#bruno's telenovelas

[5foot-frame]

✨Watching Telenovelas✨

[aeoneri]

[Tacones Rojos] Chapter 16: A Little Hot Mess

Summary:

ACT II: GABRIELA – Feeling conflicted and guilty, Gabriela decides to pay a visit to someone who (probably) has all the answers.

+👠👠👠+

The room was still dark when Gabriela finally opened her eyes. Every part of her felt sore, and she strangely felt the chill in the air. For a moment, she forgot where she was, wondering why the room seemed so different.

It was only the soft snoring next to her that made Gabriela realize how her night had ended up.

Oh. Oh no. 

Panic, then guilt, swept her up, and she instinctively clutched the blanket closer to her. “What have I done?” She whispered to no one in particular, her eyes glancing next to the person sleeping soundly across the bed. “What did we do?”

The man shifted a little in his sleep, his mess of curls framing his peaceful face. His hand was outstretched towards her, and it made Gabriela’s stomach drop. She buried her face in between her knees, contemplating on what to do.

She wanted fun, and she got it. Their encounter led itself into a one night stand that was filled with passion that burned her insides. He built her up and watched her fall apart in his arms multiple times throughout the night, and if given the choice, she would gladly let him do it all over again.

But there was something that Gabriela couldn’t quite piece together. Somehow, the way it felt was the same, yet so different. The sex with him was intense, and she loved it, but the way he worshiped her, cared for her needs, and even went as far as wrapping her in his arms while they drifted off to sleep — worried her.

Gabriela quietly repositioned herself off the bed, and froze when he suddenly murmured. 

Stay.

Tears suddenly sprung to her eyes. They barely knew each other, and she hadn’t thought to ask his name, but she was certain he had irrevocably fallen head over heels for her. “I can’t.” She choked, resisting the urge to caress his cheek. It felt all too personal too soon. 

She had to get out of there, away from this unfamiliar room. Gabriela knew that she would break his heart by leaving, effectively cementing their night together as nothing more than a memory, but she needed to pull herself out before she even got too deep.

The sky was starting to color with streaks of beautiful oranges, reds and yellows, peeking behind the mountains of Monserrate when she exited the building, pulling the thin coat she thankfully thought to bring with her last night for warmth.

She had fallen for his charms, even just for a little bit, and she feared she’d make the same mistake again if she stayed.

…

There was a heavy pit sitting at the pool of her stomach, threatening to churn the waves of emotions she battled over. Gabriela sat quietly on the bus going to the other side of the city. She didn’t have a reason to feel guilty, though part of her wanted to mourn for what could have been.

She had initially contemplated going home, but dismissed it, dreading the possible questions her friends would throw at her. She was grateful that the streets were thankfully still empty, save for a few night owls and graveyard shift workers making their way home. 

Without a second thought, her fingers hovered slightly over her phone screen, carefully typing out the words to a message.

>Can we talk?<

She didn’t even bother to check if it would be well received when she managed to find her ride. As she looked out the windows, watching the outline of the mountains recede and replace itself with towering buildings, she tried to keep herself together. There was still a long way to go, but it was more than enough time to get her thoughts in order.

…

“I didn’t expect you to drop by suddenly. I hope you weren’t waiting too long.”

Gabriela cautiously entered her brother’s apartment even as he motioned for her to come in. She felt glad that her brother didn’t take her sudden intrusion into his space as a nuisance, though she could not avoid the awkwardness that made her so guarded. She had only been in his apartment a handful of times since they reconnected, and while they were on good terms, most of the time they met outside at a restaurant or café to catch up.

Not today, though. 

“No, not at all. I just arrived myself.” Gabriela murmured, shaking her head when Julián reached out a hand to take her coat. “Sorry, I know it’s such short notice and I’m not sure if today is a bad time, but I really needed someone to talk to, and…”

Julián didn’t hesitate while calmly leading his sister to his couch and prompted her to sit. “Woah there, manita. There’s never a bad time for my baby sister. Wait right here while I get you something to drink.”

While Julián was busy in the kitchen, Gabriela tried to take in her surroundings, realizing she had not taken in much of the details of her older brother’s living space. The living room did not have the typical layout of a bachelor living on his own — unlike the usual neutrals and leather, Julián’s was warm and inviting. Sure, he had a few musical instruments laying about, and a huge TV in the center of the room, but there were plenty of knick knacks on the shelves and color in the room that reminded Gabriela so much of their childhood. His couch was a nice, deep blue, and the accent walls popped out at her. While Julián was a few years older, it never stopped them from essentially gaining the same interests and tastes, especially since they came from a creative family. Gabriela couldn’t help but eye his records piled neatly in the corner next to his model figures.

It felt familiar to her, like she was seventeen again and all was right in the world. They haven’t been living at their family home for a number of years now, but it reminded her of it.

“What are you looking at?” Julián asked his sister when he returned with a mug of chocolate santafereño, handing the hot drink to Gabriela who took it gratefully. “Careful. It’s hot.”

“Nothing in particular.” Gabriela blew away the steam before taking a small sip. “I was just thinking how I never realized your place felt so much like…”

“Our house? That’s because it kind of is.” Julián shrugged, taking a seat opposite his sister. “Mamá usually changes some of the decorations when she visits to match the seasons.”

“Oh.”

An uneasy silence fell and Gabriela had to fight the urge to jiggle her knee.

“They asked about you, you know. If you’re doing okay.”

“What?”

Julián gave her a meaningful look. “They’ve never stopped asking, every time they visit here it’s the first thing they want to know. Even yesterday…”

“Did…did you just come from Chía?” Gabriela’s eyes turned wide like saucers. “Is that why you asked me to wait for you because you’re driving?”

