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Alma woke up today with the feeling of joy and happiness with her family all together home and safe.
It has been a year and a few weeks since Bruno returned to her and the family and a year since she realized her errors and bad ways and became closer to Mirabel.
She however did not expect to wake up to the family having breakfast and find Bruno is sitting in his chair much quieter than usual and seemed more tired than ever while grasping
at his head and grimacing every so often. Clearly trying to hide a bad headache or vision migraine.
She wondered was he always like this and she never noticed. She didn’t realize she was
staring at Bruno until he looked up at her. She let it be, for now, to ask her son later in the day, their relationship was only just getting back on track. She did not want to push him. So at
dinner when he was acting the exact same as at breakfast, she decided to talk to her nene.
She turned to Bruno and looked at him. Bruno looked toward his mother.
“Mama?” Bruno asked softly, “Everything okay mama?”
He looked at her worried while trying to smile softly at his mother, to show he cares.
Alma missed her son so much, he was her rock and no one realized it. She only talked to Bruno about the town's problems, his sisters, the towns, the kids, issues, etc… She never realized
how much she put into her son and how much she forced him to carry, even at the young age of 5.
She is an awful mother and Abuela. She knows she is changing, but the past cannot be
changed. As much as she wishes she could turn back to the past and fix her mistakes.
Alma smiled softly back at him, “Si Brunito.”
She couldn’t do this, she couldn’t push him away.
Again.
Bruno blushed a bit at being called that and Alma just said instead, “I am just happy you are home mijo.”
She grasped his hand and squeezed before she let go and drank some tea. A
few minutes passed by and the family was slowly calming down realizing their Abuela and Mama were only staring at Bruno.
The family was subtly paying attention to them without letting their
conversations go. If the madrigals can one thing well, it is eavesdrop.
She looked back to her son, “Brunito are you okay? You seem very tired. Have you been sleeping enough? Eating enough? You kno-” She started going off in a motherly rant with a
loving yet stern voice, he squeezed her hand back and gave her a shy and small smile, “Si Mama. Gracias. I am fine, just didn’t sleep too well. Just a migraine mama. Calm mama” He tapped her
hand at the end, looking away.
Alma just smile softly at her son and knew he was lying. He was always an awful liar.
He has the exact same tells as her late husband Pedro. Every. Single. One. Alma was good and seeing those
from her deceased husband, she doesn’t let Bruno get away with much. She smirked at him.
“Si Bruno. Okay… Just eat some food from your Hermana ok?”
“Si mama” Bruno ate a bit more. Well, two more bites. He hid the rest in his ruana to give his rats later on, when he went back to them either in his room or in the 10-year room by the kitchen
he now calls his ‘workspace’ for creating telenovelas and sets for his rats or just reading in peace. Casita made the ‘now’ picture frame entrance to the walls in his hallways in the alcove tunnel
connected to his room. It is behind an ugly painting of some flowers and fish, just before his door.
Alma was worried for her son.
Bruno Madrigal has always been a quiet and shy man. At least that is what people always assumed from the town's seer. Bruno rarely went out, he rarely left his room… right? That’s
where he always was, hiding away or in his room. It made the most sense. However, that could not be farther from the truth.
The only one who knows the truth is Dolores and Alma needed to find out what was wrong with her son, she needed to follow Brunito.
She does not want to fall back into old bad
habits of forcing the family to use their gifts selfishly for the town or her without asking.
She knew this was too personal and Dolores would say no, she gracefully now accepts this.
As the family clears from dinner and dishes are done and everything is cleaned up, she watches Bruno go to his room and she follows him trying to keep hidden.
Bruno is stumbling softly and mumbling softly to his shoulder? She was confused or was until a small rat appeared out of his ruana where he was speaking.
She smiled a bit, his rats. He never grew out of that pet and she learned to eventually leave his rats be.
He talked a bit louder and to say she was shocked was an understatement, “Si Juadi, but I can’t just go back there because I forgot my scarf. I will just go in a week like usual. Leave it be okay?
No getting into more trouble.”
Alma was confused, her son never leaves Casita. Where did he go? Where he forgot a scarf, he was always very responsible and never really forgot anything. It was a grateful
remembrance to her from when he was a young child. She would only have to scorn Julietta and Pepa for forgetting things.
