AN: Oh my gosh, I can't believe this story is coming to an end. I changed up my writing a bit to better suit this chapter. Choosing to do most of it from Bruno's perspective with short bursts from Mira and the family in order to get a better understanding of what's happening. I also decided to change the way I do the notes as it just fits better this way. I won't say how as to not reveal any spoilers but I hope you like it. The next chapter will be the last and it will just be a short epilogue. I wasn't going to do one but I ended up with an idea popping into my head that just wouldn't leave. I also have another Encanto story planned so, if you like, I'll be working on that soon. Thanks again for reading, you've all been great :)

Disclaimer: Disney owns Encanto.


It was about two weeks since the Madrigal family had moved back into the newly restored Casita and to say Bruno was having a difficult time readjusting would be an understatement. He'd grown so used to living as a ghost within the walls that he sometimes forgot that he was allowed to interact with his familia again. There had been numerous occasions where he'd be minding his own business, watching his loved ones communicate with each other, and forgot that they could see him now. He'd only remember that he wasn't watching from afar when they either tried to include him or met his gaze. It caused many an awkward moment as he tended to panic and rush off the instant he was caught staring. Even so, no one seemed to take offense as he imagined they would. That made him feel slightly better about the whole situation. It didn't mean he wasn't embarrassed, though.

'Why can't I just act normal for once!' The seer chastised himself as he turned the corner, having fled from the pressure of socialization once again. 'Who am I kidding? I've never been normal, not even when I was a kid. I just don't fit in... Never have, never will.'

His thoughts continued to spiral and Bruno knew that if he didn't do something to snap himself out of it soon, he would end up lying in bed as his mind replayed his every mistake over and over in his mind. The last time that had happened he'd still been in the walls. It had taken him days to break from the cycle and he'd only managed to survive it thanks to his rats bringing him food and a partially filled water bottle. Since then, he'd never allowed himself to sink that deep. Deciding a distraction was the best course of action, the fifty-year-old gathered his writing supplies and settled down at the dining room table to work on the newest episode of his rat telenovela.

"Hmm, that could work well for a twist." He murmured under his breath, not letting himself speak any plot ideas aloud as he knew Dolores would be disappointed if he unintentionally spoiled it for her. "It'll work perfectly with the existing storylines and provide the right amount of drama and romance."

He wrote the ideas down, outlining the new plot points so he could write up the first draft later when he had more time. The others would be home soon, he knew, and he didn't want to be in everyone's way. Still, he took a moment to read over what he'd accomplished, absentmindedly stroking one of his rats.

"Yes, that's perfect!" He exclaimed, smiling broadly as the small rodent raced up his arm to hide within the curtain of his hair, nuzzling its small face into his neck. "You think so too, don't you Rosa, mi pequeña amiga rata."

The responding squeak caused Bruno to chuckle slightly. He was about to gather the tiny animal in his hands so he could pet her more easily when the front door slammed open, startling the both of them. Rosa's sharp claws dug into his shoulder as she scrambled to dive for cover, causing him to wince in discomfort. He didn't blame her, though, it wasn't her fault that she'd gotten frightened. Besides, it wasn't the first time he'd been scratched by one of his rats and it wouldn't be the last, that was a fact he knew all too well. Glancing up, he was met by the sight of Mirabel chasing Camilo past the door, yelling something he couldn't properly make out. The boy must have pulled one of his pranks again. Rising from the table, the older man swiftly made his way into the courtyard in time to watch the two fall to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

"Ouch! Mira, what was that for?" Camilo groaned, attempting to get back to his feet though unable to as his cousin was currently laying on top of him. "Get off, you're heavy!"

"Ow... jeez that hurt." The girl said, rolling off before rubbing her knee where it had collided with the stones beneath them. "Sorry Cami, I didn't mean to tackle you, honest. I tripped."

Bruno was about to rush forward, concerned for the two, but his sobrina was already getting to her feet, swiftly turning to help her cousin up. They were both smiling so it must not have been too bad of a fall. Judging by the banter that came next, the pair was just fine. Calming down, the elder man leaned against the kitchen doorway, a loving smile on his face.

"You sure about that?" The slightly older teen asked, humor shining from his narrowed eyes. "Cause from where I'm standing, it seemed a bit too convenient to be an accident. Is this payback for putting the frog in your purse, cause I'll have you know that was all Toñito."

Bruno hid a laugh, watching from the shadows as his favorite sobrina narrowed her eyes at her primo. Once again, he'd forgotten that it was alright to let himself be seen for a moment. Still, even as he remembered, he chose to stay in the shadows. It simply felt more comfortable to him at times, like there was less pressure weighing on his shoulders.

"Okay, okay, I might have suggested it," Cami admitted, smirking slightly as the girl shook her head in fond exasperation.

"Come on, idiota, there are some leftover arepas in the kitchen." She said, dragging the curly-haired boy behind her as she turned towards the doorway Bruno had been watching from. "Let's grab a couple and heal these scrapes, you know how mi mamá gets when she sees us hurt."

