On his best days.

Bruno was just a big ball of anxiety, superstitions, and strange compulsions.

Today was not a good day… Today was a horrible day.

Cute little Antonio had turned five! A new door had appeared. Bruno had seen it at his nightly escapades. Just standing there, swirling and formless showing that Antonio had yet to touch the candle and then the door.

They ha decided to make a ceremony out of it… Like with Dolores, Camilo and Mirabel.

That was a terrible idea as far as Bruno was concerned.

Simply… Awful!

What if the door vanished when Antonio touched it? What if it didn't and Antonio got some really awful gift no one liked?

What if people started screaming again?

What if the cracks multiplied, spread, made the entire house fall down! The earth opening up swallowing the entire Encanto and make the mountains break down AND THEY ALL DIED!? Then what huh? This was such a bad idea!

There were people in the house today…. Lots and lots of people. Running around, making ready for a party where there would be even more people.

Bruno didn't like this… He could hear all the people on the other side of the wall… Chatting and laughing in his house!

Well, his family's house. But Bruno hadn't invited these people here! So... GO AWAY! Shu! Get out of here!

Bruno was just trying to do his bloody work! Patch up the stupid cracks.

And then of course another one just cracked right up, right next to Bruno. and Bruno screamed, falling down from his ledge and down on the floor where he landed in a big thud.

"Auw…"

Well… The good news was that there was plenty of Julietas food. She had been cooking like crazy for the past three days so there had been a rich opportunity for Bruno to stock up without being noticed.

"Did you hear that?" a voice sounded on the other side of the current wall and Bruno tensed.

"Sounded like a scream."

Bruno gasped as he clasped his hands over his mouth.

"Probably just Camilo who played a prank on someone."

"Oh right."

And then they left, and Bruno ran to his room while still covering his mouth with his hands until he could find the salt, throw it over his shoulder, stand on one foot for five seconds, spin around himself three times clockwise and clasp his hands together.

"Lo Siento!" Bruno gasped and then just stood there on one foot, with squinted eyes and his hands pressed together.

There was a moment of silence and then Bruno exhaled deeply as he dropped down in his chair, still feeling his heart racing at a hundred kilometers an hour. His rats all scampering around him. Looking worried.

"It's fine. Heh. It's all fine." Bruno grinned like a maniac as he pulled his knees up to his chest. "The cracks won't spread and… just destroy the entire house. And and… mountains won't just crack right open. Hahaha. That's insane! That won't happen. Not like I saw it in a vision or anything. NOPE! Didn't happen!" he grabbed his hair. "We had ceremonies before and they all went fine! Except for the last one which was a complete disaster but hey! What could be worse? Except the magic dying, the Encanto being destroyed, and the house falling down on our heads?!" he asked as he kept rocking back and forth in his chair.

Even the rats looked pretty concerned.


As the evening approached. Bruno's anxiety was not going anyway.

He was pacing, he was biting his nails, he was barely stopping himself from breaking down into hysterics.

Outside everything was decorated so nicely, there were garlands, flowers, and lanterns everywhere. And the smell of all the delicious food permeated the air… just like ten years ago.

Why… WHY?!

Soon the sun started to set, proven as the world outside on the other side of the cracks were getting darker and then people started to pour into Casita.

One part of Bruno wanted to run into the deepest, darkest, most removed part of the casita walls and make himself into a little ball.

The other part of him needed to make sure things were okay out there! So Bruno was stuck to the wall like a starfish stuck to the side of a glass tank pressing his ear against the wall desperate for any clues as to what the heck was going on out there.

There were so many voices. Bruno couldn't make any of them out… It really was a party going on out there and the entire Encanto seemed to be present.

Just like… Mirabel's ceremony.

It churned in Bruno's stomach. Dios Mios he hoped nothing would go wrong this time! He couldn't handle it if it did! What was he even supposed to do?!

And then suddenly everything when quiet… What… What was going on? What was happening?

If Bruno pressed himself harder against the wall he might suddenly melt into it and become one with Casita. But he was just standing there.

His face squished and his hands on the wall in what felt like forever! While his heart was beating like a train and his breath was caught in his throat.

And there! There! Mama's voice!

"Fifty years ago. In our darkest moment! This candle gave us a miracle."

