Summary:

Gabriela gets nervous when Pepa (and unwillingly, Julieta) attempts to give her "the talk". Bruno promises Gabriela to take their relationship slow.

-o-o-

Written in both Gabriela's and Bruno's POV.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

I help the Madrigals clean up after the last of the guests has left. It was very chaotic right after la lavada and la enmaizenada, but overall it was one of the best birthday parties I've ever attended.

"Hey, Gabriela, you don't need to help us clean here, you're our guest tonight," Julieta says as we're sweeping off the scattered flour and flower petals. I shake my head. "No, it's no problem for me. Besides, you guys are the birthday celebrants, shouldn't you be the ones not cleaning?"

"Our birthday ended about an hour ago," Pepa laughs. "It's already past midnight. So, cleanup duty."

I shrug. "Makes sense that we three would be cleaning up and Bruno went to escort Mamá Alma…" It feels strange to call their mother that, but she had insisted I address her as such. Might as well get used to it. "...and the rest of the little girls to their rooms. You left Mirabel and Camilo to Agustín and Félix?"

Pepa hums. "I love my baby boy to bits, but he drives me crazy with his crying. He'll cry, then we'll rush to his crib, then he'll stop. There are no tears, I tell you! It's like he's playing a game with me and his Papá. I don't know where he gets that from, and Camilo is only a few months old!" I laugh at that. "Maybe you have a budding actor on your hands, Pepa."

She rolls her eyes at me. "Ha, ha. Wait till you become a mother too, Gabriela. You'll see what we mean, right, Julieta?" Pepa has a sly grin on her face. "You and Bruno. It took you both five years to get together. I bet it'll be wild when it happens."

I turn really red. Julieta stifles her laughter. "Shh, Pepa, you're being too scandalous."

"We're all adults here, and we're Gabriela's 'older sisters', remember?" Pepa snickers. "It's their first time. If you need any tips, you can ask Julieta or me."

"Pepa!" Julieta's now blushing, embarrassed. "I'm not going to say anything about my sex life, that's a taboo subject, especially for an unmarried woman!"

I watch as both sisters bicker over the vices and virtues of what's considered acceptable discussion. Suddenly someone comes up from behind me, and I freeze.

"Gabriela, querida. It's just me." I turn around and see Bruno, wide-eyed and concerned. "Is something wrong? You look…frightened. Like someone intruded on you."

"Yes. I mean, no. Nothing's wrong!" He blinks at me and I sigh. "I'm sorry about my reaction. I didn't hear you come in."

His face falls. "...you're not…having second thoughts about being with me, are you?"

"What? NO, Bruno, I'm not having second thoughts about you." I brush the curl that's falling over his eye away. "Cariño, my te amo. I would never doubt being with you. You're my lover now. I will always choose you."

Bruno finally brightens up. "...okay, me or family?" I frown at him and he laughs. "I'm kidding. No one can top your family. They're wonderful people."

"Then why ask that?"

Bruno leans forward. For a moment I thought he was going to kiss me again, and I'm disappointed when he didn't. "I like teasing you, mi vida."

"Óye, get a room, you two," Pepa calls out, the sly grin still on her face. Julieta throws her hands up in the air, looking defeated. Bruno looks at me quizzically. "Why are my sisters looking at us like that?"

I cough. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes. Should I be worried?"

I don't feel comfortable saying it out loud, so I make a motion for Bruno to bend down a little bit so I can whisper it into his ear. "We were talking about your sobrino when the topic shifted to…" I gulp. "...sex."

Bruno immediately pulls away, an embarrassed look on his face. "Wha-what?" He starts fidgeting with his ruana. "Why?"

"Something about motherhood and how I'll understand it when I'm in their position." Bruno looks like he's about to keel over. "I know, I mean…I'm not even thinking about that yet, or…"

I don't dare finish my sentence. The look on Bruno's face says it all. I take a peek at his thoughts. He's apologizing to me. A lot. It dawns on me why.

I don't think my face can get any redder than this.

"Well, are you two just going to stand there?" Pepa grumbles impatiently, a thundercloud forming above her head.

"What Pepa means," Julieta gives a pointed look at her sister. "...is that it's really late to be going home alone. Maybe you'd like to spend the night here?"

