Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Casita watched over the Madrigal family, a physical representation of their miracle... A miracle that was dying. If only Alma would let Casita put its power into the hands of young Mirabel... but after Camilo received his Gift, Casita knew that there was no way Alma was letting go. 

The original plan would not work. Giving Mirabel a subtle Gift to help with leadership just like Alma had received would just result in the door fading with Alma holding on too tightly to her responsibility to keeping the miracle alive. 

A Madrigal without a Gift or a door? That would only make things worse. Casita was not certain the Miracle could survive long enough for Mirabel to grow up and convince Alma to let go if the Miracle had to endure the rift that would surely grow between little Mirabel and the rest of her family.

No, Mirabel needed a visible Gift. It didn't need to be big or fancy, but something that let her remain part of the family, and hold the Miracle together until Mirabel was ready. Maybe, maybe Alma would even figure out how to let go. If not, Mirabel would be better set up to help bring the family back together with the experience of having a Gift than without.

Casita knew Alma... Casita had been born out of a desperation for a place to raise three babies in, as Alma grieved the loss of her husband. Casita had been there with Alma through it all... no one knew her like Casita. No Gift would show Alma something was wrong... and Alma would double down rather than risk losing the Miracle. 

She might never come around without a confrontation, but things would not be so bad if Mirabel did have a Gift. Mirabel wouldn’t suffer as much with the Gift than she would without. It was far more likely there wouldn’t be a big rift in the family, as well. Which could mean that things would not get dire, but it was hard to predict even five years out, let alone ten.

Sometimes, sometimes, Casita thought a touch of Bruno's foresight helped make these decisions.

.

Mirabel was nervous to receive her Gift, but she could not wait to touch her door knob at the same time. Camilo was so excited for her to move into her new room, for them to explore their Gifts together.

When it was time for her Gift ceremony, she almost froze. She didn’t realize how many people would be there watching her. 

Her hand touched the doorknob. The door flared brighter. It didn't solidify into a picture, not yet, and she knew from seeing Camilo's ceremony that it would not until she showed her new Gift off. 

But what? She wasn't sure, there wasn't anything instantaneous happening like it did with Camilo. 

Casita brought her the embroidery she had started just a month ago when she begged her mama to teach her. 

Mirabel suddenly knew what she needed to do. She picked up the thread and finished out the butterfly that was half done quickly. It was not perfect; her fingers were chubby and clumsy. She could feel the magic of her Gift driving her to be faster than she would normally be. 

With the butterfly finished, she pulled out the finished handkerchief and gave it to her Abuela. It had been a gift she wanted to give after she had finished it.

Abuela gasped when she saw the butterfly flap its wings and start flying around the handkerchief. The branch it had been on swayed as if there was a breeze. 

The door cleared, showing Mirabel surrounded by butterflies with a sewing needle in one hand, and baskets of thread and fabric at her feet.

Abuela smiled. "We have a new Gift!" she announced. Not a very useful one, like Camilo's but then, after six successful Gifts, two useless ones were not bad.

The cheering of the crowd startled Mirabel and she ducked behind Abuela's leg.

Abuela put her hand on Mirabel's head. "Go on, show us your room." 

Mirabel lit up, beaming and opened the door. She gasped at the still forming room as she stepped in. 

Within seconds, it was clear that her room was separated out into sections, though it was not separated by walls. There was a section with baskets and patterns. There was a section by her window that just looked like a little library, then there was a little mock kitchen set up with a fire. There was even a clearing with a little waterfall and stream!

The room finished forming and she gasped with delight, scrambling for the ladder. There was a loft over half of the room! And at the top of the loft... her new bed! And drawers and and... it was perfect. 

Mirabel giggled, jumping onto the bed. 

"Mirabel!" she heard her mama calling. 

Mirabel giggled when her ladder turned into a slide as she rushed to her parents. "It's perfect, I love it!" she squealed. 

Her papa picked her up. "Oh that's wonderful Mira! I'm so proud of you! What a wonderful Gift, and your room is just as perfect."

"Mira!" Luisa beamed at her. "Embroidery, that's so cool!" 

Isabela was just behind her, smiling and rather poised for a twelve year old. "It does suit you," she said, happy for her sister.

Mirabel just giggled. 

A few minutes later, once her papa put her down, Camilo tackled her in a hug. 

"Bella! Your room is perfect!" 

"I know, Cami!" She giggled, delighted. "Just like yours!"

They didn't get to say anything more before Abuela called for them to take a family photo. She handed Mirabel the handkerchief to hold up for the picture. Then she took it back to hold onto once the picture was done. 

Mirabel had the time of her life that night, celebrating her Gift and her birthday with her family at her side. 

The village was just as happy, though many just enjoyed the parties that came with a Gift ceremony. The Madrigals always went all out, and this would be their only chance to see the inside of Mirabel's room, which expanded to fit everyone who wanted to be in there. 

Mirabel ended up spending the last part of the night in her loft with Camilo, Luisa, Dolores, and Isabela, watching the party.

She was getting tired, but she couldn't go to sleep until everyone left.

Dolores was telling them the stories she was hearing. Isabela was practicing her braiding with flowers on all of their hair, even Camilo, as the boy didn't mind it in the least.

By the time the last person had left, Agustín found that all of the kids, even Dolores and Isabela, both twelve years old, had fallen asleep on Mirabel's bed. He smiled and climbed back down carefully. 

"Looks like they're all asleep," he said quietly.

"Oh, good," Pepa sighed. "Camilo didn't sleep until an hour after his party was over and he was so tired in the morning... I'm glad they were able to find enough peace to sleep."

Julieta smiled. "I don't think we slept either." 

"I just wonder... Why the different sections?" Felix wondered.

"Different places to do her embroidery," Julieta replied, having been thinking about it since she saw the room. "I'm sure it will grow and evolve as all of ours did, but for now... those all look like cozy spots to work on some embroidery. Places I have chosen when I've had the time to do some sewing."

"Yes, well... I do wonder what her Gift will be good for," Alma said, rejoining her children after bidding the last villager goodbye at the door. 

Pepa groaned. "Already, Mama?"

"Yes, the sooner we can come up with the plan, the sooner they can start working towards it. I only held off on figuring out Camilo because just like Dolores and Isabela, they do everything together and I would like to allow that."

Bruno watched from the side as he often did. He'd had a bad feeling about the day, but to his relief, it seemed to be one of the times things did not go the way his gut thought it would. As Mirabel touched the doorknob, he'd Seen the door disappear, and he was relieved that had not actually happened. 

Julieta sighed. "They're still so young... I don't like how much Luisa and Isabela are working. Mirabel just started learning to sew and embroider. Camilo is still figuring out how to even control his shifting. Do we have to decide on their life plan now?"

Abuela looked between her daughters and sighed. "I would prefer to have it sorted sooner rather than later. But I suppose a few days to observe will not be amiss. We will discuss this in a week."

.

Mirabel loved her room. And she loved her Gift! She could still embroider normally and she was working on learning how to do all stitches and everything without her magic guiding her. No matter what she embroidered, it would be moving in some way as soon as she finished. 

Her papa had her put little stars on the cuffs of his sleeve and they danced round and round his sleeve, never ending. He was so happy!

Best of all was Camilo had the best ideas and would keep her company, practicing his shifts while she practiced her stitches. They'd tell jokes and have all sorts of fun.

.

Bruno frowned at the vision he'd just had. It had been more involved than usual, and he hated those. Condensing that down to one tablet simplified it too much, or gave the wrong impression depending on who saw it. 

He tilted it and his eyebrows went up. He tilted it back and then up and down. 

It was... strange. 

This wasn't a vision he had deliberately tried for. It had showed up on a whim in the middle of the night. 

Now the green tablet showed older Camilo and Mirabel, standing almost back to back, holding hands. Tilted one way, the Casita was cracked. Tilted another way, and it was whole, the candle shining brightly. Tilted down and villagers watching them showed up. Tilted up and the Madrigal family with their backs on the two kids were there. It was baffling. 

And Bruno was not going to think about the three extra figures in the vision either nope, not thinking about new kids in the family.

Bruno knew he had to be careful with this vision. He could not let anyone find out about it. He had a secret stash of visions he never showed anyone. These included the births of all his nieces and nephew, which had shown up before he even knew his sisters were pregnant. There were others he kept just as secret.

Now the hard part was pretending he didn't know something horrible. Pretending to be normal. 

He had to make sure at least one Madrigal did not turn their back on Mirabel and Camilo. So he had to stick around, even if he didn’t know how to stand up to his mama and her demands.

Chapter Text

It had been a few months since Mirabel received her Gift. There was a shift in something, but neither Mirabel nor Camilo could figure out what happened. 

It started with Isabela pulling away and getting busier. She didn't have time even for Mirabel anymore. 

Then Dolores started getting a panicked look when she saw them and rushing the other way, doing her best to avoid them. That meant she knew something and didn't want to or maybe was told not to tell them. 

Then Luisa started doing even more chores. 

Then Pepa and Julieta didn't have as much time for them either, telling them that they were old enough to be on their own in the town, as long as they were within the sight of an adult at all times. They also seemed to have more chores than before, which was kind of strange. 

Abuela didn't seek them out as much and even stopped hugging them so much.

But it took them a while to fully realize it was happening. 

After all, Mirabel was apprenticing to one of the seamstresses in town (Casilda) and Camilo hung out nearby during her lessons, practicing his shifts to get them perfect. No one was interested in his progress, though, so it wasn't like he absolutely had to.

But he wanted to. He wanted to be able to pretend to be everyone. He liked the idea of being able to maybe take their spot for a day even if he couldn't use other Gifts. 

Camilo didn't have any chores yet, but sometimes he found himself entertaining those around his age, and Mirabel would join him after lessons and they'd tell stories, and Mirabel would show off her newest embroidery and Camilo would shift between people depending on the story.

It had been a few months, and the two were missing their cousins.

After a whispered and signed (in their own made up sign language) conversation, Camilo and Mirabel both sighed and exchanged looks. They were sitting in their secret spot outside the town.

"Dolores?" Camilo said. "We know you're avoiding us and we know it's ‘cause you know something you can't tell us... But that's okay. You don't have to tell us everything."

"Yeah! You know lots of things that people say but you can't say anything 'cause eavesdropping isn't polite but we miss everyone... no one's spending much time with us outside family time when everyone is done with chores now and that's with everyone..." Mirabel sniffled. She missed being able to play with Luisa. She missed the flower crowns that Isabela would make her. 

"So if keeping a secret from us is the only reason you're running away from us, please don't tell us and just play with us," Camilo whispered, knowing Dolores would hear him. She was good like that. He hugged Mirabel and tried not to cry. 

They both loved their Gifts. But something had changed since they got the Gifts and they didn't know what.

Dolores started playing with them once in a while after that. As long as they stopped making noise as soon as she said so and let her go take care of the things she heard, it was fine. At least for a while. It wasn’t the same as before their Gifts, but it was something.

.

Mirabel and Camilo were eight, just two months from Camilo's ninth birthday when they realized what was really going on.

In that time, it had become their job to entertain the kids of the town. It kept all the kids from getting underfoot. Younger and younger kids were joining them. More often than not, the youngest in the group they entertained was two years old and that was hard sometimes. Especially since the other kids wouldn't help them, though that might have been because no one really knew what to do with the youngest of the group if they didn’t have younger siblings.

But it was the job their Abuela gave them on important days so they refused to fail at it.

It wasn't one of those days, though. It was just an average day. Mirabel had her lessons while Camilo practiced. Mirabel learned really quickly and was doing well after almost four years, though her creations were not to a master level yet. But it was good enough that one of the ways she kept kids entertained was by making sure everyone had a piece of clothing embroidered by her so they could watch things move.

Then it was time to play since there weren't many kids about. 

They were playing in the grass near the edge of town. It was a bright sunny day. Everything was good, even if things had never been the same as before their Gift.

Isabela ignored them and was mean to them when they were in her way. Luisa had more chores than before and carried a lot. It was too risky to have two kids near her. But she still loved them and played when she could, even if it was rare. Dolores treated them almost the same as she had before the secret, though sometimes she looked guilty. She just didn’t have as much time for them as before.

Their parents were about the same as ever, though sometimes they looked a bit sad and Pepa would rain but not tell them why. 

Bruno was often quiet and the same as ever. The best uncle for playing. He never turned them away if they asked when he wasn't doing visions for people.

The biggest change was Abuela. She had stopped spending time with them. She didn't hug them as much. She sometimes seemed to even forget to include them in preparing for parties. Their birthdays felt smaller than their sisters'. 

But worst of all... They were in trouble a lot. Things that weren't a problem before their fifth birthdays suddenly were. If they ruined anything they were sent away to their rooms or to help one of their parents. Sometimes she'd get really upset and they'd be grounded with no play time outside of entertaining the other kids. 

Sometimes they wondered how she knew what they were up to, but they dismissed it as an Abuela thing. Their parents always guessed what they were up to too after all. It was like some extra special parent power.

An explosion caught their attention. Both stopped and stared wide eyed, Camilo flipping through several forms at once. 

The house nearest them was on fire. Neither knew what to do.

Well, there was one thing they could do at least.

"Dolores!" Camilo screamed. "The house by the lily patch is on fire!" He knew he didn't need to scream to have her attention, but he screamed anyway because he was panicking.

"Bella what do we do?" he asked, shifting back and forth on his foot. 

"I don't know Cami... I don't think we can help..." Mirabel covered her mouth, eyes wide and filled with forming tears.

They could hear screaming inside. 

Mirabel and Camilo exchanged wide eyed looks and crept closer, uncertain as to what they could do. 

The door was shaking, not opening.

Camilo shifted into Luisa. Even though he couldn't use her Gift, at thirteen she had more muscle than most teenagers and even some adults did so he knew he could try to get the door open with her form.

Mirabel helped him as best she could and they fell back as the door came off the hinges. Camilo shifted into his natural form and they watched the two kids of the house, one four years old, carrying her two year old brother awkwardly, stumble out. Mirabel jumped up followed by Camilo to help them, and by the time they reached them, the adults had finally arrived to help take care of the fire. 

"Mama's still in there," Elena hiccuped. "So's Papa!" 

The two year old Ricardo just watched solemnly, tears in his eyes but not falling. He didn’t quite seem to understand what was going on, and wasn’t scared now that they were away from the fire.

The kids were ushered out of the way and Julieta hurriedly looked over the two children, giving them each an arepa afterwards. 

Mirabel sniffled and clung to her mama and Camilo clung to them both. The fire was scary.

Years later, Mirabel and Camilo would not remember most of the events clearly. They were kids, they were scared, and so much was going on... and there was another memory that stuck out more that came about as a result of this event.

The Madrigals eventually took Elena and Ricardo back to Casita with them. Their parents had not survived.

Camilo and Mirabel leaned on each other the whole way home, both exhausted and sore from their effort in pulling the door open. Neither knew it but they had bruises and sprains from falling. Their family just expected them to keep up, though Dolores stayed behind to herd them along. 

Bruno took one look at Abuela and volunteered to go get the two orphaned kids settled in the nursery. 

Isabela gave Camilo and Mirabel a frown and a disappointed shake of her head. She strode off gracefully to her room. Luisa gave them an encouraging smile before following. Dolores just looked sad before she disappeared.

That left Camilo, Mirabel, their parents, and Abuela. The two eight year olds had no idea what was coming. 

Julieta and Pepa exchanged looks. They both knew what was coming and they didn't know how to protect their youngest children.

"What were you thinking?" Abuela demanded. "Playing like that!"

"We were just playin' like always..." Mirabel protested, face scrunched up with confusion.  

"It's your fault that Ana and Rodrigo are dead! You should have stayed away from their house, from the town if you wanted to have fun."

"But we didn't do anything!" Camilo protested. "We were just playing."

"Likely story. You two are always getting into mischief. I don't know what to do with you two anymore. There was a fire and you couldn't even do anything about it. Useless powers." 

Mirabel gasped as Camilo froze, both staring up at their Abuela with shock. Mirabel started tearing up.

"Abuela we tried..." Camilo whispered, reaching blindly for Mirabel's hand and holding it tightly. 

"They did call for Dolores and get the children out," Julieta broke in. "They're only eight years old! I would not want them rushing into that building even if they could do something about it." 

Pepa nodded. "And because they called for Dolores we were able to send help immediately. She found me eventually."

"Too late to do anything." Abuela scowled. She looked down at them. "Go to your rooms. You're grounded outside of lessons and chores."

"That's not fair!" Camilo shouted. "We didn't do anything!"

"That's precisely the problem." 

Mirabel gave her parents a wounded look for not doing more to help her against Abuela's wrath before rushing for the stairs and her room. Camilo was right behind her, shifting rapidly with his emotions. Neither noticed that they were limping slightly. 

They went into their rooms.

And promptly disappeared into the secret passageway that existed between their rooms. Casita had made it for them on their request since they wanted to always be able to meet up. Casita would let them know when their parents would be looking for them.

There was a cozy little room that the passage could lead to, by the kitchen, because it had to go around the whole house.

Casita urged them to the room. Neither questioned it. Casita was always right. Always knew what they needed. They'd quickly figured out that it would herd them here sometimes when there were conversations they needed to hear, and keep them away if they didn't need to hear a conversation. When they were curious it was annoying. 

Mirabel burst into tears when she saw Camilo and launched herself into his arms.

He staggered back but hugged her tightly as she started crying. He sniffled. 

"I don't understand," Mirabel whispered.

"Neither do I."

"What was that, Mama?" Pepa demanded loudly.

Both children jumped. Casita brought them the chair they both fit in and brought them over to the crack in the wall so they could listen. They stayed still. They weren’t in their rooms, so Dolores could hear them if she wasn’t in her room.

"They did nothing wrong," Felix declared. 

"Maybe they did not cause the fire but they were not able to help beyond somehow getting that door open and that was a surprise they did that at all!" Abuela snapped back.

"Then what is this about?" Julieta asked. 

"Let's wait for Bruno."

"I'm here Mama," Bruno said quietly. 

"Good. Before anything else, we need to decide how we can help these children." 

"I can adopt them," Bruno volunteered. "I-I mean there's not too many people looking for children and th-they don't have any family, Elena said... and well I kind of like children and I have seen myself with children in a vision but I don't really think that's going to happen any time soon if ever so I'd like to adopt them."

Abuela let out a little thoughtful hum. "Not a bad idea Brunito.  Madrigals caused that disaster, and so Madrigals will take responsibility." 

"Really, Ma?" Bruno sighed. "There is nothing wrong with their Gifts."

"That you have Seen. I will not have useless Gifts ruin this family or the Encanto."

"They're not even nine yet!" Agustín protested. "They have years yet before they should worry."

"Their older sisters were all far more useful at this age than they are now. I do not care what you think. I will not tolerate their misbehavior any longer."

"Why?" Pepa asked, thundering. 

Camilo winced and hugged Mirabel tightly. Both had tears streaming down their faces, and the only thing keeping them from reacting more than that was not wanting to draw anyone's attention.

"Why don't we sit down with some tea or coffee?"

Julieta started making some, muttering angrily under her breath. 

Abuela waited until tea had been distributed to everyone. "I am not sure when it started, but the Candle occasionally gets weaker, and on occasion I see cracks appear. I am only allowed glimpses. Something is weakening the magic, and I've only seen it since their Gift ceremonies."

"That has to be a coincidence."

"Even so, the Miracle, our Casita... it is all at risk now and we cannot lose our home, we cannot stop being the Madrigals the town knows us as. We cannot risk it. So we have to be careful of what happens. I cannot let Mirabel and Camilo make things harder for us."

"They're just children."

"They should be more useful," Abuela snapped. "Shapeshifting? Embroidery? What use does that have in using our Gifts for the town? How can we help those who need it with those Gifts?"

"Give it time."

"No. I will not. This ends now. I will be discussing things with the people in town tomorrow and I believe they will be best suited as babysitters when they do not have lessons. Keeping other kids out of trouble seems to be the only thing they can do."

Before there could be any more protests, one of the villagers arrived. 

Mirabel and Camilo heard every word, trembling and holding onto each other tightly. There was a rock found in the oven, the rock exploded, and caused the fire. A rock they suspected was thrown through a window.

Neither of them had been playing with rocks, but that sealed it. They were in deep trouble, and nothing was going to get them out of it. 

The conversation didn't get anywhere after that. Their parents were not pleased with the decisions Abuela made, but Abuela ruled the family, and so, they gave in, though not without a fight. 

Casita ushered Camilo and Mirabel to Mirabel's room. Casita knew how her two favorite Madrigals did things. They preferred Camilo's room for playing around, and Mirabel's room for relaxing and sleeping.

They crept out from behind the bookcase and climbed, wincing, up the ladder to the loft. 

They collapsed together on Mirabel's bed. At this point, just about all of her clothes and blankets had her embroidery in it, so they could just watch the animated animals if they wanted to. Camilo's ruana had chameleons dancing up and down the edges. Plenty of things to keep them occupied if they were bored.

But they weren't bored. No, they were hurt and needed to talk. 

"I think Abuela hates us," Camilo whispered. 

Mirabel nodded, wiping her eyes. "She doesn't spend time with us anymore and she doesn't hug us nearly as much as she used to... what do we do, Cami?"

"I don't know..." Camilo rubbed his eyes. "Our Gifts aren't useless... I can help people if I use their form..."

"And everyone loves having pretty clothing, lots of people have Señora Casilda do the main sewing but request I do the embroidery even though I'm not that good yet. I still have a long way to go before it's perfect..."

Camilo nodded. "At least we're getting new cousins?"

"Yeah... I hope they like Tío Bruno. He seems to like them." 

"Me too. What do we do, Bella?"

Mirabel bit her lip. "We just have to make our family proud and be the best Madrigals we can be."

"How? We don't really have chores. We're not like Dolores who hears all the gossip and passes on the most important parts. We're not like Luisa who can lift everything. And we're not even like Isabela who makes everything so pretty and so much easier on everyone 'cause they don't need to lose so much land to growing flowers for celebrations anymore."

"And she's practically perfect too, just like Abuela a lot of people say," Mirabel added. "I don't know why she doesn't like us anymore."

"Bella... maybe that's why no one has time for us anymore. Maybe Abuela told them we have useless Gifts!" 

Mirabel gasped. "Does that mean Isa thinks we're useless?"

Camilo sniffled. "Maybe. I don't know. Do we hafta stay here?"

"We're Madrigals and we don't know what would happen to the Encanto!" Mirabel hissed. "I don't like being treated this way but the Encanto protects us... we can't just leave."

Camilo winced. "You're right, sorry... We have to stay. What do we do?"

"Abuela thinks we make good babysitters. We'll just do all the babysitting and keep everyone safe... You can entertain them with shifting, I can teach some of them how to sew if they're interested and we can have a lot of fun and all stay out of trouble." 

"We have to do our best... Make our family proud," Camilo whispered. "We can do that, right?"

"I'm sure our parents will be proud. They don't agree with Abuela."

"But they're not helping us either."

Mirabel smiled. "Then it's us against everyone, as usual."

Neither knew it, but the largest crack yet sprouted in the Casita. Loud enough that the adults heard it. Dolores jumped a mile, ducking back in her room with a squeak. She had been checking to see if it was safe to leave her room yet.

By the time anyone investigated, Casita had hid the cracks away once more. 

Casita mourned what the children were going through. They were too young to know that their feelings of separation from the family were going to help break things further before they could fix it. It wasn't their fault. At the same time, the fact that they were so close was good, it slowed the growth of cracks. It was better than what would have been the result of just one of them isolated. 

Casita had made the right choice in ensuring that Mirabel got a Gift. Now Casita just had to be patient and wait for Camilo and Mirabel to be old enough to actually do something about the state of the Candle, of the Casita, of the Encanto... of their very family.

.

The next morning, Casita urged Mirabel and Camilo to wake up before someone checked on them.

No one had checked on them the night before. They had gone to bed hungry.

Camilo hugged Mirabel sleepily. "Good luck, Bella."

"Good luck, Cami." She smiled and watched him enter the secret passage. Then she laid down and waited for her parents to come in.

"Mirabel!" Julieta called, opening the door with a knock.

Mirabel sat up. "Mama? Papa?"

Agustín was right behind Julieta. "Still in bed?"

Mirabel wrapped her arms around her knees. "I wasn't sure I was allowed to leave my room yet."

Julieta climbed the ladder and sat down next to Mirabel. "Oh, sweetie. I know you did your best. Now you know what you can do better next time." 

Mirabel nodded. "One of us stays and the other gets help from the nearest adult."

"That's right!" Agustín wrapped his arm around her from her other side. "Now... you are still in trouble. So you still have to do some things."

Julieta nodded. "Food will be in your room. You are to go right to your sewing lesson and then afterwards go see Abuela. If she sends you home, you'll be staying in your room the rest of the day and night."

"For how long?"

"Just a week."

Mirabel's eyes watered. "A whole week?"

"I know, Mira. It is a long time. Just stay out of trouble, okay?"

Mirabel let out a sigh. "Okay."

Agustín hugged her tightly. "And, assuming things go well... we do have some good news."

"Agustín!" Julieta hissed.

Mirabel looked between them.

Julieta smiled gently. "Bruno is going to adopt Elena and Ricardo, provided they agree and the people who normally make such decisions agree."

"Oh!" Mirabel smiled. "Since they don't have a home or parents anymore?"

"They don't even have family who can take them in."

"That's sad..." Mirabel bit her lip. "Camilo and I tried to help. We got the door open..."

"You two did a good job." Julieta smiled at her daughter.

Mirabel offered her a small smile. "I didn't get dinner last night... When's breakfast?"

"Soon, Mirabel. Soon. Are you okay?"

Mirabel smiled and nodded. She didn't want her mama or papa to know she knew what was going on. She didn't want them to worry about her at all.

That would make it harder for them to be proud of her. So she kept it to herself.

She waited until they were gone before getting ready for the day. She didn't want them to see her limping. Her ankle throbbed and she had bruises from the day before. She didn't  want to make her mama feel bad that she didn't make Mirabel feel better sooner.

Once she got breakfast she'd start feeling better. She could wait that long. 

She was relieved that it was Luisa who brought her breakfast.

"You okay, Mira?"

Mirabel smiled and nodded. "I'm okay Luisa! You okay?"

Luisa let out a breath. "Yeah. I got a lot of chores to do."

"You always have a lot of chores. When do you relax?"

"When they're done."

"But that's not always before dinner."

"It's okay, it's just what we Madrigals do." Luisa smiled at her. "I better get back before someone thinks I'm trying to make your uh, punishment better."

Mirabel smiled. "Thanks, sis."

"No problem."

Mirabel started eating. She sighed happily as the aches went away. Once she finished her food, she grabbed what else she needed with help from Casita.

Casita was most active in her room compared to any of the other bedrooms. It seemed to depend on preferences. Most people preferred not to have Casita around. Camilo had Casita almost as active though, so used to how active Casita was in Mirabel's room it was weird when Casita wasn't playing around. 

Mirabel reached the door and took a deep breath. "Make your family proud." 

.

Camilo made it to his bed and flopped down face first. Casita had to help him almost the whole way since he couldn't put any weight on either of his ankles after sleeping. He'd managed to sprain them both the day before.

And then he waited. His parents would be coming in soon. He loved his mama and his papa but sometimes he wished Tía Julieta was his mom instead of his actual mom. Not because Tía Julieta was better, just because she was safer when he needed someone. 

His mama would get him all wet and thunder and snow depending on Camilo's issue because she couldn't control her emotions and she'd spend most of the comforting time trying to get the weather under control. It was just easier to go to anyone else, and Tía Julieta was the best at comfort.

Camilo actually started dozing before his parents entered.

"Camilo?" Felix called. Camilo jolted awake but didn't move.

Pepa shushed him. "You know our boy, he might still be sleeping." 

"We have to wake to him and talk to him, mi vida."

"I know I know, I just... I'll be calmer if I can see him sleeping peacefully before we can talk to him. You saw how hard it was to get rid of the cloud today!" 

"I know I know." Felix opened the door and smiled at the sight of their son sprawled on his bed.

Camilo kept his eyes shut, listening to his parents. He didn't want to give away that he was awake yet. He kept himself relaxed and pretending to sleep.

Mirabel was the only one who knew he'd mastered this. Everyone underestimated how good his acting abilities were. He practiced, a lot, to be able to imitate everyone and found that he could, with practice, even pretend to be them totally. He'd actually managed to fool a few people though he left the situation quickly so as to not get in trouble. 

Pretending to sleep just was a natural extension of the skills in acting he was picking up. 

Pepa sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair out of his face. 

"Camilo has always been the sweetest of them all... I don't think Mama is right. He and Mirabel would never do anything like that, not even by accident. They both know better. All their pranks have been harmless and easy to clean up, nothing permanent or malicious. I wish we could protect him from Mama's expectations."

Felix pressed a kiss to her forehead, wrapping an arm around her. "I know. There is only so much we can do. We just need to make sure Camilo knows we love him and that we won't hold this against him. Even if we have to follow your mother's rules, he is still our son and we will do anything we can for him."

Camilo barely kept the smile off his face. That was reassuring.  He felt a little better... even if his Gift was useless. 

"We will... I just can't help but feel it won't be enough... that it will never be enough. How can we ever explain to him that we're trying but he's going to get hurt?" 

Camilo couldn't help but move a little when the first drop of water hit his nose.

"Watch the rain, Pepa," Felix said gently. "We will explain the facts and he will feel how he feels. We both know our fault in how we cannot stand up to your mama the way we want to."

Pepa sighed. "That is true... let's get our boy up." She shook Camilo gently. "Camilo, time to wake up niño." 

Camilo groaned, burying himself in his blankets more. "Dun wanna," he whined. He didn't really want to get up and he knew that if he made a show of it, they would believe he was asleep the whole time. 

Felix chuckled. "Come on, time to get up, sleepy head."

It took a little more coaxing but soon Camilo was sitting up and yawning. 

He beamed at his parents. But then he heard the verdict. He hung his head, hunching in to make himself smaller. He looked a bit like Bruno the way he did so. 

Pepa hugged him tightly. "It will be okay. This will pass, and then things will go back to normal."

Chapter Text

Things did not go back to normal. The routine they established while under punishment did not go away. They had their lessons and their Gift practices. Then they talked to Abuela for their daily chores. 

They were always the babysitter. Always. There was never any other job they could do. At least they could do it together. Double teaming the kids was far easier than doing it solo.

Just before Camilo's ninth birthday, they had to look after a newborn. Thankfully, the only other child they had to look after was the infant's two, almost three year old sister, or they would have struggled a lot more.

As it was, they were two eight year olds struggling to calm a newborn. Eventually Camilo figured out that it took looking and sounding a bit like the baby's parents to soothe the baby enough to sleep once everything else had been taken care of. 

Then Camilo turned nine, and Mirabel turned nine two months later. And nothing improved.

They were only getting worse. The expectations for Mirabel and Camilo being the babysitters was getting worse. More kids, more young kids, and for longer periods of time. 

They had more trouble than they cared to admit at times, sometimes causing problems. They usually were able to resolve them before the parents picked up their kids, but Abuela always knew somehow.

Then, two months after Mirable's ninth, it was Elena's fifth birthday.

And this... this changed everything . They lost everything that day. That was the day they couldn't pretend that things were fine anymore. 

That was the day with the point of no return.

.

Camilo yawned as he stepped out of his room. He froze, hand falling to his side as he shifted through several family members before returning to his natural form. Even when he couldn't remember what he looked like, he remembered what his body felt like.

But that was far from his mind as he stared at Abuela's door, across the courtyard. That... 

He turned to where his door used to be, next to Dolores. There, there was a blank door waiting there for Elena. He looked over by Abuela's door again. Bruno's tower had switched sides so now his door was in the corner by Pepa's. 

Then he realized that there was a door missing and turned, and there between his door and the nursery door was Mirabel's. He stared at the doors for a bit then back to the new arrangement. 

He'd heard that Casita did move rooms around as necessary and might grow bigger for more space for the doors, but he wasn't expecting this.

After all, his mama, tía, and tío had their rooms on the same side that Isabela and Luisa currently did before Isabela and Dolores were old enough to get their Gifts. 

Camilo was shaking a little as he turned and knocked on Mirabel's door.

Mirabel opened it, yawning. "What is it, Cami? I'm still get-" She stopped and stared. "Uh..."

"Can I come in?" Camilo asked quietly.

Mirabel stepped back into her room and gestured at Camilo to follow. 

Camilo looked around and smiled. Little had changed over the years, besides Mirabel getting older. Everything was still the same, and it still suited her. 

Mirabel resumed getting ready. 

"At least we're right next to each other now," Mirabel pointed out. "I bet Casita will have us go directly from one room to the next, just a secret door now."

Camilo smiled at the thought. "True... that's not something I considered... It'll be easier to sneak around without Dolores hearing. But... Why move us next to the nursery? And since that didn't move at all, it had to add more space for us..."

"Didn't Tío Bruno's room move too? Casita needed to add space to keep the courtyard from being lopsided, I bet..." Mirabel jumped down from her loft, landing on her soft pillows placed strategically. 

"Yeah... I guess I'm just..." Camilo wrapped his arms around himself, biting his lip. "The distance between everyone else and us is bigger. Elena's room is now next to my sister's, and we're nowhere near anyone but Ricardo... but in three years he'll be out of the nursery and it'll just be us..." 

Mirabel hugged Camilo. "You mean Casita moving our rooms is reflecting how things are and that hurts," she said quietly. "Because as long as our rooms were by our parents' and our sisters' we can pretend that everyone loves us and wants us around. But now we're next to the nursery, out of the way. Unwanted, unseen."

Camilo nodded as he unwrapped himself to hug her. "Yeah. That's... that's it. At least Elena gets to really be a part of the family." 

Mirabel smiled. "Very true. Let's go make sure our cousin has a fantastic birthday, yeah? That's why we're getting up so early!"

Camilo lit up. "That's right! Tía Julieta said we can help make breakfast and keep the kitchen clean while she cooks today!" 

Mirabel giggled as he shifted into Julieta.

"Come on Bella, maybe no one will say anything. And you're right there's a lot of positives even if it kind of sucks. How can you be so positive all the time?" Camilo asked, pulling her up, still in the form of Julieta. 

Mirabel shrugged. "I just remind myself I want to make my family proud. It hasn't happened yet, but it will one day, so we just have to keep trying until it does happen."

Camilo smiled slightly. "I wish I could think like that! We're twins, we should both be happy!"

Mirabel giggled. "Of course! I'll help you!" 

They left the room and quietly went over to check the new door. Right on the handle was a stylized 'E', proof that the door was meant for Elena. 

Then they headed for the stairs and giggled when they formed a slide for the two children. 

Julieta looked up and smiled at her daughter and nephew when they entered the kitchen. "Good morning. I have arepas for you to snack on while we work so you don't get hungry before breakfast." 

Mirabel beamed and hugged her mama. "Thanks Mama!" she chirped then grabbed an arepa.

Camilo was already eating. "Tía! Did you see that Elena's got a door?"

"I didn't think to check this morning, but that is good news." 

Camilo and Mirabel exchanged looks. That meant she also had not seen that their rooms had moved. Neither wanted to bring this up now. They wanted to help make breakfast for the big day, not see how others reacted, regardless of if it was a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ reaction.

They would help with dishes later, at least until they were needed for babysitting since there were no lessons on a Madrigal's birthday. No lessons of any sort, if they were keeping up enough. It was always nice to get that break. 

They had the table set, coffee ready to go, and everything made according to preferences, including Elena's favorite breakfast before the first of the Madrigals arrived. 

That was Alma with Bruno and Elena, looking pleased. Elena was bouncing and talking excitedly to Bruno about her door and what Gift she would be getting. 

Camilo and Mirabel greeted their family, only reacting with drooping shoulders and sad sighs when Abuela didn't hug them or do anything beyond acknowledging their existence. They were getting used to it, but it still hurt.

Elena though was thrilled- she knew who had ensured her and her brother got out, and she loved being in their family. She excitedly told them she had a door and then realized her favorite breakfast was on the table.  

The next person in was Pepa, already raining. She relaxed and the rain turned to a white cloud as soon as she saw Camilo and Mirabel washing dishes while Julieta finished up breakfast. 

Pepa pressed a kiss to her son's head. "Good morning, Camilo."

"Morning Mamí!" Camilo smiled. "We're gonna help Tía Julieta today unless we're needed for babysitting." 

Pepa smiled. "I think that's a good plan." She hesitated, then shook her head and greeted Mirabel with a hug before going to get her breakfast. She decided today was definitely a day to skip coffee. She had enough sleep, and coffee had a tendency to make her (more) anxious if she wasn't careful with her intake.

Today was not a day to be anxious. 

Luisa and Dolores were the next ones down. Both visibly relaxed when they saw Mirabel and Camilo working at the dishes. They didn't actually say anything before getting their breakfast and getting started.

Isabela, now sixteen, walked in gracefully in her usual dress, greeted her parents, and paid Mirabel no mind beyond a disdainful look that hid her own relief. 

As they hoped, things went well that morning. Everyone did their normal chores while Mirabel and Camilo helped wash dishes. After all, their usual chores were just babysitting and occasionally house cleaning with their fathers. Anything else they did was just extra they volunteered for. 

That afternoon, they were set to babysit all kids that would be in the way as the adults prepared the celebration. One of the few exceptions, besides Elena, was Ricardo, who quietly clung to Bruno the entire time. 

Bruno didn't mind. Over the last few months of being a parent, he had found his confidence growing, if only to protect his new children from those who whispered and didn't think they would turn out well now that he was their parent. They loved and trusted him, and that was the most important part. 

With being a parent, he had less time for visions, so he suffered less from doing them too much, and had less petty ones people blamed him for. Sleep was still hard to come by, and he still had the occasional vision or future prediction he had to get out, but they were less frequent with kids to focus on that were dependent on him.

Camilo and Mirabel ended up in the center of town with twenty kids their age and younger. This was the most they had at once, but they were determined to do their part. 

They had to do this right, to make sure that nothing went wrong for their new little cousin's birthday and Gift Ceremony. 

Camilo and Mirabel split up the kids, and got those their age to take a few kids to keep an eye on so they didn't lose anyone. 

