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Camilo felt his hands shake as he stood up on the balcony. He watched as Mirabel and Abuela argued about whose fault it was for the miracle dying. The doors were glowing in and out. He could feel the magic slipping away. But he couldn't care about that right now. He cared for his family. For Mirabel. She looked like she was about to cry. He was about to go down to help her, only for her shouting to make him pause.
"The miracle is dying because of YOU." Mirabel yelled at Abuela, every noise stopping.
Then the cracks formed. The Casita started to crumble and shake. His eyes widened as everyone started panicking. Some of the family members backed out of the house. Others pointed out that the candle was shaking. That it was going to fall and die out.
Mirabel instantly ran further into the crumbling building rather than away, climbing up the ladder that the Casita laid down for her.
Camilo couldn't just sit by idly and watch. Isabela tried to get up there but her powers died out before she could.
Now it was left to him.
He bolted, dodging any of the falling objects by shifting into random people he knew from town. He sucked in a breath, going to the edge of the balcony before leaping off.
He thought for sure he was going to fall. He felt his powers die out as soon as he leaped. But there he was, holding onto the roof tightly. He groaned, lifting himself up.
"Mirabel!" Camilo yelled, the sound of the Casita breaking around them hurting his ears. Hopefully Dolores power died off.
"Camilo, what are you doing- you need to leave!" She yelled as she stood up on the roof alongside him. She was desperately reaching for the candle, it backing away from her slowly.
"Leave the candle, we have to go!" Camilo took hold of her arm.
"I can't just leave it! That's the family's gifts-"
"You're going to get yourself killed if you stay up here, we're going!"
Mirabel reached out to the candle one last time before Camilo practically yanked her arm away, hugging onto her tightly with one arm. Don't let your cousin get hurt, don't let your cousin get hurt, don't let your cousin get hurt- He kept repeating to himself. He pulled her down, sliding off the roof as best as he could. His hand got scraped against the tiles as he did his best to protect Mirabel from any harm. Casita shakily helped the two get down, Mirabel constantly yelling to the Casita that she needed the candle. She needed to save it.
By the time the two reached the ground, the tower was already collapsing. Their names were being screamed by the family members that were pushed out from the Casita. Camilo felt a tinge of fear prick his heart, but all he could do was hug Mirabel tightly, covering her the best he could with himself. He shut his eyes, waiting for the impact. Waiting for the tower to collapse on him.
But it never came.
Once it went quiet, he opened his eyes and looked around. Casita had made a fort for them. It saved their lives. He sighed out happily, hugging onto Mirabel still. He was afraid that if he let her go, she'd run away. That maybe she'd fade away like their gifts.
Mirabel looked at the ruins with a blank facial expression before she slowly hugged her cousin back. She was shaking. Both of them were caked with dust and drywall, but all they could do was sit there.
Julieta and Pepa came running up, both nearly sobbing. If they still had their powers, Pepa would've probably had a hurricane going on right about now.
"Camilo, Mirabel, are you guys hurt? Let me see." Julieta's voice was so heartbroken yet calm at the same time. She gently used her hands to inspect their faces.
"What were you guys thinking! You could've been killed!" Pepa cried out.
Mirabel hugged onto Camilo tighter. He didn't care that she was getting even more drywall all over him. All he could do was rub circles into her back. "Mira just wanted to save the candle. To save the miracle...I had to save her, Mami. I had to."
Pepa's facial expression softened. How could she be upset with him when all he wanted to do was save his cousin's life?
"Let me go get you two something to drink, and let me get you some bandages for your hand...Stay right here. Pepa, we need to go check on the others.." Julieta spoke quietly, her sister just nodding her head.
Camilo gently let go of Mirabel when their parents were gone. She looked up at him and looked like she was about to cry. "You risked your life to protect me…I'm so sorry…"
"Don't apologize, mi prima. You're safe. That's all that matters." He spoke softly. He wished he could've gotten her some tea to calm her down.
Mirabel looked at the mountain that had cracked in half. Camilo could tell what she wanted. So he stood up and held his hand out to her. She looked up at him, nervously taking his hand and standing up alongside him. She probably felt bad that his hand was scratched. But he didn't care. Mirabel was safe. That's all that mattered.
The two walked past the mess the best they could, getting out of the ruins. Then they both made the long trip to the mountains. Going into the split. They had to do their best to ignore the calls for them from their family. Pepa was probably never going to let him hear the end of it when he eventually came back.
-
He gently helped her sit down, slowly sitting down beside her after that. She curled up into a ball, her arms resting on her knees. Camilo sighed, resting his head on her shoulder. They mostly sat in silence, just enjoying each other's company. Listening to the water. Listening to the birds. Ignoring the calls of the family.
