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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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I COULD BE YOURS

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three times camilo changed for you, and the one time he didn’t have to.

camilo madrigal x gn reader | fluff |

this is half character study— half of me just being giddy on how camilo can show his affection

hoping to god it’s in character (T^T)

beta read!

one. i could be soft and sweet

The bedroom door suddenly slammed open, a loud smack echoing throughout the tall walls of Camilo’s room. The shapeshifter cursed beneath his breath, the ruana he was mid-way in removing resting against his elbows as the noise startled him greatly.

Would it kill to knock, to just enter his room normally? Camilo grumbled, blowing some of the loose curly locks away from his face in exasperation. To put it lightly, the shapeshifter was annoyed as hell, and he was sure to let the person know how he felt. He even had a good scolding already prepared in his head by the time he had turned to face his doorway.

But before he could even get single a word out, the boy felt all the annoyance he had in him already being washed away. The tense muscles that molded his irritated expression quickly loosened into something softer. There you stood, tears streaming down your face as your body shook like a leaf. A small hiccup escaped your trembling lips, and that was all it took for a large wave of concern to come crashing down on Camilo.

He frantically rushed over whilst he haphazardly took off and threw away his ruana somewhere in the corners of his room.

“Y/N? Are you— what happened?” He sputtered, reaching out to grab your hand. Camilo pulled you inside, the magical door shutting in on itself as he ushered you to the stage of his personal theater.

The Madrigal’s panic only worsened when you responded with a sharp breath.

“I— can’t— I’m trying—“ You whispered, your uneven breathing making it harder to speak somehow. Realizing that trying to talk in your current state was probably only making you more upset, Camilo quickly shushed you in the politest way he could manage.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright corazón. You don’t have to tell me right away, okay?”

He stepped in front of you, his hand making its way to your shoulder. He gave it a small squeeze before looking right at you.

“I’m gonna carry you for a second, are you fine with that?”

Camilo waited patiently as you took a second to compose yourself. He watched you take a messy breath, his soul shattering into a million pieces at the heart-wrenching scene.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth, seeing you so vulnerable and broken was probably hurting him more than whatever was hurting you. He didn’t like it one bit.

“Yeah,” You whispered, breaking the momentary silence. Camilo gave you a small smile before he lifted you up from your feet. He sat you down at the edge of the stage’s apron, sighing when you started to curl in on yourself.

He heaved as he pulled himself up, making sure to right sit next to you. He was far enough to ensure that you had your wanted space but close enough for him to be within reach. It stayed like that for a good while, the echoes of your soft cries filling the room as Camilo rubbed your back in one circular motion.

“It’s gonna be okay,” Camilo reassured once your cries had dissolved into mere sniffles and hiccups. Your brows furrowed at his words, your shoulders shaking as you breathed in.

“Doesn’t feel like it.” You confessed, eyes duller than their usual glow. Camilo shook his head, placing a firm grip on your shoulder.

“Probably,” Camilo told, internally wincing at how emotionally constipated he sounded. Was the room becoming more stuffy? The boy wasn’t so sure anymore. His reflection from the many mirrors that surrounded him pierced through his well-hidden nervous exterior.

He was never really good with emotional stuff, always preferring to joke around and have fun rather than wallow in his enteral suffering for even more than a second. He’d rather distract himself (or others) from the tension rather than cure it, after all that was all he knew how to do.

He didn’t bother with learning either. It was more of his father’s job anyway, remembering all the times he was able to calm down his mom from conjuring up a storm within minutes. But he was willing to try, for you.

“But I’m here to try to make it okay.”

“I won’t let you go through whatever you're going through alone.” He paused, not wanting to mess things up by saying something stupid. Camilo bit his lips, his mouth suddenly going dry.

“And it’s probably not my place to intervene, but I do want to help. You deserve to be happy. And if there’s anything you need help with, I’ll be here for you.” It was so sickeningly sweet and cheesy than he wanted it to be, but it would have to do. He hoped it would do.

He gave you a moment to respond, silence filling the temporary lapse in the conversation. But when you continued to stare expectantly, he spoke again without him even realizing it himself.

“Besides, a person like you shouldn’t be crying, I think smiling suits you better.” Okay so, maybe it wasn’t the perfect time to joke around, but he couldn’t be a god at comforting people overnight, he reasoned. Besides, he’d say that the gentle smile that painted your lips was worth the joke, and he counted that as a win.

In a blink of an eye, the boy was pulled from his thoughts and was suddenly attacked into a tight hug. Camilo yelped in surprise, a firm hand instinctively placed behind him to support the extra weight.

His breath hitched, something he hoped went unnoticed.

“I don’t think I’m ready to tell you yet, but I’m definitely feeling better.” You nuzzled into the crook of his neck, the shapeshifter’s brain going haywire at the action. He subconsciously eased into the comforting hold, hesitantly wrapping a hand around your waist. He didn’t comment on how you sighed in relief when he did.

“Thank you, Camilo. Really.”

He barely even registered your words, his body all too focused and happy at the fact you were hugging him, but he assumed it was good when he felt your smile graze his collarbone. He pulled you closer, a huge grin plastered on his face.

“My pleasure.”

two. i could be hard and loud

Camilo leaned against a pillar, the cold cement soothing his burning skin. The plaza was absolutely loaded with high spirit, music and loud chatter from townsfolk reaching the humid air. Petals of all colors fell from the flower vines that clung onto open balconies and bare columns, getting swooped away by the gushes of wind.

It was Feria de las Flores, the day on which the entirety of Encanto celebrated the gift of life and honored the town’s concerning appreciation of the plants. It was one of the village’s biggest treasures, and therefore they went all out in preparation for the event each year. Everyone united on such a joyous day, acting like friends and family even if it was the first time they had exchanged words with one another.

And his family was no exception to this practice. From the corner of his eye, he could see his tía Julieta and tío Bruno hand out all types of food they managed to cook to passersby. His cousins and siblings could be spotted running around the huge floral area with other kids their age tagging along with them, his prima Isabela, in particular, leaving a trail of purple of pink petals behind her.

Camilo shook his head and chuckled, finding his abuela, mama, and papa dancing together without a care in the world. The boy sighed, letting his back slide down the pillar a tad bit. It was a good day, and it only continued to get better when he caught a particular head of hair amidst the sea of people.

Camilo grinned at the sight of you. You walked with grace, a slight glow painting your body just right, the shine never leaving your sun-kissed face as you weaved through the tight crowd. You were mesmerizing, and so when his view got obscured by a line of men carrying silletas on their backs, casting a huge shadow on anyone on the opposite side, he couldn’t help but feel slightly disgruntled.

The shapeshifter pushed himself off the pillar and easily maneuvered around the surprisingly long line, the boy quickly squinting his eyes when the sun mercilessly beamed on his face right after.

His heart leaped with joy when he finally found you again, his legs moving before his brain could even think. If you were beautiful from his previous spot, by god you were just as— if not more gorgeous up close.

Even if he’s seen your face, heard your laugh, or watched your lips curl into a smile a million times before, it will never fail to amaze him again and again. He gingerly poked your shoulder, his stomach fluttering when you smoothly turned in his direction.

“Having fun mariposa?” He called out, his voice louder than his usual tone in hopes that it wouldn’t get lost in the ever-growing noise.

Camilo smiled when you did, the warmth in his chest flooding to his cheeks at the adorable grin.

“Oh absolutely! I swear this is one of the best days of the year.” You blabbered just as loudly, eyes sparkling. Camilo laughed, nodding along to your sentiment.

“True that, my god it feels like we’re in paradise.” He commented, looking out to the colorful plaza.

“Everything is so…”

“Pretty?”

He faced you once more, his gaze softening. Yeah, pretty would work.

“You’ve read my mind.”

You chuckled, face lighting up at the small accomplishment.

“But yeah, this festival is truly a wonder.” You added, although you sounded a bit distracted.

Your eyes flickered to something for a brief moment, and Camilo wasted no time in following your gaze. His muddy green eyes landed on the large plaza, where music blasted loudly as strangers alike swayed to the upbeat melody. Camilo felt the song’s persuasive rhythm travel through the ground and into his body, the music suddenly giving the boy a magnificent idea as his face lit up in excitement.

Camilo turned back to you, finding you already staring at him with a look he couldn’t decipher. He gave you a mischievous smile, and your hesitant yet intrigued reaction only made him more feverish.

He ignored the sudden nervous pang in his chest as he opened his mouth.

“Hey— you know, it’s not the full Feria de las Flores experience if you don’t dance,”

Camilo waved his hand in the air, letting the pause add a dramatic flair to his words.

“We stared an hour ago, and I have yet to see you on the dance floor...” He trailed off purposefully. He hoped it added suspense, giving that mysterious vibe most people sought. Though in reality, he knew he was just being a coward who was stalling, a boy wanting to delay the inevitable.

“What are you getting at Camilo?” You blatantly asked, your eyes searching his face for an answer. Camilo shot his hands up in the air in playful defense, his unusually sweaty palms glistening. Damn it, he was supposed to act cool!

“Just saying! the offer is up there,” He breathed in, the words stuck in his throat.

“If you want to dance…?“

You gave him a pitiful smile before looking away. And if he deflated a little bit when you did, he made sure no one noticed.

Great, you went too far you idiot, he thought. The guilt ate him up inside, and he shrank even further in embarrassment. He was just about to apologize for pushing, but the boy immediately shut his mouth when you had surprisingly beaten him to it. Camilo’s eyes went wide, glimmering with hope when you began to speak.

“You know I would! But I just feel like I’ll ruin everything. I’d probably just bump into whoever I came across, it’s like a stampede in there.” You explained sheepishly, the boy only being able to hear you due to your close proximity.

“And I really don’t want to annoy anyone…”

The boy blinked, the gears turning in his head. Now, Camilo didn’t know what suddenly clicked in him, but he wasn’t about to let you sulk on such a beautiful day, and he was firm on that. Thus Camilo puffed his chest out, scrunching his nose up as he proudly let out what he was thinking.

“Nonsense! You won’t annoy anyone, I’m sure of it! We’re gonna make the best of this day as much as we can.” He exclaimed, attracting the curious looks of confused villagers in the process. He may have looked stupid but he didn’t care anymore, it was too late to back down now.

“I know you can do it, and it’ll be fun! You don’t even need to worry mi flor.“ The shapeshifting teen mindlessly grabbed your hands, not missing how perfectly it fit in his. He squeezed them tight, ignoring how his heart was thumping faster than the band’s music.

“I’ll protect you, I promise.” His words drifted in the air, trusting the song would take it somewhere safe. It was quiet, well— as quiet as it could get between the two of you. But he persisted, and he was so glad he did as he watched your lips form a smile that reached your eyes.

“You drive a hard bargain, you know?”

“People do say I’m persuasive in a way.”

You guffawed loudly, which attracted unwanted attention to the two of you once more. Though, he couldn’t help but swell in pride that he was the one who caused that angelic sound.

“Whatever fuels your ego,” You teased fondly, happily wrapping your hand under his ruana and around his arm.

“Lead the way?”

He grinned, tugging you close before dragging you into the lively plaza. Camilo produced a boisterous laugh, one so contagious that it pulled you into laughing along with him.

“I knew you’d come around!”

three. i could be anything, you ever need somehow. why don’t you hear me sing? out from the lost and found

He’ll never tell you it outright, but he really loved you.

A bit too much to be honest. The day you came into his life was probably one of the best things that happened to Camilo, competing with the day that he got his gift.

He may not want to admit it, but before— he was lost, only a shell of what he was now. He was utterly helpless, trapped in his own abyss with no light to follow.

He figured it’d stay like that, all alone with only his pathetic cries to keep him company, but oh, how you quickly proved him wrong. You came in and showed him the way out. And though you may not have noticed it, he certainly did. You changed him for the better. You helped him crawl, helped him relearn how to walk, run and chase the things he held dear.

You were an unexpected change, yet a good one, and he didn’t want to lose that. And that fact frightened him, to an alarming degree.

Though, life isn’t without its fears. And hell, if it meant fighting god himself, he will gladly do it just to be with you. He wanted to be a part of your story, to become that intimate piece of your life the same way you became in his.

So it didn’t matter if you didn’t see the way his face lit up whenever your name was mentioned in passing, the way his heart swelled when he found you curled beside him during the nights you stayed over, the way he smiled when a breathless laugh escaped your lips, the way his eyes softened when you began talking rapidly about a topic you cared for;

As long as you were with him, that was all that mattered. He felt at home with you.

four. i could be yours, i could be yours, i could be yours

The two of you flopped onto your bed, quietly giggling all the while. Camilo fell on his chest whilst you laid on your back, allowing the boy to have a perfect view of you. He smiled as he propped himself up, elbows meeting the soft fabric of your blanket.

The moonlight seeped through your open window, its rays dimly lighting up your room. Outlines of chairs, tables, and closets faded into the dark abyss, the only thing Camilo could really see was you.

“We’re so dead if our parents find out we’re still awake right now.” You chuckled, “I may not be Dolores, but I can practically hear the storm coming.”

Camilo smirked, leaning in to nudge your shoulder.

“Well, I guess it will just have to be our little secret then.”

You gasped, eyelids flying upwards in a dramatic manner.

“How scandalous!” You grinned at him, the smile dropping a huge rock in his stomach. The things you do to him.

“Oh shut up.”

You snickered, shaking your head. Your hair tousled around along with the movement, some loose strands stubbornly standing upwards.

“Our little secret huh…” You whispered, voice airy.

“Mhm.”

Your lips settled into a gentle smile, your lidded eyes staring into his wide ones.

“What if I don’t want it to be a secret?”

He felt the rock crack open, butterflies exploding in him. They threatened to escape, their little wings fluttering wildly that it almost made him puke. His body ached, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. He liked it, even.

“What do you mean?”

You took a deep breath, your shoulders shuddering. The room wasn’t cold at all.

“What if I wanted the whole world to know you were with me. Not just tonight, but tomorrow, the month after, and the many years that will come.”

You rolled over to your side, interlacing your pinky finger with his. His breath was taken away.

“What if I wanted to stay by your side, to stand with you till time ends. What if I wanted to let you know how much you’ve impacted my life— so much so that I can’t even fathom the idea of you not being in it.”

You let out a shaky breath, your eyes closed shut. And at that moment, Camilo understood. He held onto your finger like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.

“What if I wanted to be yours, Camilo?”

Your eyes fluttered open, pupils staring at your interlaced fingers.

“What then?” You whispered. His body gradually gravitated towards you, the boy not stopping until your foreheads touched. Camilo smiled, a gasp of laughter escaping his lips.

“I’d let you.”

i hope it’s cheesy enough to consume and but not too much that you vomit LMAO

hoped you liked it :D

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

back from my break! gonna start writing again

although the one thing is that FALLING FOR YA will be on a hiatus for now, i just wanna take a break from it

i won’t bail on it don’t worry, it’s just that the brainrot isn’t that strong anymore lol

anyways that’s it, new camilo x reader oneshot coming soon <3

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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FALLING FOR YA

a reluctant reader begins to fall in love with the hopeless romantic and infamous bastard, camilo madrigal. what happens on their journey? stick around to find out.

camilo madrigal x filipina (your choice if it’s full or half or etc)! fem reader | a multi-chapter story — taking place before and during the events of the movie

translations can be found at the end of each chapter! ^^

enjoy <3

read all the chapters here !

beta-read!

CH 5.3 - A NIGHT TO REMEMBER | PART 3 OF 3

The girl heaved in and out, her breathing uneven as she rushed out words in distress.

“The tiles were falling and there were cracks everywhere and... the candle almost went out.”

The room begins to fill with uncomfortable murmurs, the atmosphere much heavier than before. You slowly turn to Camilo in concern, your eyebrows furrowing when you find him completely still. His pupils were dilated in fear, eyes wide open as he bit the inside of his cheek.

You gulped nervously, your body skittish as a result of the tense air. You look back to where all the commotion was, eyeing the girl with a cautious look. The sounds of footsteps quickly break your staring, however.

“Show me.”

The same old lady stepped forward, her wrinkly fingers clutching onto her black shawl like a lifeline. The young teen in question stiffened at the attention, unable to move for a moment before nodding viscously. She turned on her heel and walked straight out with everybody in the room right on her tail. You hear Camilo walk away without a word, and you quickly warn everyone about the shattered ceramic plate before running after him.

The boy flinched when your arm brushed against his, his agitated frame only loosening when he turns to see your worried face. You bit your lip before asking quietly.

“You okay Camilo?”

He gave you his best smile and awkwardly nodded to your question. The boy swiftly looked away right after, eyes tunneled on the opened door. You grimaced at how quickly he brushed you off, and you stared at him with a knowing gaze as you obediently followed the moving crowd. Albeit very much unconvinced with his answer, you didn’t press any further. People flooded out of the room, whispering amongst themselves as they headed to the courtyard.

Once you had stepped out of the room, you had let out a confused noise at what you saw.

“What? No, that’s— the cracks were there, they were... everywhere.” The girl murmured, rushing down the spiral stairs. Strangers alike stood around the second-floor balcony, judgmental looks plastered on their faces as they surveyed the area. Contradicting the teenager’s statement, everything was completely intact, there was not a single crack to be found. And as you looked up to the glowing candle that rested in front of a window sill, it continued to shine bright.

Things were not looking good for her. The murmurs were starting to become more venomous, gossip being spread around faster than wildfire.

“Did she fake it?”

“Isn’t she the giftless one? Maybe she was just jealous.”

“How rude.”

Their seething whispers rang in your ear and you started to shrink down at the critical words, words that weren’t even directed at you. And if you felt embarrassed, you could barely fathom how she felt right then and there.

“The house was in trouble, the— the candle was...”

You bit your lip and turned away, your body physically unable to look at the poor teenager. You catch Camilo fidgeting in place, the shapeshifter looking eerily similar to how he was at the beginning of the ceremony, completely apprehensive and tense. He didn’t even need to meet your gaze for you to know his eyes were wide in horror. The boy was becoming a bundle of nerves, and you weren’t gonna let it continue any further. While ignoring your pained heart, you carefully reach out to him. Your fingers twitch in hesitation for a brief moment, but you brush off any second thoughts you had before finally grabbing his shaking hand.

This catches Camilo’s attention, muddy green eyes that were filled with so much emotion meeting yours. You gave him a small squeeze, hoping that it would reassure him in some way. And by the way his shoulders loosened, you could say it was a success.

“Abuela, I promise—“

You look back to the girl, but the old lady’s raised hand obscured her face. Even from your point of view, you could practically see her disappointed face. You grimaced, her menacing aura reaching you and most likely everyone else in the room too.

“That’s enough.”

The two exchange a short, yet silent conversation before the woman turns around and gives everyone a confident look. The judgmental whispers were beginning to die down when she opened her mouth to speak to address the crowd.

“There is nothing wrong with La Casa Madrigal. The magic is strong… and so are the drinks!” She exclaimed, the adults chuckling at her joke. She smiled at their reactions before clasping her hands together, her clapping echoing loudly throughout the open area.

“Please— music! A bailar, a bailar!”

And suddenly, you hear someone snap their fingers. You turn your head to your right, finding a man with glasses and in a formal suit signal for something with a motion of his hand. Luisa promptly came bursting out of the bedroom with a heavy piano in her hands right after, and they shared tight smiles while the man skillfully played a short tune. The melody he produced was enough to lighten up the room, and the now-relaxed crowd dispersed as upbeat music began to fill the air once more.

You let out a relieved sigh, thankful that the whole fiasco seemed to be over. You felt a small tug on your arm, and you looked back to see Camilo tiredly smiling at you.

“Wanna go back? I didn’t really get you your sparkler, didn’t I?”

You gave him a pointed look, quietly letting him know he wasn’t getting off that easy. He may have wanted to move on as if nothing had happened, but you weren’t going to let him dismiss any of your worryings a second time— and that was for certain.

Thus you stared at him for a long while, stubbornly refusing to let him wriggle out of your watchful eye as you tightened your grip on him. And without needing to say another word, he sighed in defeat. It was as if he was a whole new person, a different character from the one he constantly played around you.

