Chapter Text
They lay in the dark for a while, holding onto each other tightly and just breathing. Mirabel knew that they needed to actually talk about the problems that had sent them into this cuddle in the first place though. So she reluctantly started speaking.
"I don't blame you," she repeated what she'd said earlier because she thought he might need to hear it a few more times. "I've been- I've been hiding because it's easier. Because everyone looks so guilty or sad when they see me."
She felt Camilo nod slightly against her shoulder. It was the same for him, she guessed. Everyone was always scared he was going to have another seizure or that he was going to fall asleep and not wake up again. They were treating both teenagers like they were fragile glass and Mirabel hated that they needed the family to do that. She felt breakable and like she could fall apart at any moment.
"Those people hurt everyone," she murmured. "And I hate them for it."
Camilo took a shaky breath. “I remember everything and I wish I didn’t,” he whispered.
She hugged him a bit tighter, feeling another flare of anger at what that bitch did to her primo. Part of her felt angrier at Valeria than the bastard that took advantage of her. She’d almost killed Camilo and she didn’t even feel bad. It was sickening.
“I wish we could go back in time and stop them,” she murmured. “Stop them from hurting us like this. From hurting the family like this.”
“But we can’t,” Camilo sighed tiredly. “It happened, and we’ve got to deal with it now.”
Mirabel nodded, clinging to him. Actually facing it all rather than hiding away was a terrifying idea. But she knew that was the only way they were going to get better.
“Together?” she whispered.
“Always,” he answered immediately.
Mirabel smiled slightly to herself.
“They didn’t break us,” she said firmly. “They didn’t. We’re just a little bent and dented. But we’re going to get better. We’re going to be okay. We won’t let them win.”
Camilo nodded against her shoulder again and some of the tension in his frame loosened. She snuggled against him like they used to do when they were little and let his familiar presence lull her to sleep.
Camilo woke groggily at a knock on the door. For a moment he was confused over where he was. Then he recognised the arms wrapped around him.
Right, Mirabel's room. He'd gone to her the previous night. He looked towards the door as another knock sounded. Mirabel seemed to be sleeping through it and he couldn't go answer himself since he was very much stuck. He didn't want to wake her up by calling out either since he knew how difficult sleep was to come by lately.
Parce suddenly stood up and padded over to the door, scratching at it insistently. He'd stayed by the bed the entire night it seemed. After a moment, the door opened at his prompting.
It was his Tia with two plates of food balanced in her hands.
"Good morning Cami," she greeted with a smile when she saw him awake. "How are you feeling?"
He yawned before answering. "Stuck."
She chuckled, moving forward with the plates.
"I see that."
He perked up at the smell of the food as his Tia put the plates down on the bedside table.
"Feeling up to eating?" She asked.
Camilo nodded, squirming to try and slip out of Mirabel’s hold. His prima whined in her sleep but he eventually managed it. He sat up and eagerly accepted the food.
His Tia moved to the other side of the bed to coax Mirabel into waking up and Camilo's gaze drifted down to Parce who was lying next to the bed again. He was really taking the task Antonio gave him seriously.
It eased something in Camilo to know the animal was staying nearby.
"Mami," Mirabel whined.
Camilo smirked a bit at the sound. Mirabel was an early riser on her own but she got very grumpy when woken up by someone else.
"Just breakfast mija," Tia Julieta said gently. "Then you can go back to sleep."
Mirabel continued to grumble but she sat up and accepted the plate. Camilo was halfway through his.
"Morning," he greeted her.
"Ugh."
He grinned a bit. The guilt and anxiety he'd felt whenever he saw her was fading away and Camilo felt like he could actually talk to her again. He'd missed his prima.
"Your mamá is drinking tea in the kitchen," his tia told him. "Your papá went into town to do some shopping."
He nodded at her, thankful for her telling him. Parce helped but his parents helped the most.
He climbed off the bed carefully and looked back at Mirabel.
"Gracias," he said softly.
He'd needed that talk.
She just smiled at him and nodded, mouth full of food.
Camilo headed out of the room, Parce on his heels again, and down to the kitchen. Some tea sounded good.
His mamá glanced up as he entered and gave him a warm smile.
"Hola mijo, how did you sleep?" She asked.
"Good." And he could genuinely mean that answer this time.
He made himself some tea and slipped into the seat next to her. Familiar fingers ran through his hair and Camilo leaned into the contact.
"I talked to Mira last night," he admitted. "I think we both needed it."
She tugged him into her side and he went easily. Hugs from his family would always be welcome.
"I'm so proud of you two," his mamá murmured. "You've both been so strong."
Camilo didn't feel strong, but his mamá sounded so sure when she said that, it was hard not to believe.
"Do you think I'll ever feel normal again?" He asked quietly.
"You will," she murmured. "Maybe not the old normal, but you'll find a new one. And you are going to live an amazing life, mijo. It's going to be okay."
He closed his eyes with a sigh. That finally felt in reach again.