A/N: Hi everyone! Welcome, or welcome back if you've already read one or more of my previous fanfictions!
This story starts about 6 months before the events of Encanto. It is in the same universe as my other Encanto fic, "What It Means To Be a Sister", but some details differ. You don't have to read that story to understand this one.
The plot of this fic is not entirely outlined yet, so the chapters might get edited (though not much) even after they are posted, but I will let you know about any significant changes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Encanto, but I do own my OCs.
I'm not a native English, nor Spanish speaker, so please forgive any writing mistakes.
Reviews and constructive criticism are well-received, so don't hesitate to let me know what you think.
Enjoy!
Chapter 1
Serendipity
She knew where the orphanage was. She knew the children waited for her every Thursday, sticking their round faces to the windows in an attempt to spot her nearing the three-storey building that Luisa had helped to build years ago.
It was gut-wrenching how fast it had filled.
It was heart-crushing that sometimes when she went there, she saw new young faces peer up at her with frightened, desolate eyes.
But Mirabel Madrigal was a fighter, and she wouldn't leave until she made the children smile, even laugh on her luckiest of days.
Today was one of those days. She had a sense of self-assurance that told her something memorable would happen.
She stepped inside el orfanato, slowly gravitating towards the lounge area, her sandals inaudible on the wooden floorboards. She leaned against the wall, scanning the room and listening to the chirping of the little ones as they were playing.
She grinned when gasps erupted after several heads faced her. A tumult of steps darted in her direction, no more than four pairs of short arms opening to her.
"She's here! She's here!"
"I missed you so much, Mira!"
"I thought you wouldn't come…"
"Did you bring us anything?"
At the last question, Mirabel gestured to the woven basket on her forearm.
"You'll have to wait to see what I've brought you. But first give me some hugs, will you?"
Her request was satisfied immediately, and she squeezed her tiny friends to her chest, inhaling their smell that oddly reminded her of home, of fresh bread and orchids.
A voice shattered the spell of the reunion, "You've arrived!"
Mirabel got up from her knees, curtsying before the owner of the orphanage.
"¡Buenas tardes, Señora Castillo! I brought some of mi mamá's food."
She lifted the blanket-covered basket, handing it to the woman, who kissed her forehead to show her gratitude.
"¡Muchas gracias, mija! You are welcome to stay with us at dinner if you like."
"Keep the food for the children, doña. They need to grow big and strong. I have more than I need at home."
She smiled warmly at the girl clutching her hand who was half her size. Alongside señora Castillo and the four children clinging to her skirt and arms - Isla, Hugo, Alondra and Joaquín -, Mirabel made her way into the lounge room.
"Mirabel, there's someone I'd like you to meet," the woman said, and the 14-year-old girl brightened up at the prospect of seeing a new face.
"Who is it?" she queried simply, eagerness bubbling up inside her with every passing moment.
There was no time to receive a reply though, as rushing footsteps were heard on the staircase leading to the foyer she'd just left. An 8-year-old child stumbled onto the floor, startling both her and Castillo, before a taller, sturdier figure knelt down behind the little boy.
Yet the scene didn't go as Mirabel had expected.
The child was gathered in the older boy's arms, who grinned as he let his hands spider up and down his stomach.
"I told you I'd get you in less than three minutes."
The little one squirmed and laughed helplessly in his brother's strong grip, unable to escape. "Let me go, hermano!"
"Carlos! No running indoors," Señora Castillo called rather loudly, but without any note of harshness. Both their heads shot up, the older boy bringing his younger sibling to his feet in a rush, his cheekbones a shade of pink.
"Please forgive us, doña. Rafael and I thought we were home for a few moments. It won't happen again."
"Let it not repeat, mijo, por favor. You know it can be dangerous inside."
After nodding, Carlos's eyes swept to the girl who had four kids grouped around her and was standing next to the woman.
Mirabel found herself stuck in place, her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. There was a shift in his stare, but she didn't know what to identify from his regard.
She could hardly make out Castillo's words beyond the racing of her heart.
"Mirabel, this is whom I wanted you to meet. This is Carlos Serrano. He is also a volunteer here at the orphanage, and I thought it would be good for the two of you to get to know each other, if you'd like. Carlos, this is Mirabel Madrigal."
She snapped back to reality.
He smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Mirabel!"
She returned the gesture. "¡Encantada!"
"Great!" Castillo said. "I'll go to the kitchen, you do what you do best."
With that, the woman left, leaving Mirabel wondering, What is it that I do best in her opinion?
As soon as the door closed, she could feel the weight of a lot of gazes boring into her. When she turned back to Carlos and Rafael, a tiny smile decorated the former's features.
"Shall we go into the garden? It's beautiful outside today, isn't it?"
"It definitely is! Who wants to take a stroll outside?" She asked the kids, the four little ones immediately raising their hands.
