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casitafallz · 1 year

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LTRL AU | Calming Sharpened Nerves

Bruno was not one for gossip, nor did he enjoy listening to arguments. His mother and Señora Rojas’s argument had been one he had wanted to leave but given the topic in relevance to Isabela mostly, he had forced himself to stay and sit in front of his steps that led to his door; their voices carried enough that he didn’t have to strain at all by the time his mother’s voice was the loudest.

In all his fifty years, he could easily count the times his mother had shouted—and he meant properly shouted at someone— on one hand. It was often for a strong reason. Today, it had seemed it was a fast escalation than what he expected for a Friday afternoon and thankfully, not the worse he had heard. The dining room had always been a focal point when family matters came up and heated up so he almost always had the front seat if he didn’t choose to leave.

After it ended he was left with his heart hammering, watching as Señora Rojas hurried out—Mirabel’s old stained shirt over one arm—then silence fell across the Casita now. A few tiles shifted at his leg, pushing a rat into his lap before he picked it up and stroked it’s back, gently using the rat to calm his nerves.

He…could see both sides in all of this. He hated with a passion of what happened, that Mirabel of all people was so hurt because he had left to protect her that vision; he never considered anything else to happen to her. He couldn’t bring himself to hate Isabela for it either because it wasn’t like it was on purpose. He could see his mother now had narrowed her view on what happened to think it was and she may not even be aware of it. Emotion clouded judgment for sure and… it was easy to make the wrong assumptions. Unreliable narrator, he knew was most likely the reason.

His visions had always been a guessing game based on pictures which were something he had learned to read better than anyone. Bruno could already feel the soft tugs in his brain, a delicate thread of the future that was always present but he knew he’d have to do a vision soon to stop a sudden onslaught. He had endured them in the walls and snuck off into his room at night when it became unbearable.

Perhaps he’d need to peek ahead, see to what would happen? If the…tension now would fade, if Isabela would be able to leave or if they’d remain in this stagnation of waiting for the pesto to drop…. Which in this house would be when the next person snapped if he had to make assumptions.

“Bruno?”

He looked up sharply to the steps to see his mother’s face through the banister, halfway up the steps and clearly on her way back to her room. Her eyes were slightly red and her face pale but there was a hardness to her gaze.

“Mama.” He pulled the rat to his chest.

“How…how much of that did you hear?” Abuela asked, finally reaching the top of the steps and standing waiting.

“All of it.” He shrugged. “You weren’t quiet and I’ve heard worse.”

Abuela inhaled deeply. “I wish you had gone to your room, that wasn’t or your ears.”

Bruno didn’t answer, though his rat decided to betray him and wiggle from his hands, jumping off his leg and managing to dodge a few of Casita’s tiles as they tried to play with her in her escape.

“You should let Isa go,” Bruno winced at how her eyes turned even harder, her jaw tightening, “I don’t…I don’t mean forever, ma. Just… a few days in the week or something.”

“No, Isa’s responsibilities are here.”

“Adapt the punishments to her new living arrangements, that way she’s still under punishment but given more freedom for both the family and for her.” He interjected, not meeting her in the eye. “You’re creating a new situation where stress is rising and someone’s going to snap again.”

“No one’s going to snap again.” She sounded vindicated on that. Like she was a protector against such a thing.

“So…Julieta’s headaches are just there for no reason? You don’t think Dolores taking more distance from Casita is for fun? You really think that Isabela’s new work in town is simply for pleasure?” Bruno knew he was treading a thin line and he didn’t want to reveal what he knew. An unexpected vision had grazed his mind a few weeks ago and that was the last thing he ever wanted to see between Dolores and Mariano. He felt like bleaching his eyes. “The family is still stressed, Ma. They need a breather to heal and not a reminder. If you haven’t noticed, Mama. Lunches are far more relaxed without her.”

As much as he hated to say that, it was true. At least in terms of Pepa’s side of the family and Mirabel and Luisa. The only ones really tense were Abuela and Julieta. Bruno didn’t know what Agustín’s stance on the matter would be but he supposed it didn’t overly matter. Agustín was going to be furious when he finds out about the argument between his mother and in-law.

