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1. Cousins
Diego was having a weird day.
He doesn’t know why, but he swears that he could feel eyes pierce down on him as he walks through town, but when he looked back, all he could see were Toucans, Ferrets and a stray Capybara.
“Am I going crazy?”
“Hey Diego!” He jumped up in fright at the surprised voice, but he was at ease when he saw it was just Mirabel's pretty little face. “You okay?”
“Hey Mira, no nothing is wrong, I just had a weird feeling.”
“Hmm, maybe it’s just your imagination,” she giggled, which threw the elder teen for a loop.
“…right. So, how have you been? I know you were working on those new pants with the vine embroidered in it,” he knew that this was supposed to be a birthday gift for her eldest sister. She kept gushing to him over her ideas of vines all sprouting out into different colored plants with unique appearances, he could easily see the sparkle in her eye the longer she went on and boy did he want her to keep going.
“Oh same old same old, let’s talk about you. What do you plan to do in the future?”
“You know me, you already heard my goals all laid out,” he casually stated as he slowly came to a realization.
“Right, I almost forgot, what I mean to say is how do you plan on dealing with disasters that might happen if one may occur?”
“I should ask you, you're the one who's keeping a sharp eye, hell I've seen you save Cruz from falling off the roof. Can you tell me how you did that again, it was so cool,” Diego grinned at the slight panic in her eyes.
“Maybe another time. How about the Madrigals? Who do you think is the best one?”
“I mean obviously you, you're basically the coolest, it certainly is not Camillo,” he chuckled at the slight twitch.
“What do you mean by that?” She thinly said.
“You know how they play tricks on everyone, their nasally little voice at times, how their hair frizzes out at awkward times,” he grinned as Mirabel gets more and more irritated.
“What else?” She hissed out.
“And their acting-” he was cut off by an enraged teen.
“What about my acting!” She shouted out.
“Nothing, but I saw through it,” he joked at the surprised look on the false Mirabel’s face.
“Whaaat? What do you mean?” The fake tried to dismiss it, but he felt his head get forcibly pushed down.
“The jig is up Millo, he found out, which I have to admit is a bit impressive,” said Dolores, taking her hand off her head and looking at Diego with a grin. She has to admit not many can see through her little sibling’s disguise, even when she has times where she can’t.
“Anyone else I would probably never know, but you made a mistake when Mirabel didn’t begin to talk all about her sewing. She would have gushed on and on about the new designs she thought up of,” he grinned as Camillo reverted to their original self.
“You tricked me!” They hissed out with a slight glare.
“Says the one who tried to trick me first,” he shot back.
“Impressive,” they reluctantly said.
“Really cool,” he jumped up once more and saw Antonio suddenly appear on top of the Jaguar. “Not many can see through Cam's disguise!”
“Why thank you Tonio,” he ruffled the little boy's hair, before facing the older teen and young adult. “So, should I ask why you shapeshift into Mirabel, or were you just trying to prank me?”
“We just wanted to have a little chat with you,” the eldest said as she stepped forward with a teasing grin as she said, “I had a certain little thing about you liking my little cousin.”
Diego's face still had a pleasant smile, but he was cursing in his mind profusely. He keeps forgetting that there's someone in this village that can hear every last thing. “Of course I like her, she’s my friend.”
“Oh is that all,” they drawled as they began to circle him. “Just a friend.”
“Yesss?”
“But you like like Mira!” Antonio happily perked up. “And that means you really like her!”
“As in, you have a crush on her,” Dolores had a little smirk of success when she noticed him stiffening.
“Don’t get me wrong, she's an amazing, beautiful, and wonderful friend who is just filled with kindness and joy, but that’s all she is. A friend,” he smiled as if he didn’t reveal his feelings.
None of them believe it.
“You know she listens to the music box you gave her every night?” The eldest sister said with her arms crossed.
“She does!” He swiveled his head to her as a large smile bloomed on his face.
“Just a friend, huh,” said Camillo with their brow raised.
“She is,” he affirmed a little more firmly, but now avoiding eye contact.
“But you said all those nice things about her?” The youngest Madrigal said.
“Well-”
“And you hang out with her a lot.”
“That’s because-”
“And you even gave her your hat to borrow when Mama was especially happy that day and you had the same expression Lolo makes when she and Mariano watch each other when the other thinks no one is looking.”