“Not here—” He muttered quietly, rubbing his thumb across your knuckles. His lips pursed inward, his head tilting to the side. His eyes were focused elsewhere, and you followed his gaze out of pure curiosity. Amidst the sea of people, you were able to catch Julieta guiding the teenage girl down the stairs. But before you could question it, Camilo tugged you backward— prompting you to look back.

You stared at the backside of his skull as he pulled you into the magical bedroom once more, the two of you weaving through the tight crowd with ease.

“And definitely not now.”

You couldn’t help but sigh at his words. While it certainly wasn’t what you were hoping to hear, it was a start nonetheless. You looked down at your intertwined hands, a small smile creeping onto your lips at the sight.

“Yeah, I’d like a sparkler.”

“You didn’t have to get like— half of the guy’s sparklers, you know.” You teased, waving the roaring sparkler you had around. You and Camilo sat behind a small waterfall, the water aggressively dropping from a grassy ledge that rested on top. Its muted sky blue color warped the room’s warm light, creating a soft blue hue that colored your bodies along with the dimly lit path you two rested on.

The people above you partied loudly, but the blaring music and indistinguishable chatter were practically drowned out by the harsh pitter-patter of the cool water. Camilo laughed as he lit another sparkler with a match, the stick making small popping noises as its flame grew brighter by the second.

“The more the better, and besides,” He carefully flicks his sparkler at you, nudging towards your own sparkler; Its flame drew closer and closer to the end of the stick, its glow dwindling.

“These things run out quick.”

You huffed in disappointment, helplessly watching your sparkler’s light fade away. You brought up your knees, the grassy blades itching the dry skin of your feet.

“That was my fourth one.”

Camilo hummed, twisting his body away from you to grab one of the many sparklers that lay beside him. He shifted his torso back to facing you the second he was done, twirling the sparkler in between his fingers as he did.

“And so that is why,” The shapeshifter hands you the unlit firework, a sly smirk on his face.

“I had to get half of that guy’s sparklers.”

You scoffed, playfully hanging your head low in defeat.

“I guess you bring up a good point.”

Camilo smiled, extending his still-lit match to you. You muttered a small thanks, moving your sparkler closer to its flame.

“Don’t I always?” The boy blew out the match’s flame once a few sparks started to appear on your sparkler, and you pulled back the small firework with a playful hum.

“When?” You asked, enjoying the annoyed look that plastered his face. The boy huffed, and you threw your head back as you cackled loudly.

“Dios mio, you’re insufferable.” He muttered, scrunching his nose in feigned distaste when you nudged his shoulder. He flicked the brunt-out match towards you, the stick pathetically hitting against your skirt and falling onto the grassy ground.

“I learned from the very best!”

He groaned, and you couldn’t help but laugh even harder. You instinctively laid your head on his shoulder, your loud laughter not quite calming down yet.

“Sorry, sorry.” You chuckled, creating half of a simplistic heart in the cool air with the help of your sparkler. The line had a small yellow glow, creating a beautiful contrast against the clear blue water.

“Truce?” You asked, giving your best charming smile. And to your surprise, even if your half of the heart had already faded out, he drew the other half next to where your drawing had been.

“Truce.”

You let out a small “Woo!” in celebration, causing Camilo to let out a breathless chuckle. An unsuspecting smile tugs your lips at the sweet sound, but you welcomed it with open arms. Everything was absolutely enchanting, the semi-quiet yet relaxing atmosphere calming you instantly. Insects buzzed loudly as the plants around you swayed with the gentle breeze. The vines that hung above you clung onto the small dirt overhang, with small water droplets falling from its leaves now and again onto mossy rocks.

It felt all too fairytale-like, and you couldn’t help but wonder if it was all a dream. That in any minute now, you would wake up in your cold bed, all alone once more. You slowly moved your head to see Camilo’s face better, giving him a cautious look in the process; You didn't want to leave the magical trance you’ve placed yourself in, to willingly return to the nauseating journey that is reality.

But things weren’t always so great when they were imaginary.

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

And you had a feeling he knew that as well. You watched as his adam’s apple bobbed down ever so slightly, his jaw clenched tighter than ever before. He laughed stiffly, turning to you with a fixed smile already prepared.

“Do I?” He teased, his mouth closing shut when he caught wind of your serious expression. You quirked a brow, taking your sweet time in examining his constipated face. You and Camilo’s sparklers had long gone out by the time you spoke.

“You don’t really have to, but I’d prefer it if you do wanna talk.” You lifted your head from his shoulder, the warmth that came from his body slowly fading away with each second.

You weren’t even sure if your relationship with him could handle a conversation like, well— this. Sure, you have gotten closer to him the past months; Constantly goofing around town and mildly flirting with each other when you guys felt a tad bit adventurous, but neither of you really had to get all emotional with one another. You didn’t think you would ever even need to, but life was just full of surprises, who knew?

And thus you held your breath as you waited for Camilo to respond, anticipating every second as the boy stared out into the distance. He clicked his tongue, the noise echoing loudly as he finally opened his mouth to speak.

“I don’t know— guess I got scared?” He said mechanically. He sighed, waving a hand through his untamed hair. He leaned forward, his elbow touching his propped-up knee.

“You know, if the house falls apart, that means all of my family’s magic falls with it.” He turned to you, eyes slightly glossy. You tilted your head to the side, giving him your undivided attention. He gripped his hair, unruly curls scrunching up under his fist.

“And how would the world react if my greatness suddenly disappears?” Camilo joked, his smile more calculated than the carefree one you’re oh used to. Your lips fall into a flat line, worry creasing into the wrinkles of your forehead. An uncomfortable feeling pooled in the insides of your stomach at his statement.

“By greatness, do you mean your gift or you as a person?”

Your body continued to drown in anxiety when he froze up at your words. He looked at you with wide eyes, his mouth opening just for even more stunned to come out. His shoulders deflated when he couldn’t formulate a response, his voice seemingly stuck in his throat. You were about to ask if he was alright when he suddenly rested his head on your shoulder, causing you to let out a small yelp in surprise.

“Which one is it for you.” He muttered after a brief moment of silence, his eyes avoiding yours. He curled himself in, bringing a knee up to his chest as he threw away his sparkler. You hummed in acknowledgment, taking in a deep breath before cautiously laying your head on top of his.

“You, by a long shot.” You could hear Camilo’s breath hitched at that.

God, how you so badly wanted to cry it out, to shout at the boy that his gift wasn’t the only thing he was good for. You wanted to open his eyes, to scream on rooftops that he was the gift till he couldn’t hear you any longer. But in the end, you settled with a soft whisper, all because you knew that your words were practically louder than anything the oblivious teen has ever heard.

“Huh.” He said, seemingly dumbfounded.

“De veras?” You nodded in response, dropping your dead sparkler to finally let your hands-free.

“Cross my heart, I’m telling the truth.” To emphasize your statement, you drew a small cross across your chest. Camilo chuckled at that, shaking his head in amusement.

“Well, if you’re telling the truth,” The boy paused, lifting his head away. He crossed his heart as well, a silly grin on his face. His joy was infectious, to say the least.

“I’ll believe your word.”

“Good!” You quipped, grabbing the box of matches that lay on the grass, forgotten. It was time to reignite the night.

“Now, wouldn’t it be a waste if we didn’t use all the sparklers?” You called out, shaking the box playfully.

Camilo's smirk grew wider, grabbing a sparkler that rested by his side and throwing it at you. It almost flew above your head, but luckily you were able to catch it just in time before it could. When you turned back, you found Camilo holding two sparklers up.

“I suppose it would.”

Ever since that private conversation, you two silently vowed to never bring it up again unless it was absolutely necessary. One shared look between you two and the message was sealed. Thus the night went on, the both of you stopping for no one.

You two would share laughs, tears of joy, and so many more. As time passed, you realized that you’ve never felt so alive, and you could not be any more grateful that everything turned out the way it did. You smiled when Camilo wrapped an arm around your shoulders, the boy tugging you close as he waved his sparkler in the air.

“From now on, Y/N, you are always invited to every single party that mi familia hosts.”

Your heart leaped at the thought of what those parties could entail, just you and Camilo possibly away from the rest of the world. And the fact he said that statement so easily, filled so much truth in each syllable, made your body flutter.

“Because now I know that it will not be as fun without you!” He told as if it was a matter of fact. You chuckled, pushing away his sparkler that swayed dangerously close to his face with yours.

“I’m honored, flattered even.”

“As you should.” He grinned, his features kissed with a soft blue and yellow-colored glow. You laughed when he spontaneously spun you around, your skirt flowing freely as it twirled.

You stepped outward, your hand still holding his. The boy shimmied his shoulders as he neared, doing his very best to snap his fingers with the sparkler nudged in between his fingertips. The suddenness of it all made you laugh.

“You never fail to surprise me.”

“Good, because I never want to get boring.”

You smiled, letting yourself be pulled by Camilo. Your legs moved in ways you never thought was possible when you were around the boy, but you suppose that’s how it was when you were with him. He had that charisma that very few could ever dream of pulling off, and that just somehow made him even more mesmerizing.

Your elbow brushed against his, your entangled arms the only thing keeping your bodies apart. His face shined bright, eyes pooling with passion. You smiled, and you were about to say something that was probably witty when a child-like voice entered your ears. You couldn’t help but feel slightly annoyed at the prospect of being interrupted, and you assumed Camilo felt the same by the way he closed his eyes shut the second he heard it.

Both of your smiles faltered slightly as you two searched for the owner of the noise. You let out a short hum when you saw a kid running down grassy stairs and seemingly towards your direction. You gently pushed Camilo right after, urging the boy to look behind him.

He gave you a bemused look in return, but his face immediately lit up in realization once you subtly nudged your head forward. He turned his head to the direction you were pushing him towards, not wasting any time in walking up to the young child. You two met him halfway, and once you got up close you easily recognized the younger.

It was the boy with the new gift, his unruly curls and white suit too iconic to be missed. Camilo kneeled down, ruffling his hair as he whispered soft praises to the kid. Your heart clenched in happiness at the sight, and your body was turning all warm and fuzzy. Dear god, it was simply too cute!

“What brings you here Antonio?” Camilo asked, pinching the boy’s, or Antonio’s as you should say, round cheeks. Antonio whined at the contact but smiled nonetheless.

“It’s time for everyone to go home, and mami said to fetch her!” Suddenly, the kid pointed to you. You blinked in surprise, not expecting the sudden shift of attention towards you. A flicker of sadness seeped through Camilo’s face at his words, and you couldn’t deny that it made you the slightest bit happy.

“She said her parents were looking for her.” He explained, sending you an earnest smile as he did. A sudden wave of dopamine came crashing down on you, and you couldn’t stop the smile that grew on your face. You knew the kid for about ten seconds— max, but you already knew you’d risk it all for the kid to be happy.

Sensing the trance you were in, Camilo asked the questions that unknowingly itched your brain for you.

“How’d you know she was with me?”

Antonio perked at that, scrunching his nose as he grinned. Kids were not your forte by any means but, perhaps, you could make an exception tonight, you thought.

“I just sent some of my bird friends to go find you!” The introverted boy rambled, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves as he did.

“And they did!”

He was so happy about the prospect of his gift, and you couldn’t help but be happy for him as well. You chuckled as you grabbed a fistful of your skirt. And under the suddenly intimidating stare of Camilo, you gave the youngest of the group a graceful bow.

“Well well, aren’t you a talented one! Antonio correct?”

Antonio giggled at your words, his shoulders bouncing as he did.

“Mhm! But my friends did all the work, really!”

You hummed, feigning a thoughtful look before nodding.

“In that case, give them my thanks as well.”

He smiled at that, small wrinkles forming around his lips. He jumped in his place, seemingly happy at the praise you’ve given.

“I will! Thanks…?”

“Y/N.”

“Y/N!”

Unbeknownst to you, Camilo watched the whole thing with a wide grin on his face. His eyes constantly shifted between the two of you, a look of adoration plastered on his face as he watched you two talk. He absolutely adored the thought of his two favorite people interacting, and the fact it actually happened made him ecstatic beyond reason. Although but wouldn’t tell you that, or to anyone really, he was completely content with selfishly keeping that little secret to himself.

The teenage boy laughed, patting Antonio’s shoulder before turning to you.

“Well then, introductions aside.” He extended his arm out to you, giving you his famous charming smile. Even if you’ve seen it a thousand times, your still, and will probably continue to, heart leaped with joy.

You wrapped your hand around the arm he offered, sending him a small smile of your own. That grin only grew when you watched Camilo ever so gently grab ahold of Antonio’s hand, the size difference making you coo internally.

“Let’s bring Y/N home!”

The three of you headed out to the courtyard, the walk there filled with bright chatter. From the staircase, you saw the silhouettes of your parents talking to another pair of adults, which urged something in you to walk just a tiny bit slower. The muscles in your body may have been tired, screaming for you to go to the comforts of your bed, but your heart certainly wasn’t ready to leave yet, the thing aching at the prospect of going back home.

You didn’t know why you felt this way, but the closer you got, you knew you couldn’t keep stalling. You had to leave at some point, it wasn’t your house after all. Although it certainly felt like it, and all because of a certain teenage boy. How stupidly cheesy.

As soon as you three reached the familiar entrance, Antonio had let go of Camilo’s hand and bolted to a woman in a sunny yellow dress.

“Mami! Mami! They’re here!” He exclaimed, giggling as he launched himself onto the woman. The older smiled, small wrinkles forming around her eyes. She spun the kid around before putting him down, staring at him lovingly as she planted a kiss on his forehead.

“I knew you could do it!” She praised, hugging him tightly. Antonio happily returned the hug, standing on his tippy-toes just so he could wrap his arms around his mother’s shoulders. The tiny gesture made your heart swell.

“Ah, Y/N there you are!”

You quickly moved your eyes away from the two, and you found your mother waving at you wildly. She had a mischievous grin on her face, but you couldn’t ponder about the implications of it any further when you felt your feet move on their own. You were confused at first— but after a step or two, warm blood rushed to your cheeks, the air suddenly getting heavier.

Dear God, you were still wrapped around Camilo, weren’t you? You unconsciously tightened your grip, horrifically feeling an arm that wasn’t yours. How in god’s name could you even forget?! The boy was literally right next to you?! You wanted to let go so badly, to quickly reassure your mom that there was absolutely nothing between you two. But in a cruel twist of fate, you couldn’t, your body simply wouldn’t let you move away from Camilo’s addicting hold.

You cringed inwardly, armoring yourself for the relentless amount of teasing that was to come as you walked up to your parents.

“Hey mama, papa.” You greeted stiffly, grimacing at the intimidating look they shared.

“Hello, Mrs. and ms. L/N!” Camilo told, greatly contrasting your hesitant voice. He looked to the adult that stood beside your father, his grip on you tightening for a brief moment. From the corner of your eye, you saw a slight twinge of red coloring the tips of his ears.

“Papi.”

You stifled a laugh, finding the way his voice suddenly strained slightly comical. But you suppose the boy did not like that, as he gently collided his hip with yours in annoyance. The man shook his head at his son’s actions, his luscious curls bouncing as he did. So that’s where he got it from.

“It’s just me Camilo, you know I don’t bite.” The man joked, laughing as he did. He patted your father’s back, bidding your parents a graceful farewell before walking away. He gave you a passing glance on the way, smirking to himself as he gave Camilo a knowing wink.

And it seemed he got the message as the magical teen groaned right after. He dropped your arm, the warmth you two shared now fading away to oblivion. You did your best to hide your disappointment when you met his gaze.

“Talk to you soon?” He sheepishly shrugged, looking at you with hopeful eyes as he asked. You gave him your best smile and nodded, adoring how his grin grew just a tiny bit at that.

“Yeah, but I never had a choice did I?”

“Nope!”

You chuckled, waving him off dismissively. You headed over to your parents, quietly letting them know you were finally ready to leave before looking behind your shoulder.

“See you, Camilo!”

The boy let out a breathless laugh, shaking his head as he waved.

“See you!”

Your parents loudly called for you, shouting something about not wanting to keep your driver waiting, which quickly snatched your attention. And with that, rushed out the door as soon as you heard it. You briefly glanced back at the house, finding Camilo, who was now leaning against the doorway, still staring at you. He waved even harder when you met his gaze, causing you to giggle loudly.

You returned his wave, making sure to match his energy as you did before finally walking over to the outskirts of the home. You spotted your parents already getting on the old wooden wagon that brought you all here, the tired driver in front nudging you to hurry up.

You nodded, quickening your pace in response. Blades of tuff grass tickled your feet as you ran, the night somehow more free as to when you first arrived. You skidded in your steps, gripping onto the sides of the vehicle as you hopped on the back of it.

Your mother’s lips tugged upward the second you sat beside her, the grin unwavering even when the wagon began to shake haphazardly. She said nothing as the vehicle began to move away from the Madrigal residence, staring at you with impatient eyes all the while. You grumbled to yourself, bracing yourself for the worst to come.

When empty yards of grass soon turned into rows and rows of houses, the bumpy road filled with fellow tired party attendees that just desperately wanted to home, her intimidating eyes widen.

You sighed, already counting down the seconds in your head.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1—

Your mother squealed in your ear, a wide grin on her face as she shook you enthusiastically. Strangers sent you and your mother weird looks as your wagon passed by, but honestly? You could care less at that moment. A few judgmental stares were nothing compared to whatever your mother had planned for you.

Tomorrow morning is gonna be absolutely horrid, you note.

Dictionary

La Casa Madrigal - the madrigal home

Dios mio - dear god

De veras - really?

PLAYLIST FICS

20 notes · View notes

wwillowtrees · 2 years

Text

FALLING FOR YA

a reluctant reader begins to fall in love with the hopeless romantic and infamous bastard, camilo madrigal. what happens on their journey? stick around to find out.

camilo madrigal x filipina (your choice if it’s full or half or etc)! fem reader | a multi-chapter story — taking place before and during the events of the movie

translations can be found at the end of each chapter! ^^

chapter was longer than i expected again— so another part will be needed. but i promise it will end at 3, don’t worry

anyways, after the party arc i’m going to take a break from this story. i won’t completely disappear, i’ll probably post an unrelated camilo one-shot to make up to my non-filipino and gn readers!

read all the chapters here !

beta-read!

CH 5.2 - A NIGHT TO REMEMBER | PART 2 OF 3

Time flew by quickly in the kitchen, and it took you minutes before deciding to leave the room. You swear that boy was making you crazy. You walked out of the kitchen feeling lighter than ever, the blaring music muffled by all the racing thoughts that ran around your head faster than a bolt of lightning. Your heart was still pounding, trapped in the tight walls of your rib cage. You mindlessly ate through your plate, desperately trying to get rid of the image of his toothy smile. Yet the shapeshifter’s name was still on repeat, each syllable making you grin like a lunatic.

You were so hopeless, so comically hopeless. You groaned at your foolishness, stuffing the cheesy arepa in your mouth. It just had to be him, huh? Out of all the boys in this town, you had to befriend the most popular guy around, the infamous shapeshifting bastard whom you’d start to realize that you may or may not have a crush on. How cliché of you. You huffed, quickly dismissing the thought of his pretty eyes in favor of devouring the tamale you held in your hand. Maybe, just maybe, if you kept eating, all the stupid boy problems you had would go away.

You quietly walked up to the crowd, not wanting to disturb the speech some old lady was giving. You spotted your parents who stood out like a sore thumb right away and you approached the two, handing your dad an arepa as a quiet way to announce your presence. Your dad turned to his left, being greeted by you handing out an arepa to him. He quirked his eyebrow, staring silently before begrudgingly taking the offer.

“Where have you been?”

You shrugged, your mind going back to Camilo’s energetic voice. You bit back the smile that threatened to form when you mimicked the endearing voice in your head. Dear god, you hoped he didn’t notice.

“Everywhere and nowhere.”

“How...”

“Mysterious.” Your mother supplied, making you both turn to her. She smirked, giving you a knowing wink.

“Hanging out with that new friend of yours?” You grumbled, turning away from her teasing gaze.

“Maybe.” You looked out to the crowd as you spoke, simultaneously chewing the last bits and pieces of food in your mouth. Out of the corner of your eye, you see your father shake his head in disbelief, visibly taken aback.

“Wait— you have a new friend?” You hear him sputter out, which was followed by a loud smack. A small giggle almost escapes your lips, almost.