Then, Camilo and Mirabel entertained them with jokes, shapeshifting, playing parts, and even some music. Mirabel at one point took the time to fix a girl's skirt and add a little flower that swayed as if there was wind, and soon everyone wanted a little something. 

Mirabel beamed and happily added little decorations carefully.

Watching Mirabel work kept some kids still and out of trouble, which meant less running around and keeping track of them.

There were a few minor scrapes, but everyone was beaming in mostly clean clothes by the time their parents showed up to collect them. The party was ready.

Which meant that Camilo and Mirabel had to rush home to make sure that they were ready for the ceremony. 

When they left their rooms, they were met with Abuela. 

"Mirabel, Camilo, I need to speak with you." She led them into the nursery. It was empty. 

Mirabel held very still, the only sign of her nervousness was her fidgeting hands. 

Camilo on the other hand was bouncy when he got anxious, and though he was getting better at it, he still had a tendency to cycle through different people when nervous. He did his best but he was shifting rapidly through the family as they waited.

Abuela studied them. "I have heard you did a good job with the children this morning and afternoon. Thank you for keeping them from being underfoot. Now... tonight's ceremony is very important. Everyone knows that Elena is adopted."

Mirabel and Camilo nodded. They didn't have Dolores' super hearing but they were sneaky and had heard people talking about it. No one thought Elena would get a Gift. Hearing that there would be a Gift ceremony that morning had been a shock for everyone.

"Elena receiving a Gift is proof that the Miracle considers her a Madrigal now, so it is especially important that it goes well for her. That means you two need to stay out of the way. Do not ruin this. Who knows what people will think if you ruin it. Do you want them to think that you do not care for her?"

"No!" Camilo exclaimed, wide eyed.

Mirabel just shook her head seriously.

"Good. Let me show you where I want you to stand during the ceremony. Once the party has started, you will be well behaved. No pranks, no making fun of people, no destruction. Understood?"

Mirabel and Camilo both nodded. 

Abuela had them stand at the edge of the courtyard, not near the stairs or their family at all. And worse, none of their family seemed to notice or care. 

At least it was the side that gave them a view of the door. 

They held hands as they watched to see what happened. 

Elena touched the candle, and after a reassuring nod from Bruno, reached for her doorknob. There was a flash of light, as there had been with all of them.

Casita brought her a pot of sand.

Elena stared at it, then hesitantly reached out. A river of glass flowed out of the pot and after a moment, she was holding a wreath made out of glass, looking stunned.

The magic pulsed and an image of Elena appeared on her door, glass and glass tools around her. There was a crucible in her hands.

Alma smiled and put her hand on Elena’s shoulder and turned to the crowd. "We have a new Gift!"

Mirabel and Camilo cheered, thrilled for their cousin. They tried to make it through the crowd up to her new room, eager to see what it looked like. It took them a bit to fight the crowd.

When they entered the room, the first thing they saw was their family posing for a picture, Elena holding the glass wreath she made and beaming. 

Camilo froze, starting to breathe faster. "They're... taking the picture without us?"

Mirabel squeezed his hand. "I'm sure it's not on purpose. Come on, let's go join the party!"

By the time they reached their family, the picture was done. Worse, no one seemed to have noticed they were gone, not even Dolores. 

Things only got worse from there. They overheard Abuela heaping praise on Elena as she started trying out her Gift more with the supplies in the room. There was even a room in the back that was clearly meant to be a furnace for when she was older. Just like Isabela had to learn about plants, and Mirabel had to learn sewing, Elena would have to learn how to make glass traditionally.

For now, she was too young for the furnace, and her room held many other things that were interesting. It was the only room with a skylight. There were many glass sculptures around the room, and room for more. There was a desert to the side of the room, a never ending supply of sand for what she needed to make glass if it did not already exist. 

They heard Abuela talking with a proud but overwhelmed Bruno about how useful her Gift would be once she had learned enough. After all, they only had one glass smith in town and he hadn't had an apprentice, though he was nearing his thirties already. Elena would be able to make glass easily, and at worst be taking over for him in the future.

There was a brief moment of panic when Camilo touched the glass as it flowed by him to Elena and yelped in pain.

"It burned me!" 

"It's hot?" Elena asked with wide eyed innocence. "Sorry Milo!"

Camilo was already eating an arepa. "It's okay, better to find out it can hurt someone now, right?"

Bruno quickly ushered Elena off to the side to see how hot it was and how long it stayed hot. It was quickly determined that it cooled magically as soon as Elena was done shaping it. All that remained was testing some other time if it was just glass she was immune to, or if no heat bothered her. 

Abuela glared at Camilo for disrupting the party and walked over to them. "What were you thinking?" she asked.

"I just wanted to know what it felt like, it didn't look like it was hot!" Camilo exclaimed.

"That was a stupid thing to do, Camilo. And you, Mirabel. I imagine you weren't far behind him in being stupid. I think this is enough of a party for you two. Go."

Mirabel's eyes watered. "What? Abuela... it's only been two hours!"

"I do not care. This party is supposed to be perfect. And it will be once you two troublemakers are out of here."

Camilo hung his head. "Yes, Abuela."

They shuffled out of the room, unnoticed. No one was in the Casita anymore. They were either enjoying the party in Elena's room or had already returned home. 

Camilo and Mirabel decided not to go to their rooms quite yet. Instead they climbed onto the roof and laid back to stare at the stars.

"I think Abuela thinks Elena will be more useful than us," Camilo whispered after a bit, not wanting to admit it aloud. But... someone had to say it.

Mirabel wrapped an arm around him. "I think you're right... Elena got something more special than us. Anyone can sew, and it doesn't really help anyone to animate the embroidery... it's just pretty to look at."

"And shapeshifting isn't exactly that useful aside from being able to be bigger or smaller to get to places others can't. But no one asks for that so I'm just the entertainment." Camilo sighed, wrapping his arm around Mirabel so they could properly cuddle.

"We've gotta keep trying to make them proud."

"Of course. It'll be harder but not impossible. At least our rooms are right next to each other... no more long and kind of weird path around the Casita to visit each other."

Mirabel smiled. "It'll be fun. No one will ever realize we can visit each other. They didn't before, they certainly won't now. They'll think as always we are sulking in our room and instead we can visit and talk and not be alone."

"I hate being alone," Camilo admitted. "It sucks."

"Yeah." Mirabel sighed.

They stayed there, leaning on each other for a while. 

Casita flipped some tiles around to get their attention. Almost immediately they realized that the party must be getting closer to ending. People were leaving. 

They exchanged wide eyed looks. "Casita, get us to our rooms," Mirabel hissed.

Casita turned the tiles into a slide and made sure they landed safely outside their rooms.

"Thanks Casita!" Camilo waved while Mirabel opened the door. 

They collapsed on the couch.

"Think anyone will check on us tonight?" Mirabel asked.

"No idea... they don't always check on us... and it is a long party... Casita will warn us, we'll be fine."

Mirabel bit her lip and nodded. "I just... I don't know..."

"The picture and how no one noticed we weren't there?"

"Yeah. It feels like that kind of thing has been happening more often lately and I don't want to be forgotten."

"I'll never be able to forget you, Bella." Camilo hugged her tightly. "I don't want to be forgotten either, but I know you'll remember me."

Mirabel smiled. "That's true." She hesitated. "Do you think it'll get worse?"

"I don't know... we'll have to wait and see... Ugh. I hate waiting."

Mirabel giggled. "Everyone knows that, Cami... I hope we get to be in more pictures."

"Me too."

No one came to check up on them that morning. No one said a word to them the next morning when at breakfast, although Abuela kept an eye on them.

Camilo shrunk in his seat and focused on his food and not shifting. Abuela had made it clear that his shenanigans were not acceptable at the table long ago. 

Maybe if Abuela appreciated his Gift and considered it useful he would have ignored the rule to shift on occasion. But she considered his Gift, and therefore himself, useless. Obeying her rules was the best way to stay on her good side and out of trouble.

When the picture from the night was put up, no one said a word, though clearly their parents noticed they weren't in the picture. Yet, no one spoke to them about it.

As much as they knew their parents adored them, Camilo and Mirabel started pulling away from that point on.

After all... their parents didn't care enough to stand up to Abuela. Didn't care enough to ask why they weren't in the picture. And didn't even seem to notice when things were wrong.

Things had gone downhill for the cousins after the Gift Ceremony. The kids around Camilo and Mirabel’s age and a bit older had picked up on how differently they were treated. They also didn't appreciate the Gifts that Mirabel and Camilo had.

Camilo and Mirabel were bullied. The only thing that saved them from being bullied worse was that they were only in school part time, never for the full time, and rarely more than half the week. Their family (mostly their fathers) took care of teaching them things they missed.

Casilda the seamstress had a fondness for them and also made sure they were keeping up with their schooling by quizzing them as they worked.

Missing so much school only made the other kids more jealous. Some were their age. Others were much older, some as old as Luisa, or Isabela. They had no clue how much pressure Mirabel and Camilo were under.

Camilo started helping out with the sewing because he often didn't get chores like everyone else did, so if he did the basic sewing, it gave Mirabel more time on the embroidery. They made a good team, and he had been watching her learn to sew for years. 

Their chores during the school day usually involved taking care of kids under school age, or getting the preschool age kids who did partial days from their basic lessons and playing with them until their parents were available. It depended on the day of the week, and all parents were in agreement that any newborns were given preference. 

That meant that whenever there was a new baby, for the first year of their life, if their parent needed Camilo or Mirabel to watch the baby, the other parents would figure something else out, and the younger infants had priority over the older, even if they were newborns. It wasn't that hard; there were plenty of options. Mirabel and Camilo were just the best. Partially because it was their job.

If they didn't have kids to babysit, Camilo and Mirabel were running errands. Passing on messages for Dolores to tell family where help was needed, cleaning up after Pepa when she had a windy moment, getting Isabela water and snacks when she was getting tired after decorating the town most of the day. Making sure Luisa's schedule was neatly organized and helping her figure things out when emergencies came up.

In between all of that, Camilo and Mirabel tried to act as happy as they could. To never let on how they were feeling, even when being pushed aside made them feel lesser. 

Both were glad their parents didn't know. After all, their parents were trying. It wasn't good enough, but it was better than getting well meaning lectures all the time. Which still happened on occasion when they got in trouble or messed something up when they tried to help.

It wasn't even a month after Elena's Gift Ceremony that they first wanted to give up.

First, they were being bullied. They did their best to be Madrigals and let it roll off of them, saying things they had heard their sisters and parents say. They tried to walk away.

The result? They were held down while the older kids punched and kicked them and laughed. 

Abuela was angry at them for tearing their clothes and getting dirty. She didn't even seem to notice the limping and winces. 

Not that those lasted long once they started eating. 

But... Dolores never spoke up in their defense. She was just focused on her food. 

Camilo gave her a betrayed look. That was his sister, and she didn't care to tell anyone that he was bullied? Hurt? Why? She had to know. He saw the way she'd looked at him worriedly. And yet... When Abuela started the lectures, she didn't even look at them or Abuela. 

Dolores didn't care. His sister didn't care and that hurt.

But that wasn't even the worst of it. Camilo had thought he could move past it, that he could forgive her for it.

They had just found out Pepa was pregnant. Camilo was excited to be a big brother, though worried about how that would change things. 

Mirabel was excited as well. She loved the kids in town and now they would have another one at home. 

They tried to be extra nice to Pepa, so that she could relax. Camilo especially tried to be calming and help her out. 

Then one day one of their little adventures went wrong and Pepa almost got hurt. No one knew of their involvement and they were the first ones to jump in and help her. 

They should have gotten home with nothing out of the ordinary. They didn't expect to be praised for it; they were hardly ever praised for doing a good job these days.

They were met with a furious Abuela who somehow knew everything they had been up to that day. They were so confused, then Camilo caught sight of Dolores watching. She squeaked and looked away guiltily before rushing off. 

Dolores had told Abuela. 

Camilo collapsed next to Mirabel in her room once they were left alone to 'think about what they had done'. Her room had not changed much over the years, just enough to reflect her age and changing interests.

Camilo's room was still a stage with a bed in the center. There were too many mirrors but he could hide them as he wanted. It was fun for play, but not so much for emotions and sleeping.

"I don't understand how it went so wrong," Mirabel whispered. "We weren't trying to do a prank or anything. We were just playing and..."

"I think one of the bullies did it. Uh. Alejandro maybe?" Camilo  shook his head. "But no one had to know we were involved. Why did Dolores tell on us for that, even though we jumped right to helping Mama when she didn't say a word about the bullying, and still ignores it."

"I don't know..." Mirabel sighed. "I was thinking though... and I think she's been telling on us the entire time. That's why Abuela always knows."

Camilo frowned. "Then we have to be really sneaky. Make sure that even if she knows where we are we can keep her from understanding what we're talking about and doing when we just want to have fun." 

Mirabel sat up, grinning. "Great idea, Cami!"

"We just need to make sure she doesn't figure it out."

"Act as normal out in the village, do as we're told here and hide in our rooms as much as possible?" Mirabel suggested. "That way we're staying out of trouble and people's way, and anyways, she shouldn't be worrying about what we're up to when we're home."

Camilo grinned. "That's true. And it's harder to hear everything going on in our rooms too."

"Yeah!" Mirabel beamed.  "We just gotta be careful."

Chapter Text

When Antonio was born, Camilo got to hold him after Dolores. Antonio was so little, tiny. Camilo thought he might drop his little brother. 

He glanced around but no one was paying attention. Dolores had left, saying she had a headache from the labor and Antonio's first cries. Camilo didn't blame her for the headache. Antonio was pretty loud.

With no one around to hear him, hopefully not even Dolores, Camilo leaned in, lightly brushing his nose on the sleeping newborn.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, little bro. Promise."

Antonio's eyes opened and he stared with wide eyed confusion.

Camilo giggled and held out a finger for Antonio. At ten years old, Antonio was far from the first newborn he had held. He knew how this went, and he was thrilled to have all the practice so he could help with his own baby brother.

Mirabel was just as thrilled with Antonio, promising to be the best big cousin. 

As they could have predicted, after the first few months, Pepa started requesting they take Antonio with them. He was still living with Pepa and Felix, but during the day, Pepa didn't want to get him to get wet while she made sure there was water for the farms, which, according to Abuela, was a non-negotiable chore.

Mirabel and Camilo took turns, each taking care of Antonio part of the day. They even got away with bringing him to school, as they stayed on top of their school work and were quick to ensure that Antonio got what he needed when he cried. That probably wouldn't last but once he was two or three he probably would be fine to be with other babysitters.

He was fine to snuggle while they worked on sewing. Mirabel had progressed to doing her own orders, and Camilo helped out, making sure the basics were done. They enjoyed it.

In another world, they would have had their own things, and not become so close knit it was like they were the same person.

In this world, both being seen as kids with useless Gifts had drawn them closer and closer as it felt like it was them against everyone else, aside from the rare kind people, such as the seamstress they worked for.

Neither felt safe without the other by their side. It wasn't the most healthy thing, but neither really minded. They knew each other, so much so Camilo perfected his Mirabel act so that no one could ever tell he wasn't Mirabel. Not even their own family. Dolores was the only one who could tell, and that was only because she could hear his heartbeat. If she wasn't paying that much attention though, she would never notice.

The usual play group of kids was changing as those who were ten years old and older were more and more expected to help out with chores and start picking up some sort of knowledge to help with jobs. When they weren’t doing that, they were starting to outgrow the sort of play Camilo and Mirabel did with the kids they babysit.

But younger kids were joining more regularly. And all of them were thrilled by the addition of baby Antonio. 

If Mirabel and Camilo ever had a babysitting job where they didn't bring Antonio, the kids were usually disappointed. They loved having a baby around, especially one as quiet as Antonio tended to be in his sling. It meant they could coo over him but he wasn’t disruptive.

By the time Ricard turned five, Mirabel had started getting requests to do her magic with her embroidery all the time. People brought her articles of clothing just to get something that moved. They loved her designs, and they made perfect gifts.

Best of all, they paid Mirabel for the work. Which meant that even when she and Camilo were struggling to stay out of trouble enough to get an allowance, they still could buy things they wanted.  And needed, in Camilo's case, as he needed quite a bit of food to get him through the day, especially when he shifted.

Antonio was a curious toddler who loved animals, loved the nursery, and loved his older brother and cousin who he saw most out of the family. He wasn't quite two yet.

When it came time for Ricardo's Gift ceremony, Camilo and Mirabel helped out where they could, though once again they were mostly delegated to babysitting duty.

Camilo gave Antonio to his mama before he went to get ready... and once again, he and Mirabel were told to stay off to the side. 

Ricardo walked up, more confident than Elena had been.  He glanced at his sister as he passed her, then smiled at Bruno. For Ricardo, he had no memories of his birth parents. All he knew was Bruno and he adored his dad and all his quirks. This meant that all he had known was being a Madrigal, so there was no need for him to worry about his Gift.

Elena remembered, and had a hard time adjusting at times. But she was happy to see Ricardo happy, and she loved her Gift, and so those struggles weren't seen often. 

Ricardo touched the Candle, beamed at Abuela and touched the doorknob. The door glowed. 

Everyone waited to see just what Gift he was getting. 

Ricardo turned to ask his abuela what he was supposed to do now and gasped. He could see auras around each person. Abuela was a melancholy blue. His papa was a dark green. And when he looked closer, he could see an orange outline of a person in a familiar shape, arm around Abuela. 

"Abuelo?" Ricardo asked. He saw the portrait every day. He knew Abuelo's shape. 

The person shifted and crouched down to his level. Ricardo didn't quite hear him, it was more like getting an impression of words. 

Ricardo looked up at Abuela. "Abuelo says he misses your smile and your obleas. And..." He tilted his head. "You can relax. You're doing just fine. Abuelo loves you and loves our family."

Abuela stared at him, then smiled. "Thank you, Ricardo."

Ricardo beamed at her as the picture on the door solidified to show him with hands outstretched and glowing. There were two faint figures behind him.

"We have a new Gift!" Abuela announced. Then she looked down at Ricardo. "Go on, enter your room."

"Okay!" Ricardo opened the door to find that the room was still forming. 

Mirabel and Camilo watched from the same vantage point as Elena's ceremony. 

"He can see spirits?" Mirabel wondered. "That'll be interesting."

"Yeah. Maybe we can get some closure about what happened..." Camilo was thinking of the day Ricardo and Elena’s birth parents died. 

Mirabel knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Let's go enjoy the party."

Neither were surprised to find that the picture was taken by the time they made it up there. They had been in several family photos since the last Gift ceremony, but there were a few they were left out of too. Usually because they were not fast enough. If they were on time, it wasn’t like anyone would shove them out of the picture. They were still family.

Ricardo's room was a bit like living in space, with all the walls and the floor black with sparks of light. It was a bit disconcerting. But Ricardo loved it. 

Later, they would learn it was because the black of the room made it easier to make out auras and spirits. Ricardo's Gift was seeing things people could not, but that didn't mean it was easy to do so.

Camilo and Mirabel ended up entertaining several kids including Antonio by the end of the first hour. Neither minded; they loved the kids they babysit and it was better than trying to pretend that they fit in with the family. 

It was better than trying to find the happy medium to how the village saw them and how they behaved just for family. 

They ended up leaving the party early to put Antonio down. Pepa was just having so much fun dancing with Felix they didn't want to interrupt her, and it wasn't the first time they put Antonio to bed.

With Antonio in bed, they retreated to Mirabel's room to discuss as they often did. It was safer than to risk Dolores hearing them on the roof after realizing she was getting them in trouble.

"Ricardo's Gift is pretty cool." 

"It'll take him a bit but it does seem like it'll be useful," Mirabel sighed, laying on the floor to stare up at her ceiling. Casita knew just what she was in the mood for and changed the view to that of the night sky.

"He's already noticing how auras change with feelings. We'll have to be careful."

"Right. Don't want to give him the wrong idea, and who knows who he would tell what he sees."

They were silent for a moment. 

"Sounds like he'll help bring closure to families too... since he can see spirits and can get some ideas on what they want to say. He's got a pretty special gift right there."

"He does. Abuela seemed so surprised but so happy by what he said... I wonder what it was." They had been too far away to hear.

"Who knows? It was enough to convince Abuela... even if she can't find a use for the Gift, the fact that he can see Abuelo is gonna win her over entirely."

"Good. No one else needs to deal with what we're dealing with." Neither would ever admit to feeling jealous if pressed. They both knew they were, and they didn't need to talk about it. It wasn’t fair to put it on Ricardo.

Camilo sighed. "I miss the days when we were oblivious. I miss being loved."

Mirabel scooted closer and wrapped an arm around him. "You know our parents love us."

"But they also don't know what to do with us," Camilo said softly. "They see the way we act out in the village, and how we get in trouble, and they do nothing. If we say anything negative, they try to assure us but fall short. My mama almost always has some weather issue that interrupts... I wish she'd just ignore the rain and focus on me. And your mama just keeps telling us that we're special and everyone loves us but... we don't see that love... so how can we believe it? Papa and Tíos do it better but it's not good enough... Papa is always focused on Mama or Antonio and Tío Bruno has Elena and Ricardo and Tío Agustín is so much like you-"

"Hey!"

"It's hard to take him seriously... We've both heard people compare you to him... even Isabela..."

Both winced at the memory. 

Mirabel had tripped at an inopportune time, causing Isabela's dress to be stained with paint. 

"Ugh, you're just like Papa, Mirabel! At least he doesn't ruin things. Maybe it would have been better if you didn't get a Gift so that you could be Just. Like. Him!" Isabela had hissed furiously before turning to be gracious and perfect for the crowd that was rushing to help her.

"At least Papa didn't hear her say that about him... I know he feels bad whenever he causes a disaster and he always tries to make it up to Mama when he hurts himself." Mirabel sighed. "We'll get by, Cami. We always do."

"Sometimes I wonder..." Camilo sighed. Heavy thoughts for a twelve year old. "I mean... we want to make our family proud... will we ever do that? They don't like who we are... when we're true to ourselves. And they don't even try to look past the personas we put on, and they don't like that either. I mean... what can we even do?"

Mirabel sighed. "I don't know..." She rolled onto her side to look at Camilo. "I do sometimes wonder how much pressure everyone is under... you've heard how Abuela gets upset if anything isn't perfect, or if someone doesn't get help on time. Elena is starting to help make things for people and Luisa is always carrying things that seem kind of silly to carry."

Camilo turned onto his side and nodded. "And Isabela has to be perfect but we know she's not or she wouldn't be so mean to us and Dolores has to stay on top of everyone, but she can't always hear everything, she has to focus and yet not spill secrets... even though she's not really that great at keeping secrets."

"And Mama is always cooking something. Sometimes she has to come back to cook more things because people need so much healing... Tío Bruno doesn't have the best reputation but he still has to do little future things on demand if not a full vision... At least everyone's nicer to him now..."

"And Abuela is always yelling at Mama if she's got some sort of bad weather." Camilo sighed. "So... everyone's under pressure?"

"Yeah. Doesn't excuse what they're doing to us, though... I wonder what Abuelo would think if he were here..."

"I don't know..." Camilo bit his lip. "I don't want to think about what everyone else is dealing with... at least they get love and affection... attention. Our birthdays were awful this year."

They had gotten their favorites at all meals and their favorite desserts, minimal gifts, and no parties. They almost didn't get the day off, though Julieta had said something the moment Abuela was about to remind Camilo and Mirabel of their usual chores outside of babysitting (mostly just being present in the village and helping out people when it was needed). 

They had ended up playing with the kids but not really babysitting. Neither of them had friends their age anymore. Everyone saw how the family pushed them to the wayside, and they didn't really have time to have friends anyways. So, unless they played together, they didn't have much else to do. And they no longer really knew how to just play without worry anymore. 

Mirabel grimaced. "I want to keep looking on the bright side of things. We're Madrigals! We have awesome Gifts that the kids love!"

"Not so much the adults though," Camilo put in quietly.

Mirabel faltered. "There are adults who appreciate us... that's why you entertain birthdays and I get commissioned for birthday clothes and other gifts."

"For kids. Because their kids will like it. There's not many adults that want me to shift into them or other adults, and there's not many adults that want your embroidery on their clothes."

"Still!" Mirabel was insistent on looking on the bright side. "We have a lot going for us, and Casita loves us more than anyone else.”

Camilo hugged Mirabel. "Sorry to keep bringing down the mood... I just... I just keep thinking that this is what we're doomed to for the rest of our lives. I don't see how this is ever going to change. Are we ever going to be good enough?"

"I... I don't know... but I want to keep being positive. If I'm not positive... then I don't know that we can keep living here like this. And neither of us wants to run away from our family... especially not little Antonio."

"We did promise to protect him..." Camilo sighed. "And we're too young to run away with him... no way we could take care of him now."

"If his Gift ceremony goes absolutely terribly we'll take him and run. We'll be fifteen then."

"Good idea... You sure?"

Mirabel sighed. "No, I'm not," she admitted. "I want to keep trying, see if there's a way to change someone's mind, get them to see what we're going through. But... I don't know. I feel like something bad happening to Antonio would be my breaking point."

"Alright, then we'll plan on that. We should spend some time learning survival and seeing if we can get more of an idea of what the village thinks of us Madrigals. Casilda adores us, so I'm sure we'll at least have her help if we need it."

Mirabel nodded. "We should start making a list tomorrow of what we need to know and do, just in case. That way we can be as prepared as possible. Three years to prepare."

"Three years," Camilo agreed. It sounded so far away. But things wouldn't change, would they?

No one was around to see some cracks appearing before Casita hid them away again.

Chapter Text

They found potential allies slowly, though they never told anyone just how bad it was. They just found people they thought they would be able to trust if it came down to it. The tricky part would be ensuring that Dolores did not find out. 

They didn't have many adults they could trust. There were a few that they steered clear of (being the 'useless' Madrigals that clearly weren't as valued by the family meant that some of those that hated the Madrigals were bolder with them).  

Antonio continued growing. He adored his big brother and cousin, though he was convinced they were twins and both his siblings. No one seemed to realize just how much he looked up to Camilo and Mirabel, going to them first for problems, even before his own parents at times. After all, it was Camilo or Mirabel who got to him first when he cried from nightmares in the nursery, or couldn't sleep.

The biggest surprise came when they were fourteen, mere months off from turning fifteen. 

Antonio had started doing the early lessons at the school, half days, to help ensure he was ready for proper lessons when he turned six. For many parents, this was also partially a daycare type service. 

And now that he was older, he was out with others more often, including Abuela. He wasn't always being watched by Camilo and Mirabel. He had learned quickly not to complain about it though. Everyone got upset when he did and the ‘twins’ would disappear and not be around as much for a bit. 

Camilo and Mirabel were alone when the usual bullies started in on them. 

They had learned it was better to ignore them and find a peaceful way out. If they could not escape, they had to just endure and hope it would be over quickly.

Mirabel tried to walk around them. Camilo shifted into Luisa and tried to edge past them. Neither attempt worked.

"Useless Madrigals." One of them sneered. 

Mirabel ignored them and continued trying to search for a way out, but more of the group appeared. Her heart sank.

They'd been cornered near the edge of town, and now it was almost ten against two. They would never escape. 

Camilo shifted back to himself, looking around carefully. He wasn't seeing an escape. 

The group of ten were a mix of kids close to their age up to a few who were Luisa’s age... and all were kids they used to be friends with when they first started school. Before they realized that they were not 'really' Madrigals.

At least none of the younger kids bought that; they adored the Madrigals who babysat them as long as they could remember. Even those who were younger siblings of the bullies. Not that Mirabel or Camilo would ever tell the younger kids that their siblings were bullies. That would be mean and could make them targets of their siblings’ ire.

They were getting the usual taunts. Camilo spotted an opening. He grabbed Mirabel's hand and ran for it. 

He had brief hope they could escape, but then he heard their laughter and his heart sank. That was on purpose. He and Mirabel were doomed. 

The bullies gave chase, right into the trap they had set up.

Camilo shrieked when the ground gave way and he fell straight into the hole. His ankle twisted when he landed. Mirabel landed on top of him.

"Why is it always my ankle?" Camilo muttered under his breath. 

Mirabel groaned. "No idea..." 

They looked up to see the bullies crowding around the hole. 

"I can't believe that worked!"

"All those hours of digging were worth it!" Another cackle. 

Mirabel stood up and reached, then cursed under her breath. It was definitely way out of her reach, taller than any person.

"No one is going to come for you and there's no way to get out, we made sure of it. Who cares about the useless Madrigals?" 

Camilo stood and nearly fell over if he didn't catch himself. He gave Mirabel a look and signed that he wouldn't be able to climb out or hold her up. 

Mirabel frowned. "Someone's going to notice the hole sooner or later," Mirabel whispered.

"My bet's on later, especially with the cover." Camilo was equally as quiet.

The bullies had just covered the hole with something with leaves piled on top. They were still cackling as they ran off.

Camilo sighed. "Yeah, that would do it. Any ideas?"

"Nope. You sure you can't climb out?"

Camilo stood.

"...this doesn't feel like the usual sprain and both my ankles are protesting." Camilo sank to the ground. 

Mirabel joined him. "Just our luck, huh?" 

Camilo sighed. "Yeah. At least we didn't have any babysitting jobs today. We're so going to be in trouble for not being visible and helping out where people need it though."

Mirabel winced. "I know. Not much we can do. We have to figure out a way out of here." And I'm not asking Dolores for help . She signed.

The rest of the conversation would be a mix of signing and speaking aloud to fill in gaps that their sign language could not cover.

Camilo nodded shortly. "Right... Give me a bit and... no... not with my ankles like this... um... Oh, how much can you hold on your shoulders?"

"I don't know... probably a lot if I lean against the wall?"

"If I get on your shoulders and shift into someone taller, I might be able to reach high enough to pull myself out and then I can find something to help you climb out."

"Oh, that's not a bad idea... But... let's see if we can come up with something better first. I don't want to hurt ourselves more."

Camilo nodded. He sighed. "I just wish things were better. They must have been really determined to hurt us when they dug this hole... Maybe they got help from others. But they hate us, this much. They want us to suffer this much."

"They target us because they see us as useless. And I think they don't like the rest of the family in general but we're just easy targets 'cause we're here and we can't fight back the way others can. Dolores has all the blackmail, Isabela can be scary with her plants, no one wants Luisa to break them in half..."

"Elena's got her glass, hot or cold it's dangerous, and everyone's a little freaked out by what Ricardo can see. And no one is going to mess with our parents or Tío Bruno, and who wants to pick on a little kid who's hardly away from one of the family anyways?" Camilo sighed. "Which just leaves us... At least we're not alone."

"I can't imagine doing this alone!" Mirabel exclaimed. "You're the best twin, Cami." 

"No, I think you're the best, Bella." Camilo smiled and wrapped an arm around her.

Mirabel chuckled and leaned in. "How about we're both the best?"

"Nah, I don't think so. But you're smiling!" Camilo cheered.

"So are you." 

They shared grins. Both had made it their mission to ensure that anyone they helped throughout the day left with a smile. Even when they were forced to help out their bullies, which they did while treating them as close to how they treated everyone else as possible. Thankfully, their bullies preferred not to ask them for help.

"So... what shall we do while we're stuck here?" Camilo asked. 

"How about we make plans?" Mirabel suggested. "We already have a lot of orders for Antonio's Gift Ceremony, who all want to have my embroidery on it since well, that's my Gift. And we have to make our own plans for Antonio's presents..."

"Oh yeah, so many orders to work on..." Camilo grinned. "I'm not sure what to get Antonio for a Gift but it's not even my birthday yet and his birthday is after yours!"

"One month to your birthday and I got plans." Mirabel grinned. Her secret project for months had been making different styles of ruanas and adding her embroidery. She knew what Camilo liked, and he was outgrowing his current style anyways and needed new ruanas to grow into soon. 

"And Antonio's birthday is one month after yours... so that's... four months from now... how many orders do you have?"

"Well, all our usual kids want something, and their parents have already put in an initial payment. They're leaving designs up to me, just gave me what they want the embroidery on. Most of those parents have also ordered something. And then there's about ten other orders beyond that. Thankfully, they're okay with you or Casilda making most of it so long as embroidery is done by me."

"We're going to be busy," Camilo replied, wide eyed. "I didn't think it was that many!"

"Casilda counted them up with me yesterday and it's so many. We're going to start turning away anything that isn't an emergency if it's not for Antonio's Gift Ceremony at this point just to be sure we can do all the orders justice." 

Camilo grinned. "I'm glad people are realizing just how special you are."

Mirabel blushed. "I wish people would realize that about you too. You're really good at making everyone smile."

"It's okay, Bella. We're used to this, remember?"

"That doesn't make it right!"

Camilo sighed. "I don't want to think about it that much... are you going to do anything for the family?"

"Only if they request it. Everyone knows they can ask me to do something for them and they'll get it. Well, aside from Antonio. He gets the usual white version of his normal clothes and Abuela wants it to be the same as everyone else's so no embroidery."

"You're totally going to give him something for his usual outfit, aren't you?"

"Of course I am." Mirabel huffed. "He'd be so upset if I didn't."

"So, who do you think will get something and who won't?" Camilo asked.

"Isa will never ask for one. Luisa already asked. She's always loved what I do, even if she doesn't have time for us anymore. My parents have already asked. I bet Tío Bruno will ask soon. Ricardo might ask, but I'm not sure about Elena. Abuela... She might, she might not. She probably will because she likes to be seen with our Gifts, but she hasn't asked yet, so maybe she’ll forget. I'm not sure about your parents... They do things together and no offense, but Tía Pepa can be hard to read sometimes."

"I never know what's gonna make her upset either," Camilo admitted. "That's why I learned how to calm her down. At least that way I can make sure she's not gonna cause big storms. She's really sensitive, and really anxious but not much we can do... we're still just kids." 

"The Useless Madrigals," Mirabel said quietly. 

"We shouldn't call ourselves that," Camilo whispered. "We're not useless. People love us. We might not be like everyone else, but we're still serving the community."

"I don't think Abuela would approve if she knew we accepted money or trades for our work with my embroidery." Mirabel sighed. 

"It's not like you charge them full prices that you'd deserve, anyways. All payment is them wanting to pay you and Casilda usually starting with the cost of materials."

"True... but everyone sees us as useless. We're stuck here because we don't have many ways out of this situation, and even if your ankles were fine, with that cover on, we'd still have trouble getting out. Not that anyone else would ever get caught out like this."

"Hey, we'll get through this." Camilo said. "We always do. Maybe not always with smiles, but we get through it." 

Besides, remember, we did agree that we might run away if things go poorly for Antonio. Their sign wasn't nearly so precise, but they knew how to fill in the blanks after years of practice at hiding what they really didn't want anyone to know.

Mirabel grumbled and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm so tired of this." True... and if not... we are getting older. Maybe we can find ways to break free?

Maybe. We'll see what happens, yeah? We've got some people who love us. Casilda wouldn't mind housing us for a while if necessary.

I'd hate for that to be necessary but... It's getting more tempting by the day sometimes.

Both looked up at the sound of the cover moving. The bullies were back, well, half of them were. That was still five because there were too many who bullied them.

Mirabel groaned. "Come to gloat some more?"

A green tablet was thrown in. Neither reacted fast enough and it hit Mirabel right in the forehead, almost breaking her glasses as the glass tablet shattered. 

"My sister wanted to know her future and came home with this! Kissing Camilo Madrigal." 

Camilo blinked. He barely knew the kids their age. A bit younger, yeah he knew them better. He peered up at the bully. "Uh, who even is your sister?" he asked tentatively.

Mirabel was busy trying to clear away all the glass shards to the side of the small hole. 

"Estrella Velasco! Stay away from my sister!" 

Camilo cried out when a rock hit his leg. "Ow! You could kill us with that!" 

"I don't care! I don't want you to ever go near my sister again."

Mirabel stood up and glared at him. "And why not?"

"I don't want my sister to be with someone like him." 

Mirabel shrieked when she saw the rock coming at her and covered her head. The rock hit her arm, then fell onto Camilo.

Camilo yelped. "You've got us trapped here, why can't you just leave us here alone?"

"You being trapped is precisely why we won't!"

"You want to kill us?" Mirabel yelled. 

"Eh, it doesn't matter to us. We just want our fun with one of the Madrigals, even if it's a useless one."

"Seriously?" Mirabel yelped when another rock narrowly missed her head. She sat back down and huddled with Camilo. Both of them did their best to be as small as possible and cover their heads. The rocks hurt where they hit. 

It seemed to drag on forever.

.

Mariano was thinking about his next date with Isabela. So far, things seemed to be progressing well. She was a bit standoffish, but she was practically perfect. She seemed to be warming up to him, too. 

There were other women he could have dated, but Dolores and Isabela had his eye for years before he finally got up the courage to ask one of them out. Dolores was often hard to find as she preferred to stay away from the noisiest parts of town.

Not that he ever spoke his feelings aloud. He did poetry but he never named who it was for. He didn't want Dolores to live with the knowledge he might be interested in her, especially if she did not like him that way. 

For now, things were going well with Isabela, and maybe in a few months he could consider proposing. His Abuela was encouraging this match up, and much of the town seemed to be cheering them on. 

Mariano was taking a walk outside the town for inspiration when he heard the laughter and jeering of some teens. He recognized them. They were around Luisa's age, and had been quite sore that she far outstripped them in strength as they got older. 

He was going to pay them no mind, but then he heard yelps and cries from the... hole they were tossing rocks in? 

Mariano walked over to them. "What are you doing?" he asked.

They all jumped. "Nothing!"

One of the teens pushed something over the hole.

"It doesn't look like nothing." Mariano bent over and moved the cover aside. He stared down the hole, recognizing Mirabel and Camilo instantly. They wore distinctive clothes like no one else did. Where did a hole this deep come from?

Mariano turned to the teens. "What are you doing?" he demanded. 

"Bruno got a vision that showed my sister kissing a useless Madrigal!" 

"Diego. That is no reason to hurt anyone. You're lucky Dolores hasn't heard you by now and done something about it."

"Oh please, nothing ever happens. No one actually cares about them." 

Mariano gave them a look. "I care. I am sure there are plenty of people who would be very angry if they saw what you have been doing... Like my Abuela, she is very fond of having both of them help out when I'm busy. Or what about your parents, Fernando? I know they have had Mirabel and Camilo helped out with your younger siblings, these two have watched them far more than you have."

