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Chapter Text

Every Madrigal on their fifth birthday gained a soul mark.  Felix and Agustin both received one on the day they married their partner.  Alma received one the day she lost her husband, the bond between the married couple fading and replacing with a new one.  Alma called it a connection to their miracle, to their family.

After all, why else would it be a butterfly?

But when Mirabel turned five, when her door turned to dust in her hand, Julieta had looked over every inch of her daughter’s skin, even looking beneath her hair, and no butterfly was present.  She wept for her daughter, it seemed Mirabel was doomed to be without a soulmate, forever disconnected from her family.

Mirabel didn’t understand why there wasn’t a butterfly on her skin.  She didn’t understand why people said she wasn’t really part of the family; she didn’t understand what she had done to be unloved.

Until one day she woke up to find a mortar and pestle surrounded by herbs on the back of her left hand.  She had been so excited; she had run down to the kitchen to find her mother before even dressing herself.

“Mami!  Mami, look!”  she said proudly holding up her hand.

Julieta carefully took her daughters hand into hers.  “Ay, it’s very pretty Mirabel, but you really shouldn’t draw on yourself mija.  It’s a bad habit.”

Mirabel felt something cold shoot from her hand to her very heart.  She pulled her hand back to her chest.  “Huh?”

“Make sure when it washes off you don’t do it again.”  Julieta nodded once before turning back to her work.  “Now go get dressed mija.”

Mirabel was silent as she returned to the nursery.  She tried to rub at the mark, she tired washing it.  All she succeeded in was rubbing her hand raw.  No matter what she did the mark was unyielding.

Her Mami got onto her about it, then Abuela.  Isa called her childish.

One day when she didn’t want to be lectured again, she pulled out a pair of gloves she usually reserved for winter, or when Tia was snowing a lot.  They made it hard to do things, they restricted her fingers, and her hands were too warm all day.  But no one got upset with her for the mark on her hand.

A few months later when she was in the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of something on her shoulder.  A beautiful orchid was on her skin.  Excited once again she ran to her sister’s room excitedly.  Isabella had been avoiding her, or being mean, but maybe this would mean they could be friends again!

Isabella had scowled when she opened to door to find Mirabel excitedly babbling about something on her shoulder.  When she spun around Isabella saw the flower on her right shoulder.

“Really Mirabel?”  She scoffed.  “Mama already told you, no drawing on yourself.”

“But-“  Mirabel began to protest.

“I don’t care if Mama says your upset, I’m not letting you get off from breaking the rules.”  She dragged the protesting five-year-old straight to their Abuela who after seeing the flower demanded to know who Mirabel got to draw it on her.  Seeing as there was no way for her to reach them herself.

“But I didn’t, I promise!”  Mirabel kept insisting.

“I don’t want to hear a word out of you until you tell the truth.”  Abuela said sternly and Isabella looked smug as Mirabel was sent back to the nursery.

After that Mirabel made sure her shoulders were covered at all times.

Isabella eventually forgot and so did Abuela.  No one seemed to care that she always wore gloves now.

When a pair of glasses with a  crack in them appeared on her wrist she tried to show her Papa, but he just admonished her, and she went away.  When a bow around a dumbbell appeared on her left shoulder appeared she didn’t bother to show Luisa.  She still got yelled at for it when someone caught sight of it.

By the time Mirabel was 6 she had four marks on her body, they were all cold and pressing her fingers to them never brought the warmth it did when the family touched theirs.

Then one day a chameleon appeared on the back of her right hand.  She brightened a bit.  She knew Camilo would listen to her, he was her mellizo!

When she showed him, he got excited.  Pressed the back of his own right hand to hers and for a  brief moment warmth replaced the cold in her soul.

But then Camilo excitedly told his mama that Mirabel was his soulmate.  Tia Pepa had been furious.  So had Tio Felix.

They both yelled at her for trying to lie to their son.  They scrubbed at the chameleon to try and wash it off.  When it didn’t disappear, they told Julieta and Alma.

Alma had been even more furious.

Everyone knew about the soul bond she had shared with Pedro.  How it had killed her to see it fade.

Soul marks were sacred!  How dare Mirabel lie about one!

Mirabel had sobbed as she was yelled at.  Julieta told her she needed to stop, that there would be not excuse it if she drew a fake soul mark again.  They made her apologize to Camilo, who was also angry at being lied to.

No one believed her when she said that she really had a soul mark.  That she wasn’t lying.  So, she apologized, because what else could she do?

After that she kept the gloves securely on her hands.  She learned to sew and now had pairs that didn’t restrict her as much.  She kept her shoulders covered at all times.  When a set of music notes and a sunflower appeared on her left ankle, she stayed quiet.

When a myriad of weather symbols chased the silhouette of a dancer around her other ankle, she said nothing.

When the black began to spread, to crawly up her arms and legs and down her back she just put on long sleeves and tights.  She stayed inside as to not overheat.  Ice settled in her heart, and she cried herself to sleep, shivering with a cold that no fire could warm.

Maybe, she just wasn’t a good enough soulmate yet?  Maybe if she tried harder, she could earn the love back?

She tried.  She really did.

She learned to make presents for her family, tried to spend time with them, to help wherever she could.  She made sure she told every single one of them that she loved them.  Even when Isa rolled her eyes and Alma shooed her off.

And then one day she felt a little warmth on the back of her neck.  She pulled her hair up to see a little rat sitting on an hourglass.

The now 9-year-old was astounded that the mark continued to hum warmly.  She didn’t even know who it was yet.

Then one day a drawing appeared in the nursery, she didn’t know where it came from, but it made the back of her neck glow with warmth, ever so slightly chasing off the cold.

She asked Dolores about people with hourglasses and rats.  Dolores had quietly said that Tio’s symbol was an hourglass, and that he used to have pet rats.

Mirabel wasn’t sure how Tio was able to leave her presents when he was gone.  Eventually she had to assume that Casita was just using magic to get them to her.  So, she did her best to return it.  She made drawings, wrote letters, sewed little accessories.  She left them for Casita to take and received many notes thanking her.

She was proud that she managed to not ruin one of her soul bonds.

+x+

Bruno had been astounded when he caught a glimpse of Mirabel with a soul mark on her neck.  He had long since given up hope on ever having a bond outside of the one shared by all his family.  But his willingness to protect his niece must have proved it!  He hadn't lost his family just yet.  There was still hope.

So, he poured much of his energy into being a good soul mate.  If he couldn’t be around Mirabel, he could still show her he thought about her, that he loved her.  That she was still his little sobrina that he wants to protect more than anything.

And Mirabel responded!  Every single thing she wrote him was pinned on the walls of his hideaway.  He filled the space between the walls with gifts from his soulmate.

It made being alone easier, to know that he was doing the right thing.

Chapter Text

Mirabel poked at her cheeks in frustration.  The day after her 10^th birthday she had awoken to yet another soul mark.  It had been the one she dreaded the most.  A beautiful pattern that almost looked like lace was curled around her eyes.  It was almost like a mask, except it was permanently a part of her.

She wished she could be happy, she always thought Abuela’s mark had been the most beautiful of all.  But the fear of being rejected again was too much for her.  Black was already seeping across every one of her limbs, and down her back.  She wondered if this bond would bleed into her eyes.