The rat squeaked back, wait what?! She turned her head too fast to look at the rat, it kept squeaking and Bruno understood or seemed to? She thought only Antonio could understand and speak
to rats! How did she miss this?
Bruno groaned loudly, “FINE! God you annoying rat! Seriously Juadi. You know what will happen if I go, I will not be home for a few hours at least. I REALLY don’t want to be socia---”
The rat nibbled him, and her Brunito huffed, “Fine.”
Shaking his head back and forth, he started to his room to get changed and Alma waited in a small dark corner, she saw Bruno come back out and he looked… Quite nice.
He cleaned up. He NEVER cleans up, barely for his sister’s weddings as well. His hair was in a half up half down hairdo bun on the top of his head, he wore nice fitting clothes and he was
wearing nice plain
black pants and his shirt was a tight-fitting, deep V necked forest green and his usual ruana was gone and in place was a hugging leather jacket, and a few rings adorned his fingers. She knew
that sometimes when vendors come from outside the Encanto Bruno was usually the first at the cart, to see what there was and mostly buy it all. She was sure Casita made a room inside his
room just for those artifacts. She was shocked to see him in anything that she usually sees him in, she watched him leaving Casita.
She put on her black shawl and followed him. She didn’t realize the time was 1:34 am.
Alma walked behind Bruno by a fair amount and he wouldn’t even notice his mother following him. He would have never thought his mother would ever follow him. The time drifts by
as she realizes how far she is walking, almost to the end of Encanto, she was confused. Nothing is this way?
As Alma followed him she saw him walk up to a house and grab a key from under
his ruana and around his neck, on an old-looking string, and opens the door, putting the key back and just walking in?! She did not think Bruno had any friends, let alone someone who gave
him a key to their home.
She walked up to the house and around the back where she heard a noise and saw a party! There was a party in Encanto! Yet somehow Dolores couldn’t hear it and all these people
seemed to be having a great time! No one told the Madrigals. She felt slightly hurt. She then realized it is a smaller ish party compared to those held at Casita. She shook her head away from
those old thoughts. She is different, changing.
Alma was in utter shock. Everything she knew about her Bruno was so, so wrong. She saw him walk in and everyone turned to him and screamed. She was preparing for this, the rude
comments, devil motions, accusations, however she did not find any of those comments here.
What she heard instead was, “Bruno’s here!” She heard many other cheers and comments
underlaying the same things. Bruno’s here, the party can really start now, yes it's the time! Let’s start!
Her Bruno was also laughing back with everyone, being just as loud! He was high-fiving people,
fist bumps, hugs, kisses too, giving inside jokes, and intricate handshakes! Her soft, shy, never-out-spoken son was acting like a giant social butterfly and she could not fathom the
sudden change. Or…. Was it just around her?
Bruno was walking around the backyard and was already given a drink by a girl and she gave him a kiss on the cheek! He smiled at her and grabbed her waist with his free hand and
whispered something in her ear, making the woman turn blood red, blushing and giggling in his arm.
He pulled her closer to him and let her lean into him, and he was smirking.
Alma was flabbergasted! She was so distracted she did not notice the rest of the entire FAMILY MADRIGAL Behind her! Until Dolores covered her mouth and she startled but did not
make a noise thanks to Dolores covering her mou—Oh! That makes sense now. She was shushed by everyone.
They all quietly said they were worried about how quiet Bruno, Tio, and their
Hermano was. She was quiet and nodded and understood. The family all missed Bruno too, they also lost 10 years. Not just her. They were all hurting. The family was also in shock at Bruno.
They all watched Bruno for about two or three minutes before he walked over to a group of big, beefy men who all seemed to have a bit of an attitude problem. The family was looking
like Bruno grew a second head, and more so when they saw him smack the biggest on the back of the head. They all held their breaths and Mirabel and Dolores were holding each other
scared. Alma was holding both Julietta’s and Pepe’s hands in a crushing grip, the daughters did not notice because their grip on their own mother's hand was crushing as well.
Felix, Agustin, Camilo, and Luisa were all in different states of shock and awe?
(Isabella is watching Antonio at home, Isa is on her monthly so she didn’t want to leave, she will just wait for Dolores to get informed by her.)
The big man (Demin) turned around, pissed off, and was about to throw a punch, the family all held their breaths, until he laughed throwing his head back at Bruno, “UNO!! There you
are! I’ve been looking everywhere for my partner in crime!” He laughed loudly and gruffly, he pulled Bruno into a big bro hug; It is not a bro hug unless you can hear the back smacking pain,
grunts, and smacks. Bruno called back just as loudly, “RED! AH! Puta!”
