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Chapter Five

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Knowing Bruno would be in his future-vision cave, Kat snuck up to his room to throw on something nice before the party. She had never been the most feminine girl in town, especially not since she started randomly throwing on Bruno's baggy pants and shirts. They all had his scent on them, which amazed Kat to no end. How can someone spend all their time with rats in damp caves and somehow still smell like cinnamon?!

Her mind was pulled back down to Earth when she noticed the box on her and Bruno's bed. It was wrapped up neatly with a little tag on it. Instead of opening it or reading the tag to see who had left it, she haphazardly tossed it onto the dresser.

"Hola, Mamá Veronica," the young woman sighed as she plopped down onto the bed. An older rat wobbled onto the mattress, gentle eyes light and hazy. Blind. "Long time no see. Life's got you hung by a thread, too, huh?"

The rodent curled up in her dark hair, squeaking softly in her sleep. Katerina lolled her head to the side and stared up at her childhood drawings plastered on the walls. She hadn't drawn in some time, so maybe they were the pinnacle of her artistic career. When she was helping clean out her mother's house, she found a box full of every piece of art she had ever made. There were a lot of tears that day but now it was like she was empty.

Shaking away the painful thoughts of Lupita, she let her eyes drift towards the box. An annoyed groan reverberated out of her throat as she sat up and roughly grabbed the package. She was a curious cat by nature and nothing could change that!

Upon opening the box, Katerina found a green dress with a note on top. Slowly, her hands gripped the dark blue material as if it was an explosive rigged to blow. She felt her breath hitch when her eyes took in the winding dragons of emerald green that danced around the waist area like an embroidery belt. The top was an icy blue that bordered white and (after the dragons) became a dark blue like the deepest point of the ocean.

Farther down the cloth, green hourglasses had been stitched along the bottom of the dress that connected her to Bruno Madrigal. This dress was a combination of her and the love of her life. It was perfect.

"Who made this…?" she mumbled unconsciously, eyes drifting to the note. The handwriting was all too familiar.

"For Katerina, my sweet girl. You outshine every star in the sky."

Her mother's calligraphy was a sight for sore eyes. It. She had loved Bruno like the son she never had and that meant a lot to Kat whenever they had first begun dating. If Lupita could see the good in the bond they shared,

That man was one of the best things to ever happen to her...He didn't deserve what she had done to him.

It would take more than words to make up for the damage she had caused in their relationship and Kat knew it. Bruno was very forgiving (that trait had been put to the test since Lupita's passing) but she needed to show him that she could change.

When Bruno came down from his cave, she snatched up the box and its contents and then dashed out of the tower. She quickly ran up to Alma's room, dodging any of the other family members to not get sidetracked.

"Katerina," Mamá Alma's tone wasn't surprised as it should have been with the sudden intrusion of her son's crying girlfriend. The younger woman outside the door smiled meekly, pushing the idea that she had left her mother's box in Bruno's room.

"Do you know how to style hair?"

"I have two girls, you tell me."

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Bruno hated Fridays. He had decided that they were much too depressing for him. Even as he stood in the middle of the festival, he felt nothing but pain. It was so dull without her shining next to him.

Pepa gave him a sympathetic smile and squeezed his shoulder gently, "She'll come around, hermanito. Give her time." She gave him a warm hug and then walked away to wrangle in her party animal of a husband.

Left alone again, Bruno narrowed his eyes sadly. He watched some children run past with sparklers in their tiny hands, reminding him of younger versions of him and Kat. The stinging tears in his eyes made him realise that he just might be letting the love of his life slip through his fingers.

"Has it ever occurred to your small brain that I might not want to be a part of this family?"

Their argument rang through his mind like an echoing shout. Surely she didn't mean it…right? She had been a part of the family for so long and should have been aware of that. It wasn't as if she had just forgotten the time Alma sat her down to discuss what plans the young brunette had for her son. No one except new Madrigal family members were given that talk.

But she didn't want to be part of it. She didn't want to be a part of me, Bruno scolded himself. He leaned back against the building behind him and then allowed himself to sink to the ground. His arms wrapped around his knees as he buried his face into them. It was probably a sad sight, yeah, but what was the better location for a heartbroken fool: the corner crying or trying to force its way into a crowd?

"You look horrible. Is this bad timing?"

Bruno hastily lifted his head to see if he had simply imagined her voice or not. His throat constricted at the sight of her ocean eyes that gleamed in the candlelight. The lively curls that once wildly flowed down her form had been tamed into a tight bun with strands framing her round face. All this was nice and all but what really caught his eye was the dress she was wearing; more specifically, the hourglasses patterns stitched into the lower half of the skirt.

