(reposted from AO3)
Long author's note warning:
I haven't written a new fan fiction since 2013. This one will be a little bit different in that it's far more personal to me than anything I've ever written for fanfic. I was raised in a Filipino-Colombian household. I'm using this as a way to sort of manage my own family traumas. I don't have a very good relationship with the Colombian side- in fact, I'd even go as far to say that I've denounced that family. There will be no culture-bashing of any sort here, but I hope you forgive me if some of my resentment from my personal experiences manage to slip through to the work.
There will be a lot of Filipino culture sprinkled in this work. I don't mean to dismiss Colombian culture by doing so- there will be plenty of that represented by the Madrigals, hopefully. I am more familiar with Filipino heritage than I am with Colombian heritage. All experiences on here are my own.
Also, I apologize beforehand for any heteronormative language I use in this fic. My focus is more on exploring familial relationships, and while I will try to be as inclusive as I can, I have a headcanon that Encanto has outdated ideas that are typical of the older generation. Honestly, though there's a magical house, who's to say anything.
Chapter 1: Bruno
When Bruno was a very young boy, he wished with his entire being to find that special someone to spend the rest of his life with. Ever since he could remember, Bruno knew that he wanted to fall in love, to love as intensely as his mama once had, and to love as passionately as they did in the romantic stories he read.
Before he would go to bed, he would stare out of his bedroom window at the twinkling stars, clasp his hands together, and pray every day that the universe would grant him someone to love. He would find the brightest star in the sky, the same star every night, and chant the same wish right before falling asleep. The routine became ingrained in his life, and he convinced himself that breaking it would shatter his chance at happiness.
Bruno would then wake up every day with the naïve optimism that only children could have. He would look in the mirror, adjust his short hair, puff up his chest, and give himself a large, exaggerated smile. This was how he would look when the love of his life would first lay their eyes on him. This would be the day, he would think. The day I fall in love.
"Bruno, what are you doing?" his sister Pepa asked, staring at his brother strangely.
Bruno stuck his tongue out at her, and she walked away haughtily, her nose upturned.
Bah. She wouldn't understand.
Soon came his fifth birthday, a birthday he shared with his two sisters. When the blessing had gifted him the power to see the future, Bruno could not wait to find visions to answer his most burning questions. All his mama could talk about was how his gift could help the community. But Bruno had other plans.
But as young Bruno Madrigal sat on the floor of his room, he found that he couldn't do it. It had been years since he received his gift, but prophecies of the future only came to him in unexpected flashes– none of them summoned at his own will. He had never manifested a vision with intention before.
He grabbed at a fist full of sand and threw it in front of him haphazardly in frustration. He didn't know where to start! Of the three of them, why did he have to get the most annoying gift?
"Oy, watch where you throw that!"
Bruno looked up from the pile of sand and saw his sister. She looked at him with worry. In her hand was a plate of food, brought up high to protect against the sand he had thrown.
"Juli," said Bruno, relieved. Pepa would have thrown a fit had it been her. "What're you doing here?"
"Mama said to bring you some food. You didn't come down for dinner."
Instead of simply handing him the plate and leaving, she sat beside him. She placed the plate of food on her crossed legs, mindful of the sand.
"I was, uh, busy," he said, looking away glumly. His hand sneaked to the food on his sister's lap to grab at a warm roll of bread. But it seemed that not even a bite of pan de sal could soothe his soul.
"What're you doing here all alone? In the dark, too. Mama said you're gonna ruin your eyes."
Was he supposed to say that he was trying to see a vision of his future wife? There was no way Bruno was about to admit that. Instead, he chewed on the roll, determinedly looking away.
Julieta shrugged beside him.
"Fine. You don't have to tell me. But Mama was worried. You've been spending a lot of time here alone. You barely come to eat with us anymore."
At that, Bruno felt his stomach churn in guilt. With the amount of time he spent in his room, his family must have thought that he was avoiding them. That had never been his intention. They might have thought Bruno odd for his reclusive behavior, but his room was truly where he felt the safest.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
"It's nothing important, Julieta," said Bruno. He looked away sheepishly. "I've just been trying to see if I could have a vision."