“Hoy!” Your father exclaimed in a hushed tone, rubbing his abused arm.

“Mahal, respectfully, you’re the most clueless person I’ve ever met.” Your mother deadpanned.

“No one told me!” He retorted, completely exasperated.

“It was so obvious though!”

You were already tuning out your parent’s bickering and the noise around you when something gently smacked your ankle, causing you to look down. A small tile waves at you before tilting forward, seemingly pointing to the empty plate in your hand. You blinked, raising the plate for confirmation. The tiles moved back and forth, resembling a nod. You snorted, kneeling to place the plate on the ground.

“Thank you.” You whispered, gingerly letting go of the ceramic platter. The floor moved rapidly under you, causing you to wobble slightly. You quietly chuckled, stumbling as you stood up. It waved before rushing the plate back to the kitchen.

“What’s so funny honey?” Your mother queried, stopping her rambling to peek her head out from your father’s figure.

“It’s nothing mama.” You reassured, smoothing out your skirt. She was about to reply before your father’s hand shaking her shoulder stopped her. He gestured to something in front of him, causing you and your mother to follow his gaze. You spot a nervous boy with unruly curls standing behind dramatic curtains, the tiles under him flipping over to their red underside, resembling a red carpet. Applause filled the room, and you instinctively clapped along.

You stretched your head upwards, your view getting obscured by the crowd. The kid stood still, not even moving when the floor pushed the soles of his feet in an attempt to get him to walk. You furrowed your eyebrows, getting worried for the boy yourself. Your eyes skimmed across the room to see if everyone else felt the same as you, and you were met with a similar sight.

However, a certain group of people stood out from the rest, and you couldn’t help but stare. You discreetly surveyed their faces, concern evident all across their body. Your worry only worsened when you spot Camilo; His brows were furrowed and his muscles were tense from what you could see. His jaw clenched, and his fingers were fidgeting. The shapeshifter even almost stepped out from his spot, clearly wanting to go help the kid but was promptly stopped by an older woman dressed in a simple blue dress.

She shook her head, grabbing his hand and nudging Camilo to look back again, which shifted both your gazes back to the kid. There now stood the boy with someone next to him, who held his hand tight. You blinked, realizing it was the same girl from when you first entered the home hours ago. She looked constipated almost, her eyes darting around the room. She gulped nervously as she turned back to the kid, moving to whisper something to the boy. You could only assume what she said was positive because he nodded and rushed to grab her arm. She breathed in, her shoulders stiff as they finally began to walk down the aisle together.

You stared quietly, watching in anticipation while they walked up to the intimidating, glowing door. They parted ways soon after, the old woman from before kneeling to meet the boy’s eyes. She held out a bright candle to him, and he gently wrapped his palms around it in return. Anxiety was eating you alive as you watched him slowly make his way to the door, the atmosphere in the room somehow much more suffocating than ever before.

You held your breath when he finally grabbed the handle. Bursts of light filled the room, and your whole body winced at the brightness. Your hair was being blown back by sudden winds as you blinked away the mild ache the flash-bang gave you, seeing white splotches in your vision here and there. You blinked one last time, trying to get used to the new lighting before focusing back on the door.

An illustration of the boy with animals all around him was being etched onto the glowing wood live in front of everyone to view. You stared in awe, amazed at what you had just witnessed. You couldn’t help but raise a brow however, it felt like something was still missing.

It was quiet for a bit, and you couldn’t help but worry that something had gone wrong. Though, you didn’t have time to dwell on those troubling thoughts any further when an echo of a loud squawk interrupted you from doing so. You hear your dad yelp, causing you to look at the man in concern. You find him staring at you with wide eyes, his mouth opening to speak before being rudely interrupted by another squawk.

You two slowly looked up to find a large toucan resting on his head. The said bird stared at you two with its beady eyes, titling its beak menacingly before plucking a strand of hair off your dad’s head, which caused him to yelp once more and duck down.

You barked out a laugh as the bird flew away, your eyes following the animal as it spun in the air before landing on the boy’s hand. You swiveled your body back around to find your mother, who was dangerously close to bursting into a laughing fit, using her wobbly hand to pat your father’s head.

Your father sighed in embarrassment, and you couldn’t help but giggle. You turned back to face the sea of people once more, a familiar shade of muddy green greeting you first. Camilo stared, a huge toothy grin adorned his freckled face. You returned his grin with a smile of your own, and you could’ve sworn his face got brighter at that.

“Uh-huh, uh-huh. I understand you!”

You two broke eye contact, shifting your attention to the source of the sound. You spot the boy talking to the bird that attacked your dad mere seconds earlier, smiling as he leaned into the loud squawk the toucan let out in response. The boy nodded.

“Of course, they can come!” He exclaimed, giggling when the bird hopped from one shoulder to the other. With that, the ground suddenly shook, and all kinds of animals ran through the crowd. You lift your foot to let a small capybara run past you, laughing as you watched the animal run up the stairs, making a mad dash to the boy. Various types of birds were flocking to the kid dressed in white, perching on top of him like he was some kind of tree branch.

The old lady sighed in relief at the sight, walking up to press a firm hand behind the kid’s back.

“We have a new gift!”

The room exploded into applause at her words. Beautiful fireworks painted the sky, adding splashes of bright colors onto the canvas that was the starry night. Camilo pumped his fists in the air, screaming as he rejoiced. A small smile adorns your face at the sight, causing you to involuntarily giggle as you clapped in excitement.

Amidst the celebration, Camilo turned a whole 180 degrees just to look at you, wearing a wide grin all the while. He points to the door with eyes that glowed brighter than any flame. The boy was beaming, and he clearly wanted to share his happiness with you. You bounced in your place, feeling the pure joy radiating off him. He laughed, hues of pink light that came from the fireworks hit his face, making him look absolutely ethereal. Your breath hitched, your whole body coming into a pause when you noticed he was heading straight to you.

The boy may have accidentally bumped into some people as he ran, but the amused or annoyed looks sent his way did not stop him from getting to you. The thumping of your heart was louder than any fireworks explosion as Camilo slowed his steps when he neared closer, clearly unable to contain the excitement that flowed in his body.

“Hermosa! What are you waiting for?!“ he exclaimed, extending his hand out to you.

“Come on! Let’s go see the room!” He nudged his head towards the huge staircase. You rolled your eyes but accepted his hand anyway. Your fingers moved to intertwine with his, locking together perfectly like a puzzle. You smiled at the thought.

“Okay, okay! Hold on!” You told, shaking your head as you turned to your parents for approval. Your mother smiled happily as she winked, moving to wrap her hand around the arm of the empty shell of your father, who looked absolutely awe-struck as he stared at Camilo with his mouth agape.

“Akala ko sabi mo may kaibigan siya, hindi jowa.“

“See you later Y/N!” Your mother exclaimed over your father's hushed words, dragging the bewildered man away from you two. You laughed at their antics, shaking your head as you switch your gaze back to an equally confused Camilo.

“Should I be worried about what he said?” He asked breathlessly, tilting his head. You chuckled.

“No, not at all. Now come on,” You told as you gently pulled on his arm.

“Didn’t you want to see the room?” His face lit up at your words, his curls bouncing as he nodded aggressively. He walked around you in a circular motion, causing you to spin in place before getting dragged away by the boy.

The night was just about to begin. Your hair flew freely as the both of you ran up the stairs, squeezing past multitudes of excited people just to get into the room. You couldn’t blame them though, as when you were finally able to step foot into the new room, it truly felt like you had entered a new world.

“It’s bigger on the inside?!” A kid shouted, and you couldn’t help but think the same. The room was absolutely huge! The place resembled a jungle, greenery basically covering the whole area from head to toe.

“God damn.” You muttered out, your gaze stuck on the gigantic tree that stood right in the middle of it all. Lanterns that hung on vines and tree branches lit up the place, creating a magical atmosphere that just sucked you in. It felt warm, homey even. The place was just ethereal. You mindlessly let go of Camilo in favor of wrapping your arm around his, resulting in the boy tugging you close in response.

“Gorgeous, isn’t it?” He asked, his voice quiet.

“Truly.” You two looked at each other at that, everything around you getting drowned out by his mesmerizing eyes. It felt like you two were the only people there, lost in each other’s worlds. That is until you heard someone shout.

“Hey, watch out!”

You ripped away from his gaze, albeit begrudgingly, and swiftly moved to look behind your shoulder to see what the commotion was about. However, you barely had time to react before a warm hand grabbed your waist. Suddenly, you were being pulled to the side. Any thought that previously occupied your brain was immediately discarded when a leopard, a bloody leopard, came running in. You screamed, attaching yourself to the nearest thing in an attempt to get yourself as far as possible from the predator.

And in your pathetic case, it was Camilo whom you decided to latch yourself onto. The bastard even dared to laugh. But before you could come up with a witty remark, the boy leaned into your ear. You could feel the smirk he wore, his breath hitting your skin. A shiver went down your spine at the feeling.

“Still scared princesa?” He teased, tilting his head to the side so that his lips would graze your skin ever so slightly. You huffed, opting to push the flirtatious boy instead of responding right away. You had a neutral expression plastered on your face, but your body was certainly screaming.

“No.” You told, shifting your attention to something else. You found yourself looking at the boy from before riding on top of the leopard’s back, laughing freely as he let the animal take charge of where’d they go. You watched quietly, ignoring how your ears burned.

“Good for you, good for you,” Camilo repeated, moving to stand beside you. He teasingly patted your head, acting as if you were one of the many children he’d take care of, causing you to scoff and swat his hand away.

“You menace.”

“I am not!”

“You are quite literally the textbook definition of the word.” You retorted sarcastically.

“I still stand by my statement.” He told, playfully nudging your shoulder.

“I’m sure you do.” You replied, waving him off.

“Go Antonio!” Someone hollered, which caused you both to focus back on the world around you. Your eyes followed the boy dressed in white clothes once more, watching his every move as he rode the leopard around. The two jumped in the air, and you let out an amazed ‘awe’ that got drowned out by the crowd. You hear Camilo snap his fingers in excitement, prompting you to soundlessly clap along.

You turned to Camilo, finding a proud smile adorned on his face. You looked between Camilo and the boy, hesitating for a moment before pinching on the shapeshifter’s yellow ruana. You tugged on it a few times, waiting for Camilo to switch his gaze to you. You nudged your head to the ledge when he finally did.

“Let’s move closer, eh?”

“Sure thing.” He agreed, and when he didn’t protest to you holding his hand, you quickly whisked him away. You two hid behind the shoulders of strangers, whispering amongst yourselves as you two watched the kid ride through vines and behind small waterfalls with his leopard. Though, whatever you were planning to say next merely came out as incomprehensible stammer. Your body froze as the spotted animal made its way back to the platform you stood on. People rushed over to the kid, congratulating the boy with praises and loud applause.

Camilo included, and you watched with wide wide eyes as he approached the ever-growing circle around the kid. You sighed, mindlessly letting your leg bounce. You decided to stay behind, content with watching from afar; Partly because you didn’t want to intrude on such a personal moment, and mostly because you wouldn’t dare to get near that leopard, even if someone was willing enough to pay you to.

“I knew you could do it! A Gift just as special as you.” You hear the old woman say, her wrinkly hands shakily moving to cup the boy’s cheeks.

“Oh! We need a picture!” She gasped, nodding to herself as she stood.

“Everyone! Come, come, come!” You looked around the room, following those who took a step back. Out of the corner of your eye, you spot a girl with glasses and tousled hair, her figure nearly blending in with the crowd if it weren’t for her uniquely embroidered dress. You raised an eyebrow as you slowly tilted your head to the left.

“It’s a great night! It’s a perfect night!”

You felt your muscles stiffen when she looked your way.

“Everyone, together! La Familia Madrigal!”

You pressed your lips into a thin line, your fingers digging into your skirt. Your eyes flickered to the family before back at her. You were more than sure she was a part of them, recalling how relaxed and comforted the young kid was when she guided him to his door. Questions began flooding your brain, and thoughts such as “Why wasn’t she joining in?” or “Why weren’t they waiting on her?” were beginning to circle around.

You used your lips to point at the group, hoping she’d get the message you were trying to send; Your confusion only grew when she shook her head solemnly. She put on a strained smile before she turned on her heel, and you could only watch helplessly as she bolted out the room.

“La Familia Madrigal!”

You stared at the spot she previously occupied, blinking owlishly before looking back to the family. They all had carefree smiles on their faces, completely oblivious to the girl’s absence. Your shoulders sagged slightly.

Not a single person noticed her leave other than you. The camera created a flash of light, the brightness of it blinding you slightly. You shook your head, everything in your vision becoming a blur for a split second. How they didn’t notice was a question you weren’t gonna delve into— and besides, it really wasn’t your business, you note.

You raised your palms to your eyes, hoping to rub the slight ache away. You reveled in the comforting darkness, the pressure from your palms soothing the pain. You sighed, holding onto your position longer than needed before finally letting your hands drop to your waists. To your surprise, you were greeted with a worried Camilo when you finally opened your eyes.

“You okay?”

You pushed the image of the girl’s pained expression to the side.

“Just peachy.” You quoted, which made him smile. He hummed, his hair swaying to the side as he tilted his head.

“Well, mi prima Luisa went to get the food table.” He told, his voice playful yet comforting. You couldn’t help but grin as well.

“So if you want—“ He gestured to the entrance. And as if on cue, you two hear a loud thud. The smell of delicious foods wafted around the air, leaving your mouth to water slightly. You chuckled, resting a hand on your hip.

“Would be a crime to decline, right?”

“Precisely.”

“Hey!” You laughed, playfully pushing Camilo away. The shapeshifter wiggled his fingers menacingly, moving slowly as he approached you and your plate of food.

“You got your own plate!”

“It barely has anything on it!” He exclaimed as he launched forward, dead set on stealing the few arepas you had. You rolled your eyes before raising your hand mid-air. Your palm smushes Camilo’s face, successful in stopping his greedy hands from reaching your food. You feel his lips fall into an exaggerated frown, which tickled your skin slightly.

“That’s only because you already ate half of your food.” You uttered, slowly moving your hand away once you were sure he wasn’t gonna snatch your food anymore. You rubbed your hand on your skirt, smiling as you listened to Camilo’s annoyed groans.

“Doesn’t change the fact that it’s half— actually wait,“ He scrunched his nose as he devoured the last arepa he had right in front of you. You scoffed, watching him gulp down the delicacy in mere seconds.

“Nearly— nearly empty bonita! Take pity on this poor soul!” He exclaimed, acting like he did something witty. You were gonna go bald by just trying to keep your sanity at bay at this rate.

“Oh my god, you did not.”

“I’m not wrong!”

“Technically yes, however.” You replied, shuffling away from him as you placed a protective hand over your food.

“Is that my problem? No.”

Camilo huffed, placing his food down on the table beside him. He raised his hands outwards and cracked his knuckles, rolling his shoulder blades as a mischievous smile slowly etched onto his face.

“Fine! You leave me with no choice.”

“Wait, what—“

In the blink of an eye, a smear of yellow comes right at you. You squirmed when you felt a firm hand plop on your waist. It grips you tight before it spins you around, causing you to spin and stumble on your feet. The hand pulls you in, and you collide with something warm yet sturdy. The weight of your plate had mysteriously vanished, leaving your palms empty with nothing to grasp; And in an instant, you begin to move on autopilot, mechanically resting your hands on a pair of shoulders.

As you desperately tried to cement yourself to reality, your brain doing its hardest to catch up on what just happened, you look up to find a very smug Camilo chewing on your food, your plate raised high up in the air.

“A point for Camilo, zero for Y/N.”

You huffed, creating two fists with your hands, and began to gently hit Camilo’s chest with them.

“I call foul play!” You exclaimed, doing your very best to sound annoyed. Though, the small tug on your lips told another story. Camilo gently pushes you away, using his free hand to cup his ear.

“Referee, what’s your verdict? Oh? I followed the rules and get to keep the food?” He pretended to ask, looking at you with a sly smile. You gasped in mock surprise, leaning forward as you folded your arms together.

“Sir, I plead a different story!”

“Why thank you!”

You two spoke over the other, your words getting jumbled up with his.

“You heard the man! Looks like I win.” He announced, his voice smug. You laugh, rushing over to the other. Your arms easily snake around his waist, successfully keeping Camilo in his place. A familiar hand wraps around you in return.

“In no way, I’m letting you get away with that!” You challenged, tightening your grip on him. You felt his hand squeeze your shoulder right after.

“And how are you gonna do that?” He smirked, raising the plate higher. You paused, realizing you hadn’t exactly thought ahead. But you definitely weren’t gonna say that– not when it would just result in fueling the shapeshifter’s already inflated ego. No sir!

“Well—“ You paused, feeling Camilo stiffen at the sounds of light footsteps coming your way.

“Aí Camilo, give your friend a break.” A calming voice spoke, and you watch in confusion as the plate in his hands gets whisked away.

“Tía! You’re no fun.” Camilo pouted, hugging you tighter as if he was seeking comfort. You shook your head in amusement, patting his back as you look to your right. You found a woman who was probably in her 50s standing beside you two, strands of grey hair poking out of her messily done hair-do. You squinted your eyes, slowly coming to realize that it was the same woman you saw during the ceremony.

“She gave it to me!”

“I did not!”

The woman rolled her eyes, inserting her hand between you two before pushing Camilo away in one swift movement. Your body slightly twitches at the lack of warmth.

“I’m more inclined to believe her than you, mijo.” She sighed, handing the plate to you. She put on a gentle smile, her tone comforting as she continued to speak.

“Julieta Madrigal, Camilo’s aunt. But, I don’t mind if you call me tía as well honey.”

You slowly grabbed the platter from her grasp, giving her a sheepish smile of your own whilst nodding.

“Y/N, Y/N L/N.”

“Oh trust me,” She grinned, wrapping an arm around Camilo’s shoulder. She pinched his cheek teasingly, resulting in Camilo groaning loudly.

“I’ve already heard a thing or two about you,”

“She’s lying!” Camilo rushed out, pushing her hand away from his bruised cheeks. She hummed, playfully nudging the teen with her hip.

“In a positive light, don’t worry— ah wait!” Julieta gasps, her eyes sparkling as she points at you.

“Just to confirm, you’re the one who bandaged his hand that one time, right?”

It took you a couple of seconds before you finally let out a small “oh” in realization, the memories of hiding behind concrete walls as you patched up Camilo’s injured palm quickly flooding back. You giggled, raising your hand to cover the smile that was starting the form.

“Yeah, that was me.”

Julieta smiled at your response.

“Glad to see someone is gonna take care of this wreck whenever I’m not around.”

A small snort escapes your lips, only becoming a full-blown laughing fit when Camilo decides to interrupt your conversation with a very embarrassed shout.

“I am more responsible than you take me for tía!”

“Your clumsy nature says otherwise. Sometimes I think Agustín has rubbed off on you just a tad bit.”

Julieta shook her head, sighing dramatically as she hugged the boy.

“Whatever shall I do.”

“Don’t listen to her Y/N— ai detente!” He grumbled, desperately trying to escape the tight grasp she had on him. You giggled, teasingly eating your food as you watched Camilo struggle. The other stared at you with wide eyes, a betrayed expression on his face as you teasingly brought the arepa you had to your mouth.

“You wouldn’t.”

You took a bite just out of spite, greatly enjoying how the shapeshifter’s face fell at the sight of you eating the arepa he had tried to steal seconds prior.

“This is pure torture.”

Julieta laughed, ruffling his hair with a closed fist before finally letting him go. Camilo huffed, pouting as he tried to tame his curls. The older woman smiled at the sight.

“I’ll cook extra for when we have breakfast tomorrow if you stopped stealing other people’s food,” The woman offered while she gingerly patted his cheeks. She walked over to the table that was next to you, gracefully picking up his forgotten plate before swiveling around.

“How does that sound?” She brought the plate to his chest, smirking when Camilo quickly snatched the platter away from her fingertips. You look between Camilo and your plate before quickly finishing up your last bits of food, not daring to risk another probable heist from the guy.

“Sounds perfect.” He hummed. And as expected, he pouted when he found your plate completely empty. You waited patiently for Julieta to leave, making sure to give her a polite wave as she went. And once you were absolutely certain she was out of sight, you walked over to Camilo and flicked his head.