“I do?” Dolores curiously asked, but then the second bit processed through her brain and she had a sappy smile on her face. “He does?”
“All the time,” Camillo nodded, before facing the older teen once more. “Look let’s cut to the chase, you like Mirabel and for some reason she likes you. Frankly, I think she’s too good for you, but I know since we were children that she has no taste.”
Dolores slapped them upside the head.
“OW! You can’t slap me when I’m right!”
“What’s there trying to get is that, be kind to Mirabel okay. She may not be naive in the way of life, but she is still naive when it comes to romance, so go easy. A woman's heart is only so sturdy,” Dolores smiles kindly at him.
“I will,” he nodded because at this point he understood his heart was out and wide open.
“Good, because I will know if you don’t,” she happily stated.
“And if I find out you did, you better learn how to keep one eye open when you sleep,” Camillo threatened as they suddenly transformed into Diego’s grandmother with too wide of a smile. “Because you will never know who's tucking you in.”
“I promise,” he had to hold back a smile at their attempts to be scary.
“Do you pinky promise?” Antonio said with a held out pinky.
“I pinky promise,” he locked his pinky and the two shook on it. “And if I do, accidentally, hurt her. You’ll be the first to know.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll know before you because I have eyes and ears everywhere,” the small boy smiled as he motioned towards all the animals, from the birds in the sky to the Jaguar he was sitting on. “My friends will let me know and if you do, Freckles will take a big bite out of you!”
“Whose Freckles?” Diego asked with a bit more trepidation.
“His/My Jaguar,” Dolores, Camillo, and Antonio said simultaneously.
“Ah,” was all he said.
“Freckles likes Mira a lot, she gives him the best belly rubs, so he would love to take a bite out of you if you make Mira cry,” he stated as Freckles growled in agreement.
“Of course,” he slowly nodded his head.
“Don’t make Mira cry,” Antonio bluntly said.
“I won’t,” Diego shook his head.
“Good!” And with that, he and the rest of the animals began to walk off as he waved goodbye. “See you later Diego!”
“Better get back to the Casita, I still need to know how Julian will win the heart of the heartbroken Mateo,” Camillo commented as they too followed. Dolores got them hooked onto Bruno telenosa and now they can’t stop, the plot is truly riveting.
“Better get used to our antics, you know our family,” Dolores patted him on the shoulder.
“Since I was born,” he chuckled.
“Hopefully the rest will go as peacefully as ours,” was the women's final parting words before catching up with the rest.
“The rest?” He muttered to himself before spinning around with wide eyes. “What do you mean ‘the rest?’”
He got nothing as she merely gave him a mischievous grin and turned to her younger siblings and stated. “They're gonna eat him alive.”
“Yes, they are!”
“Yup!”
2. Parents, Aunt, and Uncles
“And there we go,” Diego wiped sweat off his brow as he stood back to see the finished barn. “It took a bit, but at least the donkeys shouldn’t be able to get out of this during the night. Now morning is a whole other problem that is not my problem,” he joked as he collected his tools. Maybe if he had time, he could swing by the tailor shop and see if she needs any help. He may not be good with sewing, but he will happily help her out, besides it is always fun to hang out with her. Especially when she starts to spazz out when her favorite thread is available, she starts to go on about what she could do next and even sometimes, accidentally, grab onto his arm as she does it then-
“Nice job on the barn,” he immediately jumped out of his thoughts as saw Felix walking over and complimenting him.
“It’s nothing really, just a little fix-up was needed,” he modestly said as he made sure his face wasn’t red.
“Well it’s still a fine job,” the older man said.
“Thank you, are you bringing those over to the market?” He asked as he noticed the basket filled with tomatoes.
“Those are for me,” a voice said as Julieta and Augustine walked toward them, the woman continued. “I was thinking of making some Arepas today.”
“Ooo that sounds absolutely delicious,” Pepa said as she and Bruno appeared from the fields.
“How did you make her angry this time?” Julieta sighed as she knew the two together were a trouble that already happened.
“I told her the Earth is flat,” Bruno happily stated.
“It is not flat,” she hissed, making thunder rumble.
“Of I know it isn’t, but man did those crops get watered,” he cheekily added. He always found it a little fun to tease his sister, even when he was younger. He may not be as mischievous as he was when he was younger, but it hadn’t entirely gone away.