"About?" Julieta pressed gently.
"Oh, I mean, anything, really," he said nervously, looking around. He did everything in his power not to make eye contact. He tapped his fingertips against his lap nervously. "Maybe something about my life in the future? If I have kids, maybe get married, I don't know."
There was a sparkle of mischief in Julieta's dark eyes. Bruno didn't like it. It reminded him of how Pepa would look right before she teased him about something embarrassing.
"You could have just said you wanted to see the woman you're getting married to," Julieta said impishly.
"It's not like that," Bruno mumbled, reddening. He shoved the large chunk of bread in his mouth to shut himself up. He made sure to chew slowly to avoid talking.
But even in her teasing, Julieta smiled kindly. It wasn't often that Bruno opened up. Julieta was certain that if she had her brother's power, her curiosity would drive her to want to know the same thing.
"Do you see yourself ever getting married?" Julieta asked.
"What? I mean– maybe . Yeah. I think it would be nice," Bruno said shyly. Finally, he looked at his sister.
Julieta smiled patiently. It was such a blessing to have a brother like him. She would see other brothers who would tease their sisters relentlessly, almost cruelly. But Bruno possessed a gentle heart. His kindness was reserved especially for his family. Whoever married her brother would be well taken care of.
"I think so, too," Julieta said resolutely. "What kind of person do you think you would marry?"
Bruno was silent. He was quiet for the longest time. Julieta thought he would never answer and had let the question be. But then, he spoke.
"I think," he said slowly, "that she would have to like reading. And– and she wouldn't mind leaving me alone sometimes. And she'd have to like the same stuff as me. She probably wouldn't be too loud."
Julieta almost rolled her eyes. Such simple, shallow demands from boys. Kind as he may be, Bruno was still a boy, and he was as unromantic as any other boy that Julieta knew.
"Would she be pretty?" Julieta said slyly.
"I couldn't ever think that the girl I love isn't pretty," Bruno scoffed. Bruno looked at his sister as if she just asked him the most ridiculous question.
Bruno might be as unromantic as the rest of the boys in the town but at least he was sweet.
"Why don't you try a vision now?" Julieta gently coaxed.
Bruno huffed a breath. He could hardly focus alone. Another person would surely distract him even more.
"I just need to focus, and I definitely can't do that with you around," said Bruno carelessly. His brow furrowed into an agitated scowl after realizing how callous he sounded. "I'm not trying to kick you out. I just– I don't know how to work my powers. I can't concentrate."
Julieta silently stared at Bruno, contemplating. Suddenly, she stood up and ran to the door.
"Wait, I'll be right back," Julieta called behind her, sprinting away.
She was soon out of his room, the plate of food forgotten on the sand. Her haste pushed specks of sand onto the food. Bruno took another roll, brushed the sand off, and took a bite. He couldn't ignore the uncomfortable crunch of the sand against his teeth, but he was far too used to it to care at this point. He hadn't eaten since the morning.
Bruno laid his head on the sand and stared at the ceiling of his cave. He wondered what the love of his life was doing right at this moment. Did she wonder about him the same way he wondered about her? Did she look at the stars and made longing wishes that their paths would cross sooner?
The thought of her made his chest feel light. The endless possibilities of his future made Bruno giddy with excitement. Being blessed by the insight into the future made Bruno feel like he was privy to things other people were not. It felt like he had the ability to skip chapters of a book when everyone else was forced to read every single word.
It made him feel… special.
The sigh he let out was of a boy held in a daydream. He couldn't wait until his life truly began.
A few moments later, Julieta returned. She was out of breath by the time she finally reached Bruno. In her arms, she carried a large bowl filled with an assortment of herbs and flowers. Bruno couldn't tell exactly what all the plants were, but he did notice a few candles hidden under the miscellaneous leaves and petals. Bruno stood to help his sister, who struggled to grip onto the glass bowl.
"What's all this for?" Bruno asked curiously.