Julián didn’t say anything else, making the emotions and her carefully crafted questions thrown out the window as the world blurred around her. “You were visiting them! I can’t believe I made you cut it short because of me…”

Gabriela didn’t realize she had started crying until Julián gently took the shaking mug out of her hands. “Hey. Hey.” Julián quickly wrapped a comforting arm around his sister. “No, no. It’s fine. The moment I received your text, I was already preparing to head back here. I guess it was timely enough, but I should’ve gotten home sooner.”

“I’m pretty sure Mamá and Papá hate me even more now.” 

“What makes you say that?”

“They’ve been asking you about me, and…Marco…my ex…has been over the news lately. They told me…I was a fool when they first kicked me out…”

“Papá has told me multiple times how he regrets that night you left home. It’s the one thing he’d like to do if he could turn back time. He was angry that you fell for someone who…you know, attracted trouble, but he hoped that you were happy, at least. After the scandal broke and spread over there…if anything, the tabloids are fueling his anger towards your ex. Not you.”

“Then why haven’t they reached out to me all these years if they regret so much…? It was easy for you to do so.”

Minutes passed. Or maybe an eternity had before Julián managed to get the words out. “They don’t know how to start a conversation with you, manita. You weren’t on such good terms with the family when you had left.”

Much had been said, and Gabriela pondered over it all as the last of her tears ran empty, shivering up her spine in noiseless sobs. “I don’t think I can face them still, Julián.”

“Why?” Julián took a good look at her, confusion scrunching up his brow. “Did something else happen?” Her brother’s face grew dark which made her flinch. “Did he do something to you, Ella?”

“No, it’s not him, Julián.” Gabriela trembled. She contemplated telling her brother what had happened the night before and decided it was in her best conscience to confess. “It’s me. I did something…that I shouldn’t have done at all. And what’s worse…I think it’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.”

…

Ávila was close to ripping their door open and tackling Gabriela to the floor when the latter came home hours later. “Where the hell have you been?!” Ávila half-screamed, arms flailing around while chewing Gabriela out. “I thought something terrible had happened to you!”

“I was at my brother’s house and my phone went dead.” Gabriela winced under Ávila’s glare. “We hadn’t seen each other in a while and I lost track of time. Sorry, Ávi.”

“Can you imagine the panic when José told me this morning that he lost track of you last night? I had half a mind to call the policía and report you as missing.” 

“But I’m here now, though.” Gabriela padded herself to the kitchen where José was trying to keep himself distracted by obsessively cleaning the stove, with Ávila following close behind her. “And why would you even call the police?”

José stiffened when Ávila cleared their throat. “Because someone thought it would be a good idea to place a bet.”

“It was in good faith, amor!” He protested before a look from his beloved cut him short.

“And as I was saying,” Ávila continued. “What kind of person wouldn’t be worried if they found out their best friend had been having drinks with a complete and total stranger? Like, I know everyone at the bar is well-equipped to handle any problem customers that might try to take advantage of those vulnerable, but you disappeared for hours without telling any of us where you were going. What if your ex suddenly showed up and kidnapped you by force? What if the secret admirer you were drinking with turned out to be a serial killer and my BOYFRIEND had inevitably led you to your doom?”

“He’s not like that though…” Gabriela started to say before she could stop herself, and the room immediately fell deathly silent. “Ay Dios mío, forget I said anything.”

“Oh no, no, no. Sit. Down.” Ávila hissed when the initial shock passed, pulling a chair for themselves and Gabriela. “Spill.”

Gabriela crossed her arms across her chest, as she attempted to avoid meeting Ávila and José’s eyes. “It’s nothing.”

“You’re avoiding my eyes. It’s definitely something.”

“You’re just imagining things.”

“I’ve known you for years, chica. And I know how you can’t even lie to save your life. So spill.”

“...”

The tips of Gabriela’s ears felt hot and she wished the earth could swallow her whole. At that moment of vulnerability, her brother’s advice came ringing in her ears.

You have nothing to be ashamed of. Life changes at any moment, so what will you do?

What will she do?

For a moment, she caught a glimpse of the future in that room, spending another night tucked in his sheets, smiling up at the man whose eyes held the deep mysteries of the universe. But she would never have the chance again.

Not all of your questions will have the answers.

But what if it does?

So stay.

“I slept with the man at the bar.” Gabriela quickly confessed, clenching her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. She ignored Ávila and José’s shocked expressions and Gabriela pushed on with what she wanted…NEEDED to say. There was no other way but forward, and while there was a chance for her to connect with him in some way, she needed to figure herself out. “It’s complicated, and if it wasn’t for the bet…I’ll tell you both all you need to know, but first, I need you, José, to swear not to tell him the truth.”

+👠👠👠+

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[thisstableground]

Hi, I'm curious about something and you're like the one person I know who knows both characters so what would a meeting between Usnavi and Bruno be like? Just wondering

(this is broadway usnavi btw, i haven’t seen the movie)

okay! so, i actually think that bruno and usnavi have way more in common than you’d think just from a quck glance.

usnavi is clearly deeply loved by his community, whereas bruno is shunned by his, but (at least before usnavi’s character arc in the show) both of them feel on the outside of things. it’s probably not a coincidence that usnavi’s the only one breaking the fourth wall in ITH. he’s really no more the main character than, say, nina, but he is the one who chats with the audience directly, and i think that reflects the fact that he feels, like the audience, that he’s watching everyone else’s lives rather than participating himself. the world spins around while i'm frozen to my seat. and isn’t that so similar to bruno, sitting isolated in his room, watching visions of everyone else’s lives but never getting out himself, or putting on his rat plays in his space behind the wall? they both view themselves more in the role of narrator or observer, not a character with their own arc.