Fernando turned red. "I um. Sorry Diego, I better go." Fernando fled.

Diego huffed and looked away. "Fine. What do I care what happens to these two?" He walked away huffily. The rest of the teens followed him.

Mariano turned and looked into the hole again. "Can you two climb out?"

"Too high, and Camilo hurt his ankles," Mirabel responded. She was relieved, but also surprised by how Mariano defended them. Maybe she had underestimated him by declaring him a dumb hunk for dating Isabela.

Mariano frowned. "If I get a rope down there can you climb out? Or would you prefer a ladder?"

"I think we can manage with a rope if I go first so Mirabel can help me," Camilo replied. He pushed some rocks off of him.

"Is that glass?" Mariano asked, horrified.

"Yeah, they broke the vision tablet by tossing it at us," Mirabel responded bitterly. 

"I'll tell your family."

 "Don't bother." Camilo shook his head. "Dolores never hears this stuff and they never believe us." 

"Yeah, Abuela would probably get angry at us for letting it happen or something since we're Madrigals if she did believe us." Mirabel rolled her eyes.

Mariano stared at them for a moment, not sure he believed them. He certainly didn’t want to believe them. "Alright then... My house isn't far away. I'll take you there once I get you out. We can say you were helping out if you need to stay out of trouble." He sounded quite perplexed though. "I'll be right back, I'm going to get a rope." 

He disappeared.

Mirabel sighed and turned to Camilo. "You okay?"

"Ow. You?"

"Ow," Mirabel agreed ruefully. "But it doesn't seem bad... just painful. Maybe some fractures and blood from the harder rocks but for now... I'd say we're good." 

Camilo nodded. "Yeah, I think we're good." 

"I can't believe Mariano came to our rescue. Did you hear what he said? Maybe it's not such a bad thing that he's dating Isabela."

"Maybe not," Camilo agreed, smiling. "Nice to know some people do appreciate us."

Mirabel nodded.

"Estrella..." Camilo said slowly. "She's like two years younger than us, right?"

"She turned thirteen six months ago," Mirabel said. "So closer to a year and a half younger than us... Why?"

Camilo shrugged. "Just trying to figure out why I'd kiss her. I guess she's one of the ones I'd be most interested in around our age. And I don't know why he's so worked up. He said it was a kiss right? A kiss can be a one time thing that happens even without a date. It doesn't have to mean anything."

Mirabel raised an eyebrow at her twin. "Would you want it to, Cami?"

"I uh..." he looked away and shrugged awkwardly. "Not sure I want Dolores to know but yeah, I guess. Maybe when we've figured things out better. I don't want to subject anyone to how we're treated."

Mirabel nodded but before she could reply, Mariano was back with the rope. 

It was a bit of a struggle for Camilo, but shifting into Luisa helped him mostly pull himself up by pure upper body strength instead of relying on putting his body weight on his ankles.

Mirabel climbed up as quickly as she could manage once she was sure he was safely up. 

Mariano frowned at the way Camilo stood shakily and immediately offered his support. 

"Let's go to my house. I believe we still have some jam from the last time your tía made jam."

Camilo lit up. "Oh, I love her jam!" 

Mariano smiled. "Good. So do I. It's nice to have a remedy at home for healing when necessary. I can be rather clumsy sometimes."

Mirabel nodded, still a bit in shock about what happened. That was the farthest the bullies had gone. Even if it was triggered by a vision, it still made her wary of what was to come. How could they keep avoiding the bullies when they were so determined to make them suffer?

Mariano got them in the house and sat them down to clean them up, making sure to pull out any bits of glass and to clean up any open wounds. He had learned the hard way that it would come back to bite him if he did not take such precautions. 

Then he got them some bread to go with the jam and let them spread it on their bread themselves.

"How often does that happen?"

"Oh, the bullying?"

Mariano nodded. 

"Whenever they can catch us. Which isn't every day," Mirabel added. 

"And no one knows?" 

"Nope. No one believes us. I'm sure Casilda would, but we help her more in the mornings and the bullying happens after school gets out," Camilo explained.

Mariano frowned. "Why does no one believe you?"

"We're troublemakers," Camilo said with a shrug. "No reason to believe us."

"You're not troublemakers." Mariano was shocked and a bit horrified to see them both look so surprised by his firm tone.

"You're really not troublemakers," he said again. "Your pranks are mild and never hurt anyone unless someone was doing something they weren't supposed to in the first place. If they make a mess, it's easily cleanable, and you always clean it up, as part of punishment or not. You keep the kids out of trouble all the time. I don't understand why anyone would think you're troublemakers."

Mirabel shrugged. "We get underfoot a lot, I guess, and Dolores tells Abuela everything she wants to know. She doesn't always know what's going on because she can only rely on what she hears and well. Kind of hard to understand who exactly is causing the problems."

"Why would she do that?" Mariano asked, bewildered. Dolores seemed so sweet.

"It's her job to keep an eye out for trouble, regardless if it was us or not." Camilo munched on the bread, pleased to feel his injuries healing already. "Abuela relies on her."

Mirabel nodded. "It's okay, though."

"If you say so... if you ever need an escape, you can always hang out here, I'm sure we can find something for you to do."

Mariano was startled by how they lit up. He had never seen them so genuinely pleased and happy.

"Really?" Mirabel asked. "You don't mind?"

"No, not at all. I could use some help with Isabela, and I know Abuela was thinking about getting new curtains and shifting the furniture around."

Mirabel nodded, eyeing the curtains. They definitely were in need of replacing. She finished her bread and jam, humming happily to feel the pain disappear.

It was really nice that as long as half of what a person ate was made by her mama, it would heal. It was more effective and worked faster if her mama had made all of it, but half would do just fine. It was a great excuse to slather jam on bread. 

Camilo started bouncing around the room, poking at things here and there. "You're really sure we can hang out here?"

"Absolutely. If you need a break you don't even need to do anything, I'll just tell your family you were helping."

"That's fantastic! Thank you!" Mirabel jumped up and grinned at him. Then she got a bit shy again. "And thank you for helping us out with those bullies. There's not much we can do against them."

"We're supposed to not get in fights and not hurt others. So we'd be in trouble if we fought back and Abuela found out we hurt them," Camilo explained.

Mariano frowned. "That's not fair."

Mirabel shrugged. "We're Madrigals," she said like it explained everything.

For Mariano, it did not, but it certainly gave him something to think about for the next few days. And to discuss with his Abuela.

Mirabel and Camilo settled down after a bit and talked with Mariano about the things that Isabela liked. How she spent her time at home, what she did with Abuela, from what they knew. 

Mirabel carefully kept it positive. She wanted Mariano as a brother in law. Maybe he would get Isabela to stop being mean. And telling him the negative might scare him off. 

Mariano was attentive, taking notes and asking good questions. Some of which Camilo wrote down so they could find the answers and get back to him. 

Both of them left that day feeling like they had gained a much needed big brother. Mariano was great. Maybe a little on the slow side, but he was kind and patient and that was what mattered. He had saved them, and defended them. He clearly appreciated what they did for the community.

On the other hand, they left Mariano with several questions, and many notes of the things they said. They had let on to more of the family dynamics than they had intended. 

Mariano discussed it with his Abuela and both resolved to keep an eye on it. They were concerned, and they wanted to know more. But they wouldn't do anything, not without any proof. At least the two Madrigals had a safe place to go now, aside from Casilda's shop.

Chapter Text

The months passed quickly. Camilo's birthday, then Mirabel's birthday passed without notice, despite it being their fifteenth. No one in the village noticed the lack of parties because no one remembered when their birthdays were precisely, and assumed a party would happen when it happened. 

Well, to Camilo and Mirabel’s knowledge no one noticed or cared. Many noticed and whispered about what it could mean where they could not hear. 

And those closest to them conspired to make sure they got something. Casilda took her cue from them and did not mention their birthdays. Instead she decided to help them design new clothes with her best fabrics and threads, free of cost. 

Mariano ensured that Camilo and Mirabel had a good time at his house the next time they were there, slipping them little poems and some trinkets he had bought, thinking of them. 

Camilo adored his new ruana and wore it as much as he could. But he loved the new clothes he was designing with Mirabel and Casilda. He would match Mirabel. It would be on the fancy side, and they would be covered in Mirabel's embroidery and have it moving all over their bodies. They would also be comfortable, in their favorite styles. It would be months before the new clothes could be ready, but that was okay. They had plenty of other things to occupy them and it wasn't like they didn't have plenty of good clothes already.

Before they knew it, it was Antonio's birthday.

Camilo woke up that morning and rolled out of bed as he usually did. "Thanks Casita," he mumbled into the pillow that caught him. He pushed himself up and stretched. 

He got ready for the day and spun in front of the mirror, grinning as he shifted between different people. It was going to be a good day. 

Antonio was now five years old. 

Camilo finished getting ready and glanced around his room. A theater stage for the 'public' part of the room, and backstage was his bedroom and bathroom, though he could have his bed in the middle of the stage if he wanted. And thankfully, the number of mirrors had decreased as he got older. He still didn't know what they were about. He wasn't sure he wanted to know anyways so he put it out of his mind as he put his hand on the doorknob.

"Make my family proud," he muttered under his breath as he stepped out. He blinked at the door configurations. Dolores was now between Isabela and Luisa. The other side now had Antonio's door closest to the parents, with Ricardo's door between him and Elena. 

"Huh."

"Looks like Casita was busy again last night," Mirabel said cheerfully. "And I still don't know how that works." 

"Me either. I'm glad it does though. I can't believe Antonio is getting his Gift already." Camilo followed Mirabel down the stairs, greeting Abuelo's painting right after she did. 

"Me either... seems like not so long ago we were carrying him around town."

"I know... what do you think it'll be?"

"The only thought I've had is something to do with animals... but I got nothing."

"He does adore animals," Camilo agreed as he helped Mirabel get started on setting the table as they did every morning. 

Julieta had already started breakfast but had stopped at her usual point in order to finish getting ready for the day.

"Hey! When's the magic Gift happen?"

Both looked up and out the window. They shared a look after seeing the exact three kids they expected, down to the coffee cup.

"My brother's ceremony is tonight," Camilo replied.

"What's his Gift?"

"We're gonna find out!" Mirabel replied.

"Is it going to be as cool as yours?"

Mirabel and Camilo both laughed. If only those kids knew that no one in the family thought their Gifts were cool. 

"You know we're only part of the amazing Madrigals, right?" Mirabel asked, pointing to the family tree on the wall.

"And there's so many cool Gifts! Much cooler than ours," Camilo added.

Mirabel laughed. "Be patient and we'll talk all about it once we've all had breakfast."

The kids lit up and whispered excitedly before waving and darting off, giggling the whole way.

"I have a feeling we might regret that promise," Camilo commented. He stretched. "Alright, let's go wake up our sisters and cousins."

"And Antonio," Mirabel finished. "Which side do you want today?"

"I want Dolores, I want to see her face when she realizes where her room is now."

Mirabel laughed. "That means I get Antonio."

"He likes you better in the mornings anyways."

"So true." They shared a final laugh before they darted up the stairs and started knocking on doors. They knew after years of practice what worked best. 

Camilo bumped Dolores' door with his hip before knocking once and opening Isabela's door. He rolled his eyes to see her swish her hair, already perfect. He left the door open and turned to watch for Dolores.

Luisa was already up, as expected. She was doing her usual morning exercise routine. It was impressive how hard she worked to be strong, Gift or no Gift. Not that she could lift nearly as much without her Gift, if she ever lost it. Which would never happen, of course.

Dolores finally stepped out, stretching. She stopped and stared at the row of doors across from her, then looked to either side. Luisa just finishing her exercise on one side, and Isabela stepping out gracefully on the other. 

There was a very rare perturbed look on her face by the time she noticed her brother.

Camilo waved cheerily before going to join Mirabel and Antonio in front of their rooms. It was Antonio's last day in the nursery. 

Abuela liked to see them all do a little warm up exercise in the mornings before they all went down for breakfast, and all of them preferred dancing. 

Then they all went downstairs for breakfast, with plenty of birthday wishes for Antonio. Antonio started acting shy after half the family had wished him a happy birthday. He quickly cheered up once he saw breakfast, though. 

All too soon, they were walking with their family to town to do chores for the morning. They would return to the Casita to help with decorations around lunch time, though they would have to grab their own lunch as it was not a family meal. It rarely was.

As they expected, the three kids pulled them back as soon as they saw them enter town.

They were babbling about the Gifts and not being able to remember them all.

Camilo was pretty certain they were just trying to get Mirabel and himself to talk about their Gifts all day. 

"Alright alright, relax," Mirabel said, trying not to laugh.

"It is physically impossible to relax!"

"Tell us everything! What are your powers?"

Now Mirabel and Camilo both knew for certain they were just looking for an excuse to hear about the family again. There is no way these three kids, all with embroidery done by Mirabel visible on their clothes, had forgotten her Gift.

"Just tell us what everyone can do!"

Camilo gently took the coffee cup from his hands.

"And that's why coffee's for grown ups!" Mirabel said with a smile. 

Camilo dumped the coffee out and handed the cup back to the kid. They didn't like to take the coffee from Juancho. At least not often. He had a tendency to be more of a handful without the coffee somehow. They did like to take the coffee away when he was clearly getting badly affected, just so he had a break from the coffee. He could go get another cup two hours after they took it from him. 

Thankfully, he accepted that, whereas just about no one else, including his own parents, could get him to stop drinking coffee otherwise. 

Mirabel was glad they didn't have super active babysitting duties that day, just making sure no kids were getting in the way. This was the third Gift Ceremony they had to do this for, so it was easy. Eventually they'd attract the other kids in the town.

"Alright, so my mom, Pepa..." Camilo led the small group of kids to the edge of town, by the fields where they could see Pepa. "Her mood affects the weather, so sometimes the weather gets a little weird." He winced when she tripped over a rock and started raining. It was supposed to be a watering day anyways, but that didn't mean she had to be happy about it.

The kids giggled, talking about snowstorms on previously hot days. 

"And our Tío Bruno can see the future, in little prophecies, and  in full visions!" 

Mirabel did not mention that the little prophecies were often harder to take than the visions. The visions actually showed what happened and often even had a solution, if Bruno was asked to look far enough, that would help keep things from getting too bad for the bad ones. The little prophecies though, were things like "You have to lose everything before you are truly seen", something he had told her when she was ten. It was scary to think that she would have to lose everything to get something she desperately wanted, so she didn't say anything.

Camilo jumped in, realizing she'd gotten lost in thought. "Tía Julieta can heal anything with the food she cooks!" 

Mirabel recovered. "It's super impressive, and she's my mom!"

"And then of course, there's our dads!"

"Tío Felix married Pepa."

"And Tío Agustín married Julieta!" Camilo grinned at their dads. 

Their chores consisted of doing whatever was necessary to make everyone else's jobs easier- clean the house, go shopping, and help out in town with things so minor issues don't get brought to everyone else.

"And now Abuela is an abuela," Mirabel finished. 

Right on time, Abuela appeared to help out with some ongoing building work. 

"Why do you always help everyone?" Cecilia asked as they were herded away from the ongoing work. 

"Well, Abuela swore we'd always help the community when we got the Miracle, and now we got Gifts, so of course we're gonna use those to do good," Camilo explained. That was the simplest way to explain it without getting into things they didn't want to explain. 

"Right, and the community is still growing since we get occasional people the Encanto lets through, plus all the kids that keep getting born." 

"Wait who's related to who?"

"There's so many people."

"How do you keep them all straight?"

"Okay, okay, so many kids in our house, let's go over them." Camilo laughed as he held up his hands and started walking.

"Time for a grandkid round up!" Mirabel grinned, stopping at the mural so they could point at the different family members.

"My sister Dolores can hear a pin drop, you know I can shapeshift." Camilo shifted into each of the kids to give them a high five before going back to himself. "And Antonio gets his gift today. Then there's our cousin Elena, she makes things with glass."

"And our cousin Ricardo sees things we can't and passes on messages from the dead. Then there's my older sisters, Isabela and Luisa, one graceful, one strong. Isabela is pretty much perfect and everyone loves her flowers, and Luisa is super strong! And I of course can embroider and made those lovely designs on your clothes."

That satisfied the kids and they played for a few more hours, talking excitedly about what Gift Antonio might get. He was with Abuela for most of the day, so he wasn't able to play with them. Mirabel and Camilo didn't have the heart to tell his usual playmates that he probably wouldn't be playing with them ever again. 

"Let's get ready!" Abuela called a couple hours after their usual lunchtime. 

"Oh, we gotta go." Mirabel smiled and turned to go. She planned on grabbing a quick snack and filling up at the party later.

Camilo had brought his own snacks and was in need of more, as his shifting took a lot of energy.

"Stay out of trouble, you ridiculous kids. Juancho, don't overdo it on the coffee, you do want to be able to enjoy the party later."

"I won't!" Juancho promised happily.

"What's the ceremony like?" Alexandra asked, blocking their path. 

"Well, you'll just have to find out. Tradition for all kids to learn at the Ceremony itself." Mirabel winked at them.

"Aww but we wanna know."

"Not gonna tell you!" Camilo said, grinning before taking off.

Mirabel followed, and they let the kids chase them all the way to Casita. 

They were laughing as the kids jumped on them, trying to get them to talk.

Abuela stopped in the doorway. "What are you doing?"

"Well, they were just asking about the family and-" Mirabel tried to explain, but one of the kids cut her off.

"They won't tell us what the Gift ceremony is like!"

Dolores poked her head out. "None of us talk about what the Gift Ceremony is like." She let out a little squeak and returned to what she was doing.

Abuela still looked a bit confused but moved on. 

The kids all pouted. "Why not?"

Camilo sighed and shifted to be their size. "Truth is, the ceremony itself is really short and kind of boring. The best part comes after the ceremony, and that's the real surprise."

"You'll understand when you see it." Mirabel grinned at them. "It's going to be awesome." 

Before the kids could protest or whine anymore, Osvaldo showed up to give them some of the things needed for that night. 

"Are you sure it'll be great?" 

"Of course, we've been to four Gift ceremonies that we can remember, and they were all amazing," Mirabel assured them. 

Camilo grinned at them. "Cheer up, everything starts around seven, it's mid-afternoon. You only have a few hours left... and you still need to get ready, don't you?"

A few of the kids gasped and started running immediately. "Bye Camilo, bye Mirabel! Thanks for playing with us!"

They watched the kids go, chuckling.

"I thought they'd never leave us alone," Camilo shook his head as they entered Casita. 

"Me too. But they did so we now get to go help wherever people let us. You ever finish those decorations to go in front of doors?"

"Yep... Now I just hope I can set them out without causing yet another disaster. I don't mind inheriting Pa's eyesight but the clumsiness is not something I needed."

Camilo laughed. "If no one needs my help, I'll help you."

Both knew it was a possibility, but the request would come from the other people rather than Abuela. Abuela didn't really like asking Camilo for help even if he could shift into the right person for the job.

This suited Camilo just fine because he was certain that if she had not decided his Gift was useless, he would barely have any time as himself, based on how she dictated everyone else use their Gifts. He liked his Gift but he also liked being himself. 

Luisa nearly ran them over when Abuela asked her to do something. 

Camilo ducked behind Mirabel just in time, grumbling to himself. This was why they'd get in trouble for trying to help. Everyone else was doing two or more things at once, dropping everything at every request and then having to come back to it. It would happen so unexpectedly that naturally they were always in the way. Maybe if Abuela actually gave them specific things to do instead of generic they could avoid that. 

Camilo stepped back up next to Mirabel on her other side as his mom started a tornado around herself. He winced. 

"I don't remember her stressing this much about my ceremony," he told Mirabel quietly. 

"That was before our Gifts were considered useless," she replied just as softly. "She probably is worried about that."

"I wish she didn't have to be." Camilo sighed. 

Both let out groans when Isabela showed up to fix the flowers. Of course everyone was fawning all over her. 

Then she walked over to them. "A word of sisterly... and cousinly advice, maybe if you weren't always trying so hard, you wouldn't be in the way." 

"We're literally just bringing in the things Osvaldo brought over," Camilo said, annoyed. "What do you expect us to do, not walk through here to the kitchen?"

Mirabel snorted. "At least we're helping. You just got to perform and make your flowers." She almost ran into a pole, but Camilo pulled her out of the way in time. He was used to her clumsiness and helping her out.

Isabela scoffed and walked away, as perfect and graceful as always. 

Julieta sighed when she spotted Mirabel and Camilo carrying in supplies. 

"Don't hurt yourselves."

"Don't you worry Tía. We're helping out. Not much else we can do."

"Alright, just don't think you have to push yourselves too hard." 

Mirabel rolled her eyes. "Don't you worry. Cami helped me make some decorations, we're just going to go put them up." She sighed when she saw her dad. "Bee stings."

"Mirabel, Camilo, don't forget that you are just as important as the rest of the family," Agustín said, patting her hand.

Mirabel shuddered as her mother turned around and sighed in exasperation. 

"Ay Agustín," she muttered under breath.

"We're just going to go get the decorations up now, okay?" Camilo said slowly. He liked Julieta and Agustín but sometimes they tried to make up for how the family treated him and Mirabel a bit too much especially considering they were not fully addressing the problem when they did. 

Mirabel smiled at Camilo. "I got the embroidered signs, you got the candles?"

Camilo grinned. "Of course. Double team it." They bumped fists then started working. 

Mirabel had made little embroidered signs that had a quote from each of the family to hang next to their doors. She almost forgot that Dolores' door had moved but didn't put up the wrong one next to Elena's door, at least. 

Camilo helped out along the way, becoming José to help him with the sign over Antonio's door and a few other small things without a second thought, though he kept an eye out for Abuela. He did not want to end up in trouble on the night of his brothers' Gift ceremony.

She and Camilo met at Abuela's door. He set out the candle and made sure it was perfect while Mirabel hung up the sign.

Abuela coming around the corner startled them both, though thankfully neither knocked the candle over.

She stared at them. "What are you two doing?"

"Just a couple of little surprises, that's all," Mirabel explained nervously with a smile. 

"I know you two want to help but you should leave the decorating to someone else." Abuela turned to go down the temporary set of stairs by Antonio's door. She did not see the way both teens slumped, upset by her admonishment.

"Pepa, your cloud!" Abuela called. 

"I know, Mama but now I can't find Antonio! What do you want from me?"

Camilo and Mirabel exchanged knowing looks. One of these days everyone else would figure out that Antonio liked hiding under beds. Assuming he was in the nursery at all. 

They started walking towards the nursery. 

"Mama, you've got to stop being so hard on them. They were doing nothing wrong and hurting no one. They wanted to do something special for Antonio's day."

"They do not understand what the community needs. Such frivolous decorations are unnecessary when they could be helping with more important things. They can be so lazy when it's important."

"Mama!" Julieta protested.

Camilo flinched. Mirabel shoved him into her room and closed the door so they did not have to hear anything else. 

She grabbed a present from her project space. 

Camilo smiled slightly and disappeared into his room to grab his present for Antonio.  While he was there, he checked under his bed to be sure, but Antonio was not hiding under his bed.

Mirabel was sitting on her bed in the loft playing with the ribbon.

Camilo climbed up to join her. "I'm going to have to start greeting people soon, it's almost time already."

"I know. Now where could Antonio be?" Mirabel’s voice took on a light hearted tone.

"Yeah, everyone's looking for him." Camilo switched to the same lighthearted tone. 

There was no response. Mirabel smiled and lowered the present so Antonio could see it. 

"This present will self-destruct if you don't take it in 3... 2... oh!" 

She crawled under one side of the bed and Camilo poked his head in the other side, squeezing in as much as he could. He put his present for Antonio next to the one Antonio was playing with. 

Antonio sighed and put his head on his arms. "What if everyone stops loving me?"

"That's never going to happen," Mirabel said. 

"Yeah, even if it does, you'll always have us." 

"I wish they didn't treat you that way."

"You don't need to worry about us. Because we have an amazing family, an amazing house, each other, and we have an amazing you," Mirabel assured him. 

"Yeah, even if they don't love us, we love them, and it's okay. Whatever happens, we won't stop loving you."

Antonio sniffed, but didn't protest. He believed them. They had never lied to him before. They avoided answering sometimes, but they never lied. 

"Now... we don't have much time left and it is your birthday."  Mirabel pulled the present into his view. 

When he looked at her excitedly, she pointed at it with her lips to go ahead.

She smiled at his awed look as he pulled out a blanket with an animated jungle on it. 

"It goes with mine. Bella really helped me get this done so she deserves like half credit."

"Nah, Cami. You did most of the work, you just needed some... direction at times."

Antonio giggled and opened up the smaller box. He gasped in awe at the little jaguar. 

"We know how much you like to snuggle up with one or both of us at night, and with your room where it is, you won't be able to do it every night anymore..."

"So we thought you could have something to snuggle and keep you warm at night. And we know you're an animal guy."

Antonio beamed at them. It wasn't something everyone had picked up, since it mostly came out in the games he played and the stories he picked. 

Casita brought Mirabel her clock.

"Alright, Hombrecito, are you ready?" They started moving, then Mirabel stopped and went back.

"Sorry, I need to get in one more squeeze!"

Camilo ducked out laughing. "I'm gonna go make sure I'm ready before going to do the greetings. You got Antonio?"

"Of course."

Camilo hummed cheerfully as he double checked that he was as ready as was expected. Then he joined Luisa at the door, greeting people, in the ways he knew they each liked. It had taken him a lot of time to memorize everyone's preferences, but at times like this it was worth it, if a little exhausting.

All too soon he joined his family in seeing Antonio before it was time.

Chapter Text

Mirabel walked Antonio down the stairs. She had spent the rest of the time talking to him about how the family got the miracle and making sure he was ready. 

Camilo watched his parents talk to Antonio excitedly, while Dolores watched with a smile off to the side. 

If they weren't at home, and their parents and Dolores weren't there, he would have shifted into their dad to make Antonio laugh. But he knew better. Not shifting kept him out of trouble. 

Camilo watched them all leave after Dolores said it was time. He and Mirabel were once again expected to be further away from the family, even though Antonio was his little brother, so he didn’t bother following them.

Mirabel patted Camilo's shoulder as Antonio stepped up to his place. "Are you okay?" she whispered.

Camilo wrapped an arm around her. "Yeah. Either way we were going to miss it, and I'd rather be back here giving him support than in the crowd where he can't see us." He kept his voice down. They didn't want anyone (aside from Dolores but that was unavoidable) to hear them. 

Mirabel nodded. "I know... me too. He's still your baby brother."

Camilo sighed. "Yeah. I wish I could be there properly for him, but you know Abuela."

Both grimaced.

Abuela started talking. It was a familiar speech. The most interesting thing about this ceremony was that it had now been fifty years since the Miracle first came to be.

The curtains swung open and light shone on Antonio. He froze and didn't move. He wouldn't be the first Madrigal to freeze at the attention, and he probably wouldn't be the last. Even if it did make the crowd whisper.

He was the first Madrigal to turn to the two people he trusted most in the world, his cousin and his brother, and ask for help. He held out his hand, and said he needed them, though most would never be able to make out his words.

Even if Abuela would be furious with them for it, neither of them could deny Antonio anything. Not when they knew he was already so nervous. He had noticed the differences in how they were treated compared to everyone else, and with Elena and Ricardo as part of the family and with their own Gifts, it couldn't even be put down to them being the youngest. 

Mirabel was the first to step up and take his hand. Camilo came up to his other side, and took his hand. He did not shift; Antonio, like Mirabel, preferred Camilo in his natural form where many of the kids often liked him shifted even if just to their size. It made games more fun according to them.

"Alright, let's get you to your door," Mirabel whispered.

Camilo just squeezed his hand in support and they started walking. Ignoring all the people staring. All the pictures. 

Camilo thought back to his own ceremony. How excited he had been for his gift until it was down to him walking through the crowd of people, up the stairs and to his door alone. All those eyes on him had been more nerve-racking than he could have predicted at that age and he nearly froze up.

It had made him extremely nervous, but then he got to the top and his dad gave him an encouraging smile, Abuela smiled at him like she loved him, and he touched the candle... and he touched the door... and then he shifted for the first time. It was amazing. He had never been happier. 

Camilo wanted that for Antonio. He wanted Antonio to have a happy night where he could love his Gift before he hated it. 

Mirabel was thinking along similar lines. Antonio deserved a good Gift, one that he would be happy with. He didn't need to deal with anything they had dealt with.

She saw the look on Abuela's face. It was mostly shock, but there, in the creases of her mouth was disapproval. They would be talked to later. Probably in the morning, once everything had died down and she had the time. 

Camilo and Mirabel stepped to the side at the top of the stairs. They held hands and waited, eager to see the little boy they had babysat for years get his Gift. It would be something special.

Antonio still was nervous but he touched his door and stared at the way it lit up with astonishment. Then a toucan landed on his arm and he turned to it.

The bird chirped at him.

Antonio giggled. "Yeah I understand you!" He let the toucan hop around. He tilted his head at the next chirp. "Of course they can come.”

Both Camilo and Mirabel looked up into the sky as the Toucan called for more birds and animals. Those birds and animals rushed to Antonio's side.

And then they grinned at each other as Antonio's door finally showed the image of him with animals. 

Abuela beamed and put a hand on his shoulder. "We have a new Gift!"

Mirabel and Camilo exchanged delighted grins and followed Abuela into the room. They watched it form as they had watched their own room form.

Then the jaguar came. Antonio shrieked with delight as the jaguar took him everywhere. 

Camilo and Mirabel cheered him on, happy for Antonio. 

The jaguar brought Antonio back and for some reason greeted Agustín first, then leaned on him. 

Mirabel and Camilo moved to join the family in congratulating Antonio.

"I knew you could do it, a gift just as special as you." Abuela sounded so proud of Antonio.

Mirabel froze, staring. Abuela had said that before the Gift ceremony, but had never called her or her Gift special after that. She hadn't had Abuela look at her like that in years. 

Camilo hugged her. "Bella?"

"I... it just hit me, that's all." Mirabel sniffed, rubbing her eyes. When she looked up again, she realized they had missed the opportunity to get in the family photo.

Antonio looked so happy. Elena and Ricardo were next to him, and then there was everyone else.

Camilo sighed, but smiled. "At least Antonio is happy... Come on Mirabel, the kids are expecting us to be ourselves and play. We... we can fall apart later. Those kids are counting on us right now."

Mirabel nodded and hugged Camilo. "You're right. Antonio deserves to have his night, and no one should remember this night because any kids were upset."

But, even as they joined in the party, occasionally dancing with Antonio, but mostly sticking with the village kids, they could not stop thinking about their family, and how much they just felt like they were looking in, not quite a part of the family these days.

Dolores winced when she heard the house crack crack crack in loud snaps, but she didn't say anything. Casita was good at hiding the cracks by the time anyone saw them. She wished she knew what caused them, and why they were happening tonight of all nights.

Luisa felt weak at one point, as if her connection to the magic flickered to almost nothing before returning. She tried not to panic and was grateful she wasn't actually holding anything important at the time. 

Some of the others of the family felt a flicker of something but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. 

No one knew that there was a serious problem in the family. Of those that suspected something, including Abuela who was connected enough to the Candle to feel it weaken, they had no idea where to begin.

And no one knew that the main catalyst for this was how not a part of the family Camilo and Mirabel felt. There were many other factors in the problems over the years, but this greatest change was due to them. And they had no clue.

Camilo and Mirabel ended up seeing some of the children home when their parents were too drunk to help them, and in the end it was just them and one kid left.

Juancho clung to their hands as they walked towards his house. They had stopped letting him have coffee hours ago, and he was getting sleepy. But he wasn't going to let them carry him. He was a big kid. 

Camilo looked down at the kid fondly. "Alright, here's your house. You sure your parents went home?"

Juancho nodded. 

"Alright, let's get you tucked in." Mirabel tugged his hand to the door.

"What?" Juancho looked up at her with wide eyes. "That's okay, I can put myself to bed if they're asleep." He yawned. 

"No, I think we'd both like to make sure you make it to your bed safely, kiddo."

Juancho shuffled nervously, then nodded. "Okay." He took their hands again and led them inside. He quietly pointed to where his coffee mug needed to go then tiptoed past where his parents were passed out on the couch and to his room. "Here's my room," he whispered.

Camilo and Mirabel followed him in and helped him get ready for bed before they had him laying down. Camilo read him a story while Mirabel sewed dancing coffee mugs full of coffee into the clearly well loved blanket he had stuffed in the bottom of his dresser during the day. She drew on her Gift more than usual to get it done before Camilo finished the story. 

Juancho had fallen asleep.

She smiled at Juancho and tucked the blanket around him. Camilo pulled up the other blankets.

"Sometimes I worry about him," Mirabel whispered. 

"Me too. I think I want to try something."

"What?"

"He seemed scared of waking up his parents, right? What if I walk up to them as him and wake them?" 

Mirabel bit her lip. "I don't know. If they are a problem... it might cause more problems for him in the morning if they remember."

"If they remember." Camilo frowned, though. "You're right, that might be too risky but... I was thinking if there is something to worry about we could let Mariano know and he'd keep an eye on the situation and let others know too."

Mirabel brightened. "That is actually a brilliant idea Cami! Okay, do it, I'll be waiting to pull you out if necessary."

Camilo nodded and shifted to Juancho. 

He approached the parents cautiously. After looking between the two, he shook the father. 

"Can you read me a story?" he asked, like a little kid scared of the dark.

Camilo gasped when he was backhanded with force. 

"I told you, you ungrateful brat, that you're too old for stories! Go to sleep or you know what'll happen."

"Sorry sorry!" Camilo yelped and scrambled away. He was still shaking when he and Mirabel stopped outside the house. 

"Okay, we have to tell someone." Mirabel said, determined. "How was that missed?"

"Parents do jobs that keep them unnoticed, and the kid is eccentric but you and I can manage him. They're not worth noticing. I wonder how well he even sleeps most of the time."

Mirabel winced. "I wonder too... poor kid. No wonder he likes his coffee so much."

"Yeah... let's get to Mariano... let him handle it. He knows better what the community does."

Mirabel nodded. "I bet one of the reasons it goes unnoticed is Dolores can't sleep when her room allows the sound of the village in, so her room masks most of the sounds, but it always happens when she's asleep."

"And the few times it doesn't, it doesn't seem severe enough, or maybe she has said something but the parents are able to play it off because she doesn't know the extent."

Mirabel knocked on the Guzman's door.

Mariano opened the door and leaned on it, exhausted. "Mirabel? Camilo?" He yawned. "Wha-" He snapped awake. "What happened to your face?" He pulled Camilo in. 

"Oh, it's bruising?" Camilo commented, surprised. "Damn he hit hard." 

"He?"

"Some of the parents weren't in the best state to walk their kids home so we did that, and when we got Juancho home, he was scared of his parents and reluctant to let us tuck him in."

"So I shifted as him once he was asleep and woke up his father, asking for a story and he backhanded me and scolded me for it." Camilo explained. 

Mariano handed him the jam and toast. It was the exact jam that Camilo loved most, at the exact thickness he preferred.

Camilo gave him a grin as he started munching on it.

"...which kid is Juancho again?"

"Coffee kid," Camilo and Mirabel said together.

Mariano blinked. "...that actually would explain a lot," he admitted, then frowned. "I'll keep an eye on it. Don't provoke his parents again. You'll keep an eye on him?"

"Yeah. I'll see if he wants to start sewing lessons or something," Mirabel said. "We're not gonna let him suffer. We won't bother his parents but we can't sit and do nothing to make his life at least a little easier."

Mariano smiled at them. "And that's what makes you two so special. Do you want to spend the night?"

"No, Abuela likes to have family meetings in the mornings, especially after a Gift ceremony," Camilo explained.

"Very well. Oh, Mirabel... I hope it's okay that I plan to propose to Isa tomorrow evening."

Mirabel smiled. "Isa and I don't get along but I want you both to be happy. Go for it. Besides, that would make you my brother in law, and I like that idea." 

Mariano hugged her, smiling. "Good. Now you two better go get some sleep. It is way too late for anyone to be awake, let alone two teenagers."

Camilo chuckled. "It's not our first late night." He shoved the last of the toast into his mouth and chewed. 

"Bye Mariano! See you tomorrow!" Mirabel waved to him. 

Camilo and Mirabel didn't speak on the way home. When they arrived, most signs of the party had been put away. There would be minimal work for their dads to clean up in the morning, which was always good. Their dads always worked hard to keep things at home good so that everyone else could focus on serving the community.

Camilo followed Mirabel into her room and crawled into bed with her, not even bothering to change. He groaned. "Such a long day."

"No kidding... and poor Antonio." 

Mirabel and Camilo huddled together under the blankets just like they used to when they were really little.

"He's a smart and observant kid... too observant." 

"I know... he was right. We're not really fine, are we?" Mirabel  asked. 

"No... no I guess we're not." Camilo swallowed. "It hit me as we were walking Antonio up to the door. I was so excited, and only nervous because of all the people looking at me. And the day was perfect. But that was also the last time I remember Abuela looking at me with pride... She never said anything about my Gift being special after I got it. She didn't look at me the same way after that. I just... I was little, so I didn't really notice until we started seeing other signs and that's when it started hurting. Getting my Gift changed everything."

Mirabel wrapped an arm around him. "I was thinking similar things. I had a heart stopping moment when I thought I saw the door fading but it was just my imagination. I shudder to think what would have happened if I didn’t get a door. What we're dealing with is bad enough. How much worse would it be if I didn't have a Gift."

"I don't know and I'm glad we don't have to find out." Camilo sighed. "I spent most of the evening thinking about our lives... and realizing... When did it become us against our family? When did it become us against everyone else to the point that we weren't certain about even Mariano after he helped us, not until he proved that he was worth trusting? When did we become second parents to some of the kids we babysit, including my own brother? You realize he trusts us more than he even trusts our mom and dad?"

Mirabel squeezed him. "I know... it occurred to me too. He trusted us. We were the only ones who knew where to find him, and I don't think he would have asked anyone else about still being loved after getting his Gift. And... what we did with Juancho tonight, that wasn't much different than normal. And... that's not normal isn't it? We're Madrigals, we're not supposed to be normal and yet..."

