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Camilo found themselves in Isabela’s room again, their fingers brushing against the purple gowns their cousin wore frequently. They smiled as they nervously snatched a garment holding it up against themselves twirling, their feet catching the flowers that grew along the floor. They felt alive, it felt great, they needed to try it on. They stopped and looked down at the garment, they couldn’t, the idea they loved but the consequences they didn’t. If someone caught them it would get out. The shame that it would bring to the family would be awful, even now using the pronouns ‘ they and them’ even in their mind was already shameful to them because how would everyone react. It was only recently Mirabel was treated as an equal just because she was without a gift, but something like this, something that would be viewed as controllable would ostracise them. They walked back to the mirror and sighed, glancing back at themselves with a faint smile.They did look pretty in with it against them but still, they knew if they were caught it wouldn’t end well for them especially if Dolores heard about it she’d run her mouth to the rest of the family.
Isabela felt tired; she didn’t want to hear the chatter of a new marriage proposal, a new suitor on the horizon or a new crush on her; she knew it would end the same. She knew her heart would never flutter for a man like it did when her gaze met with the painter’s daughter when she walks past the pair working away and she spares her a glance. It hurt but she knew if she even whispered about her feelings she knew she would bring more shame to the family then she already had by not marrying Mariano instead letting Dolores marry him instead. She could see the slight disappointment on his family’s face when the pair happily declared they’d marry. She bit back a sigh along with the urge to hide in her old ways of a perfectionist blossoming but in the end she knew it wouldn’t do much, so she decided to decompress in her room.
As she opened her door she couldn’t hold back her annoyance as she saw her cousin parading around her room without her permission.
“Camilo!” She watched him spin around dropping the dress in his hand, her favourite dress too. “What are you doing in here!” She felt her gift spread along the floor creeping closer to him. “Going through my stuff!” The vine wrapped around him pulling him eye level to her. “Trying to take said stuff!” She felt like fire was running through her veins as she watched her cousin look up in fear before turning into Antonio causing the vine to drop from around him.
“I’m sorry!” She heard him squeak as he ran, transforming back into himself as he tried to run away. She really wasn’t in the mood for apologies.
“You will be sorry!”
It had been a while since Bruno had openly walked in the hallways of the Casita but it felt so welcoming after all these years. Even though he never actually left home it was different than before now he could walk amongst his family, talk to them and actually get to know them other than observe them like an on looker. He felt alive, he was ready to be a good uncle and help his family. He let out a hum as he walked past the other’s rooms until he walked past Isabela’s.
“You’ll be sorry!”
He turned his head and faced the door and nearly jumped back as he saw the vines creep from under the gap.Glancing between the door and vines he bit back a prayer and knocked the wooden door frame three times before opening the door preparing himself.
“Alright let’s calm-” He felt his sentence stop as he looked at the scene, a dress on the floor vines everywhere and his niece chasing after his nephew. “Down…” He looked as Isabela before running between the pair. “Enough!” He declared as stepping between the pair, sand loosely swirling around him. The pair stopped Camilo looking the more scared out of the two.
“Camilo out, we’ll speak later.” The teen didn’t say anything, just ducking out as Isabela fumed.
“Uncle Bruno!” He nodded and held her hand and nodded.
“I know bela, I know you have the right to be angry at him but I think this is about more than him snooping.” He watched her stiffen and he recognised the look in her eyes. He gave a comforting smile and led her back to her bed, giving the sheet a pat to encourage her to sit.
“You had a long day and Camilo being here was the final straw wasn’t it?” He said, giving her a comforting smile as he tried to help her relax.
“Like you’d know uncle Bruno…” She grumbled as he noted the vines slip away from the door.
“Oh I know, my dear, you never feel good enough and you’ve realised something about yourself which you’re worried the other will find out. You worry you’ll disappoint the family if it comes out. I know because I’ve been there many times.” He says, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Bruno felt her relax a bit as her gaze was fixed on the floor.
“Does it get better?” He felt his shoulders sag as he nodded.
“Yes, especially for your generation, your generation is more accepting than my own. Even if they try to turn against you I’ll always have your corner.” He caught his niece smiling which warmed his heart as she met his gaze.
“How’d you know uncle?” She asked, her nerves fading a bit as she looked up at him.
“This is the thing, I didn't know initially, but over time I realised and that’s ok. Sometimes people take time. Some people realise quicker than others.” He watched Isabela nod as she looked up at her ceiling.
“I see…”
The pair sat in comfortable silence as Bruno let his niece take the lead in the conversation.
“So Bruno did you know when you looked into my future?” She asked as she glanced at her back at him he felt a small smirk appear on his face as he simply replied.
