(Author's Note: Hello my readers and welcome to a new chapter.
This was a fun little idea that came to me fairly recently, having been started only a few days ago to have something ready.
Anyway…hope you guys enjoy:)
Chapter Twenty: Age
Concept: All Mirabel planned to do was enjoy some peace with her youngest cousin. A simple desire. Unfortunately, however, her OTHER (male) cousin has quite the habit of being an irritating young man.
Mirabel ran her fingers through Antonio's hair, her other arm wrapped firmly (but not tightly) around his stomach to keep him in her lap. The two cousins were hanging out in her new room, enjoying a day of pure relaxation and contentment that had become commonplace in the months following Casita's reconstruction. Parce was napping on the floor beside Mirabel's bed while the bespectacled girl listened to her little primo enthusiastically tell stories about the "adventures" he had with his animal friends this last week (complete with waving his arms around in that adorable manner that just made Mirabel want to pitch his little cheeks).
It was a simple thing, really…but one that Mirabel always loved.
At that moment, the door flew open…revealing a bright splotch of yellow and a mischievous grin that has both amused and irritated every member of the family at one point or another. "HOLA, my people!" Camilo gave a quick twirl which he moved to turn into a bow…only to flinch and trip over his feet when Parce shot up, barring his fangs with a snarl. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy there, big guy! Friendly. Friendly!" Upon realizing who was in front of him, Parce narrowed his eyes as he sat up straight.
"It's okay, Parce," Antonio reached out to pet his friend's head. The jaguar breathed heavily through his nose (making his annoyance obvious to even those who couldn't understand him) before resuming his position on the floor. "You can't startle him like that, Camilo," Antonio told his older brother, "Sudden loud noises are always considered dangerous in the wild. Some run away, but meat-eaters like Parce go into "attack mode". You're lucky he recognized you in time."
(It never ceased to amaze Camilo how unintentionally creepy his brother could be after getting his Gift)
"And that, Milo-," Mirabel spoke up, playfully glaring at her cousin, "-is why we don't go barging into other people's rooms without knocking!"
"Oh, come ON Mira!" Camilo waved his prima off, "Sure, that rule applies to the rest of the family…but this is US! We shared a room for years! We're basically twins! Besides-," he motioned his head to his little brother, "-I know for a FACT that there's no other way Antonio comes into your room without you."
"Antonio gets a pass," Mirabel immediately replied, causing Camilo to raise an eyebrow.
"And WHY, pray tell, does he get a pass and I don't?"
Mirabel promptly squished her little primo's cheeks, causing him to giggle, "Because he's cuter than you."
"…I don't know what's more offensive: the fact that you said that, or the fact that I can't even argue against it." It was universally agreed upon by the Madrigals that Antonio, by being the youngest, was the most adorable member of the family. "So, what are you guys doing anyway?"
Antonio pulled his face out of Mirabel's grip, "I was telling Mira about how Parce and I played hide-and-seek with Huey, Dewie, and Louie. My monkey friends," he clarified, "Do you want to stay and hear?"
Camilo chuckled before shrugging, "Sure…why not? The whole reason I came over was to see what you guys were up to since I was bored anyway." The shapeshifter noticed Mirabel rolling her eyes out of the corner of his eye, "And, besides, why wouldn't I want to hang out with my little brother and my little cousin?"
"Oh, NO!" Mirabel sat up, pointing a firm finger at Camilo with an expression of anger on her face, "You are NOT going to start that nonsense again!"
Camilo's face took on an expression of complete (fake) innocence, "Whatever do you mean, Mirabel? I'm just stating a fact. I'm December and you're March. I was born before you, so, therefore, you ARE my little cousin."
"You aren't even two and a half months older than I am!"
"Still more than two months older. And still older than my wittle baby pwima," with a quick leap, Camilo reached the bed and took ahold of Mirabel's face in his hand.
"Stop. It. Now." Mirabel practically growled out, still glaring at her cousin.