Completely forgetting about the papers he'd left scattered on the table, Bruno rushed off before he could be caught. It was obvious the duo hadn't intended to be seen and he wouldn't embarrass the teenagers by revealing his presence. It was best for them to believe they'd been alone. The last thing he'd want would be to hurt their pride over something so avoidable. Still, he couldn't help but smile as he remembered the spectacle the pair had made. It reminded him of when he and his hermanas were younger. A similar scene had occurred with Pepa tackling him and Julieta simply laughing as she watched safely from the sidelines. Heading towards his room, Bruno figured it would be a good idea to get some rest before his remaining familia returned home. He hadn't been able to sleep much the night before as nightmares plagued him. So, laying on the bed in his newly renovated room, the black-haired man closed his eyes and allowed himself to succumb to a hopefully dreamless sleep.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Mirabel sighed, aiming an exasperated smile at her cousin as she explained how her madre had left some arepas in the kitchen that morning. Turning towards the doorway, she thought she saw something move within the shadows, though passed it off as a figure of her imagination. Camilo, knowing there was food waiting for them, rushed off ahead of her into the kitchen. She followed more sedately, moving quietly through the dining room only for her attention to be caught as she noticed several pages of paper spread over the table. She smiled fondly as she realized what they were, the newest script notes for Tio Bruno's telenovela.

'Hmm, I wonder where he went that he'd leave these here?' The young girl pondered, mouth turning down a bit as she glanced around. 'He must have had something else to do and forgot these.'

Deciding it would be best to gather the sheets up into a neat stack and bring them to Bruno's room, Mirabel moved over to the table. It was then that she noticed something that caused her eyes to widen comically. Taking the papers in hand, she raced from the room, running over to the newly reinforced inspiration board. She glanced between the pages and notes with growing apprehension, unable to deny the truth. The writing was the same.

"Ay, Bruno," She whispered, tears filling her eyes. "You're too kind for your own good."

A terrible image began to form in the young girl's mind as pain flooded her chest. Her poor tio huddled behind the walls in his pitiful room, sad and alone, writing little inspirational messages to help them through their days... all the while knowing he'd get none in return. Mira felt terrible, she should have put the pieces together the moment she'd realized the man was still living within Casita! Everything had happened so fast though; finding Bruno, their home collapsing, the reunion and subsequent rebuilding... she hadn't had time to really think about anything else. Now, everything was crystal clear and the image painted in her mind was one she knew she'd never forget.

Even after everything that had happened to him... being ostracized by the town, fleeing to protect her, being forced to live like a rat... Bruno still cared for his family more than anything. It was about time they showed him the same level of dedication. Mirabel was determined to fix this wrong, no matter how unknowingly it had been committed. She wanted to show Bruno that he was loved, that they truly appreciated all he'd done for them throughout the years. Arepas forgotten, (really, what was a skinned knee against the years of pain her tio had endured?) the fifteen-year-old decided a family meeting was long overdue.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Bruno awoke to loud knocking breaking the still silence and dragging him from the last vestiges of sleep. Groaning, he rolled out of bed, eyes still partially closed as he stumbled through his room and slowly pulled the door open, squinting out into the brightly lit hallway.

"Mirabel? What is it? What's wrong?" He questioned, now fully alert as he took in the girl's serious expression and saddened eyes.

"Can we talk, tio?" She asked, voice soft.

"Of... of course," He stuttered, nerves getting the best of him.

He was unsure what this was about. Had he done something wrong? He couldn't think of anything as he held the door open for the teen to enter his room. Maybe they had finally grown sick of him and sent Mira to tell him to leave? The green-clad man didn't know if he'd be able to handle being alone again but if that's what his familia wanted then he'd give it to them. After all, it was the least he could do after causing so much trouble with his visions. As if sensing his thoughts, his sobrina gently took his hand in her own and lead him over to a pair of armchairs nestled near the small table where he kept the scenery for his telenovelas.

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad." She spoke after having him sit down. "It's just... you left these on the table in the dining room."

Here, the dark-haired girl pulled out the papers he'd been working on earlier and handed them to him. He sighed in relief, she was just here to return his script. The moment was short-lived, however, as Mirabel moved to crouch beside him, similar to how she had when they'd first met.

"Tio Bruno..." She paused while gathering her thoughts and, for some reason, he found it hard to meet her gaze. "You're the one who's been leaving the notes, aren't you?"

Shock coursed through his body and he found his head swirling to meet her gaze. No one was supposed to find out! He'd been so careful, going so far as to have his rats and even Casita help him out at times... so how had Mirabel figured it out? Suddenly, everything became clear and his hands clenched the papers still clasped within them. After so long it would have been hard not to recognize the writing for what it was. Bruno had never expected to be welcomed back to the familia. If he had, he would have taken steps to change the style he used for the notes. As things were, he'd simply written them in his usual slightly messy scrawl. It was no wonder his cunning niece had figured it out after seeing his script.

