Bruno quietly left Julieta's room, leaving Agustin to sleep by himself. Casita watched him carefully as he made his way down stairs and into the kitchen. The house wanted to do everything it could to help him, as it always did. Too many failures on it's own part left the house uneasy.
Upon seeing him, Julieta worried something was wrong. It was too early for anyone to be up. "Bruno, are you okay?" She dropped her knife and went to him to look him over. He put his hands up and gave a small smile to show her that nothing was wrong.
"I'm fine," he assured, throwing salt over his shoulder for good measure. "You know," he shrugged. "I got a lot of sleep already. So, I thought I'd help you this morning." He tried to dance around the truth. He was a terrible liar and she would see right through him if he got too specific.
She looked at him suspiciously and then made a decision. Julieta was not going to risk him being under any stress. So she would let him do what he wanted, within reason. She took his hand and brought him to sit down on a chair. "If you can't sleep anymore, then you should still rest."
He got up as soon as she walked away to continue cutting vegetables. "Come on Julieta," he pleaded. "I can help. Maybe it'll be good for you to have a little bit of a break, and- and not work so hard." He watched her hopefully as she prepared to say no. Unknowingly, he was shooting her with sad puppy dog eyes that she could never resist.
She liked cooking and did not mind getting up before everyone else to get it all done. But if it made her brother feel better, she supposed it could not hurt to let him help. "Alright," she sighed. "But the moment you feel tired or sick, I want you to sit down. Okay?"
"Yeah, sure," he responded, nodding happily that he was finally able to do something useful. There was nothing in the kitchen that could set him off with a bad memory. Andre didn't even bother feeding him, so there was no association. And maybe Val forced him to eat to be healed, but that shouldn't effect anything… a spike of anxiety went through his chest.
"Did you here me?" Julieta ask. He shook himself from his thoughts.
"Yeah," He said a little louder and higher-pitched than intended. "Actually no. What did you want me to do?" Bruno really wanted to make this work. He needed to concentrate. He knocked on wood quickly, chanting along with the knocks. Julieta watched him worriedly.
"You can cut the fruit," Julieta said, eyeing him closely. She could tell he had zoned out, from the blank staring-off look he had a moment ago. But she didn't want to make a big deal out of it if he wasn't, it could make his anxiety worse. If it persisted she would do something then.
She made him wash his hands, then handed him a knife, and set him up at the counter to cut up an array of fruit. She explained how each fruit needed to be cut and what their intended use was for. He soaked in all of the information and was determined to get it right.
When Julieta went to the opposite counter, Bruno began his task. He thought that the knife should scare him, but it didn't. It was in his hand not somebody else's, he was controlling it, so it would be fine. He took a deep breath, resisting the urge to throw more salt as it could get in the food.
Cutting the fruit was a little harder than he thought it would be. Each type had it's own shape and depending if they needed to be diced or sliced made it more difficult. It was slow going. He could see how much faster Julieta was at her own tasks, and worried he wasn't being as helpful as he wanted. But according to Agustin, he should change his thinking so he focused on what he was doing and not what his sister was doing.
One of his rats popped it's head out of his shirt to get a whiff of the food. He quickly pushed it back in. The family would not want to eat anything that the rats had been around. It didn't bother him, but he understood some people frowned upon that. He took a piece of fruit and gave it to his rat to keep it occupied. His stomach gurgled with hunger so he ate a little too.
As he cut one fruit after the other, Burno began to feel more confident about it. He was really getting the hang of it and began to go faster, but that gave way to being a little less careful. He flinched when he cut the tip of his finger, though he managed to keep quiet to not alert his sister. Cautiously he looked over to see if she saw anything, but she remained busy.
Casita flapped a tile on the counter to get Julieta's attention, but Bruno quickly slapped his hand down on it to get it to stop. "Everything okay?" his sister asked hearing the noise. He smiled and nodded at her, then turned back around to show he was still doing his task. She decided to trust him and went back to preparing some dough.
Bruno looked closely as his finger, the cut wasn't too deep. "It's not that bad," he whispered to Casita. "There's nothing to worry about." The tiles ruffled in small waves of displeasure, but since it was only a small cut, Casita would let it slide.
Bruno blotted the gushing blood on his shirt, under his ruana. It took a little while to get it to stop bleeding as he held it against the cloth, so he pretended to be busy with the fruit to keep Julieta from getting suspicious. When it finally stopped, he quickly washed his hands, saying they were sticky and went back to cutting, hoping his injury would go unnoticed.
