#suddendrabbles

[allofasudden00]

You’ve Done Well

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And there Korra sat, wounded and weary, as she sought solace amidst the chaos of explosions and elements. The weight of her injuries bears heavily upon her battered body, rendering movement an arduous task. With aching limbs and labored breath, she finds respite in a secluded spot, far removed from the clamor and strife that surrounds her.

She lays upon the cold, unforgiving ground, her senses sharpening, heightening her awareness of the world around her. The familiar sounds of bending and cries of anguish seem distant and muffled, as if a veil has been drawn between her and the battle between Kuvira’s troops and the people of Republic City. Time has become ethereal, stretching and distorting, as if acknowledging the gravity of the moment.

In this twilight between life and death, her mind wanders back to memories long cherished and held dear. Her thoughts drift to Asami, whose embrace kindled a fire within her heart. Fragments of memories reappear, glimmering like stars in the fading light. She yearns to hold Asami once more, to feel her warmth and hear her laughter, but the relentless march of mortality draws her further away.

Korra’s mind also wanders to her friends, her comrades who had stood side by side with her on countless battlefields, sharing triumphs and scars. She sees their faces, etched with courage and camaraderie. She remembers the shared laughter and shared burdens, the unspoken understanding that forged unbreakable bonds. Each memory makes her heart heavy with the weight of her departure.

But amidst her bittersweet reminiscing, a sense of duty persists. She knows that her time has come, that her final breaths on this mortal coil are fast approaching. She gazes up at the sky, painted crimson by the setting sun, a serene acceptance settles within her soul. She watches as several spirits fly above where she sits. A beautiful kaleidoscope of colors. She looks over her shoulder and her eyes find the lifeless body of Kuvira on the ground, lying crumpled amongst the debris of her own creation. 

“I tried to save you…” Korra whispers. 

“You’ve done well, Avatar Korra.” Korra looks up, her vision slightly blinded by the ethereal glow of Raava. A warmth grows through her body, dispelling the cold that was quickly taking her. The spirit hovers over her, emotionless but carrying a demeanor of sadness. Such an odd scene, Korra thinks. “The world has once again been given a chance to survive. Thanks to you.”  

With labored breaths, Korra smiles, a small stream of tears rushing down her cheeks. She can’t find her words. She knows Raava isn’t expecting her to answer. The spirit knows that what she said was exactly what the young Avatar needed to hear. The warmth fades just as quickly as it appeared, and Korra watches Raava gently fly away. Korra whispers a silent farewell to the world she’s known, wishing well to Asami and all her friends she’s cherished. In her last moments, she finds solace with the knowledge she had fought valiantly, loved passionately, and lived a life worthy of living.

And as the darkness envelops her, Korra’s spirit ascends, soaring through the crimson sky. A warm breeze covers her, her hair flowing in its currents. A long, weak sigh escapes her lips. In a moment, she blinks and her surroundings change. No longer is she in the crumbled remains of Republic City. She is now in a vibrant field of green grass and bright-colored flowers. 

“Welcome, Korra.” 

Korra turns around quickly, the familiar voice filling her ears like a comfortable blanket. Standing with a large, sad smile was Iroh, as well as many of his spirit friends, each with a welcoming demeanor as they stared at her. 

“We’ve been waiting for you.” Iroh says warmly. He turns and motions toward a long table adorned with tea cups and various food items. And sitting at the table, his legs crossed, showing off an air-bending trick to a spirit, is Avatar Aang. Korra’s mouth drops as fresh tears swell in her eyes. Aang looks up and smiles at her. 

“So, a giant laser shooting mech, huh?” Aang chuckles. “I want to know everything.”

[allofasudden00]

Serenades In The Sun

The sun burns down from high above, perfectly centered in the deep blue sky. The ruthless heat of the day is disbursed by the cool wind that glides its way through the surrounding air. The day had started out busy, but as soon as the afternoon crept in, Julieta found herself at her stall alone. The morning had seen several cuts and bruises from the builders, and a few of the children. But overall, there had been fewer injuries today, so Alma had graciously given Julieta the day off.

Without hesitation, Julieta had run as fast as her legs could take her, right to Agustín’s front door. With matched enthusiasm, Agustín was thrilled to join Julieta for her day off. That was an hour ago, and now the couple finds themselves on the bank of the river. Julieta lies on a blanket, under the shade of a tree, while Agustín tosses stones across the water. Julieta stares at the back of his head with a smile, entranced by the tst, tst, tst, sound of the stones skipping off the surface of the water. 

“You’re surprisingly very good at that, amor.” Julieta comments, breaking the silence and causing Agustín to turn around. A massive stupid grin graces his face, making Julieta’s heart skip several beats. He drops the rocks he was holding and dusts off his hands on his pants before making his way to her. 

“Well, it’s all in the wrist.” Agustín says in a matter-of-fact tone. He grabs his sun hat and places it onto his head. He lays down on his side next to her, supporting his head on his hand. “It is quite simple, but thank you for the compliment.” He gives a little chuckle before kissing her forehead. Julieta closes her eyes and savors the kiss with a smile. 

“I’m very glad today hasn’t been busy. It is nice to spend time with you, Agustín.” Julieta says, turning onto her side to look at him. “Sorry, it’s been a while since our last date.” 

“Oh hush, there is nothing to be sorry about, mi vida.” Agustín dismisses her apology with a wave of a hand. “You are a very busy woman, and truth be told, I also have been rather busy, so we are both to blame.” 

“I guess that is true.” Julieta agrees. “But it is nice to spend some time with each other again.” 

“That it is. Spending time with you is my favorite activity.” Agustín states, sitting up and smiling down at her. 

“Oh, really?” Julieta raises a playful eyebrow. “Why is that?” 

“Many reasons,” Agustín nonchalantly comments. He reaches across the blanket and grabs the guitar he had brought. “For one reason, I get to see your beautiful face,” he strums the guitar in a light, slow melody. “Hear that adorable snort you do when you laugh hard enough, see how the sun dances off your skin, get lost in the twinkle in those big eyes of yours.” 

“Oh please, Agustín, you’re such a flatterer.” Julieta giggles, turning her head to hide the massive blush spreading across her cheeks. Agustín hums in response, continuing his strumming. 

“That I am, but all for you, of course.” Agustín admits. “I mean, God has placed an amazing woman in front of me, and you think I shouldn’t list all the amazing and beautiful things about her? That sounds like blasphemy to me, Juli.”  

“You’re dumb,” Julieta laughs, rolling onto her back. A large smug grin spreads across Agustín’s face. 

“Dumb and in love, both of those things come in the same package.” Agustín shrugs. “I can’t help it. And do you know what that makes me want to do?” He asks playfully.

“Do enlighten me.” Julieta smirks, wiggling her eyebrows up at him. 

“Well, it makes me want to sing.” Agustín states, changing the tempo of his strumming. “Ay, mi amor, with skin as soft as silk-” His belting comes to a sudden halt as Julieta smacks the brim of his hat, causing it to tilt over his face. 

“If you want to continue that, you have to get this back!” Julieta laughs maniacally as she rips the guitar out of Agustín’s grasp and takes off running towards Casita. Agustín calls out to her, his tone filled with playful joy. She gets rather far in her efforts before she suddenly feels a tugging force around her waist. 

“Now, where do you think you’re going?” Agustín wraps an arm around her waist as he catches up with her. “I didn’t get to finish my ballad!” Agustín bends down and, with a quick motion, he tosses Julieta over his shoulder. “Now you are stuck listening to it.” He starts walking away with her as he begins to sing again. 

Julieta kicks her legs in fake protest as she giggles wildly while Agustín serenades her on their way back to Casita. The rest of the day passes in grins and playful giggles as the couple spends their time together in Casita’s kitchen. Agustín strums his guitar and sings as Julieta dances around the kitchen, enjoying the attention and the stupid lovey-dovey songs he sings about her. 