“Hey!”

“You were gonna steal from me anyway if I hadn’t finished, weren’t you?”

You were met with a still silence. The other adorned a wobbly smile, giving you a sheepish shrug.

“No…?”

You couldn’t help but let out a disappointed sigh. You took his very last cocoda from his plate, the small pout on his lips quickly disappearing when you haphazardly shoved the confectionery to his mouth.

“Don’t even bother defending yourself.” You muttered, watching Camilo’s mouth contort into a small smile as he chewed on the sweet treat.

“Guilty as charged.” He grinned, some of the cocoda’s powder stuck on his upper lip. You snickered, shaking your head while you raised a hand finger to your mouth. You gingerly patted your lip before opening your mouth to speak.

“You got something on your face.”

He cocked his head to the side, furrowing his eyebrows as he tried to wipe off the stain. His hand missed the powder by an inch.

“Is it gone?”

You shook your head, chuckling when he missed it a second time.

“Now?”

“You know what? Let me just,” And with that, your body moved on its own, your brain unable to keep up with your movements as you unconsciously wiped the confectionery off his lip. You ignored how his whole body went rigid the moment your fingers touched his chapped lips.

“There!” You exclaimed, nodding to yourself. You noticed how his cheeks were painted with a tinge of red, but you scrunched your nose as you realized your eyes could’ve just been playing tricks on you. A few seconds had passed, and not a single word came out of Camilo’s mouth. You furrowed your eyebrows in concern, squinting your eyes at the boy. You catch how his jaw clenched just ever so slightly, but it was noticeable enough for your heart to drop in pure terror.

Oh dear god—

“Are we good? Earth to Camilo?” You voiced out, flinching in surprise when Camilo returned to his lively demeanor with a snap of a finger.

“More than good!” He said, however, he sounded so stiff that it made both of you visibly cringe. Your fingers twitch in discomfort, unspoken words stuck in your throat. Still a bit wary on whether or not you were actually in the clear, you decided to prod just a tiny bit further.

“You sure?”

The boy hummed in affirmation right after, nodding his head so hard that you were beginning to worry if his neck would just snap right then and there.

“Yeah, was just—“ He paused, letting out a small chuckle as he scratched the nape of his neck.

“Caught off guard, is all.” He stared right into your eyes, all of his undivided attention being poured onto you and you only. His lips form a small smirk, and you slowly start to notice how difficult it was to simply breathe when he did.

“You called me by my first name.” Camilo pointed out.

You tilt your head in confusion, only being met with a smug grin that was becoming more annoying than charming the longer you stared. You groaned when the realization finally dawned on you.

“I was doing so well.”

“I must say, I’m impressed.”

You grumbled, crossing your arms together with a small pout. Camilo chuckled at your antics, finding the whole thing amusing. You huffed at that, bringing your arms closer to your chest.

“Should I just start calling you by your last name from now on then?” You threatened playfully. Camilo, whose eyes widen at your words, quickly grimaced, causing you to laugh loudly.

“Please don’t.”

You shrugged nonchalantly in response.

“No promises.”

He scrunched his nose harder in distaste, and you shook your head at his theatrics. At the corner of your eye, you catch a flicker of bright light. You paused in your movements, completely amazed at the sparklers some kids held. You almost didn’t even notice Camilo nudging your shoulder because of how fascinated you were by the sparkling light. It was as if its beauty casted a spell on you.

“You want one?” He asked, pointing to a man giving sparklers away to anyone who neared. You quietly gasped, your body suddenly getting hyper. Camilo smiled fondly, small wrinkles appearing near his eyes due to how big his smile was.

“Can you get me one?” You grinned when he gave you a charming nod in response.

“Anything for you!” He exclaimed, and you could feel your heart bounce in absolute joy at his words. Camilo twirled his free hand around, his other still balancing his already empty plate.

“We can go outside so that we can see the fireworks better, maybe even sit on the roof if casita allows us to.” He blabbed, his eyes twinkling as he talked. Your heart began to pound even harder, and you swore it was just seconds away from bursting if it didn’t stop now. You bit your lip and quickly brushed off how romantic his words sounded, scolding yourself for such thoughts. You two were never gonna be more than just friends, buddies, pals, and you were totally content with that. So if those words left an uncomfortable aftertaste on your tongue, you thought nothing of it.

“Sounds perfect! But are you sure it's safe to go up there?”

You eagerly followed Camilo as he walked up to the man, trailing just a few steps behind. The shapeshifter looked to his right to find you weren’t there, much to his confusion. He looked behind his shoulder, and at the sight of you— he began to slow down in his steps. He smiled when you finally caught up, your shoulders accidentally brushing against one another.

“Don’t worry about it! The house is completely secure.” He smirked, playfully shoving your shoulder.

“Unless you’re scared of heights, then you have every right to worry.”

You chuckled, returning a playful shove as well. You grinned when Camilo barked out a small laugh. You were about a few steps away from the man when the bedroom door suddenly bursts open. The two of you flinch in surprise and the loud atmosphere slowly faded into an uncomfortable silence. The music vinyl that was previously playing screeched to halt as you two whipped your heads towards the door. It was the same girl from before, though only this time her curly hair was in absolute disarray. She pushed up the glasses that were slowly falling from her sweaty face and ran up towards the dance floor, her eyes wide and her movements frantic.

“The house is in danger! The house is in danger!”

You hear Camilo’s plate shatter beside you.

Dictionary

Mahal - love; a nickname of endearment

Akala ko sabi mo may kaibigan siya, hindi jowa - i thought you said she had a friend, not a boyfriend

Hermosa - beautiful or gorgeous

Bonita - pretty or beautiful

Princesa - princess

Mi prima - my cousin

Tía - aunt

Mijo - its used just like mija, meaning “my son” among family or elders or “buddy” among close male friends

Detente - stop it

Cocodas - cocadas are a traditional coconut confectionery found in many parts of latin america

Tamales - a tamale is a traditional mesoamerican dish, made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf

Arepas - arepa is a type of food made of ground maize dough, eaten in the northern region of south america since pre-columbian times

PLAYLIST FICS

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

chapter 5.2 of FALLING FOR YA reached 5k+ words, so ima have to divide it into three parts so it wouldn’t be too long

im so sorry guys (;_;)

but the good news is, new update to FALLING FOR YA tonight! so— wooo (o^^)o

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

2k words and the chapter isn’t even anywhere near finished— bye

see y’all in a week for part 2 of chapter 5, hopefully ᕕ( ⁰ ▽ ⁰ )ᕗ

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

might be little late, but thank you guys for 200+ followers <3

you all are wonderful!

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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FALLING FOR YA

a reluctant reader begins to fall in love with the hopeless romantic and infamous bastard, camilo madrigal. what happens on their journey? stick around to find out.

camilo madrigal x filipina (your choice if it’s full or half or etc)! fem reader | a multi-chapter story — taking place before and during the events of the movie

translations can be found at the end of each chapter! ^^

i realized mid-writing the chapter that i needed to separate it into 2 parts since it was getting a little long, lulw. so i apologize for that! anyways, enjoy the new chapter <3

read all the chapters here !

beta-read!

CH 5.1 - A NIGHT TO REMEMBER | PART 1 OF 3

You can feel the cold nipping your skin as you run through the streets of Encanto. The bright-colored paint that covered each house was more muted with the sun setting now. Candles were scattered around every path you took, multitudes of people gathering around to light up each one. The warm glow the candles provided easily lit up the town with its charm; A sense of warmth now flowed through your body, the homey-like feeling greatly contrasting with the night’s cold weather.

You smiled at the tenderness of it all as you continued to run faster, the outline of your home now fading into your line of sight. The inside of your house was painted with warm lighting that seeped through the open windows, the quiet sounds of crackling fire suggesting the use of candles. You did a small twirl before animatedly landing on your doorstep like how a princess would in the storybooks you have read, your skirt flowing around at the action. You courteously knocked on the wooden door before stepping in without a second thought, sounds of rush footsteps and hurried conversations greeting you at your arrival while you took off your shoes.

You walk through empty corridors, sometimes squinting due to the dark atmosphere. You entered the one room with its door unlocked, and in it were your parents rushing to get ready. Your father was running around the place, desperately trying to find another sock that matched the one he held. He wanted to wear a suit in particular, ranting about how you always have to look your best at a party from head to toe, or something. You couldn’t really pick up on most of the words, mostly distracted by the baro that suddenly landed on your face. You snorted, pulling the transparent fabric down to clearly see your mother viciously looking through her closet.

She was frantic in her movements, throwing away clothes haphazardly. Some landed on the bed behind her whilst others fell onto your arms. The itchy fabric of the baro irritated your skin slightly, but you stayed silent. You opted to ignore your parents' antics, as you rushed to get dressed.

You all had a party to attend to, after all, so the stress was excusable.

A skirt of your favorite color nested on top of the wrinkled blankets of your parent’s shared bed, and you recognized it to be the one your mother had specifically bought for the party earlier today. You toyed with the fabric, admiring the embroidery that decorated the ends of the cloth. You hummed, snatching the skirt and dropping the other clothes you held onto the bed. You grabbed the waistband and wrapped it around the front of your waist, twirling it around to test out how it would look on you. You look up to the mirror that stood beside the bed, being met with the reflection of you. You smiled at how pretty you felt.

“Honey, catch.” You hear your mother call out, and before you could even respond, a blur of color was flung at you. You barely catch the thing with your hands, almost dropping the skirt you held in the process. You shake your head in surprise, slowly coming to realize what you were even holding as you stared down at it. It was a tapis that matched your skirt, the fabric plain yet you could already imagine how well it would look with the rest of your outfit.

“Be quick, okay? We can talk about why you were late some other time.” She told, still busy finding something inside her closet.

Of course, she didn’t forget, you noted. You nodded before verbally replying, forgetting she couldn’t see the action with her back turned. Your mom hummed approvingly, which you considered to be your cue to leave. You swiftly turned on your heel and walked right out, bending down to pick up a certain sock before blindly throwing it behind you.

You assumed your dad was able to catch it with the appreciative thanks you got as you walked away, and you waved him in dismissal. You walked to your room with a skip in your step, humming a song as you closed the door behind you.

You let the usual skirt you wore fall to the ground, stumbling a bit just to get out of them. You scoffed in amusement, chuckling as your rushed to take off the rest of your clothes. You grabbed the nearest towel while you threw the clothes you planned to wear on your bed before heading to your bathroom, the bathtub was already filled with the faucet left running when you entered. You quietly took note to thank whoever prepared your bath later as you cautiously dipped your body into it, all the while making sure to not get your hair wet.

Once you were comfortable, you finally sank into the warm water, allowing yourself to sigh aloud at how it magically soothed the ache in your muscles. Look— running around town can take a lot, okay? And you weren’t exactly built for it, almost always preferring to stay inside if it weren’t for the fact you looked forward to meeting a certain boy every day. You could hear a loud thump in your chest.

You slapped your cheeks, the water slightly stinging you. Why were you feeling this way, he’s just a friend! A good pal, a trustworthy partner— nothing more obviously. You gulped nervously, your fingers sinking into the skin of your cheeks.

The case was closed, the verdict had been decided so long ago. You didn’t like him.

But the earnest eyes while he asked if you were okay said otherwise. The way he held you with so much security as if you were to fall due to the winds again said otherwise. The small charming smile he had, whenever he looked at you, said otherwise. You squirmed, water splashing all over the place as you remembered the events that unfolded that very afternoon.

You shook your head, automatically grabbing the soap bar beside you and rubbing it all over your body. You worked on auto-pilot, always moving to focus on something else if your brain even dared to wander back to a peculiar teen. The next thing you knew, you were out of the bath and back inside your room. Water dropped from your skin as you walked to your closet. You opened its huge doors and grabbed the finest barong you could find and a random white undershirt to match.

You quickly put the two tops on, sighing as you pulled up a new pair of underwear right after. You swivel to your bed, patting the dust off the skirt before wearing it, dust particles flying around the air as you did. You gently took the tapis and wrapped it around your waist to your liking, sometimes re-doing it a couple of times before settling on the knot resting on your left. You run a hand through your hair as you walked towards your mirror, your feet thumping against the soft carpet underneath. You stopped at the sight of your reflection, your eyes widening as you looked at yourself.

You spun around happily after a few moments of silence, looking at yourself with a sense of euphoria. You grinned, hugging yourself tight.

“Ang ganda ko!” You squealed in excitement, jumping happily. You swayed your hips around, fanning yourself before winking at your reflection. You let out a low whistle, looking up and down at your body.

“Looking good girl!” You cheered, the smile on yourself never leaving. You blew a kiss to the mirror, chuckling as you made your way to your door. You twisted the doorknob, swinging it open. You spot your dad walking down the hallway, seemingly on his way towards your room. He looked up at you, a small smile graces his face as he extended his out.

“Ready?” He asked, his voice soft and gentle. You nodded, opting to wrap your hand around his arm instead. He let out a breathless chuckle, shaking his head as he guided you both outside. Your father smoothly fixes his tie while you quickly put on your shoes before opening the front door, revealing your mother fixing her hairdo in the back of an old wooden wagon. She glances toward you both, a grin on her face as she motions for you to come over.

You quickly obliged, letting go of your father and walking over to her. You smoothed out the bottom of your skirt before taking a seat next to her, mindlessly kicking your legs in the air while your mother pats your head fondly. You see your father jogging over towards the driver at front, giving him a knowing nod as he sat next to him. The other returns the gesture, and with the flick of a leash, the wagon starts to move.

The donkey’s hooves clicked against the cold pavement, and the old wooden wagon it carried creaked with each step. You ride over bumpy roads and through crowded streets, everyone around you seemingly just as excited for what the night had planned as well.

Along the road, you spot a man with a bunch of sparklers in his hand amidst the loud streets. He gripped them tightly as he lit them up with a burning match to show their true beauty. An audible gasp rolls off your tongue at how they glowed, the bright light it gave off beautifully contrasting the night. He casually gives a couple to some kids who ran by him.

The two children wave their sparklers around in the air, hopping on a moving wagon while they continue to watch the sticks they now hold sparkle in awe. They giggled loudly, and you couldn’t help but chuckle with them as your wagon passed theirs. Everything felt magical like it was a scene from a storybook. Yet it was all real, and you knew you weren’t in a world inked in rustic paper. The night buzzed as the loud laughter from adults and teens alike filled the air, and the giggles and squeals from kids anchored you to reality. You smiled, resting your head against your mother’s shoulder.

“I like it here.”

You hear her snort, glancing down at how her fingers interlaced with yours.

“Me too.”

The wagon shakes slightly, and the bumpy roads you were used to looking down were now turning into a gravel path surrounded by luscious grass. The green blades shined bright under the moonlight, a slight glow to them as they swayed with the cool, afternoon breeze. You hummed, hearing muffled music blare loudly from behind. You look over your shoulder, spotting a familiar house nearing closer. You gulped nervously, clutching onto your mother’s hand in instinct.

And if your mom cringed at how sweaty your palms suddenly became, she didn’t say a word.

“We’re here!” She exclaimed instead, jumping in her seat before hopping off the still moving wagon. You followed after her, being dragged by the grip she still had on your hand after all. You laugh at her excitement, your laughter turning into small giggles as she twirled you around. Your father meets up with the both of you after thanking the man who drove you here with a courteous smile, casually extending his hand out to your mother once he arrived.

She laughs behind her dainty hand, moving to accept his offer with no hesitation. He affectionately kisses her cheek, and you could only roll your eyes when your mother kisses his cheek in return. They laugh at each other before looking back at you, your mother nudging her head towards the entrance before she starts walking along with your father.

While your eyes mindlessly wandered around, they landed on a particular shade of yellow, which causes your heart to skip a beat. Your father makes a move to the left, fully revealing a happy Camilo greeting guests as they enter the building. He looks in your direction, and you could feel your chest tighten at those muddy green eyes. Thankfully his focus was on your parents instead of you, however, leaving you to quietly sigh in relief.

“Hola señora, welcome señor!” Camilo exclaimed, shapeshifting into the both of them before sending them a charming wink. They greet the boy back with a smile on their faces, cheerily laughing at his act before heading into the house. He watches them leave before looking back, stopping in his tracks when his eyes finally meet yours. He stares at you with wide eyes, his gaze never leaving as he transforms back into himself. It was nothing but quiet for a while until you coughed into your hand, hoping to break the silence (and maybe the tension as well) around you two.

“Hey.” You muttered, slowly walking up to him.

“Hi…” He whispered back, his voice trailing off. His shoulders straightened the second you got closer, his fingers fidgeting while he stuffed his hands into his pockets. You tilt your head to the side with your hair following your movements, leaving it to gracefully sway with the breeze.

“Is the food good?”

He blinked at you owlishly, snorting loudly before tilting his head back, quickly bursting into a fit of laughter. Camilo leaned in once his laughter died down into nothing more than a bunch of chuckles, all the while shaking his head in amusement. He spoke in a hushed voice, acting as if he was confessing a crime he had committed.

“Yes, I would be on my fourth plate if it weren’t for my sister pestering me to greet the guests.” He raised a hand to cover the side of his face, creating an illusion of privacy.

“But to be honest? She’s probably just trying to stop me from devouring the entire food table.”

You giggled at the thought, using your hand to cover your mouth to hide your ever-growing smile.

“Wow, that good huh. Any recommendations?”

“The arepas— oh! and the tamales too.”

“Noted.”

You two grinned deviously at each other, sparks flying all around as the music grew louder. Though you couldn’t really hear a thing, everything was drowned out in his gaze. He practically shined under the starlight, rays of moonlight hitting his features just right. It gave him a soft glow and made him look absolutely ethereal. You watch his bright eyes not so subtly glance down at something before looking back at yours, and your face visibly contorted in confusion.

You move your already propped-up hand around your face, trying to guess where he could’ve stared at.

“Something on my face Camilo?” You asked, raising an eyebrow. You could’ve sworn you heard his breath hitched before he shook his head, his curls flowing freely.

“No, you— uhm—“ Camilo twirled his hand around, seemingly trying to find the right words to say and how to properly phrase them. He audibly gulped.

“It’s nothing, really.” The teen sheepishly told with his dimples in full display due to his wobbly smile.

“Forget I said anything.” He reeled back, rubbing his hand behind his neck. You knitted your eyebrows together, eyeing him suspiciously. You took a good look at his nervous face before deciding it would probably be best to let it go, for now, not wanting to distress him any further. So with that, you stood back to your original height, your eyes still on his.

“Sure.” You hummed, biting the inside of your cheek. The sounds of kids screaming and random chatter catch your attention, and you moved to look behind your shoulder, quickly sighing at what you saw. There was an influx of people coming your way, every single one of them excited to be invited to the Madrigal home. You grimaced slightly, cringing at how you had almost forgotten about the ongoing party for a second time. You pouted before turning back to Camilo, using your thumb to point to the upcoming crowd behind you.

“Seems like you got more guests to greet.” You teased, moving your head to show Camilo the sight. You watch him sigh in exasperation, scoffing as he turned to face you.

“See you inside.” He fondly told, giving you a small salute. You chuckled before returning the gesture.

“Good luck.”

“I’ll be needing it!” He exclaimed in a dramatic voice, nodding at you before mechanically walking away. You laughed at his antics, patting him on the shoulder as he walked past you. You shook your head in amusement, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear while you walked into the magical home in front of you.

As if it was waiting for your arrival, a tile had moved around back and forth, resembling a wave. You waved back, smiling widely before venturing off into the crowd. And if you felt a pair of lingering eyes stare at your back, you didn’t comment on it.

Lively music bounced off the walls of the casita, its melodic noise blaring throughout every corridor and hallway of the house. The band who performed did wondrous things, the rhythmic patterns they would produce had easily entranced everyone in the room, guiding numerous people to the dance floor.

You stood in a dark corner happily, the comforting shade hiding you from the rest of the world. You took a sip of your water, your body parched from all the running and heavy breathing. The party quickly became overwhelming for your poor soul after the first few minutes; The tight crowds and confined areas affected you greatly, causing you to feel all queasy— as if your lungs weren’t doing their jobs in taking the air in your body. It felt like there was no room to simply take a second to compose yourself, to simply breathe. And in a desperate attempt to stop yourself from suddenly puking, you squeezed through sweaty bodies just to find a nice corner to hide in, dramatically gasping for air once you managed to escape the ocean of people. Thus leading to where you are now, all alone in a dark corner while everyone else had their fun on the dance floor.