"You weren't supposed to know." He said, at last, eyes drifting away so he wouldn't see the disappointment he was sure would follow his admission.

But, as always seemed to happen with Mirabel, the girl surprised him once again.

"I'm glad." The teenager replied, voice soft as she stood and placed a calming hand on his shoulder, squeezing slightly. "I'd rather have notes from my loving tio than some random stranger I've never even met."

Startled, he brought his gaze back to her, coming face to face with a look of such utter affection that it took his breath away. She wasn't upset. Far from it if the smile on her face was to be believed. Mirabel was happy that the notes had been from him.

"Why?" He muttered, unable to comprehend what was happening. "I'm nothing special. I'm not some mysterious entity who decided to grace your lives with kind words... I'm... I'm just me... just Bruno."

"And that's what makes it so special." Mirabel's response was firm, leaving no room for argument. "Tio, you've gone through so much hardship and are still able to see the good in people. Instead of locking your heart away so that you won't be hurt again, you chose to help those you cared for so that they wouldn't suffer as you did. Knowing what I do now... it makes the notes you left us all the more precious."

Silent tears traced down Bruno's face. He didn't know when he began to cry but he knew he wouldn't be able to stop them even if he tried.

"If it's okay with you, I want to tell the others about this." The fifteen-year-old continued, reaching out to gently wipe the tears from her uncle's face. "They need to know."

Fear flooded Bruno's heart as he realized what his sobrina was asking, but before he could start to panic, Mirabel once again took his hand in hers. The silent comfort helped steady his nerves and he felt resolve course through him. If Mira had taken the news so well, what's to say that the rest of la familia Madrigal wouldn't? Taking a deep breath, the anxious man nodded in acceptance. Everything would be fine, after all, Mirabel would be with him the entire time. Maybe this was the first step to feeling like he truly belonged.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Mirabel stood beside him, a solid pillar of support as the family stared at him in open shock. Dinner had concluded a short while ago, they had agreed it would be best to wait until after they'd eaten to have this discussion. Mira had, apparently, already informed everyone that they'd be having a meeting before he'd even accepted her idea. She must have been pretty certain that she'd be able to convince him. Now, though, as they all stared at him after his sobrina had finished explaining the situation, Bruno wished he'd never agreed to this at all.

"You were the one leaving the notes all these years," Agustin stated, finally breaking the silence that had fallen over the room, understanding dawning in his eyes as his youngest daughter held tight to her tio's arm, not letting him run from the impending conversation. "You're the escritor misterioso!"

Bruno rubbed his arm, awkwardly, as he met the awe-filled and excited gazes of his familia. The reaction was quite different from what he'd expected... more positive.

"Well, yea, I mean..." The man trailed off, uncertain what to say as he met the unwavering gazes of the people he'd watched over for so long. "I guess so."

"It's true guys, I saw the writing for his rat telenovelas... it's the same style as the notes." His youngest niece piped up, still not releasing her hold.

"How did we not figure this out sooner?" Camilo deadpanned, brows furrowed as he stared at the man he'd quickly bonded with over a shared love of acting.

A melancholic atmosphere pervaded the room as the family all pondered how they had missed something that was so obvious in hindsight. Meanwhile, Bruno shuffled awkwardly, waiting for someone else to speak. After several long moments, his madre stepped forward.

"The notes started appearing several years after you disappeared," Alma expressed, watching her son with careful eyes. "What made you decide to start leaving them, Brunito? Why wait till then?"

He hesitated for a moment but could tell that everyone was waiting to hear his answer. They were curious, he could tell. It wasn't really a surprise, after all, his notes had been a pretty big part of their lives for the last seven years or so. Deciding to simply tell them the truth, Bruno took a deep breath and let the floodgates open.

"When I was in the walls, I saw how you guys were struggling and... and it was the only thing I could think to do without revealing myself." The man revealed, pain etched on his face as he thought back on those long years.

It had been so hard... so hard not to simply let himself be caught so that he could return. But even then he knew that it wouldn't solve anything. If he had gone back, his mamá would have demanded the vision and everything he'd left to avoid would have come to fruition. Still, there had been so many times he had to fight off the urge to leave the walls and help his familia. He'd only failed once and that had been when Isabela had gotten hurt.

"Do you know how bad a couple of you scared me!" He spewed, unable to stop as the fear he'd felt caused words to fall from his mouth faster and faster as if they were an avalanche. "I almost had a heart attack when Isa collapsed from overusing her powers and split her head open! And Agustin, you could have died falling from that ladder, you should know better than that."

At this point, the entire family was staring in shock as the man continued ranting. Mirabel was forced to let go of his arm as he began gesticulating wildly to get his point across.

"Don't get me started on little Antonio running off into the jungle on his own..." Glancing at the five-year-old he spoke directly to him, "and no, animals still don't count, Toñito."

