Archive of Our Own

It was too loud.

Bruno resisted the urge to cover his ears and scream. He could feel the roar of his blood pounding against his head, the smell of food and alcohol surrounding him, the way those eyes pierced through the shadows. He could hear them all. All criticizing him.

Avoid him at all cause, they whisper. He's nothing but bad luck, they say. When his eyes glow, run away. They're such an ugly shade of green.

No matter how much he tried to hide in the shadows of the casita, he could feel the burn of the townspeople on him. The way the whispers would hunt him down, no matter where he moved to. 

It was hell.

Bruno needed to leave. He needed to get out of there.

In a blink of an eye, he whisked himself away, using the shadows that were cast by the moonlight to leave the casita. Inwardly, he felt bad, after all, his family was here to celebrate his return and the rebuilding of the casita, but he just couldn't stand another second in the suffocating atmosphere.

Stepping outside, he let out a breath of relief as he felt the coolness of the wind touch his damp forehead. The clean, sharp air seems to wake him up from his panicked dazed.

What now?  He awkwardly asked himself. He didn't want to go back to the casita, he couldn't visit someone's house because 1). they hated him and 2.) everyone was at the fiesta.

Shaking his head, he began walking around, enjoying the way he could see the stars twinkle above and how the wind whisked their way through his hair.

Minutes passed before he realized that his feet led him to the river that passed through Encanto. Humming to himself, he let himself be directed there, trying to block out any negative thoughts.

As he neared the river, he sighed to himself.  God, what am I doing?  He pushed his hands into his face, letting them rub his temples before slipping off his sandals and placing his feet in the stream. 

The cold water helped Bruno ground himself from the fiesta. Then, finally, he could feel himself calming down, his heartbeat slowing.

But there it was again. The feeling of eyes piercing through him. Turning his head to look around, there were too many shadows to see someone correctly. Breathing deeply, he tried to steady himself.  Did someone follow me here? What do they want me here?

The snap of a twig from a nearby bush shook Bruno to his feet as he quickly stood up and put his sandals on. No matter if it was a person or an animal,  he did not want to be there right now.

A mumble sounded through the shadows as they shuffled forward clumsily. Bruno faintly heard a quiet "lo siento" come from their mouth.

Still debating whether to turn tail to run, the mysterious person entirely left the shadows to greet them. "I didn't mean to hide or to startle you, I was just taking a walk," the person said before shooting them an apologetic glance.

Bruno felt like his mouth was glued together. Desperately, he willed himself to speak, to say anything, but no words came out even as his mouth opened.  They're... they're talking to me? Why? Don't they know who I am?

He could feel eyes sweep over his face as if they were trying to take in as much as possible in the moonlight. Tilting his head to the ground, Bruno tried to hide behind his hair, but the breeze drove it out of his face.  Great, even the wind is against me.

Feeling a lapse of silence, Bruno finally willed the power to mutter out something. "No, it's quite alright," he muttered, "I was doing the same."

Dios míos, they were smiling. Why?

The answer came to him quickly as he breathed in deeply, feeling the smell of alcohol hit the back of his nose.   Then, before he could process more, the person spoke again, not spook of Bruno standing in front of them.

"Ah, then let's share the water, after all, it's much more fun than just being by yourself," they said before stumbling to the riverbank. Bruno eyed them cautiously, still unsure whether to flee while their back was turned. But then, a strong gust blew by, causing them to slip on the wet rocks, and Bruno could feel his body moving forward, ready to catch them if they fell.

Luckily, he didn't have to as they plopped down onto the rocks, letting out a sigh of relief as they slipped their feet into the water, setting the sandals aside. 

He could feel the eyes on him again, quizically looking at him. Then, patting to the left of them, they beckoned him to sit. 

Dios míos, am I really going to sit down with this stranger. I don't even know who they are? Do they know who I am?  Inwardly, he shook his head.  Since they agreed to sit with me, I highly doubt they know who I am. What if they discover who I am? Will they leave and spread rumors about me? About how I took advantage of them?