It isn’t too often that Julieta gets a day off, but she is definitely very grateful that the residents of the Encanto decided not to injure themselves today. Today will be marked as one of her favorite days, thanks to the silly mustached man of her dreams and his songs.  

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Been a while, huh? Well take some Julieta and Agustín fluff!

[allofasudden00]

Angst!

[allofasudden00]

I posted the recent drabble to Ao3 💛

[allofasudden00]

Putting Them In Their Place

Agustín stretches his back until he feels a slight pop, followed quickly by a relief of pain. He has been working all day with building a house for one of the townspeople and he is beyond tired. He smiles to himself when he sees the distant smoke that billows out of Casita’s chimney whenever Julieta is cooking. Dinner will be starting soon, but a little stop at the local bar shouldn’t hurt. 

He walks in and is greeted by several bar goers as he makes his way to the counter. He waves down the bartender and orders a beer. It is served to him in a large pint as he sits down in a chair at the counter. The bar is fairly empty at this time, just a few people like him who are getting a drink before dinner. He takes a sip of his beer and savors the taste as he wonders what Julieta is making for dinner. 

“Ay, Gus. How ya doing, amigo?” A gruff male voice breaks Agustín’s comfortable silence, and he feels a heavy hand be placed on his shoulder. He turns and sees the shaggy appearance of Diego Latora. Diego is a stable owner and a notorious loud mouth. He smiles widely at Agustín. 

“I’m doing fine, Diego.” Agustín replies, offering a small smile and taking another sip of his beer. Diego’s hand doesn’t remove itself from his shoulder and he internally sighs, knowing he won’t be able to escape conversation. 

“What brings you here? Trying to escape the wife and newborn? Ha!” Diego laughs loudly at his own words. Agustín resists the urge to roll his eyes as he shakes his head. 

“No, I’m just getting a drink before heading off to dinner.” He simply responds. The bartender gives him an apologetic smile from behind the counter. 

“How is the wife?” 

“She has a name.” Agustín quips. “Julieta is perfectly fine. She is starting to feel like herself again. Mira’s birth took a lot out of her.” Agustín bites the inner part of his cheek. 

“Ay, that’s right, Mirabel. Another girl.” Diego chuckles dryly and smacks him on the back. “Sorry about that, amigo. Unlucky.” 

“Indulto?” Agustín’s expression blanks as he turns slowly to look at Diego. Even as he sits on the stool, Agustín is still several inches taller than Diego. “What did you say?” He asks, his tone dry and annoyed. Diego laughs and holds his hands up.

“Woah, calm down there.” Diego comments. “I was just saying it is unlucky that after three pregnancies, Julieta has failed to give you a boy.” He nonchalantly shrugs. Agustín’s head tilts as he looks at the shorter man, trying to judge whether he is joking. 

“Julieta has blessed me with three wonderful girls.” Agustín answers slowly, the anger and annoyance rising to a near boiling point in his chest. “I don’t need a son, and Julieta has never failed me. Never.” He huffs and turns back to his beer. “I’d take those words back if I were you.” Agustín warns, bringing his beer up to his lips. Diego scoffs next to him. 

“Clearly she has failed you,” Diego mutters, turning away from Agustín. “The perra can’t even birth a son. I’d be ashamed.” Agustín slams his hand onto the counter. The loud bang echoes through the bar. He jumps off his stool, sending it screeching across the wood floor and clattering to the ground. He slams a hand onto Diego’s shoulder and turns the shorter man around. With one smooth motion, Agustín sends his right fist clashing into Diego’s chin. The sudden force makes Diego lose his footing, and he scrabbles to the ground.  

“I told you to take that back,” Agustin unbuttons the cuff of his dress shirt. “But you continued talking. And now, well...” He rolls his sleeves up past his elbows and stares down at Diego on the ground. Agustin sucks his teeth and slicks back his hair so it is no longer on his face, an angry heat blistering in his chest. Diego scrambles to his feet, standing a few feet away from Agustin and raising his fists in defense. 

Diego rushes forward, screaming as he throws a fist at Agustín. The taller man chuckles as he easily dodges the wild swing. Carried by his momentum, Diego stumbles past Agustín and comes to a shaky stop. As he turns around, Agustín is already in his face. He raises both hands and slams them into both of of Diego’s ears. A sharp ringing pain spreads through Diego’s head. He screams and starts swinging sporadically toward Agustín. He was able to dodge a few, but one breaks through and Diego’s fist makes clear and heavy contact with the bridge of his nose. Agustín’s ears are filled with a loud crunching sound.  

Agustin whips back his head, his hand instinctively reaching up to his nose. His fingers are met with a stream of warm liquid that is now cascading down his lips. He blinks several times as the pain from the punch spreads through his head like a shock wave. His eyes narrow as he looks up and slowly uses the back of his hand to wipe away the excess blood. Diego leans against a table for support as they stare at each other. Agustin straightens his posture and sniffs, taking his handkerchief out from his breast pocket. He rips it in half, rolling up each half and stuffing it in each nostril to stop the bleeding. Diego blinks in confusion at his actions. Agustin looks at the bartender and smiles. 

“Sorry, I got blood on your floors. I’ll clean it up later.” Agustin turns his gaze slowly back to his problem, slowly raising his fists again. Diego’s brow creases in concern as Agustin smiles. “Your move, amigo.”

“You’re insane!” Diego shouts. He looks toward the bartender with a pleading look. “He attacked me!” He looks frantically around the room at the other patrons. “Are any of you going to help?” Everyone ignores him and returns to their drinks.

“Just you and me.” Agustín proclaims. He rushes forward, throwing a fist up towards Diego’s face. Just like he imagined, Diego’s eyes follow the hand, and he easily dodges, bringing his hands up to protect his face. As soon as his hands are up, Agustín sends his other fist into Diego’s abdomen. The shorter man wheezes as all the air is pushed out of him. He crumples to the floor once again. Agustín bounces on the balls of his feet, shaking the pain out of his fists. “You’ve clearly never been to the city. If you did, you would’ve seen that coming.”

Diego shouts again and instead of standing up, crawls across the floor and tries to grab Agustín’s legs. He wraps both arms around Agustín’s shins, and the taller man tumbles to the ground. The two wrestle, with Diego climbing up on top of him and clawing at anything available piece of flesh he could find. He digs his fingernails into Agustín’s cheek, slicing his cheek open and causing blood to pour out.

“Ay, you chupapollas!” Agustín shouts. He kicks his knee up and sends it cascading into Diego’s groin. Diego lets go of Agustín’s face as he lets out and pained shout. Taking this opportunity, Agustín grabs both sides of Diego’s face and delivers and heavy headbutt. The sound of their heads clacking together is followed by immediate silence. Diego clutches his forehead and tumbles off Agustín, and squirms around on the floor in pain. Agustín stumbles to his feet, slightly dazed himself. He walks back to the bar counter and downs the rest of his beer, not caring that a lot of it spills onto his vest. He reaches into his pocket and puts down the money, with a little extra, onto the counter.

“Come on, gilipollas.” Agustín chuckles as he walks over to Diego. “You got some apologies to make.” He bends down and grabs Diego’s wrist, and starts dragging him out of the bar.

Julieta hums to herself as she stirs the contents of a heavy pot. Mirabel, who is only a month old, gurgles happily in Alma’s arms as she sits at the table. Her mama has taken a real liking to Mirabel, and Julieta cannot be more happy. She is a really adorable baby. Suddenly, the kitchen door bursts open and a body stumbles in and hits the floor with a heavy thud. Alma, Mirabel, and Julieta all turn to look at the commotion. A roughed up Diego lies on the floor, his nose and forehead bleeding. Agustín walks in, just as bloody, but far more conscious. Julieta opens her mouth to speak, but Agustín points at Alma and smiles softly.

