#encanto ficlet

[naoko-world]

Sooo tomorrow is Encanto fools day, launched by @hectic-hector and I decided to post something for the day!

Tomorrow I'll also post a fanart! But until now, here is a ficlet you can also find here on Ao3!

Fluff/attempt at humor/arguing/pranks

931 words

Couldn't find anyone to proofread it so it's not proofread.

Who did the prank?

Summary:

Mirabel got down the stairs to find Camilo surrounded by his parents, her parents, Isabela and their Abuela Alma. Feeling curious, she approached to hear him whining, “I did nothing! I swear!”

Another day was starting at Casa Madrigal. Mirabel got down the stairs to find Camilo surrounded by his parents, her parents, Isabela and their Abuela Alma. Feeling curious, she approached to hear him whining, “I did nothing! I swear!”

Julieta sighed, counterarguing with sadness, “It can hardly be anyone else though.”

“But I didn’t! I didn’t have time to do any of my April’s fools jokes!” Then, pouting a bit, he admitted, ”I wanted to hide the oil so you would have to look for it all around Casita! But, when I arrived, you were already pranked.” 

Julieta looked sceptical, but didn’t reply anything. She mused on it, locking eyes with the other Madrigals as if looking for their opinion. 

Mirabel felt so bad for Camilo! She knew he wouldn’t deny any of his pranks. The boy was always happy to let people know they had been pranked! In order to help him, she asked as she stopped just beside her cousin, “Can’t it be someone else?”

To which, Julieta replied with embarrassment, “He was the only one up when I came down to cook, and I noticed the switch right away.”

“I’m innocent!” insisted Camilo, keeping whining. 

While she was trying to find a way to help his cousin out of this situation, Félix noted with a thoughtful look, "It's possible it really wasn't him. He isn't the only naughty one in the family and some of us have distance gifts."

He pointed at Isabela to mean she was another possibility. As she followed his finger, Mirabel finally noticed her sister was busy removing googly eyes from the leaves on her dress, her face scrunched in frustration. Not bothering looking up at them, she brushed it off by claiming, "I would have loved to have done it, but I unfortunately didn’t think about it.”

"It's not me though!" argued Camilo. 

"And you’re not the one who put these things on my plants either, I guess?” she growled, finally looking at him with suspicion.

He denied, shocked, “No! Again, I didn’t have time to do any prank!” Then, doing his best to manage a smile, he remarked, “One of them could have been made by Tío Bruno! He proved he can be pretty sneaky when he wants to." 

Bruno arrived just at that moment, getting down the stairs with a confused look. WIth his messy hair, his tired eyes and his lack of energy, he looked like he just woke up. “Huh? What’s happening?”

“Bruno! Did you switch the salt and the sugar?” Pepa asked him bluntly. “Or put googly eyes on-”

“Someone switched the salt and the sugar?” he replied, suddenly worried. 

He started looking in his pockets, while Félix added, “I also woke up with a streak of my hair dyed.” He pointed at his head, which was bearing a red section of hair, before keeping going, glancing at Camilo, “I immediately thought it could be Isabela since she has her way to do so but it honestly could be someone else.”

“It’s not me either!” denied Camilo, clearly frustrated.

“And I didn’t dye it,” shrugged Isabela. “Could be Tía Pepa, she sleeps beside you.”

He turned to his wife at the argument, admitting, “Good point! Amor, did you-”

Pepa started to thunder, complaining, “What? No! You really think I’d use that position to prank you?” 

He joked, “Well, I wouldn’t mind if it had been you!” Then, turning to others with confusion, he asked, “Who is it then?”

Before any of them could reply anything, Bruno beat them to it by complaining, “Someone strapped weird hats on my rats’ heads.”

The rat he was holding was wearing a funny banana hat, which it was trying to remove by shaking its head. Bruno was helping it, glancing nervously at another one with a capybara head hat on his shoulder. Mirabel hurried to help him, though she was holding back a laugh. 

Sighing, Pepa revealed, "I've been pranked too anyway. Someone moved my dresser on the other side of my room. I thought it was you, Félix."

"Mi amor! I'm so happy you think I'm strong enough to do that alone," he laughed, genuine. Then, in a more curious tone, he asked, "Someone pranked you?"

She nodded. Then, she turned to Isabela. "Now that I think of it, your plants are strong enough to move them.”

“I did nothing!” claimed Isabela, before explaining with a sigh, “I wanted to wrap Mirabel’s room with wrapping paper but I hadn’t got time to do so.”

Between shock and laughter, Mirabel exclaimed, “You wanted to wrap my room?” 

“Yeah...It would have been so fun...” Isabela said, saddened. 

“Well, if it’s not you then who is it? Can’t be that many people who are strong enough for that.”

"Luisa would be," remarked Camilo.

 Mirabel saw her Abuela visibly worrying, before easing when Pepa discarded it. "No way! That girl would never prank anyone."

While the family kept arguing, accusing one another of the bad deed, Mirabel got closer to her to whisper, “Abuela, did Luisa do it?”

Alma nodded, confessing in a low voice, “We did it together, she and I.” 

Then, she put a finger on her lips to signal her to keep quiet. She seemed to have a lot of fun watching her family looking for the trickster. Mirabel couldn’t blame her for that! It was great to see her family actually communicating after all they went through. Why she decided to stay on the side, watching the scene with her abuela, both of them enjoying themselves watching their family arguing. 

[sorryiwasasleep]

Part of a larger fic, but can stand on its own and I wanted to share it:

Luisa & Alma

The burning in her chest and the warmth in her cheeks made Luisa feel like she was melting, in the best way possible.

Like an ice cube on a hot sunny day.

It was a Friday afternoon and the sky was clear and the birds were singing and she was sitting by a lake with her Abuela, both of them dangling their feet in the water.

They were both high as hell.

It was… an experience for sure for the girl.

Luisa had never even smoked before a few months ago and now she was sitting here with her actual Abuela sharing a joint.

If she thought too long about why she was getting high with her grandmother, Luisa’s chest would start to ache and she would burst into tears again the way she had when they’d first asked her to do this.

Abuela was getting older. It was a fact they all knew.

She was also getting weaker.

Sicker.

And things that used to come easy to her now brought her pain.

They could see it in every step she took, how she was slowing down.

So she coped how she could, and when Mamá’s food stopped helping her, Abuela turned to more natural substances, provided by Isabela.

She was relying on it more now.

But their grandmother also didn’t like to be the only person with her senses impaired, so she often asked the other adult Madrigals to join her.

When none of her children or suegros were available, she had turned to Isabela and Dolores.

Who had then wrapped in Luisa once it became clear she actually enjoyed the partaking of smoke sessions, and wasn’t just attempting and finding it not for herself, or doing so because she felt like she should.

So now here Luisa was.

High with her Abuela.

Abuela offered her the last of the joint and she took it.

As she blew out smoke, her grandmother started speaking.

“My Luisita. I see so much of your mother in you.” When Luisa turned, Abuela was surveying her with affection. She reached out with a shaking hand and patted Luisa on the cheek.

“So strong. So smart and insightful.” Abuela casts her face down, filled with shame.