Bruno rose to his feet. “I’m not going to argue with you, Mama. I may have been in the walls but at least then I felt like I had a breath of relief to be away from your suffocating expectations.” He didn’t wait for a reactions, like always, and what he did best, he scurried up his steps and into his room, bounding through his sand curtain to hide up in his vision cave for a few hours—his mother should be calm then, right?

Dolores was glad to settle back on her bedsheets, her head thumping painfully and Mariano’s arm around her made her feel somewhat shielded, even if the sounds of Encanto raged through her skull; nothing was entirely blocked in her room but everything outside became an equal whisper. But she knew she was being sensitive today and so, even those whispered sounds were very overwhelming.

Mariano had coming around, or her to him when she had asked or and she was glad to just settle in his arms, even if it wouldn’t go further than that today. She often wondered how easily they had slipped into such a couple without a look back. Five months ago, he had been separated from Isabela…. Now they were a couple now and it felt perfect. He was perfect.

It was easy to imagine how she could have easily lost him to a loveless marriage…if Abuela had her way. Some good had come out a mess in the worse possible way but… she knew she had to keep things right with Isabela. She owed her that at least.

“Would you like me to get you tea?” Mariano spoke after a moment, his voice a soft whisper.

Dolores shook her head. “No, thank you.” She sighed out. “It’ll be…awkward. Abuela…sort of argued with Tio Agustín’s mama about Isabela. I don’t want you to walk into that.”

Mariano rubbed her arm softly though she could hear the wince he had already. “They don’t know I’m here, do they?”

“No, but we’re both clothed so they shouldn’t jump too much into a conclusion.” She hoped, that really hung in subtext. “Dinner is going to be so…awkward.” She wrinkled her nose. “I should really warn Isa before she comes back…”

“No, I can do that.” Mariano spoke up, “Should I tell her to just to...be prepared for your displeased Abuela?”

Dolores exhaled out, “Isa asked her Abuelita if she could live with her…without talking to her parents or Abuela about it. That’s why there was an argument.”

Mariano sighed out, “is there a chance this will resolve without us?”

“Hm, Tio Bruno’s already shared his ideas. I just… Isa’s go so much on her plate and not to mention in complete denial about the baby….”

In her arms, Mariano stiffed right up in alarm “Baby?”

Dolores’s eyes widened. “I didn’t tell you?” She sat up, her heart thumping with a spike of anxiety. He had told him, right? Dolores scrambled through her memory: surely she must have told him… or something….

“No, but I think soon, people are going to notice.” Mariano’s brow furrowed in concern, coming to jump off the bed and start pacing. “I…have to assume the father is Marquez? Her friend?...and my friend too for that matter.”

Dolores nodded, though the friendship was borderline between acquaintance and friend, it was important. “He’s a good man.”

“Oh, it’s not him I’m worried about. I'm sure he'll want to marry her once he finds out” Mariano paused, “It’s Isa… if she’s pregnant—how far along is she?”

“I’d…say about three months. The heartbeat only really started about a month ago but...it’s always been a little too quiet until recently. I…had to wait and make sure I was hearing it correctly. I can only assume the baby was conceived on Antonio’s birthday.” And her attempts to keep an accident away had failed.

It was the only time that’d make sense; unprotected sex and if the calendar was correct, right in her fertility window. The teas they drank were meant to stop them from ovulating, so they’d not even get periods if they drank their teas every day. One missed day and then they’d find out messily the next day. Teas meant nothing if conception had already happened by the time she had given her the drink.

“So, she’s 12 weeks along and…none the wiser?” he looked astonished. “That doesn’t happen! Every woman I knew felt something!”

“I don’t understand either, Mariano. She’s… not feeling or looking any different, she’s not hiding nausea—I would know and she’s flat out shot down any hints!” Dolores shook her head in frustration. “She can’t be in denial up until labor…”

“Yep, you’re family going to notice when she starts walking around with a newborn in her arms.” Mariano shook his head, though there was no mistake about the concern her boyfriend had over his ex. What that would mean to both her and what would happen. “Surely there’s a medical reason for it? I can ask around?”