Bruno's eyes darted through the assortment of items that he could see. He sorted his hands gently through the pile in the bowl, mindful to treat the dried herbs with caution. There were stems of flowers– some he recognized, some he didn't– and an assortment of herbs– certainly nothing he recognized. He picked up one of the unused candles in the pile and gave it a sniff.
Huh. Lavender.
Julieta snatched the candle from his hand and gently put it back in the bowl.
"You can't just sniff the candles out of the blue," Julieta scolded.
"What? Why not? Isn't that what candles are for?"
"You'd look goofy sniffing a candle without a scent."
"It's not unscented, Juli," Bruno said mildly. "You brought the expensive one that Mama got from the market."
"What? Okay, whatever. I don't really want to go out again to get the other one," Julieta said with a huff. "Mama will just have to deal with the unscented one."
"Mama's not gonna get mad about that, is she?" Bruno said nervously. He didn't really want to make her more annoyed than she already was.
"It's fine, Bruno. If your vision works, Mama will consider it a worthy investment."
Julieta kneeled on the sandy ground and placed the bowl beside her. She spread a small cloth on the ground and placed each individual item from the bowl gently on the cloth until everything was displayed for Bruno to see. Julieta stared at Bruno expectantly until he copied her position and kneeled beside her to survey the items.
"So what's all this?" Bruno asked again. He picked up a red rose, tempting fate by fiddling with one of its thorns.
"It's to help you with your visions. I heard Señor Manuel talk about how candles help his wife when she's stressed. Also, I brought all these"–she gestured to the assortment of flowers and herbs – "to help you focus. Maybe the scents will help you think about your future wife?"
Bruno rolled his eyes. That just sounded silly.
"So you want me to imagine what my future wife will smell like?" Bruno said, looking at his sister strangely. That was just plain weird.
"I'm just trying to help," Julieta said impatiently, crossing her arms. "It's not like you're making much progress by yourself, anyways. But maybe imagining what she's like will help you concentrate on what you want to see."
Bruno stared at his sister with uncertainty.
"Come on," Julieta implored. "If this works, we can finally have dinner together like we used to."
Well… it wouldn't hurt.
"Imagine what she's like," Bruno repeated.
He looked at the flowers. He was able to recognize some of the common ones. Who wouldn't recognize a rose? Right beside it was the flor de maga, one of Pepa's favorites. She must have been the one who brought this home. He couldn't focus on his future wife thinking about his sister so he skipped the maga. Bruno plucked the dried, wispy strands that rested right beside it.
"Dried lavender flowers," Julieta explained. "I was pretty lucky. The candlemaker was about to throw it out. It's not easy to get that stuff around here."
The tinted flowers tickled his face when he smelled them. It was similar to the candle, but it was definitely more pleasant from the source. It was nice. He couldn't describe the scent, but it cleared his mind.
Bruno took a stem and gingerly placed it in the empty bowl. He closed his eyes. Maybe that was what her hair would smell like.
As an afterthought, he plucked three rose petals and placed them right along with the lavender. He had no doubt that she would be beautiful. She would love with all her heart, and that would make her even more beautiful.
"What's that one?" said Bruno, gesturing towards a cluster of white flowers.
"Hummingbird blossom," said Julieta. "I read that it has healing properties. But it's also very pretty."
Bruno took three small flowers from the cluster and placed them in the bowl. Her kindness would heal all wounds, it would know no bounds.
Julieta went through the lineup of plants and herbs on the cloth. As was her passion, she spoke about the plants and their medicinal properties. Some, she admitted, she kept because they looked pretty. But nothing, in particular, stood out to Bruno. Not until they got to the last flower.
"What's this?" Bruno said, gingerly holding the stem of a flower. His eyes shone with something akin to wonder. "I've never seen this before."
"Ipheion starflower," said Julieta, smiling.
Bruno held the bulb in his palm reverently. What a beautiful shade of violet. The petals were smooth and intentional in their edges. The name was rightfully given– the light violet petals spread out to mimic a star. He decided right then and there that the girl of his dreams would have a star as her favorite shape.
"I think I'm ready," said Bruno in a rare burst of confidence.