“So willing to give up yourself for others.” Abuela looks back up at Luisa. “I’m sorry I didn’t see you for so long.”

It’s the first time Luisa has actually gotten a personal apology from her Abuela since everything has happened.

Abuela of course loosened the reigns and things are better now and Luisa has gotten some apologies, but they've been generic or to the family as a whole.

She appreciates this even if it makes her chest ache because well, she thinks Abuela might be trying to cover her bases as she gets weaker and Luisa hates it, because she’s longed for this apology, this remorse, but she also hates how its coming. Hates what she’s now fearing as each day passes.

She's not sure what they'll do when the day comes.

She prays it's not soon.

The apology is a lot.

Tears are immediately in Luisa’s eyes.

Abuela uses her thumb to stroke Luisa’s cheek and wipe away the first tears that fall.

“Abuela I—“

Abuela just shakes her head.

“No, no need to say anything. Unless you want to yell at me maybe.” She shakes her head again. “I don’t deserve forgiveness easily. I almost ruined us.” That last parts slips out as a whisper, but Luisa hears it.

She scoops her grandmother into her arms, which causes Abuela to let out a stunned cry before she relaxes into the embrace.

“Te quiero Abuela.” Luisa lets out through her tears.

She doesn’t forgive her grandmother for what she’s done in the past, but Luisa is more than willing to move forward. She doesn’t want to hold on to bitterness.

Luisa can feel Abuela stroking her back as she starts to hum.

It sparks a memory of when she was five years old and had just gotten her gift.

She’d dropped a brick on her own foot and was inconsolable over it, even though the physical pain was gone in an instant thanks to her madre.

Abuela had taken her into her room and they’d sat in her fancy rocking chair and she’d held Luisa tight to her chest and sang until her tears slowed.

Right now it makes more tears come to her eyes, even as Luisa holds her grandmother tighter.

She wants to cherish this.

Who knows how much longer she can?

[echo-bleu]

20 questions for fic writers

I was tagged by @thelordofgifs and @zealouswerewolfcollector, thank you!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 163, all since 2018 except one from 2013.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 1,117,051 (how?)

3. What fandoms do you write for? Whatever I'm hyperfixated on, so currently Dragonlance/The Last Trial, I have not abandoned my Silmarillion fics I swear, the last few fandoms were The Witcher, Shadowhunters, etc.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos? wolves and voices (Witcher) by far, then take me back to the start (Shadowhunters), Didn't the trees tell us their stories? (Witcher), map out a world (Shadowhunters), straight through the smoke (Shadowhunters). They're not necessarily my best either, just a combo of larger fandoms and some of them being fairly old.

5. Do you respond to comments? I try to respond to every comment, though I often lack the energy and I've been known to respond six months late.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I usually only write unhappy ending in ficlets, so probably Lord of Nothing (Silm) or we'd laugh at the ghosts of our fears (Silm)

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

if I am to braid my mystic crown (Silm) has a particularly happy ending I guess?

take me back to the start (Shadowhunters) has perhaps not the happiest ending but the one I'm most proud of.

8. Do you get hate on fics? I have gotten hate before, though nothing extreme. Those comments are just people being obvious jerks though, I find them easier to deal with than people who "helpfully" offer concrit and make you doubt everything you've ever written.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Nope

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? I've been known to write fusions, not crossovers so much, though Rats And Sand Jars is a crack Encanto/Shadowhunters treated seriously.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? I think I've had someone ask before if they could, but I never heard anything more.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? No.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? I don't ship tbh. But if we're talking about a couple I still think about and miss years later, maybe Thunderblink (The Gifted).

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? SO MANY OMG. The one I regret abandoning the most is perhaps the time we've been given (Shadowhunters).

16. What are your writing strengths? Stream of consciousness-style writing, otherwise dialogue I guess? And writing disabled characters.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? English. It's not my native language and my active vocabulary is restricted no matter how large my passive vocabulary is. Also humor isn't my strongest suit.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? In my own fics I'll try not to write more than a few words. In other people's fic, my opinion depends entirely on whether I can read that language xD

19. First fandom you wrote for? Uuuuh depends what counts as fandom and what counts as writing. First fandom I posted a fic for was Harry Potter, way back when I was a teen writing in French on ffnet. But I wrote roleplays/cooperative fanfic on forums before that and also stuff for school that was totally fanfic.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written? take me back to the start (Shadowhunters) if we're talking longfics. On the shorter side I'm quite proud of your veins are empty of dust (Silm).

Tagging @camille-lachenille @chthonion @thescrapwitch @emyn-arnens if you haven't done it yet!

[achitka]

A Special Place

Chapter 5: of my ficlet dumpsite:

A Day in the Life of a Madrigal

Summary: I am so easily distracted - anyway this was bouncing about in my head demanding I deal with it... It is based purely on my HC that Isabela's Gift works better when she sings or hums to the plants she's growing. She just didn't do it when she was younger because the 'songs' did not sound perfect to her Abuela so were discouraged. On the upside when any of the Madrigals work in tandem the effects they can achieve are always multiplied by the number of family member involved. Chaos in the making for sure.

If you want to know why Mirabel is so interested in saving this particular piece of flora - you'll have to read my other fic Doors - cause it would just take too long to explain lol

A Special Place

Mirabel woke a little before dawn and quickly pulled out her robe. She picked up the small guitar and put the strap over her shoulder. She noted Abuela’s door was closed, so Mirabel slipped out into the hallway. She stopped first at Luisa’s door and gently tapped. The door opened and Luisa stepped lightly into the hallway carrying a small drum. Isa slipped out her door and the three sisters made their way to the tower.

Mirabel looked at the darkness at the end of the path but wasn’t afraid. This was something she’d planned to do for a while and since her sisters were home for only a few weeks for the Easter holidays, she wanted to do this tonight. The sisters came to the base of the enormous oak that dominated the clearing the path led to. Their mother had told them this was a special place that she and her siblings used to come to, to get away from the town.  It had been a good place for their Tia to learn to control certain aspects of her Gift.

Mirabel looked at all the scorch marks and breaks in the trunk and felt concern as the three arranged themselves in a small circle with their knees touching. Mirabel played an opening chord and Luisa gently tapped the drum to keep time with Mirabel’s playing. Isabela took in a deep breath and began to hum.

Mirabel had seen and felt what her sister could do with her Gift. She talked to Isabela first to see if she thought it would even be possible. She knew if her sister spoke to this tree, it could get stronger. It seemed to be in decline the past few years when Mirabel had brought her here and asked if there was anything she might be able to do for it. Isa told her she’d need to think on it. There had been talk in the town about cutting it down. Its leaves were riddled with holes and looked to be wilting around the edges. Bark was slipping and Mirabel was worried it would succumb to its great age. It was surely here long before the Encanto came into being.

Isabela continued to hum her song that wasn’t a song, there were no words to it, but it resonated, and the tree’s branches began to sway in time with her. She put a hand on both sisters’ knees and at the same time she pushed her whole voice into it. Luisa was humming along, somehow managing to keep in harmony with sister adding to the strength of the melody. The wind picked up and Mirabel willed apart of herself into that song and the three sisters glowed with the magic that had been a part of their lives from the beginning of their days.

