#BrunoxSandra

[eventide-13]

Bad Luck Birthday

Bruno knew what he wanted his birthday to look like. Him and his family, with maybe a few extra friends, enjoying cake and spending quality time together while having fun. A nice, small, calm celebration. Yet no matter how tight he kept his fingers, how long he held his breath, or how much wood he knocked on, his wish never came true.

Ever since he could really remember, his and his sisters birthdays were not just a family celebration- but also the whole town's. The "few extra friends" always turned out to be the ever growing population of Encanto, all crammed into the rather overworked Casita.

He hated it.

Bruno knew it wasn't the best that he had come to hate his own birthday, but he couldn't help it. Like everyday of his life it seemed, it was a show. Julieta spent the upcoming days making enough food for the whole town, Pepa had to focus to keep the skies as clear as they could be. And he… well, he didn't really do anything. Anymore at least.

To that, due to some terrible luck or cursed irony, every year something bad managed to happen, and it was all because of him. Whether it was him helping Julieta cook and almost burning the kitchen down, or mixing up what was the juice and what was the wine- he never seemed to be very lucky on that day.

Bruno sighed. All this worrying and it wasn't the day of the event. No, instead here he was, pacing around the room at… he squinted his eyes. 2:30 in the morning.

Great.

It didn't help that his friend of many years, recently made novia, Sandra wasn't allowed to come to the celebration. Not that she ever was, with her father being one of the few who saw the Madrigals gifts as 'unnatural', but the ever increasing trouble she got in by coming to his birthdays (or just seeing him anyways-), meant that the day before he assured her that he would be fine and that she shouldn't come to it.

"So you're saying I shouldn't come to your own birthday?!".

To say that Sandra wasn't too eager about what he said would've been an understatement. He had been trying to reason with her for a good solid 10 minutes now.

"No, no! Of course you can come, it's just we both know you'll get into trouble for it!" Bruno said.

She scoffed. "I don't care if I get into trouble, I always seem too get into it anyway, but there is no way I'm missing your birthday!".

He sighed. "Look its not even that much of birthday, its just some boring formalities in front of the whole town- Last time it took me a full hour to find you! So lets just- we can just celebrate it the day after, that way we can do what we actually want.".

"But-"

"Sandy please" he cut off her protests, taking her hands and looking up at her with puppy dog eyes. ""I've done this before- 22 times to be exact" he weakly chuckled. "I'll be fine".

Oh how wrong he was.

After managing to get a few hours of sleep, Bruno's day started like the days years earlier. He got up, already tired from the lack of sleep the night before, and got dressed into the most formal attire he had, a fancy white shirt with a neat pair of trousers, topped with a green vest bearing his signature hourglass symbol.

Not that anyone would really see his formal attire anyway, he thought, putting his rather oversized ruana on.

As he combed his raven hair Bruno frowned, already seeing a few silver strands. He honestly hoped he didn't go grey by 30, remembering a vision he’d done for a now upset townsperson.

He'd probably see that person today. And everyone else he managed to spite.

He gulped.

Bruno reached to open the door but found he was frozen in place. He could almost hear his heart pounding against his chest. Miercoles. He wasn't even out of the door and he could barely breathe?!

Taking a step back, he sighed before springing into action almost like it was automatic. Fingers crossed, deep breath in, and 3 knocks on the door. He was ready to go.

Once downstairs (he could swear they were getting longer everyday-) he followed the smell of fresh foods into the kitchen.

"Woah!"

Even if this wasn't a common sight for Bruno, he'd be lying if he weren't impressed at not only the variety of food his sister made but also how much of it. The table was lined with full plates of all sorts of foods, but his eyes wandered over to the cakes. Torta Negra, the vibrant red of rollo rojo de guayaba, the silky cream on top of the torta de tres leches and more- it was enough to make his mouth water.

Humming a song to himself, his hand reached for a tasty looking tortita negra only for it to be smacked away.

"Uh- hey!" He looked up to see Julieta.

"These are for the later, when the guests arrive"."

"Aww come on, I can't even have cake on my own birthday?!" He whined in protest, still eyeing the cakes and trying to grab one whenever Julieta looked away.

"Of course you can, just not these and not yet! mamá wants everything to be perfect for when the guests arrive!" Julieta replied while organizing the kitchen counter.

With her back turned, his hand moved to swipe a piece.

'Clink clink clink'

The Casita moved its tiles, alerting Julieta who swatted Bruno's hand away, again.

"Gracias, Casita"

Bruno just looked shocked. Did the Casita really just snitch on him?

Realizing that he wouldn't be able to snatch it, he turned to phase 2;-pleading with her.

"Oh Julie please, you have no idea how hungry I am!"

"Well then you shouldn't have skipped breakfast!" Julieta replied, unphased.

He groaned, getting right in front of her, doing the best puppy eyes he could. "Please Julie?-Think about it, for your hermanito?"

While Julieta fully knew that he only used the 'hermanito' card to get what he wanted (usually arguing that a few minutes didn't make him the 'little' sibling), partly because she had a soft spot- and to get him out of the kitchen, she gave in.