it’s obviously got a different vibe. i don’t think usnavi realises quite to what extent he’s loved by the people around him (he seems absolutely baffled by sonny and vanessa being upset about him leaving) but he definitely does not feel unloved. i think bruno also doesn’t realise how loved he is, but in his case he also has very good reasons to feel unloved, and is much less welcomed by the wider community (though perhaps when he was younger, this was different). and i definitely get the impression that usnavi’s relationship with his parents was an affectionate one, not a fraught one like bruno’s.

but there is that sense, for both of them, of having lost the thread of their individual identity under all the pressure of legacy and lost parents and their role and duty to their community. and both of them are stuck. they're living a life that isn't where they want it to be, there are things they want and relationships they crave but they can't move out of the place they're trapped in. there is also the sense that some part of is their own subconscious doing.

i always interpret usnavi’s as a result of anxiety that largely comes from losing his parents, a past that he can't change but wishes he could: what if he makes a wrong choice and something else bad happens, what if he loses someone else or loses his memory of his parents? better keep things exactly the same, to be safe. and bruno's as a result of seeing futures that he can't change but wishes he could, and what if he is cursed? what if he is the reason things go wrong? better knock on wood, hold your breath, spin in a circle, to be safe. when your life throws you a pain that you can't control, you create a routine that you can control, even if it eventually takes over and controls you.

usnavi's goal for a long time is to go back to the dominican republic, apparently, but until abuela claudia wins the lotto it really doesn’t look like he’s got any intention of taking steps towards that. and bruno is very similar - doesn’t actually manage to run away, because he’s too connected to his home and his family, but he doesn’t know how to change things so he just hides, stays the same, watches everything else grow and change without him. i’d bet that usnavi and bruno have had similar thoughts so many times of like “oh i’ll ask vanessa out, i'll sell the store, i'll move to DR. one day. probably. not yet.” and “i’ll talk to my sisters, i'll leave the encanto properly, i'll go outside. at some point. probably. not yet.”

and part of that pressure is external circumstances, but part of it is self-imposed, as a defense mechanism. if you lose yourself in your work or your duty to that extent, if you hide behind the things that are honest about it, then you always have an excuse to tell yourself for the rest. someone does always need coffee or a vision or a stable job or to be protected, that's true, so you can pretend that you're putting that big plan off because you're just too busy with all that other stuff, not because you're scared to do it. stay in the store. stay behind the walls. part of it is kindness, or duty, or practicality, yes. part of it is fear.

oh and speaking of abuelas! (though, again with a very different vibe depending who we're talking abut) i think both of them are very led by their love and respect for the respective maternal figures in their lives, but that this clouds their own desires/goals. claudia says to her own mama, "i spent my life inheriting dreams from you", and i think that without meaning to, the same happens with her and usnavi about moving to the dominican republic. as soon as it was him making the choice alone, he realised that it wasn’t what he wanted. i think there’s always some part of him that does want that a little, i doubt claudia picked that up from nothing, but it’s possible that she read usnavi's vague ideas of going to DR more strongly through her own experience of missing where her family came from, the part of her that regrets not going back to cuba, and didn’t recognise that the indecision probably meant part of usnavi felt it wasn't right for him.

and that’s so similar for alma, though it's much more harsh and hurtful in this instance: she parents her children and grandchildren based on her own history and regret and fear and wishes. she wants a safe place to hide, she wants outsiders not to find them or cause them harm: bruno lives up to that and then some when he goes into the walls. and he convinces himself it's the best choice for himself and for the family, but it isn’t. they probably don’t even realise that it’s something he learned from her example.

neither claudia nor alma mean any harm by this, they try their best, and they sacrifice for it: alma locks away her own grief and her trauma to build a whole community from the ground. claudia could use her lotto money to go back to la vibora after days into weeks into years away from home, but it’s puerto plata that they’re getting a plane ticket for, usnavi's island, not hers. they’re both misguided, their own pasts biasing their perception, but they do love their kids.

anyway!! you asked what it'd be like if they met, not for a list of things they have in common or for an extensive meta about abuelas. tough shit i guess you got that too.

so. i think that usnavi may see the similarities between himself and bruno, but he doesn’t strike me as the kind of person who dislikes people who he can see his own flaws/insecurities in. if anything it just makes him reach out to them more. i think he would want to help. he’s been scared and lonely and saddled with too much responsibility from too young an age and felt like he lost everything before, too, but he’s doing so much better now, and he'd want to extend that hope to anyone else who is struggling similarly. and what bruno needs more than anything is to be shown kindness and acceptance, both things that usnavi can very easily give. i also think usnavi has absolutely no concept of people being weird, he’s extroverted and makes friends easily but he’s not exactly Mr Social Cues himself. bruno could say the most absolute batshit thing you’ve ever heard and usnavi would just be like “lmao yeah i get u :)))"

bruno, on the other hand, probably would struggle to like someone who he felt was too much like himself, but i don’t think he’d see usnavi that way. someone who has struggles, fears, insecurities that bruno does relate to, but who unlike bruno is also bubbly and bouncy and chatty, and who is trying so, so hard all the time to be positive (even when it would be healthier to let themselves feel angry, or sad, or hurt, even when it's blatantly obvious that they are feeling those things), someone who helps other people when they're in the middle of their own crisis and who thinks of themselves as just a totally unremarkable, ordinary, nothing-special person because they don’t see the way that everyone gravitates towards their warmth and kindness. he’s not going to see himself in usnavi. he’s going to see mirabel.

they’d get along great.

[zafirosreverie]

Bruno with a foreigner S/O

a/n: for anon! Hope you like it

---------------------------------------

I think it depends a little on where you're from. Whether or not your culture is too different from his.

If that's the case, he would do his best to understand your culture first. He really loves it when you start talking about what you like or your childhood.

Your accent is kind of funny to him. He finds it cute and could spend hours listening to you without getting tired. He has the biggest heart eyes as he listens to you.

You're in charge of the telenovelas from now on! He will create the script, but he will definitely convince you to be the narrator.