Julieta used the cloth to wrap up everything left behind. She grabbed the plate of leftover food. Then, she stood to the side and gave Bruno the space he needed.
Bruno was about to begin. But, almost as an afterthought, he stood and plucked an uneaten piece of chocolate from the plate Julieta carried and plopped it in his mouth. It would be the final ingredient– something smooth, something sweet, that would be a modest replication of his dream girl's kiss.
None of Bruno's thoughts would reach the light of day, of course. That would just be embarrassing.
He placed the lavender-scented candles in front of him in a small formation. He struck a match, lit the wick, and waved his hand until the flames died. Then, he brought the items he chose in his cupped hands. He crushed it tenderly in his palms, unleashing the earthy, floral scents of all the petals combined. Then, he placed them on the sand.
The burning flame emitted the warm aroma of lavender. Combined with everything else brought a calm clarity to his mind. The serenity allowed his mind to calm and his natural instinct seemed to take over.
Deep breaths. In. Out.
Bruno shut his eyes. When he opened them again, his dark irises glowed a bright, otherworldly green.
Julieta gasped, but her voice was swallowed by the howling wind.
Bruno was unable to hear anything over the shifting sand. A strange wind had engulfed him, making the sand from the ground fly into a dance around him. The crushed petals were swept away, hidden, becoming one with the sand.
Suddenly, he heard voices that were not his own. He couldn't make out anything that was being said. Bruno could only hear echoes of a woman's voice overlapping. Then appeared the echo of another voice– a man's voice. But Bruno couldn't make out a single word from the vision.
Bruno lifted a hand to shield his face. He had to squint against the dancing wind. Anything substantial he would have wanted to know was obscured by the sandy wind swirling around him.
But Bruno needed to know what happened. What was the vision telling him? He squinted through the sand, determined to see something– anything.
Suddenly, he spotted a moving figure. The entire scene of his vision was illuminated in a bright green glow– all except for the figure wrapped in a red cloak. Bruno was startled. In all of the visions that came to him, he had never seen the world in anything else other than luminescent green.
Bruno dared to step closer, desperate to have a better look.
The figure took off their hood, revealing a girl– no, a woman. Her long hair blew in the wind. Her eyes looked agonized in a way that he couldn't describe. But despite this, Bruno thought that she was very pretty. She might even be the most beautiful person he had ever seen. He just wished that she didn't look so sad.
Bruno's large eyes widened in wonder. Despite the woman's sadness, she managed a small smile. She wasn't just beautiful– she was breathtaking. He wished he knew the color of her eyes. And at that moment, all Bruno could do was stare at her, this nameless vision.
He stepped closer. It was involuntary, Bruno hadn't realized that he had done it. He just knew that he wanted to get a better look. But as if she were startled, as if Bruno, too, were in the vision with her, the woman quickly put her hood on and turned away.
"Wait!" Bruno yelled, reaching for her. "Come back!"
He attempted to follow her, but the trance was broken. All too suddenly, the vision ended. A flash of light followed right after and Bruno squeezed his eyes shut. The wind settled. Sand rained around him, dropping to the ground. Only when the sand settled did he dare to open his eyes.
Bruno found in his hand a glass tablet that depicted his first real vision.
The glass prophecy reflected his vision– the same hooded woman wearing a red cloak. Bruno couldn't help but stare at her in wonder. Was she the answer for all the countless prayers he recited in the night? He might have gotten a small glimpse of a promised future, but it left Bruno with even more questions.
Bruno looked up wide-eyed only to meet the eyes of his gaping sister.
"Don't tell Mama," Bruno pleaded, his voice small.
He hugged the glowing prophecy to his chest, hiding the face of the mysterious woman.
Bruno hadn't joined his family for dinner.
Julieta had naively thought that helping Bruno strengthen his portentous powers would ease the burden on his mind. He had been obsessive in the way he tried to conjure up visions of the future to the point that Bruno was rarely seen outside his room. But it seemed that finding the answer only made him more obsessed over something else.
