Isabela noticed Antonio slowly rising to his feet on the jaguar’s back, eyes dead-set on Camilo and ready to pounce like the animals he learned from. 

Isabela saw this as an opportunity. With quick thinking, she summoned a vine that attached itself to the ceiling. It was now or never. 

Dolores saw the vine, and instantly has the same thought as Isabela did. The primas-hermanas were like twins, and their mental link was out of this world, something that no one could match. 

“Antonio!” She called out over Abuela’s shoulder. “Swing!” 

Abuela blinked. Then looked behind her. 

Antonio didn’t need to be told twice! He grabbed hold of the vine and propelled himself, like Tarzan, over to the target. With a war cry, he landed himself on Camilo’s shoulders, forcing the older boy to give Antonio a piggy back ride. 

Camilo glared up at Antonio as Antonio tried to snatch the birthday card from his hands. 

“Stop this nonsense, Antonio!” Camilo growled. “Just let me have the card.” 

“Never!” Antonio protested. 

“Boys!” Alma stomped over to her grandsons. “Stop this madness at once.” 

“Please!” Camilo begged with tearful eyes, before his expression grew irate. “I am your older brother. You MUST do as I say!” 

“Not this time!” Antonio tried to lean over Camilo’s loose curls and grab the card. Suddenly a Venus Fly Trap gripped hold of Camilo’s left wrist. Once again, he cried out in pain as he knew who was responsible for this predicament. 

As he tried to wrestle himself free, a thick, low vine, almost easy to miss, grew at his feet, tripping him by the ankles as he toppled, Antonio hollering in fear. Not to worry though, as a pile of pink roses showed up to cushion him from the rough ground. 

Antonio continued to wrestle the card from Camilo’s hands, whining as he did so, Camilo holding the card in the air as he grinned down at his little brother. 

And that’s when Antonio started to cry. Loudly. So loudly that Dolores had to cover her ears. Luisa comforted her as they and Mirabel made their way over to the grandsons and Alma. 

Mirabel pointed angrily at Camilo, who was instantly apologetic of his actions, and glanced up at Alma in cowering fear, desperate to prove himself innocent. “You…” she uttered in a low, gravelly tone. “Will…pay.” 

“What on earth do you boys think you’re doing?” Alma glowered at the two from above. “Am I raising civilized young men? Or am I raising a zoo?” 

Mirabel walked past Abuela, and glared at Camilo. Somehow, that scared her older male cousin more than Abuela’s reprimanding did. Antonio got the hint and moved out of the way, even though he still didn’t have the birthday card. And Mirabel realized…Camilo was still holding it. 

“Camilo…GIVE ME THE CAAAAARD!” Mirabel leapt, pouncing at Camilo, as she took her turn in the ring with him, wrestling him for the card, Camilo squealing in pain and in protest. Alma merely rubbed her temple. 

“I am getting too old for this…” she murmured. “And I’m sure my Pedro would agree.” She turned on her heels and walked away. “Make sure you clean up this mess.” 

Between Antonio’s crying, Mirabel’s hollering angrily at Camilo, and Camilo’s moaning and groaning in pain as he tried to force Mirabel off of him while still keeping the card, it was all too much noise for Dolores to take. 

“SHUT UP AND GIVE HER THE CARD!” Dolores yelled. 

And she wasn’t the only one who couldn’t take it. 

The door to Bruno’s room opened. “Is everything all right out here…oh.” 

What Bruno saw was a complete and utter spectacle. Antonio crying at the top of his lungs like the toddler he was, Dolores’ ears being drowned in Antonio’s wails as she covered her ears, Luisa hugging her and patting her head, Mirabel trying to knock Camilo’s lights out as she tried to force something out of his hands, the two roughhousing in a pile of pink roses that could only be Isabela’s creation. And a Venus Fly Trap that snapped at Camilo threateningly. Bruno blinked, the others looking up at him in shock, Camilo smiling with glee. 

Mirabel snatched the card from him and stood up, making her way to stand beside Dolores and Luisa with her hands behind her back. 

“Wh—what is going on?” 

Camilo sprang up. “They were doing—“ 

“Rehearsal for a play.” 

Everyone turned to look at Isabela, who had swooped in on a vine from downstairs to stand next to Camilo. 

Camilo glared at Isabela. 

Bruno’s eyes lit up. “Ooh! A play! Que interesante, what kind of play?” 

“Well, it’s a really exciting story, filled with adventure, danger, and suspense,” Isabela explained. “Camilo is the villain, you see.” She ruffled Camilo’s hair, and he glowered. “A pretty but daft young fellow lacking in all manners of cleverness or good judgement. At least that’s what he lets people believe so as to get away with his acts of thievery.” 

“Woah!” Bruno exclaimed, clearly impressed. 

“He only steals from the rich, so as to make a fortune for himself. But he’s so sneaky and manipulative that he gets off the hook all the time. Or almost all the time.” 

“Seriously?” Camilo grumbled to her quietly. 

“Yes, seriously,” Isabela whispered back, using Camilo’s head as an armrest. 

“But Tío, you don’t understand,” Camilo proclaimed, desperate for the girls and Antonio to be caught in the act. “Do you know what Dolores, Mirabel, and Luisa were doing??? They were chasing me because—“ 

“Because they, along with me, are the heroines of the story,” Isabela cut off, flipping her long raven tresses. “Wealthy, cultured Spanish aristocrats by day, fearsome and brave fighters by night. Nobody would guess it from us elegant noblewomen, but the truth is we work as spies for the king and our job is to assassinate crooks and scoundrels. With Camilo being our current target.” 

“And I’m guessing Antonio’s the king?” Bruno looked down affectionately at his youngest nephew. 

“You’re right!” Isabela chirped, realizing that Bruno was making this all too easy. “We have to assassinate Camilo and bring him back to King Antonio, otherwise—“ 

“MY JAGUAR WILL EAT THEM!” Antonio roared. “Oops, sorry Dolores.” 

“Yeah.” Isabela was sweating glands. 

“Oh!” Bruno was not expecting that turn of events. “Well, hope you catch the criminal soon, if you don’t wanna be Parce’s dinner.” 

Isabela laughed, the granddaughters and Antonio giggling along. “Oh, don’t worry, we won’t. Because after all—“ 

“DOLORES ISABELA LUISA MIRABEL AND ANTONIO ARE PLANNING A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE FOR YOU MAMI AND TÍA JULIETA!!!” Camilo yelled at rapid fire speed, slapping Isabela’s arm away. 

That was when Pepa and Julieta came out. 

Mirabel groaned. “All our plans were for nothing,” she grumbled, crossing her arms and stomping her feet petulantly. 

“A birthday surprise?” Julieta said, eyes aglow. “You’d really do that for us?” She gasped. 

“So that’s why Isabela wanted to use the kitchen?” Pepa asked. “Will there be cake?” 

The grandkids—minus Camilo, who looked quite satisfied with himself—were silent and longing for death to take them as they shifted awkwardly and glanced at each other worriedly. Even Parce looked downcast as he let out a feline whimper. 

Then at last, Mirabel spoke up. 

“No, it’s nothing like that,” she confessed. “I mean, obviously there will be cake. Every birthday party has cake.” 

“Mira!” Dolores hissed. 

“Umm,” Mirabel stammered awkwardly. “Bht the real surprise is the…play…that Isabela and Antonio were just telling you about.” 

“I can’t wait!” Bruno cheered, clapping his hands. “Well, I don’t want it to be spoiled for me. I want to see how it ends, and if the spies will get eaten by the king’s mighty jaguar.” 

Parce licked his lips ferociously. 

“Well, let’s go back inside, mis hermanas,” Bruno said as he ushered his sisters gently back inside his room. “Give the grandkids time to practice.” 

“But they have to do it quietly!” Pepa said as she snowed. 

“Yes, that’s right, quietly, yhear?” 

“Yes, Tío Bruno,” they all said, even Camilo. 

“Great!” Bruno waved. “Can’t wait for the show, bye!” 

Then he locked the door behind him. 

“Phew,” Mirabel wiped an eyebrow as Isabela collapsed into a giant sunflower which she used as a chair. “That went well, don’t ya think?” 

“Yeah,” Dolores said. “Let’s get out of here.” She glared at Camilo. “And you,” she told him. “Don’t even think about following us.” 

Then she left, her arms on each of Luisa’s and Mirabel’s backs as they too walked away with her. 

“Guess you failed after all, Camilo,” Isabela said to Camilo’s downcast face, smirking as she did so. “Wait for us!” Isabela ran after her sisters, Antonio following on Parce. 

“Bye big brother!” Antonio said before Parce sped off. 

Camilo watched them leave silently, tears stinging at his eyes. 

Only Dolores heard him cry. But she couldn’t care less. 

💙💛💚

“I can’t believe that metiche tried to ruin our birthday surprise!” Mirabel snarled, pacing back and forth in Dolores’ room as she who owned the room, along with Luisa and Isabela, sat down on her bed, wrapping their gifts. Dolores was in the middle, with Isabela on her left and Luisa on her right. “Just who does he think he is? ‘Oh girls, don’t even think of doing anything good for the triplets! I’m gonna ruin it like I always do!’” She picked up the card which was on Dolores’ nightstand. “And it’s torn!” She huffed. “Can we even give them this?” 

“Of course!” Dolores said as she finished wrapping Pepa’s gift with the correct paper, which was yellow with thunderclouds shooting lightning on them. “There’s nothing a little tape won’t fix. I don’t think they’ll be upset at it not being perfect. That’s something our family needed to learn, after all.” 

Mirabel sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. But I’m just so mad at Camilo.” 

“So am I,” Isabela agreed, sharing Mirabel’s uncharacteristically grouchy expression. 

“Ay Ay Ay, when I find that little punk, I’m gonna—hrrrggh!” She made clenching motions with her hands. “He almost hurt Toñito too and he didn’t even care. What if Isabela hadn’t made the flowers?!” Mirabel bent down to Antonio’s side and cupped his face in her hands. “Ay, Toñito, are you all right?” 

“I’m fine,” Antonio said, rubbing his nose. 

Mirabel smiled. “Oh, I’m glad.” She wrapped Antonio in a hug. Antonio returned it. Isabela smiled at this. Though not as emotional, sometimes Mirabel could take after her Tia Pepa in alarming ways. 

“Thanks, Mira,” Antonio said. “And thanks for saving me, Isa.” 

“No problem,” the sisters chirped in unison. 

“Now, let’s sign the birthday card.” Mirabel opened the card and placed in on the nightstand. “Isabela, you get to sign first, since you’re the oldest.” 

“Okay,” Isabela said. She signed the card in delicate cursive. Dolores followed in her own cute handwriting, then Luisa in round, bubbly letters, then Mirabel, who didn’t forget the hearts over her i’s. 

The girls were astonished when they heard someone knock on the door. 

“I’ll go see who it is,” Dolores said, walking towards the door. 

But the moment she saw who it was, she slammed the door shut in his face. 

“What’s Camilo doing here?” Luisa demanded. “Hasn’t he caused enough trouble for us all?” 

The door knocked again. 

Dolores opened the door. “Look, stop trying to come in. We are not letting you in! You already tried to spoil the surprise for us. You really think we trust you?! Go away, Camilo!” 

“I just wanna talk,” Camilo uttered barely above a whisper, before a large cactus grew between them, forcing Camilo to take a large step back. 

Isabela stormed over to the door. “Excuse me, prima-hermana,” she said gently, Dolores stepping aside so that Camilo was forced to really feel Isabela’s wrath. “What part of GO AWAY do you not understand? Listen to your older sister and leave! Now!” 

“But—“ 

“I do NOT wanna see you and neither do the rest of us, you untrustworthy brat!” 

“Please!” Camilo begged. “I just wanna say that I’m sorry!” 

Isabela snorted. “Sorry for what?!” 

“Sorry for…everything. I just…I’m sorry.” 

Luisa and Mirabel approached just then, Mirabel carrying Antonio. 

“Why didn’t you just plan your own birthday surprise?” Luisa asked genuinely. “Why did you have to ruin others’?” 

“Yeah, make your own gift next time,” Mirabel said, still vexed at Camilo but lacking the adrenaline to yell and rant at him again. 

Camilo sighed, fiddling with his ruana. “I don’t have a gift, all right?” he finally spat out. “I don’t have one! I procrastinated and now there are three days left until the triplets’ birthday reunion and I have nothing to show for it!” Despite the crack in his voice, Camilo went on. “It’s just that, when you girls started planning the birthday surprise without me I felt left out. So I tried to take your presents and pass them off as my own instead of buying a gift by myself. But now—“ 

Mirabel snorted. “Did it ever occur to you that we wouldn’t have gifts either, tonto?” She sneered. “Get real.” 

Camilo resisted the urge to say “you don’t have a gift either, Mirabel.” He frowned. “But now I realize that was wrong. And I apologize.” 

He looked down at the floor as his tears dropped onto his sandals. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“We forgive you, Camilo,” Dolores said graciously. “But we’re still not letting you in on our birthday surprise. You betrayed our trust, and that isn’t okay.” 

Camilo hiccuped and nodded. 

“And quit crying please. It’s getting annoying.” Dolores sighed. Camilo wiped his face with his hands. “Look, we may not want to help you. But maybe Abuela will.” 

“Why would Abuela want to help me?” Camilo asked flatly. 

“Ask her and you’ll see.” 

“Oh okay.” 

“I think you should leave now,” Luisa said. 

“I agree,” Isabela said. “You should.” 

“Bye, Camilo,” Mirabel said. 

“Bye,” Camilo said, walking away. The girls went back inside, closing the door behind them. 

“Now, where were we?” Dolores said to the rest of the grandkids. They decided not to give Camilo the time of day. 

“Wait, I just realized something!” Isabela pointed out. 

“What?” Mirabel asked as they all looked at the eldest granddaughter. 

“Tío Bruno genuinely thinks we’re putting on a play on their birthday. Even though it’s not a surprise anymore, that’s what he thinks!” 

The girls took a while to process this fact, before realizing that Isabela was right. 

“Oh no,” Dolores said, her face matching Mirabel’s expression of dread. “Just great. Now we’re gonna have to tell Tío Bruno that the play was a cover-up all along.” 

But Isabela shook her head. “Not so. We can still put on the play! Do we really want to disappoint him?” 

“Of course not,” Mirabel said. “But we only have three days? How are we going to plan it?” 

“Three days is more than enough time to put on a play if you know what you’re doing!” Isabela retorted. 

“But we don’t have costumes!” Luisa protested. 

“I’m sure Mirabel has something extravagant that we can wear,” Isabela said. “And even if not, who needs costumes when you pull off a convincing performance?” 

“But what about our lines?” Dolores asked. 

“That won’t be hard!” Isabela explained. “And you’re the best at writing out of all of us. You could be the director and tell us what to say.” 

The girls all considered it. “Hmm, it seems like a good idea,” Mirabel quipped. “What do you all say?” 

“I’m in!” Antonio chirped. 

“Well, if Antonio’s in, then I guess I’m in too,” Luisa shrugged. 

“And if Luisa’s in, then I guess you can count me in as well,” Dolores agreed. 

“Great!” Isabela hugged her prima-hermana! “Oh, this is gonna go excellently! And I think this the only birthday surprise that Camilo will get to be in on.” 

“Oh, brother,” Mirabel groaned. 

💙💛💚

Camilo hesitated, then knocked on the door to Abuela’s room. 

“Come in,” said a seemingly sweet voice, but Camilo was still afraid. What if this voice meant trouble for him? 

He opened the door to see Alma sitting on her bed, writing something down in a book. 

“H-hi Abuela,” Camilo said, hesitating. 

“Hello, well, if it isn’t my lovely grandson!” She patted the seat next to her. “Have a seat.” 

Camilo hesitantly sat down next to Alma, who smiled generously at him. The smile reminded him of Isabela’s smile, but rather than putting him at ease(not that Isabela’s smile put him at ease either), it disturbed him. Why was she being so nice? 

“Abuela…I’m sorry about what I’ve done and I’m sorry for behaving like…umm…an animal in a zoo. Please forgive me.” 

“It’s all right, son. I was young and crazy once too!” Abuela giggled. “Anyway, what did you need?” 

“A gift for Mami, Tia, and Bruno,” Camilo said, getting straight to the point. “But I don’t have any. Dolores said I could come to you for help. So can you help me?” 

“Oh, well, what a coincidence, I don’t have one either.” Alma closed her eyes sadly as she lowered her head. 

“You don’t?” Camilo gasped. “But you’re their—”

“Their mother. Yes. I know. But I have been so distracted lately that it just slipped my mind until the last minute. Or perhaps my age is failing me. Either way, I have failed to come up with a present to bestow upon my marvelous children, especially Bruno, who will be celebrating his birthday with us for the first time in ten years.” She buried her head in her hands. “I know things can’t always be perfect, I know that now, but I’m a failure of a mother.” 

“No, you’re lovely at being a mother, Abuela. Listen to me! Eurgh, this is so weird. Look, I’m sure the triplets would tell you you’re a great mother. After all, where do you think your daughters learned to be such great mothers from?” 

“I suppose you are right.” Alma smiled again at Camilo. And this time Camilo felt at ease. 

“How about we plan a surprise for them together? And only the two of us have to be in on it?” Camilo whispered. 

“I say that’s a marvelous idea!” Abuela hugged her grandson tightly. “Oh, ¡mi nieto es tan inteligente!” 

“Awesome!” Camilo squealed. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of something.” 

“I’m glad,” Alma laughed. “Well, shall we start thinking about it now?” 

“Sure!” Camilo agreed. “What are you writing?” 

The two of them got to work writing down gift ideas for the triplets. And while they were doing so, it suddenly occurred to Camilo that he never knew what gift his siblings and cousins were planning. 

 But he found that didn’t matter. He had his own birthday surprise to share with Alma. 

💙💛💚

It was early in the morning, right after breakfast, that Isabela kidnapped Camilo using her vines. 

“Ow!” Camilo hissed as he felt the pain jolt through his system. “Why, Isa? Why?” 

“Shhh!” Isabela shushed. “Look, come with us! You wanna be part of our secret, right? Well now you’re part of the secret!” 

“I don’t wanna be part of your secret anymore, Isa,” Camilo grunted. “I’m already part of another secret that you’ll never get to know. So there.” He stuck out his tongue. 

“Well too bad. Because you’re part of the secret now.” With her vines, Isabela dragged Camilo into Dolores’ room and slammed the door. 

Camilo looked around to see the rest of his  cousins, his brother, and his sister. Dolores was sitting on her bed writing something on a stapled sheet of paper. Luisa was sitting next to her on her left and looking over her shoulder. Mirabel was on the floor, sorting through a bag. Antonio was trying on a costume that looked quite regal on him. 

“The end!” Dolores said declaratively as she finished writing. 

“Yay!” Luisa clapped her hands. 

“Can I see?” Isabela walked towards Dolores and Luisa. 

“Sure!” Dolores said, giving Isabela the paper to take. 

Isabela walked over to Camilo and shoved the paper in his face. “This is the play we’re putting on for the triplets tomorrow. It’s called ‘Las Cuatro Hermanas y El Ladrón’. And the good news is that you get to be a part of it!” 

“I don’t follow.” 

“Remember the play I claimed we were rehearsing for yesterday? That’s what we’re going to do—“ 

“Oh HELL no!” Camilo turned on his heel and walked away. “I am not doing that!” He reached for the doorknob. 

“Yes you are!” A sundew sprouted on the knob, and Camilo shrieked, pulling his hand back. “You have to! I already told Tío Bruno that you are the villain. And we can’t let him down! Besides, aren’t you a theatre kid? This is your chance to truly shine!” 

“But you came up with that to make me look bad!” Camilo exclaimed. “Why can’t I play the leading role?” 

“Because the leading role is a female role, Cami.” 

“So? I can play a lady!” And just to prove it, Camilo shapeshifted into Isabela. 

“But you’re not one. You’re playing the villain, and that’s final.” 

Camilo shapeshifted back. “Can’t Mirabel and I change roles?” 

“No. Here is the script, this is what you have to remember for the play.” 

Camilo flipped through the script, annoyed. “This is so blatantly done last-minute, it’s saddening.” 

“No duh, chico. But Dolores was the main writer, and she’s pretty talented and coming up with things rinitis on the spot. The rest of us still helped though, Mirabel and I came up with the songs, for instance, and Luisa did the fight scenes. And with you onstage with us, you’ll be able to help her vision come to life. Doesn’t that sound fun and exciting?” 

“It sounds like one of Tio’s rat telenovelas.” Camilo grumbled. 

“Well, whatever. Anyway, Mirabel already chose a costume for you.” 

Mirabel pulled out a black ruana and matching mask, a shirt that looked just like Camilo’s, but deep magenta, and black shoes. 

Camilo took a step back. “I am NOT wearing that. That looks embarrassing!” 

“Come on, just say you’ll agree.” Isabela gestured to their little brother and cousin. “Antonio looks so happy in his outfit.” 

Antonio twirled around in his regal cape and golden flower crown that Isabela had made for him. “I’m the king, Mira! Look at me!” 

“Yes you are! Oh, and here’s your outfit, Dolores,” Mirabel said, handing Dolores an elegant red dress with gold and pink heart-shaped trim. “Fit for a princess.” 

“Where did you get those?” Camilo demanded. 

“From my closet,” Mirabel said. “Also from Dolores’ and my sisters’ closets. I just…did my magic on them to make them look really royal. Although I’m not finished yet. The king outfit however I stole from a trunk in your bedroom.” 

Camilo wanted to eat his face off. “From MY bedroom?! That’s for the little kids I babysit when they come over, Mira! Why? How could you?” 

“Sorry,” Mirabel shrugged, clearly not sorry. “But you tried to go into my room first. And besides, I did what needed to be done.” 

“Camilo,” Dolores said. “Would you like me to paint your nails black for you to really complete your evil look? You’d look delightfully malicious.” 

“No.” 

“He’s lying, he would love to.” Isabela dragged Camilo’s body over to Dolores’ chair. “Sit down Camilo and let Dolores get to work.” 

“Fine,” Camilo said, but only because he liked when Dolores did his nails. He had ever since he was a little kid. It was a fun way of brother-sister bonding even if most boys didn’t get their nails painted. Just like most boys didn’t play dress up with their older sisters. But Camilo didn’t care. He had found it fun. 

He took a deep breath. Maybe this performance wouldn’t be as bad after all. 

💙💛💚

Later that noon, the grandkids were all practicing the last-minute play for the triplets in Isabela’s room, which was by far the most spacious with the widest and clearest area to rehearse in. And most of them were having a good time. 

“Wait, I just realized. Why do I have to die at the end?” 

“Because you’re the villain, and that’s what villains do,” Isabela replied. “The villains die and the heroines triumph. That’s how it’s always been, since the beginning of time. And that’s how it will be, till the end of times.” 

“Whatever,” Camilo said. 

“I’m confused,” Mirabel said, walking up to Isabela. “When Dolores says this part, am I supposed to look up and run away, or am I supposed to run away and look up?” 

“Either way is fine,” Isabela said. “You just have to wait for my signal before leaping up and grabbing the vine that I will send down to swing on.” 

“Oh, I get it now. Okay!” Mirabel shot her a thumbs up. 

“Let’s get into position!” Dolores shouted. “And action!” 

“Go, Camilo, go!” Isabela shoved the sack of cotton in Camilo’s hands and ran away, Camilo running on “stage” as Isabela followed him. 

“Stop right there, Carlos!” Isabela shouted as she pointed at Camilo. Then she grew a circle of cactuses around him, Camilo stopping dead in his tracks. “That money belongs to my family’s estate. I demand you give it back! Otherwise I shall have you hanged for your crimes!” 

“We’ll see about that, Doña Ines!” Carlos sneered. “The truth is, you snobby members of the upper class have it too easy. You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Everything was handed to you, and not a thing was earned. If a lowly being like me wants to make his way in life, the only way to do it is to steal from the rich folk, such as yourself! Don’t act like you wouldn’t do the same if you were in my position.” 

“I am nothing like you, you unscrupulous knave!” Ines fired back. “Do as I say, for I am of noble birth. Hand over the money at once, or—“ 

The door opened. “Camilo?” 

“GET OUT!” All the granddaughters yelled at once. 