"Mi mamá made it. Someone left it on our bed," Kat startled him back into reality. He awkwardly scrambled onto his feet and took the hands of the wonderful woman before him. She wouldn't have worn something like this if she were trying to separate from the family, right?

"You look...wow. Just wow…" his face was scarlet, he was sure of it, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. Only when Félix elbowed him, did he snap out of his stupor.

"Smooth," Kat chuckled wholeheartedly, warming the organ inside her boyfriend's chest. The townspeople who had the most musical talent began playing their next song, drawing attention away from the couple.

"Do you wanna dance?" Bruno asked, raising a dark brow inquisitively.

"A lot of people are looking," Katerina muttered, eyes glancing around to meet wandering eyes from the small crowd they were standing in. Some were full of disgust and uncertainty, while others were admiring the youthful lovebirds.

"I don't care." The usually bashful man grabbed one of her hands and rested his other on the dip of her back. He felt her tense then relax again when he tugged her closer. The warm glow of lanterns spread about the courtyard only added to the ambience.

"What's gotten into you?" she questioned with an amused but surprised smile. Bruno shook his head, face buried in her hair.

"You, I think." He knew it sounded corny, but it was worth it. When her expression shifted into a far-off look, Bruno scrunched his forehead in worry.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly, so none of the nearby townsfolk could hear.

"I almost feel guilty…" Kat forced a laugh. "Should I feel this happy with everything that's happened? My mother died. She was killed by the cabrón that dared to call himself my father and I…" she paused to take a shaky breath, "I haven't been taking it too well."

"It's like you said, no one should expect you to just move on. You're grieving, mi amor, it's natural to lash out," Bruno placed his hand on her warm cheek, eyes softening when she leaned into his touch.

"But that still doesn't mean I can treat you like shit. I love you, Bruno, and I can't keep hurting you when you're trying to help me through this." She frowned at the scratches she left on his forearm during her tantrum. A tired sigh ghosted her lips.

"Did you mean it when you said you didn't want to be a part of this family?" Bruno asked suddenly, catching her off guard. Kat thought for a moment then shook her head slowly.

"I could never leave your family — my family," her voice was barely a whisper now.

"It's our family, mi vida," he reassured her. Finally, she looked up at her lover again. There was a moment of hesitation as the music being played reached a crescendo.

"I'm so sorry for the trouble I've caused. I – I never meant to hurt anyone I was just scared," Katerina leaned forward and rested her head on his chest. She traced the hourglasses on his poncho, matching the rhythm set by the violins. They stayed there for what felt like hours, swaying in the moonlight.

"Hey, Kat?" Bruno called with a throat that suddenly felt as dry as the desert. She looked up at him through thick eyelashes, making a familiar sensation swell within his chest. Good God, she looks like an angel.

"Hmm?" Her hum reverberated through his chest, making him chuckle through his closed lips. He pulled away from her in time with the ending of the song. Not only did he regain his sheepish demeanour, but his palms looked unusually sweaty.

"Do you want to hang out…?" he mumbled so quietly she didn't completely catch it. The brunette gazed around them, noticing that most of the people had dispersed from the crowd to take a break for snacks and whatnot.

"What?" Kat snorted, confused by his strange question and sudden change in mannerism. In a move far too bold for him, Bruno's clammy hands took hold of hers and pulled her in the direction of the fountain where they first met. They were in perfect view of everyone at the festival.

"I said, do you want to hang out with me? Like…forever?"

To say Katerina nearly fainted would be an understatement. Everything else was tuned out as she stared at Bruno, who was down on one knee. For her. Right goddamn now! She could feel her legs wobble beneath her own weight when he pulled a ring out from under his poncho.

A warm sensation on her hand made the raven-haired woman look down for a second. She could imagine her mother standing beside her, holding her hand and smiling brightly. I know you're seeing this, too!

"I'm not the best at speeches, but I have loved you since the moment I met you. You make me the man I always wanted to be and I never feel unwanted when I'm standing next to you," Bruno announced with all the sincerity he could muster. A bead of sweat rolled off his brow, followed by the clearing of his throat. "You get the idea, right?"

"You bought...for me...?" she asked breathlessly, unable to form proper sentences. Bruno immediately closed his hand around the silver band and withdrew.

"Do you not like it? I was going to buy you a better ring eventually with, you know, more diamonds and all that...I can always, uh, ask in a better spot or with a prettier ring — " His stuttering was promptly cut off when Kat grasped his collar tightly and crashed her lips into his.