An iridescent bubble of magic formed around them, and the sisters stood and walked joyfully around the tree. With Isabela guiding them they touched the tree’s bark as she let her gift flow into it. Old scars healed; new leaves unfurled and when Isabela thought she’d done enough, her song retreated to a hum. They returned to their original place and Isabela went silent.

It was still dark, so the sisters returned to their home and remained together until morning. Their mother appeared first thing with cups of tea for them and remarked that the great oak looked especially beautiful this morning. Mira passed each of her sisters a cup and they drank the tea. Isabela hid her pleased expression in her cup. Luisa smiled and Mirabel giggled when their mother left them.

[alexseanchai]

beautifully imperfect (575 words) by MistressKat

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: Encanto (2021)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Characters: Isabela Madrigal, Mirabel Madrigal

Additional Tags: Ficlet, Gardens & Gardening, Flowers, Vignette, Sisters

Summary:

The soil is dark and damp under her hands, dirt clinging to skin in smears and Isabela knows that no matter how thoroughly she’ll wash herself later, there will be black bands of earth under her fingernails for days to come.

[lariskapargitay]

“Please,” Bruno overheard Pepa through Julietas door, “please don’t tell Mamá! Julieta please just give me an arepa and forget about this. Okay if she sees the bruises, she’s gonna want to know why and I don’t want her to.”

A storm was raging outside so whatever she wanted to keep hidden, Bruno guessed it wasn’t good.

“She has to know what happened,” Julieta said with all the sternness of the oldest sibling.

“No she doesn’t! We’re seventeen years old, we’re almost adults, she doesn’t have to know everything!”

“You don’t think this might be important?” She lowered her voice into a soft sweet tone. “Pepa, this wasn’t your fault.”

“It was though! I couldn’t control my emotions, I couldn’t bring clear skies, and then his party was ruined-!”

“His party was ruined because he wouldn’t stop trying to put his hand up your skirt even after you told him not to! And then when you pushed him away he got mad at you for it!” Bruno’s eyes got wide. He had never heard his sister so angry before. Pepa sure, she was angry all the time, mainly at him, but Julieta? It took a LOT to get her upset. “So what does he do? He goes and hits you for thundering! Tell me again exactly how is that your fault?”

Bruno put a hand over his mouth to muffle the stream of curses leaving his mouth. Someone had hit Pepa. Probably Raul, the latest asshole in a never ending stream of boyfriends that lasted as long as it took for their shirt to get wet from a rain cloud. His suspension was confirmed a moment later when Pepa replied.

“I could have kept calm, but I didn’t, I just-… I was drinking, Raul was drinking, and I just got so scared… I should have just kept calm.”

Bruno’s hand curled into a fist when he heard the tears in his sister's voice, even if he hadn’t heard them a fresh bout of rain would have told him.

Without warning Bruno slammed opened Julieta’s door. Both girls, drenched from Pepa’s rain cloud, jumped, Pepa’s lightning barely missing him, and quickly turned to look at him. Even though the storm he could see the large bruise around her eye, the black and blue an ugly contrast to the bright emerald green of her eyes, the dried blood on her cut lip and black and blue markings on her jaw

Sheer terror crossed Pepa’s face, and then it turned to anger. “What are you doing in here?!” Pepa shouted, her words accompanied by rolling thunder. “Get out!“

Julieta gave him a forced smile. “It’s okay, Bruno, I got this under control. Why don’t you give us a moment okay? Go back to your room.”

With one last look at the bruise marring Pepa’s pale skin Bruno whirled and ran, not stopping until he was out of the Casita and in front of the local cantina. With a deep breath he walked inside where Raul was laughing and drinking with some of his friends.

He hadn’t even bothered to take care of the bruises or cuts on his knuckles.

“Hey Madrigal!” a voice called out, and Bruno cursed under his breath. He didn’t want attention drawn to him this early. Raul turned to him, brown eyes narrowing.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded.

Mustering all the courage a 5’4 man who weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet in an oversized poncho could muster, Bruno stormed up to the man, narrowing his eyes as dangerously as he could. Raul stood several inches taller than Bruno and he was built like a solid brick house, like nearly all of Pepa’s boyfriends were.

Oh this was a fantastic idea…

“You’re going to apologize to Pepa for what you did,” Bruno said sternly, trying not to sound as nervous as he looked. “And then you’re gonna leave her alone.”

Raul glowered at him, the scars on his knuckles stretched right across his skin. “Did Pepa tell you what she did? How she ruined my party with her storming?”

“Even if that was ANY excuse to hit her, why did she have a rain cloud in the first place? Hmm?” Without waiting for an answer Bruno continued. “You touch my sister again, and you’re not gonna like what happens.”

Raul snickered. “Sorry to be the one to tell you this but half the Encanto has touched your puta sister.”

Bruno’s hands curled into a fist. “You know, you-!” But he trailed off before he clutched the sides of his head and fell to his knees, crying out in pain.

“What the hell did you do to him?” someone demanded.

“I didn’t even touch him!” Raul yelled as they stared down at Bruno, gasping for air as he began to convulse.

“Should we get Julieta?” someone asked, but before anyone could run to the Casita Bruno climbed to all fours. Shaking and trembling he stood, wobbling, nearly falling over and having to grip the bar to keep himself standing.

He looked at Raul, eyes wide, jaw dropped. A lone tear made his way down his face. “Raul, I’m… I'm so sorry,” he breathed. “I don’t… I don’t know, I didn’t-.”

“What?” Raul demanded as the men around him muttered what it could mean that the town prophet was apologizing. “What are you talking about?”

He tapped his fingers together nervously. “Maybe if I don’t say it aloud it won’t happen?”

“Say what?” he barked. “What did you see?”

“Don’t make him say!” one man said quickly. “He told my girlfriend that her goldfish would die, and the next day… Goldie had gone.”

There was another round of mutters, and they all took a step back from Bruno and Raul both.

Raul scoffed and shook his head. “No he’s fucking with me. I’ve seen him when he has visions, there’s sand and wind and a little glass thing, his eyes turn green…”

“Not always. Not if it’s…” Bruno swallowed hard. “Really really bad.”

Louder mutterings, and the self assurance slid off his face. He swallowed hard. “Wha-? How… how bad?”

Bruno said nothing. He put a hand on Raul’s shoulder, stared him in the eyes, leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered again to even louder mutterings and a rather perfectly timed clash of lightning and thunder. Raul looked around at the group that had gathered, a sweat growing on his brow as they all took another step back.

With terror in his eyes, Raul ran from the cantina and into the storming rain. The moment he was gone the cantina all began to mutter to themselves about what this could mean to the poor, probably marked for death or destruction or dismemberment, Raul.

Bruno, however, had to bite his lip to keep from grinning. He always knew his real gift was acting…

[acewithapaintbrush]

I just thought about this.

What if Pepa saw Dolores In her room in distress and couldn't take no more noise, Dolores wanted her mom to sing her a song like she did when she was younger.

Later the both were found sleeping together by the family.