It was maybe after half an hour when Mirabel slowly took off her glasses, the sound of crying following soon after. She gently shook, trying to be as quiet as possible. Camilo gently took her glasses, holding onto them for her.
He was about to comfort her the best he could before he heard the bushes suddenly rustle. Maybe a bunny?
Wait. No. A horse. Wait, a horse?
And Bruno's voice. Bruno's voice and a horse. Seems about right.
Mirabel didn't seem to really make any movement. If anything, she buried her head lower into her arms. Camilo looked back, seeing Bruno pop out from the bushes on some random horse, stopping it a little away from the two of them. He got off the horse as best as he could, nearly tripping multiple times. It would've been funny if it weren't for the situation happening.
Once he was situated well enough, he dusted off his rauna and slowly started walking over to the two.
"I'm sorry…" Mirabel cried out to Bruno. "I didn't want to hurt us…I'm sorry I...almost got the both of you…"
"Mirabel." Bruno spoke softly, "you did nothing wrong." He walked over, sitting on the other side of Mirabel. It was clear that she relaxed slightly knowing that it was Bruno instead of Abuela.
"He's right, Mira. Abuela never should've blamed you." Camilo held her glasses in his hands, opening and closing the arms to them over and over again.
"Still, I-I could've done something…" She looked up at Bruno. "There was a future where I fixed it...a future where I didn't mess it all up."
Her uncle sighed, looking down. "Sure, there was, but it didn't all depend on you. Y-You see, it depended on you, but also the familia. You never could've fixed it if Mamá...well- my, my Mamá- didn't wanna fix it as well."
"And you tried your best." Camilo spoke, Mirabel now looking at him. "You tried your best all your life. You didn't get a gift and yet you still cared for the family just as much as the rest of us. You love this family. Abuela just...Forgot. Forgot that our gifts were supposed to help those who don't have one. Forgot that our gifts were to help you."
Mirabel went silent for a moment. Her breathing hitched. She didn't understand. It wasn't her fault? She argued with Abuela. She could've gotten Camilo so much more hurt than just a scratched hand. She could've gotten Bruno crushed from the crumbling Casita. And it wasn't her fault?
"I'm sorry we treated you badly, Mira." Camilo took her hand in his own, looking down at the grass. "I swore to make everyone smile but...I forgot to make my best friend smile. I forgot to..."
"And I'm sorry I put so much pressure on you, kid. I should've been there for you instead of, well, hiding in the walls. Though that's technically being there...Just, you know what I mean." Bruno gave her a smile. "You're a gift, Mirabel. You did everything right. You're this family's miracle."
"You guys…" Mirabel couldn't hide the smile that crept on her face. "You don't have to apologize. You guys helped me so much...You guys love this family…I love this family..."
"More than you'll ever know." Bruno smiled, hugging Mirabel now. He tried his best to not hurt any of the rats he had in his rauna though.
"I love you, Mirabel. Just uh...don't tell anyone I said that." Camilo laughed, putting her glasses on her face before he hugged her.
"You guys are such softies." Mirabel sighed, wiping her eyes. She had to admit though, it helped her feel better. She felt bad that she was happy Abuela wasn't the one to find her and Camilo here at first.
"Whose fault is that?" Camilo huffed, "You're a bad influence."
Bruno just laughed at the two, slowly letting go. He stood up, holding his hands out for his niece and nephew to take. They gently took his hands, standing up. "Are you two ready to go home? I'm sure Julieta and Pepa are worried about the two of you. If Pepa still had her powers, I'd say there'd be a hurricane. And that's not a prophecy. B-But we uh, we can always stay here a little longer if you need to."
Camilo looked at Mirabel for confirmation, speaking again when she gently nodded. "Yeah, we're ready, Tío. Let Mirabel be the one who controls the horse though. I'd rather not enter the ruins of the Casita by jumping out of the bushes and scaring the family to death." Camilo rubbed the back of his neck, giving a smile.
"Where did you even get the horse anyways?" Mirabel looked at her uncle as she got on the horse, Camilo and Bruno following suit. She wiped her eyes one more time, making sure her vision wasn't blurry at all.
"Found it." Bruno shrugged.
"You stole it, didn't you?"
"It's not stealing if I was planning on returNING IT-" He shouted at the end when Mirabel quickly made the horse start galloping, cutting him off.
They were going home. They were going to rebuild their home. Even if they didn't get their gifts back. They were going to do it together.
And with a horse, apparently.