That earned a few subdued laughs but everyone sobered at his next words.

"And Mira," Bruno chastised, staring at his youngest sobrina with fierce worry, causing her to shrink under his gaze. "What were you thinking running around on the roof... and during a fireworks display at that? You could have easily slipped and fallen to your death, or been blown up if one of the fireworks went rouge! You need to be more careful."

Turning his gaze once more to the rest of his familia he said, "You all need to be more careful."

He went on, listing every concerning scene he'd witnessed throughout his years of exile. It lasted for nearly ten minutes and no one was spared. They all got a stern talking to. Even Alma was scolded for a particularly worrisome event that no one else had been privy to. In the end, he was left panting from exhaustion while his familia gaped at him in shock... some with tear-filled eyes, others with forced calm.

"Wow, that was a lot," Luisa stated after several minutes, rubbing the back of her neck as the rest of the familia continued to stare at the youngest triplet. "You must have kept all that worry pent up for years, huh, tio?"

Everyone nodded in agreement at the girl's question and Bruno felt himself blush in embarrassment. He hadn't meant to go on such a rant. It's just that once he started speaking it seemed as if the worries and fears he'd kept locked within himself for so long had all broken free. He couldn't stop. It was like he was watching from somewhere far away, unable to interfere with the events taking place.

"I...I..." He tried to say something, anything, but it felt as if he was drowning. "Bye..."

Breaths coming in short gasps, Bruno rushed from the room, ignoring the calls to wait. He was too mortified by what had just occurred to bother listening to their words, only knowing that he had to get away as soon as possible. It wasn't until he'd managed to shove his body into a small nook beneath the stairs that he felt he could breathe easily once more, the panic lessening as darkness obscured his vision. Giving in to unconsciousness, Bruno slumped against the floor, trusting Casita to keep him safe while he recovered from the emotional overload he had just experienced.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Mirabel helplessly watched as her tio fled the room. She was about to go after him when she felt a hand holding her back. Glancing behind her, Mirabel was met with the somber face of her mother who proceeded to shake her head. The girl sighed, realizing that her mamá was probably right and that it would only make matters worse if she tried chasing Bruno down while he was still so overwhelmed. Figuring it was better to make a plan, she turned back to her gathered familia and took a deep breath.

"We have to do something for him." She said, drawing everyone's attention. "I think we can all see how much trouble Bruno's been having readjusting, there has to be something we can do to help."

"Yea, his notes helped me a lot during some rough times." Camilo stepped forward, standing beside his prima with a determined expression. "And I know I'm not the only one. He helped all of us and did so out of the kindness of his heart... never expecting anything in return."

There were murmured agreements as the family nodded along. It hurt to know that they'd been so blind. If they'd realized sooner that Bruno hadn't left then maybe they could have prevented some of the pain he was feeling. As if able to read their minds, Dolores spoke up, her normal quiet tone sounding loud in the silence.

"I had a hunch that he was the one leaving the notes. As I said after Casita collapsed... I knew he never left. I also never heard anyone else enter the house during the times the notes were left." She admitted, eyes growing sad. "That, paired with the way I kept hearing writing coming from inside the walls was a pretty big hint. I could never be sure if he was writing a note or working on a telenovela, though, so there was no way to fully confirm my suspicions."

"This is so messed up." Isa sighed, the room filled with a guilt so thick it was nearly tangible. "Tio Bruno's been looking out for us for years, I think it's time we return the favor."

"You're right, sis." Luisa agreed, placing her arm around her elder sibling's shoulder in a side hug, choosing to ignore that she wished it was her tio she was hugging as she said, "We have to make this right."

Silence reigned for a few moments as everyone contemplated what had been discussed so far.

"But how?" Little Antonio's voice pierced through the stillness like a knife, stating what they'd all been thinking.

"The notes!" Mirabel exclaimed, growing more confident as she continued. "All these years Tio Bruno has used his notes as a way to reach us when he was unable to do so himself. Maybe we can do the same! That way, he wouldn't be overwhelmed and would be able to take things at his own pace rather than us ambushing him... we all saw how that went earlier."

"He totally freaked out," Camilo stated, matter-of-fact... earning a disapproving look from his padre. "What? It's the truth."

No one could really argue, no matter how bluntly it had been stated, Camilo wasn't wrong. Mirabel should have known better than to drag Bruno into the limelight like that. She felt terrible for causing her tio such distress. Deciding she'd have to try twice as hard to make it up to him, she continued explaining her plan.

"Why don't we each write him a short note like the ones he wrote us?" The teen advised, already scrounging through a nearby desk in search of pens and paper. "It doesn't have to be anything specific, just something genuine and sincere... something to show Bruno how much he means to us."

Letting out a soft "Ah-ha", Mirabel found what she was searching for. Turning back to face her familia, she saw smiles splitting each of their faces. Her mother stepped forward, taking the papers from her before distributing them amongst the gathered Madrigals.