You hummed to the music, muttering nonsense that sounded somewhat similar to what the performers were singing. Your eyes scanned through the crowd, which had dispersed and separated by then, and silently took note of what everyone was doing. You catch a woman dancing gracefully to the beat of the song, who you come to realize was that flower lady from earlier, growing out flowers from the palm of her hands. She threw a couple of them to the crowd that watched her, laughing at their amazed reactions as they caught their personalized bouquets, flower crowns, and funnily enough— flower-covered beards.

You giggle at the sight before your vision gets obscured by a tall woman, who was more muscular than everyone here combined, walking around with a plate of confectionery desserts in her hands. She had children hanging on her arms and back, and one was even drinking a fresh cup of coffee as she carried them with ease. How he was able to get his hands on a cup is something you’ll never know, but it was something you didn’t need to question any further when you started to realize she was coming toward you.

You pushed your back against the wall, standing up straight as you watched her get closer.

“Want a cocoda?” She asked, pushing the plate in front of you. The lady had a polite smile on her face, despite the children pulling on her clothes. You were very impressed with her patience, to say the least.

“Sure! Thanks…?” You trailed off, grabbing one of the colorful desserts off her plate.

“Luisa.” She nodded. She grunted as she adjusted her shoulder to move the kid who hanged there away from a potential fall.

“Thank you, Luisa.” You smiled, playing with the piece you had at your fingertips.

“Anytime!” She grinned before walking away, leaving you alone once more. The sounds of children giggling and squealing faded away as you looked at the cocoda you held. It was covered in what seemed to be coconut, decorated in purple confectionery.

You shrugged before throwing it in the air, hoping to skillfully catch it in your mouth. But before it could even start falling, two fingers quickly catch it from your grasp. They tauntingly wave it around before pulling away, and with the flash of yellow you saw, you could only roll your eyes in response. You look to your left to find Camilo munching on what used to be your snack. His face was slightly simmering with sweat, most likely from all the running around he’s done. You finally scoffed at the boy.

“Seriously.” You deadpanned, raising an eyebrow at him.

He shrugged, smiling with fake innocence as he pats the confectionary dust off his fingers.

“It tasted great if you wanted to know.” He added, leaning against the wall beside you.

“Gee, thanks for the information, Madrigal.”

“Did I already lose my first name privileges?” He teased, his smile turning into a cheeky grin. You chuckled, lightly nudging his shoulder.

“Yes, yes you have.” You joked, moving to drink the last drops of water in your cup. You hear him sigh aloud, being dramatic as usual. You lower the glass down to find him standing closer to you than before. The boy had his left arm against the wall while the other was tucked in his pocket, his torso leaning forwards. He gingerly rested his head against his closed fist, your faces getting dangerously near to touching territory.

Too close, too close, too close!

“Dios mio, what do I have to do to get them back then Y/N?” He told, his raspy voice an octave lower than usual; It was most likely an unintentional decision, but it certainly didn’t help with calming down your rapid beating heart! You chuckled nervously, ignoring how your chest tightened as you pushed the empty glass you held onto his chest.

“Get me some food, then we’ll talk.” You quipped, your fingers fidgeting. He instinctively used his other hand to grab onto the cup, your fingers brushing slightly. You quickly pulled your hands back, holding them near your chest. Your body felt like it was burning, your blood bubbling with warmth.

“I would, but alas—“ He responded, raising the glass around to add dramatic flair to what he was about to say next. You waited in anticipation, invested in what he had to say next.

“I’m banned from the kitchen.”

You blinked at him before letting out a loud snort.

“You’re joking.”

“It’s true!” He exclaimed, huffing. He had a small pout on his face, careful of the glass he held as he wrapped his arms together.

“I actually wanted to grab food for the both of us before coming here,” He muttered, kicking an imaginary ball in embarrassment.

“But someone got the wrong idea and snitched.” He glared onto the ground with slight distaste. As if predicting this would happen, the tiles moved up and down before going back into their original position. Camilo rolled his eyes, dismissing how the tiles moved again at the act. It squeaked loudly and swung rapidly as if the magical home was trying to show how fed up it was with the shapeshifter in front of you.

“Now my mom is trying to keep me from eating any more till the ceremony ends because she thinks I’m gonna eat the whole damn pantry, thank casita for that by the way!” He complained, yelping when a random tile suddenly smacked his ankle.

“Why you— yellow card casita! Yellow card!” He exclaimed, but the house stayed still. He owlishly blinked at the floor before groaning loudly, using his free hand to pinch the bridge of his nose in annoyance. You bit the bottom of your lips, a wobbly smile adorning your face as you desperately tried to hold back your laughter. A small snort escaped, however, causing Camilo to turn back at you with an eyebrow raised. You could’ve sworn his lips quirked up when he looked at you, but you couldn’t really say for sure due to how hyper-focused you were on holding back any more giggles from coming out of your mouth.

“To be fair, you were probably gonna eat a lot of food anyway Mr. I-was-going-to-be-on-my-fourth-plate.”

“Whatever still doesn’t change the fact I can’t go in there.” He muttered, his brows knitted together. You chuckled, amused by the boy’s actions.

“And when has that ever stopped you, good sir?” You retorted, a devious grin on your face.

“Or did you forget about the whole buñuelos thing?” You didn’t bother to even spare a second for his response and quickly began to walk away from the boy. After a few short seconds, you heard a faint defeated grown before hurried footsteps came your way. Camilo walked beside you, his eyebrows still furrowed and his back hunched. You smiled, nudging his shoulder with yours. You could only laugh when he scoffed.

“Will you ever let that go?”

You placed your hands behind your back, looking straight ahead as you opened your mouth to speak.

“Nope!”

“I can see why you like these so much.” You told through your chewing, gulping down the cheesy treat you held in an instant. Your mouth watered, your eyes hungrily staring at the large pile of arepas that were neatly displayed in the middle of the table.

“Mi tía only makes the best!” He bragged, stealing one of the many arepas that were piled on the plate and placing it into his. He grabbed one of the tamales on the table and placed it on your plate for you, looking at you with excited eyes as he pointed to it.

“And they heal injuries too!”

“Your family is truly a blessing.” You muttered, slotting three more arepas between your fingertips. Camilo chuckled, his gaze softening as he continued to take some with you.

“They really are.” He told, quieter than intended. You smiled, placing the snacks you got on your already full plate.

“You think this is enough?” You asked, turning your body to face him. Your eyes widen in surprise, stumbling with your words as you let out a breathless laugh. Camilo simply turned to you, tilting his head in innocent confusion.

“What?” He questioned. You motioned to the tall stack of arepas on his plate with an exasperated look. How in the hell was he going to eat all that!? You were starting to get curious about what could possibly be his perception of “a lot” because this was definitely way more than that! The shapeshifter’s comically large food tower defied all laws of gravity and yet, somehow, it managed to stay perfectly still when he shrugged nonchalantly, acting as if this was a completely normal occurrence.

“I don’t see what’s wrong?”

“Well, I’m starting to see why you were kicked out of here in the first place.” You retorted, still staring at the stack of arepas. He huffed, giving you a small pout.

“They’re tasty okay!” Camilo defended, bringing the plate close to his chest.

“And if you get hungry later, I’m gonna be the one with the last laugh,” He smirked, smugly swaying his head from side to side.

“Because I’m not sharing Y/N.” Camilo tauntingly told, adding emphasis on each word.

“Whatever you say, Madrigal.”

“Oh come on! I still haven’t gotten my first name privileges back?” He complained, walking around the table as he eyed the small basket of cocodas. With you right behind his tail, you giggled evilly. You grabbed another one of those delicious tamales, blissfully unaware of the smile that grew on Camilo’s face when you giggled.

“Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps I just want to spite you.” You hummed, placing the delicacy on your plate.

“How cruel.”

“You love me.” You retorted, oblivious to your own words.

You suddenly hear a distressed choke, causing you to pause in your movements. You swivel your head towards the sound, finding Camilo coughing loudly as he pounded his chest. You drop the tamale you held in an instant, placing your plate down somewhere on the table in favor of rushing over to the boy.

“Holy— are you okay?!” You panicked, patting the boy’s back in an attempt to help. It, in fact, did not work, and perhaps only worsened the problem as the teen’s face was now beginning to turn into a burning shade of red.

“Just peachy!” He sputtered out, his face contradicting his words. You grimaced, slowly taking his plate away from his grasp.

“I’ll get you some water—“ You told, ignorant to the heavy footsteps that were gradually getting closer. You quickly grabbed an empty glass, grunting as you pulled the boy with you towards the faucet. You were pouring him a glass of water when a lady dressed in red came into the kitchen. She wore an annoyed expression, her heart-shaped earrings swaying around as she shook her head.

“Camilo where have you been? The ceremony is about to start!” She groaned, looking directly in your direction as if she precisely knew where the two of you were. The woman paused in her steps, an eyebrow raised at you two.

She tilted her head to the left, staring at the sight of you pushing the rim of a glass of water against Camilo’s lips, graciously holding it for the boy as he drank the refreshing liquid. You turned to meet her gaze, the grip you had on the cup tightening. You feel the heat rise to your cheeks, gulping nervously before pulling the glass away from the boy. You elbowed his abdomen, causing Camilo to look at you with a wild look. You used your lips to point at the girl in front of you two, to which the shapeshifter understood right away and swiveled his head to where you were pointing.

Camilo’s eyes widened, and he quickly fixed his posture while he stared at the other. He let out an anxious chuckle, shakily waving his hand to greet the woman.

“Dolores! Mi hermana!” He exclaimed, walking over to her with a grin. You knew it was fake as soon as you saw it. She ignored the boy’s greeting, shifting her eyes to you. You froze under the spotlight, biting the inside of your cheek before nodding at her. She squeaked before moving her gaze back to Camilo once more. The woman— or Dolores you should say, pulled on his arm quickly, bringing him close as she pressed her lips against his ear. She covered her mouth with her hand and whispered something to his ear. And you could only hope for the best when Camilo nodded at whatever she said, pulling away from her as she giggled in response. You gritted your teeth, moving your back away from them to grab your forgotten plate of food from earlier. Once you turned around, Dolores was suddenly all up on your face, the woman merely inches away from you.

“The name’s Dolores, and you’re Y/N L/N, right? Your family moved in a couple of months ago?” She questioned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. You stuttered random nonsense, unable to say proper words due to the shock from the sudden closeness.

“Uhm—“ You look behind the girl’s shoulder, finding Camilo staring at you with an amused yet nervous smile adorned on his face. He shrugs at you, unable to help with your situation. You look back to Dolores, who patiently waited for your response. Right, you didn’t answer her question quite yet, huh. You cautiously opened your mouth to speak.

“Correct… but how do you know my name?” You told, stepping to the side for some space. Dolores didn’t take it too harshly thankfully, humming as she stood to her original height.

“Oh! I can hear everything,“ To emphasize her point, she cupped her hand behind her ear and slightly leaned to the side.

“It’s my gift, like how Camilo over here can shape-shift.” She continued, talking in a hushed voice. You nodded, straightening your posture.

“Figured.“

“It’s also probably because a little birdie wouldn’t stop chirping about you.” She quipped, looking back to Camilo with a knowing smirk.

Oh? …Oh.

You decided to ignore how your body started to heat up at the implications of her words. You watch Camilo stiffen, his cheeks puffing out as he gently punched Dolores’ elbow.

“I do not!” He exclaimed, his cheeks being colored with a slight red hue on them. He turned to you, his eyes widening when he saw your shoulders sagging at his response.

“I mean— at least not always!” Camilo rushed out, frantically shifting his gaze between you and his sister. You feel your chest tighten at what he said, your heart jumping around excitedly. He talks about you, to his family. That shouldn’t have made you feel so happy, but it did, somehow.

“Didn’t say it was you!” She told in a sing-song voice, humming happily at how her brother increasingly became more and more embarrassed by the second.

“Whatever! You said we have to go right?! Let's go visit our little Toñito!” He told, pushing her back towards the kitchen exit. He gave one last push and his sister was out the door, leaving you two alone once more. He gasped, and you could still hear the muffled laughter of his sister as it faded away along with her footsteps. You froze when his eyes focused back on you, those familiar muddy green orbs dragging you in deep.

“Talk to you later?” Camilo sheepishly asked, a nervous grin on his face. You smiled, tightening your already firm grip on your plate. The food had gone cold long ago, but you honestly couldn’t be bothered at that moment.

“Yeah.” You breathlessly replied. His face brightened significantly, his whole body bouncing with excitement. Your knees felt like they turned to jello at the sight.

“Great!” He cheered, giving you a happy smile. And when he walked up to the door, he ran and leaped up to smack the very top of the doorframe, which was accompanied by a loud cheer before he exited. You were finally left alone, completely stunned with your mouth wide open. As his footsteps faded out, being deafened by the booming music, you slowly started to lose your composure. You smacked a hand on your mouth, bending down as you closed your eyes shut.

God— it felt like you needed to scream right then and there.

Dictionary

Ang ganda ko - i look so beautiful

Mi hermana - my sister

Baro - a transparent top, a part of the filipiniana attire called: “baro’t saya”

Tapis - an overskirt, a part of the filipiniana attire called: “baro’t saya”

Cocodas - cocadas are a traditional coconut confectionery found in many parts of latin america

Tamales - a tamale is a traditional mesoamerican dish, made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf

Arepas - arepa is a type of food made of ground maize dough, eaten in the northern region of south america since pre-columbian times

Buñuelos - a buñuelo is a fried dough fritter found in spain, latin america, israel, and other regions with a historical connection to spaniards or sephardic jews

PLAYLIST FICS

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

hope your notifications are on! a new chapter of FALLING FOR YA is coming tonight!

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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FALLING FOR YA

a reluctant reader begins to fall in love with the hopeless romantic and infamous bastard, camilo madrigal. what happens on their journey? stick around to find out.

camilo madrigal x filipina (your choice if it’s full or half or etc)! fem reader | a multi-chapter story — taking place before and during the events of the movie

translations can be found at the end of each chapter! ^^

sorry for the impromptu hiatus! school was being a bully. i don’t know if i can keep up my weekly updates for now, but ill do my best! enjoy the fic ;)

read all the chapters here !

beta-read!

CH 4 - A PARTY?

The sun was shining bright, the heat slightly stinging your skin. The sky was free from any dark clouds, and a faint rainbow could be seen hovering above the lively village you were currently living in. The donkey’s hooves clack with the cement underneath, and the huge wagon the mammal carried casted a large shadow upon your small figure. You were seated at the front of your porch, the cement you sat on was warm.

You watch the hay-stack that was perfectly nestled inside the cart rock back and forth, all the movement making it sway with the gentle breeze. Your eyes catch a strand of curly brown hair clashing against the yellow-colored hay from the old wooden carriage, bits of patterned yellow fabric peeking through the cracks of the wooden boards that made up the vehicle. You hear the driver murmur something to the passenger, the old man looking down at whoever was inside the cart.

You scoff to yourself, rolling your eyes in disappointment. Who were you fooling, you already knew who it was before the cart even arrived at your doorstep.

You rest your chin on top of your palm, your head bobbing up and down because of your fidgeting knee. Sweat beaded down your skin, your body becoming restless with each minute. The wood creaked as Camilo stood up from the hay stacks he leisurely laid on, giving the driver a thankful nod before hopping off to the other side. You could see him twirl his body around, playfully raising his thumb and extending out his pointer finger towards the man, his hand mimicking a gun.

A small smile graces your face at the gesture.

“Gracias señor!”

“No problem kid.”

He bids him goodbye, waving to the teenage boy with a gracious smile before turning back to face the road ahead. He tightly grabs onto the leash, flicking the leather against the donkey’s fur to signal it to move again. The animal jumps a bit, obviously startled before walking away, the wagon moving along with it.

Clouds of dust swam around the air as the wheels began to roll, the cart revealing the infamous Camilo Madrigal standing behind it all.

“Excited to see me?” He grinned, his face gleaming under the sunlight. You raise a teasing brow, your lips forming a small smirk.

“No, actually.” You joked, watching as he walked up to where you were. It was embarrassing to say aloud, but you and Camilo were starting to meet up more often than you’d like to admit. Ever since the day he walked you home, he was absolutely determined to hang out with you, and properly this time.

So to say you were surprised when Camilo’s energetic voice called out for you, and only you, was an understatement. You weren’t even expecting to hear from the boy ever again, the idea that you two would move on from the whole fiasco and mutually agree to go your separate ways was set in stone.

But life decided to finally use its cards, you guessed.

How hilarious of you to assume such a rational, hypothetical situation apparently, because God had other plans! The second you spotted him smiling at you as he quietly said your name, his raspy voice breathless from all the running he did just to catch up to you, you just knew you were done for. Your brain could barely operate that very afternoon. The poor thing was grasping at straws, trying so hard to come up with reasonable answers as to why he was suddenly talking to you, all while simultaneously trying not to fail on your poor soul. Your heart on the other hand was doing flips, recklessly jumping around its cage, and was absolutely overjoyed at the situation.

As you tried your best to not malfunction on the spot, the oblivious shapeshifter happily asked if he could accompany you with whatever you were doing that day. You remember blinking owlishly at him, your body stiff and sweaty from the summer heat. He looked at you with nervous eyes, twiddling his fingers as he waited for you to respond.

There was an unbearable amount of awkward silence, neither of you daring to say a word. He almost leaves you be, assuming you didn’t want to be bothered by his presence. Almost is the keyword there, as right when Camilo turned his heel, you called out to him, reassuring the other that he could join you in your travels.

And when Camilo’s eyes lit up, it felt like your whole body burned. As if the sun was personally standing next to you, choosing you out of all people to give its comforting light and warmth. Everything else went by with a blur, and you were barely able to remember any of it.

Though one thing is for sure, something between you two sparked. No one would catch you guys alone, the both of you always together when the opportunity arose. Your mom would even often catch you sneaking out to see Camilo sometimes, never forgetting to stop you in your tracks to ask some questions, such as where you were heading, before finally letting you be. It has been nothing but chaos since the past few months you’ve been here.

“What a shame,” Camilo told, shaking his head disappointedly. He fished out a familiar paper bag behind his back, tauntingly shaking it in the air in front of you.

But you wouldn’t change a thing.

“Thought you would appreciate these.”

You grumbled, rolling your eyes before making grabby-hands towards him. You gave your best glare, hopefully getting the message across. He barked out a laugh at your childish actions, his shoulders moving up and down because of that. Camilo simply smiled, handing you the paper bag.

“Knew it.”

“Oh hush.” You uttered, picking out one of the buñuelos that nested at the bottom of the bag. He runs a hand through his hair, looking down on you with a fond look.

“Not even a thank you?” He teased, taking a seat beside you. He spread his legs a tiny bit, resting his elbows on his clothed knees. He hunched his back but kept his gaze on you, tilting his head slightly to get a better view.

“How rude.”

You send him an amused stare but stayed silent for a moment just to finish your snack. Though the second you swallowed what was left of the buñuelo, you opened your mouth to speak once more.

“My sincerest apologies sir Camilo! I give you my deepest thanks then.” You mocked, batting your eyelashes dramatically. You two laughed at that, unable to take anything seriously. It was a light-hearted conversation, after all. There was no actual ill-intent hidden behind each other’s words.

“Dios mio, I shall forgive you then.” He playfully told, nudging your shoulder as he chuckled.

“I’m glad.” You smiled, moving to grab another cheesy treat before stuffing it into your mouth. As you chewed, you picked up another and gently pushed it towards Camilo’s lips, signaling for him to eat it. He happily accepted your offer, biting a chunk of it. He hummed in content, enjoying the flavors as much as you did. He moves his hand to hold the piece instead, his fingers brushing against yours as he takes the treat away from you.

Your fingers shake at the contact, which goes unnoticed by the boy.

“Anyways, I came here to ask if you wanted to come to my house.” He whispered nonchalantly, still chewing on the buñuelo he had inside his mouth. Your eyes shoot up in surprise, the question catching you off-guard.

