Chapter Text
Little Mirabel played with her fingers, she sat on her bed trying to calm down. Across her bed was her cousin Camilo who also anxiously looked at the time. "Mira, now I'm the one getting nervous. Stop shaking or I'll start too!"
"Why are you nervous? It's my ceremony today, what if my gift isn't useful? What if I fall down the stairs going up to my door?!" Mirabel rocked herself from front to back. Today was indeed her gift ceremony. Her cousin Camilo, who was also regarded as her 'twin', was also very nervous for his cousin. He wanted this night to be perfect for her, he wanted her to get the best gift ever and he wanted her to have the coolest room. He wanted her to have everything and he was scared anything she'll get would be any less than what she deserved.
Needless to say, it wasn't just less than what she deserved. Camilo watched his cousin get nothing at all.
As the door faded, his eyes were locked on to Mirabel. She was confused, Camilo was confused - what happened? Mirabel looked over to her Abuela who in turn gave her a horrified expression. Camilo wanted to run to her, give her a big hug, rub circles on her back and tell her it will be fine, it's gonna be okay.
But he didn't, little Camilo stood there staring at the empty wall where the door should've been. The townspeople were whispering and some of them gasped, hearing every mutter in the room, Dolores covered her ears.
Abuela made the townspeople go home although some of them stayed to try and comfort Mirabel. As soon as everyone but the Madrigal family was out of Casita, Mirabel ran to the nursery and shut the door. Julieta tried to follow her but Abuela had said it was best to give her space. Agustín managed to sneak in the nursery to find Mirabel "sleeping". He kissed her on the forehead and left the room.
Camilo stared at the nursery's tall door, he was supposed to be in his room. He was five, he had a bed time. But he stayed, he hears quite sobs from the inside. Camilo's heart broke, he opens the door. He had his new room..but he preferred to sleep in the nursery with his prima to keep her company.
As soon as he entered, the soft sobs came to an abrupt stop and Mirabel looked like she was sleeping soundly. Camilo thinks to himself. "I hope my cousin Mirabel won't mind that I'll be sleeping in the nursery tonight." He says loudly, expecting Mirabel to hear it. Camilo peeks at his cousin which makes Mirabel shut her eyes closed, afraid she'll get caught that she was awake.
"Everything will be okay prima, I'm here." Camilo says softly. Mirabel was tempted to sob, but she was supposed to be asleep. She doesn't want to get caught!
A warm feeling fills her as what Camilo just said has processed in her mind. She was grateful, at least Camilo was there. His words echoed in her head as she slept.
From that day forward, she told herself that everything will be okay. It's okay that she doesn't have a gift, she won't let that stop her from making her family proud.
The Madrigal family was thrilled to see Mirabel recovering from the shock of not getting a gift and for a while, they showered her with just as much attention as they always did. But as time and time went on, Mirabel notices that nobody seemed to be paying her any mind.
It's not the normal "attention seeking five year old" that most people might think of, the family has started to ignore her.
"Isa, can I help you with that?"
"I can do it myself, Mirabel."
"Luisa! can I help you with anything? I can help you with the small stuff!"
Luisa didn't pay attention, she was too focused on whether all the stacks of rice on her back would balance. Mirabel called and called again but Luisa was preoccupied.
That's okay, Mirabel understands.
"Hey Dolores!"
"Please lower your voice for me."
Little Mirabel blinks twice and apologizes. "Do you need any help Dolores? I can carry some bags or anything!"
"No , it's okay Mirabel. I'm trying to focus on the voices so please..shh."
Feeling dejected, little Mirabel tried to roam around town instead but a lot of people were avoiding her. She wasn't Dolores but she heard some names. 'Failed Madrigal' and the famous 'Mirafail' from the kids her age. It made her sad, yes, but she said she was gonna make her family proud either way. She stumbles upon Camilo, who was acting out stories using his shapeshifting for a couple of townspeople who surrounded him. It kept kids busy and it helped the parents shop at the nearby market in peace.