“Alma, would you be so kind and cover Mira’s ears, please?” His tone was cheerful, but it was clear that his request wasn’t up for debate. Without saying a word, Alma slowly covers Mirabel’s tiny ears with her hands. Agustín smiles and looks down at Diego. “Come on, apologise!” He delivers a kick to the shorter man’s legs. Diego looks up at Julieta, his eye slightly swollen.

“I’m sorry I said you failed Agustín for not giving him a son.” As he finishes, Agustín kicks him again. “A-and for calling you a p-perra.”

“Do you accept his apology?” Agustín asks sweetly to her. Julieta looks at him, unable to form words, but nods. “Good!” Agustín bends down and grabs Diego. He lifts him up and shoves him out of the house. “Go home, you pendejo!” Agustín shuts the door and turns around, his demeanor lowering slightly. Julieta immediately rushes over and starts frantically looking at his injuries. He tries brushing her off and telling her he is fine, but she doesn’t buy it. As she prepares him an arepa, he sits down and locks eyes with Alma. The two stare at each other for a few seconds before Alma smiles and gives him a prideful nod. She stands up and hands Mirabel gently to him. Mirabel wiggles her tiny fingers at him and giggles. He leans down and kisses her cheek, only for a tiny fist to smack him on his heavily bruised face. He hisses in pain and winces.

“Ay, Agustín.”  

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This is for @aurelia11fan feral  Agustín for the win. 

[allofasudden00]

Calling Dibs. 

The Madrigal triplets sit along the fountain in the center of town. Julieta wraps an arm around Pepa, who has her face buried in her hands. Bruno sits next to them, ice cream in one hand and the other gently patting his sister on the back. 

“I’m never going to find someone to love me!” Pepa whines, a small cloud appearing above her head. The twenty-three-year-olds have been thinking about their futures ever since their recent birthday. They aren’t getting any younger, and their mother has been wondering about their love lives. Julieta sighs and shakes her head.

“Yes, you will. Good things come to those who wait.” Julieta assures. Bruno hums in agreement and nods his head, taking a bite of his ice cream. 

“But mama doesn’t want us to wait!” Pepa throws her hands up in frustration, her cloud thundering. “She keeps talking about her friend’s sons and wondering if we find them interesting. It is so draining.” 

“That’s because she cares for us. You know mama means well.” Julieta shrugs. “It isn’t like any of us are actively looking for people to date. So, mama is just doing what we aren’t.” Pepa runs a hand down her face and groans in annoyance. 

“You’re right. I just wish our future partners would just show themselves to make it easier for us.” 

The moment is interrupted by the sound of a donkey screaming. The triplets all look in the commotion's direction. A well dressed, thin man with glasses is holding onto the neck of a panicked donkey. The donkey runs through a crowd of people as the man on the back screams at people to get out of the way. 

“Move! Everything is under control! She is simply on her morning run! Watch out!” The man screams and ducks as the donkey rams into a cart full of corn. The donkey continues to run and soon its screaming fades away. Before the triplets could say anything, another set of screaming is heard. A short man with dark skin is riding a horse chasing after the other man on the donkey. 

“Agustin! Try to slow her down!” He calls out, flicking the reins of the horse to catch up.  

The triplets blink at the scene playing out for several minutes. Pepa’s cloud disappears as she purses her lips in an attempt not to laugh. Julieta’s face is morphed into a mixture of worry and amusement, her hand placed over her heart. Bruno shrugs and returns to his ice cream.

“Julieta.” 

“Pepa.” 

“I call dibs on the man with the horse.” 

“Dibs on the man with the glasses.” 

The sisters look at each other and nod. They turn to their brother. Bruno looks at them mid bite of ice cream; he raises an eyebrow.

“I call dibs on this ice cream.” 

[allofasudden00]

Mama Is Right Here

Mirabel is five-years-old, she sits on her bed with her head in her hands. The white bow in her hair has fallen out, her curls draping over her face. She has been crying ever since her gift ceremony ended just a few hours ago. The house was in chaos, but now even more so since Bruno disappeared. The door to the nursery opens and Mirabel looks up with teary eyes. Julieta smiles at her, with tears in her own eyes and her hands holding two mugs. 

“How are you, mija?” She asks in a soft voice, walking to the bed and sitting down next to Mirabel. The five-year-old sniffs a few times. 

“Am I broken?” Mirabel asks, her voice wavering. She looks up at her mama and more tears fall. Julieta places the mugs down and brings her daughter into a tight bear hug. She rubs slow circles on the girl’s back as she softly shushes her, whispering kind words. 

“You’re not broken, Mirabel, you are perfect.” Julieta hugs her daughter as she cries, her own tears falling because she cannot help her youngest. This isn’t something she can heal. “You’re alright, mama is right here.”

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Mirabel is sixteen-years-old. She stands in the doorway of Casita, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. She is waiting to be picked up to go on her first ever date, and she cannot be more nervous about it. What if he hates how her hair looks? Does her dress look good? Does the color not work with the rest of the outfit? Was this a bad idea? 

“Mira, you okay?” Julieta gently places a hand on Mirabel’s shoulder as to not make the teenager jump. Mirabel turns around, anxiously biting her lip. 

“What if it doesn’t go well?” Julieta sees Mirabel’s eyes glisten, and she immediately cups her face and smiles warmly at her. 

“It will be fine. He is a wonderful boy who is lucky that you even said yes!” Julieta’s smile widens when Mirabel chuckles at her statement. Looking behind her daughter, she sees a boy quickly walking toward Casita, nervously messing with his hair. She kisses Mirabel on the forehead. “If it somehow doesn’t go well, I’ll be right here when you get back.”

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Mirabel is twenty-three-years-old, she sits perfectly still as Isabela fixes her hair, lacing white flowers through her curls. Mirabel ponders her image in the mirror. Her hair is tied up in a bun with a white ribbon, her normal blue puffball earrings have been replaced with tiny golden studs, and she wears a beautiful, highly embroidered, white dress. Today is her wedding day. She has been planning this day for months, and yet she cannot help but feel like throwing up. Everything is going well, nothing huge has happened. There is a gentle knock on the door. 

“Come in!” Mirabel shouts. The door opens, and she turns to see the visitor. Julieta stops and places a hand over her heart as she basks in the beauty of her youngest. She can already feel the burning sensation of tears welling up in her eyes. She blinks them away and smiles kindly. Mirabel returns the smile. 

“Isa, do you mind if Mira and I have a few minutes alone?” Julieta asks. Isabela smiles and nods. She wishes her little sister good luck before leaving. Julieta takes a deep breath and walks over to Mirabel. She sits down next to her and holds her daughter’s hands. “I wanted to see you before we get started. It wouldn’t be a wedding if I didn’t give you these.” She reaches into her bag and produces a sapphire necklace with a silver chain. “I know Luisa gave you something new. I thought it would be right if I gave you something old.” Mirabel’s lower lip wobbles as Julieta places the necklace around her neck. “Your papa gave this to me the day of our wedding. It’ll bring you all the luck you need.” 

“I’m scared, mama,” Mirabel says as she touches the necklace. “I want this, I am super happy... but it is just a lot, you know?” Julieta chuckles and smiles.

“It is normal to be nervous. You’ll be fine! I am right here if you need anything, always.”

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Mirabel is ninety-years-old, she lies on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. It has been a busy day, since she hasn’t been able to get out of bed in a while. Her grandchildren have decided that her bedroom is their new play place. It was nice to see them playing and having fun, even though it was loud. She smiles as she closes her eyes, thinking thoughts of her family and what they will do tomorrow. As she drifts off into sleep, her ache in her aging bones seems to fade. A warm breeze gently wakes her. As she opens her eyes, she is blinded by a bright light. She blinks as her eyes adjust to the light. Finally, being able to see, Mirabel looks around. Her mouth falls open as tears quickly rush to her eyes. All of her family she lost over the years are standing in front of her, smiling widely. 

