branches ✔︎ c. madrigal

chapter 15.

UGH I'm starting to hate this book so fcking much please end my misery and write the last chapter for me T.T

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          the bell rang upon encanto. the villagers sighed, releasing their worries from their bodies as the loud chimes flooded through their ears like music.

"mirabel!" señora julieta exclaimed in joy, rushing to her daughter. and hugging the young girl in relief.

you, and camilo treaded through the rubble, almost tumbling over rolling pebbles as you gathered with the rest of the boy's family. agustin spoke sincerely to his daughter, bulging red bumps of bee stings covering nearly each, and every part of his body.

"i'll be okay," he said, noticing the way mirabel looked at him.

"not if we don't have a house," he sassed bluntly. your gaze landed on him pointedly, 'you think this is the best time?' you non-verbally asked. you would have nudged him yourself if it wasn't for his father beating you to it, "what? we don't have a house, i can't say we don't have a house? what is that? not a house?" he shrugged to the crumbled cement piled next to you, making you roll your eyes.

mirabel stepped away, wandering into the ruins of la castle madrigal, running her finger tips against the ridges of the stone before turning back with a determined look.

"we need a new foundation," she said, gesturing towards the house, "it might seem hopeless, but we'll get by just fine."

your friend skipped over to her eldest sister, grasping her hands meaningfully, "i think it's time we learn, you're more than just your gift," she smiled at everyone.

"and i'm sorry that i held on to tight.." abuela alma cut in sincerely, watching everyone in remorse, "i was afraid i'd loose you too. the miracle is not, the magic that we got, the miracle is you," your face brightened into a smile as you saw alma lead a curly haired male with grey hairs out from behind a broken wall.

"okay so, we gonna talk about bruno?" luisa asked in confusion towards her long lost tió.

"that's bruno," pointed antonio with a mock oblivious expression.

you chuckled as the man in question danced between the tió's, and tiá's, proclaiming long awaited apologies he'd failed to amend before going into hiding. he'd probably heard each, and every word spoken about him—or rather not spoken of him for the last ten years. pitiful as it was, you were happy for him being able to have the chance to reunite with his family.

"i knew he never left i heard him everyday," dolores sounded to her brother. you, and camilo chuckled, knowing full well of the activities you'd been up to only a few hours before, and how you already knew of the homeless guy residing in the walls for quite awhile now.

padding of footsteps trudging though dirt, and littered stones made its way to the lot's ears, their brows furrowed in curiosity, and confusion. making their way out from behind broken walls. they came across nearly the entire town. they stared in surprise as they marched with boxes full of tools, and materials.

•

camilo's arms wrapped around your waist, lifting you from the solid ground with a paintbrush in hand. gently, you stroke a small nook that was higher than you could reach, and smiled in satisfaction as the paint spread evenly in its spot. you had been determining if you should get a stool for the irritating spot, but camilo had caught you in your struggle, and helped you out himself instead.

just as he set you down, a voice called for him, "camilo, here, shovel, catch," they said orderly. they'd tossed the shovel to him faster faster than he could comprehend, and stumbled as the large spoon fell into his hands. you snickered at his frantic attempts to not drop it.