He also consults you about your country and its customs to be able to make more variety of characters.

Introducing you to his family was quite an experience. Bruno knew you would be welcome at Casita without a doubt, he just didn't expect the enthusiasm.

First of all, you were the first person he introduced to his mother and sisters in...you were the first and only.

Alma was really happy, Pepa hugged you after threatening you and Julieta tried not to overwhelm you, but you could see the tears of joy in her eyes.

The children were less subtle. Camilo immediately mentioned your accent, receiving a scolding from Mirabel.

Dolores immediately grabbed your arm and began asking you questions, finding your way of speaking charming.

Isabela and Antonio asked you about the flora and fauna of your country and Luisa simply welcomed you, without wanting to make you feel more uncomfortable or axphyrized like the rest.

In the end, Bruno apologized for the fuss, but you assured him that you had a good time.

He begins to imitate your small gestures. He doesn't do it on purpose, he doesn't even realize it, but you do and you find it adorable.

The rest of the family makes an effort to make you feel included, Julieta and Félix invite you to share dishes from your country and Alma is really interested in your childhood.

Bruno really loves you and he's happy that you were able to open up his view of the world.

He simply loves being with you and learning everything you want to teach him (of course, you do the same, it's a reciprocal and beautiful relationship).

[cheeseanonioncrisps]

It just occurred to me…

So Delores can very clearly hear Bruno in the walls, right? Like the rest of the family may think he's missing, but she knows he's still in the house. She even admits as much to Mirabel in We Don't Talk About Bruno.

I've seen various explanations for why she reveal this to the rest of the family, ranging from 'she was scared of upsetting Abuela', to 'she was angry at Bruno for ruining her chances with Mariano', even 'she straight up assumed she was hallucinating the whole thing'.

And these are all very good explanations. But I have another question:

Does… does Delores know that the other family members don't know where Bruno is?

I mean, it's not as if they're talking about it.

She might be aware that Mirabel, Camilo and Antonio are in the dark, because they would have been either young children or not born when he 'left', but there's honestly no reason for her to assume that the adults don't know he's in the walls.

Dolores can literally hear an eyelid twitch from several rooms away. Bruno, from her perspective, is gonna be loud. He's walking around, knocking on the walls and staging elaborate telenovelas with his pet rats. It's entirely possible that she thinks the rest of the family can hear him as well.

And from her perspective, this probably wasn't a discovery. Like, there was a family argument, she woke up one morning and Tío Bruno was for some reason living in the walls, and whenever she tried to bring it up the adults would tell her not to talk about it, or insist that he was 'gone'.

I dunno, I'm just enjoying the idea of the post-movie family discussion being like:

“Delores! Why didn't you tell us your Tío Bruno was living in the walls?!”

“Wait. You guys didn't KNOW Tío Bruno was living in the walls??? Where did you think he was???”

[fun-incorrect-quotes]

My most favorite Encanto headcanon is that Dolores was VERY invested in Bruno’s rat telenovelas

[luisaenjoyer]

Madrigals Sleeping Headcanons 😴

Part 2: Grown-ups

Alma

-Absolutely needs a sleeping mask

-Always the first one to wake up, and does not care if you want to sleep in. She’s getting her day started regardless

-Often has nightmares and won’t tell a soul 😢

-Looks so polite when she’s sleeping

Pepa

-Comes in 3rd place for worst snoring in the family, usually mumbles under her breath while snoring too

-Snores REALLY bad when she’s had a few too many glasses of wine

-Is known to sleep walk and Félix has to make sure she doesn’t do anything dangerous

-Has a habit of pulling all the blankets to her side of the bed during the night

Félix

-Loves cuddles with Pepa before bed

-If she’s not in the mood for cuddles, a good book will do

-Loves a good cup of chamomile tea before bed

-Falls asleep in minutes— that man has zero stress at bedtime

Bruno

-Falls asleep to telenovelas

-Often times deals with insomnia, but after reconnecting with the family, they’re making him get help for it

-Has a bad habit of going to bed super late, like almost sunrise

-Sleeps very curled up and in a fetal position. Get this man therapy

Julieta

-Probably gets the best sleep in the family, despite having sleepy looking eyes

-Always puts lotion on her arms and chest before bed, especially herbal scents

-Loves a good book before bed

-Is adorable and often cuddles with Agustín when going to sleep

Agustín

-Julieta often gives him a massage before bed (he’s more often than not sore from however he hurt himself that day)

-Can be prone to sleepwalking. Has definitely knocked things over or made a big mess a few times

-Has a lower bed because he’s repeatedly fallen out of bed in the night

-Sleeps like a rock and is almost impossible to wake up when he’s in deep sleep

[babylonqaf]

so we all agree that antonio knows about bruno primarily through is work as a rat telenovela writer yes? like kid got his powers and started getting bedtime stories from animals and all the rats just.. re-created the various telenovelas bruno wrote in his isolation. imagine antonio, 5yo, half asleep, "what happens next?" and the rats like "idk bro, Bruno didn't get there yet"

"yeah okay, that makes sense"

"..."

antonio, suddenly fully awake, "hold the fuck up"

[heartniche]

"You’re reading it now?" "Of course!"

As a birthday gift, Bruno wrote Mirabel a story based on her favorite telenovela characters. Isn’t it both flattering and mortifying when someone reads your work in front of you? No rats to hide behind this time.

Bonus doodle:

[noellemadrigal]

When Bruno first meets Noelle in “La Rata Y El Profeta”

Art by the wonderful NS artwork 😍💚✨

I’m just waiting for my AO3 to come through and then I will finally be posting the first two chapters of my new fic 🥹💚

But in the mean time, here’s a little snippet from the draft of my first chapter!

