For the first time in a long time, Mariano was angry, and at his mother no less. She was sleeping right now, in need of some rest, so he couldn't talk with her about his feelings over this. When she had come in he had taken her sweater from her and given her tea while she settled down in her room. Upon coming back out to the main room he noticed an envelope when it tipped enough to fall out of the shallow pocket of his mother's sweater. Now, he wasn't one to snoop, and wouldn't have even paid the envelope any mind besides to set it on the table for her, but when he saw the seal as he was about to release it, he froze. This was the seal of Dolores Madrigal, and there was only one reason he could think of why his mother would go to her for information.

Without a word he was out the door and on his way through the streets and up the hill to the Madrigal home. He would have taken more time to appreciate it if he hadn't been lost in his mind, his anger. Casita welcomed him the same as his mother, the tiles guiding him to the beautiful glowing door that depicted the beautiful young woman. Only, unlike his mother, he did not pause, did not stop and tap on the door. Instead, he yanked the door open and stepped inside without invitation.

The woman turned to look at him in what appeared to be surprised, humming, and he remembered her room could filter sounds. She may not have known he was coming. He narrowed his eyes as he watched her expressions rapidly change. First, she had a look of hopeful, (and dare he say joyful?) surprise. Then, as his anger registered, she seemed to deflate, and he saw a disappointed sadness. Last, her eyes flickered to the envelope, all but crushed in his hand, her back straightened as she stood from her chair and she tried to school her expression into business-only, but he could see resignation still lingering. Her voice was almost meek and her lip almost wobbled as she spoke. "Do you wish to alter the parameters?"

"Parameters?" he almost sputtered, before continuing lowly, "How could you give this to my mother? It is not your job to interfere with my future like this, giving her a list of women to arrange a marriage with. I want to make the choice myself without some list deciding who I can or cannot be interested in." She froze. "You- Have you read the list yet?" she asked timidly, and he saw nervousness flare as she clasped her hands together tightly. "Did you speak with your mother about this yet? Do you know what her payment for it was?"

He almost snorted as he dropped the envelope on her desk, untouched, seal unbroken. "No." He did not explain that he hadn't had the chance to yet, and he knew by looking at her that she had already figured out the answer to her own questions, even if she hadn't been paying attention to him. Just like everyone else, he thought bitterly, she dismissed him as insignificant. The one he wanted would never allow herself to be included in this list, and in the back of his mind he knew that is what upset him the most. The idea that the one girl he was truly interested in would not have the same interest in him, not enough for her name to be written amongst the others.

"She paid me for this list in a promise." she picked it up gingerly. "Do you know what I made her promise?" she met his eyes, "I made her promise that she would freely share this with you but give you the freedom of having your own choice. Regardless of if your choice is here or not." she held it out to him, and his brows furrowed. "What?" he blinked.

"I also made sure the parameters of this list would provide the best possibility of your happiness." she continued, as if he hadn't been reaming her out just a moment ago. "I- you want a large family and someone who cares for you. This list is composed of women who are genuinely interested in knowing all of you that also want the large family that you want."

As her words registered, he swallowed hard. She had really paid enough attention to know what he wanted for his future? That was an unusual realization for him, knowing that someone cared enough to not simply give any name.

"Please." She took his hand without resistance, and between them pressed the envelope into it. "At least look at it." she almost begged and he wondered just why she would do that, what made her so interested in having him read the list. Her touch lingered before she blushed and looked away from him, twisting her hands in front of her stomach, eyes flickering between her fingers and his face.

"Okay." He took a deep calm breath before agreeing. Easily he pulled the folded list out, slowly unfolding it and allowing his eyes to drift down the list. He knew most of these girls, they were still acquaintances at best. Which, he supposed was what most of the girls in Encanto were to him anyway- they didn't truly know him because they didn't care to see beyond his handsome face. Mariano sucked in a breath as he reached the final name on the list. Even as he stared, his eyes zeroing in on the name, he could see her shrink in on herself in his peripheral vision.

His heart was wildly beating in his chest, and he wondered how loudly she could hear it, was it as deafening to her as it was to him? His eyes finally aimed directly at her again and his heart seemed to stop its incessant beating. He had never thought that of all the people in Encanto, she would be interested in him. He had spent much of his formative and teen years caring for his mother, not leaving time for romance or even allowing himself to utter a word of what or who he wanted aloud. His mouth was dry. "How long?" he found himself asking.

"I-'' she hesitated, "Long before we met." she admitted, "You have a loud and comforting voice, I've heard you, listened to you for years as you take care of your mother and write your poetry every night. It soothes me to hear you speak." she rubbed her hands over her arms. "I- it didn't take long to fall in love with you. You captured my heart long before I ever saw your face." she squirmed.

Now, as he listened to her speak, he knew that if he had so much as murmured it, the history of romance in his life would be quite different. It would not be short flings, the girls who swooned over his looks and fawned over his body just wanting a chance to say they had courted Mariano Guzman. To them he was arm candy, potentially a shiny trophy and nothing more. But to the girl in front of him, he was a person, a man, with thoughts and feelings and she cared deeply for every part of him.

He stepped closer and her breath hitched as he tilted her head up, her chin in his fingers. This was the woman he had had a crush on for years. He had watched as she, even with her sensitive ears, tended to even wailing, upset children. He watched her as she stayed out of the spotlight, allowing others to shine when she should have been. He watched as she helped Encanto in her own quiet way. He had never thought someone as wonderful as Dolores would want him, let alone Dolores herself. "I never dreamed you would want for me as I want for you." her wide doe eyes seemed to just get wider and she leaned into him, her small hands holding onto the forearm of hand that still held her chin in its fingers.

"You want me?" she almost breathed the words. He had seen enough women swooning to know that was what she was doing in front of him right now, swooning over the fact that she had dared include her own name on a list she'd given him and his mother, swooning over the fact that he wanted her too.

"If you'll have me." he leaned down closer, and instead of giving her the chance to answer he did what he had selfishly wanted to do for so long. He kissed her.

She welcomed his kisses, only pulling back for a moment that was long enough to murmur, "Oh, I will."