I combined these two asks and it's not 100% exactly what you two wanted... Hope it's still okay

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruno taps her on the shoulder. It's a light touch, nothing more than his fingertips brushing her dress. Pepa knows what that means. Usually he is much louder when he's trying to get her attention. He will give her braid a short playful tug or he will snip her temple with a finger. Despite the heavy burden his gift has left him with, her brother is and will always be a little brother first, with all the brattiness that comes with that. And Pepa will always be the big sister first and make sure to deliver that outraged squawk and retaliate in style by kicking his shin.

But not when it's the soft touch to the shoulder. She knows what that means and so she turns around carefully, making as little sound as she can, holding the skirt of her dress so it rustles a little bit less than it normally would.

There is Bruno, standing at her back. In his arms he is holding Pepa's most precious treasure besides the one just beginning to grow inside of her.

Dolores, so small, so vulnerable, buried into his chest, her small hands pressed to her ears so hard her arms are quivering. Her face is squished against his ruana and Bruno keeps hold of Pepa's gaze while at the same time constantly whispering into his sobrina's left ear. Any other child wouldn't have heard him over the hands and the folds of fabric. But Dolores is not like any other child. She is a Madrigal. She is Pepa's daughter. She is blessed. 

She is cursed.

Pepa has to strain her hearing to make out the words, the soft and rumbling whisper whose only purpose is to drown out all other sounds. 

"And Maria is not actually Maria, she is Carmen, the evil sibling. At least everyone assumes she is the evil one, but she is just misunderstood, you know? She was just dealt a bad hand. She is not so bad, people just need to give her a chance."

Pepa wants to smile. His silly Telenovelas. She wonders where he gets all those ideas from.

She doesn't smile. Her baby is overwhelmed and in pain, how could she smile right now?

Instead she steps closer, putting down her toes first and rolling the balls of her feet with the utmost care. Lolo still winces as if her Mama had stomped her foot. 

Pepa catches Bruno's eye. 

'Bad day?' she mouths. 

He doesn't stop his tale, just nods and widens his eyes. A very bad day, then. 

Pepa sighs noiselessly (not for Dolores, nothing is ever without noise for Dolores) and winds her arms around her daughter. Her arms entangle with Bruno's for a second. For just a second, the three of them are joined in a hug, the vulnerable child trapped in the middle. But then Pepa pulls away and Bruno let's go. 

Dolores whines for a heartbreaking moment, clearly reluctant about the change of hands, but then Pepa starts to hum and her baby latches onto her instead, pressing her face into Pepa's hair. The woman is so glad that she's chosen the lavender shampoo that morning. The smell always calms her daughter down and now Pepa does smile after all as she can hear her child take a deep breath, audibly sniffing her hair. 

Bruno is still standing there, his arms hanging in the air. He looks a little bit lost, she thinks. Misplaced. Helpless. 

Pepa doesn't stop her humming and instead brushes her foot against his calf since her hands are full. Her brother snaps out of his daze. His eyes focus and he nods at her. 

'Tea?' he mouths and she simply smiles. She doesn't want to nod, doesn't want to disturb her daughter who has stopped shaking, but he knows her. 

Her brother glides away on bare feet, almost soundlessly, and Pepa follows his example and slips off her slippers. The tiles are warm against her feet and she silently thanks Casita. 

****************

When Bruno finds them later in Pepa's room with the tea, Dolores is much calmer already and the two of them sandwich her between them on the sofa and start to sing a song for her to distract her. It's mostly Pepa who sings, with Bruno humming along. 

Dolores has her head pressed against Pepa's mostly flat belly, listening to a heartbeat only she can hear at this point, and has her feet up on her Tio's lap. 

Felix and Julieta find them like that, hours later. Dolores has long since fallen asleep listening to new life, and Pepa and Bruno are sitting side by side on the sofa with her. Also asleep. Their heads are resting against each other, Pepa's one arm curling around his bony shoulders, while her other hand rests on Dolores' head. 

Julieta and Felix share a smile and retreat. Felix will just have to sleep in Dolore's room tonight. 

[bitsy83]

A New Fishbowl

Just a little drabble I wanted to make in honor of the awesome @sketchnwhatevr and their wonderful short, Tiempre de Vals Which can be found here! https://youtu.be/13icsej1i64

Please watch before reading to understand refs. (NOTE: I can't remember if Pezmuerte's first name is Ozma or not, but for now let's just go with it)

"Again?!?" cried Felix, almost dropping the glass he was washing.

"Again," sighed Bruno.

It was Wednesday, which meant it was Felix and Bruno's turn to do the dishes, with the help of Antonio. It was the same arrangement as usual: Antonio allows Parce to lick food off the plates, then Felix washes, Bruno dries, and Casita takes over putting the dishes away. The two Madrigal men always looked forward to these days because it gave them a chance to chat. Today's conversation topic: Bruno's new girlfriend, Ozma Pezmuerte.

"And...and she was sure it was dead?" asked Felix.

"Well, I'm no expert, but I'm fairly certain fish don't swim belly up," said Bruno, setting down the plate while Casita moved its tiles towards the pantry. "This is like the fifth time it's happened."

"Seventh," said Antonio blatantly. "Pico's been keeping track."

Felix just shook his head. "Ay. What is she doing with those fish, bro?"

Bruno flung up his hands, exasperated. "I don't know! I mean, she cleans the bowl regularly, she makes sure they get fed every day. She even talks to them! She treats those fish like they were her own children."

"It's the bowl."

Felix and Bruno turn to Antonio who was holding one of the coffee cups for Parce to lick. The boy said the statement so matter-of-factly that it made the two adult men feel foolish for not considering it, even though they had no clue what that meant.

"Why does the bowl matter, hijo?" asked Felix.

Antonio sighed, rolling his eyes. "It's simple. Bowls aren't natural to a fish. Nature intended them to swim in ponds, rivers, and oceans. You put them in a bowl, you're not only stressing them out by removing them from their natural habitat, you're also putting them in an environment that they're unable to thrive in. Basically, every time Pezmuerte puts a fish in a bowl, she's sentencing it to a slow and torturous demise."

Antonio then handed the cup to his flabbergasted father and took another dirty dish from the pile. The two men just looked at each other, stunned.

"How...how did you know all that, Antonio?" asked Felix, both impressed and slightly horrified.

Antonio shrugged. "The fish told me."

"You can talk to fish too?" asked Bruno.

"Yeah. They're really smart. It's kind of hard to hear them underwater, though."

Felix shook his head and went to clean the cup in the sink. "Well, there you have it. Ozma just can't have pet fish anymore. Problema resuelto."

"No! ¡No problema resuelto!" groaned Bruno. "This isn't fair. She's a good woman; she doesn't deserve this! She loves fish the same way I love rats. She won't even eat them!"

Bruno sighed heavily as he leaned over the counter, rubbing his temple. It had been a month since the festival celebrating the return of Casita and the magic. Bruno was so hesitant to attend on account of his history with the town. At first, it was difficult, even with Mirabel's encouragement. No matter how hard he tried to ignore them, he could still feel the people staring at him, whispering behind his back while he danced with his niece. Just when he felt that things were going to back to how they used to be - him being a lonely, reclusive man - Ozma approached him and asked him to dance. He had known Ozma since they were children and, yes, she did blame him at the time for the death of her first fish, they still held a good friendship. He had always known he had feelings for her, but never dreamed they'd be mutual.