“I swear one day, I will drown you in rain,” she rolled her eyes but smiled as she felt her twin shoulder bump her.
“But you won’t~” He will admit that he has sorely missed his twins. Even if he could see them, being with them and talking to them really made him understand that there is nothing better than the real thing.
“Of course you would say that,” Julieta sighed with a slight smile. It was good to see her other two twins getting along again.
Diego was watching the whole thing with an amused smile that he didn’t notice eyes staring at him until he met Augustin and took a step forward with his hand outstretched. “Um hello, it’s nice to meet you I’m-”
“Diego, I know,” the father's eyes narrow.
“Ah,” he put his hand down, he thinks he knows where this is going.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” he stood at full height, which only barely met his, as he marched up to the tall sixteen year old. “Mirabel is my youngest daughter and I am her father, therefore it is my job to make sure no one harms a hair on her head.”
“Which we don’t think you will, you seem like such a nice boy,” Felix butted in.
“Not a single Madrigal will ever tolerate it, not even if they are a close friend-”
“Which we know the two of you are quite close.”
“Or boyfriend,” he emphasized.
“Such a romance is touching.”
“No one is the exception.”
“Which we don’t think you will ever do,” Felix finished off.
“Do you understand,” Augustin said as he look the startled teen dead in the eye.
“Yes sir,” he nodded.
“Are your husbands doing a good cop, bad cop routine?” Bruno leaned over to whisper to his twins.
“That’s Felix for you,” Pepa smiled at her husband.
“Augustin,” the healer shook her head in mirth as the two women walked over to their husband that was surrounding the teen. “I think that’s enough of that.”
“But Mi Duclee,” he whined as he was gently, but forcibly, backed away from Diego by his wife.
“I think the boy understands.”
“Such threatening words,” Pepa teased and kissed her husband on the lips.
“Couldn’t be too hard on him,” he joked back. He had to admit that it was fun playing good cop.
“Next time leave it to the professionals.”
“You good there,” Diego slightly jumped when he felt Bruno’s hand on his shoulder. “I think they gave you a bit of a fright.”
“It’s fine,” he tried to wave off the elder man's concern. “They're just concerned about their daughter and niece, it’s perfectly fine.”
“I’m glad you said that, it’s gonna make this next part a little less awkward,” he clapped his shoulder as he stood in front of him.
“What next part?” He jumped in fright as thunder boomed as the area around them was surrounded in pitch darkness with the only light source coming from the flashes of lightning and glowing green eyes staring him down.
“I know all and I see all,” Bruno ominously said as the clouds rolled around them, “I might not be the villain in the story, but I can be a monster in yours if you dare try to harm Mirabel Madrigal.”
Diego could only freeze in fright as he continued to stare at the man.
“Everyone's future may be a butterfly, always fluttering in different directions, but yours will be squashed like a bug it is if you dare to hurt her, do I make myself clear.”
“Yes sir,” he lowly said.
“Great!” Then everything vanished in a flash as the sun returned and a smiling Bruno was in front of him. “Sorry for that little scare, but I just had to make sure.” He could never do something like that to his family, oh no he truly can’t force himself to be a villain to them, but to anyone else outside of it. Well, all bets are off, after all, if he could read the future to one of Pepa's ex-boyfriends with a smile on his face after he dumped her for not liking the rain then he will absolutely do it for Mirabel. She deserves every good thing under the sun after all she tried and done for this family and he will make sure that will happen.
“Like I said,” Pepa said with a smirk as she dusted off the dirt on her dress. “Leave it to the professionals.”
“Beautiful,” Felix clapped his hands and his wife gave a mock curtsy.
“That was beautiful,” Augustin compliment Bruno's acting skills.
“You gotta teach me how to do that,” Felix said as he wrapped his arm around his brother-in-law's neck.
“Well it starts with body positioning,” he began as the two began to talk.
“They can be a bit much,” Julieta chuckled as she went over to the boy with a Pandebono in hand.
“Oh I wasn’t hurt,” but that didn’t matter as he was still given the bread.
“I know you weren’t, but food is always good for the soul,” she gently told him. “And besides, it’s nice to meet such a kind and reliable young man like yourself that cares for my daughter. Don’t try to deny it-” she stopped him before he could open his mouth. “I’m a mother and I know the look. You two are in love and you might not say it out loud, but I know you said it in here,” she tapped her head.