But the look the mysterious person was giving them didn't hold any judgment. On the contrary, they were kind and light, as if they were just goofing around with a friend.  This is such a bad idea, Bruno. Don't do it.

"You... you're ok with sitting next to me?" He asked, still hesitantly standing behind them. 

A small chuckle escaped their lips before their head turned upwards to look at the moon. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Bruno, don't do it. They're too drunk to comprehend what's going on truly.

Still, he felt himself sitting down on the rocks again before slipping off his sandals. The cool water welcomed him back as they trickled through his toes. 

A silence lapped between the two of you, with only the sound of the water and animals breaking the stony atmosphere. 

"Trying to get away from the party huh?" 

Looking up, he was surprised once again.  Were they still talking to him?  Then, turning to look across the river, he didn't respond.

"I don't blame you, I'm doing the same. It was fun, but..." the person trailed off, "it just got a bit much...but I also left because people were trying to keep the alchol away from me."

That elicited a small smile off of him. "Let me guess, the townsfolk cut you off," he guessed, chuckling.

The smile that came off of them was bright. "Ding, ding, ding! You got it, Señor." Bruno laughed again before finally turning to face them. Their friendliness was rubbing off on him, and after so many years of hiding and having the town hate him, it was a happy change. 

"I... well..." he trailed off, "the fiesta also became too much... but it was nice while for a bit." He ran his hands through his curls, thinking back to the night. It was indeed lovely when the fiesta first occurred, speaking with his familia, laughing and eating with them. But then, the townspeople showed up, and everything went to shit.

Closing his eyes, Bruno tried to shut off his thoughts, but he felt the evening racing back to him. The stares. All of the stares. 

As if sensing his racing thoughts, the person spoke again. "Yeah, I'm happy that the Madrigal's Casita was rebuilt. They, of all people, deserve the help of the town."

"All of them?"

It was Bruno's turn to stare. He was shocked that he asked the question, wincing at the way it came out, at the way his eyes widened with astonishment.

"Of course they do! They work too hard for us; it's the least we could do to help them rebuild their home." 

Bruno opened his mouth to retort the statement because  he hadn't done anything to help the town. 

With a stern expression etched into their face, the person spoke again. "I don't care if they caused a little bit of chaos here and there. They all deserve our help. In all honesty, they deserved our support a long time ago, and I'm happy that we can finally offer it. I don't care if it's helping Pepa lift her spirits or helping Maribel with something, or even helping Bru..." 

Bruno winced.

Their eyes widened, mouth opening in shock. A million emotions flipped through their face before settling into embarrassment. Bruno could feel mortification rolling off of them in waves.

The smack of skin-to-skin contact scared Bruno as they watched the person's palms hit their face. A red mark slowly glowed and spread around the impacted area. It looked like it hurt.

When another silence swept over them, Bruno took it as his cue to leave. Silently getting up, he let out a slight groan as he stretched upwards.  Of course, they wouldn't say anything once they knew who I was. Of course.  Trying to keep the bitterness he felt from seeping into his face, he slowed when a hand rested on his arm.

"You don't have to leave. Un.. unless you want to," they quickly stutter out, awakeness leaking from their eyes.

Taken back, Bruno blinked at the mysterious person. Did they really not mind them?  No, they're lying. They're only saying that because they're scared, you're going to curse them after this encounter.

He shooed his painful thoughts away and spoke.

"You... you don't mind me?" 

Huffing, eyes met his as if silently challenging him. "Like I said, I don't care who. They all deserve our help. Plus," they add, "rumors are always made up by bitter people who are only bitter at themselves. Still, they try to spread that bitterness around."

What if I'm the bitter one?

Ignoring that thought, Bruno let out a small smile. His heartfelt... warm, which was something that definitely happens often. He needed to cherish it before it melted away. Then, settling back down, he let out a quiet "thank you."