Ever since the festival, Ozma and Bruno had been seen together a lot in the town. Walking to the market, lunch by the river. They were even caught once or twice in a loving embrace. Bruno was thrilled when he was able to give her a new goldfish, but now it seems that fish were never meant to be kept as her pets. He knew he'd eventually have to break the news to her...

"I just...I just wish I could fix this somehow," mused Bruno.

Felix pursed his lips and thought. "Well, let's see. Obviously, bringing fish to her isn't the answer. Sooo...what if you brought her to the fish?"

Bruno cocked an eyebrow at his brother-in-law. "What do you mean?"

Felix gave a sideways smirk to his youngest child. "I think Antonio might be able to help, right hijo?"

But Antonio was hesitant. "I dunno, Papi..."

"Come on, hombrecito!" chided Felix. "Do you it for your Tío! Look at this guy! Can't you see the passion that burns in his eyes for his lady love? Can't you hear his heart beating like drums inside his chest? The man wants nothing more than to cherish the rain that waters the ground Ozma walks upon and..."

"OH-KAY! Let's tone it down at bit!" snapped Bruno. He almost forgot how passionate Felix would get when talking about love. "B-but seriously, Antonio, I could really use your help."

Antonio looked to Parce who just shrugged, wanting to lick another dirty plate. "Ok, Tío Bruno, but first we have to lay some ground rules."

***

"Ok, ok, careful. We're almost there."

"Bruno, where are we going?"

"You'll see; just keep your eyes closed."

Later that evening, Bruno had convinced Ozma to talk a walk with him in the jungle. She inquired as to why and Bruno simply replied "I'm going to show you a new fishbowl I found." When they were getting close to their destination, Bruno asked Ozma to close her eyes as he led the rest of the way. While her eyes were closed, she could hear running water, only heightening her curiosity.

Finally, they came to a stop. "Can I open my eyes now?" she asked softly.

"Yes. Abre los ojos."

What Ozma saw before her took her breath away. Bruno had led her to a gorgeous jungle spring. It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. A luscious waterfall cascaded down large boulders into the clear, crystal waters. The foliage surrounding the large pool varied in vibrant shades of greens, pinks, oranges, and turquoise.

"Bruno," breathed Ozma, placing a hand to her chest. "This...this is wonderful!"

But Bruno wasn't done. "Look in the water," he encouraged, bringing her to the edge. She gazed into the pool and her smile grew even brighter. There were fish! Beautiful fish of all different shapes and colors. One looked much like a goldfish, but it was so large it could be the size of a trout! Very slowly, Ozma got on her knees and lightly traced her fingertips across the water's surface. One of the large colorful fish broke the surface, its large mouth opening and closing towards her hand. Clearly, it thought she was food. Ozma withdrew her hand, but still chuckled.

"They're called koi," said Bruno, sitting beside her. "Very similar to a goldfish."

"How did you find out about this place?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the fish as they swam.

"Weeeell, you can thank Antonio for that," Bruno smiled. "He found this place weeks ago. And the best part...." He then went to the edge of the trees and pulled back a few branches, showing a clear view of the town. "It's just a hop, skip, and a jump away. You can come here whenever you like. Just promise that none of the fish are removed? And, uh, check with me first before you bring any outside food. Antonio really wants to protect these little guys from...uh, he just wants them taken care of properly."

Ozma nodded in agreement. "I promise." She then stood and wrapped her arms around Bruno's waist, hugging him tightly. "This is the most beautiful fishbowl I've ever seen." She pulled back and gazed deeply into his eyes. "You truly are a wonderful man, Bruno Madrigal."

Bruno blushed and chuckled nervously. "I'm just happy I was able to - Mm!" Before he could finish, Ozma kissed him on the lips, causing his heart to soar. Melting into her arms, he closed his eyes and returned the kiss.

Meanwhile, a bit upstream, Felix and Antonio watched the two in their lovers' embrace. "That's our cue to vamos, Antonio," said Felix, lifting Antonio to his shoulders and heading back to town. "Thanks again for sharing your secret fish pond with them. I know they're gonna take good care of it."

"I hope so," grumbled Antonio. "I still think she kills fish for fun."

"Okay, we really gotta talk about your perspective on people..."

[shimmeringdungeon]

Bruno and Felix are just two young men hanging out in the village square when Bruno nudges Felix "see that guy" he points across the Square and a man about their age with glasses

"What about him" Felix asked

"I've seen him before, in a Vision!" Bruno whispered "That's Julietas Husband!"

"Wow"

The pair watched the stranger walk across the Square, seemingly towards Julietas table only to take a turn and instead approach a nearby flower stall.

"Hmm." Mused Bruno. "Could you hand me that Umbrella?"

Felix handed his future brother in law the umbrella he kept on him at all times, just in case his Beloved had a Moment, "What are you doing, Hermano?"

"Matchmaking" Bruno said with a mischevious Grin, before he walked a few paces to the flower stall, lifted the Umbrella above his head and brought in down directly into the other man's shoulder.

[includeangieinthesequel]

So I finally wrote a fic for Pepa and Felix. It’s soft and sweet and maybe the next chapter is gonna end in something nsfw

[naoko-world]

My Bruno x reader ficlets list

I decided to put my Bruno x Reader drabbles and ficlets in a list since I wrote that much. I'll write more too, that I'll add to that peculiar list!

This list doesn't include the Bruno x Reader oneshots like Lovers for a day (and beyond) and multichapter fics like Bruno's fangirl. Neither will there be the works related to Bruno's fangirl, which you can find there.

He is Bruno? (Bruno x Fem!reader) (Use of y/n and you)

501 words

Fluff

Y/N notices a cute man on the site for the rebuilding of Casita she never saw before. It can't be Bruno Madrigal, can it?

The shoulder (Bruno x fem!reader) (no use of y/n but use of you)

1105 words

Fluff

You're a librarian where Bruno often comes to. You always felt something for him but was able to contain yourself. Until he shows up with a slipping off ruana...

OK Bruno is a woman now (fem!Bruno x bi fem!reader) (no use of y/n but use of you)

1135 words

fluff

While going to Casita you discover that Bruno changed into a woman.

A very Madrigal birthday - (Bruno x fem!reader)

1140 words

Fluff

It is your birthday today. Time to celebrate with your boyfriend and his family!

Bonding with the milkman over anxiety - (Bruno x GN!Reader)

1129 words

humor/light angst/fluff/milkman AU

Bruno was a milkman in Colombia looking to bond with someone. He was starting to desperate when he met you during his delivery.

Bruno in boots (Bruno x GN!reader)

1482 words

Fluff/humor

Bruno got a vision about a cat in boots who is a fearless hero. He's so impressed by that cat he decides to do the same in her town, becoming Bruno in boots.