For the past week, Julieta had been the one to bring him food. Missing dinner was not an uncommon occurrence for Bruno, but ever since his first real vision, Bruno had been starting to miss lunch, as well. And every time Julieta would enter his room, he would be in that same spot in the middle of the vision cave cross-legged on the sandy floor.
Sometimes, Julieta would see his eyes glow that same, iridescent green before turning back to normal. He would mutter frustrations under his breath when he broke his trance empty-handed, but he would always try again. Bruno was determined to find more– something, anything – about his first vision.
"No luck?" Julieta said sympathetically. She crouched beside her brother, the plate of food in hand.
"No. Nothing," Bruno groused miserably. When he saw the plate in Julieta's hands, his green eyes lit up, but his expression quickly turned guilty. "Sorry, Juli," he said, relieving his sister of the plate. "You don't have to keep stopping by."
"If I don't, I might forget that I have a brother," Julieta said, only half-teasing.
The look of guilt on his face intensified even more. Julieta almost felt bad, but she would be lying if she said that his constant absence didn't leave her a little upset.
"Sorry," Bruno said quickly, averting his eyes. There he went, withdrawing once again.
"It's fine," Julieta said shortly. It wasn't fine. Then, dryly, she said, "You'd rather have Mama bring it to you?"
"No," Bruno was quick to interject. "But I can go down and get the food myself."
"Uh-huh," Julieta said in disbelief, looking at him with a raised brow. Bruno was so focused on his work that he would more than likely forget to eat until the next day. And knowing him, Bruno would sooner go hungry than face the possibility of running into his mother after missing dinner.
Julieta's eyes darted from her brother to the glowing glass tablet on the ground, partially hidden beside him by his ruana. Bruno played with the edge, subtly pulling it closer so that it remained hidden. Julieta's eyes, quick to spot injury, were far too sharp to have missed it. Bruno smiled at his sister sheepishly for even trying.
"Are you trying to see her again?"
"What? No," he said, but the severe look on his sister's face stopped his lie. "I mean, yes."
He sheepishly pulled the tablet, allowing Julieta to see the subject of her brother's fixation.
Julieta took a moment to look at the portrait. The luminescent sand didn't do much to compliment anyone's features, but Julieta supposed that the woman was pretty. There wasn't anyone in the Encanto who shared the woman's features. What was particularly striking about her were her eyes. Whoever the woman was, she was definitely not from these parts.
"Do you have any idea who she is?" Bruno asked his sister hopefully.
Bruno's reputation as the young, odd recluse distanced him from the everyday townsfolk of the Encanto. And while he knew most people in the town, his notoriety made others stay away from him. Julieta– beloved, kind Julieta– would have better knowledge of every individual who lived in their small town.
"I don't think so," said Julieta apologetically. She squinted at the glass vision. "I'm sorry to say this, but I think your vision must be way far off in the future– or, you better hope it is, at least. I doubt she'd want to be with you now like you are."
"What's wrong with me right now?" Bruno said indignantly, puffing up his chest. He wasn't the most handsome guy around, but he didn't consider himself bad company.
"Other than the fact that you're a literal child?"
"She doesn't look that old!"
"Definitely too old for you!" Julieta retorted, shaking her head in exasperation. "I understand that you want to know more about this woman, but there should be no rush in meeting the love of your life, Bruno."
She stood up, brushing the sand off her skirt. Julieta placed a kind hand on her brother's shoulder and squeezed gently in affection.
"The future can wait. You have to remember that your family exists, too."
Bruno paused for a moment, truly feeling the weight of guilt set in. He really hadn't meant to make Julieta worry.
"Join us for dinner tomorrow, huh?" she asked.
"Yeah. Okay."
Julieta gave him a kind smile before she left. Right before she closed the door, she gave a last glance at Bruno. He was holding onto the glass tablet of his first vision. The soft glow emitting from the woman reflected onto Bruno's face, and Julieta could clearly see his expression of curiosity and wonder. His hand caressed the tablet's surface reverently.
The food laid beside him, forgotten.