"Fine, you can have one, of course I can't say no to my little Brunito!' She cooed teasingly, squishing his cheeks as he squirmed away from her, taking the tortita negra and eating it with a satisfied smile.

"Mmm, those cakes look delicious!" Pepa walked in, instantly eyeing the display of food, Julieta audibly groaning.

"You can have one, then please- get out!" Julieta said, Pepa and Bruno giggling. Even as adults they'd be lying if they said they didn't enjoy annoying each other.

"Gracias, Julie!" Pepa said, grabbing one. Then two. Bruno pocketed some for his rats.

"Ay, I said GET out!" Julieta took a rolling pin, chasing the two giggling thieves out the kitchen, Casita making sure to close the door on them.

"Ah, I'm sure she'll forgive us," Bruno said before bursting into laughter with Pepa. For a short, sweet moment, Bruno didn't worry about the party and the expectations on his shoulders, he felt just like he did when they were kids, running around and causing mischief-together. However, it was short lived, as Pepa saw Felix enter the Casita.

"Felix!" With a sudden rainbow above her head, she instantly ran over to him, leaving Bruno alone awkwardly holding too many pastries.

"Hola mi amor!" He twirled her around before giving her a kiss. "Are you ready for your big day?"

"Oh yes! You should see the decorations Casita has around, and the food..."

Their voices faded in the distance as Bruno sighed, walking away and sitting on the steps of the stairs. He watched them two from afar, seeing just how happy Felix made her (as always), and couldn't help but wish that Sandra was by his side. Of course, he and everyone realized that Felix was always allowed over so much so that mamá didn't have to worry about the weather, but Bruno still missed her company, anyone's company really. The scared and spiteful townspeople didn't count. He was alone for his own birthday.

'Squeak!'

Well, not entirely.

Bruno couldn't help but smile as he looked down. "Hola, Bonita," He said quietly, petting the curious rat behind her ear. Two others scuttered out from his ruana, one sitting on his shoulder and the other grooming itself on his lap.

"At least I can always count on you." he weakly chuckled, breaking off pieces of the ponque and giving them to the rats who ate them quickly before looking up at him expectantly for more.

"Heh, always hungry, never satisfied." He mumbled in between bites of his piece of torta negra, letting the rats have the rest.

"Bruno! Pepa!"

His rats perked up, immediately hiding back inside the ruana (something he had totally not taught them).

"Ah, there you are!" Alma huffed as she walked over, hands together like- they always were when she meant business. "Where is your sister- PEPA!" She called out.

Bruno sat on the step, pretending that he didn't have a mouth full of the cake that he-totally-wasnt-supposed-to-be-eating-or-anything.

"Coming mama, coming!" Pepa called back a little wearily, but she couldn't help smiling giddily with Felix by her side.

With the three there, Alma cleared her throat before speaking. "The guests will start arriving shortly, as always I want you to be there to welcome them inside. Make them feel at home here..."

Bruno gulped quietly while listening to her. Even if the whole town didn't seem to hate, him it was still awkward and nerve wracking for him. Make them feel at home? How was he supposed to do that? Just tell them they could nap anywhere and let them use his toothbrush?!

"Bruno."

His attention was brought back as he realized, in his worry, he hadn't been exactly focusing on what his mamá was saying.

Alma sighed. "As I was saying, Pepa and Felix will wait outside to welcome our guests, you.." she evidently faltered. He wasn't exactly a people-person to begin with, and with his negative visions, the townspeople were either scared of him, angry, or both.

She smiled, so obviously forced that even Bruno could tell. "Bruno, y-you can go and greet them with Julieta when she's finished in the kitchen.".His stomach fell a little as he felt conflicting emotions. On one hand he was scared of greeting the guests that disliked him so, but on the other he could feel his mother's disappointment in him, knowing she told him to wait for Julieta in case any of the guests acted out.

"What are you waiting for? Get a move on!" Alma clapped her hands. "And remember, we're la familia Madrigal!"

"La familia Madrigal!" Pepa and Bruno said, Pepa walking off with her novio and Bruno getting up from the steps, walking down, and eyeing his mother a little wearily as he passed her to get to the kitchen.

"Bruno-"- Mierda, what was it this time?

"Si mamá?..." he turned to face her with a rather nervous smile.

"Why are you wearing your ruana, no -one can see your nice clothes under it!" She put her hands on his shoulders, looking at the admittedly slightly worn and rat chewed ruana.

"Eheh, I- I like it mama! It's comfy..." he trailed off in a nervous chuckle. The last thing he wanted on his birthday was an argument with his mamá, something that was happening more often these days. Yet the thought of taking his ruana off...he just couldn't. He knew he'd sound crazy trying to explain, but he -needed- it. He could hide his rats in there to keep him company, fiddle with the little tussles and material when he was overwhelmed or bored, and hide his scrawny body from others, and himself.

"But it’s not what you should be wearing for your own birthday! The whole town is going to be there, you have to represent the Madrigals." Alma said firmly, looking at him to make sure he'd actually do it.

Bruno really didn't have the energy to argue right now, and every word from his mamá just reminded him of the expectations he had to uphold- ones he often failed to do.

"Si mamá-" he smiled weakly, trailing off and looking down. Alma smiled, glad that he agreed to it.