She sighed, gloves and long sleeve people may ignore but a mask or blindfold couldn’t be overlooked.  Not to mention she couldn’t risk obstructing her vision.

There was only one option laid out for the ten year old.  She stole a bit of makeup from Luisa and rubbed it across her face, she tried to make it as natural as possible, but it wouldn’t fool anyone if they looked too closely.  She needed something more permanent.

So, Mirabel put on a hat to better cover her face and hurried out of Casita.  Magic was rare, even if her family made it appear otherwise, few learned magic and survived and it being gifted to a person required great sacrifice.

But she knew there was one man in town who knew magic outside out her family, she had stumbled into his shop once as a kid.  Inside she had seen stars caught in bottles, fire that burned in every color with no fuel, and smoke that formed into people and animals.  Abuela called him a fraud, but Mirabel knew better.

“Señor Gonzalo?”  Mirabel said peeking her head into the little stand.

“Ay, if it isn’t the littlest Madrigal, though not for much longer yes?”  The old man came trudging out to meet her, leaning heavily on his cane.  He smiled kindly at her, he and his family were some of the few who were always nice to her.

Mirabel flinched a little at the mention of her coming primo or prima.  She knew she shouldn’t be angry, but it felt a little like she was being replaced.  She might be for all she knew.

“Sorry niñita, I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”  His expression turned sad at her reaction.

“M’ okay.”  She shook her head.  “But- but I need help.”

She pulled off her gloves and showed him her hand, the thick black tendril like lines that pulled from a mortar and pestle and a pair of cracked glasses.

The man gasped taking her hand in his, he held it like she was made of delicate glass.  Sometimes she felt like she was.  “Oh niñita.”

“I’m okay, but Mami and Papi don’t like to see it.”  She pulled her glove back on.  “I wanna make them disappear.”

“You want to sever your soul bond?”  Señor Gonzalo asked astounded, even if the weeping was bad cutting a soul bond was no painless affair.

“No!”  Mirabel shook her head.  “No, I just- I don’t wanna see it, or anyone to see it.”

“Niña, you need to show them.  This isn’t good.”  He told her.

“I did!”  She wailed causing the man to jump.  “I told them every time one appeared!  But no one would- they didn’t- I’m not lying!”  She fell to her knees and sobbed.

“You have more?”  Señor Gonzalo said eyes widening.  Multiple soul marks could happen but usually it was two or three at most!

“One for- one for everyone in the family.”  She rubbed at her face and since as the makeup washed away with her tears.  Señor Gonzalo saw the mark on her face now.

“Ten.”  He muttered, it was unheard of, it was impossible, it was magic.  It could only happen to someone who would so willingly give their soul for their loved ones.  And they were tearing this poor girl’s soul apart in their blindness.

“I know I can fix thing!”  She insisted.  “But for now, I don’t want to look at them, not until it gets better.  I can do it, I know I can!  Look!  I make sure my bond with Tio is strong.”

She showed him the mark hidden behind her curls.  It didn’t show any sign of weeping.

“Niñita, the weeping occurs when the other member of the bond doesn’t take care of it.  Nothing of this is because of you.”  If anything, the pristine butterflies on the other Madrigals were proof Mirabel had more than taken care of them.  “They shouldn’t treat you like this.”

“I can fix it.  I can.”  She begged.  “I just wanna hide the marks.”

“Niña…”  Señor Gonzalo took a deep breath.  “If that’s what you want.”

He wanted to march down to the living house and slap that horrid woman for this, scream at the parents and put the fear of God into her negligent Tios.  Then track down Bruno had hug that poor kid.  But he was old, and screaming would only make things worse.  No doubt they had seeded doubt in the truth of Mirabel’s soul marks into the village.  It would only hurt Mirabel.

“I’m going to cast what is call a glamor on something of yours.  Whenever you wear it no one will be able to see your soul marks okay?”  He explained, pulling the necessary spell components off the shelves.

“Can I still see them?”  She asked.

“Only when you take the glamor off, but you will feel them niñita.”  He almost wished she wouldn’t a weeping mark was hard on a person.  But she would also lose the one good bond she did have.  Once again he had to find a way to repay Bruno for that.  “What would you like the glamor on?”

Mirabel hummed, she would have to pick something she was guaranteed to have on at all times, except when she was alone.  Bracelets and earrings needed to be switched out for special events, and she didn’t like necklaces because they covered Tio Bruno’s mark, even if her hair did the same thing.

She paused before pulling her glasses off her face.  She would easily be able to tell if these were off and put them on first thing every morning.  Plus no one would expect her to remove them for anything, she just couldn’t go swimming anymore, at least not when other people were there.

“Will these work?”  She asked holding up the green frames.  Her eye doctor said her eyes weren’t going to change much anymore, and even if they did she could just keep the frames and switch the lenses,

He took them carefully from her.  “Si, they should work just fine.”

Mirabel sat patiently while he tossed different herbs and glowing things into a fire before dipping a small knife into the flames.  He carefully carved little symbols into the frames pausing and double checking his work.

“Why are you the only one to learn magic Señor?”  Mirabel asked at some point.

“It’s hard to learn, and dangerous.  Ay, my grandson is interested, but I doubt his parents will ever let him practice.”  Señor Gonzalo told her.  “I’m not sure I want him too anyways.  Maybe magic is better left to fairy tales now.”

Mirabel hummed at that.  Magic always sounded better in books, no one in those stories were ever rejected by magic like she was.

“Alright niñita.”  He held up the glasses and blowed on them to clear away any excess material.  “Try these on.”

She placed the glasses on face and tugged her glove off her hand.  Instead of the black weeping marks she saw only warm brown skin.

“Gracias Señor.”  She said hugging the old man.

“I’m sorry I can’t do more.”  He said solemnly.

“Oh, how am I gonna pay you?”  she asked suddenly.  She didn’t have any money.

“You don’t need to pay me niña, but I wouldn’t mind you visiting now and then if you have time?”  He offered, knowing she wouldn’t take a full no as an answer.

“Okay!”  She said peering up at him.  “I can do that.”

As the girl ran off Señor Gonzalo sighed.  He hoped Mirabel would come by.  He wanted to keep an eye on the poor girl, if things got much worse he would go through with tearing into her family.  But with a child so bright and loving how could she not find a way to fix things?

Sadly, Señor Gonzalo never got to see any improvement.  He died before the littlest Madrigal boy was even born due to his failing health and age.  He laid on his death bed and wished he had taken the chance to slap Alma.

+x+

Mirabel was sitting in her room with the door closed.  She heard a scream from Tia every now and then, she was starting to question why people had babies.  Her hermanas and primos were in Dolores’ room, she would be there too, but Isabella had been rather mean today and she didn’t want to be around her.

She was cleaning her glasses when her wrist hummed, she looked down.  It was nice to know Tia’s baby was okay, and from her bond with Tia she could tell her aunt was okay.  The mark had begun forming a month before the baby had been born but just now came into full focus.  A jaguar’s piercing eyes starred back at her with its mouth open for a roar.

She slid off her bed and hurried to Tia’s room, Tio Felix left the room right as she arrived, and she ducked in as he ran off.  She ran to her Tia’s bedside and peered at the baby.

“Mira, don’t crowed her.”  Julieta warned.

