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Luisa
Mirabel gently rubbed her sister’s arm, listening to the words pouring out of her mouth. She had been in this position many times before. Luisa crying, shaking, nervously rambling. And Mirabel sitting, listening, helping. It hurt to admit, but she was a bit tired of it. But Luisa needed her help, and she was going to make her family proud.
If this was how to do it, she would do it happily.
“I just feel so trapped, Mira. I’m just the ‘strong one,’ people forget I have feelings.”
And god, if Mirabel couldn’t relate to that. But she wasn’t here to cry about herself, this was Luisa’s time to rant. Her time could be later (it never was.)
“I know Luisa, I know. You should try talking to mama about it. She loves you a whole lot, I’m sure she could get you some more breaks. Or ask Abuelita, I know it’s hard to ask for help but it’ll help~”
She sang the last word, pleased when Luisa let out a small chuckle. She lifted her head and wiped some of the stray tears off of her face, taking deep calming breaths. Practiced breaths.
“Yeah Mirabel, you’re right, thanks!”
“Anything for you, now go!”
She gave Luisa her hardest shove, barely moving her but getting the point across, “Seriously! You’re the girl Mira!”
(Mirabel knew Luisa never told them because a week later she came back crying.)
Isabela
Isabela twirled a flower in her fingers, humming a small tune to herself. Her face, usually worn with a smile, was twisted into a small frown. Barely noticeable to anyone not paying attention. But Mirabel did nothing but pay attention. You can’t survive in this family without a sharp set of skills, including noticing things. Things you shouldn’t notice.
Mirabel grimly thinks that super-sight would have been a nice gift.
“Isabela~” she sang out, stepping gently into the flower-covered room and smiling when a thing path cleared out on instinct.
“Mirabel~” Isabel sang back, much more glumly and flat. Flat? Isabel was never flat? Oh god, what happened?
“What’s up? Talk to me, therabel is in the house!” Therabel, a nickname lovingly given to her by Antonio, something all her siblings knew well. Therabel was much more loved than Mirabel, which had some messed-up implications in itself but that didn’t really matter.
“I just...I feel bored.” Isabel settles on, letting the flower she was holding drop. “Like I’m doing the same thing every day. I mean, I AM doing the same thing every day. I wake up, hair is done perfectly, every dress the same, perfect. Nothing is ever...different.”
Mirabel hummed, acknowledging her words as she took a seat next to Isabel, gently wrapping her arm around her shoulders. Isabel melted into the hug instantly, like she always did.
“Well let’s think, what can you change? What can you, miss perfecta, do to change it up a bit?”
“I...I don’t know”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk” Mirabel shook her head, “really think, Isabel. I know you can.”
“I could...wear something new?”
Mirabel lit up, visibly. She grabbed Isabel’s shoulders and forced her to look at her. Smiling wildly. Some of it is genuine proudness, most of it fake. Isabel wouldn’t notice either way.
“There you go! Look at you, smartie pants.”
“Is it that simple though?”
“I can be, or try more stuff. Change more than one thing, change your hair or your room. Spice it up!” Mirabel gestured around the room, “this is your space. Make it unique Bela, and if it doesn’t work. Therabel is always waiting.”
“Thanks, Mira,” Isabel gently hugged her sister, “you’re the best!”
Antonio
Antonio scratched the wood under the bed, imagining a rhythm only he could hear. This bed had become somewhat of a safe space for him when using his gift was too hard or he simply needed to unwind. Mirabel always left her door open to him. Talking it out or letting him be, never pushing or pulling too hard. She was like an older sister to him.
“Toni?” Mirabel’s voice flooded into the room, loud and annoyingly her. But soft, softer than usual. Like she knew before she actually knew.
“Under the bed…” his voice was a tad muffled, but she understood well enough and she crouched down to be able to see him. He was still small but had grown a bit since his ceremony, soon he’d be too big to fit under her bed. She’d just buy a bigger one.
“Hi, mijo, what do you need right now? Want to talk, o ¿quieres que te dejo en paz?” As she asked she gently placed her hand on top of his.”
“Stay? But no talking”
“Of course.”
Mirabel gently stood up, going to shut the door and turn off the lights. Enjoying the way her room lit up with fake stars, and grabbed a blanket from off of her bed. She took a seat near the edge of the bed, leaving plenty of room for Antonio to join her if he wanted to.
Antonio was always the easiest to care for.
+Mirabel
Mirabel pulled her blanket closer to her body, if it was even possible, trying to block out the cold winds of the night. The moon was shining down brightly upon their casita, lovingly bathing it in its glow. It was comfy up here, no one to bother her. Sometimes she needed a break, could you blame her?
Somehow she got turned into a therapist against her will, and as much as she loved to help her family. No one bothered to help her. So what if she needed a break? She deserved it!
Faintly, she could hear Isabel spiraling in her room, pacing the floor, crying. Faintly she could hear Luisa sobbing into her arm, trying to stop her tears from flowing before Delores heard. Faintly she heard Antonio sneak into her room and hide under the bed.
But this was Mirabel’s night off. She needed it.