Julieta tried to keep an eye on her brother, but there was a lot to do and she often got caught up in the rhythm of it all. She prepared the vegetables, meat, dough, and everything else to make what she needed to for the day, including breakfast. The only thing left was to include the fruit, and that's when she realized she nearly forgot about Bruno.
Luckily he was still standing at the counter, chopping away. "How's it coming?" Julieta asked, noticing he didn't even get half of it done. That was to be expected with unpracticed hands. So she grabbed a knife to help him.
Bruno sighed as she began to help. It showed how much faster she was and how unhelpful he was. But he wouldn't give up. Once they finished and she was focused on preparing her recipes, he went around the kitchen cleaning up. He wiped down the counters, threw the food scraps into the bucket for composting and swept the floor.
"Thank you hermanito," Julieta expressed happily, as he did the dishes. The clean up was always the worst part of cooking so much. Although, her husband would normally do the clean up after breakfast. She was sure Agustin would be happy to have a break from that chore.
Bruno smiled at her. He felt like he was finally doing something right. He scrubbed and cleaned everything she brought him as she finished making and preparing things. As the dishes started to pile-up, he tried to go faster. Becoming careless in the interest of speed, he reached into the sink for the next thing to clean only for a blade to slice against his palm.
He jerked his hand out of the sink splashing water and suds out. Luckily Julieta had stepped out of the kitchen for a moment to set the table. She came in just as he sprinted out. "Be right back!" he yelled to her running toward the bathroom. She thought nothing of it and assumed he just suddenly needed the toilet.
Bruno quickly locked himself in the bathroom. His heart was beating fast and his hands were shaking. He slid against the door and sat on the floor as he held his hand under his ruana. Deliberately taking deep breaths, like his in-laws had taught him when he had an outburst. It helped him calm down.
The cut along his palm seemed shallow, but the water had made it bleed easier. His hand stung and throbbed, while it dripped with red, much like when Val had taken a knife to him. And one of those men had cut Bruno's hand and used it. He stared as his hand in memory, until Casita moved a tile to get his attention.
Taking a deep breath and pushing the memories from his mind, he remained determined. He couldn't let his family see that he got hurt so easily. They were all worried over his health, and he was nervous that he'd be confined to a room again for his protection. He wanted things to be normal and okay. He needed things to be that way.
So he used his shirt to soak up as much blood as possible until it stopped bleeding. Then he washed off the access blood. As long as no one was looking for the injury, they shouldn't see it. Casista vibrated it's tiles with anxiety. "It's not that bad," Bruno told the house. "Don't tell anyone, they have enough going on without me getting in the way." He sighed at that.
"They're behind on everything," he went on, leaning against the door as he spoke to casita quietly. "If I can't be trusted to handle something as small as a few cuts then Julieta and the rest of the family will never be able to go about their days in peace. Let me handle this Casita." The house flopped a tile in frustration, but did as he asked.
After cleaning up, he double checked to make sure his ruana was covering his bloodied shirt. He opened the door to leave the bathroom, only for Dolores to be standing right at the door. He yelped in surprise grabbing his chest. "Did you get hurt?" She asked staring at him with her unsettling wide eyes.
"I'm fine," he said nervously moving around her to get by as she watched him suspiciously. The family was beginning to wake up and leave their rooms to start the day. "Morning!" Mirabel said cheerfully as she came down the stairs. "You look better. How are you feeling?"
Bruno held his arm with his opposite hand, hugging himself a little. "I'm better," he told her timidly. Before Dolores could say anything, Camilo came running toward them.
"Come on Tio Bruno," he said grabbing the man's hand. Luckily it was the uninjured one. "I'm not giving anyone else the opportunity to take my spot next to you at breakfast." He pulled Bruno along toward the dinning table, with Mirabel and Dolores following,
"Wait, I was helping with the dishes," Bruno complained.
"Don't worry," Camilo shrugged. "I saw Tio Agustin doing them." Bruno huffed in annoyance. That was two chores now that he could not finish himself. Where had he gone wrong? He used to do everything for himself, so why was helping the family so difficult? Perhaps they were just at a quicker pace. He'd have to speed up and try harder.
They sat at the table, and not long after everyone else joined. Bruno felt a little nervous and out of place. But the memory of his family defending him against a phantom Andre reminded him that they loved him a lot. He was one of them.