“Sorry.”  She said quickly and backed off.  But she still could see the little baby and his tuft of black curls that peeked from the orange blanket.

“Mami!”  Camilo came running in and clambered onto the bed.  Mirabel wanted to point out that that was crowding Tia too but maybe since it was his mama he could do that.

“Quiet mijo.”  Felix said.  “Meet your hermanito.”

Camilo looked down at the little orange bundle.  “Why does he look like that?”

Dolores choked on a laugh.

“That’s what babies look like sobrino.”  Julieta said calmly.

“That’s not what Señora Martinez’s baby looked like.”  He refuted.

“Si, but that baby was a little older than Antonio.”  Pepa shook her head fondly.  “This is what babies that are just born look like.”

Just then big brown eyes blinked open and looked at them, they swiveled around a second before landing on Mirabel.  She stared back at the baby.

“Look his eyes are open!”  Camilo cheered before the babies eyes shot up to him.

At which point Antonio started crying.

The parents ushered everyone out.

“I hope he gets cuter soon.”  Camilo grumbled as Dolores walked him back to his room.

Mirabel didn’t know what Camilo was talking about.  She had never seen anything more beautiful.

+x+

Mirabel was always the one to wake up the family.  Because if she was the first awake she ran no risk of someone spotting her without her glasses.  She hated her reflection more and more.  Because every time she saw herself she could feel the black covering her body.

But she shared a room with Antonio, and once he was old enough he started to wonder why his roommate sometimes had marks all over her.

And the only time this really caused a problem is when Antonio asked his parents about it.

“Mirabel?”  Tio Felix poked his head into the room.

Mirabel promptly turned to partially hide the green pillow she had been embroidering for Tio Bruno.  Green alone may not be suspicious but rats and hourglasses most definitely would be.

“Si!”  She chirped.

“Antonio said something funny today I wanted to ask about.”  He said stepping into the room.  “He was asking why you were covered in black marks this morning?  Please tell me you aren’t drawing on yourself again?”

Mirabel panicked internally, it wasn’t like she could blame the three year old, it wasn’t like he knew better.  But externally Mirabel just laughed.

“No- sorry Tio it’s just.”  She interrupted herself with more laughter.  “I had set a cup of paint on the top shelf yesterday so Antonio wouldn’t accidentally knock it over.  But see when I woke up this morning and tried to get something off the shelf I hit it and spilled it all over me.  I didn’t realize Antonio saw.”

Felix chuckled at the idea of his niece absolutely covered in paint.  “I guess you are your fathers daughter, what should we expect?  I remember once when he was helping your mother his spilled an entire bag of flour on both of them, looked like ghosts.  Alright, well just make sure everything got cleaned up.”

He let out one last laugh before leaving, Mirabel felt something in her twinge.  It was a happy interaction, they laughed and cracked jokes and she even heard stories about her parents to make her smile.  So why was her mark still so cold on her ankle?  Whenever her parents shared laughs or spent time together they said it made their marks warm.  So why was hers still cold?

Was it only for romantic bonds?  But she had heard similar accounts of it happening between siblings or platonic bonds.  So why couldn’t her marks heal for once?

Later when Antonio came into the room she sighed as she bundled the 3-year-old up onto her bed to read him a story.

“Mira?”  He asked.  “Do you spill paint on yourself every morning?”

She flinched at the words.  Apparently Tio Felix had explained to his son why the marks were there.

“No Tonito.  I don’t.”  She shook head.  “I’ll tell you the truth but only if you promise to keep it secret.”

“I’m super good at secrets.”  He told her eagerly.

Mirabel briefly rose and peeked into the hall.  Dolores’ door was humming in a way it only did when she was inside, so she had no fear of being overheard.  Satisfied, she returned to her bed and sat in front of Antonio.”

“You’ve seen your padres soul marks right?”  She asked.

Antonio nodded, “Si, Mami and Papi both have a butterfly on their ankle.  Lola has one too but on the other foot, and Cami has one on his hand,”

“Well, I have soul marks too, but they don’t look nice, so I hide them see.”  She took off her glasses and pulled her sock down to show the weather patterns chasing each other on her ankle.

Antonio ran a hand over the marks, still visible being darker than the rest of her stained skin.

“Papi- Mami.”  he said quietly before looking at her other ankle.  “Lola.”

Then her left hand.  “Tio, Tia.”

She sat still as he leaned around her to see her shoulders.  “Luisa, Isabella.”

He carefully touched her face to avoid poking her eyes.  “Abuela.”

“Cami,”  He touched her right hand.  Before looking at her wrist.  “Me!”

“Si, you got them all right.”  She nodded.  “But you missed one.” 

She turned and lifted her hair up and let Antonio see the only other mark that didn’t weep.

“That’s for our Tio Bruno.”

Antonio hummed at the information.  “Why are mine and Tio’s the only one that doesn’t look all messy?”

Mirabel pulled in a shaky breath and returned her glasses to her face, so she didn’t have to see the marks anymore.

“Because I’m not enough.”  She sighed.  “Soul marks get messy when the people you love aren’t happy with you.”

“Why are they mad?”  He asked innocently.

“Because they don’t like my marks Tonito.  They don’t like that it’s me.  So, I hide them until I can fix things.”

Antonio didn’t understand why anyone would dislike Mirabel.

“Am I gonna be your soul mate?”  He asked.

“Mmhmm, right here.”  She tapped his wrist.  Antonio pressed his wrist up against hers so he could feel her soul mark.

“I’m excited you’re my soulmate Mira.”  He told her, he leaned his head against her side while keeping his wrist firmly pressed to hers.

“I’m happy your mine too Toni.”  She kissed his head.

Chapter Text

Mirabel was always the one to wake up the family.  Because if she was the first awake she ran no risk of someone spotting her without her glasses.  She hated her reflection more and more.  Because every time she saw herself she could feel the black covering her body.

But she shared a room with Antonio, and once he was old enough he started to wonder why his roommate sometimes had marks all over her.

And the only time this really caused a problem is when Antonio asked his parents about it.

“Mirabel?”  Tio Felix poked his head into the room.

Mirabel promptly turned to partially hide the green pillow she had been embroidering for Tio Bruno.  Green alone may not be suspicious but rats and hourglasses most definitely would be.

“Si!”  She chirped.

“Antonio said something funny today I wanted to ask about.”  He said stepping into the room.  “He was asking why you were covered in black marks this morning?  Please tell me you aren’t drawing on yourself again?”

Mirabel panicked internally, it wasn’t like she could blame the three year old, it wasn’t like he knew better.  But externally Mirabel just laughed.

“No- sorry Tio it’s just.”  She interrupted herself with more laughter.  “I had set a cup of paint on the top shelf yesterday so Antonio wouldn’t accidentally knock it over.  But see when I woke up this morning and tried to get something off the shelf, I hit it and spilled it all over me.  I didn’t realize Antonio saw.”

Felix chuckled at the idea of his niece absolutely covered in paint.  “I guess you are your father’s daughter, what should we expect?  I remember once when he was helping your mother his spilled an entire bag of flour on both of them, looked like ghosts.  Alright, well just make sure everything got cleaned up.”

He let out one last laugh before leaving, Mirabel felt something in her twinge.  It was a happy interaction, they laughed and cracked jokes and she even heard stories about her parents to make her smile.  So why was her mark still so cold on her ankle?  Whenever her parents shared laughs or spent time together, they said it made their marks warm.  So why was hers still cold?