“Please be discreet.” Dolores knew not to ask herself without awkward questions. A man asking was far more forgivable. The last thing she wanted to get out was that she was having premarital sex as well. That wasn’t something she wanted on top of what would eventually be found out. “Once the pregnancy is known, they’ll know she’s been with a man…”

It was no secret; Mariano knew each of the rules Isa had by now. Her silence would certainly bring up questions. She could already feel it. It was a ticking clock now.

“I’ll get in trouble.” Dolores finished quickly, nervously fiddling with her skirt. “I don’t want Abuela to split us up…. I can’t have that.”

Mariano’s head shot around to her, dropping to his knees swiftly while his hands cupped her cheeks. The warmth of his skin offered gentle comfort. “You won’t lose me. I doubt it will come to that, even if it was to happen, I’ll happily wait.”

Dolores sniffled softly, “What if you’re not allowed up here?”

“Then I’m sure we can make arrangements to still talk and other ways to be together.” Mariano dropped his hand, gently plucking hers from her skirt to hold and rubbed the back of her knuckles with his thumbs “We still have options and we still have time before anyone finds out about Isabela’s situation.”

“I just...can’t believe she’s denying it.”

Mariano smiled sadly, shifting off his knees to her side, pulling her against him. “If I had to guess…I’d say Isabela’s terrified at the prospect of motherhood in her...situation. Unwed, disgraced, and probably depressed with everything you’ve told me so far. Denial is…probably a way for her to cope.”

Dolores winced, her heart aching a little. It was such a poor way to cope… but she supposed Mariano had been getting more emotionally mature to…understand that. It was nice to hear that growth. She knew Mirabel had often considered him a big-dumb hunk—which he was not—when talking with Camilo about him.

“She’ll come around to it…once the pregnancy progresses.” Mariano kissed her cheek softly. “Let’s take a walk.”

Isabela hurt a little and it wasn’t in a way she was used to. Her behind was sore from sitting down most of the day, her back ached from poor posture over the wheel and her hands were so dry that she knew she’s probably be soaking her hands in some Aloe Vera when she got to her room.

But, Isabela preferred pottery over the looms any day because at least then, it was simpler to focus with her hands, never having to worry about looms and threads or making mistakes. You could fix wet clay better than threads.

Over hours in the looms had left fingers tips were a little sore from handing delicate threads trying to thread up a loom, or as they called it ‘warping a loom’ and there was so much technical know-how that Isabela was struggling to remember. She had even written notes into the new diary that Abuela have given her to help her remember. It was less of a diary and more a notebook at this point with reminders.

She never thought she’d be mentally tired like this in a span of three days of her new lessons and she knew for a fact Fran was going to be quizzing her so she couldn’t slack off without some scathing remarks which…were mostly true.

Isabela slipped quietly into Casita, heading straight up to her room, stripping off her dirty, clay watered clothes in favor of something nicer before dinner. She glowered as she noticed clumps of her hair as dried together—she’d need to wash it out properly. It was too late to let it dry naturally so for now, Isa gently combed through to break the crust and swiftly braided it up.

It was probably wise to do that now; keep it out of the way. The braid turned out to be very one sided, so she gently wrapped it up into a bun as well and tied it with a delicate vine, covering that with gentle Dalia flowers. Looking in the mirror, it felt odd to see her hair up and away from her face or down her back. The weight felt off, like her head would loll back too much.

“Dinner time.”

The first thing Isabela noticed when she drifted down, was the tense posture of her father looking darky down at Abuela. She was barely noticed taking a seat next to him and helped herself to rice and sauce, doing her best to ignore Dolores’s look though her attention turned as she realized the plate she was using was blank.

What happened to her plate?

Her head cocked with curiosity, her eyes darting around but thankfully before she could panic, she noticed a few others like Bruno also had a blank plate as well; the rim decor less which gave it away despite being filled.

“What happened to the plates?” Isa asked Tio Bruno next to her.

“There was an accident at lunch with them. We’re using these until they’re replaced.” Bruno sighed. “Have a good day? Your hair is…different? I’ve never seen it up… only the pigtails your mother put on when you were little. ”

Ever the reminder of her Tio’s poor social skills as any but it made her chuckle softly regardless. “I think it’ll be something I’ve had to do when working with pottery or looms to avoid mess or injury.”