Although he nearly choked, it was an effective way of shutting him up. He couldn't help but melt as her arms wrapped around his neck. Pepa and Julieta hooted from off to the side, having witnessed the whole thing along with dozens of Encanto citizens.

"You're perfect," she held their connected foreheads together and giggled like a child in a candy factory. Bruno slipped the cool metal onto her hand

"That's a yes...right?" he chuckled awkwardly, afraid that he would have to take the ring off. Kat rolled her eyes despite her ever-present smile and clung to his neck. He picked her up by the waist and twirled her around as they shared another deep kiss. Her earthy scent nearly made his head spin.

"Of course it is," Katerina giggled, eyes never leaving his. She only laughed harder when she noticed he was grinning like a fool with his face buried in her hair.

Julieta was first to approach the couple with her arms outstretched for a group hug, followed by Augustín, who patted Bruno on the back and congratulated both of them. Then, came an all too eager Pepa.

"Let me see, let me see!" the redhead practically pushed her way toward her new sister-in-law. Kat held out her hand to reveal the ring, only for her arm to be jerked closer regardless. "Ah, Brunito, you've done great!"

"He most certainly has," Kat glanced over at her fiancé with lachrymose eyes. The word was too new to feel normal to her, but she knew she'd get used to it.

Before midnight rolled around, the entire family and some townsfolk were celebrating the happy couple by sharing drinks, making toasts, and partying well into the night. While Bruno sat quietly by Kat's side, he watched some of the town's women offer her drinks that came from God-knows-where and gossip about future wedding plans.

"You are the love of my liiiiiife," Katerina slurred as Bruno helped her up the hill to Casita. Sometime after the second bottle of champagne was opened, she had started bawling like a baby and Bruno was all too happy to escort her home.

"How much did you drink?" he shook his head in defeat as he hauled her up to his room high up in his tower.

"Smeben," she held up five fingers before promptly slumping into his grasp. Bruno let out an exhausted sigh before dropping her into the bed. Her flushed cheeks darkened as she refused to let go of his shawl and pulled him down with her. "I love you," she giggled.

"I love you more," Bruno shook his head in amusement then planted a quick peck on her lips.

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Bruno had left the wedding planning up to Katerina, who was taking the pressure surprisingly well. It helped that she had planned most of it as a little girl. She did, of course, enlist some help from Pepa and Fèlix, since Augustín and Julieta were busy taking care of their new baby.

Isabela was a sweet child, well-behaved if you didn't count the tantrums she'd throw when she wanted something. It scared the crap out of Kat the first time she had to babysit. She ran downstairs, teary-eyed and afraid that her niece was going to explode or something. She hadn't (obviously) but Kat was freaked out for a few days and almost changed her mind about ever wanting kids. Almost.

Even though she wasn't comfortable being left alone with her sobrina, she could often be found in Julieta's room, singing lullabies to little Isabela. It was always Bruno who was left to go out and search for her when someone had wedding questions or any other problem. He could see the longing glint in her eyes when she held Isabela but never asked her about it.

When the day of the wedding finally came, Alma convinced most of the town to come, meaning the church pews were filled with people who either hated Kat, were scared of Bruno, or just showed up to see the mystical Madrigal family. Julieta had made and decorated the cake, much to the anxious bride's delight. She would never get tired of eating her new sister-in-law's food, magic-infused or not.

Katerina wasn't the only nervous one, however. As Bruno stood at the altar, sweating bullets he began to crack under the pressure of his own mind. Everything was perfect. Too perfect. He was nervous as nervous could be and all the people staring at him didn't help.

"Do I look bad? Should I move over? What if she gets cold feet? Or trips? What if I trip?" his widened emerald eyes were full of fear and his hands desperately tried to hide in the pockets he didn't have. Fèlix merely gave him a pat on the back and smiled from his spot next to the groom.

"All that stress will go away the moment she steps through those doors. Brother, let me tell you, it's like the whole world gets clearer," the shorter man nodded towards the chapel entrance and roared with laughter. Bruno swallowed the lump that formed in his throat as he adjusted his jacket. So many people were staring, it didn't feel right. What was taking Kat so long?

The moment the piano's melody fluttered to life, Bruno closed his eyes and prayed. He begged the powers that be for everything to go smoothly and that his Papá Pedro, and Mother-in-Law Lupita, would watch over his new family. Breathing didn't get any easier when the chapel doors finally opened. He raked his vision across every inch of Katerina's breathtaking form, saving it to his memory forever.

She looked so grown-up compared to the girl he fell for as a child. Obviously, she had matured physically, but on the inside, they were still two kids dancing around one another. Fèlix was absolutely right; his world was clearer.