The silence was back again, but it was a comfortable silence. Two souls who were overwhelmed by the party sitting side-by-side near the river, the stars twinkling above them, the moon glowing on their faces.

The metal sound caught his attention as he turned to see the source. A small flask was caught in the perplexing person's hands. Shaking his head when they offered it to him, they shrugged and downed it.

This is so interesting.  Bruno mused to himself.  Never in a million years did I think someone would want to drink with me.  And then, more darkly,  never in a million years did I think someone wanted to spend time with me.

Glancing at the person sitting next to them, Bruno took time to observe his new companion's looks. Their eyes, while glazed, were filled with kindness. A soft, delicate warmth that seems to have been cultivated over years of hardships. Baggy eyes accompanied them, casting a shadowy look over their face.

They swiveled around to look at Bruno as if sensing that he was looking. Then, smiling, they waved at him, laughing as Bruno's face flushed red. They had caught him staring. Still, Bruno turned back and continued looking at them. Their cheeks were flushed a rosy pink, no doubt from the alcohol, and their smile was full of gentleness.

"Hmmm, I really need to thank Pepa for the beautiful weather." 

Bruno hummed in agreement. Indeed the weather was incredibly perfect. Warm with a calm wind, Bruno closed his eyes and soaked up the atmosphere. It had been a while since he could just...be.

"The stars are so pretty. So stunning, so pretty. One day, I want to visit them. I want to see them explode. But, of course, I need to go elsewhere for that to happen. But where is elsewhere? Is it here, or is it there?" 

Bruno felt his lips quirk into a smile at their drunken ramblings. He was also grateful for the conversation, even if he wasn't talking. Even in their drunken state, they seemed to realize that Bruno was content with not speaking. It was nice to just listen.

"Ooo, my fingers feel weird," they mumbled. "Tingly and warm, hehe."

They got up and walked toward the water, mumbling something about "being set ablaze," and dipped their head into the water. Startled, Bruno walked up to them, hesitantly putting his hand on their shoulder. They whipped up, water hanging onto their hair for dear life. 

"This feels great you have to try!"

Bruno politely shook his head, but he felt tempted to do it. Instead, as he contemplated, he looked down at the water. "Oh, you like looking at the water too?" They asked, before continuing, "I love looking at water. So fluid, so smooth, but also dangerous and wicked."

The sound of footsteps walking away from him made him lookup. Alarm set through his bones as the person was nowhere to be seen.

Did I lose them? Dios mío, where did they go?

Getting out of the water, he nearly screamed when a hand reached out from the shadows. "Haha...you screamed..." they said softly, eyes drooping. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you..."

Bruno's heart was still beating hard and fast, adrenaline coursing through his system. Yet, a pleased glow washed over him. They didn't leave him. They didn't run away from him.  I didn't scare them away.

Huffing, Bruno pulled them up, catching them as they stumbled forward. "Alright, I think it's time to go home, dont ya think?"

A groan of disappointment was heard, but they got their shoes anyway. 

"Here, I'll walk you home," Bruno said before truly comprehending his words.  What am I thinking? If anyone sees us together, they're gonna treat them weirdly too.  Guilt wracked through him, but then the person smiled, laughed, and flounced away, shouting a "follow me" before being swallowed up by the darkness.

Chasing after them, Bruno walked with them until they reached their house.  This   isn't their house, is it? I thought it belonged to... Shaking his head, he watched them fumble with their key.  It's been ten years since I've come here, it is natural for people to move around.

Blushing, they walked in and mumbled, "sorry for the mess."

Bruno didn't mind. It wasn't even very messy, just a few clothes tossed around here and there and some leftover food on the table. 

The person jumped into their bed with a loud yell, instantly sleeping as their head hit the pillow. Then, running his hands through his hair, he walked up to the bed. He rolled them to their side and ignored another incoherent mumble from their lips.

Glancing around, seeing his work done, he let out a small smile, walked out, and made his way back to the casita.

It wasn't until he reached his room that he realized he never asked for their name.

