Chapter Text
Isabela and Camilo came inside arguing as Mirabel was headed to take a seat at the dining table. It was unusual for them to talk for long, at least to Mirabel, and even so it never led to them fighting.
“I hate you!”
“Sure, I don’t care! You can’t do that and then throw a fit when I rightfully complain!”
“Whatever!”
“Uh huh!”
Mirabel saw her primo hiss something under his breath but neither she nor her sister heard it. Camilo chose to sit next to his mom and Isabela sat one seat down from him. Mirabel was happy to sit in front of Camilo and be a small buffer for them, even if it wouldn’t really work. She watched in equal parts amusement and nervousness as the two stared another down only to look away and act annoyed. Mirabel waited till Abuela sat down and was curious to know what she would say.
“I’m glad everyone made it. I know being back is new. So please, take this week to get used to things. Losing Casita was a lot.” Mirabel smiled at the house waving at her Abuela, “And having Bruno back,” Her mom's smile got large and she looked a little misty eyed, “Is a true blessing. Now. Let us eat.”
Mirabel’s eyes landed on her oldest sister and she watched as Isa cringed.
After a moment of intense eye contact, Isabela cracked. Shifting her eyes to look at her food even if for just a moment. “Don’t look at me like that!”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know! However you’re looking now!”
Mirabel couldn’t help but grin, “Why?”
“It’s not my fault!”
“I didn’t even say anything!”
“But I know you, or at least I do now! So I might as well just explain it, I don’t want you to badger me into speaking again.”
“I didn’t do that! I called you a, ahem, ‘Selfish, Entitled, Princes!’” She could feel her smile grow as Isabela groaned.
“That is worse! So much worse.”
“Uh-huh, sure. Now, what’s up with you and Camilo. Spill what you guys said or so help me!”
Isabela pouted, hands making small but sharp gestures as she started talking,“I mean it, for starters, that is way worse! And two! He thinks he can just say anything! He knew I wasn’t actually like that. I don’t understand why he would even think I wanted to see him as me!”
Mirabel shrugged, “It usually makes people smile or laugh.”
Isabela huffed and rolled her eyes, “I know! Who do you think taught him how to be, I don’t know! Pleasant to people? Not like I had a choice. He’d trail me all day.”
“Usually I did that!”
Isa raised an eyebrow as if saying, ‘Exactly my point.’ Mirabel sighed as it seemed Isabela did naturally just dislike younger kids. They looked up to her! Why she felt so huffy over it was beyond Mirabel's scope of thought.
“Okay, so what then?”
“Then uhm.” She stuffed an arepa in her mouth as she decided how to phrase her next words. “Okay I probably said it wrong. I was just annoyed! And I really just wanted to ask him about helping me with my garden! But uh, so. I called him annoying?” The way she said it made it sound like a lie, at least to Mirabel. She’d ask Camilo about it later. “And then he tried to play it off but he wouldn’t change back! And it was driving me crazy. And he said ‘it's not my fault everyone’s just changing overnight. these roles take time to perfect and now I have to start all over again.’ Which for one, what? I don’t even know what to do with that,” Mirabel didn’t either, it was weird, “...and two! Two! I just wanted to hang out with my cousin. And then he got all upset and now! This stuff. It’s annoying.”
Mirabel nodded. “I dunno. I mean, and this is totally hypothetical and definitely not a guess or even like applicable don't think too much. But, if I could be anyone! Why would I be me? Not because I don't do anything or something like that. But I dunno, being you was always the dream! I don't doubt the idea that every grandkids wanted to be you. Or maybe it's just fun! I dunno. I’m not a shapeshifter!”
Isa’s eyebrows furrowed and she chewed on more food while trying to think of what to do with that. So Mirabel decided to talk a little more.
“Still don’t understand how we get to well…all of that! I mean! Camilo doesn’t do energy unless it’s for his or our entertainment. But he never does big negative stuff! He’s always been all sedated. Easy to excite but not all that willing to do a whole lot if it’s not gonna be enjoyable for someone. Unless it’s food. Then that’s a bit different. Anyway! He has literally never even said ‘I don’t like’, let alone ‘I hate anything’! Explain that.”
Isabela sighed and looked away completely. “I need time to think, but uh, I probably deserved it.”
“What?” She looked across the table to see Camilo looking at them with wide eyes.
Against better judgment (or at least Mirabel hopes it is) Isabela glares at him. “Nothing.”
Mirabel glances between the two of them over and over. Her sister looked uncomfortable and kinda normal. The face didn’t match her new look but she recognized that look from many many conversations.
Camilo looked hurt and then he took a deep breath and looked normal again. “Alright.” And just like that he seemed to get over whatever they truly talked about. He listened attentively as Antonio talked about a new kind of bug he found in his room.
So, she made it a priority to talk to her cousins about how they were feeling. And since she already knew Antonio, maybe he could help her out too.