Was it only for romantic bonds?  But she had heard similar accounts of it happening between siblings or platonic bonds.  So why couldn’t her marks heal for once?

Later when Antonio came into the room she sighed as she bundled the 3-year-old up onto her bed to read him a story.

“Mira?”  He asked.  “Do you spill paint on yourself every morning?”

She flinched at the words.  Apparently Tio Felix had explained to his son why the marks were there.

“No Tonito.  I don’t.”  She shook head.  “I’ll tell you the truth but only if you promise to keep it secret.”

“I’m super good at secrets.”  He told her eagerly.

Mirabel briefly rose and peeked into the hall.  Dolores’ door was humming in a way it only did when she was inside, so she had no fear of being overheard.  Satisfied, the young teen returned to her bed and sat in front of Antonio.”

“You’ve seen your padres soul marks right?”  She asked.

Antonio nodded, “Si, Mami and Papi both have a butterfly on their ankle.  Lola has one too but on the other foot, and Cami has one on his hand,”

“Well, I have soul marks too, but they don’t look nice, so I hide them see.”  She took off her glasses and pulled her sock down to show the weather patterns chasing each other on her ankle.

Antonio ran a hand over the marks, still visible being darker than the rest of her stained skin.

“Papi- Mami.”  he said quietly before looking at her other ankle.  “Lola.”

Then her left hand.  “Tio, Tia.”

She sat still as he leaned around her to see her shoulders.  “Luisa, Isabella.”

He carefully touched her face to avoid poking her eyes.  “Abuela.”

“Cami,” He touched her right hand.  Before looking at her wrist.  “Me!”

“Si, you got them all right.”  She nodded.  “But you missed one.” 

She turned and lifted her hair up and let Antonio see the only other mark that didn’t weep.

“That’s for our Tio Bruno.”

Antonio hummed at the information.  “Why are mine and Tio’s the only one that doesn’t look all messy?”

Mirabel pulled in a shaky breath and returned her glasses to her face, so she didn’t have to see the marks anymore.

“Because I’m not enough.”  She sighed.  “Soul marks get messy when the people you love aren’t happy with you.”

“Why are they mad?”  He asked innocently.

“Because they don’t like my marks Tonito.  They don’t like that it’s me.  So, I hide them until I can fix things.”

Antonio didn’t understand why anyone would dislike Mirabel.

“Am I gonna be your soul mate?”  He asked.

“Mmhmm, right here.”  She tapped his wrist.  Antonio pressed his wrist up against hers so he could feel her soul mark.

“I’m excited you’re my soulmate Mira.”  He told her, he leaned his head against her side while keeping his wrist firmly pressed to hers.

“I’m happy your mine too Toni.”  She kissed his head.

+x+

Antonio was bouncing on his toes all week.  Anyone who saw this on the outside would think he was excited to get a gift or his own room, but they were wrong.

A gift would be cool sure, but today he also got his soul mark!  I could finally match Mirabel!  He knew soul marks felt warm when you pressed them together, and he had been practicing for years so he could hold onto the bond while walking or sitting.

Mirabel always adored his determination.  She would be the first to admit she rather selfishly was waiting for this day to.  She was so happy to have someone who actually believed her mark that strengthened her bond.  Sure, Tio Bruno had always worked to keep their bond healthy but since he wasn’t here, they were forced to maintain it from a distance.

But Antonio was here, in Casita.  And she could be around him.  She could see him whenever she wanted and spend time with him the way she couldn’t with Tio.

Antonio was so excited he accidentally let slip that he was excited to be Mirabel’s soulmate to Camilo.

His brother’s expression immediately soured.  “Did she tell you that you were soulmates?”

Antonio was quick to recover from his mistake.  “No- But I want it to be Mira.”

Camilo sighed.  “Tonito, Mirabel doesn’t have a soulmate.  And it makes her really sad so don’t go talking about it with her.  She got so sad at one point she made a bunch of fake soul marks, and she didn’t stop for years.  So don’t bring it up got it.”

“Like Tio?”  Antonio asked looking down.

“Si, like Tio.”  Camilo nodded before Antonio scrambled down to go back to the nursery.

Since his eyes were down Camilo missed the anger in them.  Mirabel was already the best soulmate, and she never lied!  It was so mean for them to say that, all she ever did was love them.

Antonio climbed under the bed and waited; he didn’t feel like talking to anyone since Mirabel was in town.

Finally, the door opened and a familiar pair of pink shoes walked over to the bed.  “Everyone’s looking for you.”

He made a decision then and there that he would announce his love for his soulmate loudly and proudly from now on.  She deserved to hear it from someone.

So, when the curtain opened and the village all clapped, he looked back to where Mirabel was standing in the shadows staring wistfully at where their family was gathered together.

When she tore her eyes away and refocused on Antonio, he raised a hand to her.  She backed away a little, whispering a quiet “I can’t.”

“I need you.”  He said, making his best puppy dog eyes.  Maybe it was cheating but Mirabel could never deny him that.

Her will crumbled and Mirabel moved to stand behind Antonio, he reached his hand up to grab her right wrist from behind him.  He pressed harder, soon he’d have his soul mark.  Soon he’ll be able to actually connect with hers.

Abuela not so subtly glared as Mirabel as she ushered Antonio up the stairs.  Mirabel kept her eyes averted, instead focusing on Antonio.

Mirabel moved to let go when they reached the door, but Antonio refused to loosen his grip, instead reaching only his left hand towards the candle.  Mirabel looked away as Abuela swore him into protecting the Encanto, and the family.  He’d work super hard if it meant he got to have a bond with Mirabel.

When he reached for the door, he felt warmth spread from beneath his palm down to his wrist still pressed to Mirabel’s.  He heard her breath stutter a second as the bond solidified.  Immediately Antonio shoved as much affection and adoration as he could through the bond.

“Gracias Tonito.”  Mirabel said quiet enough that only he heard, and maybe Dolores.

As the town celebrated the new gift Antonio refused to release Mirabel.  She seemed to shirk as the family shot them weird looks.

“Tonito why don’t you come dance with me and your papa?”  Pepa offered.

He was about to refuse when Mirabel nudged him a little bit.  “You don’t have to guard me Tonito, it’s your birthday go have fun.”

“Being with you is fun.”  He corrected but still he let go for the first time that night and followed Pepa to the dance floor.

“Are you excited mijo?”  She asked.  “Talking to animals seems just right for you huh?”

“It’s cool.”  He nodded.

“That’s all, you’ve been so excited all week.  Do you not like your gift?”  Pepa was confused, surely the gift was exactly what he wanted.  Everyone knew Antonio loved animals, being able to speak to them should be the best thing to ever happen for the little boy.

“I do!”  He assured her.  “But I was mostly excited about my soul mark.”

“Ah,” Pepa smiled at her son, he had been absolutely fascinated with soul bonds since he was 3.  “Now your connected to everyone else with one.”

“And Mira.”  Antonio corrected.

“Mijo, you know Mira doesn’t have a soul mark.”  Felix had caught part of his family’s conversation.

“Even if she doesn’t, Mira is my soulmate.”  There was no sign of doubt in his eyes and his words were sure.