--------------------------------------

(y/n). That was their name.

Bruno smiled to himself, feeling warmth rush down his body. Over the following weeks, Bruno had met them multiple times. Each time he met them, a faint glow radiated through his body. It was nice being liked.

Gathering the courage, he left his room and ventured to the market, where he knew he could find them. 

As the noise from the marketplace increased, sweat and anxiety began to build up.  Are you sure you want to do this, Bruno? This is a bad idea. It's not good. They're going to judge you. Everyone will judge you. They will start judging (y/n) too. It's going to be your fault.

" Everything will be ok," he breathed out, trying to convince himself.

Maybe I'll put up my hood to attract less tension. Plus, Hermano is scared of nothing. 

A wry smile crossed his features as he crossed the marketplace toward (y/n) stall. He pulled on his hood when the whispers began starting. Then, trying to tune them out, he approaches, his head screaming for him to run away.

(y/n) whips around to look at you, a confused look in their eyes, but they seemed happy. Trying to find his voice, he opened his mouth before shutting it again when he felt the eyes of the town on them. "I..." he started before trailing off, shaking his head in defeat.

As he turned to walk away, he felt their hand grab him, almost as if it was pleading for him to stay. Shaking them off, Bruno turned and fled.

I'm a coward. I'm a coward. I'm a coward. I can't believe I just did that. I just ruined their business. I'm good for nothing.  Sneaking a peek, he turned around to glance at (y/n) eyes. They were filled with confusion, sadness, and, mostly, hurt.

Look at what an idiot you are. You made them sad. You upset them. You don't deserve to talk to them.

Bruno hated himself.

--------------------------------------

"They defended you, ya know?" 

Dolores's voice rang through his room, breaking through the sound of falling sand. He didn't reply, just continued to look down, tracing patterns into the never-ending sand.

"They got pretty angry too," Dolores smiles, leaning against the doorway. "Almost started a fight."

This causes Bruno to look up. (y/n) was willing to defend him? They were willing to fight for him?

Observing him, Dolores hums to herself. "I'm glad you have good people in your life tío Bruno."

Another fuzzy warmth passed through him.

"Also," his sobrina continued, "they're here."

Eyes widening, he looked up at the doorway, but Dolores was already gone, leaving the door wide open. He scrambled to get up, wiping away the sand stuck to his hair and skin. Then, racing down the stairs, he saw them.

(y/n) smiled at him.

--------------------------------------

Groaning internally, Bruno was going to kill his hermanas. They invited (y/n) to dinner? He wished he could go back into his walls.

Still, he was pleased that they sat next to him for dinner, Julieta making polite talk with them as she served food.

Once everyone was seated, Camilo's voice rang out across the table. "So... who are you?" 

Bruno saw (y/n) cringe at the question before placing a pleasant smile on their face before they answered.

Worrying that he would make (y/n) nervous, Bruno began to eat, listening to his famila's questions. It was easy hearing them talk about the city, somewhere where most people in Encanto have never gone.

It wasn't until his madre began asking questions that he noticed something off.

Their palms were digging into their palms, knuckles white from the pressure. While they looked at ease, Bruno could see the emotion swimming through their eyes.

Bruno feels his mouth open as (y/n) finishes answering why they moved back to Encanto. "Well, I'm glad you're here," his voice rang out across the room.

(y/n) head whipped up to meet his own eyes, the swimming emotions fizzing out to be replaced by one singular emotion: joy.

Embarrassment floods him as he realizes what he just said. He turns away from them, staring at his food. Regardless, he can feel his face heat up, his eyes watering.

The conversation begins to split up, and Bruno briefly registers that it's just the two of you guys quiet. Then, gently, he places a hand on (y/n), causing them to still be in shock, finally unclenching. 

Leaning closer to a better look, he sees red welts engraved into their skin, angry and swelling. Nervousness emits off of them as Bruno stays silent, a million questions races through his head.

