chapter 6, I hope you enjoy! Thanks to the user yornma for helping me out!

Bruno stood stiffly by the door as guest after guest arrived, a strained smile on his face. It was finally the night of the party, and there was no shortage of people who wanted to be a part of the celebration. Bruno was always nervous and scared around crowds, the only bit of hope he had that tonight would go well was the fact that Cassidy was going to come.

Cassidy. Bruno wasn't sure when the name had begun to bring him peace, but it did. She was amazing. Bruno knew that when she was here it was going to be okay.

Julieta let out a shout of delight when Agustín walked through their door, a handful of flowers in his hands. Visible bee stings littered his hand and face, and with the grace of an angel Julieta pushed an arepa into his mouth, giggling. Agustín smiled in thanks, handing her the flowers.

"For you, mi amour. Happy Birthday."

Julieta sniffed the flowers lovingly, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheeks not long after.

"Thank you so much, Agustín, I love them!"

Felíx ran in from behind Agustín and grabbed Pepa's hand, kissing the back of it lovingly. Pepa smiled, yet a small cloud appeared over her head. The youth felt Alma's eyes on them and Felix reached above her head and brushed the cloud away.

Bruno stood by his sisters as they laughed with their boyfriends, awkwardly fidgeting as he kept an eye out for Cassidy.

As time passed Bruno began to think that maybe Cassidy wouldn't come. It seemed as if every person in the village had already shown up, except for any member of the Lopez family. As Julieta and Pepa wandered off with Agustín and Felíx, leaving Bruno alone by the door. Julieta had asked if he wanted to come along with them, but Bruno shook his head no. He wanted to wait for her.

He was glad he did.

Not even ten minutes after his sisters had left, Cassidy ran through the door, gray and green dress flowing freely around her ankles. Her hair was, instead of being up in a single bun, loose around her shoulders. And, much like the day before, she had a bit of paint on her cheek and forehead, but instead of green it was a mixture of blue and red. Her smile was as bright as ever, and she wrapped him in a huge hug when she saw him. Bruno gasped at the embrace, stiffening slightly, until he melted into the hug happily. He couldn't remember the last time he was hugged like this from someone other than his sisters. Even his mother rarely hugged him anymore.

Bruno reluctantly pulled his hands away from her back and smiled, a rat peeking out of his ruana curiously. Cassidy beamed and petted the rat gently.

"Happy Birthday, Bruno! Sorry I was late!" She said brightly, holding out a thin gift after giving the rat affection. "I was working on this gift for you and completely forgot what time it was."

Bruno took the gift graciously, weighing it in his hand. It was very light, but Bruno didn't mind. He wasn't expecting a girl from his Mama, let alone from Cassidy.

"You…you didn't have to一"

"I wanted to, now, open it." She urged, and Bruno unwrapped the package carefully. Inside were thin pieces of wood with two small holes in it. Bruno picked one up and flipped it over, seeing a painting of two people, one wearing a suit and the other a dress. The holes made the face of the two figures, with the one with a dress having blonde hair. The scenery behind them was beautiful, but Bruno didn't understand why Cassidy made this for him. At least it explained the paint of her face.

Flipping over the other two, he saw that one was a sports game, and another a game show. She was very creative, he would give her that.

"Thanks, Cass…but, what are they?"

Cassidy picked one up and gently took the rat from his shoulder. She took his hand and led him to a table, setting the rat down. She gently put one of the wooden frames in front of the rat's head, and Bruno gasped in realization.

"It's…a stage?"

Cassidy nodded. "Yup! For your rat telenovelas!"

Bruno took out another rat from his ruana, and the green tint in his fur hinted that it was Elroy, and set him down, putting the game show scene in front of him.

"The winner of 2 arepas!" Bruno exclaimed, and Cassidy laughed.

"Will you risk your 2 arepas for 4, if you answer one more question?" She asked in a formal voice, and the rat squealed in response. Bruno grabbed an arepa from the table and held it out to Elroy.

"Will you risk it all, or play it safe?"

Elroy had enough, jumping through the hole and onto the snack, plunging his tiny teeth into the bread. Bruno and Cassidy giggled at the sight, and Bruno pulled her into another hug.

"Thank you, thank you so much ."

"Of course, Bruno. You deserve it."

"Bruno! What are you doing?" Bruno jumped as his mother barked his name, eyes going wide. He quickly pulled away from the girl, clutching the wooden frame in his hand.

"Y一yes, Mama?"

Alma stormed over to them, her face flushed with anger. "What are you doing? I told you the rats had to stay in the tower!"

Bruno clutched Elroy protectively. "I…I'm sorry, Mama."

"Why can't you just listen to me, Bruno? You are not someone that I'm proud of at all, especially when you act like this! Rats at a party?" She asked harshly, and Cassidy stepped in between mother and son, determination clearly written in her features.