Pepa claps her hands in glee, seemingly enjoying this. "In Bruno's room! Don't worry, mi mija doesn't hear anything that happens in our rooms…save for the nursery…"

Silence. I'm glad Mamá Alma isn't anywhere near here right now. She would insist that I stay over…and I'm not ready for that.

I glance over at Bruno who decided to put up his hood. He's standing still, like a statue.

"I…I can't." I force the words out of my mouth, hoping I'm not being rude, but I just…can't. Even if it's Bruno. "I promised Papá I would be home."

Julieta frowns. "I understand, but I don't think anyone, even Señor Mauricio, would be pleased if something happened to you."

I sigh. Crime is rare in Encanto, but petty ones still happen from time to time. "I'll be fine."

"I'll walk you home," Bruno interjects before Julieta could protest. "I'll make sure Gabriela gets home safe, hermana. She can visit again in the morning."

I mouth a 'thank you' to Bruno and hug his sisters. "I will be back tomorrow, I promise."

"Why can't you just stay over?" Pepa whines. I shake my head at her. "I made a promise to my Papá ...and Bruno and I…need to talk about…this."

What's there to talk about? You two clearly love each other…

I sigh. "It's complicated, Pepa."

"I didn't say anything…"

"I can read minds. Have you forgotten?" I chide as Bruno wraps an arm around me and leads me to the door.

Bruno turns to his sisters, the hood of his ruana still on his head. "I'll be back as soon as possible. Casita can let me in. Don't wait up."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Gabriela and I walk in silence on the way to her place. There are still a few candles left flickering on the windowsills of the neighbors' houses, illuminating our way. Her hand feels warm against mine, reminding me that she's here, though her mind seems to be somewhere far away.

"Is everything okay?" I whisper. "You're uncharacteristically quiet."

She sighs and stops walking. I stop too. Her lips are trembling and worry creases my brow. "Gabriela, querida, what's wrong?"

"I…I'm sorry, Bruno. For what happened earlier." She sniffles. I look confused for a moment before it hits me that she's apologizing for the way my sisters behaved. "What? No, mi vida, mi amor, why would you be apologizing for that?" I turn her to look at me. "Look, you have nothing to apologize for. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I didn't think that my family would be too…enthusiastic about this. About us. It's…a lot to take in at the moment."

She shakes her head. "I don't mind their enthusiasm. We've known each other for quite some time. It's just that…I'm…I'm…"

"...a little scared?"

She nods. "This is new to me, Bruno. What I feel for you…it's…different from…before."

I recall Julián mentioning way back then about Gabriela having a former lover before their whole family arrived here. I prickle at the thought but push it away for Gabriela's sake. Now's not the time to ask. "I understand, mi vida. I feel the same way."

"You're not disappointed?"

"No. Should I be?"

Gabriela thinks for a moment. I kiss the top of her head. "We don't have to rush anything. As long as you ask me to, I will always stay by your side." She relaxes and finally gives me a small smile. "Thanks, Bruno."

I wipe away a tear from her cheek. Her eyes flutter closed, and she sighs contentedly. "Come on. Let's get you home."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Well, here we are," Bruno says as we stand in front of my house. I'm exhausted, both physically and emotionally, but I'm not ready to let go of the man in front of me. He doesn't seem ready to do so either. We stare at each other until I decide to break the silence to bid him good night. "Um…Bru-" Bruno cuts the next words on my tongue with a kiss. I sigh into him as he presses me to the wall. A moan escapes from me. He hisses at the sound and pulls away.

I'm so confused. He's doing things to me that I never thought I'd feel, not since that night. We're both breathing heavily, and I could see something in his eyes…before he straightens himself and pulls the hood of his ruana a little lower to cover his face.

"Um…" Bruno coughs. "You…should go in. I'll…come to pick you up in the morning." He watches me as I turn my key into the lock and doesn't move until I'm halfway in.

"Bruno?" I call out, and he turns to look at me. "Buenas noches, mi corazón."

He manages a small wave as he walks into the night. "Buenas noches, mi amor. Sweet dreams."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Glossary of terms (in order of appearance in-text):
La lavada - the washed (where the birthday celebrants gets doused in water)
La emaizenada - the cornstarch (where the birthday celebrants, after being doused in water, gets floured. Sometimes an egg is cracked on them, but usually by family and close friends)
Mi corazón - my heart