For context, Diego is one of Bruno’s oldest and most loyal rats 🥹🐀

The moment Noelle meets Bruno, draft:

Suddenly Noelle felt a shift with the floor boards, causing her to lose balance and tumble down. She lifted her head up to see a large shadow appear from behind a tacky, red arm chair that towered over them. Noelle covered her eyes startled as she helplessly began to shake.

“Don’t worry chico” Diego placed his paw on Noelle’s shoulder to try and calm her.

“Oh hey mi amigos, I was wondering where you had all gone!” The shadow spoke, his voice soft and containing a slight titter.

She opened her eyes and looked up to see a curious and unkempt looking man kneeling above her.

“Well, who do we have here hey?”

Bruno smiled and slowly rested his hand in front of her. Noelle looked over at Diego who nodded his head reassuringly before she stood up and allowed herself to fall into Bruno’s palm, instantly feeling the warmth of his skin as he gently scooped her up.

“Looks like you’ve had a rough time”

He slouched down in his chair and began trailing his finger across her fur which felt so comforting to Noelle. She couldn’t help but notice he smelt so good too; with hints of sage and sandalwood. He pulled a handkerchief out from his pocket and began to softly wipe the mud off her fur whilst humming to himself. Noelle smiled and closed her eyes as she listened to the sound of his voice which seemed to embrace her with a feeling of peace and safety.

“Wow, rubia! You have very pretty fur hidden under all that mud” Bruno chuckled to himself. “And I bet you’re hungry too?”

Noelle nodded and let out a little squeak in response to Bruno. The other rats began to help themselves to a pile of food that was placed on a table situated next to his chair. Bruno grinned lovingly at his rats as they all began to feast on their dinner. He glanced down at the plate to see there was one piece left and passed it over to Noelle.

“I’m afraid sometimes food can be a little eh…scarce here. But we try and make do” He said, trying to sound a little upbeat. “Here, you can have mine…”

She smiled at his kind gesture and took the baked good from his fingers. She couldn’t help but wonder why he appeared to be living in the walls. As she nibbled on the piece of arepa her eyes began to analysis the room around her. It was full of random odds and ends, make shift lanterns, plants pots and piles of plates. Why did he have so many plates? There were pieces of paper pinned to the wall which appeared to contain painted art pieces of rats in different costumes alongside random doodles. A hammock was seen hooked up behind his chair which Noelle assumed he slept in, due to the lack of a bed. She turned her head as she spotted a little theatre which was placed on top of an old beer barrel behind her. Bruno smiled and pointed towards it, a proud expression forming across his face.

“Heh, that’s our stage for my world famous telenovelas!” he chuckled once again before shrugging his shoulders “well, I guess it’s only really me that actually gets to see them. And these guys too!”

🥹💚✨

[aeoneri]

[Tacones Rojos] Chapter 17: Invisible String

Summary:

ACT II: GABRIELA – After a close call, Gabriella finds herself in a predicament she would never have guessed.

+👠👠👠+

After her confession, Gabriela tried her best not to think about that night. She didn’t have time, anyway, to dwell. The schedule for the first cast meeting filming was coming up very soon and she needed to get herself in order. Alexandra had already called her in advance with all the details and what to expect.

She had to make the opportunity count.

The fateful day came sooner than she thought. There was nothing that would stand in her way.

Except...

Gabriela was all dressed and ready to go when her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, so she let it go to voicemail.

The voice on the other end made her hair stand up on its end.

“Ella, it’s me. I’ve given you enough time and space. Can we please talk this out?”

What once sounded so melodic and full of love now sounded malicious and threatening. So it was only normal for her to feel frightened when she looked out her bedroom window and saw her ex waiting outside the building with a bunch of flowers in one hand, wearing dark clothes and a mask covering his face.

Ávila suddenly bursting into her bedroom did not also do any favors. “ELLA!” Ávila half-screeched, looking more frazzled than ever. The fear was evident in their eyes. “WHY is your ex outside? How the hell did he find my address?”

“I don’t know!” Gabriela was on the verge of tears, the stress and nerves mixing together in a not-so-good cocktail. She felt like throwing up. “You know I haven’t been active on any socials since we broke up, and I’m careful whenever I post something on the rare occasions that I do go online to remove all of my locations.”

“I believe you…but why the hell is he here?” Ávila resisted the urge to sneak another peak outside. Though it would probably be wise to do once they’ve better assessed the situation. “Jesus. I’m not sure if he’s seen me, but I hope he didn’t.”

Gabriela’s stomach dropped. “Why? Why would Marco see you?”

“I was out on the balcony to take a quick breather from work, when I noticed something, or rather, someone suspicious watching the entrance. I hid immediately, but who knows?” 

A knock coming from out in the hallways startled the both of them into silence. Dread churned Gabriela’s insides, and looking outside, she knew Ávila and herself were in a potentially dangerous, and volatile situation. 

“What are we going to do…” Ávila began, chewing on their thumb. “Out of all the times this would happen…it had to be on the first day of your new acting job!”

It was indeed terrible timing, but she knew it wasn’t be far-fetched for the world to consistently fuck her over. “Ávi, you have to help me get out of here.” Gabriela schooled herself to remain calm. It would not help her cause to panic, not when Marco was for sure somewhere within the building, trying to look for Ávila’s apartment. A split-second was probably more than enough for him to figure out the number of floors.

What terrified Gabriela the most was how calculated it seemed. Sure, it didn’t take a genius to put two and two together, and she had become too complacent, in a way. She could’ve reached out to Julián much earlier and moved out before she got into this mess.

“What? No. José’s not even going to be back for another hour, and I can’t just let you walk out of here alone.” Ávila stood firm, eyeing Gabriela while she quickly stuffed a go-bag with clothes, makeup, and whatnot. “Your psycho ex is outside, and while I know you have to be somewhere soon, your safety before your career comes first!”