Julieta walks forward, not looking any older than the day Mirabel lost her. Her mama cups her face, her hands warm to the touch. Julieta wipes away Mirabel’s tears with her thumbs. A sad smile gracing her lips. 

“It is alright mija, mama is right here.”

End.

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Since I am feeling like shit, here is something from my drafts! Enjoy the warm sadness. 

[allofasudden00]

I’ll Always Be There For You. No Matter What

The days have grown colder, or at least that is what it feels like. His bed, once warm, is no longer baring the heat that brought comfort all those years ago. Agustín, in his old age, bares the many wrinkles and laugh lines of a man who has lived a joyous life. Though if someone was to look at him closely, they’d see the frown that seems ever more prominent across his features. His eyes have gone dull, the shine faded years ago.

He has nothing to complain about. His family has grown larger than his wildest dreams. With that growth, his heart also has grown to allow the love he feels for his grandkids to fill it up. But there is an agonizing hole left in his chest. One that was filled with the love of a woman he was lucky to call his own. Losing Julieta hit his family worse than he ever expected. Her laugh no longer echos through the halls, the scent of her food hasn’t filled his nostrils for far too long. Her gentle hands haven’t caressed his face, her voice no longer whispers comforting words when he is scared. His best friend is gone.

He puts on a brave face for his girls. They’ve been through enough. They don’t need to see him break down. But he does, privately, in his now very empty bedroom. There hasn’t been a day that passes where he doesn’t shed his tears. He holds her apron that he refuses to clean. Though her scent has long since passed from the cloth. His nietos and hijas are the biggest support he has, and for that he is eternally grateful. His beautiful daughters have blessed him with beautiful grandkids. The smiles that adorn their chubby cheeks shake away his frown.

They laugh like her. Their hair curls like hers. Their eyes are that similar, otherworldly brown that he fell in love with. He shakes his head as he wipes his eyes, taking a deep breath. The morning air fills his lungs, and his bones ache as he stands from his bed. He slowly dresses himself before making his way down the stairs. He inhales a shaky breath when he hears his family talking in the kitchen. Forcing a smile, he turns the corner and greets them.

Mirabel holds a toddler in her arms as she works the stove, cracking eggs into a small bowl with one hand She looks up at him and smiles warmly. Her innocent smile sends a pain through his heart. She looks so much like her mother. He pushes away his tears and returns her smile. Walking to the table, he quickly sits down before his legs give out on him. Isabela sits across from him, braiding her daughter’s hair.

“Morning, Papa. Did you sleep well?” Isabela greets. She looks over and he sees a very familiar expression. She looks at him with worry. She hides it well for the others, but he can see it behind her eyes and in her smile. He remembers a time when she never looked at him like that. He doesn’t respond, choosing to give her a curt nod instead. Isabela looks at him with slight hurt before continuing. “Mira is about to finish breakfast. Are you going to join us?”

“No. I’m sorry. I think I’m going to have breakfast with your mother today.” Agustín watches Isabela and Mirabel share a look, but they quickly hide it. The kitchen falls into silence as Mirabel continues cooking and Agustín plays with his nietos, who bombard him with the energy only children can muster. The rest of the family comes down for breakfast. They all greet Agustín with small smiles. As they all eat, Agustín grabs his plate and stands up. He feels the eyes of all three of his daughters on him as he walks out of the kitchen.

He walks through Casita, his feet feel like they are made of concrete with each passing step. He stops in front of a lone door. He stares at it, his breathing quickens and his legs shake. Casita clicks its tiles in worry, catching his attention. Snapping out of his panic, he smiles down at the tiles and waves it away. Taking a large breath, he knocks twice on the door before opening it slowly. The room is dark. There is a small table next to a dresser and a small bed sits in the corner. A small frail shape lays beneath the blankets.

“Good morning, Julieta.” Agustín announces, trying his best to sound cheerful. Julieta barely shifts in the bed as he makes his presence known. He walks over, places his plate of breakfast on the table, and opens the shutters to the window. The sunlight that breaks into the room illuminates Julieta. Her once cheerful and chubby face is gaunt and frail. She barely moves as she stares blankly up at the ceiling. Agustín takes a seat next to the bed and smiles. “How are you today, amor?” Julieta slowly turns toward him.

“Oh… hi,” Julieta smiles weakly. Agustín watches as her eyes search his face, looking for any feature she might recognize. He feels his heart sink once again when she finds nothing and stares confused at him. “Where am I?” she asks with a trembling voice.

“You are in Casita, amor. Like always. I brought breakfast.” Agustín points to the plate and Julieta hums in response. He breaks off a piece of bread with a bit of egg and brings it to her mouth. Julieta grabs his wrists with trembling hands as he feeds her. While he feeds her, he talks about their nietos and their hijas. He informs her about all that she missed while she was sleeping. He answers her questions that mainly are reminding her who is who.

“I wish that tall girl would visit again. She was so nice.” Julieta whispers happily. Agustín feels tears burn against his eyes as he watches Julieta’s gaze quickly glazes over and she stares at nothing. He pushes several hairs out of her face and wipes her lips with a napkin. A small flame of anger rises in his chest. It isn’t fair. She doesn’t deserve this. It should’ve been him, not her. Julieta spent years of her life healing the sick and injured. Why did this happen to such a caring soul? She should be out playing with her nietos, getting to know them and being there for the important moments.

“Gus?” Julieta whispers. Agustín stops and his head snaps toward her. She looks up at him and raises a trembling hand. He quickly puts down the plate and takes her hand. “Can you pull out the seat? Mama needs to sit. She’s been standing there for too long. I don’t want her legs to hurt her.” Agustín cannot help the tears that fall from his eyes. Alma has been gone for several years now, but she seems to always be the primary subject of Julieta’s hallucinations. He smiles through his tears and nods his head. He pulls out the chair and Julieta sighs in relief.

“I’ll let you get some rest. I’ll be back with lunch, amor.” Agustín bends down and kisses her head.

“Oh,” Julieta squeaks. She looks up at him with a small smile and an expression of pleasant surprise. “Hi.” He smiles and kisses her again. As he walks toward the door, he watches as she enters another staring spell and he takes another deep breath. She has healed him hundreds of times, been there when he was hurt and he will be there with her till the end. Through thick and thin, sickness and health. His wife, his best friend, might have forgotten him, but he hasn’t forgotten her. He’ll never forget her.    

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

One of my biggest fears is forgetting. Dementia is a terrifying thing and my heart goes out to everyone who knows a loved one who has/is going through it.

Lewy Body Dementia has all the typical symptoms of memory loss, but with additional problems such as stiffness and trembling, daytime sleepiness, confusion, and staring spells. People with this form of dementia often see visual hallucinations. 

Hug your loved ones folks.

[allofasudden00]

We’re Identical! 

Isabela sat in the passenger seat of the car, nervously picking at her fingernails with her head bowed and her shoulders slumped. The anxiety in her chest pounds against her ribcage, causing an uncomfortable ache. Was this a good idea?

“Aye, mi amor, if you continue you that you’ll have no fingernails left!” Agustín jokes from the driver seat. He takes his eyes off the road for a second to offer her a warm smile. Isabela’s anxiety lessens a little as she chuckles at her father’s joke. A few seconds go by in silence before Isabela bites her lip anxiously and takes a deep breath. 

“Pa, do you think I am making a bad decision? I mean tattoos are permanent!” 

“I don’t think you are making a bad decision, amor. You have been thinking about getting a tattoo for a long time now, what has changed?” Agustín questions. It is true, for years now Isabela has been talking about how much she wants tattoos. They are pretty and she thinks they would look great on her. But, besides those feelings, she cannot help but have a seed of doubt and worry in the back of her mind. 