He was laughing, “Where’ve ya been? Estupido” Both men were laughing and he handed Bruno a cigarette.
The family was in shock, Bruno would never smoke, he is a goo--- Never mind.
Bruno lit the smoke also expertly but not with a flame but with his hands! What!? No. No. Wait…never mind, he had a match in his hand. They felt very stupid at that moment. No one
said anything, thank god.
About twenty minutes had passed and Bruno had a few smokes and a few drinks with his friends. He also won a shotgun contest with another friend who was standing with him, who
he called ‘Mini’. A nickname most likely.
He looked so carefree and relaxed. He was laughing and enjoying his time.
The girl from before came back and whispered in his ear and pulled his arm away from the party, towards the inside.
He looked over at her and smirked, his hazel eyes glowing a
brilliant emerald green and he looked at her while the wind picked up around just them, saying, “I see your future, Bebe you look very happy and relaxed hmm” he stopped the vision but his
eyes still glowed that beautiful emerald green and he looked at her with nothing but hunger in his eyes.
She blushed darkly. “Lead the way Mi Vida” He whispered into her ear, seductively and it
was working, as she shivered blushed redder than a tomato. Pulling him towards the house, with a few other girls and men walking with him all grabbing his arms as they ALL go inside.
The group of his friends looked back at him whooping loudly, making obscene gestures, and Bruno was throwing his head back laughing at them and their craziness.
The family was shocked. Alma, Juli, and Pepa thought Bruno was still a virgin! Who had no friends! Never left Casita! Was a good catholic boy, who didn’t smoke or do drugs or bad
things and he rarely drank. Even at home with the family or at Casita’s parties! How dead wrong they were. What was most shocking to them all was how Bruno used his gift so openly! And
sexually? They thought he hated his gift, it only caused pain, and they were all confused but mostly sad because they realise now he had to hide who he was almost 100% just to try to feel like
he could fit in with his family and the standards his mother set.
Almost two and a half hours later Bruno came back and the family was so bored they almost left, until they heard the big man from earlier that Bruno called ‘Red’ look over to the door
and screamed out, “Ey! He’s not dead haha It’s a fucking miracle!”
Bruno looked over, looking proud and very, very disheveled. His hair was a mess, his lips red and bruised, his neck, collarbone, shoulders, back, and chest all looked red and clawed at with
many hickeys. His jacket was in his arms, and he had his shoes undone and wrinkled pants. However Bruno walked outside, with his head held up high, he was laughing and turned towards
red, “Oh fuck off Red, your just sad you can’t get sex, let alone multiple all in one night” He said that last part smirking at Demin. Their friends all burst out laughing at the jealous face that
Demin was wearing, failing to hide.
He just smirked back towards Bruno, “Least I can still count how many people I’ve slept with, whore!” Bruno surprised the entire Madrigal family, Still barely able to control his laughter, he
turned towards his friend, “Fuck you, man! Oh, wait! I did! Hahaha, Oh too good R.” Red came up slapped him on his back laughing with him, and put his arm around his shoulder in a calm,
and friendly way. Not forceful.
The family was shocked by many things, they decided to make a (mental) list,
* Who really knows Bruno? Not his mama, or sisters.
* Bruno is a whore.
* Bruno has friends.
* Bruno has style. (Mental list from Dolores and Camilo)
* Bruno is the coolest Tio, ever. (Every. Single. Member of the 2nd generation of Madrigals, agree)
* No one can remember the last time Bruno laughed so hard and openly.
* Bruno was happy.
* Bruno was hiding this from all of them.
*Bruno sleeps with men too, wait for WHAT?!---
Alma mumbled apparently what they all thought, “Brunito sleeps with men and women?”
The rest of the rest family all nodded in shock as well. Alma was not upset in any way, not quite the opposite, she always wondered if Bruno was open to more than just men and she
was worried Bruno would hide everything from her.
Bruno introduced his boyfriend once and then his boyfriend had to leave Encanto a few days later due to his mother having an accident
outside Encanto. Sadly, he passed away on the way home from a rockfall. Bruno never dated again and she respected that. No Alma was shocked that Bruno had sex with women! She felt
awful for thinking he was only gay, and now that there was more he could have told her and he would have, had she been a better mother. She can only hope to change that now and show her
nene that she loves him for all of who he is. Her validation should not be what makes him happy though. She hopes to try her best to fix their relationship.
