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Bruno observed from his tower as his triplet ran into the arms of her boyfriend. Mamá had allowed his romantic advances deeming the pair a good match and would bring the family prosperity, of course after checking into the future they would have thanks to his powers. He let out a sigh as he watched her be scooped up and twirled around like the most precious thing in the world, the sun shining brighter on the pair thanks to her gift.
Bruno turned away feeling a bubble of jealousy form. His sisters had always been lucky compared to himself, while they were given a gift that complemented them and brought love his brought fear and terror. Even in their bodies they had been favoured, his own body lanky disjointed while theirs were well structured and had a healthy amount of meat on their bones. Even now in romance they had it easier Julieta was set to marry soon while Pepa’s marriage was likely on the horizon. He himself had no such luck.
He tried in his youth when he thought he could love a woman but with his gift along with personality limited his options. The one woman who he had managed to date when he was a teen eventually broke up with him. He wasn’t resentful, he understood why in the end. What she told him still left him feeling raw as someone knew him better than himself. He leaned back and closed his eyes trying to recollect the conversation.
They were at the back of the school courtyard, she had her hair braided beautifully, comparing himself to her to his plain, tired appearance made her beauty shine even more. She gave him a sad smile as she looked over at him, eyeing him.
“Bruno?”
“Sí?” He responded by catching her eyes or what he assumed were her eyes. The memory had faded then some since he last reflected on her, her face so blurry nowadays.
“We need to break up.”
At the time he knew it was coming his powers always scarred others away so this wasn’t surprising but it still hurt.
“I… I understand I don’t blame you, my powers.” She let out a faint giggle and cupped his cheeks shaking her head.
“No it’s not that, it’s just I realised something about myself and I think you’ll learn about yourself soon.” She stated offering a smile to him.
“It isn’t because of me we’re breaking up?” He asked, hoping for once it was true.
“No it’s because I realised I like women..” She let go of his face and stared at her feet, the air becoming tense with nervousness. “And I think you don’t like me in the way boys are expected to either.”
He felt the air stop and something clicked in him which hadn’t before but he couldn’t accept it he already brings enough shame to the family. He held his breath and shook his head slightly as he didn’t meet her gaze.
“I don’t think that’s it…” He whispered as he got up and left.
He remembered a few years later she had snuck out leaving the village behind after being expected to marry. As a gesture of good will he gave her a bag of sand as a keepsake. He never saw her again after that but her words always stuck to him but he refused to think about them much until today. He knew why it came to mind but it still left him feeling raw. Soon his mother will be onto him to do at least something to make the family proud to make his father proud by marrying and settling down having a child or three. He knew however with even all his might he couldn’t love a woman the way his mother wanted him to. The idea of loving a woman in the way he was expected to just didn’t seem possible. Loving a man was possible but the idea of being intimate made his skin crawl he just couldn’t do it. The concept of intimacy didn’t scare him but the expectation of that being a requirement in the relationship did.
Glancing back at his sister he felt the jealousy bubble down. He could be happy for her at least she didn’t have to worry about this, he’d take the burden off her of disappointing their Mamá at least that would give her some breathing room to not stifle the romance she has blossoming between her and Felíx.