His mouth feels dry when he looks back at (y/n) eyes. Their filled with a desperate plea to not make a big deal out of it, begging for him to stay silent. Quietly, he stares at them before muttering the words "eat."

As they began to do so, Bruno concentrated on his own dish. 

He was angry, but he didn't know why. He wasn't mad at them or his familia or even himself. He was just angry. Enraged at the redness of (y/n) palms, furious at the shame laced behind their eyes when Bruno looked at them. 

Bruno tried to concentrate on eating, but the madness festered.  They shouldn't feel bad for what they did. It wasn't-

"Help me clean up," Julieta said, breaking Bruno out of his daze. Blearily, he looked around, realizing that (y/n) had left the table, talking to the kids as they cleaned up the table.

Bruno calmed himself before helping.

As the night ended, they bowed at Alma, thanking for dinner.

Dolores crept up behind Bruno, cupping her palms over his right ear and whispering. "Walk them home, estúpido."

Batting her hands away, ignoring the smirk traveling across her lips, he quickly walked behind (y/n), glancing away from them. "Here, I'll walk you home," he mutters. 

As they left the Casita, Bruno was too lost in thought to speak, and (y/n) was avoiding eye contact with him. So instead, he turned upwards to look at the sky, watching the stars twinkle.

The two of them reach the house entrance before Bruno finally speaks up. "How're your hands?" he says, narrowing his eyes when they chuckle awkwardly and downplay the seriousness. He doesn't question them, knowing that pushing too far wouldn't help them. 

"I know, my family can be a bit much sometimes," he winces. "But if you ever feel the urge to... to do that again, feel free to just tell me." He pauses before looking at them. "I love my family, I really do, but sometimes..." he sighs. "I get overwhelmed too. Also..." he bites his lips as he talks. "Dolores told me what happened today at the market, after I left."

He reaches out to (y/n) hands without thinking, cradling them gently.

"The townspeople will start treating you weirdly. Defending me only makes things more difficult for you."  I'm not worth it. Please don't get hurt for me.

The wind scatters their hair across their face, allowing the soft glow of the night exposes their features. Initially filled with shock, (y/n) eyes filled with a look of determination. 

"Don't blame yourself for that. It's not your fault. Who cares if things get more difficult?" They say, shrugging, "I don't mind it as long as I can have you."

Bruno retracts his hands to cover his face, smiling, creeping along his face. He can feel himself getting flustered by the declaration, and he wants to reply, but his mouth dries up. So instead, warmth builds up in his body, and he's grateful for the wind as it skates across his flushed skin.

(y/n) is coughed into their hands, looking everywhere but him. Their own face is blushed a dark pink, mouth quirked into a grimace. Bruno stares at them, willing words to come out of his mouth, but he's lost in thought.

Ahh, that's cute.

He freezes as soon as he says thinks those words, feeling shock travel down his spine. He barely registers that they say Buenas Noches before he comes back to reality. "You.. should come over again, for dinner sometime," he blurts out. "But only if," he coughs nervously, "only if you want to."

They smile at him, and he can feel his heartbeat quickening.

There's no way I like them. It's only been a couple of days. Am I really that desperate? Am I really that starved?

As Bruno begins walking away, he hears their voice ring out. "By the way, Bruno," (y/n) yells out, "tell casita to redo your door. You're much more handsome than your door."

The door slams shut before Bruno can say anything else.

A buzzing feeling journeys across his body, bringing his hands up to his face and feeling the warmth. He turns around quickly, but he's unable to move. All he can do is think about (y/n).

There's no way they like you. There's no way. There's no way. Do... do I want them to like me?

--------------------------------------

The next day, Bruno sat up in his bed.

Maldición.

He had hoped a good night's sleep would solve his quickly arising feelings for (y/n), but it had been a struggle to sleep last night when all he could think of was them. He had tossed and turned before finally getting up and pacing around his room, ignoring the way the rats squeaked at him. When he eventually fell asleep, he was plagued by dreams of (y/n), dreams of judgemental stares, and the peace of having a friend.