[sorryiwasasleep]

Bruno Saw what happened to Amelia Earhart

[lily-of-the-library]

The cold - Pepa Madrigal Ficlet

Pepa Madrigal doesn't know why people think that anger is hot. Anger is the cold that reaches deeper than sadness, that is frigid and numb like a vice grip around her, that draws a yell from her throat and the tears from her eyes. Anger is all that's left when she is finished. When she is alone all that is left is anger.

When Bruno left, Pepa was so cold. She sat on the floor as her dress soaked with rain and tears, and the cold seeped into her bones. She sat on the floor as her sadness drained away, and all that was left was cold, hard and bitter anger. Anger that flashed like lightning and crashed like thunder, and chilled her heart like freezing wind.

Pepa Madrigal doesn't know why people think anger is hot, when it is so, so very cold.

[glitternightingale]

K here's an ask lol:

(I literally have no idea what debate topics to ask but I wanted to help your craving anyway so enjoy the first thing that popped in my head 😭😭:)

How do you think Agustín and Félix popped the question 👀👀👀 we gotta have Agustín losing the ring about 5000 times, I mean-come on

K, this turned into two ficlets, apparently!

Agustín and Julieta:

Agustín has planned a grand proposal for months and has been wanting to ask the love of his life, Julieta, for years. And after so much effort (booking the perfect location, getting nice and dignified clothes -- he was going to ask a Madrigal, after all-- and chasing the ring he had commissioned through the entire town) he sat down to play some tunes on the old piano, trying to calm himself for the big finale the following day.

There was no way he would let any accidents happen. His squad consisting of Félix, Pepa, and Bruno would make sure of it.

He was so immersed in his song that he didn't notice how Julieta stepped up behind him until she hugged his shoulders and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

"The song of our hearts," she whispered and slid around the stool to join him, pressing her legs against his, "Just the two of us."

Agustín's cheeks heated up and he reached for her hand, his other never leaving the keys and continuing the melody that connected them.

Then Julieta faced him, a tender smile on her face and her big brown eyes filled to the brim with love.

"Will you marry me?" she asked suddenly and squeezed his hand with this fraction of self-doubt his perfect Julieta always carried.

And although this surprise question hit Agustín like a brick as he pressed his hand flat on the most dissonant keys possible, killing the mood, Julieta didn't mind one bit.

She pulled his shocked and flushed face near when he stuttered out an overly eager "Yes!", sealing their fate with a deep kiss.

Félix and Pepa

It was an open secret that today was the day Pepa Madrigal would finally get engaged (the true proposal had been made in the privacy of a ruffled bed meant for two, some claimed).

The entirety of the Encanto knew and the villagers had decorated their houses, cleaned the streets, and prepared "¡Felicidades!" posters to greet the couple for when they returned from the magical lake.

The sun was hot and the sky clear and that's how they knew their Weather Princess was in high spirits.

"Ay, Pepita," Félix spoke slowly and bent his knee, gazing up at the fiery goddess he had pledged his soul to the moment they had met.

Pepa's face was split in a wide, anticipating grin as she held a handkerchief, almost crushing it with her bare strength. She had been giggling the whole way to the romantic location and been giddier than ever before.

But as Félix revealed the sparkling stone of the ring he presented to her, telling her how he loved her unconditionally and eternally, tears of joy sprang loose in her eyes and she quieted her sobs.

"Will you marry m--" Félix asked but was cut off by Pepa when she pulled his stocky body up into a passionate kiss that squeezed the air out of his lungs.

Just how he had wished it to happen in his most beautiful dreams.

Then heavy rain poured on them like the relentless current of a fresh spring, drenching their garments and matting their hair as the lovers laughed with each other, their wet lips glued together.

The villagers' posters were ruined, the ink they had used diluted and completely unreadable, but their meaning stayed the same.

[silverloreleysfanfics]

Carlos’ never-opened door

This relates to the idea @dragoneyes618 and I (this is my sideblog) had about Bruno being Carlos’ dad and the following speculation.

I wrote it in, like, two hours, so forgive any mistakes. It could be the start of an actual fic or not, I’m not sure, but it was a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon for me.

Enjoy this:

There's a door, in Casita, that no one ever opened.

It's been there for many years, since Mirabel was small. A door that isn't hers, for someone who was never there.

Truth to be told, the door wasn't quite there there. Mirabel had seen it, once, when she was six.

It happened one evening, just after dinner. Mirabel's gift ceremony the previous year, had passed without her getting a gift, or even a room, but she remembered the celebrations, and how Casita shifted to show everyone where the new room would appear. Even if the room didn't stay, and the door never opened.

So she was passing by, heading to the nursery - where she slept alone since Camilo got his own room - when the staircase curled in a new direction, not far from the tower where tio Bruno's room was.

Mirabel had jumped up in excitement. Perhaps Casita had decided to give her a room now, the house had only been testing the youngest Madrigal child to be sure of her faith and now she had finally passed the test and would get her own room at last! She didn't know what she did, but she did it!

So Mirabel had called the family, showing the staircase curled that way, dragging mamà and papà out the kitchen, shouting for Dolores to call everyone else, and the Madrigals were soon grouped in the courtyard, just like in the nights of the previous gift ceremonies, without falters.

Abuela had run to her room to get the candle which was, in fact, glowing in the slightly different, special way it did when it was about to bestow a gift.

But there were no new Madrigal children in the house, no five years-old, only Mirabel, who was six and still giftless.

The room about to appear had to be hers. It had to.

As a whole, the Madrigals secretly shared a relieved breath. Mirabel was going to have her room and her gift like every other Madrigal child, the strange tension they withstood for over a year would dissipate. Mirabel was like the others, Mirabel wasn't giftless, all would be alright.

They cheered, and even if there wasn't time to gather the whole Encanto to see it and dress up, they were all there ready to see the miracle bestow the little girl the missing gift.

And then the door appeared, glowing softly, swirling in magic.

Abuela went next to it, solemn, the candle in her hand bright and warm, her old eyes full of expectations.

The rest of the family, save for Mirabel, went up, next to her. Julieta and Agustìn smiled at their youngest, gesturing for her to get closer, and Mirabel did.

Hopeful.

She looked at the door and frowned.

Her door was supposed to have her initial on the knob. The ones she never got to open the previous time had a big curly "M" on it, she was sure.

This one had a "C".

"What is is, Mira?" Julieta asked, then looked at the door too. So did abuela. And everyone else.

"I'm... going to have another room?" Camilo asked, unsure. His ceremony had been two years before and, unlike Mirabel's, had been a success. He didn't need another room. But he was the only Madrigal whose name started with "C".

Unless...

"Mirabel, don't touch it" abuela ordered, and the girl jumped back.

There was something sad and angry about abuela's voice. Something Mirabel couldn't recognize but made her sad too.

That wasn't her door. She'd never have her own door and her room and her gift...

Agustìn scooped her up before she could start to cry and Mirabel curled in her papà's embrace.

"It's not my door" she whispered, sure only her papà and Dolores would have been able to hear her.

"No, Mirabel" abuela replied, her face schooled back into her usual serious and stern demeanor "This door is not meant for you"

"But mamà, then who...?" Pepa wondered. For once, she seemed too stunned to even thunder or rain.

