EDIT: REWRITTEN 7-12-2022
Aye! Chapter 3! Woot woot!
About to start work, so I'll be brief!
Enjoy!
~Star
"I'm sorry."
Bruno looked up to find Alejandro staring at his half-filled plate. He was sitting the nearest to them, having moved around while they ate. "¿Como?" He wasn't quite sure he'd heard the soft utterance.
Alejandro let out a soft sigh, cheeks flushed. "I'm sorry I frightened you, Señor Madrigal. I…I didn't mean to, I—"
"Oh," Bruno waved a hand dismissively, a kind smile on his face, "I know. Don't worry about it, kid. Milo gives me a heart attack on a daily basis with his sneak attacks—it's fine."
Camilo snorted, appreciating the small attempt at humor. His plate was almost empty, and he was contemplating asking for more. It was his usual amount, but he still felt hungry. "They're not sneak attacks, Tío. It's not my fault you don't hear my footsteps."
Alejandro watched as his friend bickered teasingly with his tío and suddenly yearned for his parents.
"How are you feeling?" Dolores asked as she sat between Alejandro and Juanse. She was feeling a lot better after eating Julieta's food and held still when Alejo tentatively rested his head against her shoulder.
"A little better." Alejandro mumbled, finding comfort in her familiar presence. "I still feel…agitated, pero I know it's not normal. The food is helping."
"Then you should keep eating." Dolores said softly and patted his head. Tilting her head towards something she heard, she smiled. "You parents are almost here. Tío Gus and Luisa are bringing them over."
Juanse pinched an empanada between his fingers and frowned at it. "I don't think I want to be around mi familia right now."
"Why do you say that, niño?" Alma gently asked.
His lips curled a little, a bit of teeth showing before he shook his head. Juanse seemed to curl in on himself further before replying. "I almost attacked Camilo and Alejo. What if I attack them?"
"We won't let that happen." Alma said with such conviction that there was no room for doubt. "While we…investigate the events of today, you and Alejandro can stay in Casita." A quick look around the room showed many family members nodding in agreement. "Whatever happens, we can handle it."
Juanse bit his lip. "What if we hurt you, Señora?"
A sudden and sharp snarl ripped through the air, surprising everyone. Once again, it wasn't human, but this time, Camilo was the source. Cheeks flushing shamefully, he ducked his head and his shoulders hiked up to his ears. "Lo siento. I just…the thought of—" He couldn't even finish the sentence before it pittered off into a low growl, which ended on a whine when Félix gave him another squeeze. Pepa and Félix shared worried looks.
"It's okay, mijo. Isa's got it covered, chicos. You won't be hurting anyone." His calm and even tone gave none of his unease away. 'This…this is very disturbing. My mischievous little camaleón, snarling like an animal….' Félix bit his lip and rapidly blinked his eyes when they burned. 'Whatever that plant did to them, I hope we're able to fix it quickly.'
All the while, Antonio had been silently observing the three from his perch on Camilo's lap. The youngest Madrigal had instructed his animal friends to stay in his room so as not to overwhelm his brother and his friends, and he was glad he did. There was an odd feeling he was getting from the trio, one he hadn't noticed before. It grew stronger as the sunset. It wasn't until Camilo had snarled did Antonio recognize the feeling as it reverberated within his chest near his heart— it was the same feeling he got when he met a new animal friend.
'Oh. Oh. That's why I'm not scared when they sound scary! I wonder if I…,' Antonio thought curiously, and reached out with his Gift. He let out a soft gasp when all three suddenly focused on him.
"Uh." Mirabel shared a look with Isabela. 'Yup, that was a little creepy. Just a little bit.'
"You okay, Toñito?" Camilo asked, feeling a pull towards him. It was different from the plant; playful and filled with safety. He frowned internally at the oddness of it, but kept his focus on Antonio and hugged him closer.
Antonio couldn't help but grin at his hermano. "You guys feel funny." He said, handing Camilo another empanada from his plate.
"What does that mean?" Camilo grinned, taking the food. He suddenly felt very happy—but he was always happy around his hermanito. Even when Antonio had his rare moments of being annoying, he loved being around the kid.