When he awoke, (y/n) was the first thing that came to mind.

Fighting off the urge to scream into his pillow, he changed and headed out. He wasn't sure where he would go, but he felt the pull to see (y/n).

This is so stupid, don't do it. They probably don't even want to see you. This is creepy. Soy tan tonto.

Nearing their house, he was about to knock when the door opened. The two of them stared at each other in silence before they finally broke the silence. "Buenos días, Bruno," they quickly said.

If Bruno didn't know any better, it would seem like they were happy to see him.

A pleased thrill shot through Bruno as he awkwardly waved hello. Another silence followed, and realizing he was blocking their way, he quickly moved. "Sor...sorry, I was just..."

But what was he doing? Why did he feel the need to come over here?

They seem to realize Bruno's lack of words, so they spoke instead. "Haha, don't worry, I was just getting ready to go to the market, but..." (y/n) trailed off, looking away from him. "If you... we can do something else if you would like." They were entirely red now, licking their lips out of nervousness. "I don't mind closing for a day if it means we can...hangout."

"You don't have to close," Bruno quickly stated, secretly happy that they were willing to close early for him. "I thought I would just stop by to say hi..."

Shaking their head, (y/n) turned to face them. "Don't worry about it, afterall, I would love to spend a day with you."

Ah, there it was again. A tension traveled between the two of you, both looking away from one another, fearing that looking at one another would lead to an even deeper blush.

"Ah, then what should we do?" Bruno bit his tongue, trying to hide his smile. 

"Hmmm," they brought their hands to their chin, contemplating the question. "We can just... I don't know. Walk around perhaps?" They offered.

He felt a small pit opening his stomach and let out a bitter smile. "I don't think that's a good idea. The townspeople will talk, ya know?"

Those piercing eyes were on him again, but they were filled with anger, unlike the hostile glares the town shoots at him. "Like I said last night, I don't care what the townspeople say."

He knew that (y/n) would say that, but it was still lovely hearing it comes from their mouth again. Regardless, he didn't feel like going around town today.

Sensing this, (y/n) smiled. "We could just head back to your place? If that's alright with you." Bruno grinned at the suggestion. He was lucky his familia liked them.

Taking that as a sign of agreement, (y/n) grabbed his hand. "Then let's go!"

Realizing what they had just done, they quickly released their grip, but Bruno held tight. Then, smiling, (y/n) walked back with them.

Bruno walked (dragged) back to the casita, a pleasant glow emitting from him. Usually, he was uncomfortable with physical contact, and after so many years of isolation, he learned to live without it. Yet, the warmth of their hand on his own was pleasant.

As they entered the casita, the windows and tiles rippled as if to say hello. "Hello, casita," they greeted fondly.

"Is that (y/n) I hear?"

Isabela greeted them with a smile on her face. Flowers adorned her dress in all pink, red, and orange shades. (y/n) glanced at the flowers and opened their eyes in awe. "Are those tuberous begonias?" 

Isabela smiled before nodding. "They're one of my favorite flowers," (y/n) continued. "I love how they come in all shades of yellow, pink, white and orange. The variety is nice."

Smiling to himself, he knew that his new friend and his sobrina were going to get along wonderfully.

--------------------------------------

"Tío Bruno, give this to (y/n) when you see them."

Isabela handed him a coral-colored flower. 

"Are you joking? I can't give them this," Bruno said, sweating. 

"Why not?"

"Because..." Bruno trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

Because I'm worried, this is one-sided. Because I'm concerned that they'll be creeped out. I'm afraid that this is too much.

Isabela hummed to herself quietly before speaking. "It's a tuberous begonias. Which oddly suits them very well."

"How so?" Bruno asked. He knew that different flowers had different meanings, but he wasn't as well versed as Isabela was. So as he waited for his sobrina to answer, he's studied the flower. It was indeed a breathtaking flower. Its petals contained delicate ruffles, and when he brought it to his nose, it smelled lightly sweet.