"Go to Julieta now, Brunito, you can help her with the kitchen before the guests arrive." She said, he nodded, softly saying "Si..". As soon as he turned back from her his fake smile dropped as he quietly sighed and looked down. Her words rang through his mind. 'The whole town is going to be there, you have to represent the Madrigals'. They only made him more nervous than he already was.

He took a deep breath, holding it as he knocked on the kitchen’s door frame a few times before walking in.

"Hola." He smiled awkwardly, giving a small wave to Julieta, knowing she wouldn't exactly be pleased to see him after he stole the food and was subsequently kicked from the kitchen.

"Bruno, I swear to god-" Julieta turned round, rolling pin clutched threatingly in her hand.

"Woah woah! It's okay! I'm not gonna eat more, I promise. Mamá sent me to help you clean up and then welcome the guests." he weakly chuckled, holding his hands up defensively.

"Ah alright then, Casita will still keep an eye on you though." she said, the Casita moving one of its cupboards in a gesture like it was a finger telling him off.

He just chuckled awkwardly, honestly finding himself too nervous at the moment to even eat the temptingly good cakes.

Walking over to where Julieta was, he helped her put the ingredients back to their cupboards. Julieta could tell that he was anxious, his eyebrows furrowed in worry and the complete silence from him was always an indicator something was wrong.

"Hey, it'll be okay hermanito." She smiled reassuringly, putting her hand on his shoulder. Bruno looked up at her, almost surprised at first that she had noticed so quickly, but he figured it was in her nature- and that he wasn't exactly the most subtle..

"Heh, thanks Julie." He smiled back weakly, really more to reassure her that he'd be okay. Secretly he doubted it.

She smiled, looking into his eyes reassuringly. She had always had a motherly instinct towards others.

"Let's go and welcome the guests inside, okay?" She said, looking at him partly as if he were about to make a run for it- something he admittedly felt like doing.

"Si.." he trailed off, following Julieta out of the kitchen and to the entrance of the casita. Just walking through the empty house that would so soon be filled to the brim gave him shivers. The roar of their distant chatter grew louder and louder as they approached the entrance, and for a moment Bruno found himself frozen, just staring ahead and trying to breathe. Already it seemed so loud, so much. Was it more than before? Of course, it always was. Maybe he could just go back up to his room and hide? Maybe nobody would notice-

"Bruno?"

He snapped back into reality, seeing Julieta right in front of the entrance, looking at him with a mix of concern and confusion.

Bruno held his breath and crossed his fingers. Uno…dos…tres …4…5…6…and exhale, he knocked on the wooden pillar lining the wall, finally walking up to Julieta.

Here he goes.

He stepped outside with her, having to go to the side of the guests that made their way indoors. Just like before, it seemed the whole town was here to celebrate. All apart from Sandra. Of course he didn't blame her, but he wished she was here, to see her face among the crowd...at this moment he'd be overjoyed.

That wasn't going to happen though.

"Welcome inside! You don't have to worry about your belongings, the casita will order them all up!" Julieta smiled as she warmly talked to the guests, and Bruno remembered that he wasn't here to sadly stare at people.

He mentally prepared himself as a couple were about to pass him. This was his chance!

"Ahem, h-hola!". He cleared his throat, greeting them with a smile obviously too wide to be natural. Then he just stood there. Go on, say something!.

They stood there, slightly startled, chuckling very awkwardly as they walked past him.

He sighed. Why did this seem to come naturally to everyone but him?.

He relegated himself to just awkwardly smile and wave at the rest of the incoming townspeople, trying his best to appear as if he didn't want to run away.

Julieta looked at him, honestly pitying her brother and his poor social skills. After a few moments of him awkwardly trying to greet guests and not look hurt at the looks they gave him, Julieta, who had been helping people sort out where to leave their donkeys, called him.

"Hey Bruno!"

Bruno turned, seeing Julieta next to some donkeys and the odd alpaca. He practically scurried over through the crowd to her, ignoring the looks people gave him as he did so.

"I was thinking you could show the Gonzalez's and Lopez's to the stables?" She smiled, trying to actively involve him into actually doing something and not just awkwardly waving at guests.

"Oh! Um yes- follow me!" He told the two families who exchanged cautious looks between each other before following him, taking their animals with them.

This was easy, just show them to the stables, there's no way he could mess it up! Bruno thought to himself, feeling the closest he'd been to confident that day.

"Here they are! You can just leave them in there and come back after." He showed them, chuckling awkwardly. Without saying much they started to gather their animals inside, Bruno just left uneasily standing there.

Deciding to push himself and actually be more helpful, he took a deep breath, gathering the courage to offer help.

"W-would you like some help?"-

The townspeople made a surprised "Hmm?" Before turning back to see him standing there, holding his arm as he often did when nervous, and in general.

"Oh!-Y-yes please, that'd be wonderful" one lady said, clearly a little hesitant at first along with the others, who exchanged skeptical glances before accepting his help.

"Here, you can hold Francesca and Simone." The lady handed him the rope around the two donkeys necks.

"Ooh, could you take Carlos and Paco as well?"