Diego said nothing, but the blush on his face told her everything.
The mother couldn’t stop the fond smile, “I may not have future sight like my brother, but I can see the both of you will be quite close, whether it’s friends or something else.” She gave him one last look before ushering the rest of the family back to the town.
Diego just watched them leave them as soon as they were out of sight he collapsed to the ground.
“Mirabel truly has some frightening family,” he breathed out as he looked up to the sun, but couldn’t help the smile and pushed his hat further down his face and took a bite out of his bread. “It’s nice to see how much they care for her.”
“Honestly I’m shocked Julie didn’t try to threaten him,” Bruno said as they walked through the town, Pepa nodded her head as well.
“Mi Dulce would never do that,” Augustin tried to defend his wife.
“Oh no I would,” Julieta bluntly said with a smile on her face.
“Really? Then why didn’t you join me,” he slightly whined as Felix tried to hold back his snort.
“That’s because I know our two eldest will take care of that for me,” she sweetly told him.
That made everyone laugh at what was to come.
3. Sisters (+ 1 Honorary Brother)
“There’s nothing better than a nap under the tree,” Diego sighed as he stretched out his limbs after a hard day of work. He stared up at the cloudy sky and couldn’t help, but thought that it could be better if Mirabel was beside him. Whenever he would take a nap, she would usually lean next to him and silently work on one of her sewing projects or just softly hum as she stopped to point out the interesting clouds. It was such a quiet and mundane routine that of course, he enjoys every little moment with her.
“You said it,” Diego raised his brow at the sight of Mariano coming up to him.
“Hey Mariano,” he slowly said as the man came up to his tree. He knows the man because he was his senior when Mariano was still in school. He sometimes would help out his classmates with homework, but he never really had a one on one talk with him.
“Hello Diego,” he smiled and sat right down next to the teen.
Diego blinked as he watched the older man lean against the tree and just stay silent. Minutes had passed and the man still hadn’t said a word, just still leaned back against the tree with a smile on his face.
“Okay I’ll bite, what do you want,” Diego bluntly said, Mariano wasn’t an adult, or at least not in his eyes, so he really wasn’t as careful as to how to speak to him.
“I am so glad you asked!” He popped up and put a hand on his chest. “Now I know the journey is quite ferocious with obstacles in your way whether it be an outside force or simply with yourself, traps laid about in the most unusual places, and even the sea of passion may question your own desire at your darkest of times. It may seem unbearable and grueling, believe me that I had my own ups and downs, but it will all be worth it when you embrace your beautiful goal.”
“…what are you talking about?” Diego questioned the sanity of the man.
“Why your love for Mirabel,” he laughed obviously.
“I am not about to talk about this,” he hissed out as he pinched his nose.
“Ah but we are, for you see I see Mira as my dear little sister and my heart will truly ache if her heart was broken.”
“So this is your threat warning,” he amusedly said. Everyone in the village knew Mariano may have strength only second to Luisa, but he is a pure softy at heart. He once cried when he stepped on a worm by accident, but he was a bit confused when he started to shake his hands.
“No no no, not me, I am weak of heart for something like that, but them,” he pointed to the left of him, and Diego's heart stopped as he saw Luisa and Isabella Madrigal slowly walk towards them with stone faces. “You should be very much frightened of them.”
Diego gulped.
“Hello Diego de León,” Isabella cooly said once both sisters reached the still teen. “I’ve heard that you’ve taken an interest in my little sister,” she cut straight through.
“Y-yes,” he didn’t dare think about lying, especially not when he was suddenly hanging upside down by a vine.
“Mirabel maybe my annoying little sister, but I’ll be damned if anyone outside of my family harms a single hair on her head. Do you want to know the last person who tried that?” Isabella mused as she let another vine make its until it stopped in front of his eyes and from the tip of it bloomed a beautiful blood red rose adorned with many thorns. “To this day, he still cannot sit properly without wincing.”
“Neither can he look at a rock the same way,” Luisa narrowed her eyes as she placed a hand on the tree he was previously on and slowly began to bend the tree. Not to the point that it snapped, but just enough to hear the audible groan it made as it freaked under her strength. “Apparently he’s one of those people whose two faced depending on the person's worth, are you like that?”