“That’s not how it works mijo.”  Felix shook hie head while Pepa looked troubled.

“Why not?”  He raised an eyebrow.  “You always say Mami is your soulmate with or without a mark.  Why can’t Mira be mine?”

It was true, the couple hadn’t any soul mark outside of the one that connected them to the family.  But it had never been doubted that they were made for each other.

“I-“ Pepa hesitated.  Did they really have a right to tell Antonio he couldn’t choose who to give his love to?  Any form of love was up to the people involved, but soul marks- “You know how important soul marks are.”

“I know.”  Antonio said rather angrily.  “But even if neither of us had soul bonds I still want Mirabel as my soulmate.  And I know she’ll want me as hers.”

“I need a moment.”  Pepa stepped aside.

“I think you’ve fried your mama a little bit.”  Felix chuckled but the unease was tense as the father son duo continued to dance.

Pepa meanwhile had slipped to speak with her sister.  Dolores’ eyes were switching between her Papa and Hermanito, Mama and Tia, and Mirabel.  Isabella, who was next to Dolores, noticed the unease and followed her sight, before landing on Mirabel and glaring.  Despite the fact that Mirabel was currently not doing anything, in fact wasn’t even facing the family as she refilled her drink.

Mirabel might have preferred the glares as they tended to work as an early warning, because by the time Mirabel turned around again Abuela had joined her mother and Tia’s conversation.  Mirabel’s eyes filled with worry at the serious looks on their faces and decided now would be a good time to run to the restroom.

She double checked her glasses were securely on her face and moved to duck out.

“Where you going Mira?”  Luisa asked as she accidentally bumped her.

“Oh, um just the bathroom.”  She said quickly.

“Well, the guest bathroom has a line, but you can use mine if you want to hurry?”  Luisa offered.

“Thanks.” She sagged a little in relief, she could spend a little longer hiding is no one was waiting for her.

Right as Mirabel moved to go past her siter and escape a voice came from behind her.

“Mirabel.”  Abuela said coldly.

“Hi Abuela, I’m just popping out to the bathroom really quick.”  She hoped she would be sparred whatever was about to happen.

“This is important.”  Alma stopped her and tragically Luisa decided to leave them to give them a modicum of privacy despite the partygoers surrounding them.

“Oh- um do you want to step out-“  Maybe she could make it so this argument or lecture or whatever it became would only be seen by whatever people were currently waiting for the restroom.

“Mirabel.”  Abuela levelled her glare causing Mirabel’s mouth to slam shut.

“S- Si Abuela.”  She clenched her hands behind her back to stop them from shaking.

“I want you to know it was rather inappropriate of you to have walked Antonio up to the door.  I understand you are close, but he needed to do that himself.”  She said sternly.

Mirabel held a small hope that this was all it was about.  “Sorry Abuela, I wasn’t planning on it- but- well you know I’m weak to puppy dog eyes.”  She chuckled to try and relieve some of the tension.

“And now-“ Shit.  “Antonio has started telling people that you’re his soulmate.  You can understand why this is troubling.”

Mirabel hesitated.  “I actually don’t.”  She may be willing to take the brunt of being a bad soulmate but she should at the very least defend Antonio’s decision.  “You already pointed out were close, he grew up with me around all the time.  We’re best friends on top of being primos.  So, no I don’t see the problem with him deciding that we’re soulmates.  It’s not like were faking marks or anything.”  Technically true.

“Mirabel honestly.”  Abuela’s voice raised slightly and to her horror Mirabel saw that a few people had begun to listen in.  Dolores in particular was just starring at her.

“No Abuela.  I’m standing firm on this.”  She clenched her hands tighter, she really wanted to check her glasses, but Abuela surely would see her hands shaking and worse she may knock them off.  “If Antonio had decided I’m his soulmate, then I’m going to stand by his choice.  I love my primito and I’m honored he thinks so highly of me.”

“This is highly inappropriate.  Especially with your ceremony- and you know better than anyone your-“  Abuela was cut off when Antonio suddenly appeared and stamped on her foot.

“Back off!”  He shouted.  “Leave my Storgilla alone!”

Mirabel on instinct pulled Antonio to her and he grabbed her wrist.  The group gapped at the phrase.  There were a few phrases often used between soulmates to distinguish their relationship.  Storgilla or Storgillo was between familial soulmates.  Part of Mirabel exploded with pride and joy at having earned the name.

“Antonio!”  Pepa shouted at the reaction.

“No.  She was mean to Mira.  And Mira’s mine.”  Antonio said angrily.

Alma was gingerly shifting her weight off the offended foot, Antonio may be young but that still hurt the older woman more than she anticipated.

“Mirabel will you get him to stop this.”  Felix begged.

Mirabel just shook her head and tightened the hold on her primo.  Her Storgillo.

“Antonio she is not your soulmate!”  Alma shouted.

“Yes she is!  She is because I said so!”  He refuted.  “Why do you get to decide?”

“Mirabel has no soulmate.”  Alma huffed.

“Yes she does!”  He countered.  “And it’s me!”

“She has no-“  But Mirabel levelled a glare at the woman that caused the woman to hesitate.

“No.”  Mirabel’s eyes burned with rage.  “Say it ‘Abuela’  I know you want to.  You’ve never had an issue with shoving it in my face before, none of you have.  So, what’s stopping you?”

“I-“  She suddenly noticed that the crowd was silent, and everyone was watching the interaction.

Suddenly Mirabel released Antonio and shoved her wrist an inch from Alma’s eyes.  “Look at it.  Blank right?  I know.  That’s what you wanted wasn’t it?  You hate the idea of me having someone who gives a shit about me because I don’t have a dumb tattoo.  Even if I did, no way anyone could love me right? Because I’m just the mess up.”

She angrily stepped back and turned to leave.  “Stay the fuck away from me Abuela.”

By the time Alma had calmed down enough Mirabel was already gone, Antonio hot on her heels.  “Well.”

“Fuck you.”  Someone said and Alma spun around to face the crowd who were openly glaring at the Madrigals.

“What?”  Isabella blanked at having so many people angry, and it directed at her no less.

“She’s right.  And you know it.”  Another person chimed in.

“Why do you care so much if Antonio wants Mirabel as his soulmate?”

“She’s not-  She doesn’t”  Pepa tried to defend.

“Who gives a damn?”

“What right do you have to deny them that?”

“Heaven knows you treat her poorly enough already.”

“Let’s go.”

Most of the crowd began filing out of the room.

“Wait!”  Alma tried to stop them.

“No.  The party died when you decided to yell at Mirabel in front of everyone.  For the horrible crime of caring for her little cousin.”  Someone said practically spitting the words at the woman.

“Mariano?”  Isabella said worriedly as the man leveled her with a glare.

“You were glaring at Mirabel every time you saw her, she hadn’t done anything wrong.  She wasn’t even looking at you, she was minding her own business.  What’s up with you?”  He huffed before turning away and walking off.

“I think I want to hold off on that dinner.”  He mumbled to his mother as they turned away.

Chapter Text

Mirabel decided to hide in the kitchen since they were less likely to check there than the nursery, pulling her glasses from her face and pinching the brim of her nose.  She rubbed anxiously at the mark around her eyes, she had never actively lashed out against her family before.  Despite her frustration she didn’t want their marks to hurt.