"Why don't you ask them yourself?"

Bruno turned to glare at Isabela, but she had already left.

There's no way I can give them this. There's no way.

Still, he found himself in their room. They had opened the door for them, looking up at him in surprise before ushering them inside.

"Isabela wanted to give you this," Bruno said. "She says it suits you really well."

(y/n) face softened at that, and Bruno felt his heart momentarily stop. They delicately held the flower between their hands, twirling it around, so the petals fluffed up. "Oh, it smells good," they let out an exclamation of joy.

"Does...does it usually not?"

Shaking their head, they continued to gaze at the flower. "Tuberous begonias typically don't have a scent, but sometimes, they have a light frgrance, although it's a little more rare."

Biting his cheeks, he questioned them further. "What does the flower mean?" Then, chuckling awkwardly, he continued, "I mean, what did Isabela mean when she said it suited you well?"

It was their turn to blush, the cheeks becoming the same beautiful color as the flower. "Well," they started, using their free hand to cover their flushed face. "They're a hybrid plant with asymmetrical petals. They can't be in direct sunlight, but they also can't be in the shade all the time. It symbolizes many things such as caution but also things such as respect and friendships. The coral color symbolizes desire as well as gentleness and friendship..." (y/n) trailed off, realizing that they were rambling.

Bruno didn't mind their rambling. He sat contently, listening to all they had to say about the flower. The way their eyes lit up when talking, the way they moved their arms, the way they closed their eyes to remember facts.

He was enamored with them.

--------------------------------------

The following months became some of the best months of his life.

(y/n) had become a beam of light in his life, and he felt himself yearning to spend all his time with them.

However, as he spent more time with them, he became more and more aware of his feelings.

They don't like you. They don't want you. They're just being nice. People don't like you. You're unlikable. Unlovable.

"Bruno?" (y/n) calls out, jolting Bruno out of his thoughts. Then, smiling, he pushes the ideas away, racing out of his room to greet them.

--------------------------------------

Bruno groggily opened his eyes, wincing his eyes stung from the light. His head throbbed with pain, his ears ringing.

He groaned, turning to the side, and curling up into a ball. It was so hot, but it was so cold. He shivered before kicking off the blankets as the heat began to build back up. He felt grossly sticky, but he didn't have the energy to get up and shower.

A wet towel damps his forehead, and he realizes he has drifted into sleep. Opening his eyes, he sees (y/n) over him, dabbing the towel over his face. If he had the energy, he would've recoiled backward, stuttering and panicking, but he feels so tired, and their presence feels so...nice. Basking in their presence, he leans closer uncounsiuoulsy, breathing in their scent. The smell of seasonings and herbs hits his nose, and he sighs, content.

When he awakens, the sun is lowering, the room dark. He sits up, adjusting his eyes to the darkness in the room. Looking around, he could still smell the scent of spice in the air. 

Widening his eyes, Bruno finally sees them.

(y/n) eyes were closed, chest fluttering up and down as they slept. Their body was leaning onto the bed, using a piece of his blanket as a pillow. He gently reaches forward and touches their head, hands grazing over their face. 

(y/n) eyes open, and Bruno gets ready to yell out an apology, but they don't move away. Instead, they gaze at him, eyes filled with a million emotions.

Finally, after what seemed like hours but couldn't be more than a few seconds, (y/n) speaks. 

"You have a high fever," they said, voice still thick with sleep. "Julieta isn't at the casita today. She went to someone's home to take care of them."

Bruno closes his eyes, enjoying the sound of their deepened voice. "I was going to run and grab her, but you..." (y/n) trails off their face, reddening. "But you...uh..."

Bruno isn't listening. His foggy mind made it hard to concentrate. As a result, all he can hear is (y/n) raspy, soothing voice. All he can smell is the light scent of spices and herbs and the light fragrance as a flower.

He feels the empty space when (y/n) begins to get up, quickly grabbing their hand. If his head wasn't pounding, he would probably be mortified with what he's just done.