Mirabel smiles, she was..truly happy for him. She just wished she could be the same.
Out of all the family members, it was only Camilo who tried to spend the most time with her. At school, he would ditch his friends to make sure Mirabel was eating her snacks, threatening that he would tell his Tía Julieta that Mirabel didn't finish her food. Camilo was always glad to see Mirabel smile after accompanying her and Mirabel was so comforted by the fact that someone cared.
But even though it seemed like these affectionate gestures between the twins would last forever, Camilo had started to slowly leave too. It started with ignoring Mirabel at school, less talking or no talking to Mirabel at home unless needed. Camilo was ignorant over Mirabel's feelings. He never noticed, he was busy with other things. The more people there are in town, the more people need help.
"Sorry Mirabel, maybe we'll take a walk next time?" He replies to her when Mirabel suggested he takes a break and go for a walk.
"Mirabel please, I am trying to focus. I can't remember what Fernando looked like." He replies to Mirabel when she just tried to give him a plate of food. "Also, can you please the room Mirabel? I'm trying to concentrate." He hissed, sounding very annoyed. Mirabel was undeniably hurt by the hostility he just displayed. She thought Camilo would be the last person to say these things. "I'll just leave them here, Milo." Mirabel softly says, placing the tray of food on Camilo's bed side.
Hey it hurt, but it's okay.
Mirabel understands.
She leaves the room, rejected once again from even entering the same room her best friend was in.
-----
Mirabel and Camilo are now 12 years old. although not exactly mature, they've started to know better. The pranks around Casa Madrigal are still there but have died down, the pranksters in question have been a little distant recently.
Well it's not like anyone noticed.
With nothing to do at home and with no one to be with, Mirabel starts to help her Tía Pepa with taking care of his 2 year old cousin, Antonio. Ever since Mirabel was old and capable enough to take care of her cousin by herself, Antonio has been the only company Mirabel has been getting, as well as Camilo of course.
They're still twins, they're still close even though Camilo doesn't they don't have time for each other.
Mirabel is grateful for her two cousins. Her older sisters have been very distant for 7 years, her mom and dad are too busy, Dolores is always unavailable and Pepa and Félix are always away. Abuela ignores her and would rather pay attention to her other cousins and what they have done for the village.
But that's okay, Mirabel still understands.
It was a little past afternoon, Mirabel was in the nursery rocking baby Antonio to sleep when Camilo got home earlier than usual. His loud yawn reached Mirabel's ears and she lit up with joy. Camilo's home! Someone's home!
She checked on Antonio and saw that he was already sleeping soundly, she placed him in the crib.
Mirabel ran downstairs and Casita enouraged her by speeding up the floors and turning the stairs into a slide. Casita seemed so happy that Mirabel was so joyful.
"Milo! You're home early!" She greets him and Camilo returns the smile. "Yeah, I worked myself pretty hard this morning so I can go home early. Chores suck man." He groans, he stretches his back.
"Ah..sure yeah it sounded like it sucked. You must be tired,I'll birng a plate of food and nice warm cups of coffee to your room, how does that sound?" Mirabel offers. Camilo beams and hugs his cousin tight. "Nice! You're the best Mirabel, seriously sometimes I think you have too much time on your hands, which is a good thing you know. It's nice to have to time to make me something." He chuckles and starts to walk to his room upstairs.
A few moments later, Camilo and Mirabel enjoys a nice snack time in Camilo's room. Usually, there is a rule that no one should be bringing food in their rooms but no one would have to know. "Where's Antonio?" Camilo asks.
"Asleep, he was really cranky earlier so I made him take a nice nap."
The two enjoy a nice afternoon that day.
The next day, Camilo comes back home early once again but this time, he's in a really bad mood and only Mirabel notices that.
Camilo grumbled around the courtyard and mumbled to himself. Mirabel watched from upstairs with a baby Antonio tugging on her skirt. "Miwa? Hermano mad?" The little Madrigal said with concern. Mirabel cooed at her adorable little cousin."It's gonna be okay, stay here Antonio."