"I think that's a fantastic idea, mi vida." Julieta complimented, seeming more relaxed than she's been for the entire conversation. "I think my hermano will appreciate the kind words and, that way, we can show him the same encouragement he's shown us throughout the years."

"I say we have someone line the hallway to his door with the notes. Brunito won't know what hit him." Pepa laughed, already imagining her younger triplet's face when he sees all their notes.

"How do we make sure he's distracted, though, and who should leave them?" Félix questioned, rubbing his chin in thought. "Maybe we should plan an event to make sure he won't stumble in on the notes being left and ruin the surprise?"

They all agreed and took the time to write their notes while attempting to come up with ideas of how to keep the seer from noticing their efforts before it was time. They wanted to make sure everything was perfect. After about ten minutes they had all finished writing and had once again settled back into the discussion.

"I think it would be best if Mirabel were the one to leave the notes," Agustin said at last, turning to face his youngest daughter. "She's the one who figured out that it was Bruno leaving the notes, it seems only fitting."

"I agree." Alma nodded, smiling at the teenager with warm eyes. "Mirabel is the perfect person for the job. As for our other issue, I propose a picnic. It would do mi hijo good to get out of the house for a while and would give Mirabel enough time to get the job done without risk of being seen."

There were loud cheers as the entire familia agreed to their matriarch's idea. A picnic sounded like a great way to spend some quality time with the family. They hadn't had much time to themselves since before Casita fell, what with the rebuilding and everything, so they were looking forward to a nice day of relaxing. After they'd all calmed down, it was decided that they would set the picnic up for the day after tomorrow, that would give them plenty of time to get everything ready to go. Smiling happily, each of the Madrigals carefully passed their finished notes to the young teen who tucked them safely into her purse where they would remain until the time was right.

"Okay, you all know the plan?" Abuela asked, wanting the confirmation, everyone nodded. "Alright, you know what to do. La familia Madrigal!"

"La familia Madrigal!" They all echoed the familiar phrase, exhilarated as they thought of the upcoming event and how surprised their escritor misterioso would be.

As Mirabel walked away, she couldn't help but feel excitement settle in her heart. She hoped the day would soon come where her tio would be able to see how important he was to all of them. When that day arrived, the young girl knew her uncle would shine as he was always meant to rather than keeping his light hidden away behind closed walls and she couldn't wait to see it.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Bruno was surprised, he couldn't deny it. After he'd rested and made his way out of his hidey-hole under the stairs, none of his family had brought up the awkward conversation they'd had. It was as if they'd all forgotten, though he knew with certainty, that wasn't the case. For some reason, the rest of the Madrigals had decided not to talk about the notes and the fact that he'd been the one leaving them, well, at least not to him. If they'd talked amongst themselves, he didn't know, he was just relieved that they weren't putting him on the spot. It was hard enough dealing with the normal, everyday things that went on outside of the walls, he didn't know if he'd survive adding more stress on top of everything else.

Now, two days later, they were as friendly as always, including him in their conversations of how their days had gone or what they planned to do in their free time. It made him feel included, something he hadn't felt in a very long time. It was nice, relaxing in a way. For the first time in a long time, the ever-present anxiety that he's lived with most of his life felt manageable. Bruno found that he didn't even need to use his salt, though he still tapped on wood just to be safe. The last thing he wanted was to bring bad luck to the ones he cared for.

"Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock on wood." He chanted while tapping the table, accentuating the final knock by gently hitting his head with his fist.

Satisfied that he'd warded off any bad luck for the time being, he tuned back into the conversation. No one had paid him any mind, already used to his rituals that he felt compelled to carry out. The fifty-year-old was happy that everyone had been so accepting, it helped put his mind a little more at ease.

"So, what do you think, tio?" Camilo asked, turning to him with wide, imploring eyes.

"I think I missed something important." He admitted, causing Mirabel to chuckle fondly as this wasn't the first time she'd heard him utter those words. "Um, sorry sobrino, could you repeat that?"

Rolling his eyes, good-naturedly, the shapeshifter spoke once more.

"I said the family planned a picnic for today. Everyone's going to be there and I wanted to know if you'd come." The boy replied and Bruno felt a cold chill run down his spine.

He hadn't left Casita since the renovations were finished. Actually no, that wasn't true, he had taken a couple of walks near the river and ventured into the jungle with Antonio once. Besides that, however, he'd stayed within the confines of their home. It just felt safer, more welcoming.

"Oh, uh, I don't know Cami." He said, fidgeting slightly as the two stared at him with confusion. "Maybe it would be best if I stayed here."

"But you can't!" The boy's sudden shout startled him, causing the man to nearly fall off his chair.

"Geez, sobrino, a little warning next time, por favor." He chuckled, smiling at the sheepish look the teen sent him.

"Lo siento, tio, but come on, it won't be the same if you're not there." Camilo pleaded, Mira watching from the sidelines before speaking.