"You feel like one of my animal amigos." Antonio stated cheerfully.
Camilo chuckled, before freezing. "Wait— Are we— Am I turning into an animal?!"
"What?!" Pepa exclaimed, wide-eyed. A few others turned to their youngest member, waiting for his reply.
"Maybe?" Antonio bashfully answered, suddenly shy from all the attention. "You feel like them, but not the same." He paused. "You feel like a dog."
It was unexpected, and Félix roared with laughter at the expression on Camilo's face. Camilo stared at his hermanito, jaw slack and a blank look in his eyes.
"Did he just call us dogs?" Alejandro asked, and genuinely sounded upset. That caught Camilo's attention and the shapeshifter growled in warning as he held Antonio closer. His eyes flashed amber as he snapped his teeth at Alejo. Everyone paused, caught off guard by the display.
"Lo siento…" Camilo muttered, rubbing his face as his eyes returned to normal. 'What the fuck was that?'
"Yup, I can't even be offended. It's true." Juanse said as he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. Alejandro meekly apologized and Antonio smiled.
"It's okay." Antonio then proceeded to hop off Camilo's lap and approached Alejo, reaching up to pet his hair. The young man stilled before closing his eyes in contentment.
Juanse squinted his eyes, unreasonable jealous filling him at the sight. "Hey, Toñito! Pet me, too? ¿Por favor?"
"Okay!"
Camilo watched his hermanito pet his friends and scowled. 'I am NOT jealous—' The feel of fingers digging into his curls and petting lightly caused his eyes to flutter close. "Oh."
Pepa pressed a hand to her lips to stifle her laughter as she watched her esposo pet their son. Félix beamed when Camilo calmed further, smiling genuinely for the first time since they'd gotten him home.
As the tension continued to lessen, the rest of the family and guests ate their food. During that time, Raul came to pick up Gabriela and Gloria. The twins left after saying their goodbyes to Marlena and Bruno, with Gloria pinching Camilo's cheeks on her way out. The eighteen-year-old scowled at his prima while she laughed.
"Feel better, primo." Gloria's brown eyes were soft. "We'll stop by tomorrow!"
"I am an adult, why does she feel the need to pinch my cheeks?" Camilo grumbled as he rubbed his face.
"It's because they're so pinchable!" Pepa teased and pulled Camilo into another hug. Her heart squeezed when he didn't even protest verbally, only grumbling as he leaned into her embrace. 'This isn't normal either…'
It was just after they had finished eating when Luisa and Agustín returned with Juanse and Alejandro's parents in tow. By that time, their bellies were full and they had calmed down quite a bit. Fear and uncertain still swirled within them, but the Madrigals had done a wonderful job of reassuring the three.
"Juanito!" Juanse's mother, Cristina Gonzalez, cried as she rushed to her son.
"How are they?" Agustín asked Julieta, relieved they made it home. Before Julieta could answer, Cristina made an angry sound.
"Why are there v-vines around you?! " She demanded, holding Juanse at arms' length. Her eyes flashed with anger and worry as she turned to Isabela, ready to demand she release her son.
"They had to be restrained, Señora Gonzalez." Alma's calm and firm tone cut the other woman off. The look she sent the younger woman had her averting her gaze with an angry flush. "They nearly got into a physical fight, all three of them. It was for their safety."
"It's true, Mamá." Juanse murmured, and Alejandro nodded in agreement as his parents hugged him. "I almost attacked Camilo and Alejo for no reason." He sighed into her embrace when she hugged him again. "I…I don't want to go home. I still feel strange. Wrong." He sniffled and his madre gave him a squeeze.
"Mamá offered to house them." Pepa explained. "Whatever happens, we're able to handle it until…until we find a way to fix whatever was done to them."
"What happened, exactly?" Alejandro's papá, Esteban Moreno, asked as he held his own son in an embrace. His feelings were conflicted—it wasn't odd for Alejo to seek out physical affaction, but it usually wasn't around others. It was concerning and sweet at the same time. "Agustín and Señorita Luisa weren't able to tell us much."
As Alma explained what they had gathered so far, their expression shifted further into disturbed.