“Nobody can see yet, it’s a surprise!” Mirabel exclaimed in protest as Alma came closer. 

“Sorry, I gotta go, Alma and I agreed to go out.” Camilo pulled his hair out of its slick ponytail, shaking it left and right to revert it back to its original state. He then removed the mask. 

“Go where?” Dolores asked suspiciously. 

“Does it matter?” Camilo mocked. “It’s our surprise, not yours. Anyway, buh-bye.” 

“Wait, Camilo, you still haven’t taken off your costume!” Luisa protested as Camilo ran out the door. 

“Wait, Camilo, you have a musical number to sing!” Dolores called out. 

“Camilo, you’d better not get it dirty!” Mirabel barked. 

But Camilo wasn’t listening. 

Mirabel sighed. “What do we do?” 

Isabela turned to the director for instruction. “Should we just do the scene where the four of us report to the king?” she said. 

“Sí. And then Mirabel and I will do our song and dance number for the scene where Luisa and Isabela get kidnapped by Camilo,” Dolores said. 

“Perfect.” Isabela agreed. 

“All right, places everybody!” Dolores commanded. 

And so they set the scene. 

Mariana, Ines, Lydia, and Lola curtsied before the king, their bodies trembling as they knew a reprimanding was exactly what they were in for. 

“Have I not told you what is expected of you ladies?” The king gnarled, displeased with the women. “You are to bring back Carlos’ head. I don’t think that is too simple of an accomplishment. But if it is, let me know, so I can prepare a punishment for you.” 

“It’s not that,” Ines, the oldest of her sisters, was the first to speak. “It’s just that—“ 

“I don’t want to hear excuses,” the king interrupted. “Have you slain Carlos?” 

“N-no,” Lola said, “But I promise we are coming closer and closer to—“ 

“Enough!” The king rose from his throne, pointing his mighty scepter at the girls, and silence at once fell upon them. “I am getting impatient at this point. I trusted you ladies to deliver that…that…” 

Dolores sighed. “Cut.” 

Antonio scratched his head as he peered at his script. “What does this say?” 

Dolores took the paper from him. “Vagabond.” 

“Vaga…bond?” 

“Yes.” 

“What’s that?” 

“You know, like a nomad?” 

“What’s a nomad?” 

“…Basically Camilo’s character wanders about without a job or a specific place to call home. He’s a homeless crook.” 

“Oh.” 

“Let’s start from the last line, and remember, it’s vagabond. Got it?” 

“Got it.” 

“Aaand action!” 

“I trusted you ladies to bring that…vagabond…to justice! And you have failed!” 

“We’re terribly sorry, your highness!” Lydia apologized. “Give us one more chance. We beg of thee!” 

The king was getting restless and irate at this point. But he still had some faith in these women. So he sighed and relented. “I will give you two more days to find Carlos, slay him, and bring his head back to me.” He stroked his jaguar’s fur, and the sisters’ blood ran cold. “If during that time frame you fail to complete your task, you will be devoured whole by my jaguar here!” 

Little Mariana gasped. “Please, your majesty! You couldn’t. You wouldn’t!” She cried out in desperation. She was too young to die! She would never see her true love Yamilet again if she did! 

“I can and I will!” The king stroked his jaguar, which growled. “Mi amigo, show them I mean business.” The jaguar obeyed. Lunging at the girls, they took a step back and embraced each other in fear as the large predatory cat bore its fangs. “Am I clear?” 

The sisters nodded. 

“Am I clear?” 

“Yes, your majesty!” 

“Good. Out with thee, out, I say!” 

Mariana collapsed in Lydia’s arms, weeping bitterly and relentlessly, as they walked away, Lola and Ines hugging each other as they also awaited what was sure to be their fate with doom. 

“Whatever are we to do?” Mariana cried out. 

“Fear not, hermanita,” Lydia comforted. “God is with us. We will catch that criminal. And when we do, he will not escape with his life a second time.” 

“More like a third time,” Lola quipped. 

“More like a seventh time,” Ines shook her head. “Really, it is a wonder we haven’t been executed yet.” 

“But we will find a way. I am sure of it.” Lydia said, looking up at the sky. 

Abuela and Camilo came back just when it was lunch time. 

“Hola, Mama!” Pepa came running and wrapped her mother in a hug. “Welcome home. “You too Camilo!” She bent down to kiss his cheek. 

“Hola Mama,” Camilo said, smiling at Pepa. “We just went to buy you a—“ 

Alma nudged him. 

“Food for lunch.” 

“Already taken care of, chico,” Julieta smiled at Camilo from the kitchen. “But thanks for your generosity.” 

“Oh, okay.” Camilo pulled at Abuela’s arm. “Come on, Abuela, let’s go wrap!” he whispered.

He and Alma walked up the stairs, giggling to themselves as they talked in hushed whispers. Even Alma was excited for the triplets’ birthday. 

“Umm, we will be back downstairs soon, mis amores. Set the table!” 

Then they disappeared. 

“I guess Camilo really did plan something with Abuela for the birthday reunion,” Dolores quipped emotionlessly. 

“Well, that’s good for him, I guess,” Luisa said. “By the way, remember to tell him about the changes you made to the play.” 

“Oh, I almost forgot. Yeah, you’re right. I’ll tell him at lunch,” Dolores said as she put Camilo’s plate right next to hers on the table. 

💙💛💚

“Aaand that’s a wrap,” Dolores said as the scene ended. “Wow, that change went more smoothly than I anticipated. Great work everybody.” 

The vines tying Isabela and Luisa unraveled, and they stood up. 

“Has anyone ever told you that you make a really good villain, Camilo?” Isabela asked. 

“I hope they never do,” Camilo murmured. 

“Well, I’ll be the first to tell you!” Isabela chirped, pretending to be oblivious. “You make a really good villain, Camilo!” 

“Of course you would think that,” Camilo murmured. 

“I can’t wait for tomorrow when we can rehearse this play again!” Dolores cheered as she changed behind a room divider. “It’s going to be awesome and I’m sure they’ll love it!” 

“I know they will,” Luisa agreed. 

The next day was spent almost entirely practicing for the performance. In fact, the grandkids did nothing else but rehearse for “Las Cuatro Hermanas y El Ladrón” religiously every time they weren’t eating or taking a shower/bathroom break. The only other exception was when Camilo would run off to do something with Abuela, but there were plenty of scenes without him anyway. 

“Are you done yet?” Dolores demanded as Camilo walked back in. 

“Yup.” Camilo said. 

“Did Abuela ask you why you were wearing that ridiculous outfit?” Mirabel asked with a smirk. 

The girls giggled, even Antonio joining in, and Camilo rolled his eyes. 

“Let’s get on with it,” Camilo said, and Dolores laughed, wiping a tear from her right eye as she dragged Camilo by the forearm into his place. 

And so they continued to practice the play. As Isabela and Luisa slept, Camilo kidnapped them in their sleep. 

Before they knew it, the triplets’ birthday had arrived. 

“Happy birthday, Tío!” Mirabel and Dolores, Bruno’s favorite sobrinas, said as they hugged him and kissed him on either side of their cheek. 

“Aww, thank you both!” Bruno said with a laugh. He kissed Dolores on the cheek, then Mirabel. 

Camilo and Luisa were hugging Julieta. “Happy birthday Mami!” Luisa sang. 

“Happy birthday Tía.” Camilo snuggled his face into her shoulder as he hugged. 

“Thank you, thank you so much!” Julieta replied. “I intend to have the best birthday possible today.” 

“And you will!” Luisa chirped. “We promise!” 

Isabela and Antonio were hugging Pepa. That is to say, Isabela was hugging Pepa, while Antonio was being held by Pepa. 

“Feliz cumpleaños, Mami/Tía! Te amamos!” 

“Awww, thank you thank you thank you! I love you both too!” She kissed them both on the cheek. 

“Everyone, to the table! It is time for the birthday dinner!” Alma commanded. 

The rest were happy to oblige as they sat at the table, the triplets sitting in chairs at the head did the table where Alma normally sat. The three of them next to each other with Bruno in the middle, as they should be. 

“Except for you, Camilo,” Alma said as she smiled, taking Camilo gently by the hand as she ushered him into a private area. Camilo nodded, grinning from ear to ear, as he stuck out his tongue at Dolores and peeled at his lower eyelid, showing the pink. 

Dolores only rolled her eyes, but she grinned. She was happy that Camilo was no longer antagonizing his siblings and cousins and was able to plan a birthday surprise with Abuela instead. She couldn’t wait to see what the gift would be. 

“Cumpleaños feliz, te deseamos a tí, feliz cumpleaños a los trillizos, feliz cumpleaños a tí! Que los cumpla feliz, que los vuelva a cumplir, que los siga cumpliendo, hasta el año tres mil!” 

“Hurry up and blow out the cake before I sneeze on it!” Mirabel urged, privy to imitate her uncle’s tricks. 

The triplets didn’t need to be told twice. They blew out the cake, and everyone cheered. 

“Never mind,” Mirabel said, rubbing her nose with a grin. Bruno smiled at her, realizing what she was trying to do. 

They cut the cake—well, Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno did, each cutting the first three slices with Alma joining them—and before long, everybody else was eating cake too. 

“So awesome!” Camilo said as he chewed with his mouth open. “Will there be seconds?” 

“That’s for the birthday triplets to decide,” Alma replied with a friendly grin. 

“Of course!” The triplets all affirmed in eerie unison. 

After getting over the uneasiness, they all laughed. 

Camilo laughed too, and turned to Mira. “Hey, Mira. Remember when it was Isabela and Dolores’ birthday and you got cake crumbs and frosting all over your hands and dress, and on the floor, and on Tía’s—“ 

“Stop.” 

“Oh, okay.” 

“Does that remind you of anything Camilo?” Isabela grinned mischievously at her cousin. “Anything you did a few days ago that you shouldn’t have? At an age when you should have known better?” 

“He messed with the cake?” Bruno asked. 

“Sure did!” Isabela said. 

Pepa laughed. “It seems like something he would do.” 

“But it’s okay, because this cake is really good!” Julieta complimented. And coming from a masterful cook like her, it certainly was a compliment. 

The granddaughters beamed with praise, as Dolores added. “You think so? Thanks! All four of us made it while you three were out! Hmm!” 

“That’s right, we did!” Luisa added. “And it certainly is a masterpiece.” 

“It tastes like one, too!” Bruno praised. 

Later, after they had all had their fair share of cake and decided to pack some away for later, it was time for the triplets to unwrap the gifts. 

“Are we ready for gifts now?” Bruno asked. 

“Oh, I am!” Mirabel picked up her gift, which was for Julieta, and bounced up and down on both feet. “Eek! I can’t wait for you to see what gifts we have!” 

“I had too much cake,” Camilo lamented, wiping his forehead. “I can almost feel the frosting pouring from my eyelids like tears.” 

“Me too,” Isabela agreed. 

“So, whose gifts should we open first?” Julieta asked. 

“Here, Mami, open yours first!” Mirabel shoved the blue-wrapped gift in her hands before she could refuse. 

Julieta giggled. “Well, I suppose I will.” 

Julieta opened the wrapper, and Mirabel moved to stand by Camilo’s side, between him and Luisa. She crossed her arms and smirked at him. 

“Now you’ll finally get to see what we got for the triplets,” she sneered. 

Camilo ignored her, although don’t think she didn’t hear him huff slightly. And that’s when Mirabel knew that she had won. She chuckled and bumped his hip with hers. 

Julieta gasped in joy. Her gift was a new pair of shoes, they were blue like her regular shoes, but they were a darker shade and much more beautiful. She had seen those shoes in the store for many days, but each time she asked for them, the store clerk merely shook her head and said that she was already saving them for someone else. Julieta was disappointed at first, but now she knew why. 

“Oh, mis vidas…” was all Julieta could say. 

“Do you like them, Mami?” Mirabel inquired. 

“Like them, I love them!” Julieta wrapped Mirabel in a hug. As she was doing so, she extended a hand warmly for Luisa, Dolores, Isabela, and Antonio to join into the hug. “Thank you so much! Mwah!” She kissed each of their cute little heads. 

Camilo moved towards the group hug, desperately longing to be a part of it, but Alma held him back with a firm grip on his shoulder. 

“But Abuela, I want to get a hug too.” 

“You’ll get a hug for your gift soon, querido,” Alma explained gently as Mirabel helped Julieta try on the shoes.

“Oh right!” Camilo beamed. 

Luisa and Dolores were next to present Pepa with her gift. 

Pepa opened it. It was a warm yellow blanket with cloud patterns on it. And behind each of those clouds was a pattern of a sun. 

“This is wonderful!” Pepa wrapped it around her, snuggling in the blanket. “Now I’ll be nice and warm!” 

“It’s for when you start raining or snowing especially,” Luisa informed her tia. 

“Or hailing,” Dolores said, punctuating her add-on with a wince for emphasis. “Just because we don’t want you to get cold, shivery, and potentially hurt yourself or get yourself sick.” 

“Awww, that is so sweet. And very smart of you children!” Pepa beamed. 

“Wow, looks snuggly, I’m jealous.” Bruno scooted over to Pepa’s side, trying to warm his way in the blanket. “You know, there’s a saying that there are always two peas inside a pod. And maybe that means you and me could—“ 

“Shoo, Bruno!” Pepa resisted, shoving him off gently. The family laughed at this, Bruno pretending to look downhearted. “Only one woman fits inside my sheets. Although I second thought, you may be right…Felix, how would you like to—“ 

“Say no more, mi vida.” Felix snuggled under the blanket with Pepa and gave her a peck on the lips. The married couple was now warm and comfortable. 

“Awwww!” Everyone but Camilo(who shielded his eyes and looked away) cooed. 

“And finally, Bruno.” 

Isabela placed the gift in Antonio’s hand. “Go on, hombrecito.” 

“Eeee!” Antonio ran up to Bruno and handed him the wrapped gift. “Open it open it open it, Tío Bruno. Please please please please please?” 

Bruno laughed. “Okay!” He took the gift and opened it. Inside it was a box. And inside the box were…tiny little costumes that not even Antonio could fit in. 

“What are—“ 

Bruno gasped, cutting Camilo off. “Awww! These are for my rats! I love them!” 

“It was Dolores’ idea,” Mirabel said, gesturing to her oldest cousin as Bruno wrapped Antonio and Isabela in hugs, once more carrying the youngest of he family. 

Dolores smiled. “Yeah. I heard you lamenting that you no costumes for the rats to wear for your telenovelas! So I told Mirabel and we got to designing them together. And Mirabel ended up making them!” 

“That is splendid!” Bruno gushed, admirably feeling the texture of the farmer’s wear, the princess dress, the cute little hats, it was all just so adorable and perfect. “This will be perfect for my shows!” 

Dolores beamed as she started thinking about the show they were going to put on. She knew Bruno especially would appreciate it. 

“And that’s not all!” Mirabel presented them with a card. “Open it!” 

Julieta gasped. “You even made us a birthday card?” 

“We sure did!” Mirabel beamed. “Now open it! Please!” 

“All right, mi chica.” Julieta opened the card and read it aloud. “To the most wonderful set of triplets who ever walked the earth, nobody nurtures like Julieta’s warm words, Pepa’s smile is brighter than the sun, Bruno is a blessing to everyone. To the five of us, it is clear as day, you’re the most dynamic trio all the way! Signed, Isabela, Dolores, Luisa, Mirabel, y Antonio!’ Mis vidas, this is perfect.” Julieta smiled affectionately at the girls and Antonio. 

Pepa wiped a tear from her eye. And more. And more. “You don’t know how happy this makes me!” 

“Seriously, amores,” Bruno patted his chest. “I’m glad I’m seen as a blessing to this family.” 

“Thank you!” They all said at once, bringing the grandkids in for a hug. Minus Camilo, who stood cross-armed next to Abuela. 

“We forgot the card.” He sighed. 

“Yes, but it’s okay,” Alma said as she rested a hand on his shoulder. “We still made up for it with our amazing presents. And I’m sure they’ll love them just as much.” 

“I should have stolen their card while I had the chance.” 

“You should have what?” 

“Never mind.” 

“Mijo, were you really going to—“ 

“Who’s next?” Bruno asked. 

“Oh, that would be me and Abuela, who also bought good gifts to share with all of you.” 

“That’s wonderful!” Julieta said. 

“Thanks. Tía, you’re first, since you’re the oldest triplet.” 

Abuela held out the gift for Julieta to take. “For mi hija.” 

Julieta opened it. She gasped. “A trinket box?! For me?” 

“Of course!” Alma said. “It was mi Camilo’s idea.” 

“Yeah, Tía, because you always made such lovely trinket boxes for all of us, and yet you had none of your own. So we bought you this. Sorry we couldn’t make it, it was sorta last-min—I mean I’m not really gifted in that arena like you are.” Camilo scratched the back of his head, and Abuela stopped glaring at him and looked pleased. 

“Well I love it!” Julieta said, opening her trinket box to admirably watch the little ballerina inside it twirl. 

“And this one’s for Pepa,” Alma said, piking up another present and giving it to Camilo to give to his mother. 

“Here ya go, Mami.” 

Still wrapped in the blanket, with her beloved husband’s arm around her waist, she daintily unwrapped the gift. 

Inside it was a snow globe. 

“Shake it!” Alma and Camilo said in unison. 

So she did. 

“It’s lovely dears!” Pepa cooed as she wrapped her mother and son in a hug. “Thank you so much!” 

Camilo had to resist the urge to squeal. 

“And finally, Bruno,” Alma said, handing her son the gift. 

Her grandson beamed, bouncing on his heels as he giggled. “I picked the best gift for you, Tío Bruno. We’re both theatre kids, so I thought you would love it!” 

Bruno opened his gift. “A sketchbook?” 

“Yeah!” Camilo chirped. “So that you can draw all of your ideas for your rat plays.” 

Bruno scooped up Camilo in a hug, then extended a hand and dragged Alma to join in. “Thank you,” he wept. 

“Relax Tío, you’re making me wet.” 

“Sorry,” Bruno said. 

“It’s cool just don’t use me as a living tissue next time.” Camilo smiled excitedly at Bruno. 

“Camilo!” Abuela demanded. “Speak to your uncle with respect!” 

“I-I—“ 

“It’s fine, mama,” Bruno said. 

Agustin and Felix then joined in with their gifts. For Julieta they got her a cookbook(which Felix said his mom used to use), for Pepa they got her a portrait of herself(where she was dancing in the rain with grey clouds surrounding her in all her temperamental glory), and for Bruno they got him a new and cleaner ruana that actually fit him. 

They got lots of hugs of course(and kisses from Pepa and Julieta). 

“Now that we’ve done all that, do you know what it’s time for now?” Dolores  asked. 

“Music and dancing!” Alma proclaimed with her hands in the air. “Oh, it will be such a delight—“ 

“No,” Dolores cut off. “It’s time for our play!” 

“The play!” Bruno remembered. “My, I forgot about the play! Well, let’s see it!” 

“We’ll be doing it in my room, that’s where we’ve been practicing after all!” Isabela said. 

They all went into Isabela’s room, the adults taking seats in the fancy pink flowery chairs that Isabela had set up for them. 

“Wow, it’s like a real theatre!” Bruno whispered to Pepa. 

“I know, tell me about it,” Pepa whispered back. “They really went all out for this, I just know it’ll be good!” 

“And to think they did it all in only three days!” Julieta agreed. “I’m just prepared to he impressed.” 

Meanwhile— 

“Come on!” Dolores commanded as she ushered everyone around “backstage”. “Hurry up and put on your costumes.” 

Mirabel twirled around in her dress. “I never cease to amaze me.” 

Camilo admired himself in the mirror. “My hair looks so good in a ponytail!” 

“Thanks for helping me, Luisa!” Isabela said as Luisa helped her tie the bow around her dress from behind. 

“No problem,” Luisa replied, and then Isabela helped her with her hair. 

“Now we look like real aristocrats!” Isabela said. 

Meanwhile, Dolores helped Antonio into his own costume. “All right, i think we’re all set—wait, wheres your crown?” 

Antonio felt his curls. Then panicked. “I can’t be a king without my crown!” His eyes watered and he started to sniffle. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Isabela, we need another flower crown.” 

“Right on it, sister!” Isabela said as she created a new flower crown for Antonio. One with white lilies and yellow roses. “This one’s even prettier than the last one, if I do say so myself.” 

“Yeah!” Antonio cheered, hugging Isabela. “Thank you, prima!” 

“You’re very welcome, chico,” Isabela said as she kissed him on the forehead. He giggled and kissed her back on the nose, making her giggle too. 

“Did you just—“ 

“All right, that’s enough, we don’t have time for sentimentalities! Let’s get in places! And remember, Ines, you have the introduction to do!” Dolores commanded. 

Isabela nodded. 

“Go go go!” 

The sky around them dulled, as the room slowly grew dark. Pink flower vines used as curtains were opened slightly for Isabela to stop out and address the audience. A single pink spotlight was shining on her. 

“Aww,” Bruno whispered before being silenced by Felix. “Sorry.” Felix nodded. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is with great pleasure that I present to you all the play that me and my sisters and cousins have been rehearsing for the last three days. I hope you all find this very enjoyable, because we worked very hard on it with the short time span we have had to practice. This is a story of love and death, of joy and sadness, of tribulation and tragedy, of fierce warrior women, brave kings, and rugged scoundrels. Welcome, to the Madrigal grandkids’ first production, which of course was my idea. ‘Las Cuatro Hermanas y El Ladrón”! 

The audience of six whooped and cheered, before the curtains parted and the play officially begun. 

“Long long ago,” Isabela narrated, “in the faraway country of Spain, there lived a happy couple with lots of money and status, but none of that money compared—“ Isabela placed both hands over her heart and sighed. “—to the passionate love they felt for each other. Their names were Don Agus y Doña Juliana. And at the center of this story are their four lovely and noble daughters. The eldest, Ines…that’s me, the second eldest, Lola, though not theirs by blood, was taken in and loved by them all the same, and the two youngest, Lydia and little Mariana.” 

The other three daughters came on stage and began dancing together as Isabela continued to narrate. 

“They lived a lavish and charmed life, never happier than when in one another’s company, and not a force in the world could bring them apart, not even a man’s love. They were the quintessential picture of elegance, grace, and poise. However, there was a secret about them that nobody, not even their parents, knew. It happened the same way it did any other day. The king’s messenger came to them on horse and told them to come to his palace at once. There, they would be informed of what task they were to accomplish.” 

The four ladies curtsied in front of the king as was customary to, and waited for the king to lay out their mission. 

“This is a very important task, and I expect you not to mess it up,” King Antonio instructed. 

“We won’t let you down, sire,” Mariana said. 

“I hope not, because this is a man too dangerous to be left alive.” 

Bruno leaned over in his seat towards Pepa. “Hey hermana, this is actually good!” 

“I know right?” Pepa hissed back. “And the best part is, it’s like an actual play you’d seen in a theatre!” 

“Yeah, I can tell they went all out even though—“ 

“Shhh!” Felix hissed again. “You’re gonna miss important stuff!” 

“Sorry,” the younger two triplets both said at the same time. 

“I want you to find the man that fits that description, kill him, and bring his head back to me!” The king demanded. 

“Don’t worry, your highness,” Lola said. “We will!” 

“We won’t let you down!” Lydia added on. 

Throughout the entire production, the adults watched in sheer, unadulterated amazement as the grandchildren acted out their performance, from Carlos sparring with Ines and placing her in the very trap she set to capture him, to the sisters dancing at a fancy ball before Lola heard the sound of a painting being stolen off of the walls. It was all very amazing and impressive. 

And then before they knew it, it was time for intermission. 

Then the play returned. 

Ines and Lydia woke from their deep sleep, looking at each other in confusion. Tight ropes were tied around them as they were lifted from their beds forcefully. 

“Hermana, what is happening?” Isabela immediately fretted, trying to wrestle free from the vines, to no avail. 

“My dear Ines, I fear that we may have been captured!” Lydia said, as she began to weep bitterly. 

At this point, Ines started crying too, overcome with despair as Carlos carried them away. The two girls knew they were in deep danger, as Carlos was a cruel and vindictive man who would not hesitate to harm or even kill two lovely ladies such as them. 

Carlos noticed their wailing, and before long, the two girls began crying for their remaining sisters. 