"And Rafeal and Pescado!"

"Woa!-" Bruno didn't even have time to comprehend that someone named their alpaca "fish" when he found himself holding the ropes around the majority of the animals.

"Uh alright, okay." he said more to himself, untangling the ropes. "This is fine, you can do this- I can do this" he quietly muttered to himself.

The first family began to sort out their remaining animals, not long after though they turned their heads back at the sound of music, the party was really starting to get raging.

The family members looked at each other, all seeming to contemplate whether or not to ask Bruno to sort the rest out while they went to the party.

Bruno however didn't notice this, trying to keep 2 donkeys from kicking each other, while awkwardly avoiding eye contact with a rather menacing alpaca, Pescado.

It loomed over him, ominously, looking at him as if the two were long greatest enemies. Bruno just looked down, not wanting to fight an alpaca. Why did it seem to be so filled with hatred towards him? He was confused, making people angry was something he had gotten used to, but admittedly he never thought he'd find himself being loathed by an alpaca.

"Ahem."

His attention was brought back as he looked at the family. "We, were wondering if you could maybe organise the rest of them while we went to the party? -It's just, some of our friends are waiting for us there, that's all!" The woman awkwardly chuckled, wearing a slightly overly sweet smile, as if she knew making the person whose birthday they were celebrating do work while they partied was a little morally ambiguous to say the least.

"Oh! Sure." Bruno however didn't mind at all, this meant he didn't have to be at the party earlier, but he also remembered what his mamá would say. 'It is your job as a Madrigal to help the people of Encanto'.

"Great! Gracias." the people left, leaving him with the donkeys and rather murderous alpaca.

He wasn't concerned though, instead just turning to the animals. "Well I guess it's just you and me, ay amigos?" He sighed, in that moment narrowly missing a hurtling ball of spit from none other than Pescado.

"Wow". Bruno just blinked his now wide eyes in surprise. "I think I'll put you in first."-

He nervously chuckled as he approached the at least 7 foot tall creature, taking the rope and leading the tall hateful creature into the stable.

He wasn't concerned though, instead just turning to the animals. "Well I guess it's just you and me, ah amigos?" He sighed, in that moment narrowly missing a hurtling ball of spit from none other than Pescado.

"Wow". Bruno just blinked his now wide eyes in surprise. "I think I'll put you in first".

He nervously chuckled as he approached the at least 7 foot tall creature, taking the rope and leading the tall hateful creature into the stable.

With quite a bit of effort, he managed to pull the alpaca inside, dodging yet another ball of spit it sent this way. "Not today amigo." he weakly chuckled, knocking on the wooden pillar before grabbing the rope to tie it around.

Huh. Why did others always make it seem so easy?- He furrowed his brows in concentration, trying "There!" He said triumphantly, chuckling in relief. Seeming to set off by his happiness the alpaca jumped towards him, making him yelp in fear as he fell back into the hay.

Bruno closed his eyes and curled into a ball, expecting the hooves of the angry alpaca next, only, that fortunately didn't come. He opened his eyes, confused. The knot seemed to have loosened, but by some miracle still held on, saving him from becoming the alpacas piñata.

"Whew" he chuckled shakily in relief, standing up, and running past Pescado as quickly as possible. "Hah!" He laughed in triumph again, this time out of range of the alpaca that eyed him with pure hatred.

"You! And me!-Not amigos!" He declared, genuinely confused as to why the creature disliked him so much. He remembered how earlier he gave a young girl a vision that her fish would die. Bruno cringed at the memory. It had been a rather big deal, another vision as usual gone bad. He began to wonder if fish in general were just bad luck to him.

"Alright, now the rest of you." he turned back to the couple of donkeys, most idly minding their own business, apart from two that kept trying to kick one another.

Bruno made a point to separate them first, bringing them by their ropes and then tying them to pillars. One by one, he sorted out each donkey, the process very quickly becoming mundane, but he preferred it over the unpredictable alpaca.

"Whew." He stopped to catch his breath, wiping sweat off of his forehead. Now he wasn't so surprised that the people were more than eager to leave them. Bruno turned around, finally! The last one.

He took the rope around the donkey, walking to the stables. "WoA-" Bruno yelped as he fell back, once again into the hay. He sat up, confused and by this point rather frustrated as he turned to the donkey that hadn't moved a muscle and was now looking at him with the same unbothered expression as before.

He sighed, leaning towards the stable and knocking on the wood, before taking a deep breath.

With his nerves somewhat settled, he got up, grabbed the rope and pulled again, at first thinking perhaps he just thought the donkey was still in place like a statue.

But as Bruno pulled and heaved the donkey didn't even budge from its place. He got behind it, trying to maybe push it to the stable, but nothing. Not even the slightest inch. The donkey had rooted itself, and had no intention of moving.

"Aurgh!" He kicked a bucket and held his face in annoyance. Of course, it seemed that there always had to be some kind of a problem.

Maybe he could bribe it?-

Bruno furrowed his brow in thought, trying to remember where the food was kept. Aha!, he smiled as he remembered they kept it in the first pen, the smile fading as he also remembered that was where he had put Pescado in.