…. Oh boy. Excuse me while I go vomit. Bruno still hated how obsessed everyone was with these stupid 'gifts.'

"This candle blessed us with a miracle. And the greatest honor of our family. Has been to use our blessings to serve this beloved community."

Bruno was not amused by these words… He was very much not amused. And especially not as Alma talked about another person stepping into the light and receiving a gift to aid the miracle... It was not lost on Bruno that he was standing back here in complete darkness listening in like a weird peeping tom.

But then there was silence... And then there were some sounds.

Antonio was moving up the stairs? What was going on? Bruno barely even dared to breathe as he tried to listen and then.

"Antonio," Mama spoke and Bruno stiffened. "Will you use your gift. To honor our miracle? And help the Encanto to strengthen our hope?"

There was no verbal reply. So Bruno could only assume the answer had been a nod or similar.

And then there was silence… Lots of silence. What? What was going on? There was a noise. What was that? What was going on?

"Uhu uhu." Antonio's little voice sounded. "Yeah, I understand you!"

"There is a new miracle!" Mama cheered and then everyone cheered and Bruno jumped back in shock, shocked by the loud yells and screams as wide-eyed he stood back.

Well… Okay. So the door thing went well… And. Bruno glanced around himself. They weren't dead… yet. They were fine… Okay they were fine.

And then Bruno's legs buckled down under him and Bruno felt down, now sitting as he sighed deeply. Leaning against the wall he groaned.

Well… no disasters so far…

Bruno sighed deeply, he had been one tense ball all day and had barely gotten any sleep these last couple of nights.

Now there was music playing out there. People seemed to be laughing… Sounded like a nice party.

His whole family… Just having a party… Together.

Bruno swallowed as his heart tightened and then he sighed. Closing his eyes for just a little second, allowing the exhaustion to overwhelm him… Just for a second.

So tired was Bruno that unconsciousness took him almost instantly, though as it did. A crack… Spread from his foot.

It snaked itself out towards the wall. And then into Casita proper.

Up towards the roof, it kept spreading and spreading until suddenly. A roof tile fell down right next to a young fifteen year old who turned to look at the broken tile in confusion.

Bruno was long gone, he was now laying on the floor itself, snoring a little bit until suddenly there was a shout.

"THE HOUSE IS IN DANGER!"

"Argh! Where?! Huh?" Bruno spoon around himself and then halted. What the? Who said that? HAD SOMEONE FOUND HIS PROPHECY?!

"The tiles were falling and there were cracks everywhere!"

Mira… Mirabel? What?

Bruno crawled back to the wall his eyes wide as he heard people moving out.

"The cracks were… There!" Mirabel's voice sounded hopeless. "They were… Everywhere."

Bruno gasped. As the crack started to show up outside too? No no no! So far they had only been inside of the walls. Not outside! They were not supposed to be outside. Oh god… Oh god no.

Mirabel sounded very upset. And very genuine… Bruno's heart broke by the sound of it and then she stopped. Only for Alma's louder voice to come.

"There is nothing wrong with La Casa Madrigal! The magic is strong!" Then she spoke in a more joking tone. "And so are the drinks. Please! Music!"

And then the music started again, and people laughed, and clearly, Mirabel was dismissed as people continued their party and Bruno turned around.

To see all the cracks… continuing forever and ever in all directions. All throughout the house.

Poor Mirabel. Bruno's head lowered as he wrapped an arm around himself.

Mirabel looked old enough now. Old enough to look like she did in his prophecy… Perhaps it really was time.

The house would either break or mend. And now was that time… Bruno turned towards the wall and for a brief moment considered.

Stepping out… Tell it outright the way it was. Mirabel was right. Casita was breaking… And had been for a very long time.

Bruno wanted to tell… Defend his wonderful Sobrina.

But then he realized, ashamed, he was too much of a coward… He couldn't go out there. He couldn't face his mama and let her see. How pathetic he had become.

In more ways than one. He had failed to live up to Alma's expectations… Utterly failed.

Serve the community… Protect the family… Be a beacon of hope?

Yeah…. Bruno was a joke. He couldn't even muster the courage to go out there and defend Mirabel so she wouldn't be alone.

He was pathetic.