“Lola! Mariana! Help! Please! We have been captured by that evil spirit Carlos! Please! You must free us!” 

Carlos sighed, he didn’t have time for this. He took out a frying pan. “You two ladies make far too much noise.” He chuckled mischievously and grinned. “It’s time to go back to sleep. Goodnight.” 

“Carlos, no, no! NOOOOO!!!” The girls pleaded, desperate for their lives to be spared. 

But Carlos quickly silenced them. Whacking Ines on the head with the frying pan so hard that her eyes fluttered shut and she slipped into unconsciousness. 

Lydia watched in horror as tears enveloped in her eyes. Before her attention turned to Carlos as she glared at him with the heat of a thousand suns. “You will not get away wi—“ 

CLANG! And just like that, poor, sweet Lydia was out cold as well. 

Carlos grinned evilly at the two unconscious girls. Rubbing his hands together, he felt a twisted joy overtake him as he realized he was much closer to achieving his dreams. “Everything is going just according to plan,” he spoke aloud to himself. “With these two lives at mercy, Mariana and Lola will have no choice but to submit to my wants and make me the most powerful and wealthy man in ALL OF SPAIN! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!” He laughed, a horrific and monstrous cackle, screeching wickedly into the moonlit sky. 

Mariana and Lola were scared out of their wits at this point, but they nonetheless knew it had to be done. Only they could stop Carlos from inflicting further harm on their beloved sisters. And if they didn’t act, not only would their fortune be stolen from them, but they would be eaten by the king’s most trusted feline companion. 

To be fair, with them gone, they wouldn’t have to see their fortune get stolen, but that was of no comfort to them as Carlos would still win. And they needed to stop that from happening. 

It hurt them so to see Ines and Lydia tied up as they sat back to back on the floor behind the wicked man that had caused them so much misery and suffering. With a determined finger, Lola pointed angrily at Carlos. 

“You will give us back our sisters, at once!” 

Carlos grinned. “I will.” 

Mariana gasped once more. “You will?” 

“Why yes, of course, my little one,” Carlos grinned, and Mariana knew he was not at all being truthful. Carlos went on. “But only if you do one teensy little favor for me! Give over all your riches, all your money, all your most valuable possessions, to me! I want them all!” 

“Never!” Lola roared. 

“Never?” Carlos said. “Well, if that’s how it is…” Carlos grabbed hold of the captured girls, who began kicking and screaming, and dragged them over to the fire he had set up. “You can say your last goodbyes to your sisters right now! Because I will be placing their heads in the fire unless you do what I say!” 

“No! NOOO! No!” Ines and Lydia screamed in desperation, sobbing relentlessly once more as the stench of death could be detected right under their noses, beckoning them closer and closer. 

“Not a sound!” Carlos screeched at them to be quiet, but they didn’t listen. 

“Please, Mariana and Lola!” Ines yelled. “Just do what he says!”

“We can’t!” Mariana responded. “Don’t you see? It’s a trap! We can’t give in to his temptations!” 

“I’d rather do without my riches than without my sisters,” Lydia said with a smile, her facade of joy tarnished by her fearful desperation to live. “Wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t you rather the four of us all be together?” 

Lola let out a heavy, shuddering exhale. “All right, Carlos. You want our riches?” 

“I sure do!” 

And that’s when Lola drew her sword. “Then you have to battle me for them!” 

Carlos grinned. “Challenge accepted!” He pulled out his own sword. 

The two fought each other with their swords, Lola coming closer and closer to overpowering Carlos. However, Carlos was not privy to give up that easily. 

Meanwhile, Mariana rushed to unravel Ines and Lydia. 

The three girls hugged each other, and kissed each other’s faces, overjoyed that their lives had finally been spared. Then they put out the flames. 

As the battle progressed, Lola was getting increasingly weaker, and was running out of stamina. 

“Aha! Not so fierce and tough now, are you princess?” Carlos grinned satanically. “Fear not, for I will pierce through your aching and trembling heart with my sword, seizing the win and putting you out of your misery!” He laughed. “Adios!” 

“Now!” Mariana yelled. 

And that’s when the jaguar leapt out of the bushes, pouncing on Carlos and saving Lola’s precious life, just as Carlos was about to slay her. 

“Please!” Carlos pleaded pathetically. “Spare me, I beg of you!” 

But the jaguar knew no mercy. Tearing at Carlos limb for limb, the beast of nature feasted on his delicious body, until it left nothing but skull, bones, and tattered fabric behind. 

The girls ignored Carlos’ blood-curdling wails of pain and agony as he was made a delectable jaguar meal. When the deed was done, the girls rejoiced loudly. 

“We are free!” Mariana cried out, leaping and hugging Lola. 

“Yes, we are!” Lola proclaimed with joy, leaving a sloppy kiss on Mariana’s cheek. “We are free and Carlos is no more!” 

“And the best part is that we won’t be eaten by the jaguar!” Ines added. “Mariana, Lola, you have no idea how thankful we are for your quick thinking, fierceness, and brilliance. If it wasn’t for you taking away the king’s jaguar, we would be at the mercy of Carlos, and perhaps not live to see another day!” 

“Sí, the king will be so proud of us once he realizes we have been victorious!” Lydia agreed. “We’ll have rekindled his trust and faith in us. I can’t wait for him to receive the news.” 

The four girls were joyful as they hugged and kissed not just each other, but their good friend the jaguar too. They went home, jolly and in good spirit, and spent the rest of the night up in Lola’s room, gossiping and chattering away quietly so that their parents wouldn’t be aware that they were awake. 

They had never been as proud of themselves as they were in that moment. 

The adults watched, stunned, as Isabela continued to narrate the ending of the play. “The girls were elated that they had defeated the wicked thief Carlos, and the king was pleased with them. Although he had been enraged at them at first for stealing his jaguar, he very quickly  forgave them after seeing just how efficient they were at carrying out his tasks set out for them. And they bestowed upon him Carlos’ skull as a gift, and as proof that he was indeed slain. And so the girls went on, continuing to be good friends and close sisters, and lived happily ever after. The end.” 

The audience clapped as the characters all showed up onstage to take their bows. When they all showed up together, they received a standing ovation. 

“Well, that was an interesting ending,” Bruno told his sisters. 

Julieta nodded. “Yes, but you know Dolores. She always comes up with the weirdest and wildest of stories.” 

“She’s a good writer though,” Pepa wiped a tear from her eye. “That’s my baby!” 

“Definitely,” Felix and Agustin agreed. 

Once the play was finally done, Bruno was the first to wrap Dolores in a hug. “You were stellar out there!” He told her, giving her a fist bump. “And honestly Lola was my favorite character! I loved her drive, her fire, and her spunk!” 

“Thanks Bruno!” Dolores chirped. “I’m so glad! I put a lot of effort into the role.” 

“I can tell!” Bruno hugged Isabela. “Great job everyone! And Isabela, that was a really good idea to put on a play for us.” 

“No problem!” Isabela said. “I liked getting to do this, since we don’t do it often, but I just thought we ought to repay you for all the plays you have put on for us!” 

“That’s true,” Julieta said. 

“And it was an awesome idea!” Bruno agreed with a giggle. 

“Was I a good king?” Antonio said, running towards them. 

“You were an excellent king, mijo,” Pepa said, bending down to Antonio’s level and rubbing his hair. “And look at your pretty little crown.” 

“Isabela made it!” Antonio said. “Tell them Isabela, tell them you did!” 

“I did.” 

“Yay!” 

“Well, everybody did an awesome job!” Bruno agreed. “And I love the costumes!” 

“I enjoyed it too,” Agustin agreed. “Especially when Carlos got eaten in the end. Rawr!” He made clawing motions with his hands, as the grandkids giggled at the praise. Except for Camilo, who rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, but a grin crept onto his face nevertheless. 

“That was my favorite as well,” Alma said. “Along with the sword fight. She smiled at Dolores, and Dolores smiled back. It was certainly a good thing that Agustin and Alma agreed on something. 

Mirabel yawned. “As fun as that was—“ she punched Isabela’s forearm jokingly. “I’m never doing a last-minute play again, no matter how good it turns out.” She collapsed into Luisa’s arms. “I’m tired.” 

“All right, get some sleep,” Felix said. “It is almost midnight.” 

“Yes, that is a good idea,” Alma agreed, patting Felix on the back. “Goodnight everybody.” 

“Goodnight,” they said, as they all retreated to their rooms, the grandkids to their room, the triplets to Bruno’s, and the husbands to Pepa’s. Alma went to her own room of course. 

That night, Alma pulled out a locket, and opened it to see Pedro inside. 

She smiled warmly. “Pedro,” she said softly. “I just wish you could see your children today. They are so happy to be reunited, and their bond is stronger than ever. Each day they grow and Bruno is becoming more and more handsome like his father, Pepa is showing more and more of your wit and perseverance, and Julieta is displaying more and more of your love and kindness.” A tear slipped from her eye. “I wish you were here, mi amor. For you have given me the greatest gift of all. My children.” She kissed the picture inside the locket. “Goodnight Pedro. I will see you again one day.” 

💙💛💚

The kids camped out in Mirabel’s room that night, Dolores and Antonio sleeping in a second bed, Isabela and Luisa sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor, and Mirabel and Camilo sleeping in Mirabel’s bed. Except only Mirabel was sleeping. Camilo was awake with the rest of the siblings, holding Mirabel protectively as she snored on his chest. 

“Awww. She’s so cute like this. In the daytime she’s a total nuisance. Coochie coochie coo!” He wiggled her nose and mouth. 

“Camilo, she is not a baby.” 

But Camilo didn’t listen to Dolores as he played with Mirabel’s eyelashes, making her wince and rub her eyes but fortunately remain asleep. Camilo grinned and kissed her nose. 

“That was a fun play everybody!” Isabela smiled. “I’m so glad I came up with it.” 

“Of course you are,” Dolores said. 

“My favorite part of the play, besides the ballroom scenes, was when Carlos and Ines fought one on one,” Isabela continued saying. 

Camilo huffed. “And Carlos should have won.” 

“So not true.” 

“So true,” Camilo protested. “Carlos deserved much better than the story he was in. I mean, all he wanted was to not be poor and at the bottom of society, is that so bad? But no, instead he gets devoured alive by a jaguar just for wanting a better life for himself.” He sighed sadly as he absentmindedly combed Mirabel’s curls with his fingers. “That hardly seems fair.” 

“Carlos may have been poor, but that still doesn’t excuse the things he did throw the story,” Isabela pointed out. “Like kidnap innocent people. Or try to set Ines and Lydia on fire unless Lola and Mariana gave over their wealth to him.” 

“He wasn’t just looking for a better life, Camilo,” Dolores explained. “He was selfish and greedy and dishonest. Not to mention opportunistic. And in fact I wanted to have a scene where he even killed the sister’s parents and hoarded the wealth for himself, but I decided that was overkill.” Dolores paused. “Plus, I had nobody to play the parents.” 

“But why didn’t the king help him?” Camilo asked as an arm was wrapped around Mirabel. 

“It’s not like they’re brothers in real life,” Dolores answered. “And once again, he’s a criminal.” 

“But—“ 

“Sounds to me like someone’s just upset at the role they were asked to play!” Luisa pointed out with a grin.” 

“W-what?!” Camilo spluttered. “N-no I’m not!” 

“Yes you are!” Dolores grinned. 

“Nuh-uh,” Camilo turned around to face Mirabel. “I’m going to sleep. Goodnight.” 

“Don’t forget that it’s your fault we had to do the play in the first place Camilo,” Isabela said. “After all, if you hadn’t tried to ruin the surprise we were planning for them, I wouldn’t have come up with that lie.” 

“I said goodnight.” Camilo huffed, hugging a sleeping Mirabel closer and burying his face in her hair. He had to fight to resist a grin. Secretly he had liked being in the play. But he wasn’t going to give the granddaughters the benefit of the doubt. 

“Goodnight Camilo.” Isabela smirked, rolling her eyes. 

“Goodnight big brother!” Antonio whispered in the night. 

“Goodnight Antonio.” Camilo said as he continued to snuggle with his cousin. It was times like these that made him happy that he and Mirabel were so close. Hugging her closer as he accidentally breathed in strands of her hair—not that that was a problem, since her hair smelled good—Mirabel wrapped an arm around Camilo as well, mumbling something. 

Camilo closed his eyes. 

“Anyway, I think he’s asleep.” Isabela turned back to the girls and Antonio, not knowing that Camilo wasn’t in fact asleep. “Anyway I really liked the play. Maybe we could perform it for the village as well.” 

“That would be a good idea,” Dolores said. “Not tomorrow though, maybe much later in the future.” 

“What if Bruno’s not okay with it?” Luisa asked. 

“I’m sure he will be,” Isabela said. “After all, this play will remind him of the best birthday party he ever did have with his grandkids! I’m just glad we got to do something like this for them. Not just Bruno, but all of them.” 

Luisa nodded. “It wasn’t just entertaining, it was a good way of showing our love for the family.” 

“Yes, that’s true!” Isabela said. She pulled the blankets over her head. “Well, I’m going to bed now. Goodnight.” 

“Goodnight,” Dolores said. 

“Buenas noches,” Luisa said. 

“Buenas noches!” Antonio said as he snuggled with Dolores the same way his brother was doing with Mirabel. 

And the grandkids all fell fast asleep. 

THE END 

#october 17 #encanto #fanfic #encanto fanfic #encanto one-shot #isabela madrigal #isabela my beloved #isabela is best girl #dolores madrigal #luisa madrigal #camilo madrigal #mirabel madrigal #antonio madrigal #julieta madrigal #pepa madrigal #bruno madrigal #alma madrigal #felix madrigal #agustin madrigal #grandkid roundup #pb&j triplets #birthday #encanto birthdays

[sokkas-first-fangirl]

Some people were pushy. Others were demanding. Some were sincerely sweet and such encounters were the only ones to leave him feeling genuinely flattered. Other people were…Odd.

At least it provided some entertainment, even if it made Bruno want to be Hernando for real; someone like Hernando would have no problem telling them all to ever so kindly piss off.

Bruno just didn’t have it in him.

But his family? Oh, they had no problem telling the so-called “suitors” where to shove their proposals.

*

Bruno's reputation usually keeps people from bothering him about relationships. But not always. And when he's pressured, his family is right at his side to help.

OR: three times the Madrigals scared off so-called suitors and one time everyone walked away happy.

#touch the sky #my writing #update #new story #one shot #a/b/o dynamics #a/b/o verse #bruno madrigal #julieta madrigal #pepa madrigal #abuela alma madrigal #abuela madrigal #alma madrigal #dolores madrigal #mirabel madrigal #isabela madrigal #agustin madrigal #felix madrigal #antonio madrigal #camilo madrigal #luisa madrigal #encanto #encanto fanfic #encanto fanfiction #the madrigal triplets #madrigal triplets #pb&j triplets #pb&j encanto #alpha beta omega #alpha pepa

[acewithapaintbrush]

Chapters: 5/? Fandom: Encanto (2021) Summary:

A collection of the prompts for One-Shots and drabbles I have gotten on tumblr.

Chapter 5: An entitled and persistent villager comes to Casita, demanding a prophecy. Alma finally gets the chance to protect her son for a change. She also gets to threaten a bit of bodily harm. As a treat.

#encanto #encanto fanfic #encanto one shot #bruno madrigal #alma madrigal #abuela alma encanto #disney encanto #camilo madrigal #protective alma #Alma gets to go a little bit feral here #She deserves it #Alma madrigal tries

[aeoneri]

Till Death Do Us Part

Summary:

A week of awkward, sweet, and even stressful moments before the big day.

– A “What We Don’t See” One-Shot. The story events happen immediately after the fourth one-shot, Your Past, My Present, Our Future up to the beginning of the final chapter of What We Don't See.

++++

Mirabel had her hands full. 

The expectant feeling was far greater than what she had experienced when Antonio turned five. Maybe because then, she had been delegated to the sidelines to avoid stepping on the family's toes. Mirabel had wished for her own miracle, and they were answered a few days after. The family was reunited with her Tío Bruno, the problems with the cracks acknowledged and faced, and she became the hero that mended the family back together. 

Change was new and unfamiliar, but this time she was the one pulling the reins. 

"Mi bebé, are you sure about this?" Julieta asked Mirabel after the rest of the family retired for the night. The tension and uncertainty from earlier in the day rendered everyone exhausted, though there was something good that came out of it all. 

"I'm positive, Mamá," Mirabel assured her with a grin. "It's the least I could do."

Julieta cracked a small smile at her daughter's enthusiasm. It had been a decade long wait, but the light at the end of the tunnel beamed brighter than before. It was as the planets aligned and the world became right again when Gabriela, their closest friend, returned, just as the last piece of Casa Madrigal was put into place. There weren’t enough tears of joy to shed before the two lovers broke the news in the presence of the people they love the most.

A wedding. The very one that they had so rightfully deserved.

It was the very definition of madness and insanity to have it held in a week’s time, but it wasn’t far off for the pair. Everyone knew they had always been the most unique Madrigal couple the whole of Encanto had ever seen. The thought made Julieta chuckle which earned her a curious glance from Mirabel. “Why are you laughing, Mamá? Did you think of something funny?”

“I did,“ Julieta mused, pulling Mirabel close into a hug which she returned as fiercely. “I was thinking about how short of a time we have to get everything ready. You’ll have a lot on your plate, Mira, and it’s crazy.”

“I don’t think it’s very much crazy as it is just wanting not to waste any more time? They have been planning this for years, haven't they?”

“Mmm, that’s true. But still, it’s a lot of work for just one person.”

Mirabel blinked up from her mother’s warm hands. “I’m just the coordinator who’ll wrangle all the details together. It’ll be a family affair after all, and I promise we’ll make it the best day of their lives.”

Julieta nodded with a faraway look in her eyes. “Just don’t push yourself too hard, ok?” 

“Don’t worry, Mamá, I won’t. I’m honored they’ve asked me to do this for them.” Mirabel replied sweetly, hoping it’ll ease her mother’s worries. “Anyway, it’s getting late. I’m going off to bed since I have an early morning tomorrow. What about you?”

“You go on ahead, mija. I still have some things to finish here.”

“Okay. ¡Buenas noches, Mamá!” 

“Buenas noches. Duerme bien, mi corazón.” Julieta replied, giving her youngest one last squeeze before watching Mirabel bound up the stairs to her room. For a brief moment Julieta swore she saw golden butterflies of light surrounding her, their shimmering wings fluttering about before disappearing into the night.

++++

The next few days were heavy with the flurry of activity. Each morning Mirabel left Casita right after breakfast, running a few quick errands before making her way to a small music shop nestled at the edge of the shopping district. She had been in the store many times before, often to buy new sheet music to learn or have her accordion tuned, but recently her visits had more to do with what the town dubbed as the “Wedding of the Century”.

“Buenos días, Tía!”

A woman with caramel skin and striking green eyes was quietly puttering about when Mirabel entered, greeting her with a wide smile. She beamed at the young teen, a radiant smile growing ever wider. “Oh, Mirabel!” Gabriela quickly motioned Mirabel to set her bag down and offered her a seat. “I wasn’t expecting you to come by so early today.”

“Oh, you know how it’s normal for the family to start the day bright and early.” Mirabel teased with an amused grin. “I almost forgot, this is for you!” She hands Gabriela the warm paper bag of pan de queso that she had stashed as a surprise. “The days have been quite hectic since there’s only five days till the wedding, so I thought to give you a nice pick-me-up.”

“Aw, thank you, Mirabel.” Gabriela gingerly opened the package, releasing the comforting scent into the air. “These look so inviting! Let me get you a cup of café and we can talk more about the details over some snacks.”

Once the coffee had been poured and served, the two began discussing the finer points of the upcoming nuptials. The centerpieces and decorations would be arranged by Isabela, who had agreed to decorate the church and the reception with beautiful flowers — provided they let her wing some unique plants in the mix.

“I promise there will be no carnivorous ones!” Isabela insisted. Mirabel feared that it would be the case, but the bride was willing to let her experiment. In the end, Mirabel had no choice but to begrudgingly agree.

Mirabel’s Tía Pepa had begun practicing controlling her tears to avoid raining down on her best friend’s special day, though Bruno looked horrified every time his sister looked his way with a grin that seemed like scheming. 

“I swear Pepa might get back at me for her ruined wedding.” Bruno would grumble in the middle of fitting for his guayabera. “She’s scheming, kid.”

It was likely, but Mirabel had planned back-ups upon back-ups just in case, one of which involved Luisa setting up a tent to shield everyone from an expected downpour.

Mirabel’s strongest sister was also the one who volunteered to create a new mantilla for their Tía Gabriela, which was a small but welcome surprise to everyone that Luisa had finally learned to embrace her softer side. Gabriela had seen the sample, and she cried at how beautiful it was with its intricate and delicate lacing.

“So, that’s what we’ve completed so far.” Mirabel concluded, their cups now empty and bellies a little bit full. “Dolores and Mariano are working on the program flow, which I am leaving them to do…” She made a face before continuing. “And Antonio said his animal friends would like to make a performance to start off the party after.”

“I’m sure Dolores and Mariano are taking this seriously, Mira.” Gabriela’s eyes twinkled. “And I can’t wait to see little Tonio and his friends dancing.” She clasped a hand under her chin and tapped on the list between them both. “So since those are settled, the items left on the list would be the serenade, which I know your Tío must be sweating with, the cake and the gold coins for the padre to bless.”

“I can get the last two arranged, Tía.” Mirabel winked. “Leave them to me.”

++++

Elsewhere, Bruno found himself struggling with preparing his serenata. Mirabel had done an excellent job with the wedding planning with the rest of the family and even a few townsfolk, but this one was something she couldn’t help him with. So he dragged his brother-in-laws to help him as a one, tiny favor.

They had been stuck at their wits end for hours.

“Why are you stressing out over this, hermano? The serenata should be the last thing on your to-do list.” Félix said, watching Bruno pace back and forth. “Most men would be worrying about their vows first.”

“But I’ve already completed my vows,” Bruno muttered in response. “Also, most men don’t feel the pressure of having to impress their brides…whose entire family are well-known musicians.”

Bruno’s deadpan tone broke Félix’s composure and he laughed so hard that his voice echoed throughout the house. “Ay, Bruno, you never cease to amaze me.” He wheezed. “Of course you’d have the vows ready.”

“Oye, I think his concerns are genuinely valid,” Agustín interjected, looking through his record collection for some ideas. “We didn’t get a chance to do the serenata the first time around.”

“Man, you’ll do great though.” Félix waved a hand nonchalantly. “Whatever you pick, I’m sure Gabriela would like it.”

Bruno scratched the back of his neck in frustration, his hand itching to throw salt and knock on every wooden surface known to man, but he refrained. “That’s the problem, though. I don’t know what to pick. I know she’ll enjoy whatever song we perform, but I just can’t shake the feeling of wanting this to be perfect. If my vows convey how I truly feel about her,” He selected his words thoughtfully while carefully taking out a piece of paper from his breast pocket. “The song has to do so, too.”

The paper was worn with multiple creases that seemed like it had been in his pockets for more than a decade. Bruno held it like it was the most fragile china. “I’ve had this for way longer, even before I asked her to marry me the first time around. I did change a few lines though, while I was hiding away, and added a new one when we both came back recently.”

Bruno looked wistful and Félix thought he could pull a fast one to take the sheet off Bruno’s hands. He reached out to grab it, but Bruno instinctively dodged from Félix’s grasp. “What the hell, Félix? Careful with that!”

“Come on, hermano. The easiest way for us to figure out the perfect song is if you read out your vows! What’s on it?”

“No way, Félix! For a romantic I thought you’d get the gist just as is. Anyway, you’ll hear it at the church in a few days.”

“Pepa is different from Gabriela, and therefore I can’t help you until we know what feelings you want to convey!”

“They’re both women!”

“Different women! Just a quick peek?”

Agustín watched in amusement as the two men became locked in what could only be described as an intricate dance. Every time Félix thought he had Bruno cornered, the lithe man would somehow slide his way out. Agustín’s eyes glanced over the wall clock, knowing that his daughter may come home soon unless he intervened.

“Miércoles, we won’t get anything done this way.” He coughed, making both Félix and Bruno stop their roughhousing to look at him. Finally catching their attention, Agustín proceeded with a possible solution to their conundrum. “Okay, okay, how about this? Bruno, maybe you can just share the essence of what’s on your vows with us? That way Félix and I could get the idea, and you don’t have to divulge everything. It’s a win-win.”