“Injury? With a loom?” There was a skeptical edge to his tone.

“Long hair getting caught in things, Tio. I once heard a girl got scalped a year ago running through a door and her hair caught in the door latch. Mama healed her so she was fine but…”

Bruno winced, his hand coming to his hair as if in fear of the same fate. “Ouch.”

Isabela didn’t progress that story but got back to eating. She wanted to get back to her room and search her room for her potatoes; they had escaped their pot and tree and they also had no way to escape her room. It was tempting to ask Fran around tomorrow and let her be paranoid about them…

She became aware Abuela had started to talk to Dolores but she didn’t pay too much attention after realizing they were talking about Dolores’s upcoming 22nd birthday until Dolores’s raised her voice.

Dolores never raised her voice.

“Abuela, I don’t want a big party!” Dolores squeaked a little, her gaze dropping to the table top.

“You don’t have to.” Tio Felix set his fork down, his hand coming to her arm.

Dolores exhaled out deeply. “I’m sorry…. But…parties are just so loud. I don’t want to…deal with all of that again.”

“Mama,” Tia Pepa gave her mother a look. “Let’s not discuss it now.”

“Isabela, come with me.” Her father’s voice echoed as she set the last plate down into the cabinet.

“How long? My curfew is in five minutes” Isabela pointed out but any conversation of this, she could already expect to end badly. No one just wanted to talk to her without it become some sort of reprimand. If it was some sort of conversation then it simply would have happened over dinner. Not after. Not private.

“I can extend it if necessary.”

Which did little comfort as she trailed after him. Agustín led her outside though not far, to the bench in front of Casita where he sat down. Isabela hovered a little but sat down next to him.

“Your grandparents fought, Isa.” He started after a second. “My mother said you had come to ask about moving in with them.”

Isabela dropped her gaze. “It was an open offer, Pa. I asked for clarification.”

Agustín inhaled deeply. “It’s not your decision to make, Isabela. You should have asked me or your mother first.”

Isabela wanted to scoff, her lip curled up into a displeased sneer. “Right because you’ve been here for me the last couple of months.”

“Isa.”

“No, Pa. If you think I’ve not noticed how much you’re loving Luisa and Mirabel over me, why should I come to you about my feelings.” Isabela hissed, “I’m not expending my energy in asking when I know you’d never consider it given you didn’t the first time around. It might have been better if I had left straight off.”

Agustín’s reached up, pulling off his glasses and a cloth from his pocket though began to clean the lenses intently. “I’m sorry that we’ve made you feel that way, Isa but… it’s hard to manage at the moment.” His tone turned quiet, more genuine. “I don’t want you to leave.”

“I don’t care about the punishments I’m under. I don’t expect them to go, if that’s what everyone is so upset about. Only to adapt to new living arrangements.” Isabela clarified. “You want to know why, I want to leave Pa? It’s this: Luisa or Camilo won’t let me be alone with anyone younger than them… do you know how it feels? My own little sister trying to be a body guard. Against me.” Isabela shook her head. “When will she be a sister again? As long as I’m here, she won’t shake that mind set.”

Her father slipped his glasses back on. “I’m sorry.”

“With my grandparents in town, I’m still with people you know and trust. Is that not enough?” Isabela turned her attention fully onto him. “Have I done nothing to prove some trust in you and Ma? I’m doing my dues, I’m trying to make some amends where I can and I’ve even started to try more laborious work to be a more productive member of this family than sit around and pout about my situation.”

“I do trust you, Isabela.” Agustín said lightly, “not…with Mirabel or Antonio but with…your responsibilities. I know you’re trying and I see the work you’re doing. I am proud of that, truly.”

“Thank you.”

“I don’t agree with you going blind behind our backs,” Agustín added, “I don’t enjoy seeing my mother like that. I only just managed to talk Abuela out of giving this talk herself.”

Isabela winced a little. “I didn’t mean to cause harm here, I’m sorry about that.”

