This is my first Encanto Fic here, but its sure to not be my last (I have so many ideas for this family). I do not own Encanto or any of its characters, most unfortunatly. There will be another part to this, I hope you like it.
It had started as Camilo and Mirabel's idea one afternoon. It was collectively a day off for the family to do as they each pleased, and Camilo had asked Mirabel in on a game of cards. Gathering snacks at the table they had tried a few rounds in other games before deciding to play poker. Though they both agreed it would be more fun with more people.
That's how the rest of the grandkids had gotten roped in. Under the excuse of family bonding time Isabela and Luisa agreed to play as long as the bets were only snacks that were present at the table. Antonio was happy to learn a new game and play with his older sibling and primas. To help him it was agreed that Dolores would be playing with Antonio, the two a team, as he sat on his older sister's lap and smiled as Camilo delt the first hand.
They began with an introductory round for Antonio, which with Dolores' guidance, Antonio ended up winning. After that they began 'playing for real' as Camilo put it. After the next several rounds, Antonio and Dolores ended up winning most of them to Camilo's dismay. His prima's for their part were trying to hide their giggled and amusement at his frustration, poorly behind their cards. When he watched Dolores lean down and whisper something in their hermano's ear he had had enough.
"That's it, you're cheating." He accused, looking at his sister.
"Camilo, what are you talking about?" She deadpanned. "I'm just helping him play like we all agreed."
"You're doing more than that Lola. I know your cheating, I just cant figure out how yet."
"Maybe, Im just a good player on my own and am helping my baby brother learn. Or your just not as good as you boast." She replied.
"How would she even be cheating Camilo? She can't hear what cards we have and there are no mirrors behind any of us." Mirabel supplied, helping deter the building argument.
"Fine, lets get back to the game." Camilo relented, though Dolores could still feel his eyes set intently upon her.
They resumed the game, managing to finish out the round with Mirabel winning with a strong bluff. As she swept the pile of crackers, dried fruits, and one arepa someone bet, towards her, two adults walked into the room. Felix and Abuela each entered, looking around at the table of children with cards and snacks spread out around them.
"Whats going on? We heard shouting?" The two asked.
"Camilo was just accusing Dolores of cheating for Antonio." Luisa supplied as she pulled all the cards back to the deck, she was dealer this round.
"We're playing poker and apparently Dolores and Antonio make a really good team. Camilo got upset cause he hasn't won in a few rounds. Mirabel got them to cool down though." Isabela explained to the adults, picking up one of the fruits in her pile and savoring its crunch. Camilo just folded his arms and looked away, a slight reddening to his cheeks, embarrassed from how childish he sounded when Isa phrased it like that.
"Oh, well if that's settled, then mind if I join?" Felix asked, looking around at each of the kids. A small wave of nods or shrugs swept around the table before reaching Mirabel, who turned to him.
"Sure, Tio. Abuela, do you want to join too?" Mirabel asked turning her gaze to the older woman.
Abuela glanced around the table to the children as Mirabel asked this, trying her best to read their faces. None of them seemed particularly opposed to the idea of having their grandmother play with them to her relief. And it would be a good way to get in some more family bonding. "I'd love to, though I must say I'm not particularly familiar with the game." She replied with a small nervous smile.
"That okay, we can do another teaching round." Mirabel replied as she shifted her chair from Luisas' so their grandmother could pull one up, as Camilo and Isa shifted theirs' across the table for Felix.
They managed several more rounds before Pepa came in, searching for Felix, and Agustin, who had been helping her look for him. The two quickly joined the game, Agustin had been the one who taught each of the children to play the game when they were little, but there were a few surprised to learn that Pepa also knew how to play and was actually quite good at it.
It was several more rounds later, time lost to the cards and the tension in the air, that another entered the room.
"This is where you've all been hiding." Julieta declared, pulling them out of the intense concentration on the cards.
"You should join us, mija." Abuela calls gently, waving for her to come closer. Julieta looked around the room before moving to behind her husband's chair, a momentary glance at the cards he held before looking at the table.
"Yeah mama, come play with us." says Mirabel, smiling up at her mother. Looking to the rest of the table Julieta notices her other daughters copying their youngest sister.
"Oh … I don't know." Julieta responds, resting one of her hands on her husband's shoulder. Her eyes lock onto Pepa for a moment and she understands what her older sister's waiting for.
"Come on, hermana. I'd love the challenge." Pepa speaks up with a small nod to her sister. Julieta responds with a small smile and a quick thank you to Camilo who had already pulled up a chair for her. Snacks are shuffled infront of her and the cards are gathered for the next play.
"How could I refuse so many invitations." She says siting between her husband and brother-inlaw. "Oh," she remarks noticing the familiar food she had made a few hours before. "So, this is where all my arepa's had gone off to." Immediately spotting the sheepish grin on Camilo's face she smirked for a moment before it relaxed back into the gentle, familiar smile of the healer. "How much is everything worth?" She questioned, quickly organizing them into small, neat piles.
"Crakers are 1, dried fruits are 5, and arepas are 10." Isa responded, pointing to each snack as she stated their game value.
"Do you know how to play mama?" Luisa asked, glancing to her mother as her father began to deal the cards.
"I do, Lulu. Though I might be a bit rusty. It's been a while since I last played. Though I remember being absolutely horrendous when I first started." Julieta replied, watching each person's face as they took in the information. She noticed the small raise to her sister's brow but neither mentioned anything, Pepa taking the cue it was that her sister had already begun the game as they had learned it.
The round began and with 11 people playing, though 2 of them were on one team, the pot grew quickly.
Abuela had just folded, leaving Pepa, Agustin, Mirabel, Dolores/Antonio, Luisa, and Julieta left in the round as Bruno walked in. He observed the game for a moment before Antonio noticed him. Drawing eveyone's attention to the youngest triplet with his greeting.
"Hi Tio Bruno." Antonio says loudly, drawing everyone's attention from the intense game to the man in the green ruana as the little boy waves to his uncle with a smile.
"Tio, you should come play with us." Camilo calls out. Bruno nervously rings his hands for a moment as he looks over the cards on the table and takes in each family member sitting around it.
"Well… that depends." Bruno stammers looking over towards his sisters. The happy grin on Pepa's face as she regards him. Probably wanting him to join in so it could be like old times. Then the mischievous smile he notices on his oldest sister's face, the smile that truly only lives in her eyes. Its there for the briefest of moments and he knows no one else had seen it. It meant one simple thing, she's currently winning. "Is Juli playing?"
Confusion sweeps across the table on everyone's faces at the strange question, everyone except his sisters. From Pepa, he gets a look of understanding. From Julieta, a glare of 'how dare you possibly just expose me'. The expressions are quick to dissolve and disappear into the straight face they each put on.
"I am." Julieta replies, adjusting the cards in her hands for the added attention of everyone on her and her brother. Her voice is steady and even, to Bruno it sounds as if she were talking to one of the injured villagers at her stand.
"Then I'm good just watching." He says turning around to find a chair to sit in, pulling it up to the table where he was out of everyone's way and still had a good view of the cards. A spot he found right behind Julieta.
"Are you sure Brunito?" their mother asks, a slight concern in her eyes as she watches him get settled.
"I'm sure mama." Bruno responds, hoping internally he didn't give too much away. Julieta would absolutely ban his extra night trips to the kitchen if he accidentally revealed too much.
Instead to his surprise she flashes him her cards. One look to the board and he knows what she's doing. A bluff this round, and she was letting him in on the secret. Including him in the activities even when he was going to just sit and watch. It was nice being back amongst the family, especially with his sisters. Looking over the board once more he smiled seeing them all together, having fun like this.