“The essence?” Bruno contemplated for a bit.

“As you said, Félix here is the resident romantic, and if you’re able to paint a picture for us he’d be able to decode it like the suave lover that he is.”

Félix grinned while the seer made a face. “I don’t want to think about what kind of suave lover he is around my sister. Alright, I’ll try to put my thoughts into it so I could wipe out that mental image.”

Bruno proceeded to tell them the thoughts that’s been on his mind, from the very first moment he laid his eyes on his beloved up to the day he had lost her. He poured his heart, no doubt stunning anyone within hearing range of his sheer devotion to the woman who he can’t wait to spend the rest of his days with.

There was a short moment of silence when Bruno finished, before Félix clapped, soft and slow. It became a full-fledged applause and there were tears in his eyes, like he just listened to the world’s best play. “That is so beautiful it’s making me cry,” He sobbed and shared a knowing look with Agustín. “Great idea, Gus. I think we have just the song in mind for that.”

++++

Camilo stared at the girls’ fussing about with a bored expression plastered on his face. He knew the wedding was in three days’ time, but he had plans with a few of his friends that afternoon to play futbol. He had hoped he would be granted leave after the backbreaking work Mirabel had put him through previously.

“What backbreaking work are you talking about? You were just eating cake!” Dolores argued, pinching her brother’s cheeks. “Imagine, Mariano caught you stuffing your face with Tía Julieta’s cooking!”

“Ouch!” Camilo groaned, rubbing his sore face after swatting his sister’s hands away. “You would think it was just me eating cake, but I had to stretch my stomach for it!” He retorted with a sullen expression. “I don’t have the same sweet-tooth as Señor Osvaldo.”

“That isn’t backbreaking. Lifting heavy objects is!”

“I lifted multiple trays for Tía! And helped Isa with her plants!”

“Don’t you drag me into this, Camilo!” Isabela rolled her eyes at her cousin, unamused. “We all know you sneaked away after I asked you to carry the small cactus pots in. And, you didn’t even comment properly on the look of the arrangement. At least Luisa had something to say.” 

“Well, I’m sorry for not being so useful to the conversation.” Camilo bristled. “I have no idea what flowers and plants look good together and whatnot. And, isn’t Tío Bruno allergic to them?”

“Pollen! He’s allergic to pollen!”

“Same thing.”

“No it’s not…you little…!”

“Okay, timeout.” Mirabel stopped Isabela from lunging towards Camilo and strangling him to death. “How about I make a deal with you?”

“What?” Dolores and Isabela screeched in unison.

Camilo ignored the two older girls and raised one eyebrow at Mirabel. “Hm, I’m interested. What’s in it for me?”

“I’ll take all of your chores for the next week if you help out with this one thing.” Mirabel offered, extending her hand. “No detours, then you’re free to do whatever.”

“Are you insane, Mirabel? It’s not worth it.” Dolores tried in vain to persuade her to not take the gamble. “You can’t possibly let him leave like that, can you? He’s just going to play futbol!”

Isabela nodded furiously. “Seconding the statement. He has a lot of unfinished work, and you’re already doing much more than the rest of us.”

“It’s okay, I’d rather take the chance.” Mirabel replied calmly. “I signed up for this. We don’t have enough time to put his usual shenanigans into the mix. So, what do you say, Milo? Do we have a deal?”

The contemplative look on Camilo’s face changed into a shit-eating grin. “Sweet. It’s a deal.” He shook Mirabel’s hand with such energy, making the rest suspicious of his intentions. “So, what do you want me to do?”

“A death sentence.” Isabela mumbled at the same time Dolores crossed her arms and clicked her tongue in disapprovement. Mirabel shrugged the disappointed expressions off and procured thirteen coins from the inside of her mochilla. She gingerly handed it off into Camilo’s open palms. 

“Okay?” He looked at her questioningly. “These are a bunch of coins. What am I supposed to do with this?” 

“Quite simple. Can you pass by the chapel and hand these off to Padre Flores?” She answered coolly. “It’s for Las Arras. You don’t have to do anything else after that. The padre will take care of the rest.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

His eyes turned into tiny slits. “Are you sure you’re not playing any tricks on me, prima? Because if you do, the deal’s off.”

“Nope.”

“So after that I’m free to go?”

“Absolutely.” Mirabel solemnly nodded. “Just, you know, be careful with them, okay? And it has to be delivered before six.”

“Okay then.” Camilo saluted, turning his back to walk out the door. “I’ll see you all later then.”

Before he could exit, Dolores gripped her brother’s arm tightly. “Go straight to the church first before doing whatever.” She hissed, tapping her ear as a threat. “We’ll know if you didn’t.”

In annoyance, Camilo haphazardly crammed the coins into his pockets. “Alright, alright!” He groaned as he shook his sister off. “Get the coins safe to the padre. Geez, Dolores, it’s like you think I’m doomed or something.”

The girls watched as Camilo ran off, leaping over the fence and disappearing into town. “He’s going to get himself into trouble, you know that, don’t you?” Isabela sighed. “For all we know he might scather the coins all over town and turn it into one, big, treasure hunt.”

“I have no doubt that that’s very likely.” Mirabel turned her attention back to her notepad. “But it’ll be his problem, not ours. He can handle it.”

“You seem so confident that it’ll happen.”

“Mirabel’s not far-off, though.” Dolores interjected with her doe eyes wide. “Maybe this will finally teach him a lesson.”

++++

The sun was starting to set when Camilo remembered the coins.

He had been a little spooked by his sister’s threat, knowing that she would most likely tattle him to their mother. Triggering lightning storms and getting grounded were enough to keep him on track for the first fifteen minutes, before he bumped into a friend who was on his way to the fields.

Then the threat was all but forgotten, and Camilo spent his entire afternoon playing with his friends, just as he had planned before everything else. Only with the ringing of the church bells to signal the approaching time jogged the memory of his quest. Saying a quick goodbye, he made his way quickly back into town, before realizing his pockets felt lighter than usual. His face paled when he reached his hand in and found them empty.

The urge to panic immediately kicked in and it took all of his energy to not break down in the middle of the road. “Okay, Camilo, don’t panic.” He chanted to himself as he retraced his steps. “You did not lose the valuable gold coins for your Tío’s wedding. It probably fell somewhere on the way and you would be able to find them as long as you recall where you’ve been. No one in town would dare take them or tell on you. Mamá isn’t going to ban you from leaving the house until you’re sixty.” Camilo patted his pockets down again, hoping it wasn’t a fluke. “Scratch that, I’m dead. Why did I forget that these pants needed to be mended?”

He was too busy worrying that he did not notice where he was going and bumped into someone, hard. “Hey!” They shouted. “Watch where you’re going…Camilo?”

Camilo froze. He knew that tone and the tell-tale rumble of thunder. He mentally kicked himself and tried to keep his cool, but failed miserably. “Mami, uh, hi!” He stammered. Why now, when he was in the middle of a crisis, would he bump into his mother? “Sorry, I wasn’t looking at where I was going. What are you doing here?”

Pepa stared at her son confusingly, the cloud above her head dissipating. “That’s an odd question. You know I went to run some errands this afternoon. Where are you going off in such a hurry? I taught you better to watch both ways when crossing…”

“It’s nothing!” Camilo felt the beads of sweat trickling down the side of his forehead. He knew he would be in a lot more trouble if his mother found out the truth right there and then. Camilo did not have enough time - the time for Angelus was fast approaching.  He needed to shake her off his back. “I, uh, also needed to run an errand.”

Pepa looked at him skeptically. Something was off, but she decided not to pry. “Alright then.” She said after a long while, turning on her heels to go about her way. “Do what you need to do right now and I’ll see you back home in a bit. You know you’re going to join your Tío to do the serenata happening later tonight, so please don’t be late.”

“Yes, I got it Ma, Will definitely be on time later!” Camilo was desperate at this point that he was sure his spirit was separating from his body. He sprinted away without another word, leaving poor Pepa wondering what the hell was happening.

++++

“You’d think something shiny would be so easy to find, but no.” Camilo huffed, clutching his chest. It had been an hour since he realized he lost the coins, and close to thirty minutes when he escaped a potential questioning from his mother. He had scoured every nook and cranny known to man, but with no luck. “Maybe I should just give up and face the consequences.”

The rest of the townsfolk passing by looked at him weird as he slapped his cheeks and gave himself another pep talk. “No, this is my chance to show everyone that I can be responsible. Plus, if I give up now, I’ll not only be grounded for the rest of my days, I’ll lose the opportunity to get Mirabel to do my chores for a week.” With renewed determination, Camilo went back to searching. “If I were a bunch of shiny, gold coins, where would I be…?”

“Excuse me, what are you doing?” 

Camilo turned to see three little kids staring at him. “Why are you crawling on your hands and feet on the ground?” One of the little girls asked. 

“Maybe he’s looking for something, Cecilia.” The other girl answered. “Did you lose something, Camilo?”

“I lost something the other day too!” The boy in their small group spoke. “I cried when I couldn’t find my favorite coffee cup, but it turned out that my Papá misplaced it somewhere.”

Cecilia rolled her eyes at the boy. “Juancho, I don’t think that's what Alejandra meant. Camilo isn’t searching for a coffee cup.”

“Woah there, you three.” Camilo raised his hands to placate the little ones. “No need to get all huffy at one another. I was just looking closer at the ground, that's all. It’s interesting.”

The trio turned to look at one another. “I don’t think it’s very good to lie.” Alejandra quipped. “My abuela says liars’ pants will catch fire.”

Camilo sighed, knowing that there was no point to trick them. “Fine, I did lose something. Something valuable.” He did not want to be embarrassed by a five year old. “I’ve been looking for a while and there’s not enough time.”

“Maybe we can help?” Juancho jumped up and down all excitedly. “I’m really good at finding things!”

“Like how you found your coffee cup?” Cecilia teased.

“My dad misplaced it!”

“Okay, okay. No arguing.” He pinched the bridge of his nose to get his thoughts in order, and an idea clicked. “I’ll agree to have you three help me out if you behave. What do you say to a treasure hunt?”

He had to cover his ears for a bit due to the high-pitched squealing. “A treasure hunt?” They screamed excitedly. “Like buried treasure?” 

“Not quite buried, but they are indeed shiny. They’re for the upcoming wedding.”

Juancho’s eyes grew big like saucers. “You mean for THE wedding?” He grabbed both Cecilia’s and Alejandra’s hands and dragged them off to start looking. “Then there’s no time to waste! Let’s go find it immediately, Camilo!”

++++

It was half past six when Camilo showed up at the church with the three in tow. He had gotten himself into his fair share of mess today which would not have happened had he followed through. Instead he and the little ones chased after donkeys and climbed trees and even fell into a pit just to get the coins back. Who knew that it could travel far when falling out of one’s pockets?

The padre didn’t look too pleased that the coins were a little muddy, but took them nonetheless. “I had been expecting you to come by earlier, Camilo.” Padre Flores chided gently. “But all is well and done now. I’ll let the Doña know that it has been delivered for blessing.”

Camilo felt like he missed something. “You’re not angry at me?”

“Heavens no!” The padre looked surprised. “Why would I be?”

The teen shifted on his heels and gestured to the trio apologetically. “I messed up, padre. My cousin made a deal with me, but I got distracted and didn’t hold up to my end of the bargain. If it weren’t for them I would’ve gone home empty handed and maybe in a lot more trouble.”

Camilo squeaked when the priest patted him gently on the shoulder, his tone full of understanding. “Son, we all make mistakes in life, but what is important is that we learned something from it. I hope you don’t take this lesson for granted.”

“I did learn something, I guess.” Camilo felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Padre Flores nodded as he straightened his cassock. “Thank you for your honesty. I am glad you’re setting a good example for them.”

“I’m not sure about that, but thanks?”

“It’ll take some time.” The priest laughed. “I’ll see you and your family soon for the wedding. Well then, I believe you better get going, we’re looking forward to Bruno’s serenata later tonight.”

“Ah, shoot! Mamá is going to kill me if I’m late!” Camilo groaned and took off back to Casita. “Thanks padre! And thanks for the help you three! I’ll play with you guys again sometime!”

++++

“You’re late.” Félix scolded his son when Camilo rushed through the door, panting and dripping with sweat. “Your Mamá had half a thought to ground you, but thankfully your sister persuaded her not to.”

Dolores smirked as she coolly handed her younger brother a towel to dry himself and his costume for tonight’s serenata. “What can I say? How else would you be able to keep up with your promises?”

Camilo’s face fell. “Please tell me you didn’t let Mami know.”

“Know what?” Félix asked, before Mirabel came calling for them to get themselves ready. “Nevermind. We can discuss whatever you both are talking about after the parties this week.”

The two siblings watched their father’s bouncing frame leave the room. “I’ll babysit Antonio for the next week if you don’t tell our parents about my mishap this afternoon.” Camilo whispered under his breath. “Deal?”

“If you add in helping me pick out outfits for my dates with Mariano and also not make a stupid face every time he's around, then we have a deal.” Dolores whispered back. “Consider it payment for telling the padre ahead of time that you’d be late.”

“When the heck did you even find the time to do that?” Camilo hissed. “Did you three know all this time I would mess up?”

“Ah, ah! Not at all. It was Mirabel who told me to call the padre up. She noticed you were wearing the pants that needed mending, and thought you’d realize it immediately, but I guess not.” Dolores covered her mouth to suppress a smile. “The deal should be off, but she said she’ll let it slide. Although, she did say she would hound you forever with it.”

“I would rather do the chores than have her rub my face with it.”

“Nah, that’s no fun though.” Mirabel poked her head by the door, startling Camilo. “Anyway, there you are. No time for chitchat, Milo, Tío’s ready to head off.”

++++

Gabriela was enjoying a quiet evening with her family when a knock at their door caught her attention. “Who could be here at this hour?” She bemused, slowly getting up from her seat to check. “You weren’t expecting any guests, were you, Papá? Julián?”

Mauricio and his son shook their heads, pretending to act as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “Nope.” They answered in unison, which she found odd.

In fact, everyone had been acting strange all day. 

Mirabel had dropped by earlier at the shop like she always did, but left as quickly as she came, simply dropping off a dress that she made with a note that read: wear this later . Then when Gabriela arrived home, she was flustered to see her sister-in-law cooking something up. She wouldn’t have thought much of it on any normal day, but Lucía was making more food enough to feed an army.

Then Julián had quickly ushered Juancho into the bedroom to change when her nephew arrived home all muddied. She had an inkling that something was up, but knowing her wedding was only two days away, thought nothing much of it.

Until she opened the door and found the Madrigal men dressed to the nines, down to the shoes up to the sombrero vueltiao on their heads. Félix stood there beaming with glee while Agustín and Camilo tipped their hats.

“What’s going on?” She squeaked, covering her face to calm her red cheeks. Gabriela fought the urge to burst into tears when Bruno appeared behind them, and started to sing.

Tus besos se llegaron a recrear aquí en mi boca

Llenando de ilusión y de pasión mi vida loca

Las horas más felices de mi amor fueron contigo

Por eso, es que mi alma siempre está, qué dulce alivio

Félix swayed along while strumming the tiple. Agustín masterfully crafted the melodies on the piano that funnily enough, Luisa was carrying. Camilo provided backup vocals while his Tío belted out the next line.  

Te puedo yo jurar, ante un altar, mi amor sincero

A todo el mundo le puedes contar que sí te quiero

Tus labios me enseñaron a sentir lo que es ternura

Y no me cansaré de bendecir tanta dulzura

Bruno took Gabriela’s hand and kissed it as he finished his song. “Te amo, mi sol, mi cielo, mi vida. I hope I did the song justice.” She was stunned into silence for a long time and everyone held their breath waiting for her response.

“I’m so sorry…” Bruno flustered when she began to cry. “I know I’m not much of a singer, but…”

“Oh, Bruno, no, no.” Gabriela shook her head, placing a hand on her beloved’s cheek. “I’m just…so…happy!”

“You are? But…?”

She leaned forward to give him a kiss, making the crowd that gathered outside to watch the serenata cheer with delight. “These are just tears of joy. I wasn’t expecting this surprise…”

Now it was Bruno’s turn to be embarrassed. “Heh, um, I didn’t have the chance to do it back then, you know? I thought that since it’s a new beginning, I’d do right by you this time.”

Gabriela knew all too well what he meant. Bruno gestured to the rest of his family. “A song couldn’t fully express what I feel, but I hope you know that I’ll always try to be the man worthy of you.”

They were about to share another kiss before Félix broke the moment. “Okay, lovebirds!” he whistled. “Sorry to intrude on your sweet atmosphere, but are we going to get this party started, or not?”

Right on cue, Mauricio and Julián appeared with their own instruments, signaling the start of the festivities. Bruno grinned sheepishly as he whispered into her ear. “Gabriela Álvarez, may I have this dance?”

++++

The night before the big day felt like a bundle of nerves twisting and turning in a million different ways. Gabriela knew just how much the entire Encanto banded together with Mirabel at the helm, to let her and Bruno have the moment they both longed for.

The thought of tomorrow consumed her so much that Gabriela found herself lying in bed, just staring at the ceiling. She had attempted to sleep multiple times throughout the night but without avail. 

“It’s probably just the pre-wedding jitters.” She told herself.

As the minutes ticked by, Gabriela’s mind began to wander. She started reminiscing about the past, about how her family came to live in the quiet, magical town that was hidden from the world. She remembered the chance meeting that happened by the river and the almost awkward dinner party a few nights after, to where she finally met the Madrigals and the mystery man who eventually stole her heart away.

She finally felt tired enough that her eyelids were starting to get heavy when a loud knock at her window startled her awake. 

“Mi amor? It’s me. Can you let me in?”

Gabriela almost fell off the bed. Bruno’s voice, though muffled by the glass, was clear. Wondering what he was doing at her house so late at night, she quickly unlatched the lock to let him in. “What are you doing here?” She hissed, squeezing her eyes shut. It was reminiscent of their early years together when he snuck out to see her. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“I can’t sleep.” Bruno answered matter-of-factly. Gabriela could not see the expression on his face, and she didn’t dare to. “For someone so superstitious, I didn’t expect you to break the biggest rule of them all.” She whispered, covering her face with her hands to quell the temptation to peek. “Isn’t it bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other the night before their wedding?”

“They say it is, but I wanted to see you.”

“We’re getting married tomorrow.”

“I know, but I couldn’t wait that long.” Bruno murmured. “There I was, in my room, just thinking about you. All I could think about was you, and it drove me crazy that I just needed to go, so I got up and snuck out. I’m glad I came.”

The confession made Gabriela drop her guard and her hands fell to her sides, though she kept her eyes closed. “Bruno…”

She felt something soft brush her lips. It was brief, but it made her face heat up. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” He sighed, sounding every bit lovestruck. 

“Do you want to stay over?” The words spilled out of Gabriela’s mouth before she could even stop herself. “I mean, at least before…”

Bruno chuckled. “If you want me to. And just so we won’t get in trouble with Mirabel or the rest of the family, I promise to be out before morning.”

“Okay then.” Gabriela felt her heart skip a beat. She cautiously took a peep, and thankfully, the room was dark enough that she could not see anything but his curls. She gingerly reached for his hand and guided him to her bed. The butterflies in her stomach dissipated the moment his arms wrapped around her waist, and a wave of comfort washed over her once more.

“Gabriela?” 

“Hm?” 

“I love you.” He whispered in her ear, low and deep, laced with sleep. “Tomorrow will be the start of our forever.”

++++

The moment the church doors opened and she walked down the aisle, Bruno knew there was nothing else in the world that could compare to that feeling of bliss. He had his worries beforehand, but it all disappeared the moment he laid his eyes on her. He didn’t even care when he suddenly had a vision in the middle of the ceremony, because he saw the future, as he predicted years ago. 

When it came time to read their vows, Gabriela tried her best to hold back her tears as her beloved made his promise to her on the altar.

“I remember the day I first saw you.” Bruno began, his voice wavering with emotion. “And I thought to myself that you were an angel that had descended from the heavens. I fell in love with you, but I didn’t know until that day when the light danced around your eyes, with your smile so sweet as you followed the melody like you’ve known it a million times before.”

Recognition showed in her eyes as she listened to his words, and relieved the memories hidden in his heart.

“My beloved, as I stand here today, I am reminded how you are the gift that I never thought I needed, the one I’ve always thought I never deserved.”

“But you do, Bruno.” Gabriela whispered, her eyes shining. “And I needed you too.”

With trembling hands Bruno reached over and slipped the wedding band into Gabriela’s finger. “Gabriela, what we don’t see is the feeling in our hearts, the joy, the pain, the sorrow. I knew before we met that there would be something coming my way, even if I didn’t know when. And when you came into my life everything changed, for better or for worse, I would gladly live all of my lifetimes with you.”

“And I too would very much like that.” A tear finally escaped her cheek as she placed a ring into Bruno’s finger. “You came into my life without any warning, but everything fell into place. We had our fair share of laughter, of trouble, of years that felt like forever. Even then, it never changed how I feel about you. It made me realize that we may be flawed, but we are two people who brought out the best in each other.”

“You’re my kind of perfect, Gabriela. If you’ll have me, I’ll promise to be there surely as the day turns into night. I love you. All of you.”

“I promise to hold you, Bruno, to be by your side, through the good and the bad. All of your past, in my present, to our future. I love you too. All of you.”

There was not a dry eye in sight as the sounds of muffled sobs echoed throughout the church. Padre Flores cleared his throat, trying hard not to break down himself. He’d seen his fair share of emotional weddings, but this one took the cake. “Bruno Madrigal,” The padre questioned. “Do you take this woman, Gabriela Álvarez, to be your lawfully wedded wife, till death do you part?” 

“Till death do us part.” Bruno breathed. “I do.”

“Gabriela Álvarez, do you take this man, Bruno Madrigal, to be your lawfully wedded husband, till death do you part?”

Gabriela nodded, her composure now flooded with a stream of happy tears. “Till death do us part, Padre. I do take Bruno. I do. I do!”

The world drowned itself out even before the last words were pronounced, and they couldn't care less as Bruno and Gabriela kissed, finally, husband and wife.

++++

Two Months Later

“Ay, I’m feeling exhausted lately.” Gabriela muttered as Bruno flitted about, pacing nervously around the kitchen. “Bruno insisted that you take a closer look at me.”

Julieta shook her head and handed her an arepa and a cup of hot chocolate. “I’m no doctor, though, Ella.” She said, calling Gabriela by the nickname she and Pepa gave her as an official member of the Madrigal family. “But from the way I see you, you look like you’re practically glowing.”

“I am?”

The question hung in the air as Dolores looked up from her cup, listening into their conversation. “It’s more than that, Tía.” She tapped her ear. “You’re probably pregnant.”

“Wait, what?” Bruno skidded himself to a halt and turned around too quickly that both his wife and sister clicked their tongues disapprovingly. He had no time to worry about whiplash if it meant his prediction would be coming true. “Gabriela’s pregnant?”

“When did you last…?” Julieta asked as Gabriela’s eyes grew wider in realization. They both glanced down at Gabriela’s belly, which looked flat…or did it?

“I didn’t think much of it when I didn’t…” Gabriela gasped, her hands flying to cradle her abdomen. “I thought I was…” She and Bruno exchanged glances. It explained everything she had been feeling lately if she was.

Julieta didn’t wait for an answer. “Congratulations!” She clapped her hands in glee. “If Dolores can hear them, it must mean you are. Oh, wait till the rest of the family finds out! I should prepare something nice for dinner tonight to celebrate…though, I can’t let you have wine, Ella!”

“Bruno?” Gabriela blinked back as he knelt down to her side and kissed her belly. “Can you believe it? It’s happening!”

He gave her a sweet smile and reached out to squeeze her hands. “I’m just as shocked as you are. The vision is finally coming true!”

“A baby!”

“Ours.” Bruno stood up to plant a chaste kiss on her lips. “We’ll do our best to be the best parents for our baby.”

Dolores then snorted and everyone turned to look at her funny. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to break the happy vibe.” She waved a hand away. “But I thought it would be funny to let you know that it’s not just one baby. It’s babies.”