“I-I don’t know.” Isabela huffs, slumping further into her seat and crossing her arms. “What will Abuela think? I know she said she doesn’t care if I get them, but I saw that look in her eyes! A-and what about Mama?” 

“And what about her? Your mother and I have been supportive of this idea since the moment you suggested it.” Agustín states. He hums and shrugs, stopping as the traffic light turns red. “She wants you to be happy, and if a tattoo makes  you happy, then she fully supports it.” 

“I know, but-” 

“Isabela, no one is against you having a tattoo, it is alright if you have changed your mind. No one will be upset with you.” Agustín reassures. 

“I haven’t changed my mind! I’m just... I’m just...” Isabela’s voice trails off as she turns her head and looks out the window. 

“You’re just nervous?” Agustín suggests. Isabela turns to look at him before silently nodding her head. Agustín’s face scrunches up in thought for a minute before a large smile appears on his face. 

“What?” Isabela questions, raising an eyebrow. 

“Will you be less nervous if you weren’t doing it alone?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean, what if I got a tattoo with you? Make it a father daughter thing. Would you be less nervous?” Agustin turns to her with a large stupid grin. Isabela chuckles at the idea, expecting him to laugh too, but he doesn’t. 

“Wait, you are being serious?! You would get a tattoo with me?! What will Mama think!” 

“I am being very serious! I wouldn’t want my daughter doing something alone!” Agustín gives her a warm smile and a gentle pat on the arm. “As for your Mama, I can talk to her.” Isabela smiles widely as the ball of anxiety in her chest quickly fades. 

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

At the tattoo parlor, Isabela holds tightly to Agustín’s hand as the tattoo artist glides the needle across her father’s arm. Agustín winces and tightens his grip around her hand. Agustín isn’t a man known for his high pain tolerance, but it is a miracle that he hasn’t fainted yet.

“Alright, you are done.” The tattoo artist leans back to admire her work. “It looks great Señor Rojas, why don’t you take a look.” Isabela slowly helps her father out of the chair and over to the fully body mirror hung up on the wall. Agustín turns his arm to the mirror and admires the new addition to his body. 

Decorated on his right shoulder is a beautiful and highly detailed Sundew. He smiles brightly upon seeing it completed. Isabela walks next to him and rolls up the sleeve of her left arm, revealing an exact copy of the same tattoo. 

“Aye, mi flor, we’re now identical!” Agustín jokes, making Isabela giggle. 

“Pa, we are not that identical!” Isabela argues. Agustín shakes his head and waves a finger. 

“Isa, you have my smile, we now have matching tattoos. And most importantly,” Agustín tucks a large strand of hair behind her ear. “You have my ears.” 

“Pa!” Isabela whines, smacking his hand away and using her hair to hide her ears. Her shoulders slump as she looks around the parlor with very red cheeks.  Agustín lets out a hearty laugh as he wraps an arm around her shoulders.

“Come on, let’s get ice cream before I have to tell your Mama what I did.” 

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First drabble in a long time! This one is a nice little fluffy moment that I have had in my head for months. I hope you all enjoy!

This a gift to two people! A Birthday gift for @ginnyweatherby and a mood booster for @aurelia11fan  I hope you both enjoy!

Have a lovely day/night!

[allofasudden00]

Endless Curiosity 

Agustin is always amazed by the boundless curiosity of his youngest daughter. She is constantly asking questions about everything around her, from the way the leaves on the trees moved in the breeze to the way the birds seemed to effortlessly soar through the sky.

As they are strolling hand in hand along the river that runs through the Encanto, Mirabel's attention is caught by the fish swimming in the water. She gazes at them in wonder, her round eyes wide with amazement behind her circular glasses.

"Papa, how do the fish swim?" she asks, turning to Agustin with a look of pure innocence on her face.

Agustin smiles, happy to have the opportunity to answer one of her questions. "Well, querida," he begins, "fish have a special organ called a fin that helps them move through the water. They use their fins to push themselves forward and steer in different directions."

Mirabel's eyes grow even wider as she listens to his explanation. "But how do they breathe?" she asks, her curiosity piqued even further as she leans up on her tippy toes. 

"Fish have gills, which are special organs that allow them to extract oxygen from the water and breathe," Agustin explains. "Unlike us, fish can't breathe air, so they need to be in water to survive."

Mirabel nods, taking in every word he said. She watches the fish swimming in the river, her mind filled with wonder at the incredible way they moved through the water. She lets out a tiny joyful giggle and Agustin’s heart melts.

Agustin can see the excitement in his daughter's eyes, and he feels a deep sense of pride and joy. He is grateful for the opportunity to bond with Mirabel over her endless curiosity, and he knows that their shared love of learning will bring them even closer together. For as many questions she has, he will make sure to answer each and everyone of them.

“Mirabel! Agustin! I’ve packed up the stall!” Julieta’s voice calls out to them, the father and daughter duo turn with smiles on their faces. Julieta stands waving at them with a large smile on her face and a large basket tucked under her arm. 

“Come on, mija.” Agustin says, picking up Mirabel suddenly, causing several giggles to escape the young girl. “Your mama needs us!” Agustin places Mirabel on his shoulder and begins to jog towards his wife, reveling in the joyful squeals coming from the toddler. Julieta chuckles as she watches them run up to her.

The End

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

Hello.... I’m back <_< kinda... I had a urge to write again and this little wholesome piece popped into my head and I needed to write it.

I just know in my heart of hearts that Mirabel was a curious child, and Agustin equally is willing to answer these questions cause he is just that kind of nerdy dad. 

Anyway, back to my hiding spot! 🏃‍♂️ Until next time folks! 

[allofasudden00]

Papa Bear

“C’mon Papi! Mami is waiting!” Mirabel pulled on his leg with all the strength a five-year-old could muster. Agustin smiles down at her and chuckles. Her chubby face is scrunched up in frustration. They had just finished a playdate with one of Mirabel’s friends, but now they are on their way to meet up with Julieta at her stand. It is an absolute joy to see Mirabel excited to see her mother, even though she sees her all day, every day. She truly is a carbon copy of Julieta. 

“Ay, Mira, she knows we’re coming. There is no need to rush.” He chuckles again and pats her head. Her frustration quickly leaves, and she giggles to herself. He loves that about Mirabel, how happy she is. He never wants to see her sad ever again, not after what happened at her gift ceremony. It has been a week since the event and he is happy she’s back to being a normal five-year-old. There have been no tears the past couple of days and it has made both him and Julieta sigh in relief. Their daughter shouldn’t have been sad about not receiving a gift, but she was, and they needed to comfort her.   

“There she is. You know, I cannot help but feel sorry for them.” 

Agustin slows his pace of his walking when he hears the almost hush voice. He looks out the corner of his eye and sees two men, Ramon and Marco, talking and pointing at him and Mirabel. 

“I know, poor girl. Imagine finding out that you’re not as special as the rest of your family?” 

Agustin feels a wave of heat course through his chest as his jaw clenches. He stops walking, much to Mirabel’s surprise. He exhales deeply and smiles down at her. He kneels down and bops her nose with his finger, causing her to giggle. 

“Go on without me. Mama is just up ahead. I need to talk to someone.” Agustin smiles when Mirabel nods excitedly and runs off toward the direction of her mother. Agustin stands up, straightening his vest and rolling up his sleeves slightly. Turning around, he locks eyes with the two gentlemen who he heard talking. He hurries over to them and greets them with a smile. They stop talking when they notice him walking over.

“Oh, Hola Gus! How are you doing?” Ramon asks, his eyes glancing at Marco next to him. Agustin feels a surge of confidence when noticing how nervous they are. 

“I’m not doing too good, actually.” Agustin answers. He crosses his arms and shakes his head with a frown. 

“Why not?” Marco asks. 