Everyone ate and talked, and although he didn't speak much he was happy to listen. While they conversed, Bruno tried his best to be clever about pretending to eat. It was a little difficult with Dolores periodically staring at him from across the table. But it wasn't impossible, he slipped his food piece by piece into his clothes for his rats.
It wasn't that he wasn't hungry. He drank as much water as possible to get rid of the hunger. He was just feeling off about Julieta's healing food. It had done a lot of harm to him, although he'd never tell her that. It was just, everyone kept forcing him to be healed. And when the last bit of food they gave him had made his illness harder to handle, he found that even thinking of her food made his stomach churn.
Everyone was happy to see Bruno looking better. He looked tired, but he was up and eating with them, so it was better. Each family member took a chance to glance at him to make sure he was alright. Despite the fact that he seemed okay, they all knew it could change at any moment.
"Tio Bruno," Isabela said smiling at her cousin evilly, after he had just teased her over something trivial that Bruno was not paying attention to. "Did Camilo ever show you his copy of you?"
"Isabela!" Camilo complained then looked at his Tio to try and explain. "I didn't have anything to go off of besides rumors." This got the attention of everyone. The adults didn't even know he had been shape-shifting as Bruno. "I was just messing around and scaring kids in town." It sounded worse than he thought when he said it out loud.
"Camilo!" Felix admonished about to tell him how terrible that was.
"I've seen it," Bruno told them with a shrug. "When you were all singing about me to Mirabel before casita fell apart." Everyone immediately grew embarrassed and ashamed. "I like that you made me taller Camilo," he smiled at his nephew.
"Bruno," Pepa said worriedly. "We didn't mean what we said. It just came out, and-" she didn't have much of an excuse. "I'm sorry," was all she could really say.
"It's okay," he told her and laughed a little to lighten the mood. "I liked the song. It was catchy. And it was nice to know you were all thinking of me." Camilo glared at Isabela for bringing it up and she glared back. Bruno could only smile at their interaction.
After breakfast Alma led everyone to town except Julieta, Agustin, and Felix. Each person leaving took an opportunity to hug and say goodbye to Bruno. Pepa in particular gave him a hard squeeze lifting him off the ground in her embrace. Bruno was left with warmth in his heart. And he knew he could make his family proud today.
"Bruno, I want you to go rest more," Julieta told him trying to get him up the stairs. He side-stepped her so she couldn't move him further.
"I'm fine," He said with a smile. His family had put him in a good mood. "I'm not even tired. I can help around the house."
"No," She insisted. "You did plenty of helping this morning. And you really need to avoid stressful situations. Just for a few days until I can be sure you'll be fine."
"I am fine," he told her once again. "Everything is okay, I swear. I know I haven't been doing well. But everything everyone has done has really helped and I'm ready to get back to normal."
"I really don't think-" Julieta tried to counter before being interrupted.
"He can help with some chores," Felix jumped in seeing his in-laws conversation slowly turning into an argument. "We're a little behind on the chores around casita and we could use an extra hand."
Julieta was prepared to say no, but the hopeful look on Bruno's face made her stop. She threw her hands up and sighed, "Fine. But if Bruno so much as trips or yawns, I want him back in bed," she ordered her husband and brother-in-law. Bruno resented the fact that she was talking like he didn't have a say.
She went back to the kitchen to take inventory and prepare things for town that would need to go out later. When she left Agustin added to what she had been saying. "You really shouldn't push yourself to hard," he told his in-law.
"It's just a few chores," Bruno countered. "What could go wrong?"
Agustin gave a worried look, but Felix shrugged. He was worried about Bruno too, but the guy made a good point. It was just chores around the house and laying around in bed wasn't going to do much if he wasn't even tired. Felix went to the closet and grabbed some cleaning supplies.
"We'll start top to bottom," Felix suggested handing brooms to the others. "You two start sweeping with top floor, I'll get some soap and water so we can wipe things down." Agustin gave a smile and a thumbs up. Bruno was beginning to get excited, he could really be useful to them.
It was better than all those years of having visions for people. Agustin and Felix always seemed so much happier just doing chores everyday. Bruno used to think maybe they would want a gift to fit in with the family better. But they seemed to fit in just fine without. It gave him hope that he could be like them and not have visions ever again.