"And yet we're quietly responsible with no one caring about how responsible we are or aren't. We didn't have a normal childhood, just like everyone else in the Madrigal family... but we're not sure we're loved. And that's what hurts most of all." Camilo let out a breath. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, Cami. I really don't know. Antonio seems happy with his Gift, and we can't just take him away from that awesome room so I guess we're sticking around."

"I wonder if anyone else realizes what we're dealing with."

"What do you mean?" Mirabel asked. 

"Everyone knows the Madrigals serve the community. There's a good faction jealous that we got Gifts. There's those who are grateful for our help. And there's those who never stop asking for help." 

"Oh... you wonder how they would feel if they knew how much pressure Abuela puts on us." 

Camilo nodded. "I don't think they would be treating us the same way, that's for sure."

"You're right... but how do we share that without alerting Dolores."

"I don't know yet... but we can take the time to think about it. It's not like anything drastic is going to happen now that Antonio's got his Gift. ...I miss him already."

"Me too. And you know, I thought of something." 

"What's that?" 

"We wondered about why Casita switched our doors around, right? I think maybe it's just about our place in the family. All the little kids keep ending up closest to their parents'. As new little kids get their Gift they take that closest spot because the parents are most protective and concerned about them."

"And Tío Bruno felt like he wasn't part of the family, his tower reflected that. And when he went to Pepa's side, he was closer to the family after adopting our cousins."

"Right! So when Elena got her Gift, Casita realized that we don't feel as connected to the family, and the family doesn't feel as connected to us. Since Casita can grow to add more rooms, I wonder if we're not even supposed to be here, if the nursery was always supposed to be the only room down here. Seems a little far from everyone else for a little kid but..." 

"That does make sense," Camilo admitted. "And anyways, they don't usually put kids in there at night until like two, right? So it totally could work better to have them there during the day rather than in a room where they might not be heard if there's trouble."

Mirabel nodded, then sighed. "So... I do wonder if it would help if people understood..." 

"I don't know... Abuela might get angry... the community might get angry too..." Camilo stood and started pacing. 

"They're part of the problem," Mirabel said, sitting up to watch him. "You and I... we've been watching everyone for years so we don't screw up worse. How many people complain about your mom's weather, only for Abuela to scold her more harshly for losing control for the next few days? How many people complain about Tío Bruno's visions only for Abuela to turn to him and tell him to stop giving visions or work harder so there's more positive visions going around?"

Camilo's eyes widened. "And how long has that been going on? Tía Julieta has to always have enough arepas and other food for all injuries, even when some of them are just things like cuts and bruises... It started with our parents. And got worse with our sisters... and us."

Mirabel nodded, swallowing. "Dolores has to carefully balance all the things she hears and not reveal all the secrets that are better behind closed doors and sharing what is needed with everyone... Isa has to grow the flowers everyone wants... I think she can grow more than what we usually see her grow, she just... doesn't. And I don't know that it's her choice, no matter how perfect she is." 

"Luisa is always carrying everything, sometimes rushing or even dropping what she's already carrying to pick up something else. Have you seen her daily chores?" Camilo swallowed. "And Elena's gotta help by providing glass substitutes for everything as needed, and making everything everyone asks... she's trying so hard to get praise like Isa does."

"And Ricardo has to do the auras and communicate with the dead but everyone expects him to be able to actually have conversations... and he always looks so tired. And scared because he often gets things people do not want to hear."

"Who knows how this is going to affect Antonio..." Camilo bit his lip. "We're going to have to come up with some sort of plan..."

"But what if it's not even needed?"

"We need something. Maybe we just start talking casually with the kids about stuff. Nothing that Dolores would pick up but enough that they might wonder what makes Antonio so different from them that he has to be responsible now."

"OH!" Mirabel sat up, eyes wide. "Mariano's going to know something is up... Abuela will want our best behavior for his proposal... and our best behavior is not what people see in the village."

Camilo winced. "That's... that's an unfortunate truth... Well... As long as Abuela doesn't get too mad at us... I mean. She can't be too mad at us for behaving to her expectations, right?"

"Yeah... Let's... let's just see what happens. I don't want to destroy the family... but we don't know what will happen if we run away... sometimes... sometimes I just wish... it would all stop..."

"Our lives?" Camilo asked softly, joining her.

"Yeah... I don't want to live like this and we don't really have much of a choice."

"Maybe not but we can make the most of it, right?" Camilo hugged Mirabel tightly. "I feel the same way though... it's hard to try to be optimistic and funny all the time even knowing that it's not allowed here and thatI just am supposed to shut up and..." He sniffed. "We've got it rough. And we're only fifteen."

Mirabel let out a shaky laugh. "Only fifteen!" Then she let out a sigh. "I don't think we'll get anywhere tonight. We should get some sleep... maybe it'll all seem better in the morning." 

"Maybe." Camilo sighed. "I just want everyone to love me... especially Abuela."

"Me too." Mirabel hugged him. "But you have me, and you have Antonio. It's not just you."

"Not sure I could have survived if it was just me," Camilo admitted as they laid down. 

"Sometimes I wonder too," Mirabel admitted. "But for now... let's get some sleep."

Camilo yawned and cuddled with her. "Right. Sleep is a thing."

Mirabel lightly shoved him before settling in.

Chapter Text

The usual morning routines went by, and Camilo and Mirabel were getting their usual breakfast. Camilo wished he could get seconds but he didn't want Abuela to realize. Any of the adults would be a mild scolding but Abuela could be a bit much.

But Camilo was starving. He needed a lot of food to maintain his shifts. At least he wasn't expected to shift all the time like Luisa was expected to carry everything. He couldn't imagine how hungry he would be then. 

Mirabel grabbed the maximum she could take and slipped him what she couldn't eat.

Camilo smiled at her in thanks and settled in to eat, grimacing when he realized he ended up next to Isabela. Of course he got stuck next to the perfect one. 

Mirabel ended up between Luisa and her mom, and gave him a sympathetic smile. 

Abuela arrived and was surprised by the coatis on the chair. 

"I told them to warm your seat for you!" Antonio said eagerly.

"Oh, thank you Antonio. We will find a use for your Gift today."

Camilo nearly choked and shared a look of concern with Mirabel. Starting immediately? They had half expected it, but it was still worrying. Antonio had no idea what was coming.

Then Abuela started talking to the family. "We just celebrated Antonio's Gift last night. We can never take our Miracle for granted so today we must work twice as hard. Now, I have an announcement." She started walking around the table.

Camilo looked up, a little alarmed she was coming his direction until he heard what she said.

"I spoke to the Guzman's last night about Mariano's proposal to Isabela. Dolores, do we have a date?"

Dolores tilted her head like she was listening. "Tonight. He wants five babies."

Mirabel rolled her eyes at Dolores' smirk. She was just trying to bother Isabela, and based on the flowers that popped up, she succeeded. 

"Wonderful. Mariano is a good match for our perfect Isabela." Abuela picked out the one white flower while Isabela looked a little panicked.

Mirabel tilted her head, but just kept eating. Did Isabela want to marry Mariano? 

Camilo was amused but just focused on his food. Shifting here at the breakfast table was asking for trouble, so he didn't dare even to tease Isabela. 

Isabela took a bit to regain her composure. She did not finish her breakfast.

"Okay, our community is counting on us. La Familia Madrigal!"

Mirabel echoed the rest of the family before shoving the last bite in her mouth. She wanted to catch Isabela.

"Isa!"

"What do you want?" Isabela snapped.

"I just wanted you to know I think Dolores was messing with you." Mirabel clasped her hands in front of her. "He was at Casilda's shop the other day and got distracted with baby clothes. He said he wanted kids but he wasn't sure how many... At least one, three was a good number, and he wasn't sure he could handle more." 

Isabela stared at Mirabel with surprise and a hint of gratitude. Then she noticed Abuela heading in their direction. "Well. At least you're useful for something. Thank you. I'll handle it." 

Mirabel recognized a dismissal when she heard it and went a separate way to meet up with Camilo. 

Camilo sighed. "Already getting Antonio in on helping out..."

"I know..." Mirabel shook her head. "Come on, it's a morning at Casilda's, then babysitting day."

"Right." Camilo followed.

Both settled into sewing quietly, neither having much to say.

Casilda frowned. They were normally a bit more talkative than that.

"Is Antonio happy with his Gift?"

"Oh yeah, he's thrilled," Camilo responded, smiling. "He loves animals." Then he frowned. "Today Abuela wants to find a use for his Gift."

Casilda hoped she had heard wrong. "A use?"

Mirabel nodded. "That's what she said. She was with him last I saw, after she talked to Isa."

"I... see..." Casilda considered that. "And what do you think the use will be?"

"No idea," Camilo admitted, focused on his project. "Probably a mix of things between what Luisa, Isa, and Dolores do, depending on the animals." 

"Isn't he a bit young for those chores?"

Mirabel shrugged. "Abuela says we have to serve our community because we have Gifts." 

Casilda did not like the picture this was painting. She had already thought things were a bit messed up at home for both of them, as she had known them both since Mirabel was five, but she hadn't considered why or how it affected everyone else.

She resolved to keep an eye on the situation. She had already heard from the Guzmans that they had stumbled on an abuse case and to be on the lookout for issues. But to know that there was possibly something wrong with the Madrigals...

Casilda was not going to let Mirabel or Camilo suffer anymore. Nor was she going to let Antonio suffer. She had never had kids, having been widowed at a young age. As such, Mirabel, Camilo, and Antonio had become much like her own children.

Camilo and Mirabel were oblivious to the fact that they had succeeded in sending out the first alarms about their family. They were too focused on their projects for the day. 

.

"Where's Antonio?" Cecilia asked.

"Oh, he's with Abuela finding a use for his Gift."

"When's he gonna play with us?" Juancho asked. 

"I don't know," Mirabel admitted. "Now that he has his Gift he's got chores and he's supposed to help people out too."

"You don't do that."

Camilo scooped up Cecilia and turned into her dad as he put her on his shoulders.

"Our chores are helping Casilda in the shop because Mirabel has to know everything about her Gift, and keeping you all out of trouble."

They all gasped. 

"We're your chores?"

"Yep, but we love you so we're happy we get to see you every day, sometimes aaaaaaaall day!" Mirabel finished fixing the tear in a ruana and handed it back to the boy it belonged to.

"You have to do chores to help people?"

"We're Madrigals, we're the ones with the Miracle and the Gifts, so we gotta help out and serve our community."

"When do you get to play? When will Antonio get to play?"

Mirabel shrugged. "We find ways to fit play around our day. I don't know about Antonio but I'm sure he'll play in his room."

"But not with us?"

"Sorry, Juancho." Camilo ruffled his hair. "Antonio's gonna be expected to help out in town so he probably won't be able to play."

"Aww..."

Mirabel smiled sadly. "I know. But, you still got us! So, what do you want to do today?"

"Can we act out a story?"

"Of course, what story?"

That afternoon, as expected, several of the kids went home and told their parents all about it, including that Antonio wouldn't get to play anymore. 

Unlike Mirabel and Camilo, who had up to their fifth birthday mostly been with their parents or other adults, Antonio had pretty much always been with them, and had grown up with these kids. They noticed he couldn't play with them anymore and were not happy about it.

And their parents... were confused. They weren't alarmed, not yet. But now they knew to pay attention.

Mirabel was surprised that night when she entered the dining room to find that Isabela had decided she would sit next to her.

Mirabel took a moment to scan the table. Abuela at the head, then Senora Guzman, then Mariano, Isabela, Mirabel, Luisa, and Elena, with Agustín at the end. The other side went Julieta, Bruno, Pepa, Felix, Camilo, Dolores, Ricardo, and Antonio. 

Mirabel was relieved to find that Camilo was across from her rather than Dolores. She did not want to deal with looks from Dolores because Dolores liked to try to communicate with looks about what she knew about a person. It could be stressful.

Although... she seemed awfully subdued that day. Only Bruno seemed to understand by the glance he gave her when they were setting the table. But he was stuck between his sisters and therefore did not get a chance to talk to Dolores.

Mirabel was not going to talk to Dolores. Nope. She didn't care that Dolores was upset. ...She did care, but she didn't want to help Dolores. Because Dolores still told on them over the dumbest of things sometimes and apparently always missed it when they were having trouble. ...she was probably going to talk to Dolores.

Mirabel stayed quiet, occasionally making a face at Camilo, who would make a face back. Nothing noticeable. Just the occasional rolling of the eyes or raised eyebrows. They didn't want to get in trouble with Abuela, who kept looking over the table and especially at them with a stern expression of 'don't you dare ruin this.'

Mariano's song was actually really good. Mirabel had known he could play piano, and that he wrote poetry, but she hadn't known that he could put that together into a song. 

Abuela made sure everyone was paying attention when Mariano got down on one knee.

Mirabel watched Isabela accept the proposal with grace and poise. Though, there was something off... Mirabel noticed vines crawling up the chair. 

She filed that away to consider later. Right now they were all making Abuela happy. Isabela was now engaged to Mariano, and they would all be excited for her, and show the perfect family. No cracks. No jokes. Just perfection.

Mirabel cheered for Isabela. When they opened the door, the town was there to cheer for the engagement, too. Mirabel thought that was a lot of pressure seeing so many people wanted Isabela and Mariano to be engaged. 

Mirabel was very surprised to find herself right next to Isabela in the picture that followed, and Camilo ended up right next to Mariano. They were in the family picture for once. Then again, if they weren't the Guzmans certainly would have noticed.

There was a party after that, celebrating the engagement. It was an adult party, aside from the kids of the Madrigals.

Mariano found Mirabel and Camilo sitting off to the side watching the dancing. He had some hot chocolates. "Are you two alright?"

Mirabel smiled. "We're fine."

"Uh-huh. Camilo hasn't shifted into me once tonight. Or anyone else for that matter."

Camilo blinked and sat up. "Oh, I'm not allowed to shift at the dinner table, especially when Abuela wants the night to go perfect."

Mariano frowned. "I see... I wouldn't have minded, but I can see how that could be a problem. You haven't done it since dinner though, and you're both normally far more... bouncy."

Mirabel shrugged. "No kids to entertain, so... gotta keep to Abuela's standards. Antonio's already in bed."

"What do you mean by ‘Abuela's standards’?" 

Camilo sighed, then decided to go for bluntness. "She sees us as troublemakers. So she keeps an extra eye on us for trouble and we gotta be careful what we do. Better to stay out of the way and quiet."

"...you haven't mentioned this before."

Mirabel sighed, straightening. "You weren't part of the family before. I mean I guess technically you're not yet but you're as good as so..."

"And we're tired of hiding it," Camilo admitted quietly. "It's... hard talking around the issues, and pretending that we're not bothered. It's hard trying to put on a show for anyone who's concerned." He shook his head. "You should get back to Isa before someone notices you're talking to us and mentions something to Abuela. Or Dolores tells on us."

Mirabel huffed at the reminder. "Actually, I did want to talk to her, so I'm going to go do that."

Camilo raised an eyebrow at her. 

"Not about her telling on us. She's never going to stop so long as Abuela wants her to do that stuff. No, something else. I'll be back.”

Camilo sipped his hot chocolate.

Mariano frowned at him and signed. "I want a better explanation later."

Camilo signed back. "Okay, when there's a chance and no one notices we're gone... tomorrow?"

Mariano nodded and patted his shoulder before rejoining the party.

Mirabel found Dolores. "Hey... is everything okay? You seemed pretty upset during dinner, and I know you don't usually like sound, but you're also not usually sitting over here either..." Here was back in the dining room behind some plants where no one could see her.

Dolores sighed. "You know Tío Bruno's little prophecies?"

Mirabel nodded. She preferred not to think about one he had given her. 'The butterfly can never spread its wings until all is lost'.

"He told me that the man of my dreams would be out of my reach, betrothed to another."

Mirabel blinked. "Mariano?"

Dolores nodded. "He writes his poetry and talks aloud so I hear him when he writes his poetry every night and he takes care of his abuela, who might as well be his mother since she raised him, and he's always so sweet with everyone."

"He is pretty great. I'm sorry Dolores. That must be hard."

Mirabel hesitated then wrapped an arm around her. "So that's why you were messing with Isa this morning about the babies."

"You knew?"

"I saw that look, and Mariano’s made comments before when he got distracted looking at the baby clothes and how tiny they are."

Dolores giggled. "Oh, I remember that day! He was so awed at the idea of a human he helped create being that small and raising them and it was the sweetest thing."

Mirabel nodded. "It was." 

Dolores sighed. "Thanks for checking in on me, Mira. I'm not sure anyone else noticed." 

Mirabel shrugged. "I don't have your hearing but I do pay attention." 

"Did Camilo notice?"

"Probably." 

"Why doesn't he talk to me anymore?"

 Mirabel sighed. "You may have your reasons for what you do, but you've hurt him too many times and too deeply. Including during a meltdown on one of your bad days."

Dolores looked down. "Oh... And I've hurt you that way too. Why are you here?"

"I don't know. Told myself I wasn't going to try to help you. Yet here I am. I just... I love my family and I want you all to be happy. Cami processes his pain a bit differently so he withdraws, and it's hard to get him out of that protective mode even though he does love everyone too."

Dolores nodded. She tilted her head. "We better get back out there before Abuela notices. She's doing her rounds again."

Mirabel winced and stood, offering her hand. "I'm really sorry about Mariano."

"It's okay... he never noticed me anyways." Dolores sighed and walked out. Mirabel waited a few moments before following and retreating back to Camilo. 

"What was that about?" he asked her quietly. "Is she okay?"

"One of Bruno's prophecies was that the man of her dreams would be betrothed to another."

"...oh. Ouch." Camilo winced. "No wonder she was so quiet earlier and disappeared. Can't blame her for that."

Mirabel nodded.

Abuela approached and gave them an approving smile. "Camilo, Mirabel. I see you are staying out of trouble."

They both nodded. 

"Good. Mirabel, thank you for being at Isabela's side during dinner. I know you have your differences, but I know it meant a lot to her." 

Mirabel nodded. 

Abuela checked the time. "One hour, and then it's bedtime for you. The rest of the party is not for teenagers. I suspect Luisa might go to bed then too, but she will have the option of staying."

Camilo and Mirabel agreed. 

They didn't relax until they were in Mirabel's room. 

"We made it through, and people are noticing. Mariano wasn't the only one noticing that we weren't doing our usual as we do when kids are around or in town in general."

"Yep. Let's keep doing this and see what happens in the future."

Mirabel smiled. "And we know we have people who are in our corner too."

Chapter Text

Mirabel and Camilo did their usual chores, hoping to avoid the inevitable questions. 

But of course, once the kids were collected, but before they were expected to return home, Mariano asked them to stop by his house for snacks. 

At first, all was silent as they snacked and contemplated the coming conversation.

"Alright, a better explanation." 

Camilo shifted nervously. "Um, can you start with questions? I'm not sure where to begin. We aren't used to actually talking about it with anyone... it's not something we talk about."

"But you were talking about Antonio." 

Mirabel sighed. "We're worried about him. And... it would have been hard to explain without being honest anyways. How do you explain to five year olds why their friend suddenly has no time for them at all? Why does his cool Gift change everything about him?" 

Camilo nodded. "In a way... we're luckier than the rest of the family. Abuela doesn't see us as useful, so she expects us to stay out of trouble, and keep others out of trouble, and generally uphold the Madrigal reputation."

"But why?" Mariano asked after looking between the two to check how serious they were.

Camilo shrugged. "We're not sure, but it's very important to Abuela that we serve our community and earn our Miracle. She thinks our Gifts are useless."

"Mostly because there's not an obvious way we help people, since my Gift just makes people happy, and shapeshifting can be a lot of things, if Camilo wants it to be."

Camilo nodded. 

"Isabela's flowers make people happy."

"And Isa is perfect to make up for that," Mirabel responded. "Or well, that's our theory anyways."

Mariano crossed his arms, frowning. "I don't get it. How can she treat you like that? How can she treat any of you like that?"

Camilo snorted. "As if half of the pressure isn't from the townspeople themselves. If it wasn't, Luisa wouldn't be rounding up donkeys every day or moving the church on command."

"Mama wouldn't spend most of her day in the kitchen and Tío Bruno wouldn't have to have so many visions and he could rest when it hurt him too much."

"Ricardo could actually be a kid. He's been so quiet since he got his Gift... He knows things no little kid should know." 

Mariano stopped and thought about it. How many times had he seen people ask the Madrigals for help, to use their Gifts without thinking about it. Did they remember their ages?

...did they even remember that the Madrigals were people too? Mariano wasn't sure. 

"I see. Is there anything you're comfortable with sharing right now?" he asked.

Mirabel and Camilo shrugged. "Might have to write it down... don't want my sis to overhear everything, then she'll have to go to Abuela. Probably." Camilo made a face. "I still don't know her standards on spilling these things."

Mariano nodded. "Notes are fine," he assured them. "I don't mind. I just would like to know more."

"Alright, that works for us." Camilo decided. 

They left Mariano with a dilemma. He wanted to protect them, but would that be better standing up for them now, or by becoming part of the family and working from the inside?

.

Just before dinner, Mirabel found Antonio under her bed. "Hey buddy, what's wrong?"

Antonio sniffled. "I can't do it. It's too much. Abuela wants me to tell the animals to do everything and keep them all under control and clean up after them and and.... it's a lot."

Mirabel wrapped her arms around Antonio. "It certainly sounds like a lot, Toñito. What do you need?"

"Where's Milo?"

"Casita?" Mirabel watched the floor dance. "Okay he's on his way."

Antonio just snuggled in and waited. 

As soon as he saw his big brother he pulled himself out from under the bed and jumped at Camilo.

Camilo caught him and held him tightly. "What's wrong, Toñito?"

Antonio sniffled. "Abuela is mean and I can't do it but she says I have to and it's a lot and I can't do it." 

Camilo let his anger show briefly before he focused on comforting Antonio. "Oh, no. It's okay. You're only five and you just got your Gift. Abuela just has... high expectations."

"She's mean!" Antonio started sobbing. 

"I know, she can be really mean."

"Can you make her stop?"

"No, we can't. She doesn't like us."

Antonio cried harder for a few minutes.

"There is something you can do..." Mirabel said slowly. "You can tell your friends, okay? It probably won't fix anything but if you tell them and they tell their parents, then their parents will go easier on you."

"You really think so?" 

Mirabel nodded. "I think so. They all like you. They won't want to work you too hard. Just don't let Abuela know you can't handle it, she definitely will just tell you to work harder."

"But what about the community? We're supposed to do things for them."

"We are, but that doesn't mean you have to hurt yourself for them, okay? Just help in the best way you can. That's what we do." Camilo poked his nose. "How much do you see everyone else relax and genuinely have fun?"

Antonio made a face. "Not often..."

"Exactly. They're just working and working according to Abuela's standards. That's the one good thing about how Abuela treats me and Bella- she doesn't expect us to do more than keep everyone out of trouble and occasionally use our Gifts. So we just get to be ourselves and help out at our own pace. We want that for you." 

"Okay... I'll talk to my friends when I can! I hope I can talk to them soon..."

"I'm sure you will. Abuela won't always be able to watch you. As long as things get done, you can get away with a lot, if Dolores doesn't hear you goofing off."

Antonio giggled. "Right! Dolores won't tell on me, I'm her favorite."

Camilo resisted the urge to make a face. Yeah, Antonio was her favorite. He probably could get away with anything. Which was good. Antonio needed the space while he adjusted to the new expectations. Even if Camilo was feeling jealous, it wasn’t Antonio’s fault and he needed it more than Camilo did right now.

That night, Camilo and Mirabel met up as usual.

"I'm worried that Abuela seems to be upping expectations with each kid," Mirabel admitted. "I'm glad we don't have any other kids in the nursery right now... she went right into tough expectations with Antonio but she didn't even do that with Ricardo. She was nicer to him. But she was nicer to Elena, and nicer to us, too. Not that we had any use, but still. She was nicer to us about using our Gifts than Antonio."

"She's just going to get worse... when Isa and Mariano start having kids... what is that going to mean for them?" Camilo asked quietly.

Mirabel winced. "It's not going to be good... which is why we need to do something now. If Abuela listens to anyone, it's the townspeople. So they need to think something is wrong or we'll never get out of this."

"Yeah. You're right. We'll just keep it up. Antonio's got his part of getting people aware of the issue. Maybe we'll get others in on it... we should try to get Luisa. She seems really stressed lately."

"Yeah. We'll see how things go. We don't want to rush too fast into this. Abuela might find it suspicious and I don't want to get her focused on us again."

"Yeah. She gets so angry... sometimes I swear she might hit me. "

"I know. Me too. She's never done it though. She just does her punishments through stern looks and harsh things like confining us to our rooms or assigning us to our parents for the day... which isn't fun. Then we get to deal with them all day."

Camilo groaned. "I love my parents but those lectures they give us because of Abuela... Those were painful to listen to and… they still bother me, even years later.”

"Yeah. Same." Mirabel leaned on him. "Come on, Antonio is feeling sad, let's go cuddle him tonight to cheer him up. Casita, can you get us to his room quietly?"

Casita responded affirmatively.

"Great!"

They arrived at Antonio's door without making any noise. They confirmed their alarm clock was set and ready, then entered.

They found Antonio sitting on the shore of his little stream, foot swinging through the water.

"Antonio!" Camilo called, waving.

Antonio looked up and beamed. "Cami! Bella! You're here! Sleepover?" he gave them pleading eyes.

"Of course." Camilo ruffled his hair. 

"Cuddle piles are the best," Mirabel declared. "Especially now that you have so many cuddly friends to sleep with."

Antonio giggled. "Come on!" He raced up the tree to the hammock that was his current favorite. It might not stay his favorite. He loved it. He flopped down on it. "Join me!"

Mirabel jumped in and had to take a moment to remind herself that hammocks were fine and it would hold her weight. Then she laid down next to Antonio with a blanket. 

Camilo joined him next.

Then all the animals joined them, especially the jaguar. 

"Your room is pretty amazing," Mirabel said. "You like sleeping on the hammock instead of a bed?"

"Yeah! I can sleep on a bed if I want, we put my bed up there," Antonio pointed. "But I really like sleeping here. It's comfy."

Mirabel smiled. "Alright. Now, let's get some sleep."

Antonio snuggled in, smiling brighter than he had been all day.

.

Mirabel and Camilo watched the townspeople the next day, trying to decide if there was more they could do towards showing that things were not right. 

But they decided they were doing enough, at least it was subtle. They could add more blatantly later. They didn't want to rebel. They just wanted people to know. And Mariano did know, some of it at least. He would help. 

When Antonio found them while they were babysitting, they pretended not to realize he was supposed to be working, and let him chatter with his friends. They did let him know when they spotted family so he could get back to work. 

Cecilia frowned and turned to Mirabel and Camilo. "If Antonio is already working... were you babysitting at our age?"

"Not quite. But we definitely were supposed to keep everyone out of trouble," Camilo explained cheerfully. "We've been babysitting for years."

"Whoa you must be really special!"

"Nah, just good with kids." 

Mirabel chuckled and presented a patched up shirt to one of the kids. 

"We are pretty good with all of you."

"Wasn't it hard babysitting?"

"It was. We were expected to know and do a lot, things most kids our age didn't have to know. 'cause we're Madrigals and we help everyone out." 

"Speaking of, Imelda needs help with her baby later," Mirabel reminded Camilo.

"Right, one newborn baby break coming up."

"When did you start helping with the babies?"

"I think we were eight?" Mirabel looked at Camilo.

Camilo shrugged. "I think you're right. I remember helping with you, Cecilia."

"Me?" Cecilia stared at them. "Whoa!"

Mirabel chuckled. "Alright, it's getting late, your parents will be waiting for you."

Camilo handed Juancho his coffee mug back. "We'll see you tomorrow."

"And now to help with the baby. You want to cook or should I?"

"Let's see what kind of mood the baby is in. Baby might prefer me today."

"Oh, good point. At least we don't need to be home for dinner tonight."

"No kidding. Always nice to have dinner outside the house."

"Definitely." Mirabel smiled at him. 

There were a few adults around who overheard the whole thing. They exchanged looks. They had not considered how old the Madrigals were when they got their Gifts. If the 'twins' had been babysitting actual babies so young, what about the others...? 

The reflection did not sit well with them. Why hadn’t they considered the ages before?

.

The next day, Antonio found them after his chores were done to excitedly tell them that the day was easier. He told them what he'd done, and of course, the adults who made life easier were ones with kids who had passed on what Antonio told them.

Mirabel was so happy for him, she hugged him tightly. 

Camilo wasn't far behind in hugging him. 

Things were going well already. 

It would take a while for things to fall apart, but it would fall apart eventually. And hopefully, things would get better.

Chapter Text

It had been almost a week since Antonio's birthday. 

Antonio adored his Gift and being able to speak to animals, though he hated how many expectations Abuela put on him for chores. He was adjusting well, especially as word got around, reminding people he was just a little kid who hadn't even started school yet.

Mirabel and Camilo had continued as normal, though they were just a bit more open, talking about how the family did things. Always casually, always with a sense of 'this is normal'. Never pointedly or any ways that would send up alarms that they were stirring up trouble on purpose.

It was enough to get attention, and now many were starting to whisper about the Madrigals and the expectations put on them. Many were whispering about how strict Abuela was. Many were questioning how the Madrigals were treated; were those Gifts really a gift?

Mariano and his abuela were keeping an eye on the situation, doing their best to support Mirabel and Camilo as they had for a while, and at the same time, not drawing notice to it. They occasionally joined in on the gossip but not often. They didn't want to spread too many things that were only noticeable because Mariano was engaged to Isabela. It could make things difficult with Alma. They were worried, just being careful about how open they were. 

It was one week after Antonio's Gift ceremony, and Mirabel and Camilo had a rare day where they didn't have to do much in the afternoons. Every so often, the kids had somewhere else to be, parents available for playdates, and not needing additional help at home.

They had decided to have a picnic at their secret spot. But naturally, part way through the town, the bullies caught up with them. 

Camilo sighed. "Hello, what do you want this time?"

"You need to stop flirting with my sister."

"I haven't even seen your sister in days."

"She was flirting with Juan, he's not even interested in her."

Camilo rolled his eyes. "Sometimes, people acting out of character are just themselves. Would you like my schedule for the last week? I haven't had the time to flirt."

Diego shoved Camilo anyways. "Shut up! You're always so smug, but you're nothing. Both useless Madrigals!"

"Get some new material." Mirabel sighed. "Yes, yes, we're only good for babysitting kids, our Gifts are useless, blah blah blah.  Can you stop with the same old stuff?"

"Oh, you want us to stop?" Diego smirked cruelly. 

He had been escalating a lot since the vision. They were a bit afraid of how far he was going to go if he kept this up. But it wasn’t like anyone would believe them without Dolores saying something, and even if she did… there was always the chance they would end up in trouble regardless

"That would be nice, but I get the feeling you're about to do the opposite." Camilo sighed. "This has been getting ridiculous. Can't you leave us alone?"

"Not until I'm certain you won't go after my sister!" 

Thankfully, this time, the fact that they were still in town stopped the bullies from escalating further.

 Mirabel and Camilo hurried faster to their hideout, exchanging wide eyed looks along the way. 

"That was nearly a disaster," Mirabel said quietly as they approached their secret spot.

"Yeah... it might not be long before they don't care anymore." Camilo let out a breath.

They got their picnic set up and settled in to eat. 

"I know people do love us, and don't think of us as useless, but it still bites... Sometimes I wonder if people do think of us as useless and just take pity on us," Camilo admitted quietly. "I don't want to be useless but our family certainly treats us like we are."

"Tío Bruno doesn't," Mirabel pointed out quietly. "Even with Ricardo and Elena he still makes time for us and tries to be a good uncle, just like our dads. Our moms though... there can be an edge to it... they don't really think of us as useless but they do want us to do things more suited to us to help out, probably just to protect us from Abuela but that still hurts."

"Yeah. It does. And we've talked about this before."

"And we'll talk about it again. Because we don't have anyone to actually talk to, Cami. I think it makes sense. We might not have anyone else, but we have each other and sometimes we just need to talk about something we have already discussed. I think that's okay."

"Yeah, you're right. We have each other."

They ate their food together, talking about other things. They couldn't laugh, not after that confrontation, but talking together was enough, for now. They had each other. How could that not be enough? 

After eating, they packed up and considered heading back to town. 

Naturally, just as they approached the town, the bullies were back. 

Camilo and Mirabel exchanged annoyed looks, then sighed and accepted their fate. 

.

Luisa had fifteen minutes. She didn't know how she had rounded up the donkeys faster than normal. Well, she thought maybe Antonio had said something to them. But it gave her just a little time to herself. 

So she found a space outside of town to sit and cry. It was behind the wall of a broken down house that hadn't been removed yet. She just cried and cried. 

It was getting to be too much. So much pressure at all times on her to get things right. So much pressure to take on what everyone could not. Carrying everything. Doing every little thing she's asked. Sometimes literally having to drop everything to do something else depending on who asked- especially Abuela. 

No breaks. No time for herself. She had to do all her chores, and do them well. No cracks, no breaks. No pressure. 

At least Mirabel and Camilo were safe from the pressures of having a Gift. They were given a lot more freedom than everyone else. 

Luisa's heart was breaking to see her cheerful little cousin already starting to face the same pressures as Ricardo and Elena, even though Antonio was only five. 

She knew that Dolores was constantly debating on what things she could share and not share. She knew that Isabela didn't want to marry Mariano, that Isabela had to be perfect. She knew that Tío Bruno struggled with the expectations around how many visions a day of each type he was supposed to give, even though some were not exactly controllable. 

She knew that Tía Pepa struggled to control her emotions, to not have them at all instead of control them. She knew that Elena was always making decisions on which projects to do with her glass based on what was giving her approval, as she had to keep being useful. She knew that Ricardo had constant breakdowns because he was far too young to shoulder the burden of understanding what someone was feeling, to pass on messages from the dead which often contained things that Luisa wouldn't even want Mirabel and Camilo to understand.

She knew that her dad and Tío Felix did their best to keep everyone together. Did their best to try to help everyone adhere to Abuela's rules while still having fun. They had the best pep talks. But they couldn't handle things as much as they wanted. 

And her poor mama, always having to bake and cook and can food. She tried so many ways to make sure people didn't come directly to her for arepas every time they were hurt, but most did anyways. Even though the food just needed to be at least half made by her. Slather a slice of toast in butter and jam that Julieta made herself, and it would work for healing.

Mirabel and Camilo were lucky they didn't have to face all those pressures. Mirabel just had her sewing lessons, still, and they both babysat kids to keep them out of the way. That was all they had to do each day. 

It sounded like a wonderful, low pressure way to spend time.

And Luisa knew that Dolores and Isabela agreed with her. At least Camilo and Mirabel were safe from the pressures they faced. No matter how much they wanted more attention, it was better this way.

Luisa let herself have another cry. Her time was almost up; she could see a clock from where she was. She always made sure she could be aware of the time so that she never took too much time to get back to work.

It was nice to take a moment outside of her room to let herself not feel the pressure and to cry about the pressure and just. Not feel strong. Because she was never strong enough, but she forced herself to be. She had to be. For the sake of everyone. If she wasn't strong...

She heard an unmistakable yelp. Camilo? Luisa wiped her eyes and sat up.

"You useless Madrigals. I wish you would just die already."

"I don't know why Tío Bruno saw me kiss your sister in a vision! I'm sorry, I won't go near her," Camilo said desperately. 

"I don't care. It's just the final straw. You two think you're so great, when you're nowhere near as useful as the rest of them, and you're all smug assholes."

"So what are you going to do with us?" Mirabel asked. Her voice sounded muffled. 

"We are going to teach you a lesson. We even have arepas to hide the evidence."

"It's almost time for us to babysit," Mirabel tried but there was a smack.

Luisa had heard enough. She got up and went around the wall. 

Just in time to see Mirabel smack into the wall and fall. Mirabel looked up at the group with tears in her eyes, but she was still refusing to let them ‘win’.

Camilo's arm was at an odd angle and he just looked concerned. 

Neither of them seemed surprised, and that was the worst part. 

Luisa took a deep breath and reminded herself she couldn't let anger get the better of her because she could kill someone if she wasn’t careful with her strength.

"What are you doing?" she asked the group as they approached Camilo and Mirabel. She was alarmed to note some of them were holding bricks.

Sure, Camilo and Mirabel would heal but they would still have been hurt in the first place. 

Everyone turned to her.

She recognized Diego and Fernando immediately. They were always annoying but at least they did not keep bothering her after she turned them down. She still didn't like them.

And now she knew she would never like them.

Diego's eyes widened, then he looked at the brick in his hand. He looked at Mirabel and Camilo. He dropped the brick quickly.

"N-nothing!" he squeaked. "We're just gonna give them some arepas and go!" He tossed the bag at Camilo and Mirabel and ran off.

His friends followed. 

Mirabel sighed and pushed her glasses back up before grabbing the bag. She grabbed an arepa and handed it to Camilo before sitting against the wall and munching on hers.

"Luisa?" Mirabel said.

"Yeah, sis?" Luisa asked, sitting down and watching them to make sure they were okay. 

"Thanks."

"No problem. Does that happen often?"

"It's been worse since Tío Bruno gave Estrella the vision that showed her kissing me," Camilo admitted quietly.

Luisa gave him a concerned look. She knew that he was usually loud and carefree. At home, he was quiet to keep to Abuela's rules, so for him to be quiet here.... it was concerning.

Mirabel frowned. "Wait, Luisa, have you been crying?"

Luisa rubbed her eyes again to make sure they were dry.

Mirabel smiled slightly and patted her hand. "You'll want to wash your face before you go back into town. But... Why were you crying?"

Luisa didn't want to share any of her feelings. But she was starting to get the idea that maybe Mirabel and Camilo did not have it as easy as she had always assumed. Maybe if she did she could get them to talk to her.

"I have a lot of chores, and I only had some time right now because Antonio talked to the donkeys."

"What does that have to do with crying?" Camilo asked with a raised eyebrow as he ate another arepa.

Luisa sighed. "Can you tell me more about the bullying and I'll tell you more about the things I don't tell anyone?"

Mirabel sat up with interest. "I guess we can. Diego is always going after us. We're the only Madrigals he can take out his frustrations on."

"He thinks the Madrigals like lording our Gifts over the community, and that we want to have control over everyone. He hates how most people worship our family, so he takes it out on us," Camilo explained. He leaned on Mirabel. 