"Don't go..." he whispers.

(y/n) looks at them hesitantly, sitting back down. Grabbing the damp towel, they wipe it over Bruno's face, instantly cooling the flushed skin.

As Bruno drifts off to sleep again, something soft touches his forehead. It's delicate and gentle, a slight pressure pushing down before disappearing.

They had kissed him.

--------------------------------------

He rubbed (y/n)'s back, soothing the trembling body of the crying figure. They were silent, with only quiet sniffles audible.

(y/n) had received some news that devastated them. Although he didn't know what, he was determined to be there for him, especially after all the times they lifted Bruno's spirits.

"S...sorry," they said, sniffling. Their voice sounded rough, and they pointedly avoided looking at him.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Bruno replies honestly. "You don't have to tell me anything, just know that I'm here for you."

This leads to more sniffling from (y/n) as they bring their hands to cover their face, tears falling off their face. Their body was wracked with shakes, fingers trembling, legs jittering.

Bruno tried his best to not interfere, knowing that letting it all out was the only solution sometimes. Still, when he saw their nails digging into their skin, Bruno stopped rubbing their back. Instead, his arms wrapped around their body, his face entangled in their hair.

If (y/n) were surprised by the hug from behind, they didn't show it. Instead, all they did was curl their nails tighter into their skin, shaking more. 

"Mi amor," Bruno started, not even realizing what he was saying. "You don't have to suffer by yourself. Please," he pleaded, "look at me."

They stilled before turning around, interlocking their hands with his. (y/n) still refused to look up at him, looking down instead. Their eyes were red and puffy with tears, lips were swollen from biting. Hair stuck to their face, covering their cheeks.

Bruno didn't care about embarrassing himself. All he cared about was taking care of them.

He leaned forward and delicately gave them a kiss on top of their head, ears turning red as he did so. Then, when they didn't react and stayed silent, he lied there with them, breathing evenly.

Bruno felt so useless. He was never good in these situations, and he was at a loss for (y/n) to break down in front of him.

All he could do was hold you, and he hoped that was enough. Perhaps they would trust him with more in the future, but this had to do until then.

Their breathing evened out as they drifted to sleep, exhaustion finally overtaking their body. Bruno stayed awake, looking at the soft ways their eyes closed, listening to the flutters of their breath.

They looked younger asleep, their face smoother, eyelashes sitting prettily on their eyes. He was content with just looking at them, enjoying the warmth that passed between the two.

Dios mío, he was in love.

(y/n) mumbled his name in their sleep, accompanied by the words "amor" and "corazón." Bruno's heart fluttered at the sound, beating rapidly in his chest.

Eventually, he, too, drifted into sleep.

--------------------------------------

Bruno was awakened to the feeling of soft fingers on his face. 

The feeling of someone tracing their figures against his jawline caused a slight smile on his features. When he stared at them, they didn't stop tracing their fingers. Instead, (y/n) cupped his cheeks and dragged their gaze all over his face as if to take in as much as possible. Taking the hand that was cupping his face, he cradled it gently.

(y/n) let out a smile, eyes filled with passion. Breaking their hand out of Bruno's own, they dragged Bruno's hands up to their lips, kissing his fingers.

Bruno closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation as the velvety texture caressed his skin. Heat flooded his body, traveling all along his body, resting behind his face and his stomach.

Opening his eyes, (y/n) was still kissing his hands, their lips tickling his fingers. Their eyes were dazed and filled with need, their cheeks radiating warmth.

He moved his head forward, taking their lips into his own, feeling them kissing back, breathing heavily with whines. They leaned into one another, panting.

As they pulled back, Bruno knew his lips were as puffy as (y/n)'s. 

(y/n) smirked at him before capturing his lips again, murmuring "thank you" over and over again. Bruno grinned and cupped their face, enjoying the jolt running down his spine. His thoughts were racing, but only one kept repeating in his head.

How did I end up so lucky?