Gabriela listened for any changes that might be happening across the hall from the apartment, hoping that their neighbors would buy her enough time to escape. Thankfully there were three other units whose balconies faced the street, and it would take Marco some time, albeit small, to pinpoint the correct one.

“I know. I know Ávi, but I really have to go.”

“Not a chance, chica.”

“Ávi, we have an even dire situation on our hands, and if I don’t leave now, it’ll get very nasty very quickly for the both of us.”

Realization flickered in Ávila’s eyes when Gabriela refused to say any more, and they quickly whipped their phone out to dial a number. “Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!” They cussed. “José’s not answering.”

“Just try again.” Gabriela’s eyes darted to the apartment door, just as she placed her prized red heels in the bag. She then quickly pulled on a pair of shorts and a loose shirt. “Don’t stop until he answers you—”

Both of them froze when someone rapped on their door. “I know she’s hiding here, Ávila.” Marco’s voice was clear through the heavy wood. “I mean no harm. I just want to talk to Ella. Please.”

“Don’t say anything.” Gabriela whispered, carefully slipping into a pair of running shoes. “Not a single sound.”

Ávila watched their friend open her bedroom window. “What are you doing?!” Ávila hissed, with eyes so wide. “Are you insane?!”

Gabriela shrugged as she quickly and quietly slipped out into the fire escape. “A little bit messed up in the head, but I’m not letting my ex stop me.” She responded in a hushed tone. “I’ll also go get you some help while you just keep contacting José. Just hang on tight.”

…

The driver kept eyeing Gabriela in the backseat, who was busy making herself look presentable. She glared at the man through the mirror, hoping to God that he wasn’t thinking of trying anything funny. She was already running way behind, and if not for her audacious getaway, Gabriela was sure she would’ve been promptly replaced.

The stars were aligning just for her, though the odds of finding an Uber only to be stuck in traffic did little to ease the tension on her shoulders.

Gabriela had reported the disturbance to the police station near the apartment to try and get her ex apprehended and away from everyone. But just as expected, the police found no trace of Marco an hour later when they checked in. Thankfully, Ávila was safe, and José had arrived back home safely without any incident. Though knowing that Marco would not rest until he had his way, Gabriela knew that she could no longer stay there for her friends’ sake. Ávila would beg her to reconsider, but knowing how it shook them both, Gabriela did not want to put any of them in any more danger.

The thought of having to move again on such short notice worried Gabriela, but there were more important things that needed her attention. She shot her brother with a message not expecting much, as the car finally arrived at the co-space in Avenida Carrera 15.

Gabriela almost flung herself out in a hurry, glad that she had enough credit in her card to forgo cash payment. Her heels clacked on the pavement as she made her way inside, carefully balancing the tote on her shoulder, filled with the clothes she wore earlier as she ran away.

Standing in front of the large door, she took a deep breath and reminded herself of the spiel she rehearsed. Her destiny was waiting on the other side, and she entered without a moment’s hesitation.

And when she did, Gabriela got more than what she bargained for. 

Never in a million years did Gabriela think it was possible. She had never expected to cross paths with him again. But there he was, the person who plagued her thoughts even though she tried hard to forget.

“Lo siento, llegó tarde. Traffic was terriblé.” She greeted as she smoothed down the invisible wrinkle on her dress while apologizing to the director and the crew who had already started without her. She had never been late for any of her appointments, but circumstances had prompted her to take the long way there.

“Ay, no, no. Glad that you made it.” Hernando motioned for Gabriela and proudly introduced her to the rest of the group. She had worked with Hernando multiple times in the past and was familiar with his methods and style, and it definitely worked in her favor. “Everyone, this is our leading lady. Since we’re all complete, we can start the screen test and script reading after this meeting.”

“Thanks, Nando.” Gabriela whispered. “For that introduction.”

“No worries, Ella. It’s unlike you to be late, but there’s always a first time, eh?” He ribbed good-naturedly and Gabriela rolled her eyes at him. “I’m joking.”

“Ha. Ha.”

“By the way, your leading man is over…there.”

Hernando pointed over to the man sitting in the far corner of the room whose face was buried deep in the script he had in hands. She had thought him to be a minor cast member at first, or one of the production crew, but was surprised to find out that he was the actor whose performance everyone raved about. 

“He had star power, Ella, and he would for sure match your energy.”

He matched her energy, all right. She shooed the thought away and made her way towards him.

Gabriela made a small wave to catch his attention, unsure of how to approach him. Surely he doesn’t remember me, does he? He remained oblivious, not until one of the crew members sitting next to him nudged him a little too harshly. His brows furrowed in slight annoyance as he glared at the intruder, and then their eyes met. 

For a moment, whether she’d like to admit it or not, it felt like time had stopped.

Gabriela prided herself in being able to keep her emotions in check. But standing there, in front of the man with whom she shared all of herself — the truest version of her — in a one night stand, made the tiniest crack on the walls she cocooned herself in. There were a million and one thoughts running through her head, and it was terrifying.

Had she not learned anything?

So she did what she did best — masking her anxiety with humor. “I think we’ll get along, director.” Gabriela exclaimed as she extended a hand toward the man in greeting. She flashed a brilliant smile, but could feel her hand starting to get clammy. “Hola. Fancy seeing you here. Soy la Imelda de tu Héctor. Llámame Gabriela.”

He just stared at her with his mouth agape. An awkward silence fell, and Gabriela thought to retract her hand, and almost yelped when he took it in his. “Uh, yeah.” He croaked, his grip on hers a little too firm. It was an innocent handshake, but the contact was just enough to make her blush. “Same. I wasn’t expecting it myself. Anyway, nice to meet you, Gabriela. I’m Bruno.”

…

The principal filming for the early flashback scenes would start early the next morning. It was how Hernando usually shot his films — usually all out of order — to maximize the time with each actor he worked with. He also rarely utilized screen testing actors until the day before actuals to make sure the comments would be still fresh on everyone’s mind.