When footsteps approached she quickly replaced them and stepped out of sight of the door, where she could still watch without being seen.

Antonio ran in looking franticly around and Mirabel decided to stay hidden.  She had already caused a scene and no doubt emotional strain between Antonio and his familia, it made her heart ache.

When he disappeared again to check somewhere else she sighed and sat at the table with a huff.  She pressed her face to the wood letting the nose grips dig into her face.

Concern, Worry, Okay?  Need Help?  Flashed through the bond on her neck, merging with the worry flooding through Antonio’s bond.  Mirabel pushed a general feeling of numbness back at them and the sensations faded.  They knew she needed to be alone right now.

“You sure know how to kill a party.”  Someone at the door hummed.

Mirabel didn’t bother to lift her head as Camilo sat beside her.

“Don’t act like that wasn’t Abuela’s fault.”  She hissed in annoyance.

“No, you’re right she shouldn’t have confronted you…  At least in front of everyone.”  Right because image was so important, couldn’t let the village know the Amazing Madrigals were actual rude to people.

“I didn’t tell Antonio to say that.”  Mirabel sighed, finally lifting her head.  “He made that decision by himself, but I’m not going to undermine his choices.”

“I know.”  Camilo nodded, “He said as much earlier when I asked.”

You did a wonderful job of voicing your help, Mirabel thought bitterly.

“But you know why their worried.”  He added at the end, “With what happened with me-“

“Where you ditched me.”  She snapped.  “You stopped caring about me like everyone else that day.”

Camilo glared at her for the sudden reaction. “I was hurt!”

Mirabel let out an almost inhuman snarl.  “You didn’t think I was hurting?  I had just had everything I knew ripped from me, my parents were too busy for me, my sisters either bullied or avoided me, Tio was gone!”

“We don’t-“  He started on instinct.

“Well, I am!  Because as far as I’m aware he was the only person in this entire family who actually tried to comfort me!  Then Abuela fucking scared him off!”  Mirabel’s words were like venom as she flung them at her primo.  “And you were too busy to spend time with me.  Did it ever cross any of your minds that I was trying to cry for help?”

Camilo felt something in him turn cold at the words, not in anger but like a wave of grief had been shoved through his soul.

Mirabel stood.  It was bad enough that they didn’t believe her about the soul marks, she wasn’t going to take it right now.  She felt like crying, or screaming, or throwing something through a window.  Maybe all three.

A loud clatter drew her attention as Mirabel attempted to climb the stairs to the nursery.  A ceiling tile laid cracked on the floor of the courtyard.

“Casita?”  Mirabel questioned as she lifted the piece from the ground.  It slid from her fingers, and she hissed in pain as it left a small cut on her palm.

As she shut her eyes in pain she heard more clattering, the ceiling was shaking and the walls cracking.  She looked around in panic as the house she adored shook, the glowing doors flickered and when she caught a glimpse of the candle in Abuela’s window she saw it dim dangerously.

“What’s all the noise?”  Camilo’s voice came from the kitchen, did he not feel the shaking?

When she turned to see him exit the kitchen the cracks were suddenly gone, as if they were never there to begin with.  Mirabel blinked and looked around to try and find evidence of what she had seen to find nothing, the candle was bright as always.

But her hand still had a cut that she covered by making a fist.  “Nothing.”

She turned away and headed to the nursery, mind swimming but staying silent.

It wasn’t like they would believe her anyways.

+x+

Camilo for the first time in his life felt his bond between his family grow cold.  The butterfly on his hand was like ice instead of the reassuring warmth he associated with his.  Pressing his fingers to it felt like being zapped with static electricity.

The feeling only lasted till the next morning when it was back to it’s normal warm hum but it left him troubled.

But that wasn’t the only thing bothering him.  Mirabel’s words were ringing in his head.

“Did it ever cross any of your minds that I was trying to cry for help?”

He had always thought that his separation from Mirabel had been more gradual.  In his mind it was still strong just different with age.  But while he remembered Mirabel always meeting him with love he now remembered walling her off in anger.  It had been justifiable; she had lied to him.

But he couldn’t think of a time when they were ever back to the way they were before, even when he forgave her.  He still had pushed Mirabel away at realizing that she wasn’t his soulmate.  Just like everyone else did.

The realization made it hard to fall asleep and had him rising early the next morning.  He wanted to apologize first thing, so he dressed quickly and headed to the nursery.  Maybe he could offer to help redecorate since it was returning to being just her in there?  As an additional apology?

It apparently was early enough that Mirabel wasn’t running around waking everyone up yet.  He knocked politely and quickly.

“Mira?  Are you awake?”  Camilo received no response.  “Mira?”

He opened the door quietly in case she was still asleep and not just out of her room.  Sure enough there was a pile of blankets on the bed, far too heavy sheets for their current summer weather.  Maybe Mirabel got cold in her sleep easily?

Peeking at his sleeping cousin though he felt an old flare of anger.  Spread across Mirabel’s face was a nasty black stain of what once might have been an intricate pattern.

It was obvious what the fake mark was meant to match, Abuela was the only person in Encanto with a soul mark on her face around her eyes.

He held back a grumble of frustration until he had shut the door again, he didn’t really want to fight with Mirabel before he even apologized.

As he stood there, still outside the nursery door, wondering how to handle this Luisa stepped from her room.  While Mirabel was the first to start on chores each day Luisa was technically the first awake, preferring to go on a run most mornings.

“What’s got you in a fuss?”  She asked her fellow middle child.

He huffed in frustration again, “Do you remember when Mirabel used to draw all of those fake soul marks on herself?”

Luisa paled slightly.  “Oh no, is she doing it again?”

The shapeshifter silently gestured to the door and the young woman opened it

“Ay, mi poor hermanita.”  Luisa put a hand to her heart.  “We can’t get too mad, last night was hard enough for her without Abuela making a scene.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s okay.”  Camilo reminded, though his tone was calmer.  “What if Antonio saw and got his hopes up?”

The two continued to whisper about the younger teen until the girl herself opened the door.

Mirabel jolted at the sight of both her cousin and sister standing outside the door, seemingly deep in conversation.  On instinct she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, touching her glasses as another reassurance that they were there.

“Hey Luisa,” She smiled, strained as it was.  “I- uh.  Usually, you’re on your run by now, and Camilo this is the earliest I’ve seen you awake and it’s not even your birthday.”

Both looked agape, the black marks on Mirabel’s face were nowhere to be seen.  In the few minutes they had been speaking outside the door, Mirabel had managed to remove every trace of them.

“Oh- uh yeah.”  Camilo started.  “I- wanted to apologize.”

His eyes scanned over Mirabel’s face, looking for a hint of black on her skin.  Mirabel wasn’t one for makeup often.  She didn’t have the products needed to pull off the messy blotches of darkness that he had witnessed, not that he was aware of at least.  His conclusion was that she had used paint or maybe a marker.

But even makeup couldn’t be removed this cleanly this fast.  Her skin didn’t look red from rubbing it away, in fact for the first time he noticed Mirabel didn’t have a single blemish to her skin.  Despite he and most teens their age having to deal with some form of acne or other.  But he couldn’t remember Mirabel ever having anything but clear skin.

Mirabel tapped her toes once nervously, confused why she had earned such an expression.  “Well, uh- look last night was really just- high emotional all around.  We should just forget about it, or at least anything to do with me.  I gotta- I gotta go set the table.”