You have never been to his house, nor had he ever offered you to. The only thing you knew was that the colorful building was just as magical as him, as well as the rest of the family who lived within. He would idly talk about them in passing conversations, but being personally invited was certainly new.

Though, it couldn’t be that bad, right? You two had grown close the past few months, it was bound to happen eventually.

“It’s mi hermanito’s ceremony is tonight, and I was hoping you’d want to stop by casita and help me with the decorations later.” He explained quickly, moving his hand to grab another cheesy treat from you. His tone was sheepish and even a bit quiet, but you could barely notice due to your current state. You stayed still, allowing him to steal a piece from you with ease.

“Ceremony?”

“Oh yeah! mi familia has these ceremonies where we get a door that decides our gift.” He nonchalantly told, tossing the buñuelo he stole into his mouth.

“You aren’t born with them?” You asked, your curiosity peaked.

“It’s complicated? I don’t really understand the rules of it all either.” He confessed, leaning back a bit. He rests his hands on the rough cement, taking in the scenery around him.

“All I know is some are lucky enough to get a gift...” He trailed off, leaving his sentence hanging. He stares off into the distance, and you try your best to follow his gaze. Your eyes land on a girl near your age, who you assumed was someone related to the boy beside you, surrounded by children. Her short curly hair was a mess, and the outfit she wore was decorated with colorful embroidery. She loudly talked about her family to the group of kids, pointing to the painting on the wall behind her from time to time.

“And some aren’t.” He finished, his tone bitter for some reason. You hummed in acknowledgment, not wanting to push him into something he wasn’t comfortable with discussing. You nudged his arm, handing the bag to him.

“I won’t be able to finish these by myself you know, why do you always have to buy so many?” You asked, subtlety changing the topic in hopes to lighten the dampened mood. Camilo turns his head towards you at the sound of your voice, a small smirk plastered on his face.

“I like sharing with you.” He blatantly stated, his quiet demeanor changing to the one you were used to in an instant. You could hear your breath hitch, your shoulders becoming so stiff that it could be mistaken for a pole. He tilted his head innocently, unaware that such a simple statement could cause so many feelings to bubble up inside of you.

“You have no shame.”

“But you wanted the truth, eh?”

“I don’t know how you—“

You’re cut off by a loud wail, which caused the both of you to jump in your seat. You two swiftly spin your heads to the source of the noise. You were greeted with a young woman desperately trying to calm down her child, the deep bags under her eyes basically shouted to the world that she barely had any sleep from the night before.

At the sight of the poor mother suffering, Camilo immediately stands up much to your surprise. You look up at him with a confused look, staring as he dusts off his pants.

“I’ll be back.”

“You’re gonna help her?”

“I’m kinda obligated to, the parents here consider me as their official babysitter.” He shrugged, unaffected by the fact that his free time was so abruptly interrupted.

“Not that I mind of course.”

Everything made sense now, whenever a parent was struggling to calm their child down, Camilo would drop everything just to help them out. He’d offer that the kid would stay with him for a bit, insisting that the parents should get some rest before leaving them with no other choice but to follow his words. You had witnessed it first hand occasionally, with some kids following you two whenever you guys would hang out because of that very reason.

It was sweet of him to do so, but you would be lying if you didn’t say that hearing some infant cry loudly next to your ears didn’t get on your nerves sometimes. Thankfully, he was able to calm the children down instantly, making them giggle or laugh when seconds before they had been crying so loud that you were pretty sure the other side of the world could hear it too.

You don't really know how he does it, as you would personally avoid a child like a plague if they even considered opening their mouth just to have a full-on breakdown, but in all honesty, you could care less. As long as they were quiet, you were content with them staying.

“Hold on.” You uttered, standing up with him. You point to the ground you two stood on, signaling for him to wait for you.

“Give me a minute.” You instructed.

Camilo raised an eyebrow, confused about what you were planning to do. However, he complied anyway, nodding with an affirmative look. You hummed, turning your back to him so that you could open the door behind you. You make sure to take off your shoes before taking a step inside your home, your footsteps echoing throughout the silent corridors. You make your way towards the empty living room, and you instantly spotted the thing you came for. You rush towards the couch you would usually nap on, and you picked up a bright, turquoise-colored pillow in the process.

You nod to yourself, flipping the small cushion around as you made your way back to Camilo, not wanting him to wait for too long. You spot him standing from where you initially had left him, his hands in his pockets as he rocks his body back and forth. You smile, hopping into your shoes before walking back to him. You shove the pillow against his chest, which caused the boy to stumble back a bit. He quickly regains his balance though, his hands rushing to instinctively hold the pillow he now had.

“Here, for the mom.” You told, gingerly patting his back before walking back to the porch again. He looks at you with wide eyes, his grip on the pillow tightening.

“Thanks!” He finally told, a grin on his face. You wave off his appreciation, using your lips to point at the still struggling mother as you sat down and grabbed the once-forgotten bag of buñuelos. He tosses the pillow in the air, catching it with one hand with ease. He gives you a pointed look, his eyes shifting between you and the bag you held.

“Save some for me hermosa!”

You scoffed at his words.

“Didn’t I offer to share in the first place?” You retorted, your tone light-hearted. He simply chuckles in return, raising his hands in playful defeat as he backs away.

“Fair.”

As he walked, he turned his body to you, mouthing the words “Wait for me.” before leaving you be. You hummed, already knowing you weren’t going anywhere anyway. You stayed on your porch, snacking on the delicious buñuelos as you watch Camilo give the pillow to the woman as he transforms into her. She gives him a grateful sigh, taking the pillow in exchange for her baby. The woman animatedly falls onto the wooden bench behind her, letting out a content hum before going into a deep slumber. Camilo smiles, making an exaggerated face at the baby before tossing the infant in the air, shapeshifting into multiple people before settling on some random guy.

The child giggles at the act Camilo had just performed for her, making grabby hands towards the boy. He shape-shifts back into himself, cooing fondly while he leans in per the baby’s request. She gently grabs his cheeks, giggling as she held his face. He laughs in return, spinning her around in pure bliss.

Camilo pauses in his steps, looking at you with the biggest grin you had ever seen. If you weren’t already sitting, your knees would’ve immediately given in at the look. You send him a small wave, a sheepish smile on your face as you did. Camilo excitedly waves back, raising the baby to his shoulder before gently grabbing her tiny hand.

He mimics a wave with her hand, showing off her gummy smile to you. Your heart melted at the adorable sight.

Diyos ko you were in deep—

No, you just admire him, that's all.

Totally. Definitely.

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were even holding once he turned away.

Unfortunately, you weren’t able to wait for him like you thought you would, your parents deciding to whisk you away in favor of going shopping for the ceremony instead. He had sent you a small pout as you passed by him, the baby now asleep in his arms.

You quickly, but quietly, reassured him you were still coming. Giving him a pitiful shrug before being dragged by your own mother. You mindlessly hummed or shook your head whenever your parents decided to show you something new, your mind too occupied with what the night had planned for you. In the end, your mother had bought you a new skirt to wear for the party, unbeknownst to you, insisting that you would look great in it. You just agreed with her, wanting to visit the famous casita that everybody had talked about as quickly as possible.

As you walked back to your home, you had noticed that Camilo had already left, the bench now empty. Your parents find their turquoise pillow neatly placed above a stack of newspapers on their porch, much to their confusion. You giggle to yourself, knowing all too well who had placed it there. You quickly excuse yourself from the two, making sure to reassure them that you would be back in time for the ceremony before leaving.

They wave you off, your mom placing a tender kiss on your cheek while your dad gingerly patted your head just for good measure. You walked through cobblestone-covered paths, trailing behind a guy who had a basket full of party decorations hoisted on his donkey. The man had noticed you were lost when he passed by your stressed-out figure, a worried look on his face as he asked about what could be the problem. And when you said you were struggling to find that path that led to the casita, he was quick to offer that he could guide the way as he was apparently heading there himself.

You accepted, of course, wanting to get out of those crowded streets. You two chatted from time to time as you walked, the outline of a house that rested on top of a hill was now getting closer and closer. You make your way up the hill, your mouth dropping in awe at the building in front of you. It was significantly different from the houses below, flowers decorated the roofs and a small rainbow rested above the house’s structure.

Your eyes shoot up, finding the girl from before standing right outside the building. The same kids surrounded her, looking at the other teen with disappointed eyes. The man you were with, stopped his donkey, patting it before calling out to the teen. They whipped their heads towards your direction, which you freeze at. The guy grabbed the basket from his companion and walked over to her, going on and on about her lack of gift.

So that’s what Camilo meant.

You winced, feeling the secondhand embarrassment for the girl. You quickly sneaked away from the conversation, not wanting to be a part of it any longer. You walked up to the opened entrance, its huge walkway intimidating you. You took a deep breath, giving yourself time to relax before finally stepping inside the home. You could feel your mouth drop for the second time. You were absolutely fascinated at the sight before you, it was as if you were in a brand new world. Tiles were moving by themselves, and flowers magically bloomed on the sturdy pillars that supported the place.

You took everything in, amazed at all the things around you. But before you could stare any longer, you were suddenly brought back to reality as you yelped at the bench that was coming towards you. You swiftly dodge its way, the men who held it showing no emotion for you as they continued to walk through the crowd. You huffed, slightly annoyed but begrudgingly let it go. You were in their path, after all, you reasoned.

You took a step forward, passing by multiple people just to reach the center. You let out an audible gasp when you felt the tiles move under you. You stumble backwards as a staircase that led to the second floor was forming right before your eyes in mere seconds. You laughed breathlessly, visibly astonished.

You hesitantly placed your arm on the new railings, unsure if you could walk up to it or not. However, as you contemplated, a booming yet assertive voice breaks your daze.

“Camilo, we need another José.” An old woman spoke, which caused you to look up from where you were. You find Camilo leaning against the railway, a sly smirk on his face as he crosses his arms. He turns to look at the man behind him, his hair flowing in the wind at the action. He quietly snorts at the older man struggling, his grin never leaving as he walked over.

“Josè!” He exclaimed, shapeshifting into him in order to hold up the other side. The old lady walks away, pleased with how the situation was taken care of. José hummed in discontent, however, his bushy brows knitted together. He looks between the precise replica version of himself and the cloth he was pinching with his fingers, letting out an audible “Oh!” when he had realized what he was missing. He looks around for a bit right after, his observant eyes wandering around the place before landing on you. You stiffen at eye contact, too focus on the other man to realize how Camilo’s face lit up when he spotted you as well.

“Hey! Can you grab the nails over there?” He asked politely, using his free hand to point at the box of nails that lay on the handrail, a hammer nesting beside it. You point at yourself in response, still very much unsure if he was talking to you. Camilo snorts loudly, failing miserably in hiding his giggles as José gives you an unamused stare.

“Yes— you, who else?” He retorted, sounding exasperated. Your face heats up in embarrassment, your body moving on autopilot while you sputtered out incoherent apologies to him, some sentences spoken in your own language due to your haze. You grabbed the box, and the hammer for good measure, the nails rustling around at your speed. You hold both items out to him with no hesitation, slightly deflating on the inside when he thanked you with barely any emotion in his tone.

You could sense Camilo’s stare piercing through you, his snickering seeping under your skin. You sigh, the blood in your cheeks still warm. José hammers in the nail, checking it twice before hesitantly letting go of his grip to ensure that the banner wouldn’t collapse on him. Thankfully it didn’t, which caused him to smile proudly. He grabs another nail from the box you held, waving you off as he turns to Camilo. He points the hammer to him, scoffing quietly at the other’s form.

“Alright, you two are free to go.” He stated, his face staying static. Camilo hands the other half of the fabric to him before turning into himself, his height significantly dropping. You scoffed in amusement, quickly looking away however when Camilo gave you a pointed stare. You let out a low whistle, stiffly walking back to the second-floor railings to avoid any possible accusations that would come from the boy if you continued to look any longer.

You could practically see him rolling his eyes though, a small smile gracing your face at the vision.

“Nice job José!” He complimented, looking at the man who was already making his way down the stairs. He nodded in response, swinging the hammer he had around his palm.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Camilo hummed, waving the older goodbye before making his way to you. His body was facing away from the ground floor, the back of his elbows resting on the wooden handrails.

“You made it!” He exclaimed, a smile on his face.

“Indeed I did.” You uttered, gently placing the box of nails to where it previously was. You look to Camilo with fascinated eyes, your pupils bigger than before.

“You’re living the life, you know.”

He chuckles at your words, shaking his head amusingly.

“Am I now?”

“Who wouldn’t want to live in a house like this?” You retorted, taking a step backwards while you extended your arms out. You gesture to the place around you, every square inch of the area filled with magic you’ve never seen before. You bring your feet together, your shoes making a loud click when they clashed against each other.

“It’s like hitting the jackpot!”

Camilo opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, a sudden strong wind interrupts him, causing his clothes to flutter wildly in the air. You barely get any time to react before being pushed back by the wind yourself, the hot temperature now shivering cold. You accidentally hit the side of your ankle, causing you to tumble backwards. You instinctively close your eyes at that, your body fully expecting to be greeted with the hard tiled floor beneath you.

But surprisingly, you’re met with a warm hand snaking around your waist instead. It pulls you back up, a sturdy chest now colliding with your sweaty palms. You slowly open your eyes afterward, an unbuttoned, white-collar coming into view. You look up to find Camilo staring at you, his curly hair still being blown by the strong wind.

“You alright?” He asked, his eyebrows knitted together. You didn’t trust your voice to work at that moment, so you just nodded your head to indicate that you were indeed alright instead. He sighed in relief, his shoulders sagging as he did.

“Good,” Camilo muttered, loosening his grip on you. His hand didn’t leave, however, his palm resting comfortably on your waist. Despite the sudden cold, you were just starting to burn up. You could briefly hear a woman rambling about the ceremony, something about how it had to be absolutely perfect. You couldn’t understand the rest of it, however, as you could only focus on Camilo’s fingers brushing against your ear in order to tuck a loose strand of hair behind it. You stared at his face with wide eyes, your fingers twitching at the electrifying touch.

“Did somebody say, flowers?” An elegant voice spoke, which made both of your heads turn. A girl with perfect hair swung from the vines she had just grown, different colors of petals falling around her, mostly in the shades of purple and pink. People called out her name, complimenting the woman as they clapped for her. She gracefully lands on her feet, smoothly handing a new bouquet of flowers to another magical lady, the cloud above her head dissipating quickly.

“Please, don’t clap!“ She told, patiently waiting for the older lady to take the flowers before leaving.

“Thank you!” The woman called out, holding onto the bouquet as if it was her most prized possession.

“Oh, it’s nothing!” She responded, flicking her hair to the side. You visibly winced when you noticed her long locks hit the girl from before straight in the face, flowers blooming in her mouth while petals fall into her basket.

“Ouch,” Camilo muttered, flinching at the hit as well. You look down to his chest before letting out a forced cough, grabbing Camilo’s attention easily. His eyes go wide when he realized he was still holding onto you, accidentally squeezing your wait before letting go.

“Ah, sorry bonita.” He apologized, sheepishly scratching his neck as he watched you fix your top. Your ears burned, your heart going faster than the speed of light itself.

“It’s fine— uhm.”

“So—”

You two paused at the same time, blinking owlishly at the other.

“Should we continue with the decorations?”

“We should probably finish the decorations.”

Your sentences overlapped, your voices syncing at the last two words. You two stare at each other, no one daring to say a word. A beat of silence passes by before you two burst out into a laughing fit, finding the whole situation humorous.

“Diyos ko!” You exclaimed, grinning wildly. You wiped away the happy tears that brimmed your eyes, your vision slightly blurry due to the built-up water. He simply chuckled in return, extending his hand out to you.

“Well, let’s get to it now. Shall we?”

You smiled, taking his hand with no hesitation. He laces his fingers with yours, intertwining your hands together.

“We shall.”

“I don’t think you should be up there.” You muttered, watching Camilo wrap the floral garland he had around the wooden beams that supported the roof with hesitant eyes. He was merely balancing on the edge of the kitchen counter as he did so, nearly falling sometimes when he tried testing the waters and daringly went beyond what he could reach. You stood by him because of that, your fingers holding onto the cuffs of his pants for support.

“Go big or go home!”

“Then can we go home?”

“Very funny.” He sarcastically told, rolling his eyes before leaning forwards. You grip onto his pants tighter, your worry for him growing by the second.

“I know you’re magical and all, but you can still get hurt…”

Camilo looked down at you with a fond look, small wrinkles forming near his muddy green eyes. The color was mesmerizing to look at. If you looked for even a second too long, it felt like anyone could easily get lost in them, especially you.

“I’ll be fine Y/N! Don’t worry about it.”

“Just because you told me not to worry, doesn’t mean I should.” You murmured, looking down in embarrassment. Unbeknownst to you, Camilo’s eyes widen at your words. It catches him off guard even, the garland he held now slipping away from his fingers due to the shock. He yelps when sees the piece of decoration falling, reaching out to grab it on instinct. He accidentally takes a step too far, causing him to fall to the floor along with the garland.

“Camilo?!” You exclaimed, rushing to kneel in front of him. He groans in pain, the garland landing perfectly on his head. You swiftly cupped his face, bringing him close to inspect his face for possible injuries. You didn’t even notice what you were doing, and couldn’t even find yourself to stop as Camilo didn’t even bother to interrupt you. He looks at you with his mouth agape, still reeling back from the shock he had just experienced. You sigh in relief when you couldn’t find any gashes around his face or arms, oblivious to Camilo’s rapidly beating heart.

“I think we’ll do just fine without the garland.” You whispered, letting out a breathless chuckle. You gingerly picked the item off his head, shaking it around your palms before wrapping it around his neck like a scarf.

“Don’t want any more accidents now, do we?”

Camilo gulped, staying still for a moment before nodding viciously.

“Yes— right. Totally agree.” He muttered, keeping direct eye contact with you. You hummed, satisfied with his response. You slowly get up on your feet, offering your hand to Camilo right after. He grabbed it instantly, and you quickly pulled him up, stumbling back a bit due to the extra weight.

You look out the window to see the sun almost setting, your eyes widening at the fact. You completely forgot about the party, that you were setting up for! How does one even do that?! Your mom is gonna be so mad at you for being late a second time, oh you could practically hear her scolding you now. Amidst your worrying, Camilo finally regains his balance, blocking the window from your line of sight. You finally snap out of your haze, being brought back to reality in front of you.

“Oh dear god! I’m so sorry if this is so sudden, but the party is starting soon and I haven’t even gotten ready yet! And—“ A rough finger touches your lips, causing you to stop your rambling. You find Camilo looking at you with an intense gaze, his eyes never leaving yours.

“It’s fine hermosa, I should be the one apologizing for holding you up in the first place!” He meekly told, letting his finger fall to his waist. Your heart skips a beat at the nickname, the butterflies in your stomach more evident than before.

“I’ll see you soon?” He smiled, stuffing his hands in his pockets. You sighed in relief, nodding to him as you began to walk away.

“See you soon!” You waved, smiling wildly. You walk towards the kitchen entrance, looking back at him for one last time before leaving Camilo to himself.

Camilo waits for a second or two before sighing aloud, stretching his neck as he turns to face the kitchen counter. Casita’s tiles finally begin to move, bringing him a plate with a neatly wrapped arepa on it. He scoffs, grumbling to himself in shame. He walks over, snatching the snack off the plate.

“You knew what you were doing, not saving me there when you could’ve easily helped.” He told, taking a bite of the delicious treat. The pain soon begins to dissolve, all of it washing away once the texture of the arepa touched his tongue. The cupboards doors swing open back and forth, resembling a shrug.

Camilo could only groan in return.

Dictionary

Diyos ko - dear god / oh god

Hermosa - gorgeous

Bonita - beautiful

Dios mio - dear god / oh god

Señor - sir

Mi hermanito - my little brother

Mi familia - my family

Buñuelos - a buñuelo is a fried dough fritter found in spain, latin america, israel, and other regions with a historical connection to spaniards or sephardic jews

PLAYLIST FICS

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

new chapter by tuesday folks! :D

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

hii, a small update:

author is not dead, just getting drowned in homework 💀

will be back with the next update in probably 2 weeks from now, so stay tuned <33

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

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FALLING FOR YA

a reluctant reader begins to fall in love with the hopeless romantic and infamous bastard, camilo madrigal. what happens on their journey? stick around to find out.

camilo madrigal x filipina (your choice if it’s full or half or etc)! fem reader | a multi-chapter story — taking place before and during the events of the movie

translations can be found at the end of each chapter! ^^

sorry for the delay! but chapter 3 is finally here!

read all the chapters here !

beta-read!