But the next day, when Bruno failed once again to show up for dinner, Julieta didn't bother to bring him a plate. The fact was not missed by Alma and Pepa. Alma glanced at her daughter in silent question, but Pepa only shook her head. She had a feeling, but…
Julieta quietly took all the used plates on the table and, without a word, went to the kitchen to wash them. Pepa stared after her sister's retreating back in confusion. It wasn't Julieta's turn to do the dishes tonight, and even if it had been, Julieta hated it so much that she would always haggle with Pepa about switching chores.
Something wasn't right, and she had a feeling she knew exactly why her sister– Julieta, who wore a smile in the hardest of times– was upset. Everyone's ill moods always seemed to go back to him. Bruno.
A crack of thunder erupted within the house.
"Pepa," her Mama said sharply.
"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Pepa exclaimed.
She really wasn't. She wished she could throw the violent clouds at Bruno.
"Pepa, please, " her mother implored, exasperated. "The house only just dried from the last incident. You must learn to calm yourself."
Pepa groaned. There was another clap of thunder.
"How can I, Mama? Bruno's doing it again!"
"Ay dios mio," Alma exhaled under her breath. Here we go. "Doing what again, Pepita?"
Alma was particularly used to Pepa's tirades against Bruno. She knew better than to interrupt, however. It would be best to just let Pepa get this out of her system, lest she flooded the entirety of Casita like last time. Pepa wasn't the only one with qualms about the youngest Madrigal. Alma, too, was slowly losing her patience with his constant absence.
"Well! …I don't know," Pepa admitted, deflating. But immediately, she was once again filled with electric energy, channeling all of her irritation in her monolog. "But I know he did something, Mama. Juli wouldn't be looking so sad if he didn't do anything."
"Pepa, calmese, " her mother attempted to soothe. "You mustn't blame every misfortune on your brother."
But this seemed to only make Pepa angrier. Alma felt a small drop of rain hit her cheek as the clouds above Pepa's head thundered once more.
"It's not fair, Mama!" Pepa exclaimed, stomping her foot.
She was really sick of her mother's blatant favoritism towards their only brother. It probably didn't help much that Bruno was also technically the youngest of the three. Pepa was hardly oblivious to mothers being partial to their sons, especially when it was exemplified within her own family.
"You let Bruno get away with everything he wants– everything! He hasn't helped us with dinner once for the past month and you don't even say anything! Meanwhile, Bruno's up in his stupid vision cave ogling after some girl!"
"What?"
Uh-oh.
Suddenly, the clouds above Pepa's head stilled until they completely dissipated into the air. Her eyes widened as she saw her mother rise from her seat. Pepa brought her hands to her red hair, running her fingers through her messy locks in an attempt to calm her anxiety.
She pressed her lips together tightly, shutting herself up. Nope, nope, she should not have said that.
"Pepa, what do you mean?"
But Pepa pressed her lips together even more, refusing to speak.
"Pepa," Alma said, her voice lowered in warning.
Julieta came from the kitchen, her hands still wet. She hadn't even finished doing the dishes before she heard the commotion coming from the dining room. She looked worriedly between her scowling mother and her ever-anxious sister.
After wiping her hands on her apron, Julieta raised her hands in an attempt to pacify the situation.
"Mama, Pepa, what's going on here?" Julieta asked, looking between them.
Pepa's eyes met hers worriedly, but she still refused to speak. But the panicked expression on her face was enough for Julieta to know that Pepa said something she shouldn't have.
"Julieta, I thought you told me that Bruno had been in his room trying to perfect his visions," Alma said slowly. It was menacing in a way that only a mother could achieve.
"He is," Julieta quickly assured, her brow furrowing. He shot Pepa a look, and she only responded with an apologetic look of her own.
"Then what is this about a girl?"
In the most inopportune moment, Bruno walked in the dining room. From the look of contentment on his face, Bruno was evidently oblivious of the conflict that surrounded him.
"Juli, I have to tell you something–"
Julieta would never know what Bruno was about to say.
Bruno cut himself off after seeing the looks of discontent on their faces. Seeing that he wasn't in private company, Bruno subtly slid the glowing tablet in his hands to hide deeper in his ruana. The excited light in his eyes dimmed when he saw how severe his mother looked.