“Were eating outside today.”  Luisa remembered, unable to form the question she and her primo shared.  So instead, she just relayed the facts she knew.  “I’ll- go move the able for you, Camilo come help me.”

Mirabel was relieved when the two hurried off though she had never heard Luisa ask for help in moving something in her life.  Maybe they just wanted to continue whatever conversation they had started before she came outside?  Or maybe Luisa was being affected by whatever happened to Casita last night!

She filed that thought away and went to start her morning routine as she waited for Dolores to wake up.

+x+

Luisa watched Mirabel pull Dolores aside, they engaged in their own conversation of hushed whispers after Tio Felix left them alone to join his wife at the table.

After Mirabel reacted strongly with a “Really?” as she leaned back Abuela called them all to the table.

Dolores leaned out of the way as Mirabel placed herself between the two oldest Madrigal grandchildren.  Isabela, for one, barely even registered that Mirabel was there.  Instead staring into her coffee until Abuela started speaking.

“Family, last night a few unexpected things happened.”  The matriarch began.  She shot a glare at Mirabel, who blessedly was too busy shooting Isabela concerned looks to notice.  “We are of course very excited and grateful for Antonio’s new- Agh!”

The older woman jumped, as she had moved to sit, she found a few coatis waiting on her chair.

“Hop off guys.”  Antonio said, halfheartedly waving them away.

“Ah- Well, thank you Nieto.  I’m sure today we can find a way to put your blessings to good use.”  She still decided against sitting, as it seemed the coatis had left a present for her on the seat.  “But also due to some- misunderstandings we may have caused some tension in the Encanto.  So today we will work twice as hard.”

She walked over to Isabela, “And I think it would be best that Isabela and I pay a visit to the Gusman’s today.  Dolores?  Do you know if they will be free?”

The young woman vaguely turned to the direction of the Guzman household.  She made a wince, “It seems that Marino doesn’t really want to talk to Isa right now, and his mother seems to be backing it.”

Abuela’s expression became strained, “Ah, perhaps I should go alone then.  Try to straighten things out.  I had hoped there would be a proposal tonight, but it seems things will have to be changed.”

Mirabel, who was still giving Isabela nervous glances, seemed to see something shocking, as her eyes widened before her expression once again schooled to general concern.

Luisa wondered what she saw.

She and Camilo had spent the few minutes between seeing Mirabel stainless and setting the table questioning what they had witnessed.  Both agreed on the fact that while asleep Mirabel had fake soul marks staining her face.  But despite not having any way to wash it off she was spotless the second she left her room.

Casita could do some impressive rearranging but the idea that the house had moved a sink or any kind of faucet to Mirabel’s room was farfetched at best.

They both resolved to check it out after breakfast, the mystery would kill them otherwise.

Luisa was so busy thinking that she almost missed the proud cheer of “La Familia Madrigal!”

As everyone rose from the table, she saw Isabela making her way towards a walking path that led through the outskirts of the jungle.  It was something she often did to relax, and since it was mostly paved the fear of getting dirty.

Mirabel had stopped to gather a few more arepa’s into a napkin and poured some coffee into a sealable jug, usually used for juice.  Then she ran off to the same path.

The strong woman smiled fondly.  Mirabel would do anything to cheer up a family member, and she must have known Isabela’s distress over Mariano’s cold shoulder last night.

She had a way of cheering people up, and Luisa had no doubt Isabela would have a smile again by lunch.

Camilo watched Mirabel go and spotted Antonio slipping his coatis a snack despite their naughty behavior this morning.

Then he followed Luisa back inside and both hurried up to the nursery.

“I told mama we would get the last of Toni’s things and move them to his new room.”  Camilo explained.

“Good thinking.”  Luisa nodded, she didn’t want to explain why they were snooping in Mirabel’s room.

Casita seemed hesitant to let them in, briefly locking the door before they convinced the living house that they wouldn’t break anything and would leave everything as it was.  Except for having toa actually move Antonio’s things that is.

“You look,” Luisa told him.  “I’ll move the other bedframe to the storage room.”

“Right.”  He nodded.

They both set to work.

Chapter Text

By the time Luisa had moved all of Antonio’s things from the nursery to his new room Camilo hadn’t dug up a single solution to Mirabel’s morning trick.  She didn’t have any makeup to either draw or cover the marks and therefore, no makeup remover eithers.  Her paints were all sealed and brushes clean.

The room had only given them more questions instead of answers.

“Casita,” Luisa finally asked the house.  “Can you tell us how Mirabel suddenly didn’t have marks on her face?

Casita didn’t respond for a second before launching Mirabel’s glasses case at Luisa’s shoulder.  It bounced harmlessly to the ground.

“Thanks, a lot.”  She huffed, picking the case up and put it back on the desk.

Camilo picked up a stuffed rabbit, the last thing of Antonio’s in the room.  It gave him an idea.  “What about Antonio?  He might know what she did!”

The two had been nearly inseparable since the boy had been old enough to have a favorite.  Camilo couldn’t deny his jealousy at times that his little brother probably thought of Mirabel as a sibling as much, if not more, than him.

Luisa also didn’t voice her own envy.  That Mirabel had distinctly begun spending less time around her and Isabela in favor of watching over Antonio.  Though Mirabel could hardly be blamed.  Luisa was constantly busy and often had to shoo a younger Mirabel away for fear of her safety.  And Isabela- when was the last time Mirabel and Isabela had hung out without snide remarks and petty insults?

“We can try.”  She nodded; she already knew Antonio wasn’t in his room right now.  According to Tia Pepa he had run off to try and talk to the rats that hung around Casita.  They were hoping he could ask them to move out and stop stealing Julieta’s extra arepas.

The duo searched all over the house but saw no sign of the newly 5-year-old boy.

“Maybe he left to go with Mama or Papi” Camilo asked.  “Mirabel asked him to talk to the farmers donkeys last night.  Maybe he decided to do that today?”

Luisa raised an eyebrow.  “Really?”

The teen nodded, “Dolores mentioned it, said something about not thinking about it.”

Luisa was floored.  She was well aware of exactly how often the donkey’s got out.  She had just assumed the rest of the family either didn’t know or care all that much.  Had Mirabel noticed all along, and then asked for help as soon as it was available?

She hadn’t even considered asking Antonio, not wanting to bother anyone with the chore.  But if he could convince them to stay put…

The two left the house intending to go find the youngest Madrigal.  But were intercepted by Abuela along the way who pushed them to get started on their chores already.  She was already short tempered from running damage control all morning, and neither were willing to upset her further.

+x+

Mirabel had caught up with Isabela only by running for more than she expected.  Isabela must have been moving fast to get this far ahead.  Had she been using her vines to swing around?

When the teen finally caught sight of a flash of lilac she shouted, voice hoarse from being out of breath.

“Isa!  Wait a minute!”  She yelped as she tripped over a rock and only narrowly stopped herself falling.  Thankfully her glasses were still in place and the glamor was intact.

Isabella scoffed at the display.  Her little sister was a mess at the best of times.  “Yes?”

“I- brought- oh gosh you walk fast.”  She finally came to a halt in front of Isabela.  “I brought snacks!  I thought we could have a picnic!  Like when we were kids!”