"And yeah... the beating up is new. He started escalating after the vision that showed me kissing his sister. Which is when he trapped us in a hole. Mariano got us out. But everything he was saying, if you heard that... that's normal."

Luisa frowned. "That's not good... they always target you?"

"Them and others," Mirabel confirmed with a shrug. "We're pretty lucky. They try to keep it out of sight, and they don't do it for long so that all that we have is our word and the hope that Dolores heard what happened. Even if we accused them with that, a lot of people don't want to rely on just ‘Dolores heard it’. It would be so easy for her to just make something up."

Luisa frowned. "I suppose... but Dolores never said anything."

Camilo sighed and looked away. "She's never said anything to us either. I don't know if she's not hearing it or if she's ignoring it but... I don't trust her. There's a reason you'll see us not talking aloud or talking about things you can't understand because you don't have the context."

"You don't want her to know. Why?"

Mirabel shrugged. "She gets us in trouble but has never heard when we're in trouble. It's... unfortunate coincidence at best. But it's probably on purpose because it's not likely and... we can't handle that."

Luisa frowned and nodded. 

"So... your problem?" Camilo asked curiously. He was also eager to move on from their problems into something they might be able to solve. 

"Oh, well..." Luisa took a deep breath. "I have to do so much for everyone, it's so much pressure. I just... feel like I'm juggling a lot and I can't back down. I try to act like there's no pressure but..."

Mirabel put a hand on her knee and listened. 

"It's hard. They're always giving more and more to me to do because I'm the strong one. I can't be nervous. I can't break. I can't let on to how much they're putting on me. Sometimes I just want to take a break and relax, but the pressure just keeps growing and I don't know how much more I can handle but I have to because I'm the strong one, I have to carry every family burden and-"

"You're carrying way too much." Mirabel hugged Luisa tightly. "You should get the chance to relax once in a while."

Luisa recovered from her surprise and hugged Mirabel tightly. "But I can't let anyone down, if I slack off too much then I'll fall behind and not get my chores done and everyone is counting on me."

Mirabel sighed. "I know. That doesn't make what I said any less true. No one should carry as much as you're carrying. No one should face so much pressure. Everyone should get a break. And it sucks that you don't."

Luisa sniffed and hugged Mirabel tighter. 

"Can't breathe," Mirabel gasped. 

"Thanks sis. I better get back to my chores."

"Wait." Camilo said, jumping up. "Want to have a sleepover with us tonight? We can talk?" he offered hopefully.

Luisa smiled. "I suppose that wouldn't be a bad idea." She swept him into a back cracking hug.

He gasped. 

"Let me know if you need any help with those bullies. And... thank you."

Both Mirabel and Camilo smiled and waved. "You're welcome!" They both responded. 

They waited a bit when Luisa disappeared and exchanged looks. 

"I think we're going to get her on our side," Mirabel whispered.

"I think you're right!" Camilo responded brightly. "Now... to babysitting. Today is... the newborn twins, right?"

"Yep. And Juancho. But he's not a problem, so it should work out just fine."

"Great. Twins are difficult." Camilo grimaced. "But... worth it."

"Absolutely. Hopefully their parents get a good break. I expect we may be called for an overnight or two soon with them. Every time I've seen them this week they look exhausted."

"Well, at least it's not everyone that needs that," Camilo pointed out brightly, then sighed.  "But ugh, that's going to be a horrible day."

"Maybe it won't happen."

"Maybe. Come on, let's get to work." 

Mirabel nodded. They hurried to the house and were soon left alone to take care of the twins.

Juancho arrived, coffee clutched in hand. He watched them soothe the fussy newborns for a bit, then shyly asked how he could help.

Mirabel and Camilo taught him some tricks but didn't ask him to do much with the twins. This was their job, and they didn't want another kid to grow up too soon, especially knowing that his parents were not the best.

.

That night, they were tired but happy when they finally got home. They had missed dinner, though they ate while they were watching the twins.

Luisa entered Mirabel's room tentatively after everyone was asleep. She looked around. It was still basically the same, even after all these years.

Mirabel grinned at her. "Luisa you made it!" 

Luisa smiled back. "So... where are we sleeping?"

"The loft." Camilo leaned over the edge of the loft with a grin. "Nice of you to join us."

"You seem tired..." Luisa noted as she climbed the ladder.

"Well. We did spend all afternoon with newborn twins and a five year old. Babysitting is a tough job... They want us to do an overnight in a few days. That will be a rough day after, but those parents need it." Mirabel grimaced, remembering just how fussy the twins were. A little more than the average newborn and there were two of them.

Luisa stared at them. "...is babysitting normally like that for you?" she asked as she joined the pile of blankets and pillows. 

"Oh yeah, it has been since we were what, eight? Thankfully we don't usually have to do the babies with the other kids, but if they're over two, we can have anywhere from three to twenty kids. Depending on how busy their parents and other family members are that day," Camilo explained way too casually.

"That sounds like a lot." 

"It can be," Mirabel said. "Oh, the one exception to the babies thing was Antonio when he was a baby. We brought him everywhere with us. Even to babysit other babies until Tía Pepa or Tío Felix could take him." 

"At least you're always together then?" Luisa asked, a bit bewildered. Were they always doing that job together?

"Sometimes we have to do it separately, depending on how many people need our help and when and their special requests  on how we help them. But we still always do our best, regardless."

"I think you have it harder than I thought... That sounds pretty rough and like you need a break yourselves."

“Maybe a little. We have a lot to deal with. Why didn’t you think we had a lot to do?”

“I thought you’d escaped the pressures of having a gift but it turns out you just got different pressures, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. Our Gifts aren’t good for serving the community so we have to help out in other ways. It's why we're always trying to find other ways to help."

“I get it now." Luisa sighed. "I’m sorry I’m not a better sister to either of you.”

“It’s okay. Family is hard sometimes. It’s enough to know you care and you do like my embroidery. Hardly anyone in the family asked me most of the time.”

“Really? But your embroidery is amazing.” 

“Try telling that to the rest of the family.” Mirabel sighed. “But it was nice that you wanted it for Antonio's ceremony."

Luisa had to stop and think about that. She realized that yeah, not everyone had embroidery in the family. Antonio was expected because of the white ceremony outfit, but the others? Including Abuela? And yet pretty much all the kids had moving embroidery, along with quite a few adults. Mirabel had been busy. 

"How much work do you do with the shop then?" Luisa asked curiously.

"Enough we've been making pocket money for a while," Camilo admitted. "We help Casilda with all her orders. If there's a special embroidery order, Mirabel focuses on that part and we do the rest."

Luisa blinked a few times. "You actually do help out then?"

"Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I?" Camilo asked, tilting his head. 

"I don't know. I know others don't think you actually do and I guess I hadn't thought too hard about it. That's actually pretty cool. I bet you've gotten good at it."

Mirabel grinned. "He has! Casilda has said that we're both a bit beyond apprentices at this point, and we could probably run the shop on our own in a few years! A bit more practice and we'll be as good as she is."

"That's great!" Luisa grinned, happy for her sister. It was nice to see Mirabel and Camilo acting a little more their age rather than all responsible. 

Mirabel nodded. "So... Can we talk about you?"

Luisa grabbed a unicorn pillow and squeezed it, watching the sparkles on the horn dance. Mirabel must have done some work on it. 

"There's not much to talk about. I'm always the strong one, I can't break down, and even if I feel weak I can't let that get to me."

"Weak?" Camilo asked, frowning as he leaned on her. 

"Yeah, sometimes I just... feel weak. Things feel a little heavier. It passes quickly. The worst time was during Antonio's party so it wasn't noticeable and I wasn't even holding anything but I just suddenly felt like I'd barely be able to lift the table on my own out of nowhere and then it passed as quickly as it came so I tried to put it out of my mind but then the feelings of weakness have kind of gotten worse this week and I don't know. I worry that something's happening with the magic because if there is... then I won't be able to carry anything anymore."

Mirabel hugged her from the other side, so that Luisa was between her and Camilo. 

"I'm so sorry Luisa... that's rough," Camilo said softly. "No one should have to deal with that alone. That's the only way we're getting through this; we have each other. But you have no one, do you?"

Luisa sniffed. "Sometimes I talk to Isa and Dolores but that's difficult sometimes because they don't like talking and they just want to keep Abuela's approval and that means not talking about it just in case she knows we're talking badly about her."

"We don't care," Mirabel assured her. "We want to help you. We have some free time after our time with Casilda most days, we could grab lunch and bring it to you and sit with you while you eat?"

"That would be nice," Luisa admitted. "I have a hard time getting lunch because I can't carry it with me and I have to go home to get lunch or find somewhere to get lunch and then eat it and then go all the way back to my chores and it just takes so much time."

"Good! You know you could always start talking about your struggles," Camilo suggested. "Maybe not in detail, but I'm sure there are people who don't realize how much you're doing."

"What do you mean?" Luisa asked, frowning.

"People see us as something more than human because of our Gifts, and Abuela's push to serve the community does not help," Mirabel explained. "And I'm sure they don't really think about how much any of us do. Mariano's face when he realized just how much baby-sitting Camilo and I do and how long we've been doing it told us that.”

"So, if you just bring it up casually, say what you need to get done by whatever time, and comment on your free time... people are going to notice and question it. They're already questioning Antonio's 'job' after some of our offhanded comments about him not being able to play with the other children anymore and his worries about not living up to Abuela's expectation." Camilo grinned at Luisa's stunned look. "See the problem is they've accepted this as normal. We don't have to spill everything, just make them think and question what's going on. If the community realizes we're doing too much, then Abuela gets some push back."

Luisa nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll try it. Better than always holding it in at least. You... You've thought about this a lot, haven't you?"

"If Antonio wasn't happy with his Gift... we'd take him and go," Mirabel admitted softly. "You know, we were around him so much that he called us mama and papa sometimes? It was only after he was older and others took him around the town sometimes that he stopped, despite us trying to correct him.”

Camilo nodded. "We did a lot of raising Antonio. Mama and Papa did their best, of course, but the way Abuela wants things to go... they couldn't do the bulk of it and he was in the nursery at two, and that meant we were closest if he needed someone. We know everyone's under a lot of pressure, a lot of different sorts of pressures, and we didn't want him to face any pressure."

"But Abuela said that we would find a use for his Gift, the day after his birthday," Mirabel said softly. "He's five! He doesn't need that pressure. Even we were older when we learned that Abuela considers our Gifts useless and just wanted us to stay out of the way."

"Wait, what?" Luisa demanded. "Your Gifts are not useless! Abuela actually said that?"

"I'm not sure she's ever said it to our faces, but Casita likes to help us eavesdrop on conversations that we need to hear. So... We know she thinks us useless, no matter how much good we try to do for people." Mirabel shrugged, then gasped when Luisa hugged her.

Camilo smiled, amused by Mirabel’s face. "And on top of that, there are whispers about us being useless Madrigals, not just those who bully us. We do our best to be useful, but we're mostly reduced to keeping kids out of the way and sometimes we're allowed to help decorate."

Luisa frowned. "That's not right. You're not useless. All the kids adore you and people love the embroidery... I don't hear any bad words about either of you from the parents."

Mirabel beamed. "That's great! I'm glad the parents like us! I'd hate to be doing things wrong so that they think we're not good babysitters. The kids are wonderful."

Luisa nodded. "I wish I got to play with them as much as you do. They do seem pretty great." She sighed. "So, just as I take on too much, so do you, huh?"

Camilo nodded. "Yep. We take on a lot trying to help out and make sure everything goes smoothly... and the kids can be exhausting. Sometimes we get twenty of them and there's two of us."

"Today we were babysitting newborn twins and Juancho."

"Juancho... the coffee kid? That must have been rough."

"No, he's a sweetheart. Believe it or not he's better with coffee, though there is a point where it's too much but he only trusts us to take his coffee away," Mirabel explained. 

"Yeah, you don't want to see him when he hasn't had a coffee. He's way worse." 

"Oh. I wish I could help."

"It's okay. I know the kids would love it if anyone played with them, you'd be instantly their new best friend. But it doesn't work out that way with Abuela's expectations."

"I can try to find time, maybe. It would be good for me to be doing more than lifting, right? That would help people see me as human?"

"Oh, yes! Great idea, sis!" Mirabel grinned, then yawned. 

"Okay, you're yawning and if Mirabel is yawning, you're not far behind." Luisa gave Camilo a look. "So let's get some sleep... we can always do another sleepover... Do you sleepover with Antonio?

"All the time. He got lonely in the nursery. We don't do it as much now, and we do it in his room when we do," Mirabel explained. 

"It's only been a week."

"Well, going from almost every night to just two nights in a week is definitely not as much."

"Oh... wow. And none of us knew. You must have been so lonely."

"We had each other. We're not considered twins for nothing." Camilo shrugged. 

Luisa hugged them both anyways. "Now let's get some sleep and I'll be clear. You can come to me with any issue, okay? I don't like that you've been dealing with those bullies with no help."

"I wouldn't say no help," Mirabel protested. "Casilda does what she can and Mariano helps too, he and his abuela ask us to help all the time so we can get a break and he pulled us out of a hole once."

Luisa stared at her. "That explains why he keeps looking at you and Camilo strangely. He knows you better than most of us do, doesn't he?"

"Maybe a little. He mostly is noticing how differently we act here at home rather than when we're visiting him. Like, Camilo normally shifts all the time for jokes and fun..."

"And because I have to really have control of myself to not shift on a thought, so I prefer to just relax and let shifts happen, but Abuela doesn't like that, so here at home I just... don't shift and Mariano noticed and is a bit confused. It's... interesting being truthful. 'cause I don't want Dolores to realize what we're doing, but I'm so tired of dancing around the truth at the same time."

"Oh that makes sense. I'm sorry... you shouldn't have to deal with that." Luisa laid back and pulled them on top of her like they used to sleep before things went so wrong. 

Mirabel was surprised then she snuggled in happily. She had missed this time with her big sister.

Camilo sighed. "Could've given us a warning... good night. Love ya both."

"Good night, love you too," Luisa and Mirabel responded together then looked at each other in surprise. 

Camilo smiled, then yawned and fell asleep.

.

Mirabel and Camilo did their jobs as they had always done, and stepped up avoiding the bullies. 

They kept an ear out for rumors and both exchanged grins when they heard whispers about everything Luisa was doing in a single day when they dropped off the kids one afternoon.

"How much does Luisa do in a day, do you know?" Casilda the morning after they first heard the rumors.

Mirabel shrugged. "I don't know. I know that she pretty much always has to get the donkeys and move the church, and there's pretty much always some sort of construction she's helping out with... and I think maybe she does some farm work too?"

"I know she's always busy. We started bringing her lunch so she can have time for lunch 'cause it's such a long walk home when she's so busy."

Casilda frowned. "And she's been doing the majority of that for years."

"Yep," Camilo said. "She carries a lot. Sometimes I hear people shouting requests as she walks. Even saw her start collecting the donkeys and straighten a house without pausing as someone asked her to do that."

"I see. You do realize that's not normal?"

"We've got Gifts, that is our normal."

"No, not what she does, but being asked so much. Pretty much everyone takes breaks and rarely have to multitask."

Mirabel shrugged. "It's our normal. Always been like that. Mama's always gotta have food ready for people. Papa says she didn't even take a week off after I was born before she was back to healing people with her Gift."

Casilda frowned. "I see. No wonder neither of you ever complain during the busy times."

Camilo shrugged. "Someone's gotta do the work. And we don't usually have things to do besides babysitting 'cause our Gifts aren't that great for helping."

"Well, I find you very helpful and I am always grateful when you take on extra work, though I do want you two to still be children."

Mirabel shrugged. "It's okay. We've been taking care of babies since we were eight. Not sure we know how to be children anymore. And anyways. We're fifteen now." Mirabel could tell she was just making things worse, and she secretly enjoyed it. She loved Casilda for teaching her and being patient with her. She loved that Casilda had accepted Camilo in and taught him too. So Casilda being angry on their behalf... Mirabel loved it. 

"That's not-" Casilda took a deep breath and let it out. "Well. I think I would like to know more about what kinds of things you two get up to when you're not here."

Camilo grinned and started telling her about their latest babysitting outside of the usual between kids done with school and parents done with work babysitting.

Mirabel chimed in from time to time, but she was working on a rather tricky bit of embroidery for Mariano. He wanted all of Isabela's usual flowers on the back of one of his shirts. And he was paying her for it, though she hadn't asked him for payment. 

Casilda knew that there were unsettled feelings in the town about Antonio, and about Luisa. She knew that Mariano and Señora Guzman had concerns about Camilo and Mirabel, and now she had even more to add to that conversation. They were gathering information, trying to figure out just how bad it was before they challenged the status quo.

Chapter Text

Dolores had an uneasy feeling. Something was causing rumors to spread about the family. She didn't understand it. Any time she checked in with the subject of the rumors, they weren't saying anything unusual, just speaking the truth and nothing even bad. Why was this suddenly a problem?

Abuela was noticing that something was wrong, that others were not treating her quite the same way. 

Dolores didn't know what to tell her. She mentioned that she thought there were rumors but she hadn't been paying them any mind. 

Abuela told her to listen. So Dolores was listening. She didn't know if she'd like what she heard, and she was worried she'd have to get Camilo and Mirabel in trouble... the rumors seemed to spread from their casual comments, though why they were of concern, Dolores didn't know. It worried her. Especially after Mirabel so bluntly told her why they didn’t trust her.

.

Camilo and Mirabel were pleased their plans were working. And they were getting closer to Luisa too. She seemed to be getting more relaxed, as some of the townspeople stopped piling so much on her. They only asked her when they needed help, if she was not doing anything at the time. 

They knew the townspeople noticed a difference, because everyone was commenting on how happier and more approachable Luisa appeared. Luisa was finding she was having conversations with people for the first time in a long time, and she thoroughly enjoyed that.

It took a month before Camilo and Mirabel found another way to create cracks in the perfect Madrigal facade while at the same time helping their family. They had avoided the adults, as they had their own bigger responsibilities as parents, and were not always the best at comforting. 

They didn’t even approach Bruno despite him being the most supportive and understanding. He had his own problems and it was hard to find him without at least one of his kids during his downtime.

They found Ricardo sobbing after a particularly brutal communication with the dead. 

"Whoa, Ricky, are you okay?" Camilo put his hand on his cousin's shoulder.

Ricardo threw himself at Camilo and kept sobbing into his chest.

Camilo rocked him, looking up at Mirabel with some alarm. 

Mirabel frowned. They were still in town. Better find a place to help Ricardo calm down. 

Camilo picked up Ricardo and followed Mirabel to the Guzman's. 

They settled on the couch with Ricardo, pleased that Mariano was nearby, likely close enough to listen, but far away enough that he wouldn't bother Ricardo.

"Where's Tío Bruno?" Mirabel asked.

"Papa went home 'cause bad vision migraine," Ricardo mumbled. 

"Oh, that's unfortunate... Do you want to talk with us?" Camilo asked gently. 

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not," Mirabel assured him. "We care about you, and we don't have anything to do right now."

"Okay..." Ricardo sniffled. "Señora Arango wanted me to talk to her daughter and-and.... her daughter was angry and I think she would have been shouting if I could actually hear her and and her daughter blames her for her death and she was just so angry and hurt by what happened and and I saw what happened 'cause she was thinking of it so strongly and it was awful."

Camilo rubbed his back. "I'm sorry. Was anyone with you?"

Ricardo sniffled and shook his head. "Abuela said I'd be fine on my own and-and Señora Arango wouldn't let me stop even though I begged her to let it rest because her daughter was so angry and she just... wouldn't. And it made her daughter angrier and she showed me more and more and I tried to explain and I tried to get them to stop but they wouldn't listen and-and th-then Señora Arango grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go and I kept trying and-and." 

He took in a few shuddering breaths before continuing. Mirabel and Camilo exchanged alarmed looks.

"I told her of course her daughter hates her and she slapped me, told me I was lying there was no way her daughter hates her and... and she demanded to know how her daughter died and I tried to describe it but she didn't believe me 'cause there's no way Señor Arango would do that but he did. I saw her memory. At least-at least Teresa felt bad for me but she kept trying to show me and it hurt and she was sad and..." Ricardo sniffled. "I hate my Gift."

Camilo winced. "I'm sorry, buddy. That's rough. You shouldn't have to deal with that."

"Why does everyone make me?"

Mirabel ran her hands through his hair. "Same reason Tío Bruno has visions and my mama is always cooking, and Isa is always making flowers... Abuela likes to help the community. And the community likes what help we can offer. I'm sure Señora Arango thought she'd be getting closure, but she wasn't ready to hear the truth."

"It hurts. I didn't like what Señor Arango was doing to Teresa. She hurt and fought and screamed and cried and she had no clothes and then he buried her in rocks and..." Ricardo sniffled. "She doesn't want her body to be found."

Camilo kept rubbing his back. "I'm so sorry you had to see that. No kid should have to understand that sort of thing, and Señora Arango shouldn't have pushed when you were crying and asked her to stop."

Ricardo nodded, tears slowing. "Do I have to go back out?"

"No, you don't." Mariano came in with some snacks and a bit of juice for Ricardo. He offered coffee to Mirabel and Camilo, and they accepted. 

Ricardo tentatively grabbed the first thing he saw and leaned back on Camilo to munch on it. 

Mariano smiled. "If your Abuela wants to know, you can always say I wanted to hear from my parents."

"Do you?"

"Not right now. I'll let you keep talking, okay? Sounds like you need a break."

Ricardo rubbed his eyes and nodded. "Thank you."

Mariano smiled at him then left. 

"I don't want my Gift anymore," Ricardo whispered. "No one listens to me or believes me and I'm always trying to explain but they don't get that I can just only talk to them, I can't do anything else... Or they want me to tell them what another person is feeling 'cause I can kind of tell with the auras and I don't like doing that 'cause it's mean and they get mad I won't tell them."

Camilo sighed. "I know. Gifts are hard, Ricky. They come with downsides. People don't get that."

"What do you hate about your Gift?" Ricardo asked, moving to be able to look at Camilo.

"I hate that I'm just good for a joke," Camilo admitted. "That people don't really think of me as a real person, a friend, just someone to play with or cheer them up."

"Oh. And you, Mira?"

Mirabel sighed. "I hate that people seem to overlook me unless they need me to fix their clothes and that I can't do anything to help at all since my Gift is only with embroidery. I can't move mountains, or make flowers grow, or anything flashy and cool like everyone else."

Ricardo looked between them. "Oh. But you got me and Elena out of our house." 

"You remember that?" Mirabel asked, surprised. "You were only two."

"It's the only thing I remember before Casita," he admitted. "But you're the best cousins ever!"

Camilo grinned. "I'm glad you think so." Then he sighed. "But I'm sorry you're struggling so much."

Ricardo smiled back. "I know Papa struggles. He hates how his visions are seen and he breaks the ones people don't want sometimes when he doesn’t hide them away. Or when they come true. And he hides away when he can so Abuela can't drag him out to serve the community. I know Lena doesn't like that she can't just make art with her glass, she has to be useful and... and now I know you two don't have a good time either... Why can't we be normal?"

Mirabel shrugged. "Because magic decided to reward us for Abuelo's sacrifice and Abuela's grief. I don't know why, and I don't know why we got the Gifts we did. But I do know Abuela believes we are meant to use our Gifts to serve the community. She just... pushes a bit too hard."

Ricardo grabbed another snack. "Yeah. I guess. I don't like it."

"I know. Neither do we... but what Abuela says goes. I just wish you didn't have to face the pressure so young."

Ricardo sighed and leaned on Camilo more. "You sure it's okay for me to not wanna have my Gift anymore?"

"Absolutely. I don't think there's any way we can get rid of them. But maybe we can come up with a plan so you can have some time so you're not so overwhelmed?"

"That'd be nice." Ricardo smiled at them hopefully.

"Alright. I think Mariano would like to help you whenever possible. And Luisa wouldn't mind helping you out, especially if you bring her something to eat or drink... Casilda probably wouldn't mind you ducking in either," Mirabel mused.

"And I'm sure we can find some others... Antonio might need some help sometimes. He's gotta make sure his animals are staying out of trouble and doing what is necessary."

Ricardo lit up. "That's great!" 

Camilo smiled and ruffled his hair. "And I'm sure you'll find other ways to get the breaks you need. Without letting Abuela down."

Ricardo made a face then nodded, beaming. "You really think so?"

"Absolutely. Sometimes bad things happen, but you're only eight, you shouldn't have to deal with it." Mirabel checked the time. "Why don't we go back and see if your Papa is ready for cuddling? I'm sure he wants to know what happened."

"Alright!" Ricardo jammed another into his mouth. "I'm ready to go!"

Camilo finished his coffee and chuckled. "Give us a moment and then we'll be ready to go."

Mirabel finished up. "I'm ready."

Mariano appeared in the doorway to check on them.

Ricardo jumped up. "Thank you!" he told Mariano brightly. "I'm glad you're going to be my cousin!"

Mariano smiled. "I'm glad I'm going to be your cousin too. Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"I will!" Ricardo hugged him, then darted for the door.

Mariano chuckled, then frowned. 

"...how much of that did you hear?" Mirabel asked. 

"Most of it. Poor kid. He shouldn't have seen those things... he's far too young."

"At least we can guess what happened to Teresa." Camilo shuddered. "Which... is not a good fate. I don't blame her for not wanting her body found."

Mariano nodded. "If you two need help dealing with that... My door is always open."

"I think we'll be okay, thank you." Mirabel smiled, then sighed. "We know how bad people can get, and we know that the town isn't as perfect as Abuela likes to pretend it is."

"I'm just thankful none of us have had to deal with it directly, despite the bullies," Camilo added. "Since Mirabel and I are considered the useless ones, and they know Dolores won't send help, we'd be easy targets if it crossed their minds."

Mariano frowned. "If it ever happens to you..."

"We'll tell you or Casilda right away," Mirabel assured him. "We're not going to hide it. Thank you for everything, Mariano. You're a great guy."

"I try, although I do wonder about Isabela... she's not who I thought she was... but Ricardo is waiting."

"What do you mean?" Camilo asked as Mirabel started for the door.

"I've seen how she treats you two at home. That's not something I thought she would do. Not sure I want to marry her after all... but you two and others need someone in your corner there."

Camilo shrugged. "It's up to you. We've survived this long, we can keep surviving if necessary."

"You shouldn't have to."

"I know. But that's our life and I really gotta go!" Camilo waved and followed Mirabel.

When they got back to Casita, they learned that Dolores had a migraine that day and was hiding in her room trying to tune everything out.

Both were relieved it meant that she had no chance of having overheard them. Which meant that she definitely didn't know how badly things had gone that day. They brought Ricardo up to Bruno's room. 

They stood by the door while Ricardo crept in. He came back just long enough to tell them he'd be staying before disappearing back to the safety of his papa's arms. 

Mirabel and Camilo exchanged looks and tilted their heads at the same time. They wanted to go to their rooms to process, have some downtime themselves after all that.

Unfortunately, Abuela noticed them and ushered them down to help Julieta.

Apparently it was another day for Mariano coming over for dinner. They had forgotten.

Mirabel and Camilo sighed together and agreed to help with dinner without argument. They went down to help Julieta. 

Abuela watched after them with a frown, sensing something off that day. But she had been having a lot of problems lately, so she put it out of her mind to focus on making sure the house, the family, and especially Isabela were ready for Mariano's visit. 

It would still be a few months at least before they married, though they were still figuring out the dates, and she wanted there to be no second guessing. Everything had to be perfect for the family, especially Isabela who reminded her so much of herself.

Julieta directed Mirabel and Camilo to what she needed help with. When neither had a comment, she looked up with a frown. 

"Is something wrong?"

Mirabel sighed. "Ricardo had a bad day with Señora Arango... she didn't want to listen to him about what Teresa showed him."

"We found him sobbing in an alleyway," Camilo added quietly. "Took him to the Guzmans to calm down. He's with Tío Bruno now." 

Julieta hummed and cleaned the flour off of her hands. "And what has you so upset about it?"

"He didn't say exactly what happened. I'm not sure he understood what she showed him," Mirabel said quietly. "But he said enough to imply..." She shuddered. 

"Well, she had no clothes on, and doesn't want her body found," Camilo put in.

Julieta frowned. "I'll make sure Bruno doesn't need any help with him later... is he okay?"

"I think he will be," Mirabel assured Julieta. "He was quite happy to come home and see his papa. But it was a lot, and Señora Arango didn't want him to stop... despite not believing a word he said."

"That's difficult... Poor Ricardo." Julieta sighed. Then she drew Mirabel into a gentle hug. "And as happy as I am that you both helped him...." She kissed the top of Mirabel's head then pulled Camilo into a hug. "That's not a topic either of you should be dealing with either." 

Camilo half smiled. "We're okay. We hear a lot helping Casilda out. People forget we're there. And sometimes we hear stuff while we're babysitting the babies."

"That's still not right."

"Come on, Mama, you know that we're not normal." Mirabel said, trying to smile brightly. "We're Madrigals. We're special. We have to be mature despite our ages."

"And what gave you that idea?"

"Babysitting twin newborns when we were eight," Camilo said quietly, already turning back to what he was doing.

Julieta frowned. "You know that's not right."

"Well. Maybe not. But what can we do?" Mirabel shrugged. 

Julieta sighed. "You're allowed to be bothered by it, both of you. You're only fifteen. You still have some growing to do."

"I don't know, Papa is pretty short," Camilo said jokingly. 

Julieta shook her head with a small smile and hugged him again. "It's still not something I'd want either of you to worry about and I know Pepa and Felix feel the same way. Are you alright?"

Camilo sighed and leaned on her. "We both wanted to be able to go and talk in private and process what happened, since we were so focused on helping him calm down and he was even saying he hates his Gift."

Julieta winced. "Why are you here then?"

"Abuela saw us," Mirabel said quietly, leaning on her as well. "So we were ordered to come help out."

"Of course. Well, I'm almost done, so once you're done, you can have about thirty minutes to yourselves before dinner."

Both brightened and hurried back to their jobs.

Julieta watched them sadly. She worried about both of them. Just like everyone else in the family, they took on too much. It was too bad that Dolores and Isabela both refused to see how much their younger siblings had grown up, and how much pressure they were under.

.

Mirabel watched Camilo bounce around the stage, playing different acts up. 

It was entertaining. But also heartbreaking, since he was interspersing his thoughts on what had happened to Teresa in his acts. It was one of his ways of processing things that happened. 

Eventually he slowed down and dropped next to Mirabel. 

"I don't know what to think," he said quietly as he leaned on her.

"Me either," she said with a sigh. "I knew that stuff happens, but... Poor Ricardo, being forced to see it, and still not being believed." 

"Yeah. Never wanted him to deal with that." Camilo shuddered. "It's awful."

"And there's still nothing we can do. Not while Abuela believes that everything is perfect."

"Even though it's far from perfect." 

They stayed leaning on each other the rest of the time to break. Both were thinking about how hard it would be if they had experienced that. They knew it wouldn't go over well, and they weren't certain how Abuela would react... if she would believe them. Neither believed that Dolores would actually say something.

But they would have to continue to be strong for Ricardo. They just heard about it from him. He was eight years old and learning about such things far too young.

Dinner that night was quiet. Mariano was surprised to see Ricardo, but didn't bring it up. She wasn’t about to cause drama.

Ricardo was sitting between Elena and Bruno, quieter than usual. He had clearly been crying. Many of the others wanted to ask, but they knew better than to draw attention to the tears in front of Abuela.

Isabela did her usual perfect routine, letting Mariano be affectionate with her. She pretended to enjoy all the attention even though she really did not. 

That night, Camilo and Mirabel were talking in Mirabel's room when Pepa and Felix came in. They'd heard from Julieta about what happened with Ricardo. 

Agustín had already talked to them briefly, giving them some words of encouragement and a hug. 

Camilo hugged his parents tightly. Mirabel joined them.

"Julieta told us what happened earlier," Pepa said quietly. "Are you two okay, do you need to talk?"

Mirabel smiled. "We're okay. We... we knew that kind of thing happens... didn't expect to hear about it like that but we were focused on helping Ricardo out."

"Yeah," Camilo agreed. "Ricky needed us to be strong. And we've had some time to think about it and talk about it." 

"Okay, but we are always here for a talk if you need it," Felix reminded him. Then Felix frowned. "Julieta said that you have heard about that sort of thing before?"

Camilo nodded. "People forget I'm there when I'm shifted, and sometimes people forget Mirabel and I are there 'cause we're not as noticeable as everyone else."

Pepa and Felix looked at Mirabel's very brightly colored dress with all the moving embroidery on it.

Mirabel shrugged. "It's just as much about people's attitudes as appearance. I'm on the quieter side sometimes, and that's when they don't notice me."

"It's not because you've experienced it before?" Pepa asked. There was a flash of thunder at the very thought.

Camilo and Mirabel both hesitated before saying no. Pepa started thundering more.

"It's not actually happened before," Camilo hurried to say. "People just… Think we're the useless ones and can take that out on us and threaten it but never actually go that far."

"Yeah. Closest anyone has was some... touching but we just don't go near that area of town anymore."

"What?" Pepa hissed. "Who?"

"...forget we said anything. We don't have any proof, no need to cause trouble." Camilo tried to calm his mother down.

Unlike usual, this did not help. She was on the warpath now. 

Mirabel sighed. "We don't have proof."

"I'll ask Dolores then," Pepa decided. 

Camilo scoffed. "She never confirms our stories when we say we've been bullied. I doubt she'll care."

"Dolores cares," Felix said after a moment of stunned silence, broken only by Pepa's thunder.

"She got us in trouble for a something that was the bullies trying to get us in trouble," Mirabel said flatly. "Any time we tried to say we were pushed into the mud or whatever happened, she told Abuela that it didn't happen, that we just did that ourselves." 

"So if she does care, she's got a funny way of showing it," Camilo finished for Mirabel. "And anyways, she did nothing when we fell into a trap and I sprained my ankles. Mariano got us out that time."

"And Luisa rescued us when the bullies planned to beat us up and feed us Mama's arepas so there was no hint of what they did. They're right. No one believes us." Mirabel shrugged. 

Practicing being honest about things in the townspeople had made it easier to be clear with family.

Both of them were surprised when Pepa and Felix rushed in and squeezed them both. 

"I'm sorry, I believe you," Felix said. "Can you tell us who?"

Camilo and Mirabel exchanged cautious looks. After a moment they started listing off some of the worst. It was a list of ten... and that was excluding those that most people thought were good people. That had never said a single word against the Madrigals before. Every single one of the ten were people that were generally considered the 'bad' sort. 

Pepa started pacing and grumbling, muttering "I knew it" as she tried to figure out what to do next.

Felix, though, kept hugging both of them. He thought there had to be more names. The way they had been talking... If they didn't think they would be believed about the comments or the bullying they probably would not share names it was hard to believe would act that way. He resolved to keep an eye on the situation.

He had noticed that Mariano and Casilda might be two they trust. He would have to take Agustín and see if they could get any information at all about what was going on.

Mirabel and Camilo leaned in, accepting the affection, which had grown so rare over the last few years, no matter how much their parents loved them. It was a combination of Mirabel and Camilo avoiding everyone when they could because they had to put on an act around people. Their parents were often too busy for it. And sometimes, well, sometimes there were other factors too. 

So when moments like this came along, they embraced them wholeheartedly.

Mirabel let out a sigh. "We'll be okay. We avoid the troublemakers as much as they let us."

Camilo nodded. "Yep. We stick around Casilda's shop, the Guzman's house, or with our babysitting jobs, which are usually in the middle of town where everyone can see us. When we do wander off..." He shrugged. "We have our hiding places and they try to ambush us outside of town rather than within town where people might actually catch us."

Mirabel nodded. "We're good at avoiding trouble and we hardly ever go anywhere apart for a good reason."

Felix hugged them tighter. He had always assumed they went everywhere together because they had the same jobs for the most part. Or because they still considered themselves more twins than cousins. So to learn that it was partially a safety net was more than a little horrifying.

"I'm not going to let anyone else hurt you."

Camilo smiled and hugged him. "It's okay, Papa. You can't always be around, you've got other responsibilities. We can handle it. It's not as bad as it could be."

Felix just hugged them tighter, having no words for how upset this made him.

Chapter Text

"Um, why did you call this siblings meeting?" Bruno asked tentatively, watching Pepa continue to storm. 

Her storm had expanded to include the whole valley. It looked like this particular storm would last days. 

Pepa growled. "Camilo and Mirabel knew exactly what Ricardo was talking about. Because they overhear people talking about it, and they have had people touch them before."

Julieta had been leaning into Agustín as he massaged her shoulders, but now she sat up eyes blazing. "What? Who?"

"They only gave us ten names," Felix said grimly. "All names that are people we already think of as bad people. I suspect, based on their comments that people don't believe them, which is why they said nothing before, there may be more to the list that we would not suspect."

Julieta eyed her sister, rather jealous that she did not have a similar way to express her anger. 

Agustín cursed and squeezed her shoulders a little harder than necessary. "They're too sweet to deal with such things." 

Pepa huffed. "Tell me about it! They were more concerned with how Ricardo is doing than themselves! Because they're used to it!"

Julieta nodded. "They said something similar when I was talking to them." She sighed. "I'm worried. They take on so much, and they don't seek help from anyone."

"Not from anyone in the family," Felix corrected. "They seem to trust Casilda, and Camilo mentioned that Mariano got them out of a trap that sprained his ankles."

"They did say they spend their time at Casilda's shop or the Guzmans when they're not babysitting to avoid facing any trouble with the people that would hurt them."

Bruno frowned. "They sound way more isolated than I realized..."

"What is it?" Julieta asked him immediately. "Did you see something?"

Bruno sighed. "I broke the vision after a few months, so I don’t have it anymore. But the night Mirabel got her Gift... I woke up and had a vision. I knew everyone would take it badly so I didn't say anything and I've just... I've tried to be there for them as much as possible, though Elena and Ricardo do take up a lot of my time and..." He sighed again.

"What did you see?" Julieta asked gently, putting a hand on his arm.

Pepa calmed down enough to sit at his other side. "We're not going to blame you. We just want to know."

Bruno looked down and closed his eyes. Then he took in a deep breath and let it out before looking up.