“No! I am not like that!” He shook his head violently.
“Good then we won’t have any problems,” she smiled and when the vines put him back down on the ground she gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. “Better keep your word.”
“Keep all of what I said in mind,” then with a flick of her hair she walked off, but not before pausing. “Oh and come to dinner next week.”
“Was that an offer or-”
“Come to dinner next week.”
“Will do,” he saluted and the two girls walked off.
“See you at dinner next week,” Mariano patted his back and walked off as well.
Diego kept still for a few moments before blowing out a breath of air and gently knocking his head on the tree. “What have I gotten myself into,” he groaned, but shook it off and walked back home. “But I’ll be damned if I don’t do this, for Mirabel I will. Now it's time to beg Abuela to teach me how to make Torta De Tres Leche because there is no one way I’m arriving empty handed.”
4. Abuela ( +1 Sentient Home )
Diego nervously shuffled the packed cake in hand as he walked closer to the door of the house.
“Okay. Okay, you can do this, it is just dinner. Everything will be just fine, we will just have dinner like normal people, eat, talk, then leave. Everything will be fine and absolutely nothing will go wrong.”
It was at that moment did he fumble over his feet and only by the grace of the pavement literally rising up to catch his fall did he not drop the cake.
“Right, magic house,” he said as he was slowly put back on his feet. “Thank you, Casita? Right? I know that’s what Mirabel calls you.”
He got the window flapping open, so he’ll take that as a confirmation.
“Awesome, you're awesome, everything awesome and I realized I just jinxed myself and this is gonna go bad isn’t it,” he exhaled a long stream of breath.
The welcoming mat sprung up and patted him on the back in comfort.
“Thank you for the support,” he patted the back of the rug and stepped to the front door, which did put a smile on his face at the image of Mirabel smiling happily as she’s surrounded by family. “Let’s do this,” then he knocked on the door.
It took a few moments before the door swung open and relaxed when he saw Mirabel's real face.
“Hey!” She said surprised as she ruffled down her skirt that was adorned with paint splatters and tucking a stray curl behind her ear, “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, I was invited for dinner.”
“What?” She deadpanned.
“Yeah I got some cake, made it myself,” he presented his Leche cake. He never thought cake could be so hard to make, but he was proven wrong again and again. He will never underestimate the power of cake.
“What?”
“I get the feeling that you didn’t know about this,” he drawled out. “Isabella invited me.”
“She did what?!” She thinly shrieked before taking a deep breath and putting an almost fake smile on her face. “Can you give me a moment?”
“Take your time,” he smiled.
“Thank you,” then she shut the door and the next thing he heard was a scream.
“ISABELLA!”
After that, a few more thinly veiled shrieks were heard until finally the talks died down and a few moments later the door was swung back open with Mirabel looking a bit more presentable. “Come in.”
“So, didn’t get informed,” he said with a slight grin on his face as he stepped through and began to walk to the kitchen.
“Not in the slightest,” she said between her teeth.
“Welp, at least we can be awkward together,” Diego chuckled.
Mirabel gave a puff of amusement as the tension slowly relaxed from her body. They eventually made it to the Dining Room where Dolores and Mariano were sitting, the older man gave the elder teen a wave.
“Glad you can make it,” he said with a smile on his face.
“You knew about this,” Mirabel's eyes narrowed.
“Yes I did,” he chuckled as she glared harder at him. “We’ll just look on the bright side, at least this time you don’t have to worry about any disasters that may destroy the magic again.” The town got the story, but he got the full story from his sweet hummingbird, though he did have to ask. “Right?”
“Hopefully no, if so it’s not on me this time,” she eventually said, though both of them and Diego turned towards Dolores.
“No secret disasters to worry about, just a normal family dinner,” she reassured them.
“Have you met us?”
“I have and you all are incredible, especially you, my beautiful rainbow,” Mariano romantically said.
“Aww, my sweet bear,” she cooed back as the two began to go into their own little world.
“And now we lost them,” Mira sighed at the two.
“At least they’re not teasing us,” he joked.
“You said it, hey do you want me to take that from you?” She pointed to the cake.
“No it’s fine I’m just waiting to give it to-”
“Diego de León, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Alma's voice inadvertently cut him off as she and the rest of the family made their way into the room with the food.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well ma’am,” he gave a slow nod at her before presenting that cake. “I made cake if anyone wants a piece.”