“Mirabel, we ate less than half an hour ago.”  Isabela reminded scornfully.

Mirabel paused, probably letting that thought sink in a bit.

She recovered quickly though.  “Well, you can choose not to if you want.  But I’m still going to snack.”

Isabela sighed; she had really wanted to be alone right now.  But it seemed she wouldn’t shake Mirabel quite yet.  She might have to push to get the peace of mind she had sought out.

“You really wrecked last night you know.”  She sneered.  “Abuela was furious at the scene you caused.”

Mirabel flinched a bit.  “You should know- I didn’t really want to draw attention like that…  I just wanted to respect Antonio’s choice.  And when Abuela confronted me about it- I could have done things different but I’m not sorry.”

The young woman scoffed, “Of course you’re not.  Why would you be?  What was it really?  Revenge for not having a gift?  A soul mark?  Finally decided to turn the villagers on us?”

Mirabel’s face morphed from shock to disgust.  “You really thing I would ruin Antonio’s birthday for something like any of those?  I can’t blame you guys for me not having a gift!  It’s not in your hands!  Besides why do you care if their upset?  They’ll go back to worshipping the ground you walk on soon enough!”

Isabella stopped walking and wheeled around.  “And what about Mariano huh?  Now he’s second guessing his proposal because of last night!”

“Are you kidding me?  If Marino doesn’t want to marry you because of one bad interaction that didn’t even involve you directly?!  Then maybe you shouldn’t marry him!”  Mirabel snapped.

“I never wanted to Marry him in the first place!”  She snapped, and as she stomped her foot in annoyance a little ball of spined popped up between them.

Mirabel looked at the cactus and then up at Isabella.  The woman in question had put a hand to her mouth in shock at both her outburst and the plant’s sudden appearance.

“Isa?  You don’t want to Marry Mariano?”  Mirabel asked, taking a step forward and placing a hand on her sister’s arm.

“I just made a cactus.”  Isabela mumbled.  “That’s new…”

+x+

Antonio was sitting on the ground outside Casita.

“So, tell me more about your friend.  What’s his name?”

+x+

Mirabel had dragged Isabela, who was still in awe of the cactus and was currently holding it gingerly, into a clearing out of the immediate view of passersby.

“What do you mean you don’t want to marry Mariano?”  Mirabel said, sitting down on the lush grass that had bloomed at Isabela’s presence in the clearing.

Isabela sat, now playing with the flowers that had sprung from the plant.  “I- I don’t like- Okay that sound bad, I like Mariano just fine but- I’m not in love with him.   I mean sure he’s attractive, but that’s kins of weak to base a relationship on, right?  I don’t really like the big gestures he does, the songs, the gifts, the poems.  They’re too much and just not Me.  I don’t think he’s realized yet but- we barely know each other.”

Mirabel thought back to each time she had seen the two together.  Over the last almost 4 years- ever time she thought of them, they were always surrounded by other people.  She hadn’t seen them get to talk to each other much at all, much less alone.

“Oh Isa…”  She put a hand to her heart and pushed love and understanding through their bond, even if Isabela wouldn’t know it was her.  “Abuela has been the one pushing the wedding so much.  You never wanted this did you?”

“I mean I didn’t mind the idea of dating,” Isabela shrugged, “It’s why I accepted the invitation at first.  But it never really felt like we actually dated.  Maybe if we actually got to instead of being pushed so much, we could have both realized we weren’t the right fit.  Or maybe I would actually like him more- I don’t know.”

The older heaved a world-weary sigh. 

“I wish I had a romantic soul bond like Mama and Papa do.  Then I would know what to feel.  But right now- I only went along with the wedding for the families sake.”

Mirabel’s hand ghosted over her glasses, as she did near every time a soul mark was mentioned.  She placed a hand on one of Isabela’s.  “I don’t usually want to make a scene or cause problems but if that dinner happens tonight, I’ll pour my soup in Abuela’s and start speaking in tongues.”

Isabela snorted a very unladylike laugh at the mental image of the family Matriarch covered in soup.

“But.  I think what you really need to do is talk to Mariano.”  Mirabel continued.  “He doesn’t seem like the type to push for a wedding where you aren’t going to be happy.  And once he realizes you two don’t know each other super well he’ll at least want to wait to get married.”

“Your right,” Isabela relented, taking a deep breath in to calm her nerves at the thought.  “He’ll take it better than Abuela at least.”

The teen clapped her hands in excitement, “Now that we have all the heavy stuff out of the way, let’s talk plants!  Is this the first time you’ve ever made a cactus?  Like ever?”

+x+

Luisa and Camilo were hurrying through their chores, taking just enough care to get things done right before hurrying to the next task.

They wanted to keep investigating.

+x+

Antonio was dragged away by his parents to go to town.  The rats had soundly refused at the thought of leaving their friend behind, they were unsure of his name.  They just called him Friend, and sometimes the seer.

But they promised to show him how to find their friend tonight.

Antonio wanted to see if he was right.

+x+

Mirabel watched as Isabela practiced growing a cactus on command.  It seemed that she had built up so much muscle memory for just flowers that Cacti were only triggered by strong emotion.  Mirabel cheered for her every time there was a success as she carefully held the original by the base.

She had never kicked gloves all the way out of her fashion cycle after wearing them for so many years.  Now she had a few that made casual appearances now and then.  This pair was white with blue cuffs, and offered her fingers a little extra protection from the prickly plant.

“What about other succulents?”  Mirabel asked once Isabela had created a small garden of cacti.

“Oh! I read about this one type that can clone itself if you plant the leaves.  I want to try that!”  Isabella placed a palm to the earth; a suggestion Mirabel had offered since she seemed to concentrate when connecting to the soil better.

After two hours, and the shocking discovery of something they called pollen pods, the two tired and slightly dirty girls made their way back to Casita.  Mirabel checked if the coast was clear before hurrying Isabela up to her room to get changed for diner.

Mirabel set her own mess skirt on the chair to be washed and pulled out a clean skirt, this one fading from sky blue to deep violet and covered in embroidered stars.  She didn’t wear purple often, seeing is as Isabela’s color but she thought her sister might like the subtle support.  Gathering a clean shirt, she made her way to the bathroom to wash her face.

Unfortunately, the teen made the mistake of peeking at the mirror before her glasses were back on.  Even with her slightly blurred vision it was painfully obvious that the weeping hadn’t faded at all.

Reluctantly she peaked at eh orchid on her shoulder.

It was perhaps clearer than usual, but none the less still weeping.  Still weak.  Still unexcepted.

Still unloved.

Mirabel barely made it to her room before the tears started streaming down her face.  She sobbed into her pillow until she heard a knock at the door.

“Mira?”  Antonio asked.  “It’s time for dinner!”

He cracked the door open; no doubt having felt her distress and having hurried to check on her.

“Sorry Tonito,” She rubbed her face and looked at herself in the mirror.  A bonus of the glamor was it often made her eyes less red, no matter how much she had been crying.  Her eyes looked only slightly bothered despite the fact that she could feel her eyes still stinging.  The glamor wouldn’t show her tears until they began to fall.

“Alright, I’m ready.”  She put on her best smile, one Antonio no doubt saw through.

The boy in question was getting more and more worried about his soulmates.  She was crumbling, like the rats spoke of in the walls.