Bruno’s smile suddenly turned into one of panic. “Babies…?” He had not thought of the possibility of having more than one, knowing his and Gabriela’s age. His vision from years before and even two months ago only showed one. “Dolores, how many heartbeats do you hear…?”

His niece cocked her head to the side, concentrating hard. “Two…?” She hedged, before covering her mouth in surprise. “Oh, no, wait. Three! I hear three! You’re having triplets! Congratulations!”

“Three? Oh, then we must be quite lucky, don’t you think, Bruno?” Gabriela sighed dreamily, turning her head towards her husband before quickly scrambling off her chair where she sat. “Bruno? Bruno!”

The shock of suddenly being a father of not one, but THREE made Bruno faint. It was more than what he had hoped for, but soon the memory would be something he would never, ever, forget.

++++

Glossary of terms (in order of appearance in-text): Duerme bien - Sleep well Guayabera - a men's summer shirt Serenata - Serenade. Part of the common Colombian Wedding preparations where the groom surprises the bride with a song. Futbol - Football (or Soccer, in the US) Mochilla - Colombian woven bag made by the Wayúu women in the Guajira region of Colombia. Las Arras - wedding paraphernalia used in Christian wedding ceremonies in Latin America. It is made up of thirteen gold coins that is blessed by a priest and is given by the groom to the bride. Sombrero Vueltiao - a traditional hat from Colombia

The following are the lyrics of Contigo by Trío Los Panchos Tus besos se llegaron a recrear aquí en mi boca - Your kisses came to recreate here in my mouth Llenando de ilusión y de pasión mi vida loca - Filling my crazy life with illusion and passion Las horas más felices de mi amor fueron contigo - The happiest hours of my love were with you Por eso, es que mi alma siempre está, qué dulce alivio - That's why my soul is always there, what a sweet relief Te puedo yo jurar, ante un altar, mi amor sincero - I can swear to you, before an altar, my sincere love A todo el mundo le puedes contar que sí te quiero - You can tell everyone that I love you Tus labios me enseñaron a sentir lo que es ternura - Your lips taught me to feel what tenderness is Y no me cansaré de bendecir tanta dulzura - And I will not get tired of blessing so much sweetness

-- Research links for this chapter: Colombian Wedding Traditions

Main Fic | Previous One-Shot

#encanto #fanfiction #one shot fic #one shot #original character has a gift #mirabel madrigal #bruno madrigal #pepa madrigal #abuela alma madrigal #what we don't see #post canon #ao3fic #camilo madrigal #agustin madrigal #felix madrigal #julieta madrigal #dolores madrigal #antonion madrigal #isabela madrigal #madrigal family #it was our wedding day

[phoenixlionme]

These two screenshot comparisons are VERY telling. Now, before I start, I want to make it clear: This is not me calling the Madrigals "evil" or anything like that, it's just an observation. Kind of a sad one but still a simple observation.

In the first shot, we see all of them listening to Alma's speech. All of staring up at the matriarch with attentiveness and reverence; at the same time, huddling together in closeness and vulnerability - Luisa's hand on Julieta's shoulder. Julieta and Camilo holding each other, Isabela and Dolore holding one another, and Agustin holding onto Dolores' shoulder. We see that they are tight knit and close family that have zero qualms about being affectionate with each other. But, then something happens...

Onto the second screenshot, their closeness doesn't change but their attention and attitudes shift. Why? They just witnessed Mirabel (whose ceremony failed) agreeing to help Antonio to his door. And they don't smile at Mirabel's sweet gesture even after shock dissipates. All of their reactions are either shocked (Camilo, Dolores, Agustin), concerned (Julieta), quiet understanding (Luisa), or quiet disapproval (Isabela, when asked about her reaction Jared Bush confirmed on Twitter that Isabela made that face because she thought Mirabel was going to mess up Antonio's night).

And given how Mirabel was positioned with Antonio, she most likely noticed the reactions of her family. And even though it's not said, I think it paints a clear picture of something even Mirabel most likely knows but doesn't say out loud: For all the talk about familial love, the Madrigals don't have the highest respect for Mirabel. I am NOT saying they don't love her, but they don't fully respect her.

#disney #encanto #luisa madrigal #camilo madrigal #julieta madrigal #isabela madrigal #dolores madrigal #agustin madrigal #madrigal family #favfams #my posts #fam analysis

[immortalme123]

CAMILO MADRIGAL X TALL FEM READER

i just write this to cheer myself since every story i read, yn is 140-150cm tall😭 and i am 173cm herself-

And i actually found out that camilo is 162cm-

So yeah, i will make reader 175 cm tall- and in this story y'all dating btw cause I am lazy to write story from the start💀😅😅😭😭😭

I will write headcanons and one shot maybe

HE/HIM FOR CAMILO AND SHE/HER FOR READER(Y/N)

-he hates and loves the fact that you are taller than him

-he try to tip-toe to kiss you but you were too tall for him so he have to ask you- and let me tell you, he will be blushing mess

-he love to hug you and listen to your heartbeat 💓

-antonie and him sometimes ask you to piggyback

-and when pepa saw you two first time, she see herself and Felix in you guys and she almost cried✨

-he loves to hold your hand when you guys doing your chores or walking around and he told you that he won't get lost if he hold your hand.

-he thinks you are kinda scary when you mad

-when you first met His family, everyone was shocked and happy that camilo have loved who will care for him and love him.

-felix was proud and pepa was little crying and adored you but when you guys first met Like at market or during her chores, she was kinda suspicious of you and snappy now she loves you like her own daughter, Bruno thinks your great but keep little distance of you since you are way taller than him, even tho he live with luisa- and Isabela likes to tease you both to end (with Dolores)

-you think your gonna get bullied because your tall? Oh heck nah you easily can win whoever try to hurt you or camilo-

-he loves to wrap his arms around your waist and you put your head on his head (this sound weird)

-he sometimes cling in to you while you doing your chores

-you have to look little down to look at his face, and he have to look up

-he whine about how his neck hurt from looking up but he isn't complaining tho-your just so pretty

-he always say your pretty and some cheesy stuff

-if you are insecure about your height, oh boy he GONNE lecture you and told you how amazing you are and your height make it better for hour or maybe more

-you and Luisa kinda get along since you guys are tall duo in town

-if he is in bad moon, he just hug you from behind or headbutt your back to let you know

Short story:

"AYYYY amor!" You head voice behind you and that voice belong to only camilo madrigal, your boyfriend.

"oh hey love" you opened your arms and he jumped in to it, clinging to you and putting his head at your chest

"ughhh i missed you..it's like it's been years!!!!" He whined, you laughed softly "but it's been only 1 hour?-" he rolled his eyes and hugged you thigter.

"amor....u-uh can i kiss you?" He was embarrassed to ask that but he was kinda getting used to it, you bent over and he cupped your face and kisses also while tip-toe. Y'all didn't realize pepa and Felix were spying on you guys-

"aren't they perfect mi amor?" Felix said holding his wife hand, and wiping her tear

"oh yes....they are perfect....they remind of us while we were teenagers.." pepa smiled lovingly at us, and there was little cloud

"MOM DAD!? ARE YOU GUYS SPYI-"

#camilo madrigal x reader #encanto #camilo madrigal #x reader #camilo x y/n #camilo disney

[gamerbearmira]

rahhhhhhhHHHHHH

Guys i had so much to do this week. But I PUSH TRUST I GOT Y'ALL 🦅🦅

So this is for the vampire au. One shots I have planned are Housebroken, Protective (likely Cutthroat), and Giant Siren. Gonna try and do art for them too 🤭

ANYWAY. LETS GET IT. MADRIGALS WON'T GET ROBBED 👺👺👺

-----

"Who are you?" The man whipped around, spooked by the sudden voice of a child. This house was ancient, no one had been said to live in it for years. The village around it was lively and bustling with activity, especially during the day, but it just didn't make sense why anyone would be in this house.

Standing there, was a girl. She couldn't have been older than 5 or 6 years old if that. She had on dark blue clothing, a dress that covered most of her body. Her appearance was clean and well-groomed. So she wasn't a beggar's child or anything of the sort.

"Why are you here?" Mirabel asked, her round green glasses reflecting the moonlight and shielding her eyes. Her face looked conflicted, though he couldn't truly tell because the rest of her face was concealed in darkness.

The man shifted, moving his bag out of sight from Mirabel. He didn't know if she lived here, but if she did, he didn't want her to try and stop him. The antiques he found were quite valuable, and he intended to get some money for them. He stared at Mirabel before scoffing. It was just a little girl. She couldn't do anything.

"None your business. What's a little girl like you doing here? It's dangerous at night," the man scoffed, and Mirabel giggled, confusing him.

"I'm always awake at night. Abuela says if we go outside to play in the day, we'll get sunburned," she said, looking at the man curiously. The man was about to respond when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He jumped, turning around, but no one was there. He turned back around and saw the girl, Mirabel, standing next to a boy. The two were digging around in his bag, which he noticed had been missing.

"What...? Hey! Give that back!" He said, reaching for the bag, but the two young children moved at an impossibly fast speed, evading him easily.

Camilo dug in the bag before pulling out an ornate chalice. "Hey, isn't this Abuela's?"

Mirabel stared at it before nodding. "Yeah...yeah it is," she looked at the man, who realized he had been caught. Camilo dumped the bag's contents on the floor. All of it was Alma's, or someone else's. "Are you stealing from us?"

The man backed away. Mirabel's voice was weirdly calm, but it was...unsettling. Something just wasn't right. She walked closer, and so did Camilo. "Hey, back off."

"You stole from Abuela. She's not gonna be very happy," Camilo said, the man found himself being stared at by the two kids. They inched closer, and he noticed a strange red glow coming from their eyes. He began to slowly back away, his unease growing.

"I...I said back off," the man repeated, this time with more bass in his voice. But Camilo and Mirabel were persistent. They were getting closer, and he didn't like the eerie look in their eyes.

"Won't you stay for dinner? Maybe you can apologize. Abuela is very forgiving," Mirabel asked innocently, though the man could sense a much darker, sinister intent to her words.

Creeped out, the man turned, rushing down the hallway, his bag of valuables forgotten. He needed to figure out how to get out of this house. But as he ran, back the way he came, he became confused. This...was the way he came right? It was only a few turns he took. But suddenly the house was like a labyrinth. Constantly changing, the hallways and corridors growing longer, imposing. He slowed, realizing he wasn't being chased, looking around. He could hear the faint sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. He rather not stay, he didn't want to meet those kids' grandmother.

As he walked, looking for the staircase, or an exit at least, he felt a force stop him. Stumbling back, he looked around, then down slightly. A girl stood there, she was rather tall, though she was probably only 9 or maybe 10.

"Who are you?" The girl asked. Once again, she was clean, her dress neatly pressed and her brown hair pulled into a bun. Unlike the two younger children he encountered though, this one seemed much more...intimidating in a way. He couldn't explain it, but the look in her eyes gave him the same creeps as before.

"I...I'm just trying to get out. I don't want any trouble," the man stammered out; he didn't think that would happen. He sounded much more confident in his head.

The girl, Luisa, then smiled. It looked like she was trying to come off as warm and welcoming, but it wasn't working. Maybe it was the dim light from the candles across her face, or maybe it was the way she stood, but he got the opposite feeling of feeling welcomed. "Won't you stay for dinner?" she asked, her voice deceptively sweet.

That question again. Once again, it just sounded...off. Something wasn't right, these children were not normal. The man carefully walked around her, though she kept her steady gaze on him. As he walked away, he felt her grip his hand. Luisa was now staring at the man. "L-Let go," he said, trying to tug his hand away, but her grip was inhumane.

"Stay. For dinner," she repeated, her voice much lower now, and her smile was gone, replaced by a determined look.

Thoroughly scared, he pulled away with a hard tug, running away. This time he could hear her chasing after him, her footsteps surprisingly quiet compared to his. His lungs were burning as she raced down the hall. He quickly turned the corner, running into a room and shutting the door as quickly as he could. He could hear the sound of footsteps fading.

Turning around, he looked around the room. It was a shocking and rather drastic difference from the rest of the house while the walls were still a darker color, most everything else was light. White curtains were draped over the window. There were toys scattered, among other strange things. Baby items. His eyes fell on the white bassinet sitting by the window.

This was a nursery.

"There's no way..." The man drew closer and finally was hovering over the crib. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. A baby. It was a baby. It looked like a boy, swaddled in warm, pale yellow, almost white clothing. Compared to the other kids he had encountered he looked innocent enough.

The man stared for a moment, noticing what was in the baby, Antonio's, hand. It was a cup, an ornated bejeweled one. And the gems look real. The man carefully reached into the crib. The baby seemed unphased until the man started prying the chalice away. It took a moment, seeing that Antonio seemed to have a grip on it, but he got it away.

"These...these are real emeralds..." The man mumbled, admiring the stones. This would go for a lot of money. "What's a baby like you doing with something like this?"

The man paid little attention to Antonio, who began to whimper and whine. The man was too busy to notice the door opening quietly. Antonio rolled over, using the edge of the bassinet to stand up. His eyes drifted from his stolen chalice to the door, and he broke into a smile, giggling as he reached for whoever was at the door. The man noticed and turned to see what the babe was so excited about. "What are you...!"

The man froze when he saw an elderly woman standing there. There were two younger girls, different from the ones before, though they looked like they could be related. But the man was more focused on the woman, who was holding what looked like a bottle in her hands; it didn't look like milk though...

"I ask again," the older said, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you, and why are you in here with my grandson with his cup?"

The man seemed to realize she had asked him a question, stuttering as he dropped the cup, the sound of it clattering on the ground filling the room before he spoke. "I...I uh...he..."

"The man watched as the three previous children from before walked up behind the woman, the younger two hiding behind her dress while the one who was chasing him before stood next to the older girl with long, black hair. "That's him," she said, pointing to the man.

The older woman looked at the man before moving towards him. He tensed up but relaxed when she walked past him and to the bassinet. She picked up Antonio, who giggled as his small hands grabbed at her shawl. The older woman turned to the man with an ominous smile.

"How rude of me. My name is Alma, and these are my grandchildren," she said warmly, and the man relaxed a bit more. "Please excuse their behavior. They don't see many people, and certainly not in recent years."

"I-I...uh..." The man looked at the children nervously, though they seemed to calm down in the presence of who he assumed was their abuela. "A-All good..."

Alma cradled Antonio, her hand carefully hovering over him. He attempted to grab the bottle in her hand, babbling and seemingly occupied by the promise of food. Alma looked towards the man, her smiling widening. "You should stay for dinner. I insist."

-----

They're so silly (they haven't eaten in 3 days).

No but like. It's insane how bro tried to rob them and then copped an attitude when they confronted him. Like what did you expect 💀💀 anyway. Alma is very forgiving <333 (she's not)

This what bro looked like the whole time Alma was talking to him btw

#my asks #my asks are open #encanto #encanto au #au #encanto mirabel #encanto alma #encanto antonio #encanto isabela #encanto dolores #encanto luisa #encanto camilo #vampire au

[famwhy]

Masterlist

Intro post and disclaimers

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Pre-existing Characters

Dazai Osamu (Bungo Stray Dogs)

Realisation

You came across a realisation. Your boss' favour towards you wasn't exactly platonic. (Part of the 'Utter Devotion' series)

Realisation headcanons How would he react if you left him?

Tangerine (Bullet Train)

Saviour Complex (Act 1 | Act 2 | Act 3)

One night, you're pushed straight into an incoming train, causing everything to go black. When your eyes open up once more, you find yourself in a completely different country and face-to-face with your favourite character whose demise was right around the corner. Too attached to the man, you find yourself hatching a plan to save him - unaware of the consequences.

Billy Loomis (Scream 1996)

"You always were too smart..."

The Woodsboro massacre was a case that had been announced to be closed as soon as it was opened. The answer was obvious, right? There were two witnesses after all. Mr Prescott snapped, killed a bunch of kids, then shot himself in the head as a result of the nearing anniversary of his wife's death—two of your close friends confirmed it. Why, then, did you feel the need to meddle? Why couldn't you just mind your own goddamn business?!

Hobie Brown (Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse)

Inconsistent

In which, Hobie Brown confuses the shit out of you.

Judging Aunties

You just wanted to enjoy a nice family gathering with your boyfriend but of course your very rude and judgy aunties had to say something because why would they ever let you be happy? Luckily for you, Hobie loved you too much to let them get in the way.

Likkle Sleepy Darling

Hobie was just enjoying a gentle cuddle session with you but of course the youngens had to get in the way of it.

Miles Morales (Spiderverse)

Bereavement (Part 1 | Part 2)

Miles is missing, and all you can think about is getting him back. Upon finally finding him, however, you're taken aback by the copy that stands beside him—the same copy that was staring at you with wide, shaking eyes full of... disbelief?

Kaeya Alberich (Genshin Impact)

Protection

You left the confines of your household to explore the world only to realise that you went from one prison to another. Some would say it was for your own protection though. (Part of the 'Utter Devotion' series)

Childe/Tartaglia/Ajax (Genshin Impact)

Retribution

You seeked retribution for the death of your master. Unfortunately, that led you into the arms of the very being you wished death upon. (Part of the 'Utter Devotion' series)

Al-Haitham (Genshin Impact)

Yandere Al-Haitham Scenario

Your friend's roommate was really starting to creep you out. How is he always wherever you are?

Jung Hi (LoveUnholyc)

Frustration

Your neighbour is in a constant state of frustration due to you thinking of him as more of a little brother than a potential love interest. Once he reaches his limit, he snaps. (Part of the 'Utter Devotion' series)

Camilo Madrigal (Encanto)

Adoration

Your village was bursting with joy at the news delivered to them by what looked like you. Upon finding out your best friend had posed as you to tell a lie, you furiously confronted him, only to meet his gaze filled with adoration. (Part of the 'Utter Devotion' series)

Utter Devotion Series

Protection

You left the confines of your household to explore the world only to realise that you went from one prison to another. Some would say it was for your own protection though.

Frustration

Your neighbour is in a constant state of frustration due to you thinking of him as more of a little brother than a potential love interest. Once he reaches his limit, he snaps.

Apparition

You loved the day of the dead, it was just such a lovely festival filled with so much colour and warmth. You just never expected to actually come across an apparition yourself.

Retribution

You seeked retribution for the death of your master. Unfortunately, that led you into the arms of the very being you wished death upon.

Deception

A prank gone wrong, now you needed to rely on your deception skills to trick the school delinquent into thinking you were in love with him. Unfortunately, it worked too well

Elation

You and your group of friends stumbled across ancient ruins on a trip for your holidays. This, however, led you all to people who found themselves in a state of elation within your presence.

Realisation

You came across a realisation. Your boss' favour towards you wasn't exactly platonic.

Adoration

Your village was bursting with joy at the news delivered to them by what looked like you. Upon finding out your best friend had posed as you to tell a lie, you furiously confronted him, only to meet his gaze filled with adoration.

Dictation

A petty thief thought he could get away with stealing from you, slandering your name and regarding your dictation with scorn. Thankfully, your beloved knight was there to put him in his place.

In Grief and In Mourning Series

Right Way Up Series (STRANGER THINGS)

Ideas and Random Oneshots

Sahiau (Self-aware honkai impact au)

Sagau

Sagau X Honkai Impact 3rd

An imposter au where you are immediately able to fight back because you have your Honkai Impact 3rd characters, who could recognise you at first glance, with you.

#masterlist #oneshots #yandere oneshots #yandere headcanons #genshin kaeya #genshin impact #genshin childe #bullet train #stranger things #spiderverse #atsv

[magicalmadrigals]

Something New, Something True - 1

[Synopsis: Newly married and newly pregnant? Ay, life is never simple for Isabela Madrigal...

I have been wanting to do a little collection of one shots for Isabela for the longest time and so I am finally getting around to doing that. It is going to be so much fun, exploring what married life is like for her while she also navigates her first pregnancy. I think every member of the family will be making an appearance in this, so I hope you guys stick around and enjoy!]

Julieta knew all three of her daughters like the back of her hand, it was one of the things she took pride in, so there was no doubt in her mind that there was something weighing on Isabela’s mind at the dinner table. She had been quiet and in her own little world since they sat down to eat, merely swirling her spoon around in her sopa rather than eating it and doing her best not to make eye contact with anyone, and Guillermo was no help at all. She had glanced over at him a number of times in an attempt to make out what was going on, but she’d been given nothing to work with. Of course, there was a chance that he was just as in the dark as to what was going on with his esposa as she was, but there was also a chance that he knew much more than he was saying.

Ay, who was she kidding?

Of course, he knew more about this.

Despite having only been married six short months, they had known one another for four years now since they met during the rebuild of their home. She deemed him a nuisance in the beginning, feeling all he did was get in the way and make more work for everyone with his clumsiness and inability to even hold a hammer up the right way, she told her so herself, but her feelings regarding him soon began to change. She found it hilarious when he tripped over something or tore into a packet of seeds with too much force, sending them everywhere, and it surprised her little when she came in one night and asked if she thought he could eat dinner with them.

Her little girl had fallen hard for him.

Why on earth it took them so long to get around to getting married, she had no idea, but she was pleased the two of them had let a good length of time go by before making such a choice. It would have been so easy for them to rush into things in the heat of the moment and make a mistake, one they may have come to regret in time, and so she felt they had gone about things in the correct way and she was proud of them for thinking so rationally about it. It was well worth the wait too, honestly, seeing her daughter so contenta and with someone who loved her for her, not only her talent and the family she came from, and reminded her of her worth daily.

It was the sound of a spoon being tapped lightly against the side of a glass that pulled her from her thoughts, causing her to glance the young couple’s way once again, and she was relieved to see Isa was smiling this time.

So, the reason for her being so quiet was a good thing after all.

She could breathe a little easier now.

Once he had the attention of the familia, Guillermo rose from his seat and moved to stand behind Isabela and she watched her daughter reach up and thread her fingers through his when he laid a hand upon her shoulder. “I, uh, I have no need to tell you that I am not the greatest with words because you all remember my wedding speech,” He brought his free hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it nervously, making her and the rest of the family chuckle. “But, not too long ago, Isa and I got some wonderful news and we wanted to tell you all at the time, but thought it would be better to keep it to ourselves for a little while just in case. I think both of us are too impatient to keep it secret anymore though, so we couldn’t be happier to tell you we’re having a baby.”

“A baby? You’re having a baby?” Mirabel gasped from the other end of the table.

Isabela nodded, laughing at her hermanita’s evident delight. “It should be here in late septiembre, early octubre if Gui and I have done our maths right, but neither of us are that good at it and so I wouldn’t quote us on it.”

“And how are you feeling?” Alma reached out and brushed her hair from her face, sitting next to her.

“Just a little tired,” Isabela shook her head. “I had an appointment with the doctor a couple of days ago and he said that things look excellente with me and the baby which is good. All I truly care about is it being healthy.”

Julieta was doing her best to listen to her familia while they asked Isa question after question and she answered them as best she could, but the second she heard they were expecting a baby she was overcome with emotion and all she could focus on was her little girl. It would have been a true understatement for her to say that she was thrilled at the announcement. Not only was she going to be an abuela, something she’d wanted for years, but her daughter was going to be a mamí and there were honestly no words for how delighted she was for her.

She could remember her going on and on as a child, only a little older than Antonio, about how she was going to be the best mother when she was older. Her dolls were her babies and she would treat them as such, always making sure they were comfortable and clean and well presented, and she never gave her a reason to doubt she would make a brilliant mamí to her own child when the time came. Of course, playing dolls and having a real baby to care for were not the same thing in the slightest, but she knew for a fact her daughter had it in her to be amazing. She was so warm, so nurturing and gentle, and those were all things that made up a good mother.

It would be foolish to think she would never make a mistake because she would, lots of them, and there were going to be moments when she felt she was failing and could do nothing right, but that was where she would come in. She would be there to pick her up when she was down, to hold her and make her see she was doing her best for her bebé and her little familia and that was all that mattered. It would be an emotional time for all involved, much like her own pregnancies had been, but there was no doubt in her mind that they would make it through together. It was the way their family had always handled things and that was never going to change.

Not as long as any of them were living.