As they swept the top floor Agustin chattered on, as he liked to do. "Sweeping the top is the best part because you can just broom all the dirt off into the court yard." He did just that, pushing a pile of shriveled petals and dirt off. Bruno followed suit, it was kind of fun. "Be careful not to get it on anyone below though. I did that to Felix once," he laughed, making Bruno chuckle.
Felix returned with a bucket of soapy water and started wiping down the banister. When they finished the top floor they split up. Felix went to go collect laundry. Agustin went to collect trash and organize anything out of place. Abuela like things a certain way, so the men were very thorough.
They left Bruno to sweep the court yard, it was a good way to keep an eye on him, by keeping him in one place. Bruno didn't suspect their intention, he was happy they trusted him to do the sweeping on his own. He tried to go quickly, wanting to finish it before the others finished what they were doing.
If he could get it done, he could show he was a valuable member of their cleaning crew. He also hoped to impress his mother, so that maybe she would consider it to be more beneficial for him to do this rather than to use his gift. It was only a matter of time before she wanted him to use his gift.
As he swept, he thought of other ways to make things up to his family for all their help and the suffering he had caused them. He couldn't think of anything in particular that would be useful to them, but he figured he could sort it out as he went. He'd get around to all of them to see what they needed or wanted.
Bruno worked hard making a pile of debris to be scooped up and thrown out. Sweeping quickly and gliding the broom over the floor, while gripping the broom tightly in concentration; he didn't notice his hand rubbing against the wood of the broom. Blood smeared against the handle and he winced at the stinging sensation.
He cursed looking at his hand, it was raw and gushing. "Bruno!" Agustin called from the top floor. He quickly moved his hand behind his back and tried to act normal. "Can you get the mop?!" Bruno threw salt over his shoulder nervously, then realized he was going to have to sweep that up later.
Hiding his hand under his ruana, he grabbed the mop from the closet and brought it upstairs. "Thanks," Agustin said taking it. "Someone spilled something and left it. There's a sticky patch now."
"Probably one of the kids," Felix said bringing the bucket.
"Or a drunk adult," Bruno mentioned making them laugh; though he had meant it seriously.
"Let's take a break after this," Agustin suggested. They had been working for hours.
With that out of the way, they went to the kitchen to sit around and have a snack. Julieta was finishing up on some baked goods. "Don't touch anything," she told them as they entered. "This all needs to go to town. The laundry needs out too, and I need ingredients picked up."
"Where's Mirabel?" Agustin asked. Normally she helped get things to and from town.
"She's handling the healing table today, since I'm here," she explained. "Mama thought she could do better than Felix."
"Ay, sorry Julieta," Felix said with a nervous smile. He really had made a mess of it from disorganization and letting things fall off the table; a lot of things went to waste.
"It's fine," she said smiling. "You're taking the laundry out today."
Felix groaned, "No!" The town offered up many things in return for all of the Madrigals help. Not only did the town offer free ingredients Julieta couldn't get from her room. But they also offered services, like laundry cleaning. "Can't Agustin take it?"
"No," Julieta responded. "Every time he takes the laundry me manages to lose something.
"And there was the incident where I brought it back and dropped a whole basket in mud," Agustin offered shamelessly.
"What's wrong with taking the laundry out?" Bruno asked curiously. He secretly held his injured hand to his shirt to keep the blood from dripping. It hurt, but he had felt worse pain, so he managed to act like nothing was wrong.
"He doesn't want to run into Maria," Agustin explained. "Abuela set her up there to contribute since she can't leave the encanto." Bruno frowned upon hearing this. He rather she did leave, it made him nervous to know she was still around.
"Just don't expect me to be nice to her," Felix grumbled, which made Bruno smile a little despite himself. He could count on Felix to keep her away, it was probably why he had not seen her in a while.
.-.
They all took a much needed break in which they chatted around the table over coffee. At some point Bruno had fallen asleep with his elbow on the table and his head propped up in his hand. "He must be worn out," Julieta said watching him. "I wish he wouldn't push himself so hard."
Agustin held her hand. "He's just trying to find some normalcy, mi vida." He gave her a reassuring smile and she smiled back, though the sadness in her eyes didn't quite leave her face.
"I just wish he would rest for a few days more. So I can be sure he'll be fine," she said with some frustration.