"There's nothing to worry about, Bruno." The girl stated, placing a soothing hand over his own more wrinkled one. "It's only going to be us Madrigals, no one else, and we aren't going far, just to the hill behind the house. I promise, if you get overwhelmed you can come back to Casita, no one will stop you."

Both fifteen-year-olds stared at him with beseeching gazes and he couldn't help but feel it was slightly unfair, they knew that he had a hard time saying no to them, especially when they looked at him like that. So, taking a deep breath, the man agreed to go with them.

"Alright, alright." He exclaimed, smiling slightly at the pairs' excited faces. "You win. I'll go to the picnic."

"Yes!" The two cried loudly, jumping to their feet while causing Bruno to wince at the volume.

"Don't worry so much, Tio Bruno." The younger male laughed, quickly wrapping his arms around the elder in a quick embrace that lasted mere moments. "It'll be fun, I promise."

"You two better get going then," Mirabel said, happily, head tilted to the side. "Most of the others have already headed to the hill to get things set up."

"What about you?" The seer asked as he got to his feet, confused why his youngest sobrina wouldn't be joining them. "Aren't you coming?"

"Of course I am." She replied, confidently. "I just have to grab some things from my room. I'll catch up with you in a bit."

Bruno moved forward, extending a hand towards the girl as she headed towards the door. He started to ask if she wanted them to wait for her but it was too late, she was already gone. Lowering his arm, the dark-haired man looked nervously towards his nephew.

"Come on," The younger male said, leading the way from the room with smooth confidence. "Mira will catch up before you know it.

With a final glance over his shoulder, Bruno followed.

'I hope this is a good idea.' He thought to himself, crossing his fingers and holding his breath passing through the doorway.

When they reached the base of the hill overlooking Casita, Bruno froze, staring wide-eyed at the scene above them. The entirety of the Madrigal family besides himself, Camilo, and Mirabel were gathered around several large blankets that had been laid on the ground. As he stood there, frozen, everyone's eyes turned towards him and his breath stuttered. Feeling an anxiety attack coming on, he backed up a few steps. If it weren't for his nephew taking hold of his forearm in a firm grip he probably would have made a run for it. Instead, Camilo squeezed his arm reassuringly, turning to face him with concerned eyes.

"Deep breaths, tio." Cami soothed, voice soft as he waited patiently for Bruno to calm down.

It took several minutes for his breathes to even out. At one point, he noticed the familia begin making their way down the hill but a subtle head shake from the teen sent them back to their original positions.

"Thanks, Camilo." He said, sending the boy a small smile.

"No problem." The shapeshifter returned, glancing towards their waiting family. "Do you think you're okay to go to the picnic or would you rather head back to Casita?"

"I'll be fine." He assured, voice waving the slightest bit. "Everything's just a little overwhelming, you know?"

"Yea, I get that." With nothing else to say, the pair made their way up the hill in companionable silence.

They were swiftly greeted by the rest of the Madrigals, though, after checking if he was okay, they made sure not to crowd him which Bruno greatly appreciated. Mirabel arrived soon after, sending her tio a worried look when she noticed his slightly shaking hands. He smiled at her, hoping to show the girl that everything was fine, and she hesitantly returned it before setting out handmade placemats that she'd designed.

All too soon, the festivities were in full swing and his nerves were nearly forgotten, allowing him to enjoy the peaceful time spent with his familia. He found that his smiles were more genuine, laughs more sincere. To put it plainly, it was nice. This is what he'd longed for during those ten long years spent in the walls. All he'd wanted, all he'd wished for, was to be a part of his familia once more. Now, thanks to Mirabel, his wish had come true.

"Brunito, why don't you come get some food?" He heard his mother call as he listened to the cheerful banter happening around him, her voice turning concerned as she spoke once more. "You're a twig, mijo."

"I'm fine, mamá." He responded, moving over to the matriarch and carefully taking the plate she held out to him. "You worry too much."

"Or not enough." The youngest triplet heard the woman mutter as he placed a small portion of food on his plate, though he chose to ignore it as he heard her call the rest of their familia. "Come, everyone, it's time to eat."

Within moments, the rest of the Madrigals had plates of their own piled high with food. They sat around, cheerfully enjoying the warmth of the day as they ate. Bruno found himself sandwiched between his hermanas, laughing softly as they reminisced about their shared childhood. An hour later, the entire family had been drawn into the conversation.

"You should have seen it," Pepa chuckled, wrapping a fond arm around her brother's shoulders as the younger members of the family listened, enraptured by her every word. "Here was little Bruno, no taller than Antonio is now, with a half-grown pig chasing him around town! I don't think I'd ever seen him run so fast in my life."

"Yes, and then when he climbed a fence to try and avoid the beast, Bruno slipped and fell off the other side." Julieta continued, her brother's face flaming red as he hid it within his hands. "He fell headfirst into a mud puddle. By the time he got home, the poor dear looked like he belonged in a pigsty with the creature who had been chasing him rather than in a house."