"Stay where we can see you, niños! Don't stray too far!" Mirabel called after them, their cheering echoing through the park as they began playing chase.
"They have a never-ending supply of energy, don't they?" Carlos grinned, his eyes following his younger brother fondly.
"I can't remember the last day I saw one of them just chill on a sofa or something."
He chuckled at that.
She looked up dreamily as she neared a very tall oak tree in the perimeter of the park. "I wanna see the sky."
He stepped toward the trunk of the oak and asked, somewhat sheepishly, "Can I come with you?"
Mirabel noticed something curious about the way he said "you".
She responded without a second thought, "Yeah, sure!"
She sprang, rapidly climbing four feet up, her fingers curling around various branches.
Carlos's eyes widened at her agility. He started climbing up the other side of the tree trunk, leisurely gliding between the thick branches. "Do you need any help?"
Mirabel carefully swung her skirt away from the stubs of the tree. "No, thanks. I'm good. Done this plenty of times."
He moved some leaves out of his face. "You're fast."
"Ehh, practice." She modestly shrugged, stepping on another limb.
Unknowingly, they reached for the same branch, and their hands came in contact. Both pulled away simultaneously, staring at one other for a split second; she was the one to recover first and continue the rise. Carlos's thoughts were rushing when he hauled himself higher.
They reached a point of the crown of the oak from where they could clearly see the sun beginning its descent, and leaned against the sturdier branches. Mirabel inhaled the humid air.
They stood in silence. Twilight was caressing their faces, glinting off Mirabel's glasses. She tucked some strands of hair behind her ear when the zephyr blew; her eyes were still pointed at the horizon.
"Thank you for coming up here with me, Carlos. I missed doing this with someone."
He was taken aback. "You needn't thank me for such a small thing." His face became pained. "This is something I used to do as a kid."
She finally turned to him with an inquisitive gaze. "Why did you stop?"
He sighed with despondency. "My older sister used to drag me with her to stargaze. I didn't see her point at first, but I gradually grew to admire the stars, and every once in a while, especially on the full-moon nights, we'd go to the roof when our parents believed we were asleep."
She smiled. "That's so sweet! My older sisters and my cousins had a similar custom. We… grew out of it as years passed, mainly because we're all busy. I mostly do this on my own now whenever I feel the urge to disconnect from reality."
She spied over multiple rooftops until she caught sight of Casa Madrigal, but her focus quickly swerved back to him.
"Are you still doing this with your sister?"
He shifted his weight as much as the precarious balance allowed him to, gulping. "I… Alejandra… She…"
She gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to–"
"No, no, it's alright. No need to apologise. You didn't know." He wiped his eyes disorderly, which were moving all around but at her. "I miss her, I miss our parents… so much…"
Mirabel blinked away the sting in her eyes. A shiver went down her spine at the deadly fury in his gaze when his jaw set tightly and his eyes narrowed ahead, his body stiffening as if somebody had poured icy water on him.
"If I ever find who did it, I… I…"
Carlos exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"They're in a better place now," he added sadly, his resentment gone as if it never had been there. "Rafael is all I have left. I couldn't bear to fail him. I swore I'll always look after him and protect him."
"I think you're the best big brother anyone could ask for."
His head snapped in her direction.
Only now did Mirabel notice how handsome he was, as the last rays of the sun shone on his frame.
His hazel eyes twinkled with intelligence and inquisitiveness, the green flecks sprinkled across his brown irises glowing amber in the light of the sunset. His dark brown hair, although cut short, somewhat messy and covering half of his ears and nape, had a distinct glimmer to itself while his nose was almost straight.
All of these features coupled with the pale shade of his skin which had a warm undertone, thin lips, and the faintest hue of pink on his slightly angular cheekbones… were enough to render Mirabel breathless. His body was lean, and he was taller than her. She couldn't help comparing his fruity voice to Camilo's, but Carlos's voice was more melodic than her cousin's.
When she snapped out of her daze, a smile greeted her.
How long had she stayed like that?
His body was now relaxed, fully turned towards her, his feet pointing at her.
"Please don't tell anybody what I said," he pleaded with her.
Mirabel put a hand atop her chest. "I won't. You have my word."
A relieved grin blossomed on his features; her heart hammered.
"I believe you."
"That's some pretty strong faith you have for someone you've only just met." She looked down at the ground, hoping there were enough shadows to conceal her flushing. "It's great that the park is still standing."
He laughed, looking in the same direction, where Rafael and Hugo had partly climbed the fence. "They can be hard to keep up with. Not too high, niños!"
The breeze blew a little stronger, sending their hair askew. Carlos combed his hand through his unruly dark locks.
He straightened his spine, darkening. "It's… a long story."