"I didn't realize there was magic outside of the Encanto." Alejandro's mamá, Mariana, muttered in unease.
Alma smiled sadly, the words bitter on her tongue. "Neither did we."
"Camilo was the only one who's features changed? You're sure it wasn't his Gift acting up?" Juanse's padre, Francisco, asked. It wasn't a malicious question, but it made Camilo tired.
Dolores answered for him. "That's not how his Gift works, Señor. He can change his features or shift into anyone he wants, but the shift is always human. This…wasn't."
"We haven't noticed it in the other two," Bruno pipped in nervously, "but they've all been acting the same. Grouchy and quick to anger. Very reactive, like, booosh!" He made an exploding sound and expanded his hands to emphasize his point. It unsettled the parents even more.
"Do you want to stay here?" Esteban asked Alejo. When his son nodded, he sighed. His eyes met his wife's, and they both nodded. "Alright, mijo. You can stay." Cristina and Francisco had a similar conversation with Juanse, and it was decided that the two would stay with the Madrigals for the foreseeable future.
"Let's make it a week for now." Alma suggested. "It can be longer or shorter if things change between now and then—but for now, I think a week would be alright?"
"If it will help them, then yes." Francisco nodded. 'Let's hope it doesn't take that long.'
The parents talked with their sons a while longer before heading out with promises to bring their things for them shortly thereafter. Alma and Mirabel left shortly after them to update the council on what had happened. It was late, but Alma was teaching Mirabel that emergencies happened at all times of the day and had to be dealt with accordingly.
By the time they returned to Casita, the Gonzalez and Moreno families had already dropped off the extra clothing. It was around that time that Mariano said his own goodbyes, kissing Dolores goodnight before he returned to his own home. As they started to settle in for the night, there was talk of Juanse and Alejandro bunking with Camilo in his room.
Camilo wasn't aware of the conversation, fidgeting with his ruana as he glanced up at the open sky above the inner courtyard every few minutes. He would stare at the full moon for a few seconds, shake his head and glance towards his room with a frown. He'd take a step, halt, look up, and repeat. Félix observed this for a minute before saying something.
"What's wrong, mijo?" Félix asked as he came to stand by him. Camilo glanced up at the moon, then glanced at his father's face before averting his gaze to the floor. Nearby, Juanse and Alejo were also gazing up at the moon, as if transfixed.
Félix frowned thoughtfully. 'Odd.'
"Camilo?"
"CanIsleepouthere?"
Félix blinked at the rush of words, taking a moment to process them. Camilo fidgeted in a manner not unlike his timid tío. 'Cute.' He blinked again, refocusing on the question. "Here? Are you sure?"
Camilo nodded, looking back up at the moon. "I want to see the moon. It…uh," he flushed suddenly and looked away, "I know it's weird, this whole fu—darn day has been weird and horrible and—"
"Camilo." Félix cut him off with a gentle tone and a gentler hand on his shoulder. His smaller frame seemed to sag under his touch.
"I feel calmer." Camilo admitted softly. "Out here. Beneath the moon." He took a slow breath in before letting it out in a stuttering sigh. "It…it helps."
Félix squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, and smiled when Camilo looked up at him. "I'm sure that's possible." He looked down when he felt a tug on his pants.
"Papí, can I sleepover with Milo, too? I want to see the moon, too!" Antonio asked with big eyes. His Gift fluttered near his heart, the bond with his brother and his friends growing stronger with each minute that passed. It made him curious and worried at the same time, and he didn't want to leave Camilo's side.
Félix paused, trying not to fall for those puppy eyes. 'Mierda, why must my kids be so cute? I don't—'
"I can stay with them." Isabela offered not too far from them. She shrugged when her tío and primo turned to her. "I'm exhausted, everyone's tired. If Toñito wants to sleep out here, fine. I just want to sleep."
"Uh," Félix glanced at Alma and Pepa, who had been watching, "mi vida?"
Pepa nodded, "It's fine."
"Just for tonight." Alma said firmly, but her eyes were soft and her smile kind. It was a great look on her all of the nietos lit up.
"Then I'm sleeping out here, too!" Mirabel boldly announced.
"Me, too!"
"Lolo, do you want to sleepover, too?"