Now she is at a loss however, she doesn’t know how to fix her relationship with her son when she does not know him at all.
This, tonight, proves to her she knows nothing, not one thing about her son that she thought she did.
She looked around and the rest of the family, she could tell, felt, and looked the
same. The only person who did not seem shocked was Dolores. She felt mad, not at Dolores but at wishing she had a gift and at this moment she wished for her neitas gift of hearing. Of
course, Dolores would know, Bruno would never be able to hide from her hearing. Sadly, no one could.
They all decided to leave when before they could they saw everyone was leaving and just a small group was remaining. It consisted of Bruno, Red, Mini, and the rest of the friends. They
all walked over to the fire pit and sat down and just relaxed. They thought they should leave now and give Bruno his privacy and space. However, no one could seem to move because the firepit
was in direct sight of where they currently were hiding behind bushes, if they tried to leave they would be caught. Nothing could hide so many people if they moved now.
They all grimaced and sat even lower on the ground, listening to Bruno and watching.
Bruno got up and said, “aye, imma change. I’m heading to my room, anyone needs anything while I’m inside. One time shot.”
He said as he was walking away. His room? He was going back to Casita! Then back here just to change.
Wait he was walking to the house. He had a room here? Where even is here! Bruno walked backwards to the door while facing his friends,
“Going…going…go--”
A girl walked out from the back door that Bruno was walking towards and she said, “Get me a snack from our room, the good snacks please mi trozo que ve el futuro” She walked past him
and kissed his cheek.
Bruno smiled, “Of course mi sirena Hermosa”. He bowed dramatically at her and rushed inside. She just giggled back at him. She looked at the group giving everyone hugs
and asked which seat was Bruno’s. They all pointed to Bruno’s and she thanked them and sat there.
Making everyone burst out laughing, even the Madrigals were trying hard to not burst out and stay quiet. Alma liked her.
Bruno came back out in sweatpants and a loose and flowy but also was tight-fitting and the same shoes.
He looked once again good! Why does he not dress like this at home in Casita?
However, he had a scarf on. Oh! The scarf, the whole reason he came here as Alma remembered he was telling his rat! It is a nice scarf.
He walked over to his spot and leaned against his seat looking down at the mystery girl, he smirked at her and she leaned back more into his seat and folded her arms.
One thing many people do not realize about Bruno was that he was incredibly lean and active, as well as strong.
He has to walk up tons of stairs many times a day and the 10 years of parkour in the walls, as well as he, likes to exercise and no one knows that.
Bruno leaned over her and said, “Babygirl, muévete ahora o te hare.”
He put the snacks down on the small side table beside his chair.
She just smirks back at him, “Oh Brunito Oh, por favor, como lo harías”
His smirk only gets bigger and he pulls her into his arms and very easily lifts her completely up and out of the chair.
She is flailing and sputtering at him while laughing! His friends also laughed with her.
He spun her around a few times and sat down in his chair and was still carrying the girl in his arms and let her sit down on his lap. He didn’t let go of the arm holding
her back, but his other arm did and he reached over to grab a beer and was just relaxed and content.
The girl in his lap grabbed one of the snacks he set down from earlier, “OO! Thanks babe! Was it in our closet or the pantry?”
She asked him, opening the chips. Bruno took a sip of beer
and just said, “It was in our closet. Woman clean your damn skirts up, I can’t even find my clothes in there anymore. Let alone your hidden snacks.”
Mini made a comment, “Bruno! You still have space in the closet! Damn luckier than me man, I’m shunned to the laundry hamper. Clean or not.”
Bruno burst out laughing, “Jesus Mini, only you.” A few voices chimed in as well, into
the joke. The girl just responded, “No, get fucked freak.”
Bruno just kissed her forehead, “Damn your just straight up an asshole today, did you eat today, like at all!?” He sighed softly, “Eat some food, You hangry bitch!”
She glared at him and his family was in shock at how sweet Bruno, doesn’t swear or curse ever, just talked like that to a woman, one they can all tell he is in a relationship with! Also, why was
she so rude to Bruno!
He was right about her attitude. Bruno shoved a mini sandwich from the party, in her mouth.