Laughter filled the air and even Alma couldn't help but chuckle as she remembered her son's plight.

"I seem to recall you attempting to sneak into Casita without being seen, mijo." She added, causing the man to squeak in distress, one of his many rats nestling against his neck in comfort. "You should have thought about the fact that you were leaving muddy footprints everywhere you walked."

That resulted in another round of laughter, all of it in good humor, of course. Bruno peaked through his fingers as the noise settled down, glaring at his two siblings as they smiled innocently back at him.

"You know, mi hermanas, there's a saying about payback," He threatened, a mischievous grin forming on his face as he finally lowered his hands.

The twin gasps of horror were music to his ears and he immediately retaliated with an embarrassing story of his own, determined to show that he wasn't the only one who had suffered such mishaps in their youth. The picnic continued like that for quite some time, everyone merely enjoying themselves while trading stories of times gone by. Soon enough, evening had fallen, the sun hanging low in the sky as they packed up for the day. Sharing the responsibility, the Madrigals all pitched in to bring the gathered supplies back to Casita where they were swiftly stored away. By this point, yawns could be heard echoing from the crowd and so, with fond embraces all around, they began bidding each other goodnight and heading off to their rooms.

Bruno hesitated, noticing his youngest sobrina watching him as the others dispersed. She seemed to have no inclination of leaving the kitchen, instead, choosing to lean against the counter as if waiting for something. Deciding to keep the girl company, Bruno approached his niece, smiling gently as he pulled himself up onto the counter beside her. It was something he'd done all the time when he was younger, always getting scolded by Julieta whenever the eldest triplet had caught him, though she'd made no move to stop him. Now, he found comfort in the once familiar act.

The pair remained there for several minutes, simply enjoying the silence after the rather hectic day. Bruno debated asking the teen if something was wrong, but he didn't want to seem like he was pressuring her. Instead, he waited for his sobrina to speak up on her own. It was a pleasant moment, reminding the anxious man of when he'd first met the young girl again after his ten-year absence... just without the added fact of impending doom weighing upon them. That was something he was immensely grateful for. Bruno never wanted such a thing to happen again and, hopefully, with their familia finally communicating with each other, it never would.

"You seemed happy today, Tio Bruno," Mirabel spoke at last, voice quiet in the stillness.

The seer startled slightly, not expecting the sudden noise before turning to face the girl.

"Yea, I guess I was." He admitted, rubbing the back of his head with one hand. "It was nice to spend time with everyone and not have to worry about what could go wrong."

"I'm glad," She replied, moving to stand with her hands clasped behind her back, a pleased smile splitting her face as she looked up at him. "You deserve that and so much more."

He coughed in surprise, not expecting such words from the fifteen-year-old. To be honest, it was rather embarrassing. He wasn't used to compliments of any kind, much less, ones as heartfelt as that. It also made him feel appreciated, though, like he had someone who would care if he disappeared again. It was a nice thought, knowing he'd be missed, and he couldn't help but slip off the counter so he could pull the girl into a warm hug.

"Thank you, mi sobrina." He stated in a whisper, voice cracking with emotion. "You don't know how much that means to me."

"Anytime, tio." Mira voiced decisively, tightening her hold on the older man in the hopes of offering comfort.

A few moments later, they broke the embrace, backing away with joy-filled hearts.

"Well, I think it's time for bed." Mirabel yawned, heading towards the door only to glance over her shoulder to say, "Goodnight, Bruno."

"Goodnight, Mirabel." The older Madrigal returned, smiling gently at the younger. "Sleep well."

With a final, parting smile, the teenager walked through the doorway, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Deciding it was time to head to his own room, Bruno made his way to the stairs, quickly ascending. When he reached the landing, the man turned towards the little hallway that lead to his door, smiling as he thought back on how nice the day had been. Casita had kept the candles burning so there was plenty of light to guide his way. It was thanks to this that he didn't miss the pieces of paper lining the path to his door. Looking closer, he felt his breath stutter as tears filled his eyes. They were notes... but not just any notes... notes written specifically for him by his familia.

His hands flew to his mouth, hoping to contain any sounds that may try and escape. He didn't want to disturb anyone who'd already managed to fall asleep. It was a doomed effort, however, as muffled sobs tore from his throat upon seeing the messages written on the pages. With shaking hands, he gathered them all together. Reading them over and over again as the words filled his heart with love and understanding.

Be the best you can be. - Luisa

He was trying, every day since coming out of the walls Bruno had set out with the goal of doing the best he could. He knew that it was something he needed to work at as he tended to avoid certain situations. Luisa's note helped affirm the belief that he would continue to improve as the days went by.

It's fine to start over and try again. - Félix

Starting over seemed so daunting but it was nice to know it was okay to do so. Everyone made mistakes once in a while and it was only logical to try and fix them. Félix's note helped him to know that it was okay to make mistakes as long as he learned from them.