"I can, just let me get my ear plugs. Milo snores so loud."
"No I don't!"
"Grandkid sleepover, woo-hoo!"
Soft, springy moss covered the tiled floor of Casita, making it more comfortable to lay on. Pillows and blankets were retrieved, forts were made, laughs and jokes exchanged.
The Madrigal Trillizos and their spouses watched with Alma as the grandkids settled in for the night. It was such a normal scene; their own personal brand of chaos that made everything feel okay. For a moment, they could almost pretend everything was normal.
Almost.
It was past eleven when "good night's" and "I love you's" were said, after a day like theirs, they all fell asleep almost instantly. Even Antonio, who had tucked himself up against Camilo's side to gaze at the moon together.
Pepa was the last to head to her room, once more brushing Camilo's curls from his forehead. She placed a kiss there and patted his hair some more, smiling when he smiled in his sleep. He was gone to the world. "Sweet dreams, mi vida." Standing back up, she let Félix lead her to their room.
"He'll be okay, amor." Her sweet husband assured. "We'll figure things out."
~o.8.o~
It only felt like a few minutes had passed before Camilo startled awake. He was sweaty and unbearably hot with an itch beneath his skin bordering on painful. His head was foggy, and his heart pounded in his ears as he struggled to sit up. He tried to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to wake anyone as he gasped for breath.
He watched with wide eyes as his nails shifted into what could only be claws—without his permission—before shifting back to smooth human nail. It left behind a dull ache and his heartbeat increased.
'Something's wrong. Something is very wrong.'
Camilo's eyes flickered around him and panic began to set in. 'Something's not right….' The sight of his primas and siblings around him filled him with fear. 'Antonio's right next to me! Something's not— What if I hurt him? Them? What if Juanse or Alejo accidentally hurt them?' He bared his teeth at the thought and forcibly swallowed the snarl on his lips. His head snapped up when he heard something move, only calming slightly when he saw Juanse and Alejandro stir and wake up. They looked just as disorientated as he did.
'We need to leave.'
It was this thought that spurred Camilo to unsteadily get to his feet. The desire to protect his family from himself pushed him to stumble towards his friends and somehow not step on any sleeping family members. Keeping his friends safe moved him to clumsily push them towards Casita's back door despite their confused protests.
They were almost there when the vines still wrapped around them tightened. Camilo gasped, turning to see Isabela sitting up.
"Camilo?" Isabela groggily sat up, rubbing at her eyes. Dolores stirred, blinking rapidly in the dim moonlight. "Wha—"
"Something's wrong." Camilo choked, no longer trying to be quiet. Everything in him was screaming that they needed to get outside. Casita opened its doors and he tugged at the vines. "Isa, let us go. I-I need—"
Alejandro jerked violently, back arching in an unnatural manner as a strained growl forced its way out of him. It held for a second, two, and then he slumped over, panting harshly in pain. Isabela got up in a rush, eyes wide in horror as everyone started waking up. She went to go to him, but froze when he looked up and his normally dark eyes were a light amber.
Juanse suddenly cried out, clutching his head as he fell to his knees, and there were a few screams when a wet, hollow, snapping sound came from him and his leg shifted—
"Isa!"
Isabela released her hold on the trio just as Casita tossed them out of the house. "Camilo!" She screamed, along with Antonio and Mirabel. The sound of doors opening and more frantic voices joining in could be heard over the cacophony of the grandkids, but Camilo heard none of it.
Flat on his back in the soft grass, his amber eyes were wide as he stared up at the clear night sky. His chest was rapidly rising and falling as he tried to stop whatever was happening to him, the warmth in his chest flickering like a candle in the wind. All he heard was his own heartbeat, and all he saw was the moon as it bathed him in its light.
Tick.
He could suddenly hear the clock in Casita's dining room. 'That's strange.'
Tick.
The deep, full-body throb was almost sensual if not for the promise of pain it left.
Tick.
The clock quietly chimed as it struck midnight, and the warmth in his chest pittered out.
Camilo screamed as his body tore itself apart.
This fic will be darker and I like to be detailed, eh heh heh, so…body horror next chapter.
~Star