CH 3 - WHAT A PESKY CHAMELEON

A small smile happily adorns your face, the grin never leaving as you entered the kitchen. You’re greeted by the sounds of a crackling fire and hot oil sizzling against the metal pan, the delicious smell of freshly cooked eggs wafting through the air.

You walk around the large yet empty dining table, gliding your fingertips across the soft material of the tablecloth while you make your way towards your mom.

She had her back facing you, her moving elbows indicating that she was still occupied with her cooking. Suddenly, an egg flies up in the air, spinning around a couple of times before sticking a perfect landing onto the pan once more.

“Your dad still isn’t awake?” She questions, scooping up the fried egg with her spatula and gently placing it on the porcelain plate, presumably made for said man to feast on.

“Do you even have to ask?” You uttered, licking your lips as you reached for the toasted piece of bread nestled beside the rice. Your mother quickly swats your hand away, scoffing at you before picking up the plate full of food.

“You already ate, remember?”

“He isn’t gonna notice one slice of bread missing.” You retorted, your lips forming a small, pitiful pout. She rolls her eyes at you, shaking her head while she gently places the platter on the table.

“Wag.”

“Boohoo.” You gagged, huffing as you crossed your arms together. You dramatically whip your head in the other direction, your eyes closed and your brows furrowed.

She chuckles at your actions, a tender look on her face as she cups your cheeks to place a loving kiss on them.

“How about this, I’ll make you your favorite for lunch if you do me a small favor.” She whispered, a hint of mischievousness laced in her voice.

You tilt your head at the promise of food, and your favorite one at that. You slowly open one eye, the sight of the colorful kitchen fading back in your line of vision. You eye your mother suspiciously, still not trusting quite yet. You turn around to fully face her, puffing out your chest to obtain a greatly exaggerated— intimidating frame.

“And what does this favor entail exactly?”

“Just a little grocery shopping!” She cheerily stated, quickly fishing out a piece of paper from her apron’s pocket. She hands it to you, excitedly clapping as you take it from her. It had the essentials needed for your family all neatly listed in one row, with big, bold words that read “Grocery List” written on top. You hummed approvingly, scanning through the list once more before nodding. It seemed easy enough, but you couldn’t help but ponder about something in particular.

“I guess—“ You paused, looking up to your mother, and began waving the paper around.

“But why me specifically? Couldn’t you have asked dad when he was awake instead? He knows the streets here better.”

She simply shrugged, a sly smirk growing on her face as she leaned forward. She snakes her hand around your arm, bringing you close as humanly possible just to boop your nose.

“Just thought you’d want to see that boy you left us for last week.” She teased, wiggling her eyebrows while she laced your fingers together. You feel your face heat up in embarrassment, the tea kettle placed behind you whistled comically with steam escaping through its lid.

“Mom!”

“I knew it! May crush ka na!” Your mother exclaimed, jumping up and down in pure joy.

“We talked once!”

“Oh, so did those passing glances you shared afterward mean nothing then?”

Your shoulders tense up, the memories flooding back to you in a quick snap. Ever since your first shared encounter, you would sometimes pass by each other. Whether it be in the plaza, in a church, or some random market stall— if you two were there in the same place, your eyes would always catch his.

And when they do, that boy would either send a wink or a smirk, causing your brain to malfunction in mere seconds. You couldn’t find the right words that would be able to properly describe this feeling. Your heart would clench, the butterflies in your stomach would flutter around freely, and the blood circulating in you would instantly warm your cheeks every time you catch him staring. It was to put it simply— too much.

But why?

You would roll your eyes whenever your mother would gawk about the princes that would do the absolute bare minimum in your storybooks, or when your father rambled about how he fell for your mom the second she walked into his life.

You always thought that love took time, constantly complaining about how unrealistic the feeling of love was portrayed in every piece of medium you sought out to consume, whether it be through song or literature.

However, you weren’t so sure anymore, you made it clear to yourself that you weren’t the type to fall for a guy so quickly just because he smiled at you while he cruised by.

So why was it so different now?

“Yes.” You quietly said, reassuring her that those incidents were merely just pure coincidence— even if it happened more often than you would like to admit.

“Whatever you say.” Your mother patted your head, finally letting go of your hand. She turns to walk away from you, taking off her apron to gently lay it on one of the chairs that sat beside the table.

“Just be back before lunch eh?” She told, looking over her shoulder to make sure you were still listening. You wave your hand in dismal, crumpling the paper in your fist while you not-so-discreetly grab the toast from your father’s plate— which your mother sighed at.

“I will, I will. Wag ka maalala.”

Oh, how you were oh so wrong.

The heat waves come crashing down on you, drowning your body in its absurd temperature as you walk through the gigantic plaza. You heaved out, groaning loudly before wiping off the sweat that coated your forehead. Even under the comforting shades the colorful overhangs from various market stalls provided, the unbearable and uninvited heat from the sun would always find ways to creep up on you.

You move to look down at your list, scanning through it with furrowed eyebrows. You spin the pencil you had in your hand around, double-checking one last time before you stop to cross off another item.

“Just one more.” You muttered to yourself, humming happily at the fact you were so close to finally finishing. The faster you get this done, the faster you get to eat! You dreamily sighed at the feeling of all the tasty flavors and spices that would explode in your mouth, your tastebuds welcoming the pleasant meal your mom had cooked just for you, congratulating you for the efforts you put in today in the process.

A smile graces your face, your stomach grumbling at the mere thought of it all. You begin to hype yourself up, pumping your fists in the air as you adjusted the basket of groceries you carried so that it doesn’t fall and completely drop everything. Numerous people pass by you as you try to navigate through the busy crowd, some tall and some short.

The women you would see wore colorful, flowy dresses, the color matching their skin tones beautifully. The men on the other hand wore plain blouses and pants, occasionally wearing vests, ruanas, or bandannas that loosely wrapped around their neck to add splashes of style.

You silently admire their clothing while you walked, their fashion not so distant from the outfits you’d see people wear in your old town. Finally, your eyes light up at the sight of the last stall you had to visit, and you begin to pick up your pace as you practically book towards it.

You quickly reached the booth, eager to finish your chore and go home to your comforting bed. The man who ran it greeted you instantly, standing up from his chair while he continued to fan himself.

“Hola mija, what’s it gonna be today?” He asked kindly, gesturing to the many fruits that nestled in his cart. You check your list before pointing towards the pile of mangoes, to which he nodded and snatched a plastic bag that hung on a rusted nail pinned against one of the wooden beams.

He looked at you expectantly, his eyebrow raised.

“How many do you want dear?”

“I think five will do—!“

As soon as you talk, you feel someone bump into your shoulder, causing you to yelp. You instinctively wrap a hand around your basket, securing it under your grasp. The person who ran into you backed up slightly, his breath wavering and his body on high alert.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” You scolded, close to ranting on how careless he was being before pausing. You shut your mouth quick, your breath hitching, and the grip you had on your basket had loosened.

Curly brown hair— check.

Green eyes— check.

Freckles all-around— check…

You recognize him instantly, his features embarrassingly engraved in your mind. The imaginative butterflies in you start to flap around the walls of your stomach without a care in the world, oblivious to how it made you feel.

“Camilo?” You uttered, cautiously reaching out to him. The boy quickly turns to look at you, eyes wide and shoulders stiff. He sighs in relief, frantically looking around before shoving, to what seems like a paper bag full of some Colombian delicacy you’ve never heard of, onto your hands.

“Thank the gods that it was just you, but hold this for me please.”

“What?” You fumbled, almost dropping the bag due to how fast everything around you was moving.

“Just trust me, bonita!” He grinned, giving you a reassuring nod before shape-shifting into some random lady. You sputtered out unfinished sentences and phrases, stuttering with each syllable as he moves to stand behind you. He’s quick to grab your arm, making sure to hold it tight so you wouldn’t be able to slither out of his grasp so easily.

He takes the mangoes from the vendor for you, tossing him a coin he got from your hand before stuffing the bag of fruits in the basket you carried.

“Huh? Trust you on what—?”

“Hey! Give that back!” A woman shouts, an irritated expression on her face as she runs towards you two. She stops in front of you, puffing out her cheeks while she points an accusing finger at you.

What.

“You know, if you’re gonna steal, at least do it right!”

You quickly shake your head in defense, confused about what she was even talking about.

“But I didn’t even take anything?”

“Don’t play dumb kid! I saw you steal some of my buñuelos earlier!”

You owlishly blink at her, thinking that this woman was going insane. You were positive you weren’t anywhere near this woman, mostly staying at the left side of the huge plaza, and from what you remember, you didn’t see anyone selling whatever she was spewing.

You open your mouth to speak, ready to defend yourself from her ridiculous claims.

“You must be mistaken, I was here the entire time—“

“Perhaps it was Camilo?” A high-pitched voice spoke up from next to you, the hand that held your arm was now sliding down to lace it with yours. You look up to see Camilo, his now-feminine face almost breaking, as if holding in his laughter. His gaze that was directed towards the woman breaks for a split second to look at you.

You catch his eyes twinkling, various undetectable emotions swirling in them before they look away.

Oh.

“He is notorious for shapeshifting after all.”

Everything started to click, the gears in your brain suddenly began to move again. The fog was starting to clear up.

This little son of a—

“You may be right, but that doesn’t explain the bag she’s holding.” The lady muttered, her shoulders relaxing. She stands still, seemingly not on edge anymore. At the corner of your eye, you see a slight smirk tugging his polite smile. He tightens his grip on you, his feet prepared to sprint.

There’s no way.

“I may have an explanation for that señora!”

“Really?”

This boy.

You see your life flash before your eyes as he begins to transform back into himself, a cheeky grin plastered on his face once he’s done. The woman just gawks at him, and you hope he notices the death stare you were sending him at this very moment because you swear to god you were about to strangle this boy for his idiocy. He simply waves at the woman with his other hand, completely nonchalant about everything.

He doesn’t say anything, trusting the lady to understand the message he was trying to convey, to which she does.

The woman stands there, completely awestruck. But in all honesty— can you really blame her? He fixes ruana as she watches, kicking off the last bits of the dress he previously wore away before standing on the soles of his shoes.

“It was nice chatting with you, but we have to go!” He cheerily exclaims tugging your hand as a signal to brace yourself. You visibly shake your head, scoffing loudly.

“Excuse me what? What do you mean by we? Are you speaking french—?!“

You let out a scream as he tugs you forward, sprinting in the opposite direction from where the lady stood. The woman yelps, swiveling out of your way to avoid accidentally hitting you both.

Her mouth agape as she watches you two flee from her, her brain still trying to properly process what had just happened.

Meanwhile, you were desperately trying not to fall on your own feet and trip. You lagged behind Camilo, unable to keep up with his ungodly speed. In all seriousness, how was this boy so fast?

He was dragging you at this point, weaving through the many diverse crowds that filled the streets of Encanto. He laughed loudly, somehow finding joy in the situation. You could only stare at him, clinging onto his hand as you both continued to run like there was no tomorrow.

“You bastard!” You shouted, your voice muffled due to the many distinct sounds and voices that greatly overlapped yours.

“I’d like to think I’m a genius!”

“You’re far from it!”

You grumbled to yourself, your legs aching because of all the running. It seems like the boy in front of you was tired too, the lack of speed and tempo in his step being a great indication of that.

There were still many people around, but you two were sure that the lady from earlier was far from where you were. However it was better to be safe than sorry.

“We can stay over there,” Camilo muttered, pointing to an empty alleyway. You simply nod, not trusting your mushed brain to come up with words you would use to respond to his sentence.

He hums, acknowledging your response as he guided you to the said area. The tall walls of the alleyway protected you from the vicious sun rays that rested above the sky, but somehow the warmth was still there.

You were still burning, the blood in your cheeks warm, your hand that Camilo was holding slightly sweaty, and your heart was pumping like crazy. But how? You were under the comforting shade, so why does it feel like the sun stood right next to you?

A small hiss coming from the other breaks your trance, and you were able to catch him swiftly pulling his hand close to his chest, away from the concrete wall. The action doesn’t go unnoticed, and you stare at him with confusion and perhaps even with a slight hint of concern, but he certainly doesn’t need to know that.

He ignores your piercing stares, biting the bottom of his lip while he continues to walk. He finally lets go of your palm the second you both were in the quiet alleyway, the warmth he gave fading along with it.

Camilo trudges forward to sit on the cemented ground, sighing in relief as he stretches his neck, bits of his collarbone peaking through his unbuttoned polo. You stay in your place, watching him silently.

His gaze shoots up when he notices you weren’t sitting with him, quickly looking around before he catches the ends of your skirt. He looks up, being greeted by your amused yet disapproving gaze. Your taunting shadow causes him to laugh nervously, scratching the back of his neck with his hand.

“I guess I owe you an explanation.”

“Clearly.”

Camilo sighed, pouting as he pointed to the paper bag you still held.

“Can I have that first at least?” He muttered, giving you an earnest smile. You raise a brow, and albeit hesitant about it— you gave it to him anyway. The bottom was a little soggy and sticky from what you assumed was the cooking oil, so you made sure to hover another hand underneath so nothing came crashing down.

He grabs the tip of the bag with one hand, quickly thanking you before opening it. He licked his lips, grinning as he picked one of the fried treats up.

He bites into it, his shoulders sagging in happiness to visually show how good it was. He pats to the spot beside him, wanting you to sit down with him.

You let out a huff, placing down your basket as you took a seat next to him. He hums happily, finishing the treat before he opens his mouth to speak.

“As you see hermosa, I was hungry! So I thought that it was a great idea to steal some snacks.” He explained, his left hand moving up and down animatedly. You feel your eye twitch at his confession, but you decided to not pounce on him right then and there, wanting to hear the rest of his story before you made any rash decisions.

Sadly.

“Then I decided to take some of this delicious buñuelos from señora Teresa, but of course, I didn't want her to know it was me. That’d just be dumb.” He grabbed another cheese fritter from the bag, twirling it around in the air before tossing it into his mouth.

“So I just shape-shifted into the first person I thought of! Which was you—“

He stops himself before he could say anymore, his irises dilating. You tilt your head slightly while he pushes out a forced cough, quickly looking down towards the bag instead of meeting your gaze.

If you looked close enough, you’d see a tinge of red coloring his cheeks.

“Don’t ask why it was you, but anyways. I transformed into you and stole a bag full of them!” He continued, chewing on the treat as fast as he could, almost choking in the process. The boy shuffles the bag around to make sure there was still more, smiling when he hears the sounds of food moving around.

“But sadly she caught me, and you probably know the rest.” Camilo told, his rough fingers playing with the tips of the paper bag.

They immediately let go though once he felt you grab his ear. He grits his teeth, grimacing at the amount of force you were exerting when you pulled on his ear.

“Ai ai ai! That hurts Y/N!”

“You idiot! Are you trying to ruin my reputation?! I just got here!” You scolded, your patience wearing thin. His eyes suddenly go wide, his breath hitching before frantically flailing both of his arms around.

“Que? Of course not! I’m sorry, okay?!” He rushed out, and you furrowed your brows at his words.

“If you think I’m gonna go soft on you just because you said that, you’re absolutely wrong—“ You pause your sentence, eyes going wide as you suddenly let go of him. Camilo instantly covers his ear from any future pulling, confused as to why you decided to let go, but was absolutely grateful nonetheless.

You stayed silent, your eyes stuck at the sight of bright red liquid oozing down his hand, fresh scars littering one of his palms. You stare for a bit, mere seconds passing by before you instinctively grab his hand, causing him to yelp in surprise. You gingerly brush your thumb over his blistered palm, making sure you were being gentle with it as well.

Even if you were very much angry with him, guilt would eat you alive if you went about your day knowing you allowed him to stay wounded like that.

“You’re injured.” You blatantly stated, fixated on examining the wounds he had. The teen audibly gulped, eyes glued to where your thumb had grazed his bloody skin. He contemplated to himself, stuck on whether he should tell you how he got it or stay quiet.

Though in the end, he seemingly decided to do the former, for who knows why.

“Did I forget to mention I kinda tripped and landed on my hands when I was being chased?” Camilo chuckled, but he zipped his mouth quick when he saw your serious look. He felt his back stiffen, his body unable to move, as if he was trapped under your mesmerizing gaze.

You mutter something under your breath, quietly commentating on how idiotic this boy was being to yourself before sighing aloud.

“Yes, yes you did.” You scoffed, rolling your eyes at him. You move to sit up straight against the wall, turning over to where your basket laid. You rummage through the different fruits and vegetables, huffing in annoyance before finally finding the thing you were looking for.

With your other hand still holding his, you grabbed the handkerchief that nestled at the bottom of the basket. You swiftly pulled it up, flapping the dust off the cloth while you moved to face Camilo once more. You gently pulled his hand closer to your chest, flipping it over for a bit before deciding to let it stay with the palm facing upwards.

“Hold still.” You uttered, letting go of his palm. He lets his hand float in the air, watching you take the ends of the handkerchief with so much gentleness and care. You start wrapping the cloth around his palm, stopping to make sure the first wrap was secure but not too tight on his skin first before continuing.

He stares at you in awe, his mouth slightly open as he lets you bandage his hand.

Your heart starts to clench, your stomach doing somersaults at the intense gaze he had on you. You feel your blood burning, and you bite the inside of your cheek in hopes to calm yourself down.

You’re just cleaning him up, nothing more.

Nothing less.

“You don’t have to do this, you know, my aunt is basically the town’s doctor if you didn’t know.” He whispered, amused on how you fumbled on trying to tie a knot. You snorted, pulling on the loose ends to ensure it was secure before letting go. You rest your hands on top of your lap with your fists curled inwards to hide the sweat that had built up.

“Then we wouldn’t want her to treat an infected wound, do we?“ You retorted, finally gaining the courage to look up into his eyes. They’re sparkling, their muddy green color resembling the shiny emeralds that were embedded on your mother’s prized necklaces. He wore a sly smirk, small dimples forming on each cheek.

You let the birds chirping and the distant chattering serve as your background noise as you stared into his eyes, neither of you not daring to look away.

You both are hesitant, unsure what to say next. But eventually, Camilo opens his mouth to speak, cutting the tension down in half with a scorching knife.

“What happened to not going soft?” He teased, leaning in forward. Your noses almost touching with how close you two were. You could practically feel his breath hitting your skin.

You sense a small shiver run down your spine, your body quivering in response as you pull away. You push his now bandaged hand towards his chest, your heart pounding maniacally. Why were you like this?

“A thank you would’ve suffice, but whatever.”

“That certainly wouldn’t be fun, now would it querida?”

“No, but paying that poor woman is.” You reminded, taking pleasure in watching his smug face slowly form into a look of terror.

“You wound me.” He cried out, taking a fistful of his ruana and dipping slightly. He dramatically looks away, eyes solemnly looking down at the ground.

“And here I thought we were bonding.”

“Were we now?”

“That’s just foul!”

Now that causes you to laugh, your head tilted back in surprise. It was the kind of glee you wouldn’t have expected to laugh at from a mile away, and yet it somehow manages to break you so easily with its unusual charm. You welcome the feeling with open arms, your shoulders moving up and down while joyful tears brim near your eyes due to his outburst.

Camilo simply smiles, shaking his head while he waits for you to calm down from your high. You breathed in and out before chuckling, still finding the events that happened before humorous.

“We should probably get going.” You managed to wheeze out, rubbing the tears away from your eyes as you hook an arm under the wooden handle of your basket. You’re quick to hoist yourself up, swaying your skirt around to make sure there weren’t any visible stains that you could’ve gotten.

“Getting hungry.” You muttered, looking down to see Camilo already moving to stand up himself. He bends down to grab the bag of treats, his fingers gingerly picking up the objects with ease. He tosses the bag in the air, smoothly catching it with his bandaged hand.