Mirabel heads downstairs and Camilo straightens his back and his smile. His smile is straight, he only does that when it's forced because it's usually lopsided. "Ah Mirabel! Right, I'm home early again. I'm just gonna go upstairs, if you're offering to bring more food-" He clicks his tongue and finger guns "I'd be happy with that suggestion!" He jokes as soon as he sees his cousin approach him.
"You're not okay, are you?" Mirabel puts her hand on Camilo's shoulder and massages it lightly to ease a tense muscle. "Tell me, what's wrong primo."
"Please Mirabel, I can't- it's fine! I'm just a little tired, I'm- it's been a hard day so you know, please leave me alone." He says, going upstairs.
Mirabel follows him, already starting to get annoyed. "You're not okay! I know that you torture yourself by keeping it in like that and it's not gonna do you any good, Milo!"
Camilo snaps back, aggresively scratching the back of his neck in frustration. "Leave me alone, Mirabel! There's nothing going on and I'm not keeping anything!" He grabs Mirabel's shoulders. "Leave it, Mirabel."
Ever the stubborn, caring cousin, she scowls and shakes his hands off her shoulders. "I just don't want you to be alone while you're feeling bad, primo! It hurts to be alone and- well..it's suffocating. I want to help you! I understand what it feels-"
"No, you don't! Mirabel, you don't understand anything! No one understands what it feels like to go out there and be something you're not! To go home and be something no one wants! All they say is without my gift I'm just Camilo, well I am...Camilo! Is Camilo..nothing? Am I worthless without this silly..gift?!" He rages, walking towards Mirabel and making her back up. "A part of me knows that I am worthwhile without my gift, a part of me hates this gift that I have because it's everything but me! I want to be me!"
"I-" Mirabel starts.
"No, stop saying that! It's always that you understand, you don't! You will never understand it, Mirabel! You don't have that pressure on you, you can just spend your days here in Casita and no one, nobody will complain! Nobody would have to ask you to be someone else because the current you isn't enough! Never say..that you understand!"
"You just make everything worse by that." Camilo says.
"I do understand." She clenches her fist and Camilo almost parries, expecting Mirabel to actually hit him. "I understand more than anyone! Do you know why they don't ask me to be someone else? Because I can't! I can't be someone else, Camilo! No matter how hard I try, I can't shape shift like you, I can't help the village like any of you. My current me isn't just not enough, my current me is nothing! They make sure to remind me that everyday!" She yells.
"Mirabel I- I'm sorry I don't know why I-"
"I understand...more than anybody the feeling to go out there and be someone I'm not. I go out there..and I pretend I matter like the rest of you do..and..like you said, I make everything worse by that and I'm sorry for being in the way." She looks up to meet Camilo's eyes, tears and snot have already covered his face. He was covering his mouth, Mirabel takes that he regrets what he said. That's all she needs to forgive him.
Mirabel struggles to make out a gentle smile, the smile collapses but she smiles again.
"But I go out there...I pretend I matter..I pretend what I do matters so you- all of you, would be proud of me. But I confront you, I say I understand you because I don't want you to be alone, to be lonely. I don't want you to feel bad, this wasn't the goal when I told you.. all of this." Mirabel puts her hands together and fiddles with her fingers.
"I just want to be there for you primo, because you're..my best friend. I want you to have everything..because you deserve it after being there for me all my life." She finishes, Mirabel sniffles.
"But if I'm making things worse, if I'm hurting you, I'll stop."
Camilo shook his head. "No prima, I- you're not-"
A shriek comes from upstairs and almost immediately, Mirabel runs toward Antonio's crying.
"You and hermano, shouting! Antonio sad sad! Miwa sad! Hermano sad!" He cries. He must've been scared from all the shouting.
"It's okay, hermano and I are okay. Don't cry, Antonio..shh." Mirabel picks him up and rocks him.
Meanwhile, Camilo goes to the room and slams the door.
He breaks down.