-----

It was nearing midnight when she was alone in la cocina, a candle burning next to her as she prepared the last couple of things for breakfast in the morning, and she looked up at the gentle pat of bare feet against the tiles only to see Isa there in her nightgown. “Mi vida? What are you still doing up? I thought you went to bed ages ago!” She wiped her hands quickly on her apron and turned to her as she entered the dimly lit room, opening her arms to her with a sigh at the look on her face. It seemed as though she had the cares of the world on her shoulders. Wrapping her arms around her when she all but fell into her embrace, she gently kissed her temple.

“I’m scared, Mamá, I have so many questions and none of the answers to them,” Isabela said in a voice thick with emotion as she curled her hands into her dress and tucked her head into her neck. “I love Gui and I love this baby, but it all happened so quickly and I never expected it to. I thought he and I would be married for a year at least before starting a familia, just like Lolita and Mariano, that was the way it was planned in my head and I liked that plan! I think what worries me the most is not knowing what to do. I don’t know how to be a mamí, I don’t know how to nurse or change or settle a bebé, and I’m worried Guillermo will be disappointed.”

Julieta smiled into her hair. “Do you think us women are born knowing how to do any of those things?”

Isa tilted her head back against her shoulder and looked up at her, closing her eyes when she brushed her hair from her face. “I think you were sometimes. You just always made it seem so easy when we were growing up.”

“Gracias, mi princesa, that’s kind, but I had to learn to be a mamá the same way your abuela and every mujer that came before me did,” Julieta pointed out, easing her away from her and taking her hand so she could lead her over to the table and they could sit down together. “I had already had some practice when your hermanitas arrived, but when I had you I had no idea what I was doing. I was only a few years older than you are now when I gave birth to you and I had a lot to learn. I had to learn to nurse you and I had to learn to bathe and change you along with many other things. It was hard and I was so tired, I won’t lie, but I loved every moment of it.”

“Did Papí help a lot with me?” Isabela raised an eyebrow. “I remember him helping with Lu and Mira.”

“I think your papí helped me more with you than he did your hermanitas,” Julieta told her with a nod. “I was able to do more on my own when they were born because it was second nature to me by then, but with you it was all so new and I needed a lot of help and encouragement. He would get up with you in the middle of the night sometimes just so I could sleep. I remember he used to carry you down to the music room and play the piano until you settled. He was always reminding me of what a good mother I was too though. He helped me to stop caring what people thought of me and to stop listening when they would give me unwarranted advice.”

Isabela brought a hand to her stomach, smiling to herself as she glanced down at where her child was growing safely within her. “Guillermo is the happiest I have ever seen him,” She almost whispered when she looked up at her mother again with tears brimming in her eyes. “He talks to the baby all the time and he can’t help but put his hand on my stomach when he’s around me. He loves this baby so much and it isn’t even here yet, so I can’t even imagine how much more he’s going to love it when it’s born and he gets to hold it. He is going to be the best papí, I know that already, and he has already promised me that he’s going to help when I need it.”

Julieta reached out and laid a hand on her knee. “You need to stop worrying then and just enjoy this, amor.”

“I know and I’m going to try, Mamá, I really am.” Isabela assured her.

“Good,” Julieta leaned in to stamp a kiss onto her forehead. “Now, I think you should go and get some sleep.”

“Am I allowed to say that I think you should do the same?” Isabela asked with a smirk.

Julieta couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “I suppose I should. Why don’t we go up together?”

Wordlessly, sharing a smile, they rose from their chairs and tucked them in before she wrapped an arm around her daughter and let her cuddle up to her. She picked up a candle in order for them to be able to see as they left la cocina and walked through the courtyard, quietly making their way up the staircase when they came to it. Once they were outside her room, she took her arm from around her only to lift her hand to her cheek and brush her thumb against her skin. Her beautiful little girl. Her baby. She always made her so incredibly proud. “I want you to know you can always come to me if you ever need to talk,” She whispered. “I am always here.”

“I know, Mamá, and I love you for it.” Isabela smiled, kissing her on the cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“You will. Buenos noches, mi vida.”

“Buenos noches.”

Turning around once she’d shared one last smile with her mother, Isabela opened the door to her room before walking inside and closing it carefully behind her. Casita turned up the lights ever so slightly so she could see where she was stepping as she made her way back to bed, but once she climbed in – careful not to knock her sleeping esposo – they turned back down and she hummed as she laid down next to him and got comfortable. Feeling relieved and as though she could get a little sleep now, she tucked a hand under her cheek and closed her eyes and that was when she felt Guillermo move closer to her beneath the covers and take her in his arms.

“You okay, querida?” He murmured in the darkness, clumsily kissing her neck as he brought her back against him and brought a hand to rest on her abdomen. “I could have sworn I heard you get up. Where did you go?”

“I needed to speak with mi mamá about something before she went to bed,” She laid a hand over his and felt her heart swell when he curled himself around her and held her a little tighter as she relaxed in his embrace. “I feel so afortunada to be getting to do this with you. Starting a familia, I mean. I was a little worried about it before, I admit it, but mamá really helped and I’m not worried about it as much anymore. I’m just so excited.”

“Good,” He buried his face in her neck. “You don’t need to be worried. You are going to be the best mamí…”

“I was more worried about letting you down than anything.” She sighed, lacing her fingers lazily with his.

He chuckled. “No, mi amor, you could never let me down.”

“You really mean that? Never?”

“Not ever.”

#julieta madrigal #agustin madrigal #isabela madrigal #luisa madrigal #mirabel madrigal #pepa madrigal #felix madrigal #dolores madrigal #camilo madrigal #antonio madrigal #bruno madrigal #abuela alma madrigal #alma madrigal #casita #la familia madrigal #the madrigal family #the madrigal triplets #madrigal family #encanto one shots #encanto fanfiction #encanto fanfic #encanto fic #encanto one shot collection #one shot collection #encanto post movie #family fluff #domestic fluff #pregnancy #romance

[avatarvyakara]

Have a little fluff on the house—my Muse (as it were) is confused, poor dear, and needs a bit of a break...

203. Visitación

(nf) visitation

“Camilo,” says Félix, a smidgen of annoyance touching his voice, “what did we agree about you not impersonating religious figures?”

Saint Ambrose, standing by the pulpit and holding a candle, looks mildly offended.

“...honestly that’s not the reaction I expected.”

“Seriously, mijo, impersonating Padre Flores is one thing—”

“Um.”

“But an actual saint? He doesn’t even look right!”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I don’t even know where you got the idea from, he has a much better beard in the illustrations—”

“Señor de Madrigal, I think that’s going a bit too far!”

“Er...”

Félix blinks. Come to think of it, the voice does sound a little...ethereal. And for some reason it also sounds Latin.

...in his defence, it’s high noon and they’re in a church with shafts of light coming through the windows. You kind of miss the halo...

Uh oh.

“Santa María.”

“Again, not quite.”

#mild fluff #religious figures #poor Félix #encanto #fanfic #tiles on the roof #one shot collection #felix madrigal #camilo madrigal #saint ambrose #(because in TotR the town is San Ambrosio) #(for the patron saint of candles) #(I have been waiting *ages* to make this joke)

[justanisabelakinnie]

Thief in the Night

(aka a random Emicami fic because I fucking felt like it. Prepare for some wholesome, adorable, and hilarious fluff. Enjoy!)

Mirabel skipped over to the dinner table and sat herself down, right next to her sister Isabela. “Hey, Isa!” she chirped. “How ya doing?” 

Isa turned to her and smiled. “Oh, hi, Mirabel! I’m good. How are you?” 

“Good, thanks for asking. I like your dress, what did you do with it?” 

Isa looked down at her dress, a vibrant yellow and green with assorted mixtures of pink, brown, purple, red, and orange here and there. “Oh, I just thought of spicing it up here and there, is all.” 

“Well, I like it!” Mirabel said. 

“Thanks, I knew you would!” Isabela smiled and hugged Mira. 

“You’re welcome!” Mirabel said, hugging back. She started to whisper something else in Isabela’s ear, but a finger tapped Mirabel’s shoulder, forcing her to turn around. 

“Umm, Mirabel, excuse me, please. I wanna sit next to my prima-hermana.” 

“Oh, of course, Dolores.” Mirabel nodded at her smiling prima as she slowly got up. “As long as I get to still set next to my favorite cousin, of course.” 

Dolores giggled, then turned to Isabela. “Mariano’s little sister…” and just like that the two were enveloped in their typical gossip. 

Mirabel turned to see Luisa sitting across from her, talking to Julieta. She sighed. 

“Whatever, I’ll just talk to Camilo,” she said, turning to the seat on the other side of her from Dolores. But there was no Camilo in sight. “Camilo? Wait, is he even at this table?” 

A toucan flew down out of nowhere and landed itself on Mirabel’s shoulder. It was funky, but everyone else was used to it by now. They all knew where it had come from. 

The toucan squawked. Mirabel nodded in confusion. “Uh huh…” she murmured, pretending to understand. “Help, somebody translate it for me.” 

“Camilo’s in his room!” Antonio chirped as he showed up out of nowhere. 

“Oh, well, I’ll go get him, then,” Mirabel pushed back her chair as she walked towards the stairs. 

“Mirabel, where are you going?” Alma said. 

“I’m going to go get Camilo,” Mirabel explained. 

“Oh, okay mi vida.” Alma turned back to talking to Pepa. 

Mirabel walked up the stairs to Camilo’s room. Opening the door, she walked through the mirrors to find Camilo sleeping in his bed, cuddling up in his blanket with his teddy bear. Snug as a bug in a rug. He looked cute as an Angel when sleeping. But Mirabel knew that she had to wake him, even though she was going to regret it. 

“Camilo…” 

Camilo continued snoring and ignored her, drooling on the teddy bear’s eye. Yuck. 

“Camilo…” Mirabel bent down to Camilo’s level and shook him gently. “Camilo, Camilo wake up.” 

“Not now Dolores…” Camilo slurred as he licked his lips, his eyes still closed. “I’m trying to eat an empanada.” 

“Camilo. Camilo, it’s Mami!” Maybe if Mirabel pretended to be Pepa, Camilo would awake. She tickled him playfully, and kissed him on the cheek. It didn’t work. Camilo even wiped the kiss away while still asleep! How did that work? 

Mira sighed. The only one who could wake Camilo up with a kiss was Antonio. No one else could do it. 

“Eeerrruhh, you leave me with no other choice.” Standing up, she took a deep breath, and then yanked the pillow from under Camilo’s head violently, smacking him with it brutally. “CAMILO! CAMILO WAKE THE HECK UP!!!” 

A groggy yawn escaped Camilo’s lips, and sure enough, he opened his eyes. And when they landed themselves on Mirabel, fire was within them. Uh oh. 

Camilo slowly rose up from his bed, and Mirabel took a few, a LOT, of steps back, keeping the pillow between the two as a shield. 

“I’m so—“ 

“I thought I told you.” 

“Camilo I’m sorr—“ 

“I thought I told you.” 

“CAMILO I’M SORRY!!!” 

“I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU!” He snatched the pillow from Mirabel, who screamed and ran away, but she didn’t get far before the pillow hit her back with an oomph. “NOT! TO WAKE! ME UP! WHEN I’M! ASLEEP!!!” Each exclamation was punctuated by Camilo hitting Mirabel roughly with the pillow. “EVER! WHAT PART OF THAT DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?!?!?!” 

“I—“ Mirabel kept getting hit by her primo until she tripped over an untied alpargata and collapsed to the floor. “I can make it up to you! Please!” Camilo slapped her face with the pillow. “Ow! Umm, I’ll give you all of my arepas! All of them! Just, please, have mercy!” Tears spilled from her eyes, and she folded her hands with her fingers interlocked and pleaded from her position on the floor. “Please…” She was going to cry. 

GODDAMIT. Camilo could never resist Mirabel’s puppy dog eyes. He tried not to look at them, but there they were, begging him, so big and cute and full of sadness. He still remembered the first time she had tried this trick on him. When they were four and she wanted to use the green crayon. And so, he reluctantly…relented. 

“Fine.” He grumbled. “And you’re lucky, too, because I was just about to kill you. But you’re so cute and sweet and are my best friend in the whole wide world, so I probably would’ve just thrown your entire wardrobe out the window while you were asleep in any event—oops.” 

The tips of Mirabel’s lips wriggled. 

“Oh, you think this is funny?” 

Mirabel tickled the inside of her cheek with her tongue, trying not to laugh. 

“You think it’s a joke? Do you see a smile on my face?” Camilo bent down to her level. Mirabel nodded. “Really? Does it look like I am laughing?” 

But he barely even finished his sentence before he started laughing as well. 

As the two laughed, Camilo dropping the pillow in the process,  Mirabel snatched the pillow that was off the floor before he could pick it up again, placed it next to her, and then grabbed him by the ankle, yanking him down next to his primita. Not to worry, though. He landed on the pillow. 

Camilo took a long exhale before turning to Mirabel. “You’re a firecracker, you know that?” He said, poking her dimples. 

Mirabel giggled. “I know.” 

“But I’m serious. Please don’t wake me up when I’m sleeping!” 

Mirabel gulped and nodded. She never wanted to see Camilo that mad at her again. “But what if the house is burning down? What do I do then?” 

“I would already be up by then, mi vida. So anyway, your reason for pissing me off?” 

“I wanted you to come downstairs for dinner.” 

“Oh. Well, can I go use the bathroom first?” Camilo asked. 

“Sure,” Mirabel said. 

Mirabel followed Camilo and waited for him to use the bathroom and brush his teeth. When he came out, they went downstairs to dinner together. 

“Welcome,” Alma said. “You’re just in time to eat.” 

“I saved you a seat next to me,” Mirabel whispered. 

“Awesome,” Camilo whispered back. “Why are we whispering?” 

“I dunno.” Mirabel stopped whispering as she turned back to Tío Bruno. “Sorry, Tío. I promise I’ll sit next to you tomorrow night.” 

“It’s fine.” Bruno patted Camilo on the back as he placed himself between his uncle and cousin. “I’m always happy to be next to my oldest sobrino.” 

“Thanks Tío.” 

“You’re welcome.” 

The family ate quietly as they chittered and chattered amongst each other, before finally Mirabel spoke up. 

“Oh, and guess who’s coming to dinner tomorrow night?” she said. “Emiliana!” 

Camilo choked on his vegetable juice. “What?” He continued coughing. 

Mirabel and Bruno awkwardly patted his back. 

“Emiliana?” Isabela’s lips wiggled. 

“Emiliana?” Dolores said with a grin. 

“Emiliana?” Luisa asked genuinely. 

“Who’s Emiliana?” Antonio asked. 

“Mirabel’s best friend!” Camilo rushed to say as his face turned pink. “That’s it!” 

“Only the love of Camilo’s life!” Dolores said to Antonio as if her other brother hadn’t talked. “He has such a huge crush on her, he won’t stop talking about it!” Dolores told the entire family as Camilo burned with embarrassment. “In fact, I think they’re dating!” 

“I know they’re dating!” Isabela butted in unnecessarily. “Have been for over a month now! She is just so sweet and caring, I hope Camilo’s being a good boyfriend to her.” 

“Aww, that’s nice,” Pepa said. 

“Yeah, it is,” Mirabel affirmed. “They had their first kiss on the bridge at—“ 

“Okay, nice, now can we please change the subject!” Camilo hissed. “Geez.” 

“Wait—“ Felix waved his hands in an effort to clear up the air. “My Camilo kissed a girl? This is news to my ears.” 

“Papa—“ 

“No, I want to hear.” 

“Papa we really don’t have to—“ 

“Well, Emiliana told me all about it!” Mirabel cooed against Camilo’s wishes. “You see, I was the one who encouraged Emiliana to confess her undying love to Camilo, as a good best friend ought to do. And I also told her to kiss him. But as a matter of fact, he was the one to kiss her!” 

“That’s great!” Felix said. “I am so proud! See, what was in that to be ashamed of, Camilito?” 

“Everything,” Camilo snarked as he banged his head on the table. Unfortunately, he forgot that he was at the table eating dinner, and wound up with a face full of arroz con pollo. 

“I’m gonna go clean myself up.” He got up and left the room. 

“Yeah,” Mirabel called out after him as he left. “Make sure to do the same thing tomorrow for when your girlfriend gets here!” 

“Shut up!” Camilo shouted from the stairs. 

Mirabel giggled, the other girls giggled along with her. She gave Dolores a high five. 

💖💛

“Mami?” Emiliana tentatively whispers, praying that she hasn’t caused much of a ruckus. 

Silence. 

Emiliana sighed. “Mami?” 

More silence as her mom ignored her. Emiliana rolled her eyes. 

“MAMI!” 

Finally, her mother put down the fork and glared. “Who are you yelling at?” She demanded. 

“I—I’m sorry Mami, I was just trying to get your attent—“ 

“What do you want?!” Her mother aggressively demanded. 

“I-I just wanted to go t-to…Casita. You know, Mirabel and Camilo’s house. Can I go? Please?” 

“Hmm…I know Mirabel, she’s the giftless one.” 

Emiliana winced. “She’s my best friend mama.” 

“But Camilo…he’s your boyfriend, right?” 

“Yes, Mama, you remember!” 

“Since when?” Oh. Emiliana guessed that maybe her mother hadn’t remembered. 

“Since always,” Emiliana answered vaguely. 

Her mother sighed. “You love him?” 

“Oh yes, Mama, I do!” Emiliana chirped. How could she not love Camilo? He was just the cutest, sweetest, kindest, most empathetic, and most handsome guy on the entire planet! 

“Pffft,” her older sister Valencia snickered. 

“Is something funny?” Emiliana demanded. “I don’t recall making a joke.” 

“Nothing,” her sister said. “It’s just funny how overjoyed and passionate you are about a puppy love fling that clearly isn’t going to last.” 

“He’ll get bored of you in an instant,” Veronica, Valencia’s triplet, added. 

Emiliana’s eyes widened as tears prickled from them. “How could you say that?” she said emptily as she lowered her head to her plate. “So disrespectful.” 

“Enough.” Thank goodness. Emiliana’s dad had intervened. “Quit picking on your little sister, mijas. I have had enough of hearing it.” He turned to Emiliana, with kindness in his eyes. “Emiliana, don’t listen to their harsh words. Your parents and I met when we were younger than you and Camilo.” 

“How old were you two?” Emiliana asked, although she already knew the answer. 

“Eleven years old,” her father replied, and Emiliana beamed as her sisters rolled their eyes. “Trust me. The two of you might not last, sure, but you have a chance.” 

“I guess this is where you expect me and Veronica to apologize now,” Valencia snarked. 

“You guessed right.” Their dad glared. “Apologize. Now.” 

Valencia and Veronica rolled their eyes. “Lo siento, Emiliana.” 

“I forgive you, but it’s not okay.” 

“What does that even mean?” Valencia and Veronica murmured to each other. 

Victoria, the third and youngest triplet, sat still and quiet, not hearing a word that went on due to being Deaf. She turned to her triplet sisters and signed, “What were you all saying?” 

Veronica rolled her eyes and signed in response. “We were just trying to knock some sense into Emiliana’s thick head, but Papa decided that he’d rather we keep her naïve and oblivious.” 

Oh. Victoria nodded her head. 

“That’s not what happened at all!” Emiliana yelled, enraged, signing it at the same time. 

But Veronica grinned. “Oh come on, Victoria. Who are you gonna believe?” She then wrapped an arm around Victoria and grinned. 

And Emiliana just knew, that despite the sympathetic look that Victoria was currently giving her, as she always did, she would eventually take their side, as she always did. 

She groaned. 

💖💛

“Camilo, your girlfriend’s here!” Isabela shouted before laughing out loud. 

“Time for dinner!” The rest of the granddaughters sang before giggling. Yes, including Luisa, which hurt Camilo very much; where was the middle child solidarity? At least he had his mother, who was also a middle child. 

Camilo stormed out of his room. “I’m gonna kill you, Isabela. I mean it.” 

“If you do that, you might scare off your girlfriend. And we don’t want that, do we?” Isabela patted Camilo’s head. “Now go downstairs and greet your sweetheart.” 

Camilo grumbled as he came down the stairs. He saw the rest of the family setting the table. Amongst them were Dolores and Luisa, who were talking to each other, the former winking at Camilo, who ignored it. 

“Emi!” Mirabel was hugging Emiliana like there was no tomorrow. “I am so glad you’re here!” 

“Thanks, so am I! Thank you for inviting me!” 

“My pleasure. Oh, come in, we were just about to have dinner.” 

“Emiliana?” Dolores popped up out of nowhere. “Welcome back!” She opened her arms and Emiliana basically leaped into the hug. “How’ve you been, hermanita?” 

“I’m happy now that I’m here and away from my crazy family,” Emiliana said, making the “coo-coo” motion with her hand next to her ear. “I mean, Victoria and my dad are all right, but…you know.” 

“I know.” Dolores winked. “But it’s all right. We’re all happy to have you.” 

Camilo felt himself sweating bullets. He could not do this right now. Not with all of his cousins and sisters making it more embarrassing for him and his girlfriend, sure to make his anxiety surmount. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t. 

He ran up the stairs. 

“Oh, and Camilo especially has just been dying to see you,” Mirabel added. 

“He has?” Emiliana blushed. 

“Of course he has, Emi, he loves you. Just watch.” She ran up to the stairs. “Camilo, your—huh, where did he go?” 

“He never came down.” Isabela shrugged. “So much for my little prank, am I right?” 

Emiliana nodded at her, then suddenly her eyes widened. “Hey! You’re Isa! Mirabel’s sister! You grow flowers and plants! That’s so cool!” 

“You think so, thanks!” Isabela beamed. 

“And I love your dress!” Emiliana complimented. Indeed, Isabela’s dress was a deep pink with assorted jacarandas, bromeliads, sunflowers, and carnations in it, the blue, purple, and orange dye on it popping out, as well as the sunflower and pink streaks in her hair. “So imaginative and creative, I’m jealous.” 

“Gracias!” Isabela giggled. “But you don’t have to be jealous, I like your dress too.” 

“Well, that’s a relief,” Emiliana chuckled. 

“Oh, and even better, I don’t just create flowers anymore, I can create cacti, Venus Fly Traps, sundew, trees, and all kinds of vegetation!” 

“Ooh, show me show me show me!“ 

“Your wish is my command!” Isabela linked arms with Emiliana as they walked away to talk about all the plants that Isabela could grow. 

“Actually, he did come down,” Dolores said to Mirabel and Luisa. “He just ran up to his room because he was nervous for some reason. I should go check up on him.” 

“No, I should.” Luisa ran up the stairs before anyone could disagree. 

Luisa climbed up the stairs until she got to Camilo’s room, and knocked on the door. 

“Camilo?” 

“Go away,” her primito hissed. 

“Camilo, open this door now.” Demanding was not Luisa’s color. “Please.” 

“Why? So you can make fun of me in front of my girlfriend?” 

“I won’t make fun of you, I promise.” Luisa sighed. “Look, I’m sorry about how you feel, but it isn’t that bad.” 

“Yes it is!” Camilo whined. 

“Just let me in. Please.” 

Camilo sighed, a doorknob appeared on the door, and Luisa opened it. 

Camilo frowned at her. “Spill.” 

“Spill what?” 

“I—“ a series of angry stuttering sounds. “Aren’t you going to apologize for making fun of me?” 

“Making fun of you? We were—Camilo, did you think we were serious? We were only joking! Hello?” 

“Well, it’s not funny! It hurt my feelings! So there!” Camilo grumbled, leaning against the wall and sliding down so that he was sitting, frowning as he crossed his arms and pouted. 

Oh dear, Camilo was not making this easy. 

Luisa sighed as she sat next to Camilo. “Hey, we’re sorry, Camilo. Well, I’m sorry, at least. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I just thought it would be fun, that’s all.” 

“Uh huh.” Camilo sighed. 

“But at the same time, it’s not like you don’t also make fun of your primas and their romantic relationships. You mess with Isabela and Monika all the time. You joke about Mirabel and Yamilet constantly. Why is it suddenly not funny when it’s being done to you?” 

“I mean, yeah I do those things, but not when Monika and Yamilet are there. And I still want them to be together.” 

“And you think we don’t want you and Emiliana to be together? You think we want you to break up? No! If she’s the girl who makes your heart skitter, then you to deserve to be together for as long as possible.” Luisa wrapped a protective arm around Camilo’s shoulder. “Look cariño, we love you and our teasing comes from a place of love too. Don’t actually think we mean anything by it. But if you want want, I can tell Dolores, Isa, and Mira to tone down the teasing. Okay?” 