“Then we can snack on the way.” He walked towards you while shaking the bag around, the tempting sounds of fried treats carelessly rustling around reaching your ears. You hum thoughtfully, contemplating to yourself as you begin to walk away.

“Sure, but I’m not paying for you.” You called out, not bothering to look back. He runs to catch up to you, the gravel underneath crunching loudly with each step. Your shoulders accidentally brush against his, the subtle contact somehow electrifying. You feel your body shiver, not used to such scary yet somehow addictive feeling.

Your heart silently carves for more, but you make sure to push that idea deep inside you, making sure it hides under the deepest darkest depths of your body.

Camilo shrugs nonchalantly before stuffing his hand in the bag. His hair gracefully falls to the side as he tilts his head, squinting his eyes to adjust them to the new found light. He rummages his hand around, trying to find the perfect piece.

“Yeah, yeah— whatever you say.”

He finally picks one up, his face beaming, a look that could compete with the sun itself. The boy nods in content, inspecting it under the sunlight. He hands the buñuelo to you, nudging it against your shoulder.

“Just eat!”

And if you chose to ignore the smile that was growing on your face, then that was nobody else’s business.

“I’m home!” You shout loudly, your voice echoing throughout the empty corridors of your home. You hear your mom’s footsteps quickly rushing in, her hurried muttering louder than ever.

She walks into you taking off your shoe, your body leaning against the wall as you move to remove the other one. Your limbs ached from all the walking, and your skin was swelling from being under the sun for a bit too long.

But you’d like to think it was worth it.

“There you are! Where have you been? You’re hours late!” She scolded, a worried expression adorned on your face. You scratch your neck sheepishly, your teeth showing in your stiff smile.

“Got lost— but I got the groceries you wanted.” You muttered, showing the basket off to your mother. A brown paper bag nestled on top, filled to the brim with a bunch of fresh, cheesy treats.

“And maybe some snacks too.”

Dictionary

Wag - don’t

May crush ka na - you already have a crush!

Wag ka maalala - don’t worry

Mija - my daughter

Bonita - beautiful

Señora - madam

Hermosa - gorgeous

Que - what

Buñuelos - a buñuelo is a fried dough fritter found in spain, latin america, israel, and other regions with a historical connection to spaniards or sephardic jews

one more chapter till the antonio’s ceremony and after party chapter— so get ready folks, the plot is about to begin >:]

PLAYLIST FICS

#camilo madrigal x reader #camilo x reader #camilo x you #camilo x y/n #camilo imagine #camilo fanfic #encanto camilo #camilo madrigal #encanto x reader #encanto x you #encanto x y/n #encanto fanfics #encanto fics #encanto imagines #encanto 2021 #encanto #Spotify

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wwillowtrees · 2 years

Text

FALLING FOR YA

a reluctant reader begins to fall in love with the hopeless romantic and infamous bastard, camilo madrigal. what happens on their journey? stick around to find out.

camilo madrigal x filipina (your choice if it’s full or half or etc)! fem reader | a multi-chapter fic — taking place before and during the events of the movie.

translations can be found at the end of each chapter! ^^

i kept re-writing this chapter and I’m still not satisfied, but oh well— we push through. reader finally meets camilo :)

read all the chapters here !

beta-read, for once!

CH 2 - A NEW FACE

“No, no, not there—“ You groaned, moving to stand on your tippy-toes as you tilt your body to the left. You set the painting against the wall, making sure it’s leveled properly before facing your mother.

“Like this?” You asked, an exasperated look on your face as you wait for your mom’s approval.

She simply stares at the portrait, her eyebrows knitted together. She grimaced slightly, indecisive on where it should go.

The sounds of some familiar, heavy footsteps quickly cut the loud silence.

“Just leave it there and call it a day honey.” Your father murmured as he passed by, completely unfazed at the sight of his daughter balancing on a stool that was seconds away from toppling over.

“Stay still.” He whispers to you, placing a secure hand on your back and another one on the side rails.

“Besides, we planned to walk around town, remember?” He continued, turning to look behind his shoulder with a small smile.

Your mother bites her bottom lip in hesitance, staying silent for a few seconds before sighing aloud.

“I suppose you're right.”

“Oh diba, it wasn’t so hard.” Your dad said, winking at his wife. You quietly scoff as you watch your mother’s usually composed figure start to break.

“Ai ai, just hurry up.” She hastily replied, a hand over her face as she walked out of the living room.

Your father could only laugh, his contagious laughter causing you to giggle along with him.

“Thank you.” You muttered as you hook the painting on the wall, a satisfied smile on your face as you gaze at the painting.

Your father quietly hums in response as he wraps his hand around your arm, looking at you with his famous pearly white smile while he brings you close.

“Now c’mon, I’ve been waiting to explore this village all week.” He confessed, gingerly patting your arm before helping you down.

You laugh as your dad twirls you around the second the soles of your shoes have touched the ground, his grip on your hand tightening before dragging you along towards the front door.

You spot your mother already putting on her wooden shoes, her heels clicking against the floor with each step.

Your dad lets you go in favor of getting dressed, leaving you to stand beside your mom.

“You ready Y/N?“ Your mother asks, leaning against the wall as she puts the other heel on.

“Mhm.”

“It looks like we’re all set then.” She replied, turning around to ruffle your hair. You let out a loud whine, grumbling as you push her hand away. She barks out a laugh, smiling as she unapologetically pats your head instead.

“So let’s get going!” Your dad suddenly exclaims from behind, smoothly putting on his straw hat as he walks towards the door.

He grabs onto the doorknob, rattling the handle a bit before twisting the metal around. He pushes the door open, revealing the lively village you now live in.

You watch as your dad dramatically offers his hand to your mom, the action causing her to chuckle. She gladly takes it, their fingers laced together as they walk out.

Your dad tosses you the house keys, giving you a knowing nod before excitedly dragging your mother towards what you assumed was the plaza with a skip in his step.

You roll your eyes, silently praying to some god to spare some mercy on your legs as you turn around to lock the door behind you.

It’s gonna be one long day.

Your mother grabs onto your father’s arm, tugging it down as she points to some necklace that a merchant was selling.

“Would you look at that honey!” She gasps, her eyes sparkling with pure joy.

The merchant raises her eyebrow, moving out of her seat as she holds the piece of jewelry up for a full display. She proudly shows it off to your mother, slowly trying to coax her into buying it as she tauntingly nudges it towards her.

You smirk as you silently watch your father chuckle nervously. Even with all the embedded shiny gems and glorious pearls, his eyes were dead-set on the bold, taunting triple-digit number written on the price tag.

He animatedly gulps aloud, tugging on his collar before forcing out a polite laugh.

“Let’s keep looking muna—“ He muttered, ushering his wife to some small flower cart nearby. You couldn’t help but snort, quick to cover your smile as you follow your parents to whatever destination they had planned next.

Before you could take another step, you hear loud, high-pitched laughter echoing across the plaza. You pause in your steps, startled by the sudden noise as you whirl your head towards the direction of the sound.

You find a bunch of little kids jumping up and down in excitement, running around a teenage boy who stood proudly in the center. He let out a boisterous laugh, his curly hair moving with the wind as he did so.

And you’re not sure how it happened, but suddenly, your legs start moving on their own. Your curiosity is at its peak as you feel yourself gravitate towards the group.

You stop a few meters away from them, standing behind some onlookers who also watched the group from afar. Some cooed while some chuckled, clearly amused by their antics.

“Do it again Camilo!” Some kid shouted, pulling on the boy’s clothed leg as she giggled uncontrollably. The boy— or Camilo you should say— smiled in return as he gave her a dramatic bow, making the kid smile wide.

“Anything for mi princesa!” He replied, dusting off his ruana before doing a little spin. He fixes his collar before turning to the kids with a sly grin on his face.

“Now! Who should I do?”

And just like that, multiple children start screaming names, causing you to flinch slightly as they continued to point to themselves or sometimes at others.

Camilo simply laughed, making small hand gestures as he told them to quiet down.

“Relájate, how about we pick someone random instead?” He suggested, to which all the kids nod in unison.

You slightly tilt your head to the left, deeply confused about what they could possibly be talking about.

“Alright.“ He muttered right after, sending the children a soft smile before looking out to the crowd that gathered around the group. His eyes suddenly meet yours, and you feel your shoulders stiffen at the unexpected eye contact.

You watch as his half-lidded gaze shoots up, his face faltering slightly as his mouth drops open.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, his face begins to morph into— yours!?

You stood there horrified as the boy began to transform, his clothes and limbs rapidly changing in color and size before finally shapeshifting into you… with a child’s body.

You instinctively take a step back, impressed yet scared of what just happened. You feel yourself getting light-headed, unable to process everything as you start to visibly malfunction, sputtering incoherent words and sentences out of pure shock.

The kids simply watch your reaction, their gazes shifting between you and this Camilo guy. Their eyes moved back and forth one more time before they all burst out in laughter, some even cackling maniacally.

You continue to stare as the other teenager shrinks down in embarrassment, his shoulders hunched as he transforms into his original form.

“What was that?!” A boy howled, still laughing at the previous events that unfolded.

Camilo groans, grumbling to himself as he starts ushering the kids towards a group of young adults coming your way. He walks by you, deliberately avoiding your eyes as he shooed the children away.

“Alright— enough of you guys, your parents are already here. Go home.” Camilo muttered, his ears tinted with a shade of red. They quickly complied, giggling to themselves as they ran to their moms and dads, no doubt about to share what they had just witnessed to their unassuming parents.

You watch as they all went their separate ways, their hyper figures slowly fading away from your line of vision. You start to fidget in your place, clutching onto your skirt as you slowly turn to face him, your chest tightening as you do so.

You catch him already looking at you, his eyes wide and his tightly curled hair frizzier than before.

You hear him mutter some words underneath his breath, seemingly hyping himself up before he finally opens his mouth to speak.

“So uh, about— yeah.” Camilo sheepishly told. You watch as he grimaces, internally cringing at his own choice of words.

Sensing the urgent need for a change of pace, you put on a polite smile in hopes to calm him down. Fortunately for you, his stiff posture begins to loosen, visibly relaxing at the sight of your grin.

“It’s fine.”

“Really?”

You nod your head as you place a hand on your hip.

“Really, I’m pretty sure I should be less worried about how you portrayed me and more about the fact you can literally shape-shift.”

Camilo chuckles at your words, finally accepting your answer as he lets out an understanding hum.

“Makes sense, most people are like you when they see me for the first time.” He says while he crosses his arms together. He tilts his head forward, his hair gently swaying as he does so.

“It just saddens me that I had to mess up in front of such a beautiful lady.” He muttered, looking up at you with a sly smirk plastered on his face.

You scoff in return, rolling your eyes as you shift in your place. He’s one of those guys, isn’t he?

“Oh, you’ve definitely used that line before.” You said accusingly, you’re tone light-hearted.

“Did it work?” He asks, his eyes playful.

“I’m practically swooning at your charms, sir.” You sarcastically say, placing your other hand on your forehead as you bat your eyelashes dramatically.

You both laugh at that, the tense atmosphere around you two slowly beginning to dissipate. The boy runs a hand through his curly hair, each chocolate lock bouncing a bit as his nimble fingers wove through them.

“How tragic.” He muttered, grinning from ear to ear.

“Truly.” You replied, sending him a smirk of your own. He jokingly raises his hands in the air in mocking defense, sighing aloud as he hung his head low.

“You know what? How about we start over.” He told, twirling his hand in a circular motion before extending it out to you.

“I go by many names, but you can call me Camilo, Camilo Madrigal.”

You raise an amused eyebrow, hesitating for a moment before taking his hand. You grab a part of your skirt, clutching it close as you now bow your head down slightly.

“The name’s Y/N, Y/N L/N.”

“A pretty name for a pretty lady, eh?”

You scoffed as you pulled your hand back, waving it around dismissively in a flustered manner. The boy smirks at your reaction, stuffing his hands into his pockets as you fixed your baro.

“Getting bolder now, are we?”

He simply shrugs his shoulders while he flips his hair out of his face, kicking the dirt as he leaned back.

“It was worth a shot.”

“And it completely missed the bullseye.” You retorted, dusting off your skirt before turning to look at him once more.

“I suggest improving on your aim.” You teased, your body rocking back and forth to emphasize the playful nature of it all.

He shakes his head in amusement, wearing a charming grin as rolls his eyes.

“Huh, noted, thanks for the input muñeca.”

“My pleasure—“

“Make it 50!”

You both flinch at the sudden noise, startled by the screaming as you whirl your heads towards the direction of the sound just to see what the commotion was all about.

You find some guy arguing with a merchant over a bouquet of flowers, their dispute getting more and more heated with each second.

“Oh, that’s just absurd! 35!”

You watch as they continue fighting, both not wanting to back down. You hear Camilo let out a tired sigh, his hand moving to rub the back of his neck as turned to look at you.

“I better do something before things get too out of hand.”

You send him a pitiful look, offering him your best reassuring smile as you silently mouthed the phrase “Good luck.” to him.

He gives you a thankful nod, turning to walk away before abruptly stopping. He pauses to look at you, his eyes gleaming under the sunlight as he stared at you.

“See you around?”

You feign hesitance, humming as you gingerly tapped your chin.

“I’ll think about it.” You told him, taking great pleasure in hearing him scoff in amusement. You don’t let him speak as you turn away, walking towards the direction you remembered your parents being in.

“I’ll take it as a yes hermosa!” You hear him shout, causing you to look over your shoulder. You spot him flirtatiously wink at you, sending you one final smirk before heading to where the fight was taking place.

You roll your eyes at his absurdity, small wrinkles form near your eyes as a smile creeps onto your—

You quickly slap your face at the realization, your cheeks stinging due to the force. You shake your head in denial as you continue to walk, your blood heating up at the mere thought of you and him.

You refuse to let this boy win so easily, especially a boy whom you’ve just met.

But to give yourself credit, he is cute…

Diyos ko.

Dictionary

Diba - it generally means right, but in this context, it translates to “oh see?”

Muna - first

Diyos ko - Dear god

Baro - its basically a shirt but not really, but it’s a part of a filipiniana attire called “baro’t saya“

Princesa - Princess

Relájate - relax

Muñeca - doll

Hermosa - Gorgeous

PLAYLIST FICS

75 notes · View notes

wwillowtrees · 2 years

Text

FALLING FOR YA

a reluctant reader begins to fall in love with the hopeless romantic and infamous bastard, camilo madrigal. what happens on their journey? stick around to find out.

camilo madrigal x filipina (your choice if it’s full or half or etc)! fem reader | a multi-chapter fic — taking place before and during the events of the movie.

translations can be found at the end of each chapter! ^^

read all the chapters here !

not-beta read, we die like mariano’s nose.

CH 1 - INTRODUCTION

You place the last set of boxes on your bed, letting out a tired sigh before plopping onto the soft mattress, the bed dipping under your weight. You stretch out your limbs, your bones making soft cracking sounds as you arched your back.

You silently mutter some curse words under your breath, the stiffness in your body quickly disappearing like black magic.

“Mahal, have you settled in already?” You hear your mother call out, her voice echoing through your opened bedroom door. Loud sounds of shuffling accompanying her booming voice.

“Yep!” You shouted back, rolling around the bed to lay on your side, the bed creaking as you do so.

“Well could you help your dad with moving in our belongings? He’s been taking a while.” She quickly added, her words causing you to grimace.

“Do I have to.” You complained, dragging out

each syllable, knowing all to well that you have no other choice.

“Unless you want your father to die of heatstroke, then no.” She responded, her voice suddenly sounding much clearer than before.

You sit up to see your mother standing beside the doorway, her clothes slightly disheveled from all the heavy lifting she’s done the past hour.

She wore a straight expression, her arms crossed as she let her body lean against the door frame. She raises an expectant brow at your tired figure, tilting her head down slightly.

“So, ano na?”

You feel your eyes roll towards the back of your skull before letting your head hang low.

“Alright, alright.” You told, using your remaining energy to stand up from your bed, making sure to take your sweet time with it, just out of pure spite.

Your mother smiles, wrinkles forming on her forehead as you start walking towards her.

“It’s the last few, you should be able to handle it anak.”

You nod robotically, letting her pat your shoulder before walking past her. You look around the empty hallways of your new home, corners of the ceiling covered with dust as you pass through bland walls.

You let out a small sigh, looking at the entrance door with hesitation. You hum a small tune, making sure avoid the boxes placed on the ground as you walked.

You grab onto the doorknob, your hand gripping onto the polished metal. You take a deep breath before twisting the handle around, small specks of light peaking through as you pushed the door open.

You exit the house, the unbearable sun causing you to wince. You instinctively cover your eyes from the blinding light, squinting at your surroundings as you search for your dad.

This town was interesting to say the least, little kids running around cobblestone paths that led to who knows what, new parents struggling to get their children to calm down, some determined street vendors shouting at customers, hoping to persuade them into buying their goods.

It seemed like another day in the bustling village, all hidden behind those vicious, yet tall luscious mountains that protected it. Your surprised that your parents even manage to find this place, it looked like it didn’t want to be found, wanting to hide from the rest of the world.

Encanto was the place’s name from what you remembered, hearing your father say it in a passing conversation with your mother when traveling in some dingy wagon.

Sounds of loud laughter causes you to break out of your daze. You gasp, grasping onto your overskirt as kids sprint past you, spewing swift apologies to you before catching up with their friends.

Suddenly, a boy your age comes running after them. Your hair flowing with the wind as he ran by. He gives another rushed apology, not even sparing you a glance as he continued to chase after the children, the tassels of his yellow ruana moving wildly as he did.

You shook your head with an amused smile, the small incident reminding you of your old life back home.

It wasn’t a vast change, the places surprising sharing many similarities after a quick look, but a huge change nonetheless, both culturally and geographically.

But it seemed inviting, comforting even. You watch as the group continued to run, their figures disappearing from your sight the farther they got.

You suppose you could get used to this place, you thought. You hummed in content, nodding to yourself as you continued your search for your father.

You finally find him struggling to get the last box from the carriage, the horse beside him just staring at your dad disappointingly as it flicked its tail. You chuckle at the sight before rushing over to him.

“Hi papa.” You greeted, taking the box from his hands as you do so. You nearly drop the thing as soon as you held it, the items inside being carelessly thrown around as you tried to regain your balance.

“Hey hey, lets not start breaking things now.” He joked, swiftly moving to grab the other side of the box in an attempt to help you.

“What’s in this thing? Cement?” You scoffed, grunting as you try to lift it up.

“Who knows what your mom packed in here.” He murmured, patting the sides of the box.

“Let’s get it inside noh? We shouldn’t keep your mom waiting.” He told as he smiled brightly at you.

“Yeah.” You return his smile with a grin of your own, shuffling the box around your grasp until it felt comfortable to hold.

The both of you walked through the entrance, making sure to kick the door behind you close before walking once more. You hear sounds of pots clunking and fire cackling as you enter the bare kitchen. You spot your mom already preparing lunch for the family upon entering, her melodic humming coming into an abrupt halt.

You silently watch as your mother perks at the sounds of your footsteps, her skirt swaying as she turns to face you both.

Her eyes widen in surprise at your presence, but they quickly soften as she gazed at you and your father. She lifts the spoon she held, twirling it around her fingertips before using the object to point at some empty chair.

“Just place it there, we can decorate later.” She stated, giving you both a gracious nod.

“Sige mahal.” Your dad spoke, taking the box from you to put it down on the wooden stool. You let out a tired huff, wiping the sweat off your face as you drag a chair near you.

“Finally.” You muttered, not wasting a second to sit on it. Your parents chuckle at your antics, teasing you a bit before continuing on with their conversation.

You rest your head on your propped up elbow, leaning onto it before closing your eyes. The warmth of the sun comforts you, lulling you to sleep as you tune out the noise around you.

You sigh in content, smiling as the scent of fresh herbs and spices began to fill the air.

Today’s a brand new chapter, a fresh start. Nothing could possibly go wrong…

right?

Dictionary

Mahal - love; a nickname of endearment

Ano na - what now?

Anak - a gender neutral term for son/daughter; a way to refer to your child

Sige - sure

stay tuned! i’ve got a lot planned for this fic >:]

PLAYLIST FICS

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