In his words, everyone had chemistry — and even terrible chemistry could work in someone’s favor.

Gabriela went through the motions with ease, but by the fifth take she could tell that Bruno, while courteous enough, was struggling with Nando’s instructions.

“You good?” Gabriela asked Bruno while Hernando discussed something with the assistant director way out of earshot.

Bruno blinked back at her. “Sorry.” He muttered. “Just nerves.”

“First time?”

“Being in front of a camera or ogled by people?”

Gabriela contemplated for a bit. “Both?”

“Nope.” Bruno snorted. “I’ve acted before.”

“Then why the nerves?”

Bruno’s lips twitched upwards into a smirk, though a faint dusting of pink started across his cheeks. “This is going to sound pretty stupid, and I don’t want to be too forward, but I was just thinking how God is probably real. I’m amazed at the odds. It must be fate.”

Her eyes widened at the implication, and Gabriela shot him a mortified look. “Dios mío.” She had been trying to keep her cool about the whole one night stand ordeal, and hoped he wouldn’t dare bring it up, especially while working. “What?”

“You know what I’m talking about.” He said, almost coolly. “I had been thinking about you since then.”

Was he trying to play with her?

“Don’t tell me you want to discuss it right now!” She hissed. “If you’re referring to that night, I know it’s a little slimy to leave without an explanation, but…”

“I understand.” Bruno chuckled, taking Gabriela aback at his nonchalant attitude all of a sudden. “If I were in your shoes, I would also sneak out just to avoid the awkwardness after.”

Would it have been awkward if she stayed? Gabriela knew that it probably wouldn’t be the case. But before she could say anything further, Hernando loudly yelled ‘CUT!’. The way Gabriela quickly turned her head to face the camera probably gave her whiplash.

When had Hernando returned to filming them?! She returned her gaze back to Bruno, who mouthed an apology.

“That’s exactly the energy I wanted to see between our two lovebirds.” Hernando clapped, unaware of the dangerous glint in Gabriela’s eyes. “Great work. Make sure to keep that up tomorrow on the first scene. Let’s wrap up for the day.”

+👠👠👠+

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[pepa-brainrot]

Encanto Oc Appreciation week two! Relationships ✨️

@encanto-extended-edition

It's my beloved sunshine trio! I finally drew all of them together (took me long enough I know)

Some more of Armida's relationships summarized below the cut 💛

(I am so terribly bad at summaries Im so sorry- If I could write out the extent of all of their relationships I would- sadly I dont have the time..)

Alma: Her relationship with Alma pre movie is strained- mostly because she fears the older woman. Armida is riddled with anxiety and intrusive thoughts over what her mother in law may think of her, and often fears Alma thinks she got into the way of her daughter's relationship- or that she isn't a "real" madrigal. Basically.. it's a lot of assumptions on how Alma feels about her.. but they are not always truthful.

Armida also tends to disagree with Alma's ways. But between her being passive by nature and having a fear of speaking up, she never says anything. Rather she does her best to help by being there for other family members the best she can be.

Julieta: She was the first of the triplets that Armida became close to. Armida had visited her stand often, and at first Julieta thought the younger woman was accident prone like Agustín.. Over time it became clear that wasn't the case, but Armida was always super polite- despite lying about why she needed to be healed. She always made sure to thank Julieta - not just for healing her but for everything she does. After that it was surprisingly easy for the two of them to talk- and making friends with Julieta naturally got Armida talking to Bruno and Pepa. Although out of the triplets Armida is the least closest to Julieta now, she still feels incredibly safe with the woman. Armida is set trying to lessen Julietas work load. The only issue being- she really can't cook- all she can really do is help with preparation when needed. So instead she settles with going out to town when Julieta needs anything. It's not a lot, but it's something at the very least, and it's appreciated more than Armida will probably ever realize. 

Bruno: While obviously Armida is closest with Pepa and Félix, she also shares a really close bond with Bruno. The both of them being pretty bad insomniacs, they bonded a lot over sleepless nights- She'd tell him about the stars if the sky was clear enough and he'd talk about his rat telenovelas or sometimes about his gift- and she'd comfort him. She's a fan of his telenovelas- she loves the rats, and he's actually a really good writer. She offers to help make small costumes and even jokes about background music for suspense. All and all their relationship is very cute- I like to say they are like platonic soulmates. Obviously after Bruno disappears and comes back things aren't the same.. while he was in the walls some nights she'd sit and talk with his door instead, not knowing he was actually listening. Things are a bit awkward when he comes back- Armida having a lot of feelings about him "leaving" when he hurt his family so badly, but in the end she understands his motivation. 

Isabela: When Isabela was little, the girl loved getting her hands dirty. so naturally - Armida loved taking the girl out with her in her nature walks, because even at twenty seven she herself still loved to explore. It was something they bonded over, Dolores never really being as interested. But of course fell apart after Isa was pressured into being the golden child. Now they aren't nearly as close, but the both of them still remember digging for worms near Casita, or going looking for different types of plants in the jungle. Sometimes Isa still takes walks- taking the same paths they used to when she was little- when she knows no one is looking for her. It helps clear her head. Of course after the movie the two begin to grow close once more, Isa being quite excited to show off all the new plants to her supportive tía.

Dolores: I think the majority of the fandom has agreed that Dolores is a daddy's girl- and I completely agree. However she of course loves each of her parents. Mida specifically doted a lot on her when she was younger- having been their first child. She'd often sing to her- writing her own little songs for her daughter. After Dolores got her gift it was a nice thing for the young girl to focus on- her mother singing. Unfortunately getting her gift, like with many of the madrigals, forced Dolores to grow up too soon. She's often a bit protective over her mother, due to things she's heard over time. Armida mostly dislikes the fact that Dolores feels the need to protect her- as she should be the one protecting her.