“I’m sure we would,” she eventually smiled at him and took the cake from his hands, “now please sit down, let’s have dinner.”
And the dinner…didn’t go so badly, there were a few teasing comments and the ominous staring thrown in his direction, but all in all, it was a pretty good dinner.
“I have to give props where it’s due, this cake is delicious!” Camillo complimented the older teen as she took a bite out of the cake.
“You're telling me,” said Luisa as well, even Isabella couldn’t help but clean her plate off as well.
“Well I’m glad everyone liked it, I know my Abuela would have my ears if it wasn’t perfect,” Diego joked, which earned a few laughs out of many.
“Better ears than the nose, my mama would twist it whenever I happen to get into too much mischief,” Alma chuckled as she gracefully stood up and held out her hand. “Would you mind taking this old lady to the backyard?”
Diego exchanged a glance with Mirabel, who looked equally as shocked, before standing up and following her. “Yeah, Umm of course.”
As they left Mirabel went to stand up but was stopped by a vine wrapping around her body, she shot a glare at her eldest sister that was causally sipping her drink. “Isabella!”
“Now now, he’ll have to face the final boss eventually,” Camillo cackled, but wince when she felt her ears pulled.
“Don’t call your Abuela a final boss,” Pepa pinched her ears.
“That’s tame of what you used to call her,” Julieta couldn’t help but say, earning a snort of laughter from Bruno and a gust of wind in her direction.
“Hush you two,” she sends both her twins a small glare that ends up cracking at their shared amusement.
“Don’t worry Mira, I’m sure it will be fine,” Antonio patted her on the leg when he took over Diego’s seat.
“I hope so,” she muttered and settled in the vines.
In the backyard, the stars were out and shining brightly alongside the crescent moon, the warm breeze gently whispered through the grass and mismatched flowers, and the silence between Diego de León and Alma Madrigal was stagnant.
Diego continued to walk next to the elder woman, but he couldn’t help but glance over to her from time to time and wonder when she would say something. He was starting to get anxious after the seven minute mark had passed and they were still trailing around the backyard, which he didn’t even think could be so big.
“I made many mistakes in my life,” he was startled by her first words. “Putting salt in my mother tea instead of sugar, breaking my arm after trying to hop from one tree to the next, accidentally giving my husband a black eye after he ran into my elbow, not running fast enough, I have made many mistakes, but do you know my biggest one?”
He shook his head.
“My biggest mistake is unknowingly harming my family, that is something I can never forgive myself, not even after they forgive me. The pain I brought them can never be forgiven and the only thing I can do is to make sure that never happens again, whether it comes from my hands or anyone else’s. So tell me, why should I let you be with my youngest granddaughter.” Because they might not be dating now, but it will soon be inevitable with how close the two are.
Diego let the question sink in before he breathed out a puff of air before motioning over towards the bench. “Would you mind sitting for this, it might take a while.”
Alma gave him an amused smile and indulged him as the two sat down on the stone bench.
“Has Mirabel ever told you about the first time I met her?” He asked.
“She did mention the two of you meeting when during the beginning construction on the Casita,” she said.
“That’s when we first talked, but not when I first saw her,” Alma’s brow raised in interest as she motioned for Diego to continue. “I can’t remember the day, but I remember when I first saw her, she was hauling a basket full of sewing materials, and trailing behind her were some of the town's children. And even though they kept talking to her, pulling on her skirt, and accidentally spilling her entire basket, she never once lost her smile. The first thing that popped in my head was ‘Wow, she must have the patience of a saint to deal with those spawns from below. ”
Alma couldn’t give a short laugh at the description.
“But the second thing was, ‘She must be very kind,’ and from that moment on, whether I knew it or not, I always had an eye on her. She could have been just passing me by going to the bakery to grab a pastry, but I can’t help but watch her. When I finally got the nerve to talk to her it was like the blinds had been fully unveiled and it was wonderful. I knew she was patient and kind, but I didn’t know she could be so stubborn, so intuitive, mischievous, and daring. I didn’t know she could play so many instruments until I saw her go from one to the other in such a fluent manner, I didn’t know she knows so much about infrastructure until she was keeping up with me on construction, I didn’t know how much I love the way her eyes sparkle in pure delight as she talks about Antonio new scarf or Bruno new ruana, I didn’t know she had only one cute dimple on her cheek until she was laughing over a joke I made,” he let a gentle smile envelop his face the longer he spoke about her.