“No in fact. Though it wasn’t hard to tell by the way you blush after that girl in the village.” He heard his niece screeched as she shoved a pillow in his face as she looked at him flustered. He laughed as he lightly shoved her off finally seeing her relax.
“Was I really that obvious?” He heard her ask as he chuckled, giving her head a pat.
“No, I’m just good at observing that’s all.” He replied earning a nod from Isabela. He watched her relax again as she sighed.
“Did you label yourself uncle?”
“No, but from what I heard my identity would be called Asexual and homoromantic I believe.” He stated as he prodded. “What about you Bela?” Isabela fiddled with her hair as she looked at him.
“I think I’m a lesbian…” She whispered her voice barely above the sounds his mice make. He scooped her into a hug and held her.
“I’m proud of you, Bela, thank you for telling me. Just know it’s ok and I love you.” He held her tight as she let her walls down, finally letting her nerves out as she held onto him.
The pair stayed like that for an hour or so before Bruno felt comfortable leaving her. Letting her go he moved the young woman onto her bed so she could comfortably lie down.
“You’re going to speak to Camilo aren’t you?” She questioned, he gave a nod and kissed her forehead.
“Yes, don’t worry I won’t talk to him about our talk if you don’t want me to.”
“Please don’t I’m not ready yet uncle.” He nodded as he made his way towards the door before she added. “Please tell him I’m sorry for earlier.” He nodded and smiled at his niece before leaving the room.
Bruno looked around the Casita for his nephew but couldn’t find him, he felt nervous as he had left the teen in quite an emotional state. Looking around his home he found no trace of him which worried him until he looked up the stairs to his tower.
“Camilo?” He called seeing the teen lift his head slightly looking flushed.
“Yes uncle…” He heard him respond, his voice sounding raw and rough compared to his usual self. Bruno felt his heart break looking at his nephew. He walked up and sat next to him.
“I wasn’t being a creep uncle I swear!” Bruno nodded and pulled Camilo into a hug.
“Oh I know Milo…” He told him, letting the boy cry in his arms.
He carried the teen up to the roof with help from the Casita to give him some breathing room. He set him down, giving his hair an affectionate pat.
“Do you want to tell me why you were in Isabela’s room?”
“Not really, but it’s not like I’ll get a choice will I?” Camilo grumbled looking at the setting sun in front of them.
“No you get that choice but I just want to know why and if you’re not ready to talk about it at the moment that’s ok.” Bruno watched the teen nod and sigh.
“Just promise not to tell anyone else…”
“Ok.”
Bruno watched the teen decompress and transform not into someone else but into a new version of himself.
“I… I don’t know what I am, I don’t feel like I fit being a girl or a boy I…”
“Feel different?” Camilo nodded as he let out a sigh.
“Well let’s start off with this, what pronouns do you want me to use?” He asked as he watched Camilo relax.
“They, them.” Bruno smiled and nodded.
“That’s good I’ll use them from now on if you’re comfortable with me using them.” The teen nodded and hid a smile behind his poncho.
“That’ll be nice… If you want to know if I have a label I don’t it’s just…”
“Confusing?” Camilo nodded leaning against his uncle.
“I want to wear dresses some days and twirl around with the girls other days I love wearing my poncho and trousers. I just don’t know uncle…”
Bruno held Camilo stroking their curls as they stifled their sobs.
“It’s ok… It’s ok to be confused and not know, but no matter what it’s ok and I love you.” He promised as the teen held them tighter.
“Thank you Bruno…” Camilo mumbled as they pulled Bruno closer.
Bruno held Camilo until he felt the teen move, wiping away a few stray tears.
“Thank you uncle…” Camilo whispers, earning a smile from their uncle.
“You’re welcome though I think you should apologise to Isabela for going through her stuff.” The brunette flinched but nodded awkwardly rubbing the back of their neck, giving an even more awkward chuckle.
“You’re probably right… She’s still mad at me isn’t she?” They asked, receiving a pat on the head and a shake of Bruno’s head.
“Not really she apologised for her reaction but I think she might want to apologise in person and it would be good to apologise to her.” Camilo nodded and steadied themselves as they slid off the roof and raced off to his cousin’s room to apologise.
It had been a few days since the incident and Bruno was having one of his worst days. He subconsciously tapped wood and hummed a chant as he threw salt over his shoulder, as he sorted out his room letting his furry friends play in the mounds of sand nearby. He hadn’t realised he wasn’t alone until he felt two pairs of arms wrap around him and held him close.
“It’s ok and we love you too, uncle Bruno.”