He gulped, trying to weigh what he valued more, going to the party?- or his life?-

Bruno took a deep breath, knocking on the wooden pillar 6 times. He frowned as he thought about his mother, her and the townspeople's disappointment and anger with him when they'd find out he just let one donkey go. It seemed all he was good for was disappointment nowadays.

He sighed, walking over a little to the stable containing the potentially murderous alpaca in it. The food wasn't so far away. Yet Bruno knew he couldn't do it, he wasn't brave enough to even dare to. But Hernando was.

With a swift motion, Bruno put his hood up, 'becoming' Hernando. He walked towards the stable with a confident gait. It was almost as if he could hear western music, at a stand off with his arch nemesis, Pescado.

‘Hernando’ took a deep breath before sprinting quicker than he had in his life and grabbing the carrot from a bucket, narrowly avoiding yet another ball of spit hurtling his way.

"HA!" He yelled triumphantly, hood falling down as he jumped up, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. By now the knot had loosened even more, but was still enough to contain the ferocious creature. Bruno knew for sure he wasn't going to go back and redo the knot anyway.

The carrot seemed to do the trick, the donkey following him back into the stable where he promptly tied the rope into a knot. There! Now after avoiding near death he was faced with an even bigger, much scarier challenge- the party.

After picking out some of the hay in his hair and straightening his ruana, he ran back to the casita, knowing that at any time now his mamá would be making her announcement, and oh boy, she wouldn't like it if he was late.

Bruno went through the side of the house, avoiding the people out in the courtyard as he stopped to catch his breath, honestly worn out from trying to arrange the animals into their stables.

"There you are!"

Bruno turned around to see Julieta running over to him. "We've been looking for you for ages! Have you any idea how worried mamá is?!"

Bruno gulped, imagining his mamá’s angry face. "L-lo siento, just had a little run in with the donkeys.." He chuckled wearily, Julieta just rolling her eyes, regretting giving him the task in the first place.

"Come, mamá's about to start!" she said, and he couldn't help but quietly gulp again, nodding and following her up the stairs.

As he walked out to stand by his mother, Pepa already waiting there, he looked down at the people below. There were hundreds at least, all of them staring at his sister, and him. 'You're alright, this is fine-' Bruno tried to calm himself down, now uncomfortably sweating.

On top of that, he could feel his mama's disapproving gaze when she saw he was still wearing his ruana, despite of what she had said.

Not wanting to mention it aloud in public though, Alma didn't comment, instead turning to the crowd of people below, her disapproving expression turning into one of warmth and friendliness in an uncannily short amount of time.

"Everyone!" She began, the crowd of people quieting down. "I am so glad that so many of you made it here on this very special day". Her gaze visibly saddened, as she took a deep breath. "23 years ago, we all had to run away from our homes, looking for a safe place to take refuge in. As you all know, my husband Pedro… gave his life to protect us, giving us this miracle, the Encanto" she smiled sadly, clearly deep in thought.

Bruno couldn't help but look at his mamá with a frown at the mention of his papá, Pedro. He had no recollection of the events, him and his hermanas too young to remember, but everyone knew what had happened. How his papá gave his life for them. He was a hero.

Bruno looked down, unable to think to himself what his papá would think of him. He wanted to imagine that he'd be proud, but it seemed he could only disappoint.

Bruno subconsciously clenched his fists. Why couldn't he be better?

"With the Encanto and the Casita came another miracle, my children's gifts". Bruno looked down again, unable to look at the townspeople, knowing how many he had managed to anger.

"Because of the miracle, me and my children all swear to serve this community, to show how thankful we all are for our amazing gifts.."

Thankful? Bruno couldn't help but think to himself, by each sentence he managed to feel worse and worse. He couldn't help but feel guilt creep up on him, his papá had died for this, and he wasn't even grateful for his gift?

"And as every year passes we grow to help this community more and more, as our gifts grow with us, to help the people of Encanto" Alma smiled, the people below cheering and clapping.

"Now, let the celebrations begin!" She finished her announcement, immediately the music began to play as the casitas tiles moved enthusiastically. Everyone cheered, everyone but Bruno.

The celebrations were supposed to be the fun part, and yet it never felt that way anymore. Slowly Bruno slid through the crowd, keeping his head low as to avoid eye contact.

Everyone was conversing with one another, leaving him awkwardly standing there as he couldn't integrate to any conversation.

"Hey!" He saw someone smile and wave in his direction. Bruno wondered if he knew them, about to greet them when they walked past him, having been addressing the person behind him.

He frowned, deciding the best way to spend his time would be if he sat at good tables, and ate Julie's food. A grin grew on his face as he once again saw the cakes, taking some on his plate and sitting down in one of the few empty spaces.

Bruno ate the food, at least able to enjoy his hermana’s cooking as he hummed to himself. All seemed to be going well, until he looked down, seeing the rats he bought peeking their heads out, smelling the opportunity in front of them.

Two squeaked at each other, already fighting over the crumbs on his lap. "Shh! No, get back!" He whispered hastily, not noticing the few odd looks he got from the unknowing townspeople, now internally questioning why he was talking to and covering his lap.

As he focused on stopping the two from making too much noise, unbeknownst to him, one was already on the table.