"Don't coddle him too much, Julieta," Felix warned. "You may be giving him more freedom than Alma did, but you should still be careful or you will drive him away. He needs to make his own decisions. If he wants to overwork himself, let him. Eventually he will learn what works best for him."
"He's not a child," she argued. "It's not that simple. This isn't about learning what works, it's about coping. He can't cope on his own, we have to do it for him or he might get sick or hurt again."
"You're right, he's not a child," Felix told her. "Which is why we shouldn't do everything for him. We can't be with him every second of every day. It's not possible. He has to live with what happened for the rest of his life. So he has to learn to deal with it on his own."
Felix didn't mean to be harsh, nor did he mean to say that Bruno should be completely alone on this. He just understood that Bruno could not sleep with Julieta every night. He couldn't be under supervision all the time. He'd have to learn to take care of himself. These are the things Felix wanted to tell Abuela, but he knew she'd never listen. Julieta would listen to reason though.
"What do you suggest then Felix?" She asked, knowing he was probably right, but still feeling frustrated by his words. Bruno would eventually need to take care of himself to some extent. She knew how to keep him safe and to pay attention in order to deflect negative behaviors. But how could they help him find a way to help himself.
"Keep doing what you're doing for now, to really make sure he's okay. Give it a week," He suggested. "Then I think we should get back to normal. We should all go back to doing what we should be, for the people of this town." Agustin was a little miffed that Felix was starting to sound like Abuela, but he supposed that's why Alma and Felix got along. He had similar ideas to her, even if he was much kinder about it.
"Have him start sleeping in his own room again. Stop constantly asking him if he's okay and stop constantly doing things for him," Felix went on. "At some point, he needs to go outside too. He can't stay in the house forever. It's not healthy."
"I'll think about it Felix," Julieta said feeling a little troubled by the whole thing. She was so focused on just keeping him alive and healthy that she didn't think about how it was going to work long term.
"I'm sorry if I brought this up too soon," he apologized sincerely.
"We're all just dealing with this the best we can," she responded with understanding. Agustin held her hand tightly in his to comfort her.
Eventually, they all got up to continue their day. Felix grabbed two baskets of laundry and headed out. Julieta pocketed her list of needed items and made Agustin promise to not let Bruno out of his sight. She couldn't trust anyone to pick out the best ingredients so she needed to do it. She reluctantly left with a large tray of food and promised to be back as soon as she could.
Agustin went to the table to wake Bruno. He touched the small man's shoulder. "Bruno, let's get you into bed," he said softly as to not startle him.
"Felix is right," Bruno said groggily as he slowly opened his eyes and squinted at the light in the room. "Eventually I'm going to have to take care of myself."
"I thought you were sleeping," Agustin responded in surprise.
"I can't sleep," Bruno said too tired to dance around the truth. "If I sleep then I'll dream. I bet I know what I'll dream if I fall asleep now." he lifted his injured hand from his ruana. Blood was smeared over his palm and fingers; and some had dripped along his arm from the upward position he had it in.
"What happened?" Agustin asked grabbing his wrist to examine it, making Bruno flinch at the pain and the sudden movement.
Bruno spoke in a tired daze as tears formed in his eyes. "Valentina sliced me up down there, it hurt so much I couldn't tell how long it lasted, then she stuck the knife inside me and fucked me with it," he paused to wipe his tears and continued looking forward at nothing. "She let her friends take a turn. One of them cut my hand like this and used it on himself. The others used other parts of me. I don't even know when it ended, I passed out before it did."
"Bruno," Agustin said feeling sick to his stomach. Bruno felt so tired, and his hand throbbed. It hurt so much now. It made the memories flood his mind.
"They laughed the whole time. When they beat me and fucked me." Bruno bark a laughed, but it wasn't from amusement. It was sad, like he didn't know how he was supposed to react. "They made me cum while they nearly choked me to death. I don't even know if it was before or after the cutting, it's all so muddled now."
"When they were done with me, they made me eat Julieta's food so they could do it again," He confessed. "I missed Andre then. I wished he would save me." Bruno sobbed and laughed at the same time. "I knew he would, if he were alive. He killed someone for raping me. Just hit him over and over until he didn't have a face, then he stabbed him just as much."
Agustin pulled Bruno into a hug. He didn't know what to do or say. All he could do was just try to make things better. But how could anyone feel okay after that. "I've never had sex before Andre," Bruno said sadly. "I never really thought about it before. Now I know what it feels like, and what it tastes like."