"Someone we'll never meet, I fear" abuela sentenced, then held the candle closer, shook her head and moved away, to put it back in its own place.

"Oh" Pepa's hands ran to her mouth, a drizzle of rain starting to fall around her from a pale gray cloud.

Mirabel looked at her mamà, whose sadness seemed to match both abuela's and tia Pepa's.

Isabela, Luisa and Dolores looked at the adults, unsure, but it was Camilo who spoke up "What does it mean?"

At which Felix, holding his wife in a one-armed hug, shook his head and replied "That you have another cousin who is turning five today"

The children were confused at that. They knew they had other cousins, the non-Madrigal ones, from their papàs' sides of the family, but none of them ever had a door in Casita because, abuela explained, the miracle bestowed the gifts only to Madrigals and no one else.

"Bruno" Julieta said, quietly, making sure only the ones around her could hear and abuela, now almost at her room, wouldn't.

And that was it, no one else said more, not in front of the kids anyway.

Agustìn and Julieta tucked a very sad Mirabel to bed, once again in the nursery, then Luisa and Isabela, and the same did Pepa and Felix with Dolores and Camilo.

Of course, as soon as the adults got to the kitchen, the cousins all grouped up in the nursery, led by Dolores, because none of them understood what happened and wanted to know.

"What are they saying?" Camilo prompted his sister.

"Shh!" Isabela hushed him.

"They're talking about tio Bruno" Dolores relied, eyes up to the sky, as she often did when she was focusing on something afar in particular "They say tio Bruno must have married! And had a child! That's who the new cousin is!"

"That's why we have a new door?"

"But tio Bruno isn't here!" Camilo frowned "Why would his kid have a door here and not in his own Casita?"

"Only us have Casita, Camilo" Luisa corrected "Maybe that's why, he doesn't have his own miracle"

Dolores nodded, but no one was sure in whether she agreed on what Luisa said or what she heard, and then relied more.

The adults talked about writing letters, although Dolores didn't understand to who, to try to have the kid brought here, in Encanto, to live in Casita with them since it was obvious the child was a Madrigal.

"You think they'll manage?"

"I know tio Bruno is on the Isle of the Lost. Auradon's prison" Isabela shivered at the mention "That's where they send bad people. We can't have a child from prison here. The horsemen who attacked our people must be there too, they're bad!"

"But a child like us can't be evil too" Luisa reasoned.

"We don't know and we can't risk. I don't want the new cousin here"

"Casita wouldn't have made a door for a bad person" Mirabel opposed.

"What about tio Bruno then?"

She couldn't reply at that.

They kept listening to Dolores eavesdropping, something about Auradon's capital, appeal process and lots of frustration to the point Pepa's thunders had started to be heard, at which Dolores signalled the cousins to scatter because the adults decided to leave it at that for that night and go to sleep, ending the impromptu discussion for the kids as well.

Only Mirabel was left in the nursery, once again. She couldn't see the new door from her own, slightly cracked open one, but a bit of its light filtered anyway and she could see the staircase was still curled.

She slipped out, silent as a mouse, and approached the glow. There was no candle and no family and no real ceremony. The one they should celebrate for wasn't there to begin with.

Would it hurt for her to try? To touch the doorknob and turn it and hope the gift for the new cousin could be hers, or shared, she was willing to share, she'd shared the nursery and she could share a room and a gift, as long as she had one.

The "C" seemed to stare back at her. Would it be bad to try? Or would it make her unknown cousin's door disappear like hers?

What if Isa was right and the new cousin was bad? Mirabel would use the gift for good, she was sure, and if they shared - she was convinced they could share! - she could teach the new cousin to do the same. She'd have some practice by the time he or she would be there, when and if the adults managed to bring them in Encanto.

Yes, that would work.

She took courage in both hands, a deep breath, and touched the knob. It didn't disappear. Nor the knob, nor the door.

A glow seemed to surge in her heart and she tried to turn it.

It didn't.

She tried again, once. The round golden knob didn't move in the slightest, the door stayed there, unmoving, glowing, waiting for its true owner.

Mirabel ran back to the nursery and cried in her pillow all her disappointment and frustration.

§

The door stayed there for a few more hours then, just like it never was, it disappeared. Just like Mirabel's own door did, into nothingness. She knew because she was up early in the morning and she saw it happen, along with Luisa and mamà, who got up around the same time to make breakfast for everyone.

The staircase had slipped back in its usual place too. The ceremony didn't happen.

During breakfast, abuela explained, curtly, that a new cousin, Bruno's child, was supposed to inhabit the new room, but that him or her being too far meant no ceremony for them, and that such matter would not be spoken about anymore ever, just like no one was allowed to talk about Bruno. The grandkids, who knew that much, only nodded.

Mirabel, too disappointed by the chance to have her own door and room and gift, pushed all aside at the notion of a new cousin, now that abuela confirmed it, and how nice it would have been to share the nursery in the previous years - the one after Camilo got her gift and the following, just ended, when the new door appeared - and was fully convinced Isa was wrong and the new cousin would be just as great as her other ones.

She didn't allow the feeling to turn into something ugly, like anger. She refused to think that a child who never lived in Casita would have had a door while Mirabel, who has been there her whole life long, didn't, because that wasn't how Mirabel was like. She promised herself she would love the new cousin just like his other ones, if she'll ever meet him or her.

After all, the other cousin would have been giftless like her, since their ceremony failed. And abuela would treat them the same, and they'd be similar in being different.

Yes, the new cousin would need Mirabel, once at Casita. She would explain Casita and the family, tell who everyone was, what were their gifts, how Encanto came to be, because without being raised in it, cousin "C" wouldn't know. Nope, Mirabel would be C's guide, after all she was a year older and it was her responsibility, like Isa's and Luisa's and Dolores' had been to help her and Camilo.

Mirabel was ready. When the adult would bring in C, she would be the first to greet him.

She had no idea she would have to wait over ten years for that to happen and, by then, she'd have bigger troubles to deal with.

[lariskapargitay]

“Tia?” a four year old Camilo asked Julieta as he watched her knead out the dough for the arepas, hoping to be first in line once they were done.

“Yes, Milo?”

“Why do you always take your ring off when you cook?”

“I take it off because it’s very special to me, and I don’t want to lose it or get it all covered in flour or grease.”

“Oooh.” A beat of silence, his tiny legs dangling as he sat high in the chair. “Who gave it to you?”

“Your Tio Agustín gave it to me when we got married,” she answered with a smile as she began to form the arepas.

“Why?”

“Because that’s what you give someone when you marry them.”

Camilo pursed his tiny little lips after a while. “Tia?”

“Si?”

“Why did you marry Tio? Was it so you could have a new ring?”

Julieta laughed. She wiped the flour and dough on her apron as she turned to him, leaning against the counter. “No, sobrinito. I married your tio because I love him, the same reason he married me.”

“You love him?”

“Mmm hmm.”

Camilo grinned and watched as she turned back to her arepas. “I’m gonna marry someone I love and get a new ring,” he decided as he watched her sprinkle a handful of cheese in each one.

“I am sure one day you will,” Julieta said as she went to sealing each one. “You just need to find someone you love more than anything and anyone else first, who's your favorite person in the world.”