Once he looked up he gasped, immediately snatching the rat back into his ruana before it could be seen. Seeing the weird looks people gave him he chuckled uneasily, deciding with the rats it would be best if he kept away from the food.

"This is absolutely ridiculous" he quietly reprimanded his rats as he walked through the crowd, eventually making it to one of the casita’s walls which he leaned on, pretty disinterested but glad that no one was paying attention to him

Before he knew it, it was now Bruno's least favourite part of the entire celebration. He had always thought of this part as a sort of "showcase" of their gifts. Julieta handed out food to people, Pepa made a rainbow, and he…just sort of stood there, away from them as if he wasn't even invited to the party.

"Woo!" He heard the cheer of people, Felìx as always ever so supportive of Pepa, and a now injured Agustin back with Julieta, who just rolled her eyes before stuffing an arepa into his mouth.

Bruno frowned and sighed. He thought about the fact that he was basically being ignored at what was partly his own birthday party, he supposed it was better that way, the painful memory of what had happened when he was 15 flashing in his mind.

He was doing visions for people, sat out on the floor with his equipment and a bucket of sand. When he had been younger this had been seen as the 'main event', and Bruno could see why.

The dramatic twirl of the sand, the bright glow of his eyes, and before you knew it, an emerald tablet in his hands. It was the quite the spectacle.

It seemed as time passed on though the visions only seemed to get worse, and who was to blame in their minds but him?

15 year old Bruno sat down, doing a vision for another person in the formed line. The glow of his eyes, the small dome of sand, and it was done. He didn't even have time to process what was on the vision tablet when he felt a fist hit nose, hard.

Gasps, followed by the angry man being pulled away, angrily yelling obscenities at the now bloody teenager. He sat on the floor, eyes wide in shock as he looked down at his bloody hands that had been instinctively over his broken nose. "Bruno are you okay?!" Said Julieta's voice, he didn't answer.

"Bruno!'

"Ah!" He yelped and jumped up a little, seeing Julie in front of him. He realised he had been so deep in thought that he didn't see her walk over to him, now looking at him with concern as he didn't answer her question.

"Oh!, oh yes!-hehe sorry…yea, I'm fine" Bruno chuckled weakly in an attempt to reassure her, yet her eyes were still filled with concern. Before she could say anything though, a loud crash was heard through the casita.

Everyone went silent, looking up at where the noise had come from.

They heard an ever so long scream, growing louder as a terrified and incredibly disheveled man ran into the courtyard.

"PESCADO- PESCADO HAS ESCAPED!".

Most people looked at eachother, incredibly confused. "Fish?" A few people muttered, others shrugging it off.

Bruno held his breath. Had the knot finally slipped loose?

In that moment though, the aforementioned Pescado had arrived, in the same place the screaming man was seconds ago, and with a murderous intent, charged towards the crowd.

Chaos erupted as people screamed, trying to get as far away from the four legged towering creature of rage as it rampaged around the courtyard.

Bruno was among the people, more than eager to escape, fearing what Pescado would do when he recognised him.

In a matter of seconds, a crowd had formed of people trying to squeeze through the doors of the Casita, and Bruno was stuck near the end of it. Pepa's weather didn't entirely calm anyone's nerves, a rain cloud surrounding her and drenching the guests as she quietly apologised, brushing her hair with her hands in an attempt to calm down.

He turned back to see how close Pescado was, seeing him fling over an unlucky bystander. That's when he noticed something. Strangely, it wasn't everyone who got to feel Pescados wrath, and as he looked over at the people the enraged alpaca targeted, he realised something. They were all wearing green.

"Huh.." Bruno said at the realisation, yelping as he got pushed forward by the people desperately trying to escape. He didn't really know why, perhaps in an attempt to fix his wrong, but with unnatural courageousness he ran back to the courtyard, calling everybody's attention.

"Hey! Everybody!" He yelled at the top of his voice, the people glancing back at him, clearly questioning his sanity. "Bruno get away from here!" Julieta yelled at him, he however ignored her.

"It's alright you can come back, it's green- he hates the colour green!" He gestured to the group of injured people by Julieta, all indeed wearing some form of green.

His voice had called the alpacas attention, as it turned to him, eyes like fiery coals. Bruno gulped, figuring there was a way to test out his feeling, but moreover knowing that running was futile.

He took off his ruana, the rats scurrying away from him. Bruno kissed his ruana, muttering a quiet "sorry" to his beloved garment.

Like a bull, the alpaca charged at him. He threw his ruana as far as he could, still closing his eyes in fear of impact, it however, didn't come. He opened his eyes, seeing Pescado had followed the green item of clothing, now angrily stomping at it.

He chuckled in disbelief, for once amazed at his luck. "Hehe… see! We can put him back in the stables now- just probably don't come out if you're wearing green..".

The people look at eachother, all nodding in agreement. In that moment, a little girl who had been hiding behind a wrecked table jumped out, crying out "mamá!" As she began to run back to the crowd.

The problem was, she was wearing a green dress. The crowd immediately gasped, her mamá’s far cry of horror as she realised what was happening. Pescado turned, charging at the little girl who just stood there, paralysed in fear.