“Oh, thank you for asking!” Agustin answers quickly. “I was just out walking with Mirabel, and she’s all happy and excited to see her mama. Now- if you can- imagine my surprise- no, my disgust- when I hear two fully grown men talking about her. Talking about a five-year-old and saying that they feel sorry for her and that she isn’t special like the rest of her family.” It takes all of his willpower to pull a smile onto his lips and keep his voice calm. The color seems to drain from Ramon’s and Marco’s faces. 

“G-Gus, I’m sure what you heard was taking out of context and- and... we-” 

“We- We totally weren’t saying anything like that-”

“Oh really? Please enlighten me. Give me the context.” Agustin asks, interrupting the stuttering men. They look at each other, completely at a loss for words. “And please don’t insult my intelligence and keep the lies to a minimum.” Agustin states, his patients thinning every second. Ramon sighs and puts his hands up. 

“Look, Gus, we didn’t know you could hear us.” He starts. Agustin hums for him to continue. Ramon swallows harshly. “And- and we were talking about how unfortunate it was that Mirabel didn’t get a gift...” Marco nods his head, a hopeful smile tugging on his lips.

“Yeah, and we were sorry for her that the Miracle didn’t find her special enough to-” 

 Marco is silenced by Agustin’s fist hitting him across the right side of the face. He falls onto his rear, clutching his jaw and looking completely shell-shocked. Ramon whips his head toward Agustin and sees a fire blazing behind the tall man’s glasses. Without thinking, Ramon instinctively punches toward Agustin in defense. His fist connects with Agustin’s nose and he knocks his glasses off and onto the ground. Ramon looks in horror as his action seems to have made the mustached man more furious. Before he could apologize, Agustin bares his teeth and charges forward. Ramon dodges Agustin’s right hook, but as he dodges, he lines himself up perfectly for the left that was quickly following. 

Agustin’s fist slams into Ramon’s temple, and he crumples to the ground. Agustin heaves loudly above them, his eyes darting around in a manic, adrenaline filled rage. Marco tries to get up and run, but Agustin slaps him across the face, causing him to lose his footing and fall down again. 

“Don’t you ever say those words about her again or I swear to God it will be the last thing you’ll ever say.” Agustin points a finger at both of them. “If she would’ve heard you! A child hearing two grown men say the Miracle didn’t find her special, you know what that would do to her?!” Agustin grabs Ramon by the collar and yanks the man to his feet with a surprising amount of strength. “I never want you two near my family. I don’t give a damn what Alma thinks. You are never to look at my kids or my wife, never to speak to them. I don’t want their names to even slip past your lips. You understand me?” Marco and Ramon both nod frantically. Agustin lets Ramon go and both men scrabble to run away. Agustin stands there, trying to calm his breathing as the adrenaline dies down and he feels the pain enter his body. 

“Gus?! What happened?” 

“Papi!” 

Agustin turns around and suddenly his breath leaves his lungs as Mirabel collides with his stomach. He looks down and sees that she is crying as she hugs him. He looks up and sees a very blurry Julieta rushing over to him. He suddenly feels immense guilt rise in his chest. 

“What did they do to you?” Julieta asks as she examines his face. He hisses in pain as she touches his nose and grabs his hands. “I don’t think you broke any fingers, but you have some bruising. What happened?” 

“They said the Miracle didn’t think Mirabel was special and that they were sorry for her.” Agustin whispers into his wife’s ear. Though he cannot see her face, he can tell that she is clenching her jaw angrily. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let that happen. What if she heard them?” 

“You shouldn’t have done that.” Julieta mockingly scolds him. She leans in and whispers. “You did the right thing, amor,” she kisses him on the cheek and he smiles. He feels a gentle tug on his arm. He looks down and sees Mirabel holding up his glasses. 

“Here are your eyes, Papi.” Mirabel says, standing on her tippy toes so he can take the glasses from her. He smiles and takes them. Putting them on, he can see the worried expression on her face. He picks her up, ignoring the pain in his hands and peppers her face with kisses. Mirabel giggles as she tries to escape the onslaught of affection. 

“Come on, let’s get Papi home.” Julieta grabs Agustin’s hand and they walk back toward Casita. 

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

Would this happen in canon? Probably not. But in MY world Agustin “I was thinking about my daughter” Rojas would definitely beat someone’s ass for talking smack about his girls. Take a post from my drafts!

[allofasudden00]

To Find a Pair

Luisa sits in Casita’s living room, silently reading a book. Several minutes pass when Dolores and Isabela walk into the living room, arms locked together as they giggle about something. Luisa watches them as they walk through the room and then up the stairs. They have always been really close. She is happy their relationship wasn’t hurt because of the whole Mariano business. 

She returns to her book but is soon interrupted when Mirabel and Camilo rush through the room. The two teens have buckets on their heads and are waving sticks around. Mirabel screams something about honor before swinging her stick at Camilo, he blocks it and retorts with something about the death of his father. Their fun comes to a quick halt when Pepa and Julieta come in, shouting for them to be careful. The teens laugh and run off before their mothers could do anything. 

Luisa watches this all go down while sitting quietly in her corner. As the pairs leave, Mirabel and Camilo with giggles and Pepa and Julieta with mumblings of their children being crazy, Luisa is left alone. Again. She marks her page and closes the book, a thoughtful expression on her face. She hears her Pa and Tío  Félix laughing together outside while they chop wood. And she hears Tío Bruno playing the guitar while Abuela hums along upstairs. She looks around the nearly empty living room and sighs. 

Everyone comes in pairs. Except her. It has always been this way: Isabela and Dolores, Mirabel and Camilo, Tío Bruno and Abuela, Tío Félix and Papa, Tía Pepa and Mama. Luisa is close to her siblings and cousins, but she doesn’t have her pair. When she was a kid, she always felt like the odd one out when playing with Dolores and Isabela. And then Camilo and Mirabel came along and she felt even more out of place. 

“Lu?” 

Luisa jumps at the sudden voice. She was so lost in her own thoughts, she never heard someone come in. She turns her head and sees no one. She looks down and notices Antonio looking up at her. She places a hand over her heart as she tries to calm her breathing. 

“Sí Antonio?” Luisa asks. The five-year-old smiles up at her and holds up a book. She looks at the cover and sees it’s a collection of small fantasy short stories. 

“I was wondering if you would want to read this to me and the donkeys? We all agree you do the best voices!” Antonio declares, beaming up at her. Luisa’s mouth slightly falls open, and she looks around and notices several donkeys peering in through the windows, each with a pleading look on their faces. She looks back at Antonio and her lip wobbles a bit. “Did I do something wrong?” Antonio asks, his voice filled with concern. Luisa shakes her head and quickly wipes her eyes. 

“No, you did nothing wrong. I would be happy to read these to you and the donkeys.” Luisa feels her heart burst with joy when she sees Antonio’s face light up with happiness. She picks him up in her arms and starts walking out of the living room. It dawns on her. If she has felt like the odd one out, just imagine how Antonio feels? He is the youngest out of all them. He must feel like how she felt all those years ago. Determination fills her heart as she tightens her grip and smiles down at the adorable five-year-old in her arms. She has her pair, the other odd one out. She giggles to herself. “You’re mine.” 

“What?” 

“Nothing.” 

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

[allofasudden00]

Mirabel lays in bed, her throat is sore, her nose is stuffed up, her chest is full of gunk to the point it is difficult to breath. She hates being sick, and this cold she has is the worst one she has felt in a while. She has been locked inside her room so that she doesn’t infect anyone else in the house, so she is also bored out of her mind. A knock on the door makes her sit up slightly. Julieta walks in carrying a glass. 

“Drink this! It’ll make you feel better.” Julieta briskly walks across the room and shoves the glass into Mirabel’s hands. Mirabel frowns and looks down. The liquid in the glass is orange-y red. 