"Let me tell you what the tablet showed first, then I'll tell you about the rest of the vision. It was... strange. Like their fates were undecided. They were at the center of the tablet, about this age, backs to each other as they held hands. Tilted one way, Casita behind them was cracked and their heads were down. Tilted the opposite way, their heads were up and the house was whole. Tilted the vision up, and along the bottom there were the townspeople watching them, tilted it down and our entire family was there, Antonio, Elena, and Ricardo included, but our backs were turned away from them."

Julieta gasped, hands covering her mouth. "The vision says that... they could break the house?"

Bruno shrugged. "I can't say for certain if it's them, or if it's that it looks like everyone turns on them that breaks the house. When I saw the vision... it was a long one. I saw them talking in town, the house breaking in several different moments, including Antonio nearly getting hit by something before Felix grabs him... I saw nothing that would lead to it getting fixed."

"You should do it again," Pepa said. "We have to know how to help them."

"I don't think the future is going to help them," Bruno said quietly. "I think we're going to help them. I think seeing what will fix things will make it worse. If... if us turning our backs on them breaks the Encanto, what does that say about the Miracle?"

Julieta gasped. "It means the Miracle might be connected to our bonds as family. And..." Julieta winced. "Mama is the greatest obstacle to them feeling like part of the family."

"Precisely." Bruno nodded sadly. "I've thought about it a lot. I think they're the only ones that can see the way to fix it because they'll have to connect with Mama. Us actively interfering won't help. You know Mama, she's stubborn. She's not going to change her ways."

Pepa scoffed. "If anything, she won't figure out what she's doing until everything falls apart. She thinks that since it's working, it's fine." 

Bruno sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of," he admitted. "For Camilo and Mirabel, and for all of us. Even Elena is old enough to have spent more time with a Gift than without. It might be a relief but we're used to this. And what will it do to Mirabel and Camilo?"

"They'll be devastated," Agustín said. "They've been working so hard to be the best they can be for your mom. They help everyone out. And they do it without fanfare. I've seen Camilo shift between several different people to help them out just going from one place to the next. Mirabel is always fixing the kids' clothes and adding embroidery they love. And you saw what they made for our rooms for Antonio's Gift ceremony."

Pepa put a hand on her heart. "They were so lovely. Too bad Mama thought they were horrid... They do so much. If everything falls apart... they'll blame themselves, won't they?"

"They said people call them useless," Agustín reminded everyone. "Which means they work extra hard at not being useless, with their Gifts and without. So yes, they will be."

Felix sighed. "So what do we do?"

"We do our best to support them. See if there's any little ways we can give them extra support without Mama getting on us," Bruno explained. "I'm not sure how we do that yet, but they need to know we're with them, even if we're not yet ready to stand up to Mama."

"Maybe if we did it together," Julieta began thoughtfully, "we could surprise her enough to back down."

"I think we'd have to pick our battles though," Pepa responded. "You know how she gets after someone gets her to back down, she comes back with a vengeance about something else. It will have to be a practiced moment as well as something we are passionate about, and then we'd have to be prepared to follow up."

"But it's doable," Bruno said quietly. "For all of our kids, it's about time we stood up to her. Ricardo is suffering. Elena is struggling and trying to be like Isabela and Dolores."

Pepa winced. "Dolores takes on too many secrets and never knows which ones she should share and which ones she shouldn't... and she's given Camilo and Mirabel the impression she doesn't care about them as a result. Antonio is already struggling, and we didn't get to raise him as much as we wanted... not with Camilo and Mirabel being convenient babysitters according to Mama." 

"Luisa doesn't know how to slow down... when she does she thinks she's letting everyone down," Julieta sighed. "And Isabela is suffocating under being perfect, and instead of communicating with anyone that she's just doing it to make Mama happy, she's pushing them all away... Mirabel is convinced that Isabela hates her." 

Felix wrapped his arms around Pepa. "We'll do what we can for them. Agustín and I will go talk to whoever we can and see if we can set up a plan." 

"What if it means telling people family secrets?" Bruno asked nervously.

Julieta scoffed. "If anything, how Mama treats us should be an open secret. They've encouraged it since we were kids, and I'm not entirely convinced that most of the way she is isn't due to pressure from the townspeople."

"It wouldn't surprise me," Pepa agreed. "If people ask, we tell them the truth: We are trying to look after our kids, but it is difficult with Mama, and their demands. The more demanding they get, the more demanding Mama gets. If people were less demanding she won't notice if we're not working."

Bruno sighed. "I hope this works... I can't believe we're planning to go against her."

"She's hurting our kids. They've probably thought about walking away, and yet they're staying," Agustín said firmly. "We have to do something to protect them all. Even if it means risking everything." 

They felt the house shake briefly before settling. 

They didn't see the growing cracks in the house. Casita was still trying to hide it from everyone... because that was what Alma preferred. It wouldn't take much more fractures in the family, and especially in the bonds to Alma, the matriarch, to fall apart.

.

Camilo and Mirabel could tell that their parents and Tío Bruno had convened and discussed from the looks they were getting.

They decided to just keep going as normal, though. They knew that no one ever wanted to go against Abuela because it was usually more trouble than it was worth. So even if the adults were concerned, they weren't going to do anything about it at breakfast and they wouldn't let it interfere with their own chores.

As they followed the family out to the town, Antonio dropped back so he could squeeze between them and hold their hands. 

"Is Ricky going to be okay?" he asked quietly. "He's been really sad and I heard from the rats that his last talk with the dead didn't go well but they won't tell me any details."

Mirabel smiled. "He'll be okay. He just needs some time and maybe some distractions, but ask first, okay?"

Antonio nodded. "I shouldn't have to do much today," he whispered. "Abuela says I have to help Señor Perez today but he usually just gives me sweets... should I see if Ricky wants to come?"

"That's a great idea, Toñito," Camilo responded quietly. "I'll see if I can steer him your way in a bit, I'm pretty sure Tío Bruno is going to be trying to make sure he doesn't do much today."

Antonio beamed at Camilo. "Alright!" He giggled when his jaguar friend ran up to him and licked him.

Mirabel smiled fondly. "Alright, go have fun. No need to stick around us. We're just doing the usual sewing."

Antonio made a face. "Bye!" He hugged them both tightly then ran off. 

Mirabel chuckled. "One day he'll learn that sitting still and sewing isn't that bad. You figured it out."

Camilo laughed. "Or maybe he won't. You know a lot of people think I'm weird for doing all the sewing I do." 

"True. You also don't act like the type."

"It's a talent," Camilo teased. "I wanted to help you out, and I didn't have much else I could be doing since Abuela basically told me to stay out of the way... at least sewing meant I was doing something useful."

"I know." Mirabel nudged him. "We used to be a lot like Antonio. Adorably cute and innocent."

Camilo nodded, then sighed. "And now we're not."

Mirabel wrapped her arm around him. "We're not but we're going to do our best to keep the younger ones as cute and innocent as possible for a long time."

"True. Maybe we should make something for Ricardo."

"Like what?"

"I don't know... He does like rats, though... maybe something rat themed to keep in his room?"

Mirabel hummed, thinking about it as they ended Casilda's shop. 

"Maybe a rat blanket, then? Something to help with the nightmares."

"Oh, yes, he would love that I think."

With that, they got to work. Orders always were more important than personal projects, especially if the person it was for didn't know they were getting a gift. 

They made it through the morning, assured Casilda they were right on track, and went to have their lunch. After they brought Luisa hers first, of course. The men she was working with to build the house were happy to take their lunch break at the same time.

Happy that Luisa was getting to relax and chat, Camilo and Mirabel decided to do their lunch elsewhere that day.

They were just chatting about the babysitting duties for the day when a bird flew up and started chattering at them insistently.

Camilo and Mirabel exchanged alarmed looks. 

"Which way?" Camilo asked.

The bird flew down a street and stopped, waiting. 

Camilo and Mirabel ran after it. 

It took them down several streets and into a part of town that was more residential, and so wasn't very busy at this time of day. 

It took several minutes to arrive.

The looks of terror on their little cousins' faces would be etched in their memories forever.

They were surrounded by Señor Arango and three of his friends, one of whom was Juancho's father, Mirabel noted with alarm. 

Elena was standing in front of Ricardo and Antonio, terrified. She had liquid glass floating around her, ready to harden to a point when she needed it. As it was, it would burn anyone who dared to touch it. Elena would do anything to protect her brother and younger cousin.

Mirabel took in a sharp breath at the sight. Her cousins were in danger, terrified. Antonio had been separated from his jaguar as the townspeople were still adjusting to the sight of a jaguar roaming around, and Ricardo had no active abilities that could work in a fight. 

It was up to Elena to protect them. 

Señor Arango was screaming at Ricardo over what he'd told Señora Arango. Apparently despite her denial, she confronted him with what Ricardo had told her. The other three were backing him up. 

They were looming over three children. 

Mirabel rushed in. "Leave my cousins alone."

"And what are you going to do, oh useless one?" Señor Arango sneered. 

"We are not going to let you hurt them." Camilo said as he joined Mirabel. He shifted into Luisa.

Señor Arango laughed. Both Mirabel and Camilo winced as the smell of alcohol hit them. He must have been drinking heavily.

Mirabel turned to her cousins. "Go. Get help," she ordered.

Antonio grabbed Ricardo's hand and ran, tears running down both of their faces. 

Elena hesitated. "I don't want to leave you... he's... he's said some awful things... they all have... hasn't Dolores heard us?"

Camilo clenched his fists grimly. "There is no telling if she has or hasn't, and it's better to act as if she has not. Go." 

"But he said he'd- his daughter-" Elena couldn't say the words, tears filling her eyes. 

Mirabel and Camilo exchanged looks, ignoring the grown men in front of them. 

"Elena," Mirabel said gently, "it is an awful thing, and you are three years younger than us... we are going to keep you safe from that if we can. Go get help and make sure Toñito and Ricky are safe, okay?"

Elena sniffed and nodded. She sent the glass into spikes and aimed them at the men before running.

Mirabel winced at the screams of rage as the glass drew blood.

Four grown men, against two teenagers. The odds were not in their favor. But, regardless of what happened, at least her cousins were safe.

A glance at Camilo's grimly determined face, not out of place on Luisa's face, and Mirabel knew he was of the same mind.

There was no more time to talk. Enraged by the younger kids escaping, and the glass that drew blood, the four men attacked.

Mirabel remembered the basics of self defense she'd picked up over the years. The earliest lessons had been from her sisters and Dolores, then she got some from her dad and her tios. Her mom and tia had some pointers as well. After Mariano rescued her and Camilo from that hole, he'd started teaching them some things as well.

It was all she had to use. And she used it to the fullest. She would not let her cousins down.

Mirabel attempted to block out everything they were saying, though her blood ran cold and it terrified her. She could deal with that later. Her focus had to be on the here and now, and getting out of this awful situation.

Camilo was everywhere, shifting to take advantage of his size. He would not let them win. He would not let them hurt him or Mirabel anymore. Or hurt the cousins.

They just had to last until help arrived. But no one had heard anything yet. No one was anywhere near them in this part of town. 

Camilo was a shapeshifter. He used energy with each shift. It was better to stay in one form longer than shift between several forms in five minutes.

But that was the best way to keep them off balance and surprise them. 

He ducked and dodged and kicked and punched. 

Mirabel was doing her best and yelling with each hit that connected on them. She refused to go down without a fight. She couldn't do much against them, but that didn't stop her. Too bad needles weren't much use in a fight or she would happily wield them.

Juancho's dad, Ernesto, covered her mouth and wrapped his other arm around her. 

Mirabel bit down on the hand, stomped on his foot, kicked back and slammed her head back into him. She was relieved when that did release her from his hold. But it still hurt. She stumbled a bit once she was free, and barely dodged the next attempt to grab her. 

Camilo stumbled, stomach grumbling with protest at all the shifting he had been doing. He shifted back to his natural form and tried to fight back. 

Señor Arango took advantage of that and grabbed him, holding him tightly despite his squirming. "Now now, Mirabel, come quietly and I won't hurt your cousin further."

Mirabel froze. "W-why are you doing this? Y-you won't get away with it!"

"I no longer care," he snarled. "That useless boy has ruined me and you two useless Madrigals made sure he got away!"

Ernesto grabbed Mirabel by the arm tightly. "Now don't you dare fight back. You're not going anywhere!"

Mirabel was breathing heavily as she frantically looked at Camilo.

Camilo was breathing heavily as well, though he gave her a weak grin. 

Neither of them fought back as they stumbled along. They didn’t want to give up, not yet, but they knew they couldn’t escape right now. They needed a better moment. 

When they were shoved into a house, both despaired. Escaping a house from four grown men was going to be near impossible if they couldn’t find an opening. And soon.

They started playing games with them. They started loudly bragging about what they did to Teresa long before her death, and how now they had new victims. 

Señor Arango seemed convinced he would not be caught. He ordered Camilo to shift into Teresa.

Camilo did so reluctantly, tense and uncertain. He met Mirabel’s terrified eyes and could only offer his own fear in return. 

At least they were only being beaten up. At least the men were just toying with them. It could be far worse.

.

Mariano heard Elena tell Julieta what was said in choking sobs. He noticed that Isabela was getting angry, so he grabbed her. "Come on, I know where they're talking about." 

"Good." Isabela's eyes flashed and she took in a deep breath and let it out, becoming perfect once more. 

Mariano wondered, as he often did, if Isabela did that because she wanted to be perfect, or because Alma expected it of her. 

Either way, he was getting the feeling he and Isabela would not be compatible at all. 

Mariano led her to the area the kids described. No one was there. But, from the blood on the ground, it was clear there was a fight here. 

Isabela let out a growl. "Where did they go?"

Mariano frowned. "I don't know... Did they say who was involved besides Júlian?"

Isabela listed them off. 

"Ernesto is the only one who would have a free house. This way." Mariano rushed off. "We'll check the other houses after, and then start searching elsewhere."

Isabela just followed him, determined but also trying not to let any of her fear show. That was her baby sister and the boy that might as well be her baby brother with how close he was to Mirabel. She did not want them to get hurt! 

They found the house. Mariano started opening the door. 

They heard laughter and cries of pain and the sounds of objects and fists hitting flesh. 

The sound of sobbing could barely be heard, but it was there. The lack of protest was alarming.

Mariano was impressed by how quickly Isabela moved. Despite how she treated them, she clearly cared for Mirabel and Camilo. Which brought everything about how Isabela acted, and the whole Madrigal family dynamic into question again. It was a strange thing he kept observing. Just how... different their dynamics were, especially with those he knew better than others. 

Isabela had the four men tied up with thorny vines in no time. She was shaking with rage.

Mirabel squinted at her. "Isa? What're you doing here?" Her voice was slurred from the pain as blood ran down from her temple.

"No one gets to hurt you or Camilo," Isabela replied angrily. 

Mirabel tilted her head in confusion. "But you hate us."

Isabela jerked back a little, surprised. 

Mariano knelt down next to Camilo who was curled up and groaning in his natural form once more.

"Hey, Camilo, how are you doing?" Mariano asked gently. "Can I help you?"

Camilo let out a sob and grabbed his hand. "I'm hungry and I want to throw up."

Mariano winced. "I'm sorry, Camilo. I'm sure someone will be here soon?" He looked up at Isabela.

Isabela's eyes widened. "Dolores, I don't care that you have that migraine and you're trying to avoid everyone, I need you to send people to the Ramos house RIGHT NOW." 

She glared at the four men, who had quickly realized struggling was futile and were just watching in silence. She had made sure that they would not be able to speak, just in case.

Isabela put her hand on Mirabel's shoulder. "Come here Mira."

Mirabel cried and let Isabela pull her into her lap. She clung like she was a little kid again, wondering how Isabela actually felt safe for once. 

Julieta was the first one who arrived. She gasped when she saw Mirabel and Camilo and quickly hugged her daughter. "Oh, Mija. I'm so sorry."

Mirabel sniffled and clung, not speaking a word.

Mariano looked up. “They’re hurt pretty bad,” he said grimly. 

“They kept saying what they wanted to do with us, all the fun we were going to have,” Camilo managed to say.

“They didn’t actually move to do anything other than play games and hurt us though,” Mirabel added, trying to calm down but it was hard.

Julieta ran her hand through Mirabel's hair. "Are either of you hurt?"

Mirabel nodded. 

"Alright, once more people are here to deal with this, we'll get home, you can have a nice bath, and some soup, does that sound good?"

Mirabel nodded again.

Camilo's stomach growled. He groaned. "Wanna eat but I think I'm gonna throw up after the things they were saying."

"I know, sweetie," Julieta said gently. "But you do need to eat something and it will help. Do you want to sleep in your room tonight?"

"With Mirabel." 

"Alright. We can make sure that happens. Do you want anyone else to join you?"

Mirabel shrugged.

Camilo didn't respond.

Isabela started pacing, muttering to herself angrily. 

Once Pepa, Felix, and Agustín arrived with more people, things moved quickly.

Julieta focused on getting Mirabel and Camilo home.

Isabela only stayed long enough to remove her plants and then she followed. She did not care what anyone thought at that moment. Mirabel and Camilo needed her. She could not stop thinking about how certain Mirabel was that Isabela hated them. How did Mirabel get that impression? What could Isabela do to fix that? 

...without upsetting Abuela more than she would be in light of this incident.

.

Mirabel and Camilo did not emerge from Mirabel's room for three days. Everyone but Abuela was in and out throughout the day checking on them and making sure they were okay as they dealt with the trauma of knowing how far those men were willing to go. Of being hurt and helpless and unable to stop what would eventually come to them.

On the third day, they were convinced to get some fresh air. It was Tío Bruno who was with them this time as they took their first steps out of the room and down into the courtyard. Casita moved encouragingly, having been worried about them. 

Abuela spotted them from a chair. She had been hoping they would emerge, having sent everyone else to town, even the still shaking children. 

She approached them, looking over them with a sweeping eye. She noted that they were quieter. They didn't look like they'd slept much at all. But they were presentable. 

She hid her worry deep. They would be fine. They were Madrigals. They were strong like she was, like Pedro had been.

"Good to see you both. Your chores need to be done."

Bruno stared at her. "No, they don't. Mama, it's only been three days. They're not ready to see anyone. I only just convinced them to leave the room!"

"Three days is more than enough time to deal with what happened. It is not a big deal and it is time to move on." 

"WHAT?" Bruno exploded at her. "How can you say that?"

"They were just attacked and hurt. Those wounds have healed. It is no reason to hide away for days."

Bruno felt how Mirabel and Camilo shrank behind him. He shook with rage. "That is not all that happened," he said quietly. Even if they had never made it that far, they were going to eventually if Mariano and Isabela had not arrived on time.

"No one would dare here in Encanto!" she replied angrily, deep in denial. "And Dolores-"

"Had a migraine and is not a reliable source as a result," Bruno said flatly. 

"She was fine!"

"It's okay, Tío Bruno," Mirabel said quietly, not looking up. "We can go do our chores. I bet the kids miss us... especially Juancho."

Camilo didn't say a word as he followed Mirabel to the door. 

Casita protested. Casita did not want them to leave when they clearly weren't ready to go to town. 

Bruno watched them go and turned to his mama, glaring at her. 

She was watching them with a soft and proud expression.

That was it .

"I hope you're happy," Bruno snapped at her. "They're traumatized, and think they're worthless after what happened because they couldn’t get out by themselves against four grown men. And now they're doing what you want because you don't care what they need . Congratulations, you finally broke them to conform to you." He spun and stalked off, worried about them as he had been since he had heard what happened.

He and his siblings had convened again and they were trying to support Mirabel and Camilo as best they could. But Alma wanted them to make up for what happened by being more present, showing that the Madrigals were strong. Especially with the rumors she was becoming aware of. 

Bruno knew it would only make things worse, even as they did their best to make her happy while supporting Camilo and Mirabel. It wasn't enough. It might never be enough. 

He worried that this was the point where they turned their backs on Mirabel and Camilo as his vision predicted.

For the first time, Bruno wondered if he should give that vision another try. To see if he could see anything that would help make things better. Mirabel and Camilo did not deserve this, but it seemed they would be getting the worst end of things anyway. 

It was something to consider. For now, Bruno hurried to town so he could keep an eye on things. 

.

Casilda was shocked when Mirabel and Camilo entered her shop to work. Mirabel greeted her quietly, and Camilo didn't say a word. 

"Mirabel! Camilo!" She hugged them both tightly. "What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you back for another few days at least!"

Mirabel shrugged. "Figured we need to get out of the house and to do something useful."

Casilda frowned and looked at Camilo.

Camilo was shifting from foot to foot, not looking up and still silent. It was nothing like him.

"Well, you don't have to do anything. I didn't plan on you doing anything. So, why don't I get you something, tea maybe? And you can sit and relax and pretend you're busy." Casilda decided. 

Mirabel blinked and frowned at her.

"I already told everyone to expect delays. No one protested." 

"Oh." Mirabel shifted, uncertain. "Everyone knows, huh?"

Casilda got the tea and set it down at their usual table. She swept Mirabel and Camilo down.

"You were incredibly brave. Everyone knows that you saw Elena, Ricardo, and Antonio in trouble and jumped in to protect them, putting yourself in that position in the first place. Regardless of what happened, we are all proud of you for that. Everyone is worried about you. That's why so many gift baskets have been sent your way."

Mirabel blinked, confused. "Gift baskets?"

Camilo looked up with a frown. 

Casilda took in a deep breath and let it out. "The gift baskets haven't made it to you? Alma assured us that she would make sure you got it."

Mirabel looked away. "She told us we had to do our chores today."

"I see." Casilda felt rage boiling beneath the surface, but she put it aside. "Well, then I'll make sure more gift baskets are made that get sent directly to you. Can we send them with Luisa?"

"I-I think so. Abuela usually leaves her alone if she carries everything," Mirabel responded. 

"Alright. If you want to talk, my door is open. Help yourself to anything you need. Relax. Do a project you haven't had time for. Don't stress yourself, okay?"

Mirabel nodded quietly and sat down, sipping her tea.

Camilo sat down next to her and leaned on her as he grabbed his own tea. He still wasn't interested in talking. Knowing what they wanted to do was weighing on his mind far too much. 

Casilda kept an eye on them all day. There were no signs of injuries, of course. Julieta would have made sure they ate something to heal up. But that couldn't heal their hearts. 

Anyone who knew Camilo and Mirabel knew that what they did was completely expected. They would never back down from protecting someone if they could help it. They were good kids who were always trying to protect everyone they could. They were always trying to help out. 

Most didn't even mind them getting underfoot because they meant well, always apologized, and always avoided making the same mistakes. 

The door opened. Casilda looked up and sighed when she saw Juancho clutching his usual cup of coffee in one hand.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" she asked gently.

"I-I-" Juancho sniffled. He lifted up his arm. It was broken. "Mama got mad at me. She told me not to go to school today. Where's Milo? Where's Mira?"

Camilo jumped up as soon as he heard Juancho's voice. He swept Juancho in a careful hug. 

Juancho looked up at him and burst into tears, clinging to him. 

Camilo picked him up and carried him over to sit between him and Mirabel.

Mirabel lifted up his arm and looked at it carefully. "Casilda, Mama packed some arepas in my bag, could you grab one please?"

Casilda sighed. "Actually, I am going to go get Señora Guzman and a few others. They need to see the proof of a broken arm first." 

Mirabel nodded and ran her hand through Juancho's hair. "How much coffee have you had?" she asked softly. 

"First cup." Juancho sniffled as he drank it down.

"Alright. We'll get you another cup after people have seen your arm, okay?"

Juancho nodded. 

"They'll probably want you to answer questions about your parents," Mirabel warned.

"I know," he whispered. "I'm sorry my dad hurt you."

"It's okay," Camilo whispered, the first words he had spoken to anyone besides Mirabel since that day. "It's not your fault."

Juancho rubbed his eyes. "He hurts me too," he whispered. "All the time. More than Mama."

Mirabel looked up at the gasp. Señora Guzman had arrived and heard him. Mirabel went back to focusing on Juancho and making sure the poor kid was alright. He certainly did not deserve to be hurt by his own parents.

Juancho realized that there were more adults in the room and crawled into Camilo's lap, a bit scared.

The next few hours were a blur of questions and comforting him. He didn't seem to trust anyone besides Camilo and Mirabel, so with his parents both locked up while everyone tried to determine what to do, it was decided he'd be best off going home with them. 

Abuela accepted the decision and even gave him, Camilo, and Mirabel a warm smile.

Juancho clung to Camilo even after his arm was healed. So, Camilo ended up carrying him to Casita on his back. 

Mirabel followed with Juancho's favorite mug of coffee. 

They found Agustín and Felix doing the morning chores while Julieta prepared lunch for everyone.

"What happened?" Agustín asked, taking in Juancho's tear stained face. 

Camilo just carried him to the dining table. 

Mirabel sighed. "His parents were abusing him. His mom broke his arm this morning. He came to Casilda's looking for me and Cami. Abuela agreed that he can stay with us 'cause he doesn't trust anyone besides me and Cami." 

Agustín pulled his daughter into a hug. "And how are you?"

She sniffled. "How can anyone be so cruel to their own kid? He-he's a good kid. He's always trying to be good and he's better than most kids but they hurt him anyways. Called him worthless and useless and said they wished they never had him."

Felix hurried to go make sure Camilo was okay and to help with Juancho. This also gave him some time to compose himself as he was very close to throwing something. Too many kids had gotten hurt these last few days.

Agustín closed his eyes. He knew that she was asking about more than just Juancho's parents. Alma never got physical but that didn't mean her words didn't hurt anyone either. He knew that Mirabel had been hurting for a long time over how Alma had treated her, and that at times, Mirabel wondered if she deserved it or not. 

He knew that nothing had hurt more than Alma never visiting them while they dealt with what had happened and what had almost happened. And then she forced them to go out in the town today to do chores... only for them to be confronted with poor Juancho being abused and seeking them out.

"I don't know how anyone can treat their children or any of their family like that," Agustín replied quietly. "But I am so very proud of you. You always do your best to do the right thing, and you are still recovering from what happened."

"I just- All I've ever wanted to do was to help and be useful. And if I... If I can't do it the way that Abuela wants, at least I can help Juancho... but I don't know what's going to happen to him. He only trusts me and Cami and he was flinching away from some of the other adults when they approached him and... I just want him to be safe and happy."

"I know. We'll figure it out." Agustín was already considering if adoption was a viable option. He knew Julieta hadn't been sure she wanted to stop at three, but then Mirabel had gotten her Gift and Alma had started being strict, and they decided that they couldn't dedicate time to another kid. And when they saw how Camilo and Mirabel had helped with Antonio, they'd decided it was for the best. 

But now... Juancho was already five, and already attached to them. The only problem was that he would immediately be put under pressure if the Miracle accepted him as a Madrigal. 

Agustín put the thought out of his mind. There would be time, most likely, to make a decision. His parents were alive, and they needed to be dealt with before anything else. He'd still bring it up with Julieta in the privacy of their room, though.

For now, he had a five year old to help feel at ease, and a daughter and a nephew to keep an eye on. And also the rest of the family to worry about, but he was most concerned about the kids.

Chapter Text

Dolores was always listening. Sometimes she had to tune out more than she would like to catch the parts that Abuela would want to hear. This meant she was more likely to catch everyone in trouble than actually be able to help them. It was a difficult balance to achieve and she knew she hurt people more often than not.

But she was doing her best. She was the eyes and ears. She had to be careful what she said, because some people believed her words, even if she was just repeating rumors because she didn't hear what actually happened.

After what happened the other day, where she missed her cousins and baby brother getting in trouble, and then her other brother and Mirabel getting hurt and nearly... well. She was listening more to them than usual. She heard what happened with Juancho. 

She heard them talking with Casilda before that. 

Worst, though, was the words she heard in Mirabel and Agustín's exchange. She knew Mirabel was always trying... and she, like Agustín, understood Mirabel was also asking about Abuela and how she could treat any of them like that. 

Dolores wondered if there was any way to fix this. She wanted to help but it was too late for them. They both held her at arms' length and she was certain the fact that she missed what was happening just drove the wedge further between them.

She understood that she had been doing things wrong. She had been making the best choices... but she should have been doing better for her brother. Made sure he understood her reasoning, if nothing else.

But she hadn't, and now she might never be able to make up for it. 

Dolores decided she would stop trying to get him and Mirabel in trouble. She would not tell Abuela what they were doing wrong if anything at all. She would rather get other people in trouble. Especially now that she knew she had been missing actual abuse. She had heard everything Juancho had said about his parents hitting him and she would never let that happen again. She would need to try to listen more. She might never catch everything. 

But never again. Never again would she assume she had heard what she needed to.

.

Mirabel and Camilo got Juancho settled with Antonio in his room for the night. 

Juancho was thrilled to be able to sleep in Antonio's room with the jungle and the animals.

Antonio was thrilled to have a sleepover with a friend. 

Mirabel closed the door. "They're not going to fall asleep any time soon," she chuckled.

Camilo smiled and nodded. 

"It's good that he's feeling better though... Glad he's staying here..." 

"Me too," Camilo said quietly.

Mirabel wrapped an arm around Camilo. What had happened had hit him far harder than her, due to Señor Arango insisting he shift into the dead daughter. Even if only beatings had happened, knowing what he really wanted was hard.

Camilo hadn't shifted on purpose since then. Thankfully, no one had noticed yet.

When they arrived at Mirabel's room, they found Elena waiting outside of it awkwardly. 

"Hi... um. Can we talk?" she asked, shifting from foot to foot with an uncertain look on her face.

Mirabel hugged her. "Of course." She opened the door and gestured at Elena to enter ahead of her.

Elena looked around curiously when she entered but then turned her attention back on Mirabel and Camilo.

They took her over to Mirabel's comfortable seating area. It had evolved over time to include the most comfortable of pillows and blankets to go with the chairs and couches.

Elena sat down, eyes widening as she sank in because of how soft it all was.

"What's up?" Mirabel asked gently.

Elena sighed, fidgeting. "I... I feel guilty that they hurt you and tried to hurt you worse... I know what they wanted to do... are you okay?"

"We will be, eventually," Mirabel assured her. "It's just a lot to deal with, that's all."

Camilo nodded. "And we don't regret stepping in. You're our younger cousin. If it's bad for us, it would have been worse for you. I don't regret making the choice to make it me instead."

Elena burst into tears.

Both Camilo and Mirabel were at her side in an instant and hugging her. 

"I don't deserve that," she cried. "You had nothing to do with the fire, that was me being dumb and I let them blame you for it, and-and you saved me and Ricky even though you were eight and and I just treat you so badly 'cause I saw how Abuela treats you and how she treats the others so I wanted to just avoid being treated like you and I just started being mean and..." she sobbed.

Mirabel and Camilo shared a look. "It's okay," Mirabel whispered. "I don't blame you. You've had a rough time of it, and of course you'd want to avoid being treated like us. Trust me, if there was something we could do, we would do it. But we can't. If that wasn't the case... we might never have embraced doing the things we like. "

"Oh." 

"It's okay, Elena. And it's not like everyone is treated nicely. Luisa's under a lot of pressure to carry everything." Camilo rubbed her back.

"They don't do that as much though."

"Well, that's because Luisa's been pointing out how much she's doing and how tight her schedule is. I don't think Abuela is aware."

Elena blinked. "Oh... can I do something like that?"

"Maybe," Mirabel responded quietly. "Why don't you start with your teacher. Tell him what you really want to do with your Gift, and say what you've been taught so far is just what Abuela wants."

Elena looked at her in astonishment as she wiped her tears. "How did you know?"

"I've seen the pretty things you make, and you sneak them as gifts to us on our birthdays. I know that's not what your focus on learning is, because Abuela wants you to be useful, not useless like Cami and I are."

Elena fidgeted. "Oh. You're really observant."

"We try. It can come in handy. Just start with your teacher. Be honest. Abuela doesn't really hide her expectations of us, but people don't seem to realize exactly how bad it is until we say something," Camilo explained.

"And usually it seems to hit them harder when we're very casual about it," Mirabel added. 

Elena nodded slowly and hugged them again. "I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay," Mirabel assured her. "If we were in your shoes we would have chosen to do the same thing."

"Oh... really?"

"Really," Camilo confirmed. "It's hard living without Abuela's approval and love, and if she hadn't been treating us differently, then started treating us worse after you and Ricky joined us... We might be willing to do anything to get her love. Even if it meant hurting others."

"Oh... okay... it's really okay to talk about wanting to make pretty things rather than just useful things?"

"Of course. Beauty does have a use," Mirabel explained gently. "Everyone adores having pretty clothes, and a house that looks good. Whatever you can create... that will add to it. Making things that are just there to look pretty? That has its own use in the world."

Camilo nodded. "It does. You don't have to worry about what Abuela thinks. What do you think? What does your teacher think? What about the people who buy the things you make?"

Elena stopped and thought about it. "Huh I never... I never considered it like that," she admitted. "I've just always done what Abuela wanted 'cause Abuela is always right. But she's not been happy you hid away after what happened... she wants you to show that you're strong." 

Camilo huffed. "We're not strong. We just needed some time to find that strength again. Not that we really had it but it's no use arguing with her. It would only make things worse."

Elena nodded. "Yeah... But I love Papa, and I love you both and I love my tios and tias and all my cousins... I'm glad that after we lost our parents that Ricky and I came here to live. We're Madrigals!"

Mirabel smiled and hugged her. "That we are. We have the best family, even if we all fail a little at being good family sometimes."

Elena cuddled and yawned.

Camilo chuckled. "Okay, I think it's bedtime for you."

Elena sighed. "Okay... can I stay here? I've been having nightmares about what happened to you..."

"Of course. Let's get up to bed." Mirabel stood and held out her hand.

Elena took it and stood.

Several minutes later, Elena was asleep, but Camilo and Mirabel were still awake.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"You doing okay?"

"...no," she admitted. "Focusing on Juancho and Elena has helped but that just takes my mind off of it... It's hard, what happened. I keep having nightmares about what could have happened if  no one showed up. I’m so glad people looked for us."

Camilo swallowed, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to fight off the tears. "Yeah, I know. I still remember their words as they hurt us and directed us to play their games. "

"Me either," Mirabel agreed. She shuddered. "It was awful." 

"Yeah. You're acting happier than me." 

"I've always been better at hiding my feelings than you," Mirabel reminded him.

"Oh, yeah, that's definitely true." Camilo sighed. "But... it still sucks."

"It does." Mirabel sighed. "We'll get through this. Casilda is giving us plenty of grace, we just need to remember to... to process and deal and not just pretend it didn't happen. Because it did and it was hard and it hurt."

Camilo nodded. "But our parents were there for us after and so was everyone but Abuela 'cause she doesn't like us and was trying to do damage control and sort things out and... well. We have support if we want it."

"Exactly... so let's just sleep and hope we don't wake Elena up with our nightmares."

"Right." Camilo yawned. "Sleep is good. Even if it's been harder lately." 

"Yeah. Love you, Cami."

"Love you too, Bella." 

.

Mirabel and Camilo helped Julieta with breakfast as they always did. It was a normal routine, though this was the first they had returned to it after everything.

Mirabel laughed at a joke Camilo made as she turned to place food on the table. 

She bumped right into Isabela. 

Isabela gasped at the stain on her dress. She glanced around and spotted Abuela right there. 

"How dare you, Mirabel!" she shouted. "This is my favorite dress. Now it's ruined because you're a clumsy girl who can't get anything right on the best of days!" 

Mirabel flinched back, but didn't otherwise react. She tried to clean up the mess but Isabela just smacked her hand away. 

"No, I don't want your help. You'll just ruin it more. Go away."

"Don't talk to Mirabel that way!" Camilo shouted, jumping between them. "You should've been looking where you were going, you knew we were putting food on the table!"

Isabela rolled her eyes. "I don't care. You are both at fault as far as I care. I am going to go change my dress and hopefully Mariano doesn't notice that I'm not wearing my best dress for our date later. Which you better not mess up." 

"Whatever, Isa." Mirabel sighed and turned to go get the rest of breakfast on the table. 

Camilo glared at Isabela but decided he also didn't have the energy to get into it further with her. 

Isabela noticed her parents looking at her with disappointment but she looked to Abuela instead. Abuela gave her that gentle loving smile and gestured at her to go change. As Isabela walked away, Abuela turned a disappointed frown on Mirabel and Camilo.

Neither of whom were oblivious, though they pretended they were. It hurt them that she was expecting everything as usual to them. 

So rather than react or dwell on it, they focused on getting through the day once more. They weren't feeling any better than they had the day before, but at least they knew Casilda's would be a safe place to be. 

.

Mariano left the clothing shop with his favorite shirt mended and any visible tears covered up with Mirabel's brilliant embroidery. He stuck with flowers. They didn't typically move as much, and he was going to see Isabela for a date anyways.

But he was worried. They shouldn't be back to work yet. They should be taking the time to recover from what had happened. He knew them. They weren't doing well. Quieter than usual, even in Casilda's shop. 

And he was certain something had happened with Isabela. He didn't pry. He knew Mirabel didn't want to ruin things between him and Isabela. But he still wished he knew what was going on.

As soon as he saw Isabela, he knew she was in a bad mood. It was going to be an interesting day.

At first, things went as well as they always did. Isabela was good at pretending that she was okay and making her flowers as usual.

It was one of the reasons Mariano had been drawn to her in the first place. She was good at pretending well enough for most to buy it, but every so often, something would split and she wouldn't be perfect. She would be real. 

He enjoyed their date and their picnic.

Mirabel ran by, playing with the children, including a much happier Juancho. 

Camilo was not far away, being pinned by three kids. 

Mariano smiled. They weren't as upbeat and cheerful as they normally would have been, but they were smiling and making sure the children were entertained. 

Isabela spotted them and scoffed, going back to her dessert.

Mariano frowned. "What is your problem?"

"They get to act like children-"

"They are children."

"-and don't have to do anything serious, ever." 

"Mirabel fixed my shirt and ensured that you would never notice it was torn," Mariano stated flatly. 

Isabela blinked and looked at the flowers on the side of his shirt. They looked rather natural. It wasn't a normal place for Mirabel to put her embroidery, but it didn't look out of place either.

"When did she do that?"

"This morning. I was not expecting her to be in at all, given what happened." Mariano watched her closely.