Without thinking twice, Bruno threw himself in her direction, putting his arms around her, covering her with his body. He closed his eyes, expecting to feel the hard hooves of the alpaca, but he didn't.

"Huh?" Bruno dared to open his eyes. He couldn't believe it. Pescado was just…there. Standing there with a disinterested expression, like a completely normal alpaca. He figured with the child out of view, the alpaca simply just gave up.

Within seconds a group of men (not wearing green) threw new rope around the alpaca, swiftly taking it away from the courtyard.

It was over.

Bruno let out a short sigh of disbelief, uncovering the girl. He turned, hearing the mother running over to her child, grabbing her and holding her, crying from the overwhelming emotions.

Bruno stood up, not really minding that the she didn't seem to acknowledge his presence.

As people gradually started to refill the courtyard, Bruno went over to his now, very, wrecked ruana, putting it on purely out of need for comfort.

"How did the alpaca manage to get out in the first place?!" Asked a voice.

"Yea!-aren't the animals supposed to be tied up?" Said another.

Bruno gulped, quietly and subtly tried to get through the crowd of people, something that was taking very long due to the size of it.

A few questions later his heart sunk as he heard. "Who dealt with the animals anyway?"

A moment later and he froze as he heard the answer.

"I left him and the others with Bruno!" Said Pescados owner, the crowd now talking amongst themselves. "Us too!"-

"He said he'd deal with it all fine and look what happened!"

-"Uh, what did you expect- since when does anything good happen when it's Bruno?"-

They slowly ganged up as the people around Bruno stepped away, leaving him in singled out of the crowd.

He laughed, very nervously, feeling as if his heart would explode. He would honestly pick Pescado anytime over this.

"Hehe…everyone, it was an accident" Bruno said, instinctively shrinking away from the eyes on him.

"Oh, just an accident, like that time you saw my business would close down?" A voice sneered, followed by murmurs of agreement.

"Or perhaps that time a cat ate all my chickens!".

By this point Bruno was terrified, his whole body trembling as his eyes looked like those of a prey about to get caught.

"Why are you laughing?, do you think this is funny matón?".

"Yea! A little girl could have died because of you!".

Bruno’s quiet response, more of a murmur really, that he "laughed when nervous" was unheard, the crowd of people turning into a mob as they expressed their anger.

"You can't just blame him for everything! He didn't mean for this to happen, it isn't his fault!" Julieta spoke up in defense of him, feeling guilty for the whole situation as it was her who told him to help with the animals in the first place. "Right mamá?" She turned to her for support. If the crowd would listen to anyone, that someone was Alma.

Alma opened her mouth to say something but didn't say anything, she looked at him conflicted before frowning and looking away.

Bruno had enough. Of this party, of the people treating him like a curse, and most of all his mamá’s disappointment in him.

Wiping his tears with his tattered sleeve he ran off, the people parting for him, watching as he disappeared from view. No one went after him.

After going up the stairs, Bruno slammed the door to his bedroom. He slowly slid down until he was sitting, bringing up his knees to his face as he sobbed. Why did he even try to make things different?! Of course it was going to end this way, it always did.

The three rats he fed before came to his side, bruxing with concern as they could tell something was very wrong. One jumped up onto his knee, burying its face through his locks of hair before tilting his head at him worriedly.

"Hola Bonita" Bruno quietly croaked, petting the rat as it licked the tears off his cheek. He chuckled, unable to not smile a little. "I'm afraid not even you can make this day any good".

As if on cue he heard a loud smack against the window, jumping and ever so slightly fearing for his life again when he squinted his eyes, seeing a face and the oh so familiar red hair. Sandra!

Wait.

"SANDRA?!" His eyes widened as he ran over to the window, immediately opening it for her. What in the world was she doing outside his window?!

"Ah, thank you" she said breathlessly as she went inside, making sure to throw in the box she had been holding, adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

"What- what are you doing here?..." he asked in genuine puzzlement, still looking at her with wide eyes as he recovered from the shock. Even if it weren't for her entrance he was still shocked to see her, how did she manage to leave the shop? And hadn't he told her not to come?

"Oh!, erm, too many people outside hehe- and inside, so I took a shortcut-" she chuckled, thinking he was just referencing the window. Before she even got to finish her sentence however, Bruno had wrapped his arms around her in a tight, affectionate hug.

She looked a little surprised at first, before hugging him back.

"I'm so, so glad you're here" Bruno weakly chuckled, but meant it more than anything. Despite his words and effort to convince her to stay away, he wanted nothing more than for her to be here with him.

"Of course, mi amor" she smiled, speaking ever so softly. Sandra pulled away, not fully, just enough to see his face. Her smile turned visibly sad as she gently wiped a tear under his eye. "I'm so, so sorry". She was beyond heartbroken to see him like this, cheeks stained with tears, beloved ruana tattered almost beyond recognition.

Bruno sniffled, smiling back sadly. "Wait" he began, puzzled. "How did you know?...". Not only did she seem not surprised to find him in such a miserable state, but also knew exactly where to go- or in this case, climb.