Camilo sat deep in thought for a moment. “I need to find someone I love more than anything and anyone and then I get to marry them?”

“Someone you love more than anything and anyone in the whole wide world.”

“The whole wide world?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Even more than I love arepas?”

“Much more than you love arepas.”

Camilo let out a low whistle, or would have if he knew how. “That’s a lot of love.”

Julieta laughed again, taking him by the face and pressing a kiss on the cheek before turning back to the stove. “Never ever change, Milo.”

After Julieta sent him off with a fresh arepa, and another he managed to snag when she wasn’t looking, Camilo hurried up the nursery, a determined look in his eye.

“Mira,” he said sternly to his cousin. She looked up from her drawing, blinking her eyes behind lime green glasses. “I need to make a ring.”

“Kay!” she said excitedly, quickly getting to her feet. “But why?”

“So I can marry someone.”

“Why do you want to get married?”

“Because that’s what you do when you love someone more than anything else in the whole wide world,” he said, with all the smug wisdom of a four year old who knew something his also-four years old prima didn’t. “I need to borrow your yarn.”

Mirabel looked deep in thought for a moment before she gave a curt nod and got out a piece of red, yellow and blue yarn and began to weave the pieces in and out and around each other.

“Isa taught me how to braid,” she said smugly to the sheer utter amazement of the watching Camilo after a while. He grabbed a yellow plastic bead and had Mirabel slip it through one of the pieces of yarn, and when she was done she tied it in a knot and used a plastic pair of green scissors to cut off the ends.

“A ring!” she declared proudly as she held it up. Camilo took it and beamed, thanking his cousin with a hug and a promise to make her a ring whenever she wanted to marry someone.

Armed now with his ring he hurried across the hall to one of the kitchen, aided in his haste by Casita, where he found his parents, Tia and Tios all sitting around drinking coffee and snacking on the arepas Julieta had just made.

With a deep breath to steel his nerves, he walked over to his mother who beamed as soon as she saw him, wrapping him in a warm hug and plastering his face with kisses.

“Hello, papito!” she gushed. “I missed you, I haven’t seen you around much today! Your Tia made some arepas if you’re hungry.”

“Oh trust me he knows,” Julieta laughed. “Not even two minutes after they were out of the pan he was grabbing some.”

For once though, he was not hungry for arepas (well… he WAS, but those could wait for later.) Instead, Camilo Félix Pedro Madrigal de Castillo was a man on a mission, and men on missions didn’t stop for arepas. With a bright smile Camilo pulled out the ring from the folds of his ruana and held it out to her. “Will you marry me?“

His mother melted as a sun glowed bright and warm above her head, his Tia and Tios awwed, and his father laughed, wrapping his arm around Pepa’s waist. “I wasn’t aware I had competition.”

“Milo! This so sweet!” Pepa gushed as she took the ring and slipped it around her finger with a smile and a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for making this for me! But I can’t marry you, Mami’s can’t marry their little boys. Besides, I’m already married to Papi. It would make him sad if I married someone else.”

Camilo’s face fell, all previous excitement gone in a flash. He didn’t want to make his Papi sad but he loved his mami more than anything and anyone else. His mami was his favorite person in the world, just like his Tia had said. “But I got you a ring.”

“I know, Mijo, and I love it, but I still can’t marry you.”

His bottom lip trembled and tears welled in his eyes. Pepa clicked her tongue and wrapped him in a hug. “Don’t cry, papito, it’s alright. I just can’t marry you, mothers can’t marry their sons.”

“But I love you the most in the whole wide world!” he cried as tears fell from his eyes that he tried to wipe away on her dress only to have more stream down his face. “You- you’re my favorite person and you- you’re breaking my heart!”

“I love you too, more than anything else in the world, Milo, but I still can’t marry you.”

“And- and Tia- she said that you get to marry the person you love the most!” he cried with an accusatory finger towards Julieta who, to his annoyance, was trying and failing to bite back a smile. “And- and I love you more than- than arepas and- and you- YOU’RE BREAKING MY HEART EVEN MORE!” he finished with a dramatic wail of tears as sobs shook his tiny body,

Pepa hugged him tighter and stroked his soft curls before she took his face in her hands, the sun having gone away and it’s place a light wift of cloud that made Camilo want to cry harder. He knew clouds and rain and storms meant Mami was upset, and he had made her get a cloud. He didn’t want to make her have a cloud, he wanted her to be happy.

“Camilo, listen to me,” she said softly, brushing away the tears streaming down his face. “You don’t understand what marriage is. Marriage is… it’s when two people love each other so much that they want the other person to join their family.”

Camilo sniffed, his lip still trembling but his mothers words started to break through the emotion’s. “But… I’m already a part of the family.”

“Exactly, Milo. You were born into this family, I loved you since the moment you started to grow in my tummy. Your papi though… I didn’t always love him.” A smile grew on her face and she chuckled. “Truth be told, your papi and I didn’t always even like one another sometimes.”

“No no, don’t get it twisted I always liked you,” Félix corrected her with a laugh. “You just didn’t always like me.”

Pepa grinned up at him. “Well you did have a bit of a reputation as a mujeriego.”

“Hmm, but there was only one woman I really wanted to womanize.”

Camilo grimaced in disgust as he watched his Papi kiss his Mami. When he got married, he would NEVER do something as gross as kissing or making those goo goo eyes they were making at one another right now. And he certainly wouldn’t lean over and whisper in his mami’s ears, saying something too low for Camilo to hear but whatever it was it made his mami giggle and bite her bottom lip before they remembered he was still there.

“So you see? In order for us to be married, there had to have been a time when I didn’t know you or love you or like you,” Pepa told Camilo, wiping away the last of his tears. “And I loved you and knew you since before you were even born. That’s why mami’s can’t marry their niños, because they already love them from the moment they find out they’re going to have one. Okay?” She hugged him again and kissed the top of his head. “Come on, papito, no more tears.”

Camilo sniffed the last of his tears away and nodded, resting his head against her chest as he melted into her hug. “Can I have an arepa?” he muttered, playing with the end of her braid.

“Of course.” Pepa reached up on the table and grabbed him an arepa. She held up her hand and smiled, waving her fingers in front of his face. “Do I get to keep the ring?”

Camilo thought about it for a moment. He did make it for her, afterall. Well… Mirabel did, but Pepa didn’t have to know that.

“You can keep it,” he said sadly, and Pepa chuckled before she kissed the top of his head.

“Thank you, Mijo. I’ll keep it forever, okay?”

Camilo said nothing, grabbed an extra arepa for the emotional pain and heart break that would last a whole hour and a half, and ran back to his room.

Years later, when Camilo’s fiancée had been kissed and hugged and clapped on the back and exclamations of excitement about them joining the family, and they were all enjoying a celebratory drink, Pepa just chuckled, holding up a hand where, for the past eighteen years, a ring made of yellow, red and blue yarn with a now faded yellow plastic bead had made its home on her finger.

“Sorry to say,” she said with a grin and kissing her son's cheek, ignoring his embarrassed groans, the same he always let out whenever she told the story. “But you’ll always be second choice.”