"Cat got your tongue?" the man in question mumbled, snapping Bruno back into reality.

"She most certainly does," the clairvoyant brunette sighed, slumping forward a bit. Katerina laughed at the exchange, taking his hands as she rubbed the back of them with her thumbs.

"You're lucky this is our wedding day because that was the dumbest joke I've ever heard," she muttered. Her head turned as her eyes scanned the crowd, noticing Alma and Julieta in the front row with baby Isabela.

For a moment, she envisioned her mother sitting beside her new family. Warmth swelled within her chest at the thought, then she turned to face Bruno again. With a quick calming breath, her mind cleared as the priest began the ceremony.

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Kat couldn't stop smiling through the whole night. She was shining as she danced around the lower floor of Casita with old friends and family. Despite Bruno's bashful nature, he never left her side, even when she was the centre of attention.

"Did you enjoy your day?" he asked as they slowly danced in the middle of the floor. Swaying side to side, Kat let her head rest on his shoulder and closed her baby blue eyes.

"Our day...and yes. I couldn't have asked for anything better," she said softly as the song came to an end. With Bruno on her heels, she made her way to the bar. Julieta and Augustín were speaking quietly and laughing at something that they forgot by the time the newlyweds approached.

"So, how does it feel?" Julieta asked with a sparkle in her eyes and a baby on her hip. Kat laughed and threw her arm around Bruno, leaning on him slightly.

"To be married or to not be able to walk straight?" she quipped. The girls giggled as her champagne was taken out of her hand by Fèlix, who waltzed by with Pepa.

"I think that's enough for tonight, hermanita," he said with a bead of sheepish sweat rolling down his brow. Pepa lightly tapped his chest, playfully reprimanding him.

"Oi, let the woman have her fun," she smirked, taking the glass and claiming it as her own. Kat rolled her eyes but kept her warm smile.

"Brunito, can you get me another one?" Her pleading puppy-dog eyes made Bruno groan in annoyance.

"Félix is right, cariño. How about we go upstairs?" he sighed, noticing most of the guests had gone home for the night. Kat whined pitifully and tugged on his sleeve. When he didn't budge, she stood up on her tippy-toes and put her lips near his ear.

"What did you have in mind?" she whispered in a low voice that sent chills down his spine. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as his face turned scarlet.

"Ah, well, we could...um —" "I'm messing with you, Sweetheart," Katerina quickly pecked his cheek then settled back down onto flat feet. "But you're right. I think it's time we hit the hay."

"Yeah, we should call it a night," Pepa nodded towards her door with her husband hot on her heels. Julieta turned to Kat, let her eyes fly between her and her brother, and then winked in the young woman's direction.

"You two enjoy your night," she slyly.

"Gracias, hermana," Kat sang as Bruno practically carried her to bed. "Why did you put those up?" she asked while staring at her paintings pinned onto his walls.

"Because I love them, that's why," he chuckled and crawled into bed beside her. She sat her head atop his chest and listened to the rhythmic beating of his heart.

"My mamá loved you," she hummed with closed eyes while snuggling closer to him. The warmth emitted from his body made her feel like she was wrapped in a warm blanket when he put his arms around her.

"And my papá would have loved you," he could only smile at the thought of his father, Pedro, blessing him on his happiest day. It took him sixteen years to muster up the courage but he eventually managed to ask Kat to marry him and now…? Now it felt like he had entered a different reality.

That daydreaming sensation only multiplied when he heard Kat hum the song that drew him to her all those years ago. For a fraction of a second, he pondered using his gift to see what their lives would be like. Would they always be as happy as they were at that moment? Would they have kids? If so, who would it look more like? Boy or girl?

He glanced over at her with his grass-coloured eyes to see that she had barely opened her own. She stared at something on the wall as she sang the broken tune. Bruno raised a brow and turned his head to follow her line of sight. There on the wall was a photo of Kat at age fifteen and Lupita with the Madrigal family next to them. It was the triplet's birthday and the young Ruiz girl had her arms wrapped around a nervous Bruno's neck.

"She's still here, ya'know?" he spoke softly. Katerina hummed understandingly, ending her song as she snuggled up closer to him. The pale moonlight leaked through the window to the left of the bed and illuminated a sliver of her face.

"Te quiero, Bruno," she reached up and passionately kissed his lips for as long as her lungs would allow.

The moment they severed their connection, he cupped her cheek with his right hand, "No more than I do, my love."

This was their moment. Nothing was disrupting the quiet admiration they shared as no one else mattered for the next few hours. Heaven wasn't quite the right term for the bliss that the newlyweds felt on their night of celebration.