“It seems that you have learned quite a bit,” Alma hummed.
“There are still so many things that I don’t know about her and I want to know them all, whether it be big or small, I just want to be with her,” Diego finished and looked up to the stars as if Alma couldn’t see him.
“You truly care for her, don’t you,” she gingerly smiled:
“With my whole heart,” he admitted.
“Good, keep it that way, after all, you never know when it’s too late,” she patted his shoulder and went to stand up.
“Let me help-” he quickly stood up, but got a raised hand instead.
“I may be an old lady, but my bones haven’t withered just yet. You’ll learn that soon enough with our family.”
“You're not o-wait what?” He backtracked as he saw her retreating back to the home.
“You’ll learn soon enough,” she cheerily said and once more a little softly to the Casita, “I believe we should prepare for another member for our family.”
The chimes jingle in agreement.
Diego just stared as he watched the Matriarch walk away as the implications washed over him.
5. (+1) Mirabel
“You okay?” He was startled out of his thoughts by a sweet voice and met with brown eyes that resembled an everlasting hearth.
He felt himself warm up once more in her concern and smiled. “Yeah I’m fine, just thinking about some stuff and looking at the stars,” he pointed up as he realized now that he was sitting down on the bench.
“Yeah, they really are,” she nodded as sat beside him. “How did you like the family? Wasn't too crazy for you? Hope they didn’t scare you off.”
“You know surprisingly, it’s Bruno and Antonio that scares me the most,” he couldn’t help but think back to those two instances.
“Those two,” she held back a grin, “they’re literally the least scary. They’re sweet as a bowlful of sugar and as soft as a marshmallow.”
“Say that to the Capybara and glowing green eyes,” he muttered but brushed it off. “But other than that your family is just the right amount of crazy, just like you,” he nudged her shoulder.
“Are you calling me crazy?” She playfully narrowed her eyes.
“Maybeee.”
She snorted, “well if I’m crazy then you're insane for putting up with me.”
“Well that is a risk I'm willing to take,” the teen put a fist to his chest as if he was taking on a dire responsibility.
Mirabel rolled her eyes with a smile as a thought occurred to her. “So what were you and Abuela talking about anyways?
“Oh nothing much, but I think I got your Abuela approval.”
“Approval? For what?” Mirabel curiously asked.
“Oh nothing nothing really,” he nervously chuckled. He didn’t know if he was quite ready to admit that yet.
“Come on, tell me~” she singsong as she moved closer to him. “You can trust me.”
“I know I can, but I don’t know if I should say it now,” he muttered.
“Now I’m really curious,” she sighed and scooted away a little. “But if you can’t say it then don’t, just know I’m here if you ever want to talk.”
“I know you are, it’s why I fell in love with you in the first place,” he chuckled, but sucked in a sharp breath as he realized what he just said.
“What?” Mirabel's eyes widened at the implications as she wasn’t the only one as inside the house a certain Madrigal spat out her water in pure disbelief and ignored the concerned and disgusted questions thrown at her, Dolores was purely focused on this moment alone.
“Of all things to say,” Diego hissed to himself. “My own mouth betrayed me.”
“Diego?”
He could hear himself wince at Mirabel's cautious tone. “Yesss?” He asked as if he didn’t blurt out a full fledged confession.
“Did-did you say you love me,” her eyes tried to find his own, but Diego was still looking straight up at the sky.
“…maybe,” he cringed at his squeaky voice as he kept his eyes to the stars. Maybe if he was lucky enough, some aliens would see him and take him away from this disaster.
“So it wasn’t a slip of a tongue,” she hopefully asked as she slowly scooted closer to him.
“And by chance, if I said it wasn’t?”
“Then I would have said I liked you too.”
“Wait what?!” He snapped his head down and his face turned scarlet as he realized just how close both of them were. “R-really?”
“Mmhmm,” she nodded with a slight grin as she rubbed the back of her neck. “I have for a couple of months.”
“For almost two years,” he blurted out, unable to believe this was happening.
“Really?” Her eyes widen, “Why?!”