It's normal to need help sometimes. - Camilo

Bruno felt like sometimes wasn't the right word for him. He needed help a lot and yet seemed to shy away from it at the same time. The man knew that his years of isolation had done nothing to help his mental health but this made him feel a lot better. Camilo's note helped reassure him that he didn't have to do everything on his own anymore, he had people he could lean on and trust.

It's okay to cry, it doesn't mean you're weak. - Julieta

More tears fell from his eyes as he read his eldest triplet's words. He'd always been the crybaby of the group, needing help from his hermanas whenever the bullies went too far or things became too much for him to handle on his own. Julieta's note helped him see that it was okay to be upset and that he could make it through the hard times that would come his way.

You are capable of amazing things. - Isabela

Thinking about all the trouble he'd caused the family with his visions, Bruno wasn't sure this note was true. It was written by his eldest sobrina, though, and he'd never known her to lie so it must be. He'd just have to try harder and see for himself what he was capable of. Isabela's note helped him believe in himself and showed that he didn't need to let his visions define him.

Your boundaries are important. - Dolores

Before he'd left, no one had truly cared about boundaries when it came to him. He was bad luck Bruno, the man who brought misfortune to any around him. They only cared about what they wanted, whether it be a vision or simply to beat him to a pulp. They took as they pleased regardless of his feelings. Dolores' note helped show him they were wrong to do so and that he couldn't afford to let such a mindset continue.

Your feelings are always valid. - Agustin

Again, like boundaries, this was something that the people around him tended to ignore. Though his family had been better about it since Casita's fall, he had no clue what to expect from the villagers. He could only hope that when he finally gathered the courage to go into town, the rest of the community would be as well. Agustin's note helped him see that his feelings mattered and he shouldn't feel ashamed of them no matter what others say.

The rats love you! - Antonio

That one caused a fond chuckle to break through his tears, the smile on his face widening at the childlike scribbles. He'd known that the rats appreciated him for taking care of them but it was nice to know it was more than that. Antonio's note helped him realize that maybe there were others besides his family who cared for him.

Whatever you do today, let it be enough. - Pepa

Bruno struggled. He knew he did. Some days it felt as if he hadn't accomplished anything. That it would be better to climb back into the walls where he could hide from his failures... but the crawlspace was gone and he knew that wouldn't solve anything anyways. Pepa's note helped him understand that he didn't need to push himself, he could take it slow and figure things out at his own pace.

You are appreciated, loved, and wanted! - Mirabel

He had no words to describe the emotion this note made him feel. It was as if a dam burst and all the pain, fear, and uncertainty he'd felt throughout the years was suddenly washed away in the ensuing flood. The words were so simple and yet they healed something deep within him that had been left jagged and raw from years of abuse. Mirabel's note helped tell him he wasn't alone, and never would be again, for there were people here who cared for him and wanted him in their lives.

You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Never forget that, mijo. - Mamá

He'd never considered himself strong or brave, far from it in fact, those were words he associated with his padre, never himself. Yes, he believed he was smart, but not more so than his sisters or anyone else in la familia. To know that his Mamá believed him capable of such things filled his heart with a warm fuzzy feeling he hadn't felt since he was a child. Bruno had been certain that even after they reunited, his mother would see him as a disappointment and nothing more. It seemed he was wrong. His Mamá's note helped him know that she loved him no matter what and that there was more to himself than he ever believed there was.

Standing there, before the door he'd once hated, Bruno felt an overwhelming warmth wash over him. It didn't matter that he had bad visions. It didn't matter that he'd been alone for ten years. All that mattered was that his familia cared for him, these messages proved it... and that was enough.

"Gracias por todo," Bruno choked out, the notes held securely in his hands, tenderly cradled against his chest. "Te amo, mi familia. I'm so glad to be home."

With tears still clouding his vision and a heart filled with love for his family, Bruno headed to bed. He knew that no nightmares would be plaguing him that night. They wouldn't be able to pierce the veil of comfort and protection the notes had woven around his soul. That night, the Madrigal household was the most peaceful it had been in a long time.

The following morning, before anyone else had awoken, Bruno crept down the stairs and stood before the inspiration board... a warm smile on his face as he glanced over the notes he'd written throughout the years. Back then, he'd never suspected he'd be standing here today, placing his own notes upon the treasured display. It felt like a dream if he were being completely honest. The seer was worried that at any moment he would wake up, back inside the walls with only his rats for company. That didn't happen, however, and as he placed the small pieces of paper amongst the many already present, something eased within him. This was real, it wasn't a dream. He was truly back with the familia he loved so dearly and he would never be alone again. Bruno smiled brightly, turning to watch as the sun rose above the horizon. He didn't need his gift to know that today was going to be a good day... he could see it clearly in the love held within these notes from the heart.


AN: Thanks for reading and have a nice day! If you have time, please let me know what you think :)