"I saw everything…" She weakly chuckled. "I was going to come later anyway, it took me like, a full hour to get close enough to see the courtyard, and then suddenly everyone was trying to leave!, b-but…I managed to stay close enough to see the alpaca, and you, and what happened after…"

Bruno looked down and frowned. "Nothing can just seem to go right, can it?" He let out air through his nose almost as a sort of snort.

She looked at him, with concern. "Well I mean…I did manage to scale the Casita without falling to my death so…that's a plus?" She chuckled, trying to find her eyes and at least get a smirk out of him.

That didn't happen though, as he eyes remained on the floor, clearly in thought. "Do you think…my papá…would be disappointed with me?" He asked quietly, looking up at her with sad defeated eyes.

"What?!" Sandra's eyes widened a little, shocked by the question. "A-a-are you kidding me? Of course not! First you went out and bull-fought that alpaca, and then, then you jumped to save that little girl!, risking your own life!"

She held his hands, bringing them up as she looked into eyes. "Your papá would be so proud of you, no, he is so proud of you!, an-and I don't care what your mamá says!, you risked your life to save that small child, is that not giving back to the community?”

He looked up at her, taken aback and at a loss for words.

"Listen to me, they are the problem. They ask for more and never stop to appreciate what you already give! You are a hero, Bruno".

Bruno’s eyes widened even more, a small blush forming on his cheeks. "Hehe, I wouldn't say that.." He chuckled quietly, scratching the back of his head.

"But you are! You're like the great heroes you write in your telenovelas, I mean- that alpaca was terrifying…" she chuckled weakly.

"Yea… Pescado definitely is something else, I'll give you that" Bruno weakly chuckled, looking back at Sandra whose lips curled upwards as she tried not to laugh.

He sighed and she burst out in laughter, not able to hold back. "I-I'm sorry…but, Pescado?" She looked up at him.

"Look I don't know, that's what the guy said-" now that Bruno thought of it it was a very amusing name for an alpaca, unable to not laugh himself.

"That's like something out of a telenovela!" She wiped the tears of laughter under eyes.

"Pfft- I ought to write a story about it now" Bruno chuckled at the realisation.

"Please do, I'd like to watch it very much- ooh!, which reminds me-" Sandra perked up, looking over at the box on the floor.

She took it, sitting down on the bed and gesturing for Bruno to sit down with her, which he did. "Oh Sandy, you didn't have to.." Already he couldn't help but smile as he awaited her present with excitement.

"Shh! I didn't even open it yet!" She chuckled, jokingly pressing her finger against his lips. "Alright, close your eyes".

Bruno did as she said, unable to not giggle like a small child from the excitement.

"Alright, you can open them".

Bruno’s eyes dilated like a cat. His mouth was wide open, yet he was lost for words.

"MY RUANA?!" He asked in disbelief. In front of him Sandra held a perfect replica of it, just new and untouched- unlike the one he had on. She handed it to him and he buried his face in the material. "Oh my god" he muttered. It was so soft.

After a few moments of just holding it to his face he discarded his old destroyed ruana on the floor, putting the new one on. Making rainbows was part of his sister's gift, but in that moment he looked like he exuded them.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you-" He hugged her again, speaking rapidly from excitement but genuinely grateful.

He pulled away, looking down at it. "I just- woo" his arms automatically waved a little from happiness, making Sandra chuckle.

His rats instantly climbed onto the bed, eagerly going in the strangely familiar but also new garment of clothing.

For the first time today, Bruno was beyond overjoyed. His hands felt the softness of the fabric as he basked in its glory. "S-so what do you think Sandy?, do I look good?" He asked excitedly.

"You always look good, Bruno" Sandra softly chuckled, earnest in her words as his cheeks heated up.

"Hehe, thank you, you too" he quietly mumbled, shyly leaning forward to leave a small but loving kiss on her lips.

One of his rats popped its head out of his new ruana, and Sandra who had been caught up in the moment as well, remembered that there was more in the box.

"That's not all! I doubt it'll make you as insanely happy as this, but still.." she chuckled, handing him over the box.

He looked inside curiously, eyes lighting up once more as he saw the contents. "Sets and prompts for my telenovelas! Thank you" he smiled, taking them out.

The backdrops were painted in painstaking detail, many from recent books he had read and particularly enjoyed. As for the props, small household items were reused and remade to look real, pencil shavings made to look like fancy headpiece and more.

Bruno noticed one more item on the bottom, gasping a little as he took out a well crafted leather bound notebook.

"You mentioned your other ones getting full, so I thought why not?-" Sandra chuckled, once again unable to finish her sentence as Bruno hugged her, her hugging him back.

"Thank you" he smiled gratefully.

"O-of course" Sandra smiled back, happy that he was happy, especially after the days unfortunate events.

Her fingers stroked through his hair and she chuckled quietly from amusement. "Mi amor, you have hay in your hair" Sandra carefully took them out.

"Ah yes, fell into a lot of hay when I dealt with Pescado.." Bruno chuckled, content in just sitting there on his bed. After the unpredictable day he was happy to have some normal piece with the woman he loved.

Well, almost everyday peace.

"Sandy?"

"Hmm?"

"Please just use the stairs the next time-"

"...Alright".