Chapter Text
It was amazing how the family dynamics could change after the addition of a single person. Even in a family of eleven, where the reinstated member was a socially distanced uncle that nobody had seen in years. Of course, some of these alterations could be associated with other recent events. The family living separately during the rebuilt of their destroyed house. Everyone getting back their special powers after months of living like ordinary people.
This, coupled with recent shifts in the matriarch’s expectations, made other things less obvious. Like the fact that there were some changes in the smaller family units.
“Antonio, where’s Mirabel?”
“I don’t know, Ma. I last saw her at breakfast.”
“Julieta, did you see Mirabel?”
“She was just with me, but then Bruno came, and she went with him.”
“Dolores, mi amor, where is Tio Bruno?”
“He’s helping Mirabel move furniture around in her room.”
It was slowly becoming a pattern. Wherever Mirabel went, Bruno was usually nearby. They did almost everything together. Be it running errands, doing household chores, entertaining an audience with the rat theatre, or spending time with their family.
This evening, they were sitting in a circle on the floor of Camilo’s bedroom. Mirabel, Bruno, Camilo, and Antonio. It was another Madrigal game night. There were normally four or five of them playing, although the gaming group changed from night to night. Sometimes the boys would drop out, other times Luisa would join in. Dolores and Mariano used to show up, but Camilo couldn’t stop teasing them about making googly eyes to each other. Finally, his older sister had had enough, put the back of the boy’s poncho over his head, and walked out, never to be seen near a board again.
However, no matter the circumstances, a common denominator was always Mirabel and Bruno.
It took him a long time, but Bruno seemed to finally have found his own place in the family. He truly enjoyed playing with his nieces and nephews. He was a great actor and storyteller, always making funny faces and doing all the voices. The younger Madrigals especially loved to hear embarrassing stories about their relatives that no one else had ever told them. The man often spent time with the kids, being the cool uncle and having more free time than the other adults. He had his favorites, like anyone, but this usually didn’t come up; not when everyone was having fun.
“So, how do we split up?” asked Camilo from over the game board.
“I’m playing with Tio Bruno,” said Mirabel at once, grabbing him by the forearm, “and you guys can play with each other.”
“That’s no fair!” complained Antonio, as he pursed his lips. “I wanted to play with Tio Bruno. You two are always together.”
With raised eyebrows, Mirabel and Bruno glanced at one another. They never paid it much attention. Now that they came to think of it, Antonio indeed might have a point. However, there was a perfectly good reason for this.
“Look, Tonito,” said Mirabel, trying to sound understanding. “Your Tio had never played The Castles of Segovia before. I need to explain him the rules. You can play together in the next round, okay?”
Her little cousin didn’t seem very happy. But he agreed, just this once.
“Okay, fine…” he muttered, fiddling with a yellow token.
Soon enough, he did get his chance like promised. This was exactly what Antonio wanted. Tio Bruno was usually good at strategy games, so the boy was hoping to finally win against his older brother. That would show Camilo that little Toni was not a pushover anymore!
However, Antonio’s enthusiasm was short-lived. Despite playing just fine in the previous game, now Tio Bruno was evidently distracted, making one obvious mistake after another. Antonio was doing his best to meet the win conditions, but this wasn’t enough, as Tio made their team lose points whenever the game rules allowed him to.
"You're helping them win!" the kid accused, severely disappointed.
“Uh, not on purpose,” said Bruno with an apologetic smile.
Sure enough, Antonio and Bruno’s team lost in the next two turns. Camilo high-fived Mirabel, satisfied with an easy victory.
Meanwhile, Antonio just sat there, arms crossed, his expression sullen. The boy’s entire posture resembled that of his mother on a bad weather day, minus the cloud. In an irritated tone, the kid stated,
“Mirabel, you can have him back.”
He pushed Tio Bruno away, so that he would move towards his cousin. Even Camilo, who was visibly amused with Antonio’s reaction, thought that this was a little rude. However, instead of being offended, their Tio seemed relieved. Especially after his niece pulled him closer by the elbow, not bothered at all by a return to the previous pairings.
They never changed pairs again.