She chewed it while glaring at him. The rest of their friends just lit up a cigarette and a joint and
leaned back enjoying the show. Mini and Red were making bets and the rest of them were just enjoying this as if it is an everyday occurrence. Is it? Once again Alma wondered did Bruno really
stay up in his room? Or come here. Away from all of them.
After five or so minutes the girl was happier and smiling and Red won the money.
Bruno just looked at Mini, “Dude, I know Lex. She is a bitch with an ego the size of Saturn when she doesn’t eat, she just needs food. You never learn.”
Lex looked forward looked at Bruno for no less than a second and said in tune with Bruno, “We know each other like the backs of our hands. Never dought it.”
The family was a little freaked out.
The girl's name was finally said and she just smiled and snuggled into him a bit more.
Pepa was the one who unlike her daughter has never made this sound before, but she squeaked in an even higher pitch than her daughter Dolores, in shock at what she is seeing.
Lex… She remembers always bothering her brother about getting someone and he said he was in a relationship with a girl named Lex and she didn’t believe him because she never saw her,
like ever. She started to think Bruno was crazy and even helped make rumors. She felt so awful about them, she doesn’t think Bruno’s ever forgiven her for those, she wouldn’t of. She feels
even worse now and the cloud starts. Felix brushes it away quickly before anyone can notice it, too caught up looking at the fire, and tells her to calm down or they will get caught. She quickly
pulls herself together and apologizes, “Lo Siento”.
It’s okay they aren’t caught, it’s okay. They all breathe a sigh of relief and look back over to the group.
Bruno looks so relaxed and was just talking about his day and his visions? He seemed so open and relaxed here and almost the complete opposite of how he is at home. They all
needed to have a talk and really talk this time and get everything out.
They all agreed it was time to go, so someone needed to make a distraction otherwise a group of over 5 people was not going to escape unnoticed.
So they agreed.
Camilo.
Shapeshifter is the best gift ever. Camilo pretended to be Antonio. Antonio was worried if they would be okay so Camilo being the best big brother he could be, agreed to let Parce his
jaguar go to him and ‘watch’ over him. Parce agreed to play the part, pretending to say he was told there was a hurt animal out here and he was Tio and went to him. It was the perfect plan.
They all agreed and Camilo shifted. Hoping onto Parces back, he rod forward towards his Tio Bruno. “Tio! T-tio! Bruno” Antonio called out to Bruno.
Bruno in shock shot up and looked over to the opposite side of the lawn where he was hidden, the family could escape.
“Antonio? An-ANTONIO! Mijo!” He shot up and ran over to him and picked him up, “Tono! Why are you up this late and out here alone! What were you thinking you could have been hurt!”
Cam-Antonio looked down, “Willow said th-there was a hurt bird t-tio”
He played the best performance of his life of impressions, that he possibly could. Bruno sighed, “Oh Tono, Okay I'm sorry Mijo, I should of let you explain first. I am sorry.”
Camilo was shocked, he never really talked to his Tio since he came back, he didn’t even realize how kind and caring his uncle was! Damn, he feels even worse now.
He just shook his head, “It’s okay Tio.”
Bruno responded back, “Okay Tono, let’s get you home and I will find that bird for you okay I promise. Just like last time, okay?”
He smiles down at Cam-Antonio softly. Antonio smiled back up at him and nodded saying thank you. “Parce let’s go home to bed!” Bruno smiles, “Straight home Parce. I mean it.”
He said it very seriously and Parce listened, he did not stop no matter what
Camilo said or the rest of the family going back inside Casita. Camilo shifted back and he jumped off Parce, who nodded at him and went to Antonio’s room to go sleep. Camilo smiled softly at
him, he is sweet. For a jaguar.
The family was all in different arrays of emotions.
Peta was able to lets her emotions go now and it was crazy and looked like literal hell on earth! Everyone was shouting. The biggest
thing is that Dolores was shouted back just as loud as anyone else! Not caring about her hearing. This was much too important to her. They had no clue on what to do or where to start. Or do
they say anything at all?
They didn’t know them. After a few minutes, everyone was calm and made a vote and
all were in favor apart from two —Alma and Julietta— of not saying anything because
it was wrong to eavesdrop and Bruno will them hopefully in time and learn to open up.
They all agreed eventually and thought it was better to wait until he opened up to them but until then they would keep trying but are happy knowing that he is not alone.
The family Madrigal!