Little bonus- Armida despises Mariano at first. She disliked him when he was with Isa, not because she knew Isa didn't actually want to marry him (though she has suspected maybe something was up, if she had known that straight up I don't imagine she'd be able to keep quiet about it.) She's- in general- overprotective when it comes to any of the kids dating. She does, however, come around to him. 

Luisa: With Luisa there isn't too much to say. Like Pepa and Félix, Armida treats each of Julieta's girls like her own kids,and Luisa is no exception. She used to read or sing to her each night as a kid, as she did with all of them. Each grandkid grew up with at least one song or story before bed, and sometimes even as adults or teenagers they still request it. But as with most of the kids, as Luisa grew up she stopped having time for things like that. Still Armida is always ready to sing or read to her once again- no matter how old she is.

Camilo: Camilo and Armida have very similar senses of humor at times, which means they make for quite the pair. The two of them sometimes pull little pranks around the house, nothing too much of course- after all she's still his mother and won't let him get away with everything, but he still gets away with more with her then he does with Félix or Pepa. Though being fifteen he doesn't spend as much time with his mom as he did at one point in his life- he still won't deny he loves her very much.

Mirabel: Pre movie, Armida would try her best to make Mirabel feel just as special as the rest of the family, but being busy and slightly stressed she could only do so much for the girl. Still, she did what she could when she could. She started to teach Mirabel embroidery after her failed gift ceremony to try to distract the little girl and make her feel better, she didn't expect her to pick up on it- but she's very proud of how far she's come. She's quite proud of the young woman in general.

Antonio: the baby of the family, he is absolutely Armida’s weakness. She has the hardest time saying no to him, much like others in the family. The fact that he looks so much like Félix really does not help- luckily Pepa and Félix are a bit better with saying no to him. She worried a lot about him, and his gift. Part of her had hoped that maybe he wouldn't get a gift, since she's seen how sometimes the gifts the family have can really feel more like curses, and he's only five- but luckily he gets a gift he really enjoys, one that she herself had wished for a lot as a child, one that doesn't seem like it will put immense amount of pressure on her baby boy. She enjoys learning what some of his animal friends are thinking, and reading them all to bed. (Sometimes she spoils some of his animals.. she can't help it)

[sparklingsora]

here's my secret santa gift for @the-family-fortune! i made a poster for one of your stories :) i had a lot of fun with this, hope you like it! (and thanks @kibasniper/@kibasniper111 for organizing the secret santa!) also some bonus fortune tellers doodles under cut:

i love puttin characters in the pn universe so i put bruno in the pn universe. was gonna shave him at first but bruno without facial hair looks weird 2 me

idk if mina has zoolepathy, but if she does, i thought itd be funny if she was a uhhhh. a mediator? between bruno and the rats LMAO. though since he's younger here, meaning pre the "fuck off and go live in the walls" era, idk why he'd have rat telenovelas as a hobby. i get a little silly.

aaaaaaaand finally i just wanted to properly draw mina since shes a silhouette in my main piece!

[incorrectly-correct-encanto]

Mariano: You've seemed really distracted our whole date today, you're usually able to ignore what's going on around the Encanto on days like this.

Dolores: Oh, I'm sorry. I am enjoying our date, but Tío Bruno is performing another telenovela. It's the season finale.

Mariano: I see... Do you want to go and watch it then? I don't mind, it could be fun.

Dolores: No, it's fine. Let's just continue with our date.

Mariano: Okay, if you sa-

Dolores: HE DID WHAT?!

Mariano:

~~~

(ten minutes later)

Mariano: *sobbing* I can't believe that happened...

Dolores: The cliffhanger... Tío, how could you?!

Bruno:

Mirabel: It seems like they're enjoying their date, right?

Camilo, sarcastically: *rolls eyes* Yeah, what's more romantic than crying over a form of entertainment?

(Source: Original quote)

[damnfandomproblems]

Fandom Problem #4047

Antis in the Encanto fandom are funny, especially Bruno stans.

"Why would you ship any of them?? They're FAMILY!!!?? That's INCEST!!"

Uh did you miss the part where Bruno literally wrote a telenovela about a "forbidden" love story between an aunt and nephew and then told his niece about it?

"WELL, just because he WROTE that doesn't mean he thinks it's okay!!!!"

Reeeaaally? So you then, you must AGREE? That people could WRITE about problematic themes and relationships, without necessarily wanting or thinking it's okay in real life? Is that what you're saying?

(Psssstt-- plus, nobody let them know how heavily Encanto was inspired by the landmark novel "100 Years of Solitude"--which has like, a LOT of incest in it. Like, a LOT. TONS. Please don't let them find out, because I think they would be upset if they found out! So don't tell them!)

[tickledpink31]

What I said: “If I were to make a LMK oc, I was thinking that maybe should make a character with a butterfly motif.”

What I actually mean: Make an Encanto x LMK crossover or at least make a Mirabel inspired oc. But for now have an Encanto x LMK crossover because I think they should hang out.

Bruno goes back inside the walls to do dress rehearsals for his rat telenovelas in private, but he forgets that there are now two nosy mfs in Casita with really good hearing. (Macaque would love Bruno’s rat telenovelas. You can’t change my mind.)

Sandy enjoys being able to understand how much Mo loves him through Antonio’s gift.

Julieta and Pigsy trade recipes. Julieta picks up hand-pulled noodles like a pro because of course she does, but Pigsy is apprehensive on the method flipping arepas with his bare hands… hooves… like he saw Julieta do.

Muscular softies (Sandy’s so hard to draw 🥲)

Camilo and MK have a shapeshifting competition, but Camilo gets humbled real quick by the Monkey King.

I wanted to make another drawing of Mirabel embroidering a dragon on a jacket for Mei, but I’m too tired.