"Oh god," Agustin choked out as he began to cry. "I'm sorry Bruno, I'm so sorry." He squeezed his in-law closer, rocking him a little. Though we wasn't sure if he was trying to comfort Bruno or himself.
They stayed like that for a few minutes. Agustin hugged the smaller man tightly. Bruno hugged back weakly, laying his head on the other man's shoulder. He just felt so miserable, hungry, and tired. Eventually Agustin pulled away. "We need to heal that."
Bruno shook his head no, to the other man's distress. But he couldn't push the healing on him, not after what he was just told. So he did his best to clean it up and bandaged it with some cloth.
By the time Agustin wrapped and cleaned his injury, Bruno was feeling emotionally numb. He didn't mean to say all those things. It just came out, and now he was sure there would be consequences. His family would do something to help, and he would probably hate it. He hated himself already, because how was he supposed to help them if he was back to needing their help?
"You should sleep. I'll watch over you." Agustin wouldn't accept a no, it was obvious that the other man was tired.
He grabbed Bruno's uninjured hand and gently pulled him to the stairs. But the small man paused to look at the candle. "I'm cursed in more ways than one," Bruno stated as the candle burned bright letting it's light shine toward him. His eyes turned green then and he sighed. "Maybe the candle wants to snuff me out, that way it can survive with the family."
Agustin turned to look at him in confusion only to see the other man's eyes glowing. The prophet collapsed on the stairs, eyes wide open. "Bruno!" Agustin shouted in surprise quickly lifting him off the stairs and onto the floor. He got no response, so he waited for the vision to pass. But after five minutes nothing had changed. His visions never took long.
"Bruno? Can you hear me?" Agustin tried shaking him but he was unresponsive. He started to panic. "Dolores, somethings wrong. I-I don't know what to do."
.-.
Bruno stood in the woods by Casita hearing the distant laughter of his nieces and nephews. Everything was green, like his visions, but his visions didn't include sound. And he never saw them through the point-of-view where he was involved. He looked around, confused.
"Tio Bruno! You're it!" a child called out to him from a distance. He ran through the woods in slow motion, looking for them. "Come find us!" an echo yelled. He tried to follow. He could see them running ahead, but they were running to quickly.
He stopped at the river seeing Maria and her sons waiting for him. "Bruno, I'm sorry," she apologized holding out a knife. "Take it. It will keep you safe." He shook his head and she lowered the weapon. "You're wiser than I am," she commented with a smile and he watched as they disappeared.
Bruno turned to look at Casita and found himself in the courtyard. Felix and Agustin laughed merrily while pouring wine. "Little Bro!" Felix shouted waving him over. "Have a drink! We're celebrating!" Agustin handed him a glass giving a goofy smile, obviously drunk. "To Dolores! May she have a happy marriage!" They all cheered and drank.
When he put the glass down from taking a sip, they were gone and he was in his room at the top of the stairs holding a box. "Are you sure about this?" Mirabel asked. He looked at her and nodded. "Okay, but moving your bedroom to the bottom is going to make it easier for everyone to bug you." He laughed, it was what he wanted.
When he blinked she was gone and he was back in the woods hearing the echoed laughter of children once again. "I think Dolores is going to look beautiful in her wedding dress," a man said appearing next to him. Bruno jumped back in surprise and was shocked when he laid eyes on him.
"Pedro?" He questioned. Bruno's dreams were taking a strange turn.
"I prefer papa or papi," Pedro replied. He held out his arms for a hug, but Bruno just stood there. Speechless.
They stood there awkwardly until Pedro put his arms down, a little disappointed for being rejected by his son. "Anyway, this isn't a dream. You were in need of a miracle, so the candle allowed me to be able to talk to you."
Bruno turned around and walked away without giving a response. When it came to bad, weird, or just impossible things, it was better to just get away. He could probably believe this wasn't a dream. He had only nightmares and this dream wasn't scary. His ability to think with clarity also made it seem less like a dream state and more like a vision.
Honestly, he didn't care. He was done with everything right now. Everything was just too much. "Bruno!" Pedro yelled running after him. "I know this is probably really strange and unexpected. But I promise, this is real. Even if you think it's just a dream, let me just talk to you."
Bruno stopped and turned around. "I don't want to talk to you. How would that help? I don't even know you!" he flung his hands out in exasperation. "You're just a picture on the wall." That stung Pedro right in the heart. "Actually no," Bruno corrected himself. "You're the reason I'm cursed!"