“Are you joking? Have you seen yourself?! You are the kindest, loving, stubbornest person I know and you keep your head up high no matter what comes your way!” Diego began to passionately say, as he continued with fire in his eyes. “I have seen you help even the most irritable of people, give a hand to anyone no matter how difficult it may be, seen you endure words others may say about you, and never falter. You can make others change whether you realize it or not, hell I once got into a fight over what some jackass said about you a few weeks back, and yet the other week I saw him lash out against someone else who tried to insult you. Why the change of heart? He said it was because he realized that there was more to you!”
“Are you talking about Ricardo?” She remembered sitting down with a larger fellow after he looked like he was going through a rough time. “All I did was talk to him.”
“Exactly! All you had to do was talk to him and change his view because of just your words! And you say that as if it’s no big deal!”
“Because it isn’t,” she tried to downplay it, but Diego wasn’t having any of that.
“No, it's incredible! That’s incredible! You're incredible! A lot of people look up to your family for their gifts and how it can them, but I look up to you because I see you do so much as just a regular person, and you’re so fucking amazing!”
“You are too!” Mirabel blurted out as she began to ramble. “You're one of the few people who don’t try to use me to get to know my family on the first introduction nor did you ever look down on me! I never had to work my ass off to impress you, because for some reason you still stood by me!”
“I actually first met you when you dropped your basket of sewing equipment,” he had to admit.
“You saw me be clumsy and decided I was still impressive,” she was thrown for a loop as he nodded his head. “And you say I’m kind, you said you love me even when you first saw me when I trip over my own two feet! You are kind and dependable! I’ve seen you with those kids! You may call them little beasts, but I have yet to see you refuse them when they really need help!”
“Have you met them,” Diego chuckled as he moved closer.
“I have! And you're also so patient! Whenever I go on my rants, you have never once tried to interrupt me or stop me! You let me go on and on and you actually listen, you are so kind for listening. I know I can be annoying, especially when it comes to my rants.”
“Have you seen the way your eyes light up when you talk about it? It’s so fucking beautiful,” at the back of his head he wondered when their hands clasped together.
“Have you met yourself when you dance! Your smile is gorgeous when you lose yourself in the music!”
Diego opened his mouth to say another, but stopped when he realized just how close they were to each other. Mirabel also realized this too as her eyes slightly widened, but neither side moved an inch.
“Can,” he inaudible gulped as his eyes locked onto hers, “can I kiss you?”
“Yeah,” she softly said then in the next moment their lips touched the other.
It was soft, clumsy as two awkward teens were, but it was still beautiful.
Then they parted, but never separated as both of them opened their eyes when they realized it was closed and as if a conductor was conducting them, gently bumped their foreheads together.
“I love you,” Diego whispered.
“I love you too,” Mirabel said back.
Diego couldn’t stop his smile as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, but Mirabel wasn’t complaining as she too held on just as tight.
Nothing could ruin this moment.
“Yes!” Or so they thought as the two of them were startled as they heard a scream.
“What the-” Diego gripped a bit tighter on Mirabel on reflex as he tried to figure out where the danger was.
“Who was-that was Dolores,” Mirabel's eyes twitched when she realized that her cousin heard everything.
“…you think she can keep a secret a little while longer,” he cautiously asked once he realized what happened.
“WHAT?!” Came the screams of many family members and they soon heard a storm of footsteps rapidly approaching.
“Not a chance,” she deadpans, “I hope you got to know the home of the Family Madrigal, because you are now a part of the Madrigal.”
“Well I heard it was fantastical and magical,” he wrapped an arm around her as they got ready for the onslaught.
“Whoever said that was a big fat liar,” she grinned as she braced for impact as the sound of a stampede got closer.
“I don’t know, I heard they were pretty honest, kind, and very cute and I’m always a sucker for cute faces,” Diego said as he gave her a peck on the cheek.
“I guess it won’t be so bad,” Mirabel giggle as she relaxed into his hold.
“MIRABEL!”
“DIEGO!”
“I take it back, this is going to be terrible,” Mirabel had to hold back a groan as she saw her family’s eager faces coming towards them. She then gave a shocked Diego a resigned smile at his dumbfounded face. “Welcome to the Family Madrigal, you can never escape.”
It was a beat before Diego threw his head back and laughed heartily with his entire being. As the questions streamed in with the ruffles of head and eager hugs he had to admit.
He’s proud to be a part of the Family Madrigal.