"I feel like I missed something," Bruno said slowly, looking between his sisters' and mother's faces in trepidation.
"Bruno," his mother began, holding every ounce of authority that she could muster. "I gave you time away from your duties to this family so that you can get a proper hold of your blessing. And now I hear from Pepa that you're shirking your responsibilities?"
Bruno glanced at his sister, wide-eyed. Pepa looked back, the guilt evident on her face. Bruno looked at Julieta, who mirrored her sister's expression of guilt. When Bruno had pleaded with Julieta to not tell their mother, she had kept her promise. She didn't know that it also extended to Pepa.
"You have been absent from your duties long enough, Bruno," Alma said. "You cannot live your life expecting your sisters to make up for your negligence."
"But Mama, I wasn't trying to avoid anything–"
"You will not interrupt me," Alma commanded.
Bruno shut his mouth, averting his eyes to the ground. He held tightly onto the glass tablet and willed her to give him the strength he needed. He really hated getting into fights with his mother. The heavy weight of judgment she cast on him was not an easy load to carry.
"I expect you to wake up early in the morning for a month and help me in town," Alma said, leaving no room for discussion. "You are not to return to your room until it is time to sleep."
"But I've been making progress," Bruno implored. He looked at Julieta, who stared back with so much sympathy. "Julieta can tell you."
"It's true, Mama," Julieta vouched quietly from where she stood on the side. "I've seen the vision with my own eyes."
The severity in Alma's eyes didn't dissipate as she regarded her youngest son. Her silence was intense and unbearable. Bruno could feel the pinprick of sweat prickle his neck under the heavy burden of her gaze. After consideration, Alma laid her command.
"Show me."
But he didn't want to show his mother. Bruno felt that it was too private and important to be shared with anyone else. He wanted to keep the memory of the pretty woman's face all to himself, right up until the fateful day of their meeting.
Bruno shared an apprehensive look with Julieta. She only nodded her head subtly, urging him to show their mother. Unfortunately, Julieta was right. Any further protests and refutes would only target Bruno even further.
Hesitantly, Bruno pulled the glass tablet from his ruana. He grudgingly offered it to his mother.
Alma's eyes widened upon seeing the luminous green glow in his son's hands. When she had told Bruno to show her, he thought the vision would be a demonstration rather than something material. But then her brows furrowed when she saw the face of an unfamiliar woman.
"Who is this?" Alma said expectantly.
"I don't know, Mama," he admitted truthfully.
That question had haunted him since the vision manifested.
"Show me the other visions."
Bruno's gaze was quick to meet his mother's at the request. His brow furrowed, and he felt an unsettled panic in the pit of his stomach. Other visions? He had only just learned how to properly harness his powers. He hadn't realized that there was an expectation of multiple visions.
"I don't have other visions, Mama. Only the one," Bruno stuttered in his admission. He couldn't take the look of subtle disappointment in his mother's eyes, so he shifted his gaze to the side. "I've been trying really hard, but I can't see anything else about her. If I could just have one more vision of her–"
"You're shirking your responsibilities for a glimpse of some– some fantasy woman?" Alma exclaimed in disbelief.
"She isn't a fantasy–," Bruno argued.
He moved to take the tablet back from his mother's grasp, but she shifted away.
"I said don't interrupt!"
The cutting edge in his mother's voice was enough to stop Bruno.
"I will not tolerate this disrespect," Alma said imperiously. She left absolutely no room for argument. Alma had very little patience for opposition– from her own children, no less. "From now on, I expect you to join us every day for dinner. We will spend it together as a family. I won't hear any more of this nonsense, do you understand me?"
But Bruno had had enough. He didn't like how his mother talked about his vision, especially about the woman. He didn't like how she dismissed her as if she were some fluke. He knew nothing about her, but he couldn't stand the thought of throwing her away like she was nothing. Bruno trusted that his visions would never lead him astray.
"This isn't nonsense!" Bruno argued thickly. "She's important to me!"