"I'm sorry, but I got him a gift for his rats, and I was showing it to him." She said, her voice strong, "And, if I can say something, it's his birthday, shouldn't he be able to have the rats with him? They're his friends."

"Cass…" Bruno whispered, but she either didn't hear him or ignored him.

"And, rats are very friendly creatures. They're not hostile at all, and the chances of them carrying around diseases is very low."

Cassidy's calm words made Bruno's mother even more angry. He saw his mama stiffen at the words, and her angry eyes met hers.

"And you! What right do you have to even be here! You're worthless! All you do is paint stupid paintings, contributing nothing to the Encanto! Don't talk to me about how I treat my weak, rat-loving son!"

Bruno grabbed Cassidy's arm, trying to drag her away, but Cassidy held her ground. Bruno turned to his mother desperately.

"Mama, leave her alone, she一"

"No!" Cassidy interrupted, her hands becoming fists. "Mrs. Madrigal, I cannot believe how you treat your own son! On his birthday, no less! I don't care what you think of me, but Bruno deserves better!"

"Out! Out of my house, Cassidy Lopez! I'm going to talk to you parents about this, you believe me!"

Cassidy frowned, but held herself defiantly, walking out without a second thought. Bruno shot his mother a dirty look, following his friend out of the party after setting down the gifts so lovingly made for him.

Outside the air was chilled and quiet, the music of the celebration fading behind him as
Bruno rushed after Cassidy, the young woman's quick stride easily outwalking Bruno's. Finally he ran after her, putting Elroy the rat in his pocket so that he didn't fall.

"Cassidy! Wait up!" Bruno yelled, picking up his pace until he was right in front of her. He put his hands on his shoulders, stopping her in her tracks.

He expected her to be angry, but instead her brown eyes were filled with tears, her cheeks flushed. Cassidy hiccupped, trying to contain her emotions.

Bruno felt himself freeze. He had no clue what to do. He only knew how to comfort his sisters, not Cassidy. She never cried…did she?

Well, Bruno could tell that she was now. And he had to do something.

But, that decision wasn't his to make, as Cassidy desperately wrapped her arms around his back and sobbed into his shoulder, shaking with every tear that fell. He gently returned the hug, resting his head on hers.

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled and strained. Bruno felt confusion blossom in his chest, but he let it pass, rubbing her back comfortably.

"I…I should've just backed off, it wasn't my place to say anything! Now I ruined everything!"

"You…no. You didn't ruin everything." Bruno whispered, unclear about how to comfort her. "I…thank you."

"For what? I messed everything up!" Bruno could feel wet spots on his ruana, but ignored it, choosing to rock her and forth gently, closing his eyes as words tumbled out of his mouth.

"No one has ever said that before about my rats, ever…defended me at the cost of themselves. I can't imagine what your parents will do, but you did it for me. For my rats."

Cassidy stayed silent, sobbing in his arms, her blank hair swaying in the wind.

"My sisters defend me, sometimes, but never like that. Never defending me having my rats. I'm constantly kicked out of rooms for having them, and have to leave them behind when we have people over. And…my rats comfort me, you know? If they're not around…I feel lost. Scared. All of the time Julieta and Pepa and Mama tell me to get rid of them, but I can't. No matter how…"

"How hard they want you too." Cassidy finished, and Bruno nodded. Cassidy nodded against his chest, pulling away and wiping her cheeks free of tears, yet more spilled out. She took a deep breath and locked eyes with him.

"I…I hope that you and your mama will be able to fix the damage I've done."

"There's nothing for you to fix, this argument has been going on for years. You were just caught in the crossfire. I'm sorry." Bruno cast his head down in shame, but she picked it up with her delicate hand.

She sadly smiled. "It's okay, I probably needed a wake-up call for being too brave, anyways. There's a reason my family wants me to be quiet."

Bruno quietly chucked at that, picking Elroy out of his pocket and holding him out to her as a peace offering. She picked him up and let the rat sit on her shoulder.

Bruno cast a glance back at the party, sighing. "I should probably go back, without the rats."

"But, if going without them makes you scared…"

"I'll be fine. And, I have to start giving people visions all of the time now, starting tonight, it's my new job." Bruno said with a shrug. "I guess I have to prove my worth somehow."

Cassidy took her hand and held his hand gently, and Bruno could tell what she said to him with the touch. He didn't need to prove his worth to her. She knew him, she understood him. And, if Bruno dared to think about it, she loved him.

"Why don't we go somewhere else? I know a good spot to go stargazing."

Bruno gave a small smile, hoping that openly defying his mama wouldn't bring too much punishment. He let her lead him to a high hill outside of town, knowing that wherever she led him would be happier than where he previously was.