"Bruno, I-" Pedro tried to explain.
"Tell me I'm wrong," Bruno went on. "Whether it be from mama's pain of losing you, or your sacrifice to save us, the miracle was because of you. Why would anyone think it was a good idea to give five-year-old children abilities that can change the lives of every single person around them? Give me a good reason, then maybe I'll hear you out."
"Miracles are part of a strange type of magic, and no one can predict or understand how they work or why," Pedro said. "I know you and your sisters had a hard time growing up. And I know that it felt like the world was on your shoulders, but I never meant for it to work out that way."
"Your gift wasn't meant to scare people or hurt anyone. It was meant to warn people of the future. It was supposed to give a chance to anyone that needed time to prepare. If I had known the future before I died, I could have prepared your mother. I could have reassured her and gave a proper goodbye." Pedro looked into his son's irate expression with desperation. "I could have told her that I was still going to be around to look after all of you."
Bruno calmed down seeing his father was upset. It was probably unfair to blame him for the miracle. Pedro only died to save them, and Bruno knew he would have done the same. He let out a breath, "I'm not sure how you could be there. You're dead."
"Well," Pedro awkwardly smiled. "I have been there, the whole time. I even made a space for you, so you wouldn't leave the family for those ten years. I tried to keep you company as best I could, but a house can only do so much."
"What?" Bruno asked confused.
"Where do you think Casita came from?" Pedro explained. "Magic doesn't come from nothing."
"You're casita?" That was insane.
"I just wanted to be there," Pedro said, "It was the miracle doing something for each of us. I just wish it hadn't of harmed you as much as it did. It was the biggest regret I had. I feel like I failed you, I should have protected you better. But I had no way of telling your mother that you and your sisters needed more care and understanding. And I believed she was trying the best she could."
"But then you had a vision that made you want to leave and I was worried for your safety. So I coaxed you to stay in the walls instead, so I could keep watching over you and keep protecting you. I tried to make up for my lack of care to you by giving Mirabel special attention. Because like you, she was being excluded from the family."
"Bruno, I only ever wanted what was best for you. I never meant for any of this to happen. I love you, but I understand if you hate me," Pedro looked at him sadly. Bruno felt that was a lot of information to absorb.
"So even when I was in the walls, I still had family helping me?" Bruno asked. His father nodded.
"Family is supposed to take care of each other," Pedro explained "There is no getting even, or making things equal among each member. Everyone is cared for, especially when they need it the most. You spent ten years of your life hiding away because it was what Mirabel needed to live a normal one. She needed care and you gave it. Now you need care, let them give it to you. Let me care for you."
"I just-" Bruno began to cry. "I just don't know how."
Pedro went to him and wrapped his arms around, hugging his son gently. Bruno accepted it, hugging him back and resting his head against his father. It felt nice. "It's going to be okay Brunito. I'm going to be there for you no matter what. I love you so much."
"I love you too, papa," Bruno responded holding him closer. Pedro smiled to himself, he had wanted to hug one of his children for so long.
When they parted from their embrace Bruno looked around at their surroundings. "What is this place?"
"I only know as much as you," Pedro chuckled. "One moment I'm trying to flatten the stairs so you don't hit your head on a corner when you collapsed into a vision. Then the next thing I know I'm here with you."
"Thanks for protecting me, and for not telling anyone when I hurt my hand on the dishes," Bruno said feeling like there was probably a lot he should be thanking his father for. Casita did a lot for the family, and Bruno kind of took it for granted.
"There's just something about your face when you ask for things, that I can't seem to resist doing what you want," Pedro said referring to Bruno's puppy dog eyes. "Otherwise I would have brought their attention to it."
Pedro could suddenly feel himself being pulled back to reality. "I have to go now. Just know I am going to do my best to protect you, even if you don't like it," he warned. Bruno nodded in understanding. "And if you tell the family who casita really is, tell your mother the candle was our wedding candle. She'll know then."
Bruno felt like he had so much more to say, but there was no time, so he settled with thanking his father again. "Thanks for taking care of me for those ten years. I did feel less lonely with casita there, and my rats."
Pedro smiled and thanked him back, "Thanks for helping Mirabel save the miracle"
"I still hate the visions," Bruno pouted.
"I know," Pedro chuckled before disappearing.