“Um... orange juice?” Mirabel questions. “How would this make me feel better?” 

“Drink it and I’ll tell you.” Julieta smiles sweetly. A bit too sweet. With her brow furrowed in distrust, Mirabel slowly brings the glass up to her lips. As soon as the liquid hits her tongue, she immediately tries to withdraw the glass. Her mother on the other hand, had expected this. Julieta grabs the back of Mirabel’s head with one hand and keeps the glass in place with the other. “Drink it all! Trust me!” She orders. Reluctantly Mirabel keeps drinking. As she finishes, Julieta takes the glass away and steps back. Mirabel’s entire body shudders, one eye closes as she gags. 

“What the hell...?!” Mirabel manages to speak through her cringing. Her tongue is tingling and her throat is prickling from the overwhelming spice and bitterness that came from the orange liquid. It wasn’t orange juice, far from it. It was a trojan horse, a lie, a facade to sneak up on her. 

“That was a mixture of water, turmeric, ginger, cayenne, paprika, and lemon juice.” Julieta answers nonchalantly while her daughter is still reeling from the assault on her taste buds. “My mama used to give this to us when we were sick and it worked wonders.” She smiles and walks out of the room. “I’ll be back in three hours to give you another glass.” She quickly shuts the door as Mirabel looks on in horror. 

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This drabble is brought to you by my mother, who just today did this exact thing to me! It was the ultimate betrayal! I couldn’t smell because my nose was stuffed up, I thought it was orange juice. Apparently my grandmother used to give this to them all the time when they had a really bad cold.   

[allofasudden00]

Unsuccessful, but you tried. 

TW blood and talks of gore

Julieta slowly trudges through the streets of the Encanto. Each footstep is heavy, like her feet are made of concrete. She stares blankly ahead, her vision tunneled and distant. She is painfully aware of the heart in her chest as she feels it ram against her ribcage. Her throat is dry and her head feels fuzzy. It’s been only seven minutes since she left the Espiga’s house, but it feels like she’s been walking for hours. 

She finally breaks out of her tunnel vision and looks down at her hands. Her heart sinks when she notices the dried blood that still stains her hands, arms, and dress. A sudden acrid taste rushes to the back of her tongue. Her legs shake as she is reminded of the events of the past several minutes.

---------‐-----------------------------------------

She was cooking dinner for her family in Casita’s kitchen, listening to the nonsense babbling of her little bebé, Isabela, when someone started frantically knocking on the door. She rushed to open it and was met with a panicked Miranda Espiga, who was covered in blood with tears streaming down her face.

“Diego is hurt! Please Juli, he’s bleeding a lot!” the woman had shouted as the door opened. Before Julieta could respond, Miranda turned and started running back toward town. Julieta called for her mama to watch Isabela as she grabbed an arepa off the counter and ran out of the house. Her lungs burned as she ran, her mind racing and telling her legs to go faster. It didn’t help that the Espigas lived on the opposite side of the Encanto. She prayed and wished that whatever happened to Diego that he’d hold out until she got there. 

It took her several minutes to finally reach the Espiga’s farm. As she neared the house, her heart sank. The air was filled with the wails and pleads of Miranda. Julieta froze momentarily when her eyes landed on the scene. Diego was lying on the ground. His head was being cradled by Miranda, his hands were laying limp on his abdomen. It wasn’t difficult to see what was wrong, because most of it was scattered on the ground. His abdomen was ripped open and everything that was meant to be inside wasn’t.

Julieta’s eyes followed the trail of blood to the pen that holds the Espiga’s bull. The animal was pacing close by the gate, its head bowed and its horns completely soaked in blood. The connection was clear: Diego had been gored. Clearing her thoughts, she dashes over to the injured man. She ignores the terrible visual that was his ripped open abdomen, deciding to take stock of everything else. 

“Diego, it’s me Julieta. I need you to eat this, okay?” Julieta tried talking calmly, but her voice wavered and cracked as she spoke. Diego didn’t react. His eyes were still open, but there was something off with them. Julieta swallows a lump in her thought and rips the arepa into a smaller bite. “Diego? Can you hear me?” She places the piece of arepa into his mouth and, as she does, she hears him release a small sigh. She quickly places two fingers on his neck. Her blood runs cold when she doesn’t notice a pulse. She was too late. Tears prick against her eyes as she looks up at Diego’s still pleading and crying wife. Julieta’s mouth opens, but no words come out. She can only shake her head. 

“Juli, what’s wrong? Let him eat.” Miranda demanded, her voice catching in her throat. When Julieta doesn’t answer, she forcefully takes the arepa out of the healer’s hand. “Diego, mi amor, please eat. Please talk to me.” Miranda shoves the bit of food into his mouth and when his jaw doesn’t move, she helps him chew. Nothing happens. “Please, please, please. Amor, please, you need to eat. Julieta brought this just for you.” 

“Miranda... I’m sorry-” 

“No! He just needs to eat! Your food can heal him. It has too!” Miranda pleads. After several seconds of trying to get him to eat and it not working, Miranda lets out a bloodcurdling wail and throws herself over her dead husband’s body. Julieta tries to pry the woman off, but she is simply pushed away, Miranda refusing to let anyone get near him. Julieta cries softly as she hears the earth shattering screams of grief. 

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

The rest was a blur to Julieta. Time itself seemed to have slowed around Julieta but was sped up elsewhere. People who lived close by to the Espiga’s farm heard the screams and came over to see what was going on. Miranda finally let go of Diego’s body when her parents arrived and took her into the house. Julieta received several apologies and comforting words, but all of them were lost on her. She heard nothing, her ears still heard the screams and cries of anguish. She’ll never forget them. 

She slowly excused herself when Diego’s body was taken away. Now, as she walks home, the town seems to be unnaturally quiet. Almost like it doesn’t want to interrupt her thoughts. She walks past the schoolhouse, her eyes dance across its features. She had gone to school with Diego. He had always been lovely to her, sharing his lunch whenever Bruno ate too much of hers. She walks past the chapel and her thoughts are brought back to when she attended Diego’s and Miranda’s wedding. That was only a year ago. And now he’s dead. 

Julieta stops as it all becomes too much. Her eyes burn as the tears she was holding back rush forward. Her legs finally give out and she falls to her knees. Her hands land onto the cold brick road as a throat ripping cry escapes her. She has been too slow. If she had gotten there faster, he’d still be alive. What if that had been Bruno, Pepa, or even Agustín and Isabela? She was too slow to save Diego’s life. What if she is slow again? Who else will die because of her? 

“Julieta!” Agustín’s voice calls out softly. She feels his gentle hands grab her shoulders. She looks up and is met with his worried eyes and furrowed brow. “Juli, are you alright? I heard what happened.” Agustín crouches down next to her, and she flings herself onto him. He embraces her without a second thought as she buries her face into his shoulder and weeps. Her body shakes as each sob rips through her. Agustín gently rubs small circles onto her back as he remains quiet, allowing her to cry. 

“It’s all my fault!” Julieta breaks away, wiping her eyes with her palm. “I was too slow, and he is dead. I didn’t save him.” 

“No, Julieta, it isn’t your fault.” Agustín counters, grabbing her hand with both of his. “None of this is your fault. You did the best your could. It is unfair that any of this had to happen.” 

“If I was faster, I could’ve had a chance! He could still be alive!” Julieta cries. “What if something like this happens again? To you! Or Isa, or anyone, and I’m too slow. I-I-I...” Julieta inhales a sharp breath before she breaks down into my sobs. “W-what if I can’t save any of you? W-what use am I-” Agustín shushes her and slowly wraps her up in his arms again. Tears well up in his own eyes as he pats back and kisses her head. 

“You did nothing wrong, Amor, you cannot save everyone. There was nothing you could’ve done.” Agustín reassures. “You did everything in your power to get there as fast as you did. You tried and that is the best thing you could’ve done in that moment. You tried.” 