Agustin just patted her arm softly. “We’re still in discussion about this. I’ll try to get my mother back and…try and come to a conclusion without it progressing into an argument with Abuela. Okay?”

“Okay.” It...did sound more reasonable and well she didn’t want to get involved in the crossfire. Let the adults talk and she could only hope. “I’ll be with the looms again tomorrow if you need to find me” She rose to her feet, her father in her shadow but she sank into his arms as he pulled her into a hug.

#encanto #encanto au #lest the rot lingers au #isabela madrigal #dolores madrigal #julieta madrigal #bruno madrigal #agustin madrigal #agustín madrigal #alma madrigal #pepa madrigal #felix madrigal #mariano guzman #camilo madrigal #luisa madrigal #mirabel madrigal

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grinfodoro-reblogs-corral · 2 years

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Mirabel doesn’t have a gift and that’s okay

Both on Youtube and like, web in general I always come up with at least a “Casita actually gave a gift to Mirabel!!” thing while I look up Encanto stuff, which bothers me a lot so hey gonna share my quick take on the movie SPOILERS AHEAD

First off the interpretation of the ending itself, while it was purposely done in that way so it’s ambigous for the viewer to tell what exactly happened when Mirabel went to open the door I personally think it meant two things. The immediate meaning of Casita “getting back to life” and secondly, subtle because it’s the direct consequence of Casita being Casita again, the Miracle getting back as well and so everyone’s talent. Now while I have to admit that very very deeply I wished Mirabel got herself a gift, I want to think she didn’t, and never will. And that’s what makes this movie good and dear to my heart because think about it Mirabel’s real goal and wish was never to have a gift, but to be accepted by her family, just the way she was. Her desire for a talent comes from this way deeper wish because if her gradma loved her despite her cerimony’s fiasco then she wouldn’t have wished for a gift, she would have been a different person and the movie’s events would have happened on the first place (or at least, not like that with the whole house tearing itself down) The whole movie is about the concept of the Miracle and its consequences on the family. How what was born from a genuine and deep love and was meant to bring joy and helpfulness to the people has turned into something that is seen more like a course or “problematic”: Pepa’s constant wish to control her gift (therefore her emotions, since those are tied) which probably led to her anxiety, the pressure Luisa and Isabela feel because “their gifts are not good enough” and while one always pushes her limits, the others wishes to be something more than a perfect mylady. Then there’s Bruno who’s straight up afraid of his talent because he’s convinced (or better, was convinced) that his gift could only bring chaos and unhappiness to his family and the rest of the village, and Antonio is afraid of geting one himself because of what happened to this “seven feet frame” of an uncle and his beloved cousin Mirabel.

So through the character of Mirabel the story wants to show first to her and then to the viewer both sides of this shiny coin of the talent and of what the Miracle has became because of Alma’a fear of losing it, and then tries to fix and change the initial situation alwasy by the same character. So the story is not about Mirabel’s journey to get herself a gift but to fix what was breaking in the family. Because even if she had one the situatio would have still be the same presented at the beggining of the movie and it would have eventually lead to teh family breaking up under the weight of the Miracle, just like happened towars the end. So character-speaking, Mirabel never specifically asked for a gift but for acceptance and support, and plot-speaking she getting a gift wouldn’t have have a huge influence on the movie because her purpose is to fix what is broken, just like she says in the already mentioned song “Waiting for a Miracle”. Therefore, she getting a gift at the end of the movie wouldn’t have made sense in any way possible because at that point she both got some of the support she was seeking since the beggining and the family, Alma included, remembered the true meaning of the Miracle. I’ll go even further, giving her a gift would have actually ruined the whole movie. Because think about it what is wrong and makes Mirabel’s relantionship with her gradma verbally-toxic for her? She lacking a gift So giving her a talent would have yes meant for Mirabel being finally approved by her but the support she would have gotten would be “fake”, and given only because Mirabel became someone else, someone better in her opinion. I think that’s needless to say that would have been extremely wrong. So yeah, you can cry for Mirabel’s lacking for a gift but she sure isn’t anymore

#encanto #mirabel #mirabel madrigal #disney encanto #quick review #this is my opinion #you're free to not agree with me

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