"I don't see why you're getting so upset at a simple fact, cuz," Camilo shrugged as he made his way to the middle of the room, his back to Mirabel and Antonio, "While you were still sleeping in Tia's womb, I was out here in the real world. Learning, experiencing, and living my best life. By the time that you FINALLY decided to show up, I was already an intelligent and beloved young man (though, admittedly a shadow of what I am now)."
"I am warning you, Camilo." Mirabel spoke in a low tone (one that made Antonio look up at her in confusion and slight concern). Camilo gasped dramatically as he spun around, holding his hands against his cheeks.
"Mirabel! I can't believe you're being so RUDE. Don't you know to respect your elders?"
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"Get down for a moment, Tonito."
"Thanks, Casita," Luisa eagerly took the glass of cool lemonade offered to her by Casita, patting one of the house's pillars from her spot in her hammock. Throughout the time spent planning for the Madrigals' days off, Luisa was the one whose time was taken the MOST seriously. The fact that her Gift was the most useful and called upon of her family, combined with her natural people-pleasing nature, made her days off pretty "strict" (for lack of a better term). What only made this more intense was thanks to Mirabel and her unshakeable insistence on making sure that Luisa's time off was uninterrupted.
Mirabel's persistence was as irritating as it was heartwarming.
"GET BACK HERE!" Luisa flinched at the sudden noise, with Casita maneuvering her tiles upward to catch the glass and gently lower it to the ground (after being with the Madrigal triplets since infancy, she had gotten VERY good at preventing any type of disastrous breaks/messes…when she wanted to, anyway).
"CAN'T YOU TAKE A JOKE, MIRA?!" Luisa pulled herself to her feet just in time to see Camilo all but leaping down the stairs with Mirabel sprinting after him (a shoe in hand).
Luisa was…a bit "stunned still" by what she just witnessed, standing still and silent with widened eyes. Mirabel and Camilo running through Casita like that has been a common occurrence since the two could walk (even though it decreased in recent years, it never fully went away), so the family ordinarily wouldn't give it a second glance. But…Luisa doesn't think she remembered this happening with one (especially Mirabel) so angry like that.
"What the-?"
"Milo was teasing Mira about being a little older than her," Luisa flinched at the sudden sound of her youngest primo's voice. Said boy was riding on the back of Parce, who settled at Luisa's side (a frown on his face). "He kept doing it and Mira got REALLY mad. She told me to get down from her lap and jumped at Milo. When he ran out of her room, she chased after him."
"YOU TWO CAN INTERVENE AT ANY TIME YOU KNOW!" Camilo called out to his "spectators", shape-shifting into one of the village kids to narrowly avoid having the back of his shirt grabbed by Mirabel.
Antonio tugged on Luisa's shirt, "Do we do something?"
"Well…we probably should." As Parce stood up to move, Luisa held an arm in front of the cat, "In a moment, though." Truth be told, seeing Camilo and Mirabel running through the house like this brought back memories that almost brought a tear to Luisa's eye. It was almost like back when they were ALL kids, able to run around and have fun whenever they pleased.
Should Luisa be concerned given how angry Mirabel seemed to be? Perhaps…but Mirabel always got frustrated whenever Camilo teased her about being born first. If he still chose to poke that bear, then he had to deal with the consequences.
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"(If we're not going to do anything, can I go back to sleep)?" Parce asked Antonio, the annoyance obvious in his tone.
(Author's Note: Annnnnnnnd scene!
This chapter was inspired by a fan-made comic I saw…that I don't know the name of. I found it on a "Comic Dub" YouTube video. The video is titled "Funny Bruno Encanto Comic Dub Compilation Part 8" (with emojis of a sad-looking face, a golden heart, and some sparkles tacked on at the end) by a YouTuber named "Mi Comic". I don't know who made the comic, but that video is where I first saw what inspired this chapter (so I'm giving them some credit).
Hope this one made you laugh. Not only am I convinced that Camilo holds his "seniority" above Mirabel's head (as someone with a nephew who's only a year and a half younger than him, I'll admit it is quite fun), but that it has become one of the quickest ways for Camilo to get under her skin.
Constructive criticism ONLY…no flames, please.
Review, Favorite, Follow, and I'll see you guys next time:)