Isabela winced, looking regretful and upset for a moment, then her eyes flickered to the edge of town and her face hardened.

"It wasn't that bad. They didn't even do anything. And it caused Abuela all sorts of problems."

Mariano frowned. "Is that really all you care about? You don't care about your sister or your cousin at all?" He thought she cared so how callous she was acting required some prodding.

Isabela grew a singular large flower and picked it, studying it. "They cause a lot of problems. They act like children instead of Madrigals, they're never where we need them to be, and they get underfoot all the time. Even Antonio is better behaved." 

Mariano gaped at her. "Mirabel and Camilo do not cause problems."

"Just because you've always seen them at their best behaved doesn't mean there aren't problems." 

"No wonder Mirabel insists you hate her." The words slipped out before Mariano could stop them.

Isabela squashed her flower. "I do hate her. All she ever does is mess things up. Clumsy little..." She took in a deep breath and let it out. "It doesn't matter. She is a problem and I deal with it. Like this morning."

"This morning?" Mariano asked, thinking maybe it had something to do with how they were acting this morning.

"Mirabel spilled coffee on my favorite dress and didn't even apologize for it. And Camilo yelled at me. They do not deserve to be Madrigals. Their Gifts are useless anyways." Isabela was mostly just parroting what Abuela had told her in the past, aware that at any point Abuela would be close enough to hear them.

Mariano couldn't take it anymore. He had been trying to get along for Mirabel and Camilo's sake. So that they could have support, especially after the rumors spread about the other Madrigal kids and their struggles. Just that morning, he heard a rumor about Elena telling Hector that she wanted to make pretty things but Abuela said she had to focus on being useful first. 

"The world does not revolve around you," he said, and once he started he could not stop himself. "You are not the only one with pressures to meet a certain standard. At least you're guaranteed to keep your Abuela's love. Camilo and Mirabel might never get it in the first place. The best they get is her passing approval every time they do something right." 

"You're taking their side?" Isabela asked, surprised into growing a few blue flowers in her hair with an out of place red one. 

"Yes. I am. I know them. They are good kids who are always doing their best to help everyone around them. They are always trying to meet the standards you and Abuela and everyone else have laid out and they get nothing in return." 

Isabela spluttered for a moment. "But-but they're useless!"

Mariano snorted. "Look at them! Does that look useless?" he demanded, gesturing at the kids happily at play. "The kids are happy, and not underfoot, Juancho isn't hugging a coffee mug, and now no one has to worry about any of them!"

Isabela scoffed. "They're just kids. That's nothing special."

"How would you know? You've never done any babysitting while Mirabel and Camilo have been doing this since they were eight. And they've never had an injury on their watch." 

Isabela couldn't come up with a counterpoint. "Why are you defending Mirabel? She's awful! I-"

"You're a selfish entitled princess," Mariano repeated the words that Mirabel had used once. He hadn't really agreed with them then, but now he thought them particularly apt.

"Selfish?" Isabela took in a deep breath and let it out. "Maybe we should take a break and cool off?" she suggested.

Mariano sighed. "I am not sure that will change anything for me. I still heard what you called your own sister. That? That wasn't okay. I can't unhear everything you've said. I don't know that this will work." He sighed and pushed himself up. 

"How can you do this?" Isabela asked, trying desperately to stay perfect for Abuela. "Mirabel's gone and bewitched you, hasn't she?"

"I have eyes and ears, Isa," Mariano replied quietly, looking at Camilo and Mirabel. "I can see what happens. And you should not be dismissing either of them this way. They are a great help any time my abuela needs help. I don't know why you think they're useless. They're far from it." 

Isabela was struck speechless. All those times they had been requested to help move things in the Guzmans' house... and they had been telling stories. But then, why had Mariano given her a chance at all? ...did Mirabel and Camilo not tell the full truth before? 

Mariano shook his head and walked away.

Abuela stepped up to Isabela. "You go relax, Isabela." She picked out the odd red flower. "I am so sorry you are so hurt. I will see if I can smooth things over."

Isabela gave her a weak smile. "Thank you, Abuela." She glanced at Mirabel and Camilo playing with the children and felt a surge of jealousy before she turned and started the walk back to Casita.

Abuela watched her go, then turned to where Mirabel and Camilo were with a frown. 

"Dolores, I need you to carefully go over all those rumors. How many of them likely came from Mirabel or Camilo? I need to know this information before Mirabel and Camilo return home. I suspect we have the source of the rumors." 

Alma returned to handling the village matters. When she tried to talk to Mariano, he was not very interested in having a discussion on a private dispute. Señora Guzman was happy to give him space. 

Alma was incredibly frustrated. Mariano was a good match for Isabela, well respected by the town. He would treat her well.

She returned to Casita and waited in a chair near the courtyard for Camilo and Mirabel to return. She was not going to let them get away with this. They were ruining the family name, and now they were getting in the way of Isabela's happiness. She could not allow them to continue.

.

Mirabel and Camilo left Juancho with Julieta after he scraped his knee. He had all sorts of questions for her regarding her Gift, curious about the cooking, and curious about how well it healed. 

Without the worry of his parents, Juancho was even more curious and excitable than he had been before that.

Julieta enjoyed answering his questions, watching him fondly. She had Agustín’s idea in her head, and she could not stop thinking about it.

Camilo and Mirabel both let out breaths as soon as they were on the path back to Casita.

"I did not have the energy for that," Mirabel complained. "I'm so tired..."

"Me too... at least they didn't ask questions or give us looks... unlike others." Camilo winced. He'd nearly panicked one of the times someone asked them about the Incident.

Mirabel slung an arm around his shoulders. "Very true. So many people wanna know but I never want to talk about it again."

"Me either." Camilo sighed, leaning in. "I'm glad the kids didn't want me to shift today... I'm still... it's a struggle."

"Oh, I'm so sorry... He wanted..." Mirabel didn't voice it aloud. Neither needed clarification. He'd wanted Camilo to be his daughter so he could hurt her again.

It was traumatizing as it was, it could have been far worse, and Camilo would never be able to forget about that use of his Gift.

So, when they walked through the doors of Casita... neither were in the best mood. 

And there was Abuela, sitting near the courtyard. Camilo and Mirabel chose to ignore her to focus on doing their usual jobs at home.

Others were trickling in from doing their jobs.

"Camilo! Mirabel!" she called sharply. 

They stopped dead and exchanged alarmed looks. Mirabel took Camilo's hand and squeezed it in support. Camilo was the one who hated confrontation most. He didn't usually stand up for himself. Mirabel was the one who took charge of that. This was because Camilo was more of a people pleaser and preferred to deflect and make people laugh rather than cause anything. Actively being scolded made him want to sink into the floor and he had a hard time coming up with a response.

Mirabel just couldn't handle seeing anyone she loved in trouble, and had to learn to not stand up for herself over every little thing. It wasn't worth it when that meant at least one confrontation a day.

"Yes, Abuela?" Mirabel asked politely as they turned to her.

"You two are behind the rumors." 

"What rumors?" Camilo dared to ask, heart pounding. How did Abuela find out? 

"The rumors about the family. That we are not a good family. Isabela just had an argument with Mariano about it. You two have to stop."

There was silence as the family started gathering to watch.

"We are not a good family." Mirabel found her voice. "It's not our fault that people are taking notice." 

"I don't know why the Miracle gave you such useless Gifts, but that is no excuse to hurt this family."

"We're not!" Camilo burst out, angrily wiping away the tears. "We watch out for our cousins and my brother! We do everything for this family." 

"If you really cared about this family, you would do as you're told."

Mirabel noticed that family was around. That they were watching and doing nothing. Even Luisa... No one was standing up for them. 

It was just Mirabel and Camilo against Abuela... as it had always been, ever since Mirabel got her useless Gift.

Mirabel squeezed Camilo's hand when he started shaking. He had noticed too.

Cracks started growing. There was no hiding them this time.

Dolores noticed first, eyes wide with horror as her hands covered her mouth.

"I do! We do!" Mirabel exploded in rage and tears. "We try to stay out of trouble. We keep the kids out of trouble. We help Casilda in her shop all the time. We help decorate. We help my mama where we can."

"We help out in town too, when people ask for it," Camilo put in, at a more normal volume. "We do everything we can to be useful, Gift, or not."

"And that's why you decided to spread those rumors?" Abuela snapped. "You're only hurting our family." 

"Why should we keep trying?" Camilo raised his voice as he realized that this was the point of no return. Might as well dig their graves deeper. "Nothing we will ever do will be good enough for you! We do everything perfectly, but the one time we don't, you jump on us for it like we never do it right!"

Mirabel looked down, thinking about all of the issues in the family, beyond just with Camilo and herself. Then her eyes widened and she looked back up. "No one is ever good enough for you! Nothing any of us will do will be good enough for you. Luisa will never be strong enough. Ricardo will never learn enough. Tio Bruno never See enough."

"Why don't you leave if you don't love this family?"

"We love this family. We all love this family," Camilo said with conviction. "Why else would Mirabel and I put ourselves in the position to be hurt for our cousins and my brother?" His eyes widened and he shrank in on himself as he brought forth the memories of that day. 

Mirabel's grip on his hand tightened as she glared at Abuela. "It's not us that's the problem. You are!"

Camilo found the strength to stare down Abuela with Mirabel. He knew what Mirabel was thinking, as the house cracked and shook around them. They had not been totally oblivious to the way Casita was starting to fall apart.

"Don't you ever-" Abuela was actually close to tears for once. It was the first time either had seen any hint of that before.

"You're the one breaking our home." Both Mirabel and Camilo yelled, eyes blazing with hurt, along with anger that Abuela had been disregarding all of them so far. 

There was dead silence for a moment as everyone processed what the two had said. 

Then, the loudest crack echoed around them, and the ground split between Abuela and Camilo and Mirabel. The crack went straight up to the Candle, knocking it out of its holder.

Camilo felt a rush of horror squashing out all other sounds and emotions. He followed Mirabel in scrambling for the Candle, not hearing anything anyone else said. 

Between his use of shifting, and Casita helping them out, Camilo was able to boost Mirabel up to the Candle just before his last shift flickered out and he fell.

By then, the rest of the family, plus Juancho, had been chased out in the chaos. 

Julieta hugged Juancho close as they looked up at Casita... just in time to watch it completely collapse. 

Juancho jumped up. "No! Milo! Mira!" he called.

Agustin held him back and hugged him tightly. "We have to wait until the dust settles a bit. We don't want to risk any more of us getting hurt," Agustin murmured, though he too wanted nothing more than to rush in to find his daughter and nephew.

Bruno stared at the house in horror. They had turned their backs on Mirabel and Camilo after all... in the moment the twins needed them most, all everyone could do was watch in horror and hope they weren't next. If they'd stood up, it would have been most of the family against Abuela, he was certain. But instead...

.

Camilo groaned and opened his eyes. Mirabel's sooty face hovered over his. "Bella?" he asked, then sat up. He yelped as the movement made his head pound. 

"The Candle..." Mirabel sniffed, showing him how low the flame was. As they watched, it went out.

Camilo stared at it then wrapped his arms around Mirabel, ignoring his headache. 

"Is this... is this our fault?" Camilo asked, horrified. "Did we... did we break the Miracle?" 

"I-I don't know..." Mirabel whispered as she turned and hugged him tightly.

That was how Julieta and Pepa found them. "Oh, thank goodness, you're alive," Pepa breathed as they hugged the two. 

But then Julieta was called away to help with Abuela's shock.

Pepa was staying with them until she spotted Antonio crying while Felix helped move things. 

"Stay here," she ordered Camilo and Mirabel.

Camilo, though, just looked around. Everything seemed to be a shade of gray. Lifeless, dull. Casita, the Miracle, their Gifts, the Encanto itself... it was all gone...

Mirabel sniffled. "Come on... if it's our fault... I think... I think they need some space from us."

Camilo nodded. "And we need to figure out the best way we can help rebuild," he finished softly. 

Mirabel stood, and together, they left the rubble, numb and in shock. It didn't take long for them to notice the crack in the mountains.

Without a word, they walked that direction, carefully avoiding any people.

Eventually they made it to a river. They splashed some water on their faces to get rid of the dirt, and then they sat together, not saying a word as they processed and the shock started fading.

Chapter Text

After Julieta realized that Mirabel and Camilo disappeared, it was chaos. Everyone wanted to look for them. No one knew where to look. 

It was during that chaos, when Alma was looking better that Bruno turned on her.

"I knew this was going to happen. I tried to stop it but you held on too tight!" he scolded her. "You never let us be our own people. You never gave us a real chance to prove ourselves, and worse, you put value on us based on how useful we were. Mirabel and Camilo were always going above and beyond to take care of the family and the town. Everyone saw it. Why couldn't you?" 

Alma couldn't formulate a proper response. She latched onto something else he said instead. "What do you mean you knew this was going to happen? Did you have a vision?"

"Of course I had a vision," Bruno sighed in exasperation, pinching his nose. "I saw that this could go two ways. One, everyone supports them, and it would turn out fine, or two, we all turn our backs on them when they needed us, and the house would fall. I should have stood up for you sooner so that they knew I had their backs." 

Alma stared at her son, realizing why he had never mentioned this vision to her. If he had, she would have latched onto the bad ending, and not done anything towards ensuring the good ending would happen.

"This is all my fault," she whispered. 

"We all contributed to the problem," Julieta said, coming up to them. "We could have stood up to you more. The Miracle started with you for a reason, Mama. And we respected that."

"But Mama, you have hurt Camilo and Mirabel for more than ten years now. They love and care about us so much they'd never lash out if they could help it. I don't think they did anything wrong, no matter how much the rest of us did." 

Alma nodded slowly. "Let's go look for them."

She started searching for them on her own once things were organized instead of chaos, and set out again in the morning. She used that time to think about everything. How she had handled the family. Had she held on too tight like they'd said? 

And what about Mirabel and Camilo? 

She remembered the vibrant, excitable children they used to be... and these days she mostly only saw that energy when they were with children. They didn't pull that out around the family. They preferred to be quiet and unassuming otherwise.

No, that wasn't quite right. 

They were obeying her rules to the letter. They didn't want her to be angry at them. They wanted her... to love them.

Alma was grateful there was no one to see her cry as her heart broke for how much they had to have been hurting. 

Ten years... they were fifteen now. Why didn't she remember their birthday party?

...did either of them have a birthday party? No, she didn't think they did. 

Alma knew she had a lot to make up for. Starting with apologizing to them. 

The worst part was the more she thought, the more she recognized her own faults in the situation. She always could have done more. She had done her best, but it wasn't the right choice for them. 

She started out okay with the triplets, but the pressure grew as they grew older, after many townspeople complained about any of them. 

The way she treated Isabela and Dolores after they got their Gifts was different from how she treated the triplets. She was thrilled when Luisa got something more obviously useful.

And then came Camilo's shifting and Mirabel's embroidery. 

Alma had screwed up with them big time, and she could see now how it affected everyone else.

Even perfect Isabela... how often did she see Isabela look briefly panicked on seeing her before she was perfect once more? How many times had she seen Isabela do something not so perfect and scolded her for it?

Alma closed her eyes tightly as she approached the broken mountain, spotting brightly colored thread caught on a thorn. She had a lot to make up for. With everyone. She had hurt them all, just in different ways. 

But first, first she had to make it up with the two she had hurt the most. The two that had stood up to her and called her out on it all. 

She used the journey to think more on how she might have hurt them. On looking beyond what she had thought she'd seen. 

She had seen two children who were desperate to help, but always fell short. They had a bit of a streak of mischief but they were responsible enough to curb it for the children. And they did not obey the way the rest did. She thought it defiance, despite the desperation to help. 

Now, now , Alma thought she knew what was really driving them. They wanted her to approve of them. To love them. But they didn't quite fit in. Neither of them quite fit the mold she had expected of them. 

Maybe, if things were different, if she had accepted Camilo's Gift... Maybe he would have fit in. He was good at hiding his emotions. He was the most affected by the Incident, and yet he showed very few signs of it. Not like Mirabel... but he had shown enough.

Mirabel would never have fit in the path that Alma laid out for her. No matter what her Gift. She was too bright and fiery. Too eager for love and acceptance, but not able to curb her true self the way others were. 

Mirabel... She was a lot like Alma.

How did she miss that? Mirabel was like her. Mirabel had that same fire and unwillingness to budge. She would not back down from what was right. She would do her best for the people she loved, but it was hard to hide herself. Alma had only changed and buried her fire under the waves of grief. 

No more.

Alma's thoughts turned to Camilo. If Mirabel was like Alma, Camilo was like Pedro. 

Pedro was sweet and funny. He was good with kids. He had a bit of mischief. But he carried grief and sadness. He had some bad experiences and the way he lost his sister... well. Alma didn't like to think about it. But one would not have known it.  Not by looking at Pedro. He didn't like sharing those things with those he didn't trust. He preferred to hurt quietly and not bother people with it.

Camilo seemed to be doing the same. Mirabel knew. They protected each other, acting truly like twins. But Mirabel was the one who acted. Camilo was the one who waited. 

And likely for good reason. With how much trouble they had been in, they did need to be more cautious, though that was difficult for Mirabel.

Alma was certain there was more she was missing. Neither of them trusted her, and they didn't trust the rest of the family much either. Sure, they were more at ease with certain members of the family, but they still seemed to be holding them at arms length with the exception of Antonio. 

She had a lot to make up for. She just hoped it wasn't too late.

.

Mirabel and Camilo were still huddled together when they heard footsteps. 

They knew how the family walked, even on rocks. Knowing who was approaching was always important, family or not. So they practiced, guessing and learning. 

This sounded like Abuela, or one of the other ladies her age in the village. But they wouldn't have come looking. Only Abuela. 

Of all the people to find them, it had to be her.

Camilo wiped away tears. 

Mirabel did the same. "I-I'm so sorry."

"We're sorry," Camilo said quietly, voice wavering. "We never... we never meant to hurt anyone."

"If we'd known..." Mirabel trailed off then shook her head. "It's our fault. Casita fell apart because of us..."

"Because we didn't want to face..."

"We've been telling people the truth. They don't want to hear it."

"We didn't want to be the useless Madrigals. But we are."

"We can't do anything to help anyone."

Their voices started overlapping as everything came spilling out alongside tears. Abuela didn't catch all of it, but what she did was important.

"-not gonna do that again-"

"-can kick us out-"

"-we'll listen-"

Finally, Abuela had enough and pulled them both into a hug. She didn't know what else to do to calm them down enough to talk. She had thought about what she would say. But in the face of their desperation and tears, it had all evaporated from her mind. 

Her heart broke with every word. They blamed themselves. Thought she would kick them out. Thought that they had to make up for it. No. Never. 

She held them tightly like she used to hold her own children, before she decided she had to maintain a certain image and comforting them dropped lower and lower on her priority list.

Mirabel and Camilo both froze when Abuela wrapped her arms around them. They shared stunned, teary looks as she pulled them onto her lap as much as she could. And then she did not let go. 

They calmed down not long after that.

"I haven't been here since..." Abuela trailed off. "Maybe I should begin at the beginning."

"Is this where Abuelo died?" Camilo asked quietly, bracing himself. For what, he wasn't sure.

"Yes, it is. This isn't how I expected my life to go. Where I expected to be. I thought I would be a different woman. Your Pedro and I... we met at a festival. We had the same idea and started talking. Eventually we got married. Then we had the triplets. I was exhausted, but the day after they were born... There was fire. An attack." Abuela drew in a deep breath and let it out.

"Pedro had always been a good leader. We were not the only ones fleeing our town. They followed him, over any other choice. We all only packed what we could carry, and I carried all three of my babies. To this day, I am still not sure how I managed that, no matter how small they were. We thought maybe we would get away, but they caught up on horses. And your abuelo... he went to hold them off. To surrender and hope they wouldn't come after us. They killed him... and I saw it. I set our marriage candle down and cried and after my tears hit the ground... they were thrown back. The mountains sprang up, pushing us away and giving us security. A safe place."

Mirabel and Camilo listened silently. This was a far more detailed version of the story than what she had told them when they were five. And for good reason. No five year old needed to hear and understand the devastation Abuela had gone through.

"When we found a place to camp for the night, I set the Candle down... and Casita grew under my feet and around me. Casita gave us shelter until we were able to start building the town. Everyone looked at me to lead. So I led. Five years later, we were mostly settled, and we were getting used to the new way of things. To the land around us. But that was when my children got their Gifts... and that's where I started spiraling. It was too much. We'd been Gifted too much. All because of my grief, not for anything noble, not for doing something right." 

Mirabel and Camilo were staring at her, occasionally exchanging looks. 

"You were right. The problems started with me. I failed. I was so caught up in my grief and never wanting to lose my home again... I did not see what was right in front of me. My wonderful family, always going above and beyond for me. I never should have lost sight of what is most important. I am so sorry I never truly saw either of you, or understood what you have wanted all these years." 

Mirabel sat up and spotted a butterfly. It reminded her of the Candle. It reminded her of all the butterflies that worked their way into Casita as decoration. Many associated their family as a whole with butterflies. There was a reason that was her favorite thing to embroider for her own clothes. It was the one way she could show that she was a Madrigal.

She stood and helped Camilo up. He mirrored her look of hope. Maybe things were going to work out okay after all. They each held out a hand to Abuela.

"We forgive you," Camilo said quietly.

Abuela looked up in surprise and accepted their hands, standing. 

"I can finally see... you went through so much, endured so much pain so that we wouldn't have to." Mirabel glanced at the innocuous butterfly and smiled. 

"It may not have always been the right way. It may have affected us all in ways we don't understand yet... there's a lot to apologize for... and make amends for." Camilo was smiling. It was a true smile, not the fake one Abuela had grown accustomed to around the house.

"The Miracle exists because of you. We are here because of you. There is nothing broken that we can't solve together."

"Let's rebuild our family," Camilo said. "And rebuild our house." 

Abuela smiled, a few tears sliding down her face. Before she could say anything, there was a swarm of butterflies. 

They watched them swirl around and fly through the crack in the mountain. 

"We should head back." Abuela hugged her grandchildren once more. "We are not done talking. I have caused you a lot of hurt, and I would like to know all of it so I can be sure not to make those mistakes again. I will be talking with everyone to be sure we can rebuild."

Mirabel hugged her tightly, trying not to cry. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mirabel. And I love you, Camilo."

"I love you too, Abuela," Camilo said, voice thick with emotion. 

Bruno arrived, looking upset. He was relieved to see Camilo and Mirabel. They were alright! 

"I don't care what you think of me," Bruno started angrily. He didn’t get a chance to continue with whatever lecture he had been planning on doing to protect his niblings.

Alma hugged her son for the first time in years. When had she stopped hugging her family? 

"I am not going to hurt them anymore, Brunito," she said quietly. "We are going to fix this."

Bruno looked at his niece and nephew then back at her. "We are?"

Mirabel grinned. "Come on! Let's go!" She started walking back up the trail.

Camilo looked up at the slope path and sighed. He followed behind, as closely as he could. Both he and Mirabel had been injured by Casita's collapse. Mirabel was better off; Casita had managed to protect her more than it could protect him. She was still careful of her left arm. They were pretty sure it was broken.

Camilo? He had sprained his ankles from how his feet twisted while he was boosting Mirabel. Casita had tried to slow his fall but it wasn't enough to avoid breaking his leg, though that was partially because his foot got caught and his leg tried to go two directions at once. He had a few scrapes and bruises elsewhere and he felt really lucky it wasn't worse. His head still ached from smacking something, though he wasn’t sure what.

When Casita collapsed, both he and Mirabel had been in shock. Numb. Feeling nothing. They didn't realize they were hurt until they had cried for a bit and the throbbing set in. When Abuela arrived they had been thrown into adrenaline fueled fear and forgot for a bit.

Now, they didn't want to draw attention to it, not yet. They still had to walk back.

Camilo knew Mirabel. He knew she was just as uncertain about this as he was. Yes, they were hopeful. They forgave Abuela. 

Hearing her story... It explained a lot. There were a lot of blanks they had filled in, but Camilo knew that Mirabel had realized that there was every chance she would have reacted the same way after going through all of that. 

It didn't make things better. But having understanding? That helped. A lot.

But after so long, neither were fully ready to trust. They would hope, they would do their part, but there was no reason to let them know they were physically hurt, not yet. Especially since Camilo would need help and he wasn't sure anyone here could carry him.

Camilo was glad they weren't walking fast. It made it easier to hide how much this hurt. Could he make it all the way back to Casita? He grit his teeth and pressed on. He would have to.

Mirabel could hardly believe their luck. Abuela had apologized. Abuela wanted to talk more. Abuela had even explained enough that she understood where Abuela was coming from.

It didn't make it right. It didn't make any of it right. Abuela had pushed them aside, called them useless. Punished them harshly for daring to do anything too out of line.

But... It was a start. At least Abuela knew there was something wrong. That she had done something wrong. They could work with this. They could... maybe they could actually figure this out. Get better. 

Mirabel glanced back at Camilo and winced at the grimace on his face, and how he was limping. 

He was going to need help. She just knew it. But... they weren't ready to say anything. They were giving Abuela a chance. That didn't mean they were about to admit to getting injured, and trust she wasn't going to overreact. 

Mirabel hoped she wouldn't. But they had just started this truce. She didn't want to make it worse right now. She resisted the urge to lift her arm to protect it and ease the pain. It was in immense pain and she wasn't even using it. 

She couldn't imagine how much pain Camilo was in. Camilo was so brave.

And they didn't have her mama's cooking anymore. They would have to wait for it to heal on its own. It could take months. Poor Camilo.

Camilo was sweating by the time they were in view of the town again. His leg was searing, sharp pain. Nothing like he had ever felt before. He didn't think he could take another step. But he'd thought that for the last seventeen steps and made it anyway. 

Abuela took a deep breath and let it out. "Everyone is going to want answers," she told them. "We told them what we could last night, but they will want answers." 

"Um... I don't really have answers..." Mirabel answered cautiously. "I don't know why the house was cracking or why it fell apart. Once the dust settled, Cami and I realized that was probably our fault and decided to get out of there."

"Yeah. That's all I got," Camilo managed to say, breathing heavily.

Mirabel shifted so he could lean on her.

"I think," Bruno said slowly. "I've been thinking about it for a long time. The Miracle came to be because Papa sacrificed himself and Mama was grieving..."

Abuela nodded.

"So I think the Miracle is more about family than anything. There probably is some measure of sacrifice required, there's downsides to all our Gifts and I don't know what you feel-felt with the candle but I know you did feel something. But family is also important, and everything has been driving us further apart. Most of us have only been looking out for ourselves instead of all of us."

"I think you might be right," Abuela admitted. "I was too focused on the draw to protect the community, and on keeping the family together than on anything else. I was scared to lose everything as I did before. So I held on too tight. But that pushed everyone apart in a way I did not notice until it was too late."

"We didn't want you to notice," Mirabel said softly. "But... that makes sense... Casita fell apart when we realized there was no way anyone could be good enough for your expectations.”

Abuela winced. "I am so sorry I made you feel that way," she said quietly. "I never wanted you to feel such pain. I should have been better. No apology is ever going to make up for it."

Camilo gave her a smile. "Guess you just have to make up for it through action and prove that things will be better, huh?"

Abuela smiled back, then frowned, noticing that something was wrong. "Camilo? Are you alright?"

Camilo sighed, glancing at Mirabel. Both of them knew they couldn't hide it forever. 

"I think my leg is broken," he admitted quietly. "It really hurts to walk on."

Bruno was at his side in an instant. "Why didn't you say something?" he demanded. "We could have helped you... Mirabel, are you hurt?"

Mirabel held up her arm. "I think my arm is broken."

"Come on, I'll carry Camilo." 

"Ah, Tio Bruno are you-" Camilo yelped as Bruno scooped him up.

"I can't carry you for long but I can carry you home," Bruno said quietly. "Now, let's get you to your parents, and then we can see about getting your injuries looked at. I can't believe you two have been walking with those injuries and not saying anything."

Abuela frowned as she wrapped an arm around Mirabel. "It takes a great deal of pain tolerance to be able to handle it. I usually only see it in people who have become used to handling pain for one reason or another."

"Oh... um..." Camilo and Mirabel exchanged looks. "I'm not sure we're ready for that conversation." 

"Who's been hurting you?" Bruno demanded.

"Just some of the villagers, no one important," Camilo said hurriedly. "It's fine. We ignore them and they leave us alone and it works great."

"It's not fine. I wish you had said something sooner. Why did Dolores not say something?"

"Wish we knew," Mirabel said sadly. "Maybe she didn't hear it every time. Seems weird but it's possible."

"You've never told her." 

"It's not like she hasn't gotten us in trouble before," Camilo said bitterly. "Things that weren't always even our fault. We learned not to trust her."

"Or Isa," Mirabel said sadly. "She hates me." 

"I do not believe she hates you. She's worried about you."

"Then why does she always put me down and act like I'm the problem?" Mirabel asked quietly. "The most she's acted like a sister was... was when she and Mariano found us a few days ago." Mirabel went quiet.

Camilo didn't look at anyone.

Abuela sighed. There was a lot to make up for. She had forgotten about that, but she shouldn't have. It was something traumatic for her grandchildren even if all physical wounds were healed quickly. She had disregarded their feelings... and they were willing to disregard their own feelings as well. It was not what she had ever wanted for her family. She should have known better.

They made it back to where Casita lay in ruins, echoes of the children letting the townspeople know that Camilo and Mirabel had been found behind them.

Pepa rushed over to Camilo and hugged him. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Oh I was so worried!" She hugged him tightly.

Camilo returned the hug tightly and felt a bit like crying some more but he held it in. 

"I think my leg is broken," he mumbled. "Can't walk."

Pepa gasped and made sure he sat down on a rock. "Oh no! Why didn't you say something? Why did you run off?"

"We didn't realize we were that hurt until we stopped walking," Camilo admitted sheepishly.

Pepa looked up to see Agustin and Julieta fussing over Mirabel so she went back to fussing over her son. 

"Why did you run off?"

"Felt like it was our fault. We were going to come back, we just... needed to process and... it was simpler that way." 

Pepa hugged him tightly. "Don't you ever do that again, alright?"

"Okay, Mama." Camilo closed his eyes and leaned in. He expected it to start raining when he heard her crying, but no rain fell. Then he remembered. No one had their Gifts anymore. He didn't have to worry about that anymore, though he kind of liked it when Pepa rained on him.

Pepa hugged him tighter. "We were so worried but we couldn't look for you all night so we stayed in the church and... Oh, I'm just so happy you're alright."

"I'm alright Mama... but the house isn't... we're going to have to rebuild it."

Mirabel led her parents over, arm now in a sling. "Yep, we need to rebuild it from the ground up, with a new foundation. Just like all of us."

Camilo grinned back. That sounded like a good idea to him. 

"What do you mean?" Julieta asked.

Mirabel could tell that everyone was there. Hovering and worrying over the fact that she and Camilo were injured.

"I know it seems hopeless, but we'll get by just fine. We all shine in our own ways, and we're more than just our Gifts," Mirabel explained.

Abuela smiled, proud of Mirabel for being so forgiving when she could have stayed resentful, since it had happened so recently. But no, Mirabel had chosen to be strong and forgive, as had Camilo.

"I'm sorry I held on too tight. I was afraid of losing you too." She smiled at her three children. "The Miracle isn't the magic... the real miracle is you."

That was when they heard a strange sound that none of them recognized. 

Antonio was closest to the still standing door. "I think it's everyone in town!"

That was when they discovered that almost everyone in town had shown up to help clean up the rubble and start building a new house where the old one was, preferably as similar to the old one as possible, as they were all used to it and did love it.

Mirabel watched the townspeople pass off their tools and supplies, smiling at her abuela's astonishment and gratitude. 

The town doctor noticed that she and Camilo were injured and checked them over.

They ended up having to go to his office to be sure he treated their injuries properly.

Then he told them that they couldn't help with the rebuilding of the house. Not until their broken bones had healed. 

But they could order everyone around. 

Camilo and Mirabel exchanged looks and grinned. Ordering everyone around sounded like a lot of fun. If they were willing to listen, anyways. Both were still a bit disappointed to be unable to help with the rebuilding.

Luisa hugged them tightly after she entered the room. "I'm here to carry Camilo. I don't have my Gift but all the workouts I did means I'm still plenty strong."

Camilo smiled. "Thanks, Luisa." 

"No problem, Milo." Luisa picked him up.

Mirabel walked alongside them, listening to the updates that Luisa had on the situation.

They were still clearing out the rubble. There was a lot to do before they could even begin rebuilding. Including drawing up a plan for the new house.

When they were asked their opinion on the house, Mirabel and Camilo suggested making sure there was plenty of room for the future, or a way to build onto the house as needed. After all, there were eight grandchildren. Maybe they wouldn't want to move out in the future and would need extra space. 

Everyone agreed to ensure that they could build on in some way if necessary, then got to designing and where everyone would be living. 

Mirabel and Camilo told them they didn't care where their rooms were as long as they were right next to each other with a door between them.

Felix looked between them at that point and then sighed, muttering something under his breath 'of course Casita helped them sneak into each other's rooms.'

A day of clearing up the rubble, a day of drawing up plans, and then a few days of making sure everything was ready... and then they started building the house. With a very firm foundation. 

Mirabel and Camilo found any way to help they could. They were determined to make a difference. And it turned out that people respected them.

Liked them, even. 

They didn't know what to make of that, and instead focused on what they could do to help out. On how they could make a difference that day. Usually ordering everyone around and making sure things were going according to plan or as close to the plan as they could make as problems arose.

Camilo and Mirabel were happy. They had no idea that others were not nearly as happy. 

After all, they weren't intentionally avoiding their oldest sisters... but they were. They just didn't realize it. 

But Dolores and Isabela noticed. It was hard to miss that every time they approached Camilo and Mirabel that they were suddenly busy with something else. It was hard to miss that Camilo and Mirabel would take the long way around if Dolores or Isabela were there, even when it was just Camilo limping around on crutches. 

They talked to their parents about it, but didn't want to push. They just didn't know why. 

Two weeks after Casita fell and they lost the Miracle, Pepa and Julieta sat down with Camilo and Mirabel. Neither thought anything of it; all the adults had been making sure to spend time with each of the kids.

But then Julieta spoke.

"We've noticed that you are avoiding Isabela and Dolores. Why?"

Mirabel nearly choked on the arepa she was snacking on. "Um..."

"...I don't want to talk about it." Camilo looked down. 

Pepa sighed and drew her son closer. "We just want to help. They noticed but you don't let them close enough to talk."

"I didn't really notice... force of habit, I guess," Mirabel mumbled.

Julieta and Pepa exchanged concerned looks. 

"What do you mean?"

Camilo shrugged. "Dolores never wants to spend time with us. Too loud. Not that we want to spend time with her. Never know what she's going to say to Abuela."

"...are you still bitter about her getting you in trouble?" Pepa asked, frowning.

"Of course we are!" Mirabel huffed. "Yeah, we were doing a prank, but it wasn't us that caused the issues, it was the dumb bullies."

"Bullies?" Julieta asked sharply.

Mirabel winced and looked away.

Pepa frowned and rubbed Camilo's back. "Why don't you both tell us about it so we can understand? We won't judge."

Camilo sighed. "The bullies are nothing big. They just like hurting us 'cause we're the useless Madrigals and no one cares. Dolores never gets us any help. She just gets us in trouble."

"One time, Mariano had to help us out of a hole after we fell in and got hurt," Mirabel chimed in. "There's no reason for us to trust her at all. I mean, I guess she could have missed the bullying... but every time? It happens all the time, hardly a day goes by without some teasing and she's unaware of it?"

"And yet she always knows enough to get us in trouble. She doesn't care to cover for us when Abuela is angry but she'll happily throw us under the bus."

"I tried to tell her about it a bit a while ago, but I don't think she believed me. She's not been doing anything differently."

"You haven't been in trouble in a while," Pepa pointed out.

"That's because we usually try to avoid it now. We don't want to deal with it... better to reduce the likelihood we'll be in trouble at all if we can be in trouble for other people's actions.

"I see." Julieta sighed. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Camilo shrugged. "I don't know."

"If we talk to her, will you two agree to hear her out?" Pepa asked.

"I guess." Camilo sighed. 

"What about Isabela?"

"Isa hates me," Mirabel mumbled. "Why should I bother her perfect presence with all of me?"

"If we get in her way, usually it's Bella that stumbles into her way, she has some really vicious comments," Camilo spoke up, sending a sympathetic glance at Mirabel.

Julieta wanted to protest that Isabela certainly did not hate Mirabel, but she held back. Even she could admit the way that Isabela treated Mirabel was a bit... off sometimes.

"And I don't know. She just... she doesn't want me around. You know, she never wears anything I make her. On her last birthday, she told me to stop making her dresses." Mirabel rubbed her eyes. "I just... it's better to avoid her. That's what she wants."

"No, that's not what she wants," Julieta said quietly. "But I understand how you came to that conclusion. Will you be willing to talk to her?"

"Do I have to?"

"I think you and Camilo both need to hear out your sisters, and I think they need to understand how their actions hurt you," Pepa responded. She was not impressed with Dolores and Isabela. She knew their reasons, but seeing how they affected Camilo and Mirabel, she could not approve at all. And she would make sure they knew it.

"Oh. Okay." Mirabel sighed. "I guess we can talk to them."

"Do you want anyone there?"

Mirabel and Camilo exchanged looks and then whispered back and forth. 

"Um, can we have a picnic lunch tomorrow and Mariano there but not close enough to listen unless we need him?" Mirabel requested awkwardly.

"Why Mariano?"

"He's always been nice to us, and he knows some of our problems."

"I don't think Isabela will appreciate him being there considering the reason they broke up," Julieta warned.

Camilo shrunk a bit. "I know but... if we are going to talk to them we need to feel heard, like they're listening to us, and someone who can help us calm down if we get emotional." He bit his lip and looked awake. 

Mirabel decided it was up to her to be blunt. "That means that it can't be you two or papa or Tio Felix. You want us to get along but it feels like we can't have our feelings because you want us to understand but we're not getting understood in return. So if we did get emotional... well. Mariano is the best choice."

"Alright. I'll talk to Isabela." 

"And I will talk to Dolores. Would you be willing to talk to Mariano?"