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
He went on as if he hadn't heard her, "Ever since the… tragedy, Rafael and I got lost from each other. I spent months searching for him until I heard some rumours that he might be in Encanto, the town in the mountains I already knew about. I believe he was found by someone and brought here, but when I first arrived here - a few days ago - and tried to take him home, I wasn't allowed to. I'm not old enough to bring him up and nurture him. I may be fifteen, but I can't meet the adult standards."
Silence fell over them once more, Mirabel staring at his frozen figure.
He'd been through so much... So much had been taken from him… It was overwhelming to think about his hardships. And he was so young… Barely older than her.
His eyes suddenly seemed sunken in his skull, and some purple eyebags began to take outline whilst his cheeks seemed hollow.
She wiped her palms on her skirt. "I'm… so sorry you had to go through all that. If there's anything I could help you with… let me know. That's what my family and I do."
He went on as if he hadn't heard her, "Ever since the… tragedy, Rafael and I got lost from each other. I spent weeks searching for him until I heard some rumours that he might be in Encanto, the town in the mountains I already knew about. I believe he was found by someone and brought here, but when I first arrived here - a few days ago - and tried to take him home, I wasn't allowed to. I'm not old enough to bring him up and nurture him. I may be fifteen, but I can't meet the adult standards."
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"I do. In one of those blocks of flats east. I still had some money left from my parents when it happened, so I purchased a small flat."
"That's good to know."
"I really need to find a job though; my money will run out before I realize."
She would have inquired some more, but the conversation had saddened him enough already, so she merely nodded in comprehension and stared at the skyline, where a few bands of dazzling yet blinding light were all that could still be seen from the sun, the sky a stunning mix of purple, navy blue, pink and orange.
Mirabel didn't notice him spying on her with half-lidded eyes.
She pushed her round lime-green glasses up the freckled bridge of her nose. "I think we should return now, or Señora Castillo will smack us with her boot if the kids aren't back by evening."
He nodded. "Agreed."
They began their descent attentively, being quiet until they reached the middle of the trunk, when Mirabel's foot slipped, making her loose a sharp yelp. Carlos's arm darted towards her, his fingers tightening around her hand, even though she still had a secure grip around a branch with her other hand.
Their eyes met as he pulled her up. A trembling "¡Gracias!" fell from her lips. A quiet "¡De nada!" was the response she received.
Their feet touched the soil, a mix of safety and relief taking over them before gazing at one another in silent nervousness, each lost in the other's eyes.
It was Isla's cheer that awoke them.
"This was the most fun time I've had in my whole life!"
"Mirabel, could we do this more often?" Alondra spoke, her fingers tightening around the older girl's ones, hugging her.
"Can we, hermano?" Rafael tugged Carlos's shirt with puppy eyes.
"Sure we can!" exclaimed Mirabel.
"I don't see why not," Carlos replied in unison.
With laughter vibrating through the air, the seven of them made their way back to the orphanage, where the little ones were put to bed after dinner. After long embraces and kisses, the teenagers bid Castillo farewell and set out to go home. Carlos had a particularly hard time letting go of his brother, who endured the same saddening experience.
"Señora Castillo and her staff are good people. They've always taken great care of the children they're in charge with," Mirabel assured him while they were striding through Encanto.
Carlos sighed, scowling ahead. "Yes, they do seem to be trustworthy, but Rafael should be by my side. He shouldn't have to live there. I wish he could have a real home. I wish I could give it to him."
"He will be by your side!" she breathed more forcefully than she'd aimed to. "We'll… it will be alright. Life has its ways of putting things right. You only need to… have some faith."
She twinkled, hoping with all her might that her gesture was the tiniest bit comforting. She internally loosened up when he nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly, sending that unfamiliar flutter back in her stomach that made her feel like a caged butterfly was trying to escape from her insides.
He grinned, the moon casting its serene brightness upon them. "I guess I'll see you around, Mirabel Madrigal."
"You got it!" She returned the amiable gesture before turning on her heel, fidgeting with the strap of her mochila bag as she noticed Casita in the distance, yellow lamplight glowing from her windows.
She'd only taken ten steps when she heard: "You want me to walk you home?"
She said over her shoulder, still advancing, "No, gracias! Go home, Carlos! It's already late."
Mirabel left him to stare at her decreasing silhouette. She only turned around to wish him good-night before darting on the streets of Encanto, her skirt flailing in the air and the moonlight glinting off her dark curls.
Carlos continued to stare at the imposing house at the top of the hill after she was out of sight, hearing the gates shut faintly. He relaxed his muscles, and smiled a smile that only the stars could see.
Inside Casa Madrigal, Mirabel promised herself,
I will help him.
A/N: Thank you for reading!
In case you're wondering, this story starts a little before the New Year, so since Mirabel's birthday is in March, she's 14 at the beginning.
How was the first chapter?