Onto one of my favorites! Luisa and Mirabel's relationship is so sweet.

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Luisa hadn't stopped crying in days.

Curled up in a ball on top of her new bed, the muscular woman clutched a pair of round glasses to her chest. Maribel's glasses. She had found them after managing to dig her sister's body out of the rubble. Her strength, that had been failing her the entirety of that day, had returned then just for that moment. She still remembered holding her baby sister's lifeless body before eventually being ushered out of the way by her mother.

Everything had faded around her at that moment. All she could concentrate on was Mirabel's once bright life snuffed out for good. The days following, of rebuilding the Casita, were a blur. And it wasn't until she had moved into her new room that it had hit her.

Mirabel was dead. Her only little sister was gone.

Luisa sobbed, her knees pressed to her chest. "I'm sorry," she chanted over and over again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

"Don't cry, Luisa."

Soft arms wrapped themselves around her wide frame. Luisa froze at the familiar voice, at the familiar embrace. Only one person ever hugged her to comfort her. Everyone else sought comfort and protection and assurance from her.

Mirabel was the one to make her feel better.

Still, the tall woman didn't lift her head from her lap. "You're not real," she murmured.

Little hands brushed themselves through her hair, which had been taken out of its bun. "I love you, Luisa," she said. Mirabel sounded young, too young. "That's real enough, isn't it?"

Luisa shoved her away, still not daring to look at her. "You shouldn't," she snapped. "I let you down."

She had spent her entire life being the strong one, the dependable one. She was supposed to make people feel safe and taken care of. And yet, she hadn't been able to protect the one person in her life who truly needed it, needed her. Mirabel, her little Mirabel, was dead because Luisa was a failure.

Mirabel- or whatever it was she was talking to- huffed, dropping her arms. "Luisa Valentina Madrigal, look at me," she demanded hotly.

Luisa sniffed, wiping her face as she finally lifted her head. The girl certainly had Mirabel's face and she had been right in assuming she was younger. She had her tiny hands on her hips and Luisa couldn't help but remember how adorable Mirabel had always been.

And tiny. Too tiny to shoulder all the burdens she had for the past ten years.

Mirabel smiled cutely at her, grabbing her face. "Ay, Luisa, you're a mess," she scolded. She wiped the older girl's face with her arm.

Luisa sniffed again. "I'm sorry, hermanita," she said pathetically. "I should have been able to protect you." She should have fought Casita harder, she should have never left Mirabel's side in the first place. Instead of wallowing in her own pity party, she should have been there when Mirabel was trying to fix the magic.

Little Mirabel- around three or four, she assumed- squished her cheeks. "You can't be strong all the time," she pointed out. "I wanted to help our family, I chose to try to save the candle. That isn't your fault."

Luisa's fist clenched. "That candle," she grunted, anger suddenly welling in her chest. "¡Esa estúpida vela! Who cares about the stupid gifts or the miracle or the magic?" She desperately grasped her sister's little shoulder. "It wasn't worth your life! None of it was worth your life!"

Luisa didn't want to be angry. She didn't want to be sad either, but there was no helping that. But anger was different. Anger was ugly and cruel and people were mean when they were angry. Luisa didn't want to be mean. She had been avoiding this festering feeling for the last week.

And yet, Luisa was angry. She was angry at the stupid miracle for taking Mirabel from her. She was angry at Isabela for her taunts and dismissiveness towards their sister. She was angry at Abuela for treating Mirabel like an outcast. She was angry at her tía and tío and parents for letting it go on for ten years.

She was angry at herself because she had seen what was happening and did nothing. She was as much to blame as everyone else.

Mirabel leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Luisa," she repeated.

This time, Luisa surged forward and threw her arms around the small girl. "Te quiero más, hermanita," she whispered. She held her tightly, sobs once again racking her chest as she felt her baby sister fade from her arms.

Mirabel was gone and she was never coming back.

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Did I spend 43% of my time watching this movie simping for Luisa? Why yes, yes I did. Thank you guys soooo much for all the support! It hasn't even been a day and I have over 300 kudos on AO3! You guys rock! Anyway, I hope you liked it and please review!