Bruno felt the weight of his emotions pinch at the back of his head, blurring his vision. He swiped his eyes unconsciously. He grasped at the edge of the glass tablet and gave it a firm tug, but his mother did not budge.
"This ends now!" Alma yelled, pulling on the vision.
But the force had made Bruno lose grip. The harsh tug had made Alma's fingers slip.
The shattering of glass echoed in the room with a harsh crack.
Bruno was horrified. The glass shattered in so many pieces, scattering all across the floor of the dining room. The vision of the love of his life, all gone in one moment.
Bruno couldn't stop the tears from falling anymore. The look he gave his mother was one of heartbroken betrayal, one that truly reached Alma's heart with a painful pang. Alma felt a tug, but her pride did not let it soften her resolve. But before she could even think of what to say, Bruno quickly turned and ran back in the direction of his room.
"Bruno!"
But it was too late. Bruno wouldn't stop until he was within the same confines of his sanctuary. Alma hastily went to follow after her son. She was in the hallway, calling his name, but his door shut before she could reach him. Not even Alma's command would make Casita unlock his door.
Julieta and Pepa looked at each other in silence. They shared a glance of understanding and the burden of guilt.
"I'll clean up," Pepa said quietly, crouching to pick up the glowing shards. Julieta went back to the kitchen to resume her duties.
Pepa was careful not to cut her fingers. She only paused when she lifted one of the bigger pieces, squinting when she saw a glimpse of the woman in red. It was incomplete, broken, and gave Pepa vision of only half her face.
She pursed her lips in thought. Pepa thought it was a little bit funny (in a very unfunny way) that some stranger, someone who probably had no clue of their existence, was the cause of such an eruption in the Madrigal household.
But Pepa knew it was never really about the vision. There was a growing discontent between their mother and younger brother that started from the moment Bruno was blessed with the gift of foresight. There was an expectation placed by their mother that Bruno was never quite able to reach.
Their mother favored Bruno in some ways but treated him quite harshly in other ways. In quiet whispers to her sister, Julieta had speculated that it was because of Bruno's ever-growing resemblance to their lost father. There were days when Alma found it difficult to look at him.
Pepa felt guilty– of course she did, how could she not? When she complained about Bruno, it was never meant to be rooted with malicious intent. Pepa and Bruno were just a pair of bickering siblings. But it was a terrible thing that something so important to him was the cost of something so silly.
Pepa sighed. She felt the droplets of rain hit her head gently. Unlike every other time, Pepa welcomed it.
For the rest of the night, Bruno locked himself in his room. It wasn't an unusual occurrence, but tonight, he did so with the intention of avoiding his family. He wasn't in any mood to face them at the moment.
Bruno was unhappy. He was never going to see her again, the mysterious woman in his vision. Nameless, she entered his life just as quickly as she had left. But it was silly if Bruno really thought about it. Bruno was mourning something that never even existed.
Perhaps the reason why he was never able to conjure another vision was because the fates decided that their paths were not meant to cross after all. Maybe he didn't deserve his dream of happiness. And that thought made Bruno feel even more unhappy.
It was that night that Bruno stopped praying to the stars for his one, burning wish. Perhaps shattering his life-long habit had been the root of all his unhappiness, after all.
But even though their fates never crossed, Bruno would cherish the possibility that maybe in another life, they were meant to be together.
The realization of growing up often came to children when their dreams shattered. Bruno supposed that today had been his turn.
As depressed as he felt, Bruno knew that he had to get up sometime. Wasting away on his bed wouldn't do any good. He figured that his family would be asleep by now and Casita would grant him the mercy of moving around the house undetected.
When Bruno tried to sneak into the kitchen for some food, he saw that he didn't have to. He opened his door and found a dish waiting on his steps.
Bruno's tired eyes softened fondly.
"Thanks, Juli," he mumbled, smiling slightly. He shoved a fried platano in his mouth and turned back to his room, quietly shutting the door.
He wouldn't know until decades later that the offering was actually from Pepa.
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/atispatis
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I'm sorry if I am not active in responding. I'm really susceptible to change things based on comments, and I want to be as authentic as I can when writing.