“Okay.” 

“Good. Are you ready to go downstairs and greet your love?” 

“I am!” Camilo piped up. 

“Great! Let’s not keep her waiting!” 

She stood up, helping Camilo up as well, and the two went down the stairs together. 

“Hey Cami!” Emiliana grinned. “Your prima was just telling me about all the different plants she can grow. Did you know that she can make stink lilies?” 

“Oh, I know preciosa,” he rolled his eyes. “She uses them to wake me up in the morning when I oversleep.” 

Emiliana giggled. Her giggle was so adorable and sweet to Camilo’s ears, like the delicate tinkling of a triangle, and it made his heart speed up just hearing it. He remembered why he had fallen in love with this girl. “Well, I hope it works.” 

“Oh it does,” Isabela said to Emiliana, and the two laughed like they were sharing an inside joke. 

“And she also gave me a flower to put in my hair,” Emiliana said, showing him the pink carnation. “It’s pink, my favorite color.” 

“Isa, why are you giving my girl flowers? Last time I checked, that was my job.” 

Isabela smirked. “Well excuse me for wanting to make your girlfriend feel welcome while you ran away to gripe in your room.” 

Camilo laughed awkwardly. “I was just kidding, yoooo.” He cupped Emiliana’s face in his hands and kissed her nose affectionately. “It’s beautiful, mi amor. But not as beautiful as you.” 

“Awww,” the grandkids blushed, Mirabel jumping up and down and squealing. Her two best friends were soulmates and she couldn’t be more ecstatic. 

“Thanks, sweetie,” Emiliana smiled and blushed. 

“You’re welcome—“ 

“Time to eat!” 

They all went to the dinner table. 

“Emiliana sit next to me!” Mirabel squealed. “Camilo can sit on the other side of you.” 

“Sí,” Camilo said, pulling out her chair for her to sit. 

They all started eating. 

“So Emiliana,” Pepa was the first to speak, giving a warm smile to her son’s girlfriend. “When did you first realize you were in love with my son?” 

Emiliana blushed, Camilo did the same, putting down his fork with tingling hands. 

“Ay, hermana, don’t ask her that!” Bruno defended. “You’re embarrassing her!” He turned to Emiliana. “Don’t worry, amiga, you don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to. Unless you do want to, that is. Not that we’re forcing you to or anything.” It was clear that Bruno wasn’t on Emiliana’s side as much as he pretended to be. 

Julieta sighed. “Anyway, Emiliana, what’s your favorite food?” 

Emiliana thought this over. “Hmmm, probably ajiaco.” 

Julieta nodded. “The next time you come over, I’ll make you some!” 

“Thanks!” Emiliana grinned. 

“You’re welcome,” Julieta said. “You know, you and Mirabel are such good friends! She talks about you all the time. It’s good to have a girl her age that she can be close with.” 

“Yeah,” Emiliana agreed. “I am glad I met her. There’s not really anybody in my family that I can talk to besides my dad and my youngest older sister. And my cousin, occasionally, when he comes over.” 

“You have sisters?” Bruno asked. “And a cousin? What are their names?” 

“My sisters are Valencia, Veronica, and Victoria, and they’re all older than me.” 

“How old?” 

“Eighteen. And my cousin is named Marco. He’s the same age as me but a couple months younger, but he’s like a brother to me.” 

“Mmm.” Bruno nodded and fished food into his mouth. 

“So you’re staying over for the night?” Pepa asked. 

“Yeah, I am!” Emiliana said. “Thanks to Mirabel!” 

“She can sleep in my room,” Camilo piped up as he patted his girlfriend’s hand, but eventually realized her mistake when a stunned silence fell across the room and all the adults’ eyes fell on him. Except for Abuela’s, the old woman snorting into a napkin. 

“She can what?” Julieta asked. 

Still not realizing what he had said, Camilo stupidly dug a whole deeper. “Sleep…over, you know. In…my…room—“ 

“Absolutely not,” Pepa said. 

“WHAT? But Mami, why?” 

“Are you really asking me that?” Pepa demanded. “You two are boyfriend and girlfriend, is that not correct?” 

“Well, I mean, we are, but what does that have to—“ 

“Exactly. And that is exactly why I don’t trust you two.” She wagged a finger. “Well, it’s more so that I don’t trust you, Camilo. I respect young love, but you still have an obligation to be responsible.” 

“Responsible how?” Camilo asked. Emiliana wanted to shrink into her seat. She of course loved Camilo, that would never change, but although she’d never say it out loud in front of him there were times where he could be really…what’s the word…dense and oblivious. As if her countless attempts to get his attention before they started dating weren’t evidence enough of this fact. 

Pepa sighed. “Camilo, don’t make me explain it. Emiliana can sleep in Mirabel’s room or Dolores’ room if they so prefer. Would you like that, Emiliana?” 

“I mean, it doesn’t really matter to me,” Emiliana shrugged, forcing herself to look down at her arroz con pollo. This was a lie of course. She wanted to sleep in her beloved boyfriend’s room. But she didn’t dare say this out loud. 

It was then when Bruno spoke up. “I think they can sleep in the same room no doubt, Pepa. Just relax. So long as they aren’t in the same bed, I think they’ll be okay.” He grinned at the young couple. 

“Well, I did bring a sleeping bag with me,” Emiliana piped up shyly. 

Pepa sighed reluctantly. “Well then, I suppose it is okay. But no silly business,” she said to her son. “Understand?” 

Camilo nodded awkwardly, not understanding at all. 

💖💛

After dinner, Bruno was happy to put on a rat telenovela for the family and Emiliana. 

“Oh, Hernando, please, don’t leave me!” Princesa Lavinia wept, as her knight in shining armor’s eyes slowly fluttered shut. “I can’t bear to live in a world in which you are not by my side. Without your love to nourish me, I am empty, I am weak, I am broken like a damaged china cup. Please, our wedding ceremony is in two days. Don’t do this to me, please!” 

“Oh no!” Emiliana covered her mouth, eyes widening in agony as tears spilled from them. “Poor Lavinia. Please, Hernando, live, please!” 

But Hernando lay coughing and wheezing on his death bed. “My love. You know it pains me to see you suffer so, to see your beautiful eyes clouded with misery, to leave you behind in the land of the living. But Death beckons me to the other side, and I have no choice but to go with him, to bend like a plant in the wind to the forces of nature.” Now it was Isabela’s turn to cry. “You must promise you will find someone else to love. Someone much more deserving of your heart than me, my princess. For now I must go.” 

“Oh, Hernando, no!” She gripped Hernando’s paw hand in hers, feeling the warm sensation thereof slowly disappear. 

“Goodbye my love. We shall meet again, in another life…time.” And with that final statement, Hernando closed his eyes. Two other rats came onstage and carried him away. 

“HERNANDOOOOOO!!!!” Lavinia let out a primal scream toward the heavens above, raging at the angels that dared take her beautiful prince away. She dropped to the floor, and wept bitterly until no tears were left in her. Once her eyes had dried, she came to a cold resolution, drawing a sword from her leather scabbard. “I shall desire the love of no man in this world nor the next, none but my sweet and gorgeous Hernando! Goodbye, cruel world! I shall release Death’s grip on me by taking my fate into my own hands, just as Death has taken my would-be husband.” 

Dolores squeezed Emiliana’s hand. “You might wanna look away. Hm!” She whispered to her. 

“So driven by despair at the loss of the brave and loving knight who adored her more than words could establish, more than any other human being in the world ever would, the heartbroken young princess plunged her sword into her—“ but the rat playing Lavinia scurried off. Bruno sighed. “Seriously? It was only a prop that resembled a tiny sword.” The rat shook her head. “Oh well. Anyway, that’s a wrap, folks!” 

“That was a lovely story!” Emiliana said as she hugged Bruno. 

“Wow, you really think so?” Bruno said, hugging back. 

“I know so!” Emiliana chirped. “It was nice. I’m at least glad the princess didn’t die in the end. It’s a shocking twist of events. I hope she found someone else.” 

“Me too, Emiliana. Me too!” He patted her shoulders. “All right then! It’s time you head off to bed. Tomorrow there’ll be another telenovela!” 

“Oooh really?” Emiliana bounced up and down. What will it be about? Tell me tell me tell me! Pleaaaase?” 

“It’s a surprise,” Bruno winked. 

“Aww,” Emiliana giggled. “Fine. But thanks again for the show. And for being such an awesome uncle. Mirabel, Dolores, and Camilo have told me lots about you!” 

Bruno smiled back. “I’m glad.” 

Emiliana flounced away. Not seeing the tears of joy that filled Bruno’s eyes as he wiped them. He couldn’t help it. Every time someone told him that he was a great uncle, brother, son, what have you, and that they were glad to have him back, it made him count his blessings and feel so much relief that he came out of the walls. And he had Mirabel to thank for that. 

Emiliana especially made him appreciate the random night time vision he accidentally had. He didn’t tell anybody of course. But he couldn’t wait for it to come to fruition. 

💖💛

“So where do I sleep exactly?” Emiliana asked Camilo. “There’s only one bed.” 

“I thought you said you brought a sleeping bag,” Camilo said as he ran around closing the curtains on all the windows. 

“I…I actually forgot it, but I was scared to tell anyone.” 

Camilo paused, blinked, and stared at her. 

Getting flustered, Emiliana covered her face. “I’m sorry! I didn’t do it on purpose, I swear! I would never lie about a thing like that, it wasn’t a trick, I promise.” 

“I didn’t mean it like that, sweetie,” her boyfriend said as he continued closing the windows. “Sorry, I just hate the cold. Anyway, I forget those things all the time, so you’re good. No need to worry. Although you are super cute when you worry.” 

“Thanks, I guess.” Emiliana shrugged. 

“And besides, we can share a bed.” 

“Wait, but didn’t your Mami say—” 

“Who cares what my Mami says?” Camilo said to her. “It’s not like she has to know.” 

“C-Camilo, I’m flattered, but I don’t think…I wouldn’t want…I’m sorry but I just…won’t!” 

An awkward silence hung in the air. 

Camilo laughed. 

“Excuse me, Camilo, why are you laughing?” 

“It’s just, ahaha, you didn’t think I meant it, did you?” Camilo laughed, hoping Emiliana really did think he was joking. “I…I just wanted to see your reaction, you can sleep on the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor. Since you’re the guest and all. Aahahaha, Ay Dios Mio! See what I mean, baby?” He stepped closer to her until they were nose to nose, pinching her cheeks and squeezing them. “You’re cute when you’re—hey!” 

In an instant, Camilo found himself roughly shoved on to the bed by Emiliana, who towered over him with a pillow in hand. 

“Cute when I what?” She demanded. “Huh? Cute when I WHAT? CUTE WHEN I DO THIS?!” She whacked him as hard with the pillow as she could. 

“Hey! You take that back!” Camilo grabbed another pillow and whacked her back with it, the two laughing and squealing like toddlers as the pillow fought. “And you know what? I changed my mind! The winner gets the bed!” 

“You’ll regret challenging me!” Emiliana boasted as she and Camilo continued beating each other with the pillows. 

The pillow fight went on for a while until eventually, Emiliana was the victor. 

“I won!” She jumped onto Camilo’s bed and raised both pillows in the air. “I AM THE QUEEN OF PILLOW FIGHTING!!! And I get the bed too!” She let herself trust fall onto the mattress below with a heavy sigh. 

“Whatever,” Camilo wheezed as he struggled to get up. “I let you win.” 

“Sure, chico. And you know what else?” She sat up. “As the winner, I think I deserve a victory kiss.” 

“Really? You’re bribing me with kisses now? That’s how this relationship is gonna work?” 

“Yes it is,” she took him by the shoulders. “Pucker up.” 

Camilo hissed his teeth and rolled his eyes. But of course, secretly he was happy to kiss his girlfriend. 

But in the middle of their smooching session, the door suddenly swung open. 

The teens’ lips parted in shock. 

“We were only kissing!” Emiliana squealed in defense. 

“And nothing more! I swear!” Camilo agreed, crossing his heart. 

Dolores’ eyebrows furrowed. “I just came to wish you both goodnight,” she said. “I’m not gonna rat you out or anything. But if I’m interrupting something, then oh well.” She closed the door. 

“Phew!” Emiliana said. She turned to Camilo, giggled, and placed another kiss on his forehead before lying back down and pulling the sheets over head. “Goodnight, sweetheart.” 

“Buenas noches.” 

Emiliana saw the lights turn off. A pit of dread opened up inside her stomach as she wondered how she was going to make it through the night. At her house, she would walk about the halls, maybe enjoy a glass of water, although enjoy was an overstatement. 

But at least Camilo would think she was asleep. 

And if she kept her eyes closed for long enough, she’d think she was asleep too. 

💖💛

Emiliana was not asleep. 

Three hours had passed. Or was it four. Or five. Whatever. It didn’t matter. 

Emiliana wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and join the synchronized snoring of the rest of the sleeping residents of Casita. 

But instead her eyes were splayed open, bloodshot and filled with tears as she looked at the ceiling. 

The stress building up inside her only made her more unable to sleep. She was tired. Dead tired. So why wouldn’t her body do what she wanted it to? Why was she still awake. 

Turning in her sheets to look at Camilo, bundled up between blankets on the floor beside her, she frowned when she saw that he indeed was asleep. He looked so cute like this. 

She felt a pang in her heart when she realized that Camilo would never get to say the same thing about her. 

She turned to lie down on her back as she buried her face into a yellow pillow to muffle her cries and hiccups. 

She hated herself for not being able to sleep, for never being able to sleep. She hated herself for being an inconvenience to others during the daytime. She hated that she had even agreed to this sleepover in the first place. 

It was after a while that Camilo woke up to the sound of his sweet girlfriend crying. 

“Emiliana?” He sat up straight in his bed. “Emi, dulce, what’s wrong?” 

Emiliana hiccuped. 

Camilo sat up and knelt beside the vet so that he could see her. “Hey hey hey, tell me what is wrong with you, please?” 

Emiliana sighed and turned her head to see Camilo. A tiny trickle of a tear slithered down her cheek. Then she spoke. 

“I…can’t sleep.” 

“…” 

Emiliana looked down. 

“That’s not a reason to cry,” Camilo said, a hand snaking around her shoulder. “Maybe you’re just homesick. It’s okay. Just close your eyes and dream of—“ 

“NO!” Emiliana screeched, her tone throwing Camilo off. But she was pissed. “How could you even say that, you…just be understanding for once!” She took his hand and moved it from around her shoulder. 

“I’m sorry,” Camilo stammered weakly, his voice quivering. “I just—“ 

“I can’t sleep. I literally can’t sleep. Ever.” Emiliana cut him off angrily. “And it takes a toll on my fucking mental health. I’m not homesick, Camilo, quite the opposite in fact. I’m…oh god, I don’t wanna tell you. You’ll break up with me.” 

“Why would I ever break up with you, Mi Bella?” Camilo said gently, peering down at her but not initiating any more physical contact. “I love you dearly, more than anything, hermosa. You complete me. And nothing will ever change that. You can tell me anything, I promise.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Mmm-hmm.” 

“I…” she took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. “I have…insomnia.” 

“…” 

Say something, she thought. 

“What’s that?” 

“What’s what?” 

“What you just said. Insomnia. Isn’t that when you fall asleep all the time?” 

“You’re getting that mixed up with narcolepsy. Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which you can’t sleep at night, no matter how hard you try to…and that’s how it works for me.” 

“Oh…is that why you fall asleep all the time during the day?” Camilo said. 

“Yes.” 

“I see…so you’re like, an owl?” 

“No! I’m not a damn owl, Camilo! It’s a condition that I have no control over. And trust me when I say that it’s not a fun condition to have…” Emiliana bowed her head and face planted into the pillow. “I just wish I could sleep normally like most people. But instead I’m cursed with this. My dad has the condition too. And I think I learned it from him. But that doesn’t mean I like it, I hate it.” 

“Wow…do you really not sleep at all?” 

“If I’m lucky I get like, an hour or two, but that’s of course not enough. But…yeah.” She paused, afraid to go on. “Some days my insomnia is so bad that I wish I was dead.” 

Camilo felt tears clouding his vision as he looked at his girlfriend sadly. He felt enormously guilty. He had no idea she suffered like this. And he had no idea how to help either. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, knowing it wouldn’t do much. 

“It’s not your fault.” 

“I know, but I’m sorry I wasn’t as understanding before. I love you, Emiliana. I would never wanna make you feel bad.” 

“I forgive you.” 

“You don’t have to forgive me.” 

“I know. But I do. Anyway you might wanna get back to bed. I’d hate to keep you up because of me.” Her eyes fluttered shut, although Camilo knew she wasn’t actually asleep, her mouth in the shape of a grim line. 

And so Camilo had an idea. “Scoot over.” 

“Huh?” 

“Please?” 

Emiliana scooted over, and Camilo crawled into the bed next to her. He hugged her warmly. 

“What are you doing?” 

“I just wanna be there for you, that’s all.” He said, kissing her head warmly as he stroked her delicate brown coils, which were twisted up for the night. “You don’t deserve to go through this alone.” he whispered tenderly, his warm breath tickling her forehead. 

Emiliana smiled. “Awww, thanks Cami. This is why I love you.” 

“I love you t—“ he was cut off by Emiliana locking lips with him once again. 

They went back to cuddling together, Camilo falling asleep soon enough as Emiliana lulled herself with the sound of his slow, gentle snores. And he never once let go of the arm wrapped around her. 

She closed her eyes, once again trying to force herself to sleep, but to no avail. She felt her heartbeat quicken and fought back every single nerve in her body causing her to snap and panic. But Camilo served as her anchor, as she hugged his soft body lovingly. 

Outside, she heard the sound of someone walking outside. Two people in fact, their footsteps echoing in the halls even without their shoes. 

And then she didn’t hear any footsteps at all. 

💖💛

Delicately embracing her boyfriend, Emiliana smiled at the warm feeling between her and Camilo. 

Shortly after, however, he got back up again. Emiliana felt downhearted, gripping at his clothes, she was desperate for him to come back. 

“I’ll be right back,” he said, gently removing her hand. 

Emiliana just closed her eyes. Her head felt beyond heavy, like it took Luisa’s strength to lift it. 

Camilo left his bedroom, and sure enough, came back. 

And that’s when she heard a scream. 

Emiliana opened her eyes. “Camilo?” 

She sat up straight. “Camilo?” 

She looked around frantically. Nobody was in the room but her. 

“CAMILO!” She screamed as she ran towards one of the windows. Opening it frantically, she looked outside. In the pitch black might, she couldn’t see anything. But she could hear Camilo screaming in horror. 

“HELP ME! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!” 

“HANG ON CAMILO, I’M COMING!!!” Emiliana put on the nearest shoes she could find—whatever, she couldn’t see—and ran out the door. 

She began banging on the doors to people’s rooms. “MIRABEL! WAKE UP! CAMILO HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED! YOU GOTTA HELP ME SAVE HIM, PLEASE!” 

But there was no answer. And when she tried to open the door, it was locked. 

Aggravated, she rushed towards Isabela’s door next. “ISABELA, PLEASE HELP ME! YOUR COUSIN WAS KIDNAPPED IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE AND…AND…HE COILD BE DEAD FOR ALL I KNOW SO PLEASE HELP HIM PLEASE!” 

But Isabela ignored her, of course. And the door to her room was locked too. 

She ran to Dolores’ room. “DOLORES! PLEASE HELP ME SAVE MY BOYFRIEND HE GOT TAKEN AWAY! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME DOLORES YOU’RE LIKE A BIG SISTER TO ME LOLA PLEASE LISTEN TO ME AND HELP ME SAVE YOUR BROTHER!!!” 

But her room was also locked as Emiliana’s attempts to get Dolores out were in vain. 

And so Emiliana ran all throughout Casita, trying to wake every single last member of Camilo’s family up in an effort to save him. Luisa, Pepa and Felix, Julieta and Agustin, Bruno, even Antonio. But none of them answered. 

“Well fine! If no one cares enough to help me, I’ll just leave myself, so don’t say I DIDN’T WARN YOU!” Emiliana shouted as her hollers echoed through the entire house. Finally, she left, racing out of the sentient house. “BYE, CASITA!” She yelled as Casita waved back with her door. 

Emiliana ran out of the house and down the streets, panting all the way as she did so. She could see a shadowy figure running ahead of her and just knew that this was the person responsible for taking away her Camilo. She started running faster now in an effort to catch up to the kidnapper. 

“YOU!” She hollered. “GET BACK HERE AND GIVE ME BACK MY BOYFRIEND!” 

The person noticed her, but didn’t even look back, continuing to run. Farther away, she saw an even taller figure running while carrying Camilo over her shoulder, the poor boy screaming his head off in shock and fear. 

Emiliana came to a slow, grinding halt. She searched around for the kidnappers, before noticing that they were running into the woods. 

“I won’t let them get away with this,” she said to…herself, before chasing the boyfriend-snatchers into the forest. 

Camilo cried out in pain as he was tied to a large, sturdy tree with vines, tears streaming from his eyes. 

“I think we’ll stop here,” the taller one said. “Hopefully she hasn’t followed us this far.” 

“Yeah,” the shorter one said. “Though it would he useful to have—AHHHH!” She screamed in horror as Emiliana came running and pounced on her, tackling the kidnapper to the ground. 

“GIVE ME BACK MY BOYFRIEND!!!” Emiliana yelled at the top of her lungs until her voice was raspy and horse. “OR ELSE!” She raised a fist in the air to really knock some lights out, but was came to a halt when the girl took off her black hood. 

“Mirabel?” Emiliana quickly got up. “What the heck are you doing?” 

Mirabel stood up and brushed dirt and grass off of her cloak and dress, which was similar to her normal one, but black and embroidered with skulls. Meanwhile, the taller girl also took off her cloak’s hood, and was instantly recognized by her gorgeous black ensemble adorned with white roses, and a streak of red in her hair, along with a rose matching its shade. 

“Isabela?!” Emiliana gawked. “You…what is even going on?” 

“What do you think?” Mirabel asked. 

“I think you kidnapped my boyfriend,” Emiliana snapped. “And, I don’t know why, and I don’t care either, but I’d like him back.” 

Isabela and Mirabel looked at each other, their grins widening as they held hands and squealed like infatuated schoolgirls. 

“We did it!” they rejoiced. “It worked! Our plan worked!” 

“Umm, no it did not, you literally tried to take my man away from me, and now I’d like him back…” 

“We know, tonta!” Mirabel wrapped an arm around Emiliana’s shoulder. “And that’s the point!” 

“What do you mean that’s the point?” 

“We wanted to see how much you really cared about Camilo,” Isabela explained as she slowly unraveled the terrified teenage boy from the tree. “Not that we don’t already trust you, but we wanted to make sure that you were good enough for our primo.” 

“Yeah, Isabela gets a little bit protective over Camilo sometimes and wants to make sure that he gets with the right girl,” Mirabel added on. “And together we decided that the best way to do that possible was to put you to tue test! So we kidnapped Camilo from his room in the hopes that you would chase after us and get him back.” 

“…” 

“We just wanted to see how far you’d go for the person you love,” Isabela winked. “If you truly do love him, that is. And you succeeded, so, woohoo Emiliana! You’re clearly good enough for—“ 

“Are. You. SERIOUS?!” 

Everyone turned to look at Camilo, whose irate expression was aimed squarely at Isabela and Mirabel. Uh oh. 

“You kidnapped me in the middle of the night, while I was sleeping, while I was helping my girlfriend with her insomnia, all so that you could force her to roam the streets looking for me in the middle of the night and PROVE her love for me is true?! And you don’t see anything WRONG with that idea?” 

“Not really, no,” Mirabel said bluntly with a shrug, while Isabela looked actually apologetic. 

“Camilo, we didn’t mean it like that—“ 

“I don’t want to HEAR what you did or didn’t mean!” Camilo sassed. “How low do you think of my lovely girlfriend that you think she needs to risk her life fighting for me in order for YOU to decide she’s good enough to date me?! Do you not realize how condescending that is? If anything, I’m the one who’s not good enough for her! You should be very ashamed of yourselves for making her have to do this, as if she has anything to fucking PROVE to either of you!” He turned to Mirabel just then. “And Mirabel, you KNOW she has insomnia. You know! And you still did this. Are you for real, primita?” 