Mirabel nodded. "Of course." She smiled. "He keeps checking in anyways."

"Alright."

Chapter Text

Mirabel and Camilo had trouble sleeping that night. They were anxious about what their sisters would say.

No matter what Pepa and Julieta had to say, it was hard to believe that their sisters actually liked them. There were a few rare moments that had them thinking maybe, like how Isabela was so worried when she showed up with Mariano to rescue Mirabel and Camilo. But inevitably, she would ruin it.

So they lay awake and tried to sleep. But they could not manage more than fitful bursts of sleep and some light dozing.

Finally, the time arrived. 

Camilo limped on crutches to where they were meeting Isabela and Dolores. 

Mariano walked with them, quiet but understanding. He stopped several feet away and sat down. He would not listen in but he would make sure to intervene if it looked like Mirabel or Camilo were getting upset.

Mirabel helped Camilo sit down on the picnic blanket Dolores had already spread out and stuck close to him. 

Isabela looked nervous. But then, she never seemed happy these days. Always had a frown on her face, and always uncertain, now that she did not have to act perfect.

Dolores was fidgeting and more uncertain than anything. It had been hard for her, losing her hearing. She had thought it would be a good thing, but she could not get used to not even hearing her family's heart beats. 

Mirabel took a plate of food and started eating. 

Camilo did the same. 

Neither of them wanted to be the one to start the conversation. 

Dolores nibbled at her food. "You keep avoiding us. Why?"

Camilo sighed. "Don't you hate me? Why do you care?" 

Dolores looked like she was slapped. "What? I could never hate you." 

"Sure."

"I don't!" Dolores reached for him.

Camilo flinched back before he could stop himself.

Dolores froze and pulled her hand back slowly. "Milo?" 

Camilo looked away, then took a deep breath and looked at her. "From my perspective... you don't stand up for me. You've never backed me and Mirabel up when we're telling the truth about where we've been that day to Abuela. You never rescued us from bullies. There have been instances where we were dirty because of bullies and you said nothing. You have gotten us in trouble for pranks gone wrong that weren't even our fault. Any time you tell Abuela anything about us, it's either we were doing our chores, or negative. You never come hang out with me. You've never apologized for getting us in trouble. You don't even seem to care about how we get punished. Why should I believe that you even like me?"

Dolores covered her mouth with her hand as tears filled her eyes.

"I... I am so sorry, Milo, that was never my intention. I... I didn't realize."

Camilo sighed. "Then what was your intention? Because I can't think of anything that could explain it and definitely not anything would ever make it okay." 

"I did know about bullies, but I'm getting the sense it was worse than I realized..." Dolores took in a deep breath and let it out. "You know how Abuela put pressure on everyone in different ways? I had to have something to say about everyone in the family. If I didn't know what people were up to when she asked, I was lectured on the importance of making sure everyone was doing what they should without problems. Because we're the Madrigals, we need to be united and help our community."

Camilo started watching her.

Dolores was fidgeting. "And... I blanked a lot of times for you and Mirabel and all I could think of was the negative or sometimes I'd already be in trouble so I'd tell her anything new so that she'd ease up on me." She took a deep breath. "It wasn't right. I'm sorry." 

Camilo waited; Dolores clearly wasn't done.

Tears were now slipping out of her eyes. She swiped at them. 

"I didn't stand up for you regarding bullies because I was afraid she would take that worse. We're Madrigals. What happens if one of us is bullied? There was a chance she would stand up for you... but I thought it was more likely she'd be angry at you two for letting it happen. That she would believe you more 'useless' than she already did. And then you'd be in trouble and I hated how she treated you. I didn't want to see you in worse trouble. So I didn't tell her. I didn't back you up when bullies were involved. That small amount of trouble was way better than how bad it could have been if she knew."

Camilo ate mindlessly as he thought over Dolores' words. Finally, he was ready. "Why didn't you just tell me? You should have known that Mirabel and I could keep a secret. I mean, I kind of understand why not at age five, at six, at seven... but why not say something by the time we turned ten?" 

Dolores winced. "I don't know. I was protecting you. I guess I just didn't fully realize how it would look to you... how much it would hurt you if I did not tell you... I should have snuck into your room at night and talked. I should have tried to spend time with you to make up with it when I could. I never should have treated you that way and I'm so, so sorry."

Camilo studied her. "You really don't hate me?"

"I really don't, Milo. I love you. Before Antonio you were my baby brother. I love your Gift. I love how you try to make everyone smile, and how you always try to help out. No matter what is going on, you and Mira always try to put others ahead of you and that's more than I can say... I always prioritized myself aside from a few things." Her eyes darted to Mariano briefly then went back to Camilo. She was not going to bring that up here and now. That was a terrible idea.

Camilo nodded slowly. "Okay. I forgive you."

Dolores stared at him, eyes widening. "Really?"

Camilo smiled. "Yeah. But... It's going to take a while to trust you. And you'll have to prove that it's not just an empty apology."

"I know. You'll have your big sister around, believe me!" Dolores hugged him.

Camilo froze briefly then returned the hug tightly, a few tears in his own eyes.

Mirabel smiled. It was good to see them make up. She thought that was very easy and far less messy than the conversation she was about to have with Isabela. She carefully avoided looking at her sister. She wanted Camilo to have this moment with Dolores. Once they were done, Mirabel would try to work things out with Isabela. Not a moment sooner. 

Isabela shifted uneasily. Just from the conversation between Camilo and Dolores, she had pinpointed where she went wrong. Not communicating with Mirabel. She told everyone but Mirabel, practically. No wonder even their mama never got through to Mirabel. It was going to be a difficult conversation and Isabela only had herself to blame. Especially after. Well. She had a lot to make up for and this was going to get messy. She was far less prepared for it than she had before hearing Dolores and Camilo talk. 

She was grateful for it though. It showed her where to even begin, and gave her an insight into one of the things Mirabel was going to latch onto. It was still going to be difficult but it would be far easier now that Isabela saw some of their mindset.

Dolores pulled away and messed with Camilo's hair. "How about we spend an hour a day together, whenever we can get away from people? Get to know each other as we are now, act like we're strangers with no history or something."

Camilo swatted her hand away. "Really? I think that's a great idea." He grinned at her. "I'm looking forward to it!"

Dolores sighed in relief and went back to eating, now sitting much closer to Camilo than before their talk.

After a few minutes they both looked at Isabela and Mirabel. 

The two sisters were both staring at their plates and picking at their food. They looked quite alike at that moment.

Camilo snickered. "What do you know, you two really are sisters. Poking at your food with the same exact expression and all."

Mirabel and Isabela glanced at each other and smiled tentatively when they realized the other was doing the same thing.

Isabela took a deep breath and straightened. That was her cue.

"Um. So, I realize a lot of this I could have told you. I should have told you. I just wanted to protect you from the pain and the pressure I was dealing with, Mira. But that was wrong of me."

"Okay... then what's the problem?" Mirabel asked, raising an eyebrow. The only reason she did not cross her arms, well aside from one of them being broken, was that she was still eating.

Isabela took a deep breath in and let it out. "Well... you know Abuela wanted me to be perfect, right? I saw her wedding picture once. I look a lot like her. I think... no, I know, she told me herself the other night... she wanted me to have everything she did not. And that meant I had to be perfect. She saw herself in me, which was why there was so much more pressure on me to be perfect. I think if Dolores and I swapped Gifts it would have been the same issue for me regardless."

"Oh." Dolores looked surprised by that. Like even she had never considered that. 

Isabela smiled a little at their surprise. "Abuela wanted me to be perfect. I couldn't act like a kid, not after Mirabel's Gift ceremony. I had to start proving myself a proper Madrigal. Abuela had me doing lessons and accompanying her everywhere, learning about the family. She had me doing perfect flowers all the time. I couldn't have a single one out of place. I couldn't have one strange color. It all had to be perfect. I was stuck being perfect. I couldn't escape. If I did, what was waiting for me? Disappointment. I saw how she treated you two. I saw how she treated others when they disappointed her. I saw her with you, too, Dolores. Saw her with just about everyone at one point or another, you know how she is about going just about everywhere with me."

"Right."

Mirabel watched her, frowning.

"So, I didn't want to face that disappointment. All I had to do was keep Abuela happy. At first being perfect didn't seem like a big deal. I was generally good, and behaved, and my flowers were about what Abuela wanted. But her demands kept getting harsher. Then she wanted me to let Mariano court me... that's... that's when I started wanting to lash out more and more."

"Why did you lash out, though?" Mirabel asked quietly.

"I saw how she treated you... but at the same time, you were allowed to act like a kid. I was jealous. You had freedom I did not have. Even if you still had to behave, she did not expect the full perfection of you like she did me. And sometimes when you got in my way and I was mean to you... well. I was trying to be perfect. You getting in my way affected that. Whether because you messed up what I was doing, or because I lost my temper. So I got mean. I tried to drive you away, on purpose, because I could not handle being in trouble when it was not even my fault. But I should never have taken it out on you."

Mirabel nodded slowly as she set the plate down. She wrapped her good arm around her knees as she chewed on her lip. "And... before Casita fell?"

Isabela closed her eyes. She regretted every part of that. "I saw Abuela watching. I'm hyper aware of when she's around... if she wasn't there I probably would've just stomped off to change without a word. So instead I hurt you... Milo was right. I should have been watching where I was going. I'm sorry."

Mirabel nodded slowly. 

"Do you want to tell me how I appear to you?" Isabela asked. She didn't want to hear how she appeared to Mirabel, and yet, at the same time, she needed to. She needed to know what to fix. She needed to know how badly she had screwed up. She had lied that day to Mariano. She didn't hate her little sister.

Mirabel sighed and picked at a loose thread in her skirt. "Well... You just seem like a bully. You never have anything good to say to me. You don't interact with anyone... I always thought of you as a selfish entitled princess because you got everything I ever wanted without appearing to try. You didn't have to work for Abuela's love like I did... well I guess you do but you know what will get it. I don't. No matter what I did, no matter what Camilo did, we never could get her to smile at us like she smiles at you. It's been weird getting those smiles now..." She shook her head. 

"I thought you hated me. You always looked upset to see me. You never wore anything I made for you, and you told me to stop making you dresses. You never cared about anything I made... when that was all I could offer the family for presents, really. I didn't know what else to get you because Abuela gets you whatever you want and then you told me to stop making you dresses and... I didn't know what else to offer, and what I did make that weren't dresses... I never saw you wearing or using them either." Mirabel rubbed her eyes. She didn't want to cry over that. It was stupid to cry over Isabela not appreciating her gifts, her embroidery. But, some hurts never went away.

"And... I could hardly believe it when you showed up with Mariano that day... You seemed worried about me. You protected us. I saw something that made me think you loved me, for the first time since I was seven or eight. But then you were back to your usual self and I convinced myself I saw wrong. You had to just be worried about our reputation. What it would mean if-if that thing did happen. I convinced myself that you only helped because Mariano was there. That you might have left us otherwise. How could you care about us? Someone who loved me couldn't defend me like that and then three days later yell at me and call me clumsy and useless and..." Mirabel let out a sob, rubbing her face as she tried to stop crying. She ended up removing her glasses entirely as getting rid of tears with them on was next to impossible. 

Camilo scooted over and rubbed her back. "Everything you did was far more obvious than Dolores. Dolores was subtle and aside from never acting like my sister, she never directly aimed it at us. You did." 

Isabela winced. She closed her eyes and thought it over. From their point of view. Every little thing she had done. And... yeah. She could see it. She did hurt them deeply. 

And... that was something Dolores didn't seem to have caught onto. Mirabel and Camilo thought of themselves as twins, as a set. They went to either set of parents as they wanted, and they called the rest of the family by the title expected, yet they were not cousins but twins, and after everything they went through... 

Isabela could understand that. They certainly had gone through way too much with only the other as the one person they could count on.

"I'm sorry," Isabela said quietly. "I hurt both of you. I shouldn't have. I... I may have had my reasons, but they were selfish, and I should have at least talked to you both and tried to be a better sister. That wasn't on either of you. How could you know I was suffering if I never even hinted at it to you? I am so, so sorry. I should never have put that on you. And... Even worse what I did after what you went through. I'm so sorry. I don't know how I can ever make up for it with you. I... I barely even know who I am, let alone how to be the big sister you deserve." She hugged Mirabel tightly.

Like Camilo, Mirabel froze, then returned the hug. She snuggled in a bit, and Isabela felt more guilty for ever depriving her sister of this. Her fifteen year old sister who had assumed far more responsibility than she ever should have.

Isabela spotted Camilo's pleased smile and pulled him into the hug. 

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to prove that I do love you, Mira. But I will do my best." She did not let go of Mirabel. 

"As for the dresses, and everything else you made... they never met Abuela's standards for what I should wear... but I never threw any of them away. I kept the dresses you made, and only asked you to stop making them because I was running out of room for dresses I never wore except in my room for fun late at night when I knew no one would be around to open the door on me."

Mirabel lifted her head. "What? You really kept them?"

"Yes. All of them. I should have told you. Maybe we could have had sleepover dress up parties in my room some nights. That would have been fun... I should have told you all of that at some point, once I knew you could keep a secret. But I didn't and I'm really sorry for that. You didn't deserve that and..."

"Okay okay, Isa I get it. I think you're starting to repeat yourself."

Isabela smiled slightly. "Maybe a little. I just... I never realized how badly I affected either of you. Both of you. No wonder you were avoiding me. And Dolores. And... I know apologies don't make it better. I need to prove I mean it... but I... I love you, Mira. And I don't want to lose you. I was terrified when you both disappeared. You didn't just stand up for yourselves when Abuela confronted you... you stood up for everyone, even though all we could do was stand there, unable to even think about joining you. And that... that took a lot of courage that I wish I had."

Mirabel beamed and rubbed at her eyes. "All I've really ever wanted was for people to notice me... to appreciate everything I do and try to do for people!"

Isabela winced. "And I kept saying you were trying too hard... invalidating your efforts... when I wasn't just being dismissive in general."

Mirabel nodded.

Isabela hugged her tightly. 

This wasn't perfect, but it was something that they did not have before.

.

With tensions eased with the oldest of the grandkids, the others were more willing to talk to them, and soon the grandchildren all shared a closer bond than they had previously.

Elena was able to bond with Isabela instead of just admiring her. She agreed that making pretty things instead of useful would be nicer. After all, everyone liked pretty things or the glass shop wouldn't run out all the time.

Abuela visited her at the shop once in a while to see what she was making, and was amazed by how much Elena could do already. Even without her Gift, Elena was talented and clearly loved making things, glass blowing or otherwise. She wasn't making difficult projects on the level she used to since she wasn't immune to the heat anymore, though. It was a lot harder to do the difficult ones when one had to worry about being burned, after all. She was still young.

And yet, because she could learn everything, including what she wanted, Elena was truly happy, and excited to share. She talked to her dad all the time about what she was making, excited to learn more. 

Bruno always listened with a smile, pleased for his daughter.

Ricardo relaxed completely for the first time since he got his Gift. He wasn't squinting or rubbing his eyes anymore. He didn't avoid certain people, and he didn't stop and stare off into space looking upset from time to time anymore either. He had already been close to his papa because Bruno related to how people reacted to him and seeing things people could never understand, but now there was no reason to bond over that. It was a little more work, but the two of them and Elena were happier than ever as a family unit. 

Abuela watched them, and while she was thrilled for her son and grandchildren, she was sad that she had made it hard for them to connect like that in the past. And without the barrier of their Gifts, she found it easier to get along with them. But she should have tried harder, especially as she learned that Bruno had believed she didn't love him. And acknowledged that she had always believed the worst. Of course he would never share that vision showing the Casita breaking. And in the end, it was her fault it fell apart. 

She knew that Mirabel was right. She was the reason the family existed the way they did at all. And they could fix it. But, Alma also knew that it would take a lot of effort and fixing mistakes on her end to make up for all her shortcomings and fix what was broken. The change had to start with her. No one could make her better but herself. 

But it was sweet that Mirabel and Camilo were still such bright stars that they were willing to give her that chance. She didn't really deserve it, and sometimes she felt like they were giving her far more credit than she deserved. Because in the end, it was her fault. 

She had been blind with grief and a need to help the community she could never quite explain after the way they turned to her because of the Encanto, because of the Candle. Because of Casita, and then... because of the Gifts. Maybe some of it was the Candle telling her all of Encanto was her responsibility. But that did not excuse the way she went about it. She could have protected her children and later grandchildren while they served the community. They didn't need to earn their Miracle. They already had it. They just needed to be responsible and not entirely selfish. She had missed that before, but she would make up for it in spades now.

Luisa was still helping around town, but at a slower pace, and rarely alone. She was still a bit stronger than the average woman her age, but she was no longer expected to carry everything. She did struggle with finding her limits and then finding them to be so much less than before. But... All the help was nice. She was no longer expected to carry everything as she did before.

Alma saw Luisa not just relaxed, but enjoying feminine things she normally did not and just felt incredibly guilty. She made sure to take days to talk to Luisa and do those things with her. Just to show her support. 

Antonio perked up a bit, despite losing his new animal friends, when he was allowed to play with kids his age again. Especially Juancho, who was quickly becoming his partner in crime as they got up to much mischief. They spent time with the others in the town who most spent time with Juancho and had a blast.

Antonio tried coffee once and gave Juancho the most confused look as to why Juancho even liked it.

Alma spent time with Antonio, more than she had before. At first he was uncertain and shy, trying to meet expectations he apparently already was aware of. It broke her heart that her five year old grandson was trying to be mature instead of the child he was around her. She was working to be better because she should never have allowed that to happen. How could she be so blind to what she was doing to the children?

Her children, including Felix and Agustín, relaxed and thrived. Alma watched them with their own children. She watched as Pepa laughed freely and lost the signs of stress she had been carrying. She watched Julieta teach all the grandkids the basics of cooking, age appropriate of course for the younger ones, while at the same time spending less time in the kitchen than she had since she was a child. She watched Bruno relax and start showing more confidence now that people didn't have to 'worry' about his prophecies. 

She knew just from that she had a lot to make up for. Luckily for her, everyone was willing to give her that chance, and she would spend the rest of her life making sure she never treated them that way again.

And... she rather suspected she was getting another grandchild soon. 

In the chaos of dealing with Juancho's parents and then Casita's collapse... any talks about fostering or adopting fell by the wayside in town. Many seemed to forget about it.

But those who had eyes suspected he would be a Madrigal before too long. No one wanted to send him back to the parents that hurt him, especially not now that everyone had to heal the slow, hard way.

Juancho still felt most comfortable with Mirabel and Camilo for those anywhere near adults. Adults over all he ducked and hid, looking for the twins to keep him safe.

He was fairly comfortable with Luisa, Dolores, and Isabela, after a few weeks of building, and he didn't flinch around any of the adult Madrigals, Mariano, Senora Guzman, or Casilda. But if any other adult raised a hand near him, he flinched. 

It wasn't something anyone had ever really noticed before. But he had done that, and he was doing it more than before because he was used to abuse. Now that he was safe, part of him was always tense, waiting for the abuse to start up again.

But it never would. 

Camilo and Mirabel took their duties as his older siblings seriously. They understood why he was struggling so much, and helped him adjust to life with the Madrigals and to town, especially with the rumors flying.

He started picking up sewing from them, as they didn't stop going to Casilda's entirely. Doing some sewing was better than just overseeing the rebuilding of their house where they felt useless sometimes. They just only went for a few hours each day rather than all morning. Even if Mirabel struggled with just one hand.

Over all, the family was thriving. They were healing. They had hope. 

Most importantly, they had a new foundation for the future that would hopefully weather any issue.

.

Mirabel wondered about the 'family meeting' her parents wanted with just her and her sisters. She sat down between Luisa and Isabela and waited, curious. Mostly she was just relieved to finally be fully healed and able to help. She did not like learning what healing the slow and hard way looked like. 

Julieta and Agustín smiled at their three daughters as they held hands.

"We've been talking..." Julieta started, "and we want your opinions."

"What would you say if we adopted Juancho?"

"Yes!" Mirabel exclaimed, jumping up excited. "Really?"

Julieta nodded, smiling. "He's not getting comfortable with anyone else quickly, so there's not many options, and he does fit in with the family well. But we want to be sure you're all in agreement about getting a little brother."

Isabela smiled. "I always wanted another little sibling," she admitted. "I love Juancho... he's always curious about everything. Doesn't let much deter him now that he's getting comfortable with me either."

"He loves to climb on me, and I don't mind it... so long as he's not getting too much coffee." Luisa smiled. "I wouldn't mind him being our little brother either."

"Good. We're going to tell him tonight, and everyone else in the morning. Abuela already knows, of course. We just wanted to be sure you three were onboard with it," Agustín explained.

Mirabel hugged her parents. "Thank you... thank you for not sending him away. He's just getting comfortable with us and the house will be ready soon... he needs his own room!"

"We're putting it next to yours. You know we came up with a different plan for a nursery."

"Oh! that's right." Mirabel smiled. "I can't wait to see Camilo's face that I get to be Juancho's sister and he just gets to be his cousin. Not that Camilo is going to treat him any differently, of course."

They all laughed and discussed ways to welcome Juancho into the family by preparing his room and making sure he had everything he wanted.

.

Mirabel and Camilo ate lunch together.

"Can you believe the house will be ready today?" Camilo asked. "It's been months."

"I can't believe my parents planned on adopting Juancho this whole time. But... at least it means there's a room for him."

"So much has changed, too. Feels like we're really part of the family now." Camilo smiled. "It'll be nice to be living at home again, even if it's not Casita."

"I miss Casita."

"Me too."

"But... this is better. We're better."

"We are."

They finished lunch and got up to go back to the house to see how much was left before the house was declared ready.

Naturally, they ran into Diego along the way.

Camilo groaned. "You again."

"You think we're going to let you get away with everything?"

"Do we look like we care?" Mirabel shot back. "Everyone's expecting us back at home."

"Oh, I know, but you have no Gifts now... and neither do they. It'll be a lot harder to find you."

Camilo's eyes widened and he took a step back. He had never fully recovered from what happened. That experience was sticking with him. Even if he knew these bullies could be fought, his brain said to run before they could hurt him.

Mirabel was also shaky, though she had not been as affected as Camilo. She stepped in front of Camilo.

"Come on," she said. "Leave us alone."

"I haven't forgotten that vision."

"Vision?" Mirabel frowned.

"Of Camilo kissing my sister!"

Camilo groaned. "That's not happening any time soon, I swear! I barely even talk to others our age."

"Stay away from her."

"Whatever." Mirabel grabbed Camilo's wrist and started tugging him down the path towards home. It wasn't entirely blocked by the bullies yet.

Naturally, they were not done yet.

Mirabel gasped when they knocked her over. Her hands and legs got scraped up as she tried to minimize the impact.

Camilo froze, eyes wide. His breathing started coming faster. 

"Now... let's teach you a lesson. Who's going to believe you that it was us?" 

Mirabel pushed herself up but was shoved back down and then kicked. Her glasses came off, and Diego stepped on them. She gasped, and that was when her panic started. She could not see without her glasses, only blobs. This meant there was no way for her to defend herself.

Camilo was starting to hyperventilate as they started punching and kicking him. He was too busy trying to breathe to react to what they were doing.

"And you'll never tell anyone what we're doing. Who would believe you?" Diego laughed. 

Camilo couldn't hear a thing over the rushing blood and the spots he was seeing. He couldn't get his breathing under control. Tears rolled down his face as he shook.

"What the hell, Diego?" Estrella shrieked, throwing mud at him. "Stop being such a bully!"

"Your vision-"

"I don't care what my overprotective brother thinks!" she spat. "Leave them alone."

"Yes, leave them alone," Mariano spoke up coolly, with a crowd of townspeople who had been on their way to the house. They were planning a housewarming party to celebrate that the Madrigal's had a house once more so that the Madrigals didn’t have to worry about hosting.

Dolores and Isabela turned up, took one look at their younger siblings and rushed over to help them. The looks on their faces towards the bullies promised no mercy.

Mirabel clung to Isabela. "They broke my glasses. I can't see a thing." 

"Good thing our parents keep spares, we'll have to find that stash." 

"They do?"

"Mira, you're incredibly clumsy. It's a miracle they haven't broken yet."

"...point." Mirabel chuckled, leaning on her sister with relief.

"Are you okay?"

"A bit freaked out, a bit scraped up, and probably going to have bruises... but yeah."

"Freaked out?"

"I thought I was over what happened months ago... but the bullies hadn't confronted us since then..."

"You were unprepared for how you did react." Isabela sighed. "I'm sorry we didn't come looking earlier."

"It's okay... we were just leaving, we weren't late... surprised you made it here already."

"We left as soon as you didn't show up on time. Neither of you are ever late."

"Oh."

Isabela helped her stand. She looked over the scrapes and sighed. "Well, you could look better." She brushed off the sand. "But it's not as bad as I feared when we arrived."

In the meantime, Mariano and several other townspeople were dealing with the bullies.

And Dolores and Estrella were trying to help Camilo breathe. It was slow going, but he didn't pass out. There were slow improvements until they had him calmer.

Camilo leaned on his sister, eyes closed. "Are they gone?" he whispered.

"Mariano is taking care of them," Dolores promised. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible... I froze... why did I freeze?"

"Is this the first time they've gone after you since... since the incident?"

Camilo winced and nodded.

"Maybe that's why. You were in serious danger there, and being confronted with people threatening to do similar brought it back. That's why you panicked."

"Oh." Camilo leaned on her, closing his eyes tightly as tears fell. "I don't like that. I feel... weak."

"That's okay. My brother is an idiot."

Camilo's eyes shot open and he realized that the person holding his hand was not Mirabel. "Uh. Hi. Um, Estrella, was it?"

She smiled. "Yes, that is my name. I'm sorry about my brother. He's an idiot. Just 'cause we're kissing in the vision doesn't mean anything. It could just be a kiss with nothing after that."

"...right." Camilo smiled tentatively. "Thanks for helping."

"You're welcome."

Mariano joined them. "Everything okay? Anything I can do to help?"

"I think we're okay," Isabela said, arm wrapped around Mirabel. "We just need to find Mira's spare glasses."

Mirabel grumbled. "I hate it when I don't have my glasses."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Bella," Camilo said, looking over at her. "I didn't realize they got broken."

"It's okay. You were dealing with your own panic... I'll be okay."

"They were dealt with," Mariano said. "So hopefully they won't be bothering you anymore. And now everyone will know they've been doing that, so people will keep an eye on it."

"Thank you," Dolores said to Mariano. "Especially since you've already done so much."

"It's no problem." Mariano smiled.

Chapter Text

Cleaned up, a couple of bandages in place, and one set of replacement glasses for Mirabel later, the family was standing in front of the house. 

"I like how it turned out..." Mirabel said, smiling. "New foundations and all."

"It looks so much like Casita." Camilo joined Mirabel and wrapped an arm around his cousin, pleased with how it all turned out.

"It isn't perfect." Abuela came up behind them, smiling.

"Neither are we," Mirabel responded.

"That's true." Abuela laughed. 

And wasn't that just a huge difference from before. She was laughing about not being perfect.

"Just one more thing before we celebrate the new house," Abuela said. 

"What?" Mirabel asked.

"We need a doorknob." Bruno pointed out the obvious, hands on his kids' shoulders.

"Oh yeah! Where is it?" Camilo asked.

"I have it!" Antonio exclaimed, walking up with Juancho.

"You two should put it in!" Juancho exclaimed excitedly.

Camilo and Mirabel exchanged surprised looks, then grinned. 

"Let's do it!" 

Antonio grabbed Mirabel's arm and Juancho grabbed Camilo's arm as they walked towards the house. 

As she walked, Mirabel couldn't help but be proud of how far the entire family had come in just the time it took to rebuild. Before Casita's collapse, none of them would have thought to give Mirabel or Camilo the honor. When it came to matters of the family, it was better if they were not there at all. 

Camilo had been struggling over the last few months as what had almost happened would stick with him the rest of his life even if he wasn’t entirely why that incident bothered him so much. 

And he maybe spent more time focusing on rebuilding family bonds than he should have rather than focusing on that.. But... it was nice to have a stronger connection with his family. It made this gesture feel far more real than if he hadn't reconnected with everyone.

Mirabel held up the doorknob. Camilo put his hand over hers and they put the doorknob in.

The doorknob instantly started glowing. 

Both of them jumped back, staring with wide eyes. 

The door lit up. Then the rest of the house started glowing.

There were exclamations behind them. 

The door burst with light and there was an image of the whole family, adopted kids and all.

The shutters waved at them.

Mirabel smiled and waved back. "Hola Casita."

"That's cool!" Juancho exclaimed, wide eyed. "How did it know?" He was referring to the fact that he was also pictured with the family on the door.

"It's magical like that."

"Does this mean I have a door and a Gift too?" Juancho asked excitedly.

"Let's go find out!" Antonio grabbed his hand and dashed for the stairs as Casita started dragging people in. 

Mirabel and Camilo led the rest of the family after the two youngest of the family to find out what Juancho's Gift was.

He put his hand on the doorknob that had a J. 

It glowed. 

Everyone gathered around to see. 

Camilo buried his head on Mirabel's shoulder, trying not to laugh when Casita brought Juancho the carafe for making coffee. 

Juancho made coffee appear. "Infinite coffee!" he beamed.

Julieta looked at his door as the picture solidified. "It looks like more than that. Looks like you might be able to make any drink appear."

Juancho beamed. "That's so cool!"

"Open your door." 

Juancho opened the door and gasped in amazement as it formed into his room. 

Mirabel followed, grinning. 

Half the room had something like a kitchen space, though it wasn't the same as Julieta’s since Juancho would need it for drinks rather than food. 

The other half of the room was a cozy space, including a loft for Juancho's bed, and a small, hidden room for when he was feeling overwhelmed. No one drew attention to that; the whole family knew about how he would go find the smallest space he could to hide whenever he got too emotional. 

As usual, the room was perfect for the child who got it. 

"Now, we want you to keep to the same rules with coffee," Julieta warned. "And you'll need to be careful until we learn your limitations, okay?"

Juancho nodded, bouncing. He spotted his friends wandering into the room and dashed over to them, exclaiming excitedly about his Gift.

Abuela nudged Mirabel and Camilo. "Come on, you should reclaim your Gifts. Just about everyone besides Julieta has gone to do so already."

Mirabel jumped. Yes, there was Luisa lifting things, Antonio had his jaguar friend once more, Pepa was making it hail while she danced with Felix, and Elena already had a river of molten glass floating in front of her as she made something.

Camilo grinned and pulled Mirabel out. "Come on! I want my room back!" 

Their rooms were the only unclaimed rooms. And they had to stop, surprised, when they saw just where their rooms were. 

All the doors were in the same places, with Juancho's door being next to Luisa's and near Julieta's. 

When they looked towards the nursery, the nursery stood alone. 

Camilo frowned as he looked over the wall with Elena, Ricardo, and Antonio. Not there. Then he gasped. "Whoa..."

Mirabel followed his gaze. "No way!"

Previously, Abuela's door had always stood on its own. Her children's doors were pushed to the corners, almost. At times, Bruno's tower almost didn't even seem to be on the same wall, but back further.

Now... Abuela's door did not stand alone. 

Between Pepa's and Abuela's was Camilo's, and between Abuela's and Julieta's was Mirabel's. 

Camilo and Mirabel hesitantly stepped up to their doors and placed their hands on the doorknob.

Instantly, their doors glowed and their Gifts were back.

Mirabel opened the door and smiled to see that her room was reforming, the same way it had been. 

Camilo closed his door and grinned at Mirabel shifting into her to hug her.

Mirabel laughed. "We have our Gifts back."

"I know! But... Why are our doors here?" Camilo wondered, glancing at the door in confusion. 

"I can answer that." Abuela opened the door to her room and led them up to where a new Candle was glowing. 

She picked it up and closed her eyes, smiling. She sat down on her bed.

Mirabel and Camilo joined her on either side, both leaning in as they used to when they were little, before their Gifts had changed things.

"I never quite understood it... not until it was gone. I do have a connection to our Miracle, to the Candle. It is why I was  so intent on serving our community. I was just wrong about what it meant for us."

"What do you mean?" Mirabel asked softly, looking at the Candle.

It was the brightest she could ever remember it.

"I can feel everyone in the Encanto, the rare times someone finds their way in, I know they are here the moment they enter. In a way, I am responsible for everyone here. I thought, because of that, it meant that the Miracle was here to protect us all, and the Gifts were meant to help. After all, the triplets had such useful Gifts. Healing, seeing the future, and ensuring that we never had to fear a drought." 

Abuela sighed. "As soon as I had the chance, I came right here to check on the Candle, and this time, as soon as I touched it... I realized the message I had been too foolish to recognize for so long. I was wrong. The Miracle was for me, born out of my grief and love for Pedro, and my love for my children, while I feared what would happen without their father..."

"Um, I'm glad you're telling us this, but why not tell our parents and Tío Bruno?" Camilo asked awkwardly.

"Because what I believed for so long has affected you two the most. You deserve to understand. And while I did discover new knowledge with Casita's return, most of this I have discussed with them over the last few months in some fashion."

"Oh."

Abuela wrapped an arm around Camilo and gave him a quick hug before returning to her explanation.

"The Miracle was created because of me. And everything that came of it was to help me. Not for the people that followed us scared, for me and my children, and the family we would create.  There were no strings attached. Just... protective love for us. That I have always been so willing to help others was a bonus... but I should never have let it get as far as it did."

"It's okay, you were grieving Abuelo. You never were able to let go of it, and you only just realized why you thought that way."

Abuela wrapped an arm around Mirabel and squeezed, before pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

"You have always been far too forgiving for your own good, Mirabel. I am glad you are giving me a second chance. But that does not erase anything. My grief and misunderstanding is only an explanation. It cannot be an excuse."

"I understand Abuela, but you've apologized, and you're trying to be better and that helps, a lot. So does knowing why," Camilo responded softly.  

Abuela smiled. "You two are simply amazing. I wish I had seen it before instead of only seeing how you got in the way. So many people have told me that of all the Gifts they miss the most, they miss yours. Both of you. You don't directly help people, not always, but you use your Gifts to make people happy, and that makes just as much of an impact as directly helping them."

Camilo grinned. "Mirabel is amazing at covering up tears and holes with embroidery."

"I've seen some of her work, and I agree." Abuela smiled at the way Mirabel was fidgeting and looking away. “And you, Camilo, are good at jumping in with a quick helping hand or to cheer someone up.”

It was Camilo’s turn to be embarrassed.

"Now, I brought you here to explain the door placement. Casita places the doors and our rooms based on what seems necessary. The nursery is a normal room so it is supposed to be standalone on its own side, with other normal rooms popping up as places to be as our family grows. Other than that, where a door is seems to reflect their place in the family. I don't know why it wasn't the case for every child, but when Isabela, Dolores, and Luisa were born, their parents actually were the rooms closest to the nursery for several years. At least until Dolores and Isabela got their Gifts. That was when their rooms relocated to be next to mine. Bruno's relocated that day as well, as growing up the three of them shared a wall."

"Oh. So us being by the nursery..."

"It showed how everyone viewed you as separate from the family. Casita put you there to protect you. At the same time, all the youngest members were generally placed closest to their parents so their parents could take care of them."

Mirabel nodded. "So why place us here, now?"

Abuela sighed. "It is the other reason I am upset that I was so blind for so long. Mirabel, the Candle sees you as my successor. So much so that it almost did not give you a Gift at all because you would not need one to lead as I have. But Casita recognized that having a small Gift would be better than one Gift and so, gave you your Gift after all."

Camilo sat up and stared at Abuela. "What? But that's what caused so many problems."

"I know that if Mirabel had no Gift, I would have scrambled to ensure your Gift at least would be useful and not an embarrassment. Which would have driven you two apart and isolated Mirabel completely. Even if this is not ideal... I do feel that this is the better outcome."

Camilo froze and then jumped off the bed. He darted over to Mirabel. He hugged her tightly. 

Mirabel returned the hug.

Abuela wrapped her arms around both of them. 

Camilo pulled away. "Wait, if Mirabel is to be your successor, it makes sense why her door is next to yours, it's not just about the healed family bonds and stuff... but why me?"

"You and Mirabel rarely do things apart. Casita believes this should be encouraged. Even if Mirabel is officially the one who will take care of the Candle and the Miracle, you will always help her. Of course you would be placed nearby."

"Oh."

They talked for a bit longer before Casita nudged them out the door and down the stairs. 

Mirabel laughed when she saw everyone else being gathered down in the courtyard. 

A camera was brought into place. 

And just as the picture was taken, Casita moved and tossed the whole family into each other.

Mirabel didn't mind being squished.

Camilo was annoyed to get squished between Tío Bruno and his father.

The younger cousins were almost all in a pile, aside from Antonio clinging to his jaguar friend. 

The picture spurred Abuela, Mirabel, and Camilo to rejoin the party. There would always be more time to talk. They had the basics down.

Now was a time to relax and enjoy having their Casita back, despite believing the Miracle gone forever.

.

Casita watched over the Madrigals. She was pleased with how things turned out. 

But she never should have had to watch any of her family suffer under such strict rules, such a twisted version of the Miracle and what it represented. 

Seeing how Mirabel handled everything over the years, especially with the support of her cousin, Casita knew Mirabel was the correct choice of successor, and that Camilo would of course be the best person to help her out over the years.

No matter how much they suffered, it was still better than Mirabel feeling isolated, alone. Being the only outcast watching her family be a family. 

Watching the Madrigals celebrate with their family and friends, watching over the newest addition... 

Casita couldn't help but be content. Rebuilding the house's foundations, and the foundations of their relationships at the same time was what brought her and the rest of the Miracle, including the Candle, back. 

Once Casita had realized they were past the point of no return, she wasn't certain that she would be able to come back. After all, it required the family coming back together, no cracks in their familial bonds.

In a circumstance where the doorknob wasn't the final touch added by the outcasts, this would have happened after enough love of each other had seeped into its walls. This could have taken months. 

But that wasn't necessary. The Madrigals honored the outcasts, and in doing so, proved to have a better foundation for their family before. 

Not much would be able to shake them. 

As Camilo and Mirabel conspired with Isabela to get Dolores and Mariano to talk, Casita thought that the future was bright, and she could not wait to see what happened next.