The couple sits there on the road as Julieta cries into Agustín’s shoulder and he whispers comforting words and planting soft kisses onto her hair. Being a healer means you save people. But there will be times where people cannot be saved. And those are the hardest to bear.  

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Was this a bit rushed? Yes. Are there a lot of mistakes? Maybe. But I saw the beautiful art that  @papermachette made and it really got me thinking about how terrifying Julieta’s role is in the Encanto. Like the amount of broken bones, blood, and other terrible things she’s must’ve seen in her life. 

[allofasudden00]

Lazy Day 

Mirabel scratches the back of her head as she walks along the garden behind Casita. The day has been pretty lack luster, no chores to do, no errands to run. She helped her mama clean the kitchen, but that only lasted ten minutes. Now she is simply wandering around, enjoying the fresh air and beautiful array of flowers that the garden holds. She stops suddenly when lumps of dark blue and bright orange laying in the grass catch her eye. Laying down on the ground, their limbs spread out, are Isabela and Antonio. They don’t seem to be talking, just staring up at the sky in silence. Mirabel quirks an eyebrow and hurries over to them. As she approaches, they do nothing to acknowledge her presence.  

“What are you two doing?” Mirabel asks, crossing her arms slightly with an expression of curious amusement. Both Antonio and Isabela have blank and almost slack expressions. Their eyes are barely open as they stare at the sky, blinking slowly when necessary. 

“Laying.” Isabela response in a monotone voice. Antonio gives a “mhm” of agreement. Mirabel realizes that Isabela’s pet milk snake, Lotus, is wrapped around Isabela’s arm. Lotus seems to be doing the same thing as Antonio and Isabela as he hugs onto his master’s arm, his eyes slowly blinking. 

“Okay... why are you three laying?” Mirabel continues, getting slightly more intrigued. If there is something going on, she wants to be a part of it. Isabela raises her arm that Lotus is hugged to. 

“It was his idea.” Antonio answers, pointing at the snake and talking in a similar monotone drawl that mimics Isabela’s. Having given an answer, Isabela lowers her arm and returns to her still state. Antonio continues. “We are basking in the sun.” 

“Why?” Mirabel questions further. 

“It is a lazy day, and thus we must capture the sun’s warmth for our cold-blooded bodies.” Isabela answers. 

“Isa, you’re not a cold-blooded creature you don’t need to-” 

“Shhhhhh... we don’t question things on a lazy day Mira.” Isabela holds up a finger and then slowly drops it. Her eyes slowly shut, and she gently pats the ground next to her. “Join us.” Mirabel stares at them, a small smile curling onto her lips. 

“Why are you talking all monotone?” 

“Lotus says on lazy days we don’t change volume, too much energy.” Antonio answers. Lotus sticks out his tongue slowly to confirm Antonio’s words. Mirabel hums to herself. She isn’t doing anything, and it is a lovely day. Why not? She’ll just lay here with them for a few minutes. She plops herself on the ground, taking off her glasses and spreading out her limbs like Isabela and Antonio. A few seconds go by and she realizes that it actually feels quite nice. Maybe the snake is on to something?

3 hours later

Alma walks into the living room, her eyes scan the room but finds no one. She has looked through the entire house and hasn’t found a single member of her family. Where are they? She heard Julieta and Agustin talking about where Isabela and Mirabel might’ve gone, but that was thirty-five minutes ago. Then Pepa was wondering where Antonio and Felix went. Alma hasn’t seen Camilo at all in the last hour. Even Luisa hasn’t been in the house. And where are Dolores and Bruno? 

Huffing in defeat, she turns around and decides to check outside. As she walks through the garden, the sun in the sky is at its peak and its warm rays are kissing the earth. She blinks in confusion when she notices a large pile of bodies laying on the ground and staring up at the sky. She walks closer and sees her entire family lazily staring at the clouds with their limbs spread out. 

“What is going on?” Alma asks, trying to hide her giggles. She is met with a chorus of shushing from her family. 

“Abuela, it’s a lazy day.” Mirabel answers in a monotone voice.

“Join us mama, it is actually quite nice.” Pepa interjects in a similar tone to Mirabel. Alma raises an eyebrow but shrugs and giggles. Who would she be if she didn’t join in? She can’t be the only person not having a lazy day. She walks over to where Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno are laying and slowly lowers herself onto the ground. As she lays down and looks up at the sky, feeling the warm sun on her face, she questions why she never did this before. It’s actually very nice. Bruno, Camilo, and Luisa quickly fall asleep, their gentle snores fill the open air. Alma smiles to herself. What a lovely, lazy day.

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Take another short drabble from my drafts! Idk why I never posted this one lol I wrote it when I did the post about what animals I think the Madrigal’s would have. I love the idea of Isabela having a tight bond with her snake and therefore goes to Antonio to ask him what Lotus wants to do lol And thus the Madrigal sun bathing lazy day was created. 

[allofasudden00]

The all about me

And error 404 are so cute one you like more 😩

A little attention never hurts

Dolores is never one to get sick. Unlike Camilo and her Mama, she is always the last person in the house to get sick. She could count on both hands how many times she’s been sick in the 21 years of life she’s lived. The whole family dislikes being sick, everyone except Dolores. It’s not that she enjoys the heaviness she feels in her chest, or how her nose is stuffed up. She does, however, enjoy the attention that she gets from being sick.

Dolores being sick is so rare that everyone gets slightly panicky whenever she does. When she woke up feeling awful today, she informed her Mama who immediately peppered her with worried kisses and told her to stay in bed. After she missed breakfast, her nap was interrupted by Julieta coming in with a bowl full of her favorite soup. Her Tia gently placed the bowl in her hands and kissed her forehead and left with a quiet “There is a lot more of that. I’ll bring you another bowl if you want.”

Dolores smiled to herself and enjoyed her soup in comfortable silence. That is another thing she enjoys about being sick. The silence. Her family never fails to be as quiet as possible when she is sick. Her day went by quickly, but she was visited by the entire family throughout it. Camilo had come to say hi and give her the laundry he finished (today it was supposed to be her job to do it, but she got out of that too.). Isabela came and decorated her room with plants and flowers so that Dolores can smell them when she gets better. Abuela came in and they talked a little while Abuela mindlessly dusted the bookshelves and organized the books.

Mirabel came after lunch, with Antonio close behind. They brought with them small sandwiches and sweets. Dolores and them had a little picnic on her bed and Antonio gave her one of his stuffed animals to cuddle with. Luisa and her talked about a book they’ve been reading together and had fun theorizing what will happen in the next chapter. Agustin popped his head in and informed her he finally got around to fixing the hole in her favorite dress. Her parents were the last to visit when nighttime was rolling in. Despite Dolores’ protests, her mama insisted on helping her with her hair and getting ready for sleep. Her papa made her laugh with his stupid jokes while her mama went through her closest to find a fresh nightgown.

When they left, and Dolores was finally alone, she breathed a satisfied sigh. She doesn’t feel any better, but she got to be slightly pampered and didn’t have to get out of bed. For her, that is a win. There was only one thing that could make her feel even better. She turns on her side and looks out her opened window. His voice seemingly carried on the wind, his gentle words reach her ears.

“Hola Dolores, Camilo told me you were sick.” Mariano whispers to himself while laying down in his bed and looking at the ceiling. He hopes she can hear him and she isn’t asleep already. “Sorry I didn’t visit you today. I’ll be around tomorrow. But to make it up to you, I wrote you something.”

As Mariano recites his poem, Dolores closes her eyes and smiles. She really should get sick more often. It isn’t so bad.

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I feel like Dolores would be the one who likes the attention when she is sick. She is kind of the background sibling and family member, she is there when you need her and she likes watching and listening. But when she is out of commission, everyone rushes to be there for her like she is for them.