Mirabel lowered her head in shame. 

“Anyway, you’d both better apologize to her right now.” 

“We’re sorry Emiliana,” Mirabel said. 

“Yeah, we’re sorry,” Isabela echoed. “We never should have done that. We just thought it would be fun. But clearly we were wrong.” 

Mirabel nodded. “We’re still best friends though, right?” 

Emiliana had to force herself to nod. She was too flabbergasted to speak. 

“And me!” Camilo demanded. 

“We’re sorry, Camilo,” they said in unison. 

“Good.” 

“Anyway, let’s go home, come on, Mira,” Isabela grabbed Mirabel by the waist, summoned a vine, and swung away with her baby sister in tow. 

Camilo ran towards Emiliana. “Emiliana, are you okay?” 

Emiliana blinked back tears. “I’m okay. I’m sorry about what happened to you, what with getting kidnapped and all.” 

“Yeah, I think it’s safe to say that Luisa is my favorite cousin,” Camilo said with a snort. Then he hugged her. “I’m so sorry about what they did to you, baby.” 

“It’s okay.” 

“But rest assured that it won’t happen again.” 

Emiliana smiled at her boyfriend, before noticing his confused glance downwards. She stared at him, puzzled, head tilted. 

“Babe, are those my sandals?” 

Emiliana blinked a few times, before looking down and realizing he was right. 

“Crap.” She facepalmed. 

And the next thing she knew she was back in her room. 

Opening her eyes to realize she was still inside Camilo’s bed, she immediately sat up straight to see if Camilo was inside the room. 

“Camilo?” She panicked upon realizing she was alone. “CAMILO!!!” 

The door gently swung open, and Camilo came in, carrying a glass of water. 

“Camilo?” 

“I…was thirsty. That’s all.” He drank the water in one large gulp. “Why? Do you want some too?” 

“Okay.” 

“Good, imma go get you some.” Then he left again. 

Emiliana collapsed back onto the sheets, confused and tired. 

When Camilo came back, she took the water from him and drank it. 

“You okay?” He yawned. “You slept for like, an hour. It was peaceful actually. And cute!” 

Emiliana flushed at the praise. “I was waiting for you to tell me that!” 

 Camilo smiled back. “Anyway you wanna go back to bed?” 

“I guess so,” she laid herself down and he lied down next to her. 

Emiliana snuggled up to her boyfriend, before he fell asleep. 

💖💛

Early the next morning, Camilo slithered out of his bed and onto the blankets upon hearing Mirabel say “I’m gonna go wake Camilo and Emiliana up.” 

She opened the door quietly to see Emiliana on the bed and Camilo on the floor. “Morning Emiliana! Morning Camilo!” 

Emiliana hissed her teeth. Another day of being relentlessly tired. According to Camilo, she had only slept for one hour. And she wanted to sleep for much much longer. 

“Morning Mirabel.” Camilo got up to leave with Mirabel out the door. But not before planting a kiss in Emiliana’s hair, making her smile. 

The moment Camilo came out after Mirabel, Pepa was there, crossing her arms. 

“CAMILO!” 

“Yes, Mami?” 

“Did you have a nice sleep?” Pepa asked. 

“Yes, Mami.” 

“Did Emiliana have a nice sleep as well?” 

“Oh of course!” Camilo beamed with a giggle. Pepa didn’t like that giggle, her glare intensifying, and Camilo realized he had made a grave mistake. 

“You’d better not have done anything you know you’re not supposed to last night! I wanna trust that you know how to control yourself, young man!” 

“Anything like what?” Camilo whined. “For the last time, I don’t—“ 

“Ugh, get over here.” Mirabel grabbed Camilo and whispered in his ear, watching his face turn pink. 

“Ohhhh,” Camilo slowly realized. About time. “Mami, you know I’d never do that! Honestly! I’m…I didn’t, I swear!” 

“Good.” She walked away, giving Camilo the “I’m watching you” hand gesture. 

Camilo gulped. “Why would Mami think that me and Emiliana would do…that? I mean…” 

“Hey, relax,” Mirabel said. “She’s just looking out for you both. Pepa’s just overprotective. Although she is happy for you and Emiliana she’s also afraid to see you growing up so fast. At least, that’s what she told me. Anyway are you gonna wake Emiliana up?” 

“No, I think she deserves to sleep.” Camilo shrugged. 

“Okay. Come on let’s go eat!” 

They walked down the stairs. 

Isabela was also down there, along with Luisa, and Pepa, who were setting the table. Today, Isabela had opted for a violet gown that was more modest and less showy than the dresses she normally wore, with simple green carnations adorning the hem and sleeves and tiny petals sprinkled across the blouse and skirt itself, like glitter. Nonetheless, she looked absolutely stunning in this outfit, although Emiliana wasn’t up yet to compliment her on it this time. 

“Oh hey you two,” Isabela said. “Where’s Emiliana?” 

“She’ll be down in a minute,” Mirabel answered. 

“Yeah,” Camilo said as he yawned. He had stayed up longer than he needed to, just to watch his precious girlfriend sleep and make sure she was getting the rest she needed. Of course it didn’t last long, but still. 

They sat down after helping to set the table, and a few minutes later, Emiliana came downstairs. 

Camilo, of course, was the first to greet her. “Look who’s up,” he said with a smile as he gazed at her with lovesick eyes. “Hey baby.” 

“Good morning Emiliana,” Pepa said. “Got a good nights sleep?” 

“Good morning, Camilo and Camilo’s mom, hold on a minute,” Emiliana said, she sat down next to Camilo and across from Mirabel. “I have to talk to you,” she said fiercely. 

“Sure?” Mirabel looked confused as her eyes darted from her sister to her other sister on either side of her. 

“Why did you do that?” 

“Do what?” 

“Mirabel, don’t play dumb. You know what you did.” 

“What did I—“ 

“YOU KIDNAPPED CAMILO!” Emiliana roared, rising from her seat and slamming both hands on the table. 

Everyone blinked at her in confusion. Even pepa was shocked. 

“Whaaaaa?” Camilo slurred. 

“N-no I didn’t—“ 

“YES YOU DID! OH, AND NOW YOU WANNA PLAY DUMB!” 

“Emiliana, please, listen to me, I didn’t kidnap your boyfriend.” 

“I literally had to leave Casita and chase you and Isabela through the woods! And you’re gonna tell me ‘I didn’t kidnap your boyfriend’ Mirabel?!” 

“What do you mean mis sobrinas kidnapped tu novio, querida?” Pepa asked, tilting her head to the side. “Explique, por favor.” 

Emiliana sighed. “All right, so here’s the story. In the middle of the night, Mirabel and Isabela somehow snuck into one of Camilo’s bedroom windows, kidnapped him, and ran away with him. I was awake when it happened! And then as I started chasing them, they ran into the woods and tied Camilo to a tree with Isabela’s vines. I didn’t even know it was them until I pounced on Mirabel! And then they explained to me that they kidnapped him in the hopes that I would rescue him! They had the nerve to say that they were putting MY love to the test in an effort to prove that I deserved Camilo! And then Camilo chewed them out. Tell me I’m not supposed to get angry at that.” 

“Honestly that sounds like something I would do,” Camilo said under his breath with a grin, which Emiliana didn’t hear. 

Pepa, meanwhile, burst into laughter. 

“Hey! What’s so funny?” Emiliana questioned her. 

“I swear, Emiliana, I’m telling the truth! I was asleep all night.” 

“Then whose footsteps did I hear outside last night?” Emiliana demanded from her best friend. 

“That would be Mami and I,” Dolores explained as she walked downstairs and entered the kitchen to sit next to Emiliana. “I had a nosebleed and Mami was helping me.” 

“Oh…well…” she turned to her boyfriend, her only defense. “Camilo, mi amor, surely you’ll defend me.” 

“I can’t,” Camilo replied curtly, shrugging. “Baby, that never happened.” 

And that’s when Emiliana realized she really wasn’t getting enough sleep. 

Pepa only laughed harder when she heard this. “Lord have mercy on my soul…” she cried into her hands. “Mijo, your girlfriend’s  hilarious. She’s a keeper!” 

“Thanks,” Emiliana muttered in aggravation. Sitting down in disappointment, she wondered how she could be so dumb as to mistake what were clearly fictional events that took place in a dream for reality. And she caused an even bigger storm than Pepa usually did while doing so. “Can you please not laugh?” 

“I’m sorry, mija.” Pepa wheezed as she tried to control herself. 

Emiliana sighed. “I’m sorry, Mirabel and Isa.” 

“Hey, it’s okay!” Mirabel chirped. 

“Yeah, it’s cool, amiga,” Isabela affirmed. “That was an entertaining story.” 

“Yeah, that was even better than the telenovelas!” Bruno piped up as he spontaneously appeared in the kitchen. 

“Hey Bruno.” 

“Hey kid. Mirabel, you ready to practice our telenovela tomorrow afternoon?” 

“I’m ready,” Mirabel affirmed. 

“Cool, hey, tell you what, Emiliana, next telenovela mi sobrina and I do, you can be a part of it! If you want to, that is, no pressure or anything like that. Heh.” 

Emiliana paused, then looked up. “Really?” She asked. 

“Yup!” Bruno agreed. 

“Yay, that sounds like fun!” 

“I knew you would agree. Who’d resist a good telenovela?” 

“Certainly not me.” 

Abuela came downstairs soon after, as did the rest of the family. And they ate. 

“It’s time for another rat telenovela!” Bruno announced after the morning meal, as everyone cheered happily. 

Sitting down with the rest of the family, Emiliana was excited to see this afternoon’s rat telenovela, as she took a seat next to Camilo. “Break a leg Mirabel!” She whispered to her best friend. 

Mirabel gave her a thumbs up and a wink. Emiliana giggled. 

The play started soon enough, and as Emiliana watched, she couldn’t help but notice her head feeling awfully heavy, as her body felt drowsy and weak. 

No, this couldn’t be happening again. But it was. 

She rubbed Camilo’s hand. Camilo didn’t get the hint and merely smiled warmly, rubbing back, but kept his eyes focused on the play. 

Until Emiliana said “Baby, it’s happening again…” 

Of course, Camilo didn’t know what she was talking about, and turned to look at her in confusion. 

And that’s when Emiliana’s eyes slammed shut, and she passed out cold right there on Casita’s couch, her head in Camilo’s lap. 

💖💛

It felt like hours when she finally did wake up. 

“Emiliana? Querida, please open your eyes!” 

Emiliana’s groggy eyes forced themselves open as she rubbed them with her knuckles. She could barely make out Pepa crouching down in front of her. 

“Are you okay, mi vida?” 

“Yeah!” Emiliana’s eyes traveled down. “I fell asleep?” 

“Yeah,” Pepa said, nodding her head and tilting it diagonally, looking sympathetic. 

“So I…missed the play?” 

“You did, sadly,” Mirabel said. “It ended twenty minutes ago. But we all decided to give you some space. Except for Camilo, of course.” 

“I’m kinda cramped,” Camilo whispered to Pepa and Mirabel with a hand cupping his mouth, clearly too afraid to tell Emiliana this. 

“Let’s get you up, Emiliana!” Pepa said, gently lifting her by her sweaty armpits and raising her up off of Camilo’s lap. 

“I’m I’m so sorry!” Emiliana forced out. “I have narcolepsy, it’s not my fault.” 

“Finally!” Camilo kissed Emiliana on the cheek before getting up and running out of the room. “I really have to go to the bathroom!” 

The moment he left, Emiliana buried her face in her hands. “I’m so sorry once again. It’s my dad. I get it from him. I’ve been a terrible guest…” 

“It’s perfectly fine, mi vida,” Pepa said. “And you don’t need to apologize. You did nothing wrong. Oh, here, have a tissue.” She handed her a tissue, and Emiliana wiped her eyes before blowing her nose in it. 

“Thank you,” she said. 

“You’re welcome my dear. And trust me. Don’t worry about it. No one here is mad at you.” 

Emiliana smiled. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome, darling,” Pepa replied before giving Emiliana a hug and patting her back gently. 

When they broke up, Emilina said “I think it’s time for me to go now. My mama will be expecting me.” 

“I understand, Emiliana.” Pepa smiled. “And we were happy to have you over, and would love to have you again.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes, really!” Pepa’s eyes lit up. “Especially Camilo.” 

Emilina giggled. “I thought you didn’t want us together.” 

“Why would I think that?” Pepa asked. When Emiliana gave her a suspicious look, she giggled. “Well, I can see why you would think that. But truthfully, I just worry about my hijo sometimes. I can’t help but be overprotective, I’m a mother, it’s what I do. But I wasn’t just looking out for him. I was looking out for you too.” She placed a hand in the younger girl’s. “And I know you’d never hurt Camilo. You clearly are the right girl for him.” 

Emiliana giggled. “Thanks so much, Sra—“ 

“Oh, there’s no need for that. Call me Pepa.” 

Emiliana was speechless. But in a good way, of course. “Okay, Pepa!” 

“Come on, Emiliana!” Mirabel called out. “I’ll walk you home!” 

“Oh okay! Umm, bye Pepa!” Emiliana waved at Pepa. 

“Bye Emiliana!” Pepa smiled and waved back. 

But as Emiliana was leaving, Julieta came out, Luisa walking behind her. 

“Emiliana, cariña, can I give you something?” 

“Sure, what is it?” 

“It’s for your condition.” Julieta sighed. “I might not be able to cure every disease or ailment. But I can still help ease it somewhat. Here.” She placed in Emiliana’s hand a container of small fruit-flavored gummies. “These will help you with your insomnia and narcolepsy. Take two pills in the day and two in the night and they’ll improve your sleep so that you don’t have to fall asleep during the day.” 

“Wow! Oh my gosh! Thank you, Julieta!” Emiliana beamed and wrapped her best friend’s mom in a hug. 

Julieta hugged back. “You’re welcome.” 

“Wait!” Dolores ran down the stairs, Isabela following her in confusion. Dolores wrapped Emiliana in a hug. “Bye Emiliana!” She said, giving her a soft and affectionate kiss on the forehead. “You’ll always be my honorary hermanita.” 

“Awww, thanks, Dolores!” Emiliana smiled and hugged back. “I love you too!” 

Finally breaking up from the hug, Emiliana saw Isabela smile at her. “Take care, chiquita,” she said as she gave the girl a high five. 

“I will. Anyway, bye everyone,” Emiliana waved as she walked out the door, arms linked in Mirabel’s. “And thanks for having me, you’re all very hospitable and I couldn’t be more grateful.” 

“Bye Emiliana!” They all waved back. 

“Camilo!” Luisa called out. “Your girlfriend’s going home. Don’t you want to catch her before she leaves?!” 

Camilo came out of the bathroom just then. “Oh, she’s leaving? Bye bella durmiente.” 

“Is that your new nickname for me?” Emiliana snickered. 

“Sure is.” Camilo winked. 

Emiliana smiled. Rushing up to him and pecking him on the cheek, she grabbed Mirabel’s hand and raced out the door, Mirabel skittering behind her. 

And just like that, she was gone. 

💖💛

As Emiliana and Mirabel walked, Mirabel asked her, “So did you enjoy your stay at Casita?” 

“Of course I did!” Emiliana perked up. “It was fun. Especially the rat telenovelas! My favorite part was when the rat playing Lavinia ran away at the end.” 

“Mine was when Hernando proposed to her.” Mirabel replied. “But the whole thing was fun and I’m glad she didn’t die at the end.” 

“Me too. The dessert Julieta made was delicious too. Plus Casita is friendly and funny! And I really wish I could have slept in your room, but I promise next time I come over, I will.” 

“Hmm…” Mirabel pondered. “No you don’t.” 

“Huh, what do you mean? Of course I promise.” 

“No, not that, I mean no way do you wish you slept in my room! You were happy to sleep in my cousin’s room, weren’t you?” 

“I-I…” Emiliana felt her cheeks getting hotter and hotter. “No I wasn’t.” 

“Oh? But you really enjoyed kissing him, didn’t you?” 

“It’s not like that!” Emiliana screamed and ran away, covering her ears. “How did you know?” 

“Dolores told me!” Mirabel laughed as she ran after her best friend, giggling. “You’re in loooove!” She cooed loudly in a singsong voice. “You’re in love with my cousin! You’re dating my cousin! You like kissing my cousin! You even wanna marry my cousin! Admit it Emiliana!” She made kissing sounds with her lips. 

Other people in the town stopped what they were doing to stare at the childlike display. But Mirabel didn’t care. 

“Stop it, Mirabel! Emiliana sobbed, tears of laughter streaming. “I can’t believe Dolores betrayed me like this.” 

“Well, we slept over in her room that night, and that was when she told me.” Mirabel gave a thumbs up. “She supports though! And so do I. And the rest of us!” 

“I know,” Emiliana said. 

Mirabel smiled and linked arms with Emiliana. 

“But it was still nice to have you regardless,” she said. 

“Yeah, thanks,” Emiliana said. “It’s nice to spend some time with my best friend. Oh! And next month my dad is taking me and Victoria to my cousin’s house, he said I could invite two people, so I invited you and Yamilet. Do you wanna come?” 

“I would love to come!” Mirabel perked up. “And I’ve never really talked to your cousin before? So I’d love to get to know him!” 

“That’s awesome! And hey, maybe you can stay over for a little while and we can arrange a sleepover for another date! After all, I couldn’t not repay the compliment!” 

“Yay!” Mirabel squealed. “I’m so excited!” 

“Me too!” Emiliana said, and the two walked on home, eagerly chatting about their plans to hang out together as best friends, of which there were multiple. 

The End

hope you liked it! and tell me whatcha think!

#isabela madrigal #isabela my beloved #isabela is best girl #emiliana jimenez #camilo madrigal #emicami #dolores madrigal #mirabel madrigal #luisa madrigal #pepa madrigal #julieta madrigal #agustin madrigal #felix madrigal #alma madrigal #antonio madrigal #bruno madrigal #encanto #encanto fanfic #fanfic #one-shot #encanto one-shot #fluff #no smut #wow it turns out i CAN write m/f ships lol #thief in the night #oc #encanto ocs #black female ocs #comedy #romance

[prophetic-hijinks]

Prophetic Vignettes aka One Shot Comics

Sisterly Bonding

A city outing

First kiss a go!

Birds of a feather

Weaponized cuteness

Kiss and Tell (mildly PG-13)

Bonding with Camilo

Drafty Ruana (NSFW minors DNI)

Hickies (nsfw minors DNI)

Dirty puns are her love language. NSFW a little

Haircuts

Three heartbeats

Omg Triplets?!?

Beach (ball) body

Cravings

Lost in translation

Colorful contractions

Mooooo

Casita is the best babysitter

Angry Kiss

Kiss on the Nose

Kiss on the forehead

Sassy Casita

Love Lost (CW: Infertility, emotional abuse)

F#@$&? Carlos

Ramiro comes home

Bonding with Ramiro

Becoming Madrigal

Feliz cumpleanos

Mis Alguinados

Fanart from Picos Delivery Service

Phones are hard

Perky

She’s got jokes

Constructive criticism

Family counseling

Linear Master Comic List

Silly Comics and Asks

Lucky Cat

Doors

Naps and kisses

Memes

AU Comics

Well this is Awkward

Wet Hot American Summer

Modern Academia Sass

Incorrect Quotes

Confession

That's Embarrassing

Therapy

💚 FANWORKS 💚

Au and OC art

🌶️ Hijinks after Dark minors dni

#ENCANTO #Bruno madrigal #pepa madrigal #julieta madrigal #prophetic hijinks #mirabel madrigal #luisa madrigal #elena ruiz #bruno x oc #encanto comic #vignettes #agustin madrigal #felix madrigal #dolores madrigal #camilo madrigal #antonio madgrigal

[winxanity-ii]

CAMILO MADRIGAL

╰❝𝓝𝓸𝓽 𝓲𝓯 𝔀𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓮. 𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽? 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓼𝓪𝔂 𝔀𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓮? 𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽? 𝓝𝓸𝓽 𝓪 𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓮.❞

🇰‌🇪‌🇾‌: ❥ = smut | 🔥 = heated/spicy | ✿ = fluff | 🕷 = angst | ✰ = personal fav

FICS

𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒 | ✿ 🕷 ✰ | Fem!Reader / Encanto!AU ↴

𝗜𝗡 𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗛- you learn that there is beauty to death as there is for life.

ONE-SHOTS

HEADCANONS

#encanto x reader #encanto fanfic #encanto #comedy #encanto x you #camilo x reader #camilo madrigal #camilo madrigal x reader #madrigal #encanto camilo #madrigal x reader #romance #‧̍̊˙˚˙xaniwrites-camilo madrigal ml #‧̍̊˙˚˙xaniwrites-

[row-boats3]

A piece I wrote in like 20 minutes because I have Encanto brain-rot and I started thinking of how Mirabel got her “gift” in a Celebrity!Madrigals AU

……..

Mirabel returned home sluggishly, tossing her bag to the couch as soon as she crossed through the door of their home.

Unsurprisingly, the house was empty.

Mama had gone to an interview for her new cook-book, dragging Papa with her as even with her collected front she hated doing interviews alone. Tia Pepa was working hard on recording her next album with Tio Felix. Dolores was at a meeting for her cover art, Luisa at training for the athletic event, and Camilo at a table read for a new, exclusive movie he wasn’t allowed to tell her about yet.

Even Senorita perfecta Isabela would be welcome right now, but she was out too, negotiating a contract with a new, up-and-coming fashion boutique.

Once again, ordinary Mirabel was left alone as her extraordinary family won over the hearts of the public.

It wasn’t like Mirabel resents them for it.

(Well, maybe she did - just a little - but she really didn’t mean to.)

Mirabel loved her family more than anything, and they loved her. She knew her family loved her, they showed it every day. They were just so busy with interviews, and work, and fans, and fame.

(And yeah, maybe things have been tough for a couple years since Camilo had started getting serious acting work. Maybe Abuela was starting to pressure Mirabel, or asking her why she hadn’t started working on something impressive like her sisters or cousins. Maybe Mirabel felt just a tiny bit alone every time her parents, or sisters, or cousins were too busy to ask about her day or help with homework. That didn’t mean they loved her any less, right?

Right?)

She turned the TV on, just to drown out the silence of the apartment. It landed on an old rerun of a talk-show from last week, an interview of Dolores quietly teasing her new album. Mirabel left in on, the familiar voice always calming.

There she was, home alone, given full range of the top floor apartment building her family owned.

She was was wholly, completely, unequivocally bored.

With nothing better to do, she decided to actually do some homework, pulling out notebooks of her bag and flipping to the next clean page of her math one. Her eyes wandered, smiling at the paper.

Just before it was a page full of doodles from when she got bored in class, all symbols important to her family. Herbs for Mama, A thunderbolt (the name of Tia Pepa’s first solo album), a chameleon for Camilo, Flowers for Isabela who always said she wanted to be a florist before modeling took off. Beside the individual drawing had been a smaller sketch, the markings inside a pair of pants.

Mirabel paused.

She glanced down at her own, suddenly very plain skirt.

Her private school had many rules on dress code - no colored hair, uniform below the knees, black shoes.

They said nothing against modifying the turquoise uniform, did they?

In a sudden moment of weakness and ADHD hyperfixation, the teen shot up. Papa kept some extra sowing supplies in the back of his closet, didn’t he?

Somewhat quickly, with only a small fight with a jacket, she’d gotten the sowing kit and changed clothes to pull her skirt over her lap.

She sowed, carefully working the needle in and out of the fabric in a focus she’d never had before.

So often, she was “the other Madrigal”, the boring one, the child left to herself. So, if she had to be plain Mirabel, the least she could do was have a not-so-plain skirt.

Two weeks full of lonesome days passed by thanks to that needle and thread before the skirt was done, and she was no longer so plain.

She had no idea almost a year and a half after that, she sold her first fashion design, catapulting herself from ordinary Mirabel into the spotlight as one of the Magnificent Madrigals.

#encanto #ao3 author #mirabel madrigal #I had to write this just so I could go to bed #celebrity au #camilo madrigal #felix madrigal #pepa madrigal #agustin madrigal #dolores madrigal #antonio madrigal #julieta madrigal