Bruno Madrigal Oneshots

The World Doesnt End (1)

by Lolapola on Ao3

This is a 5+1 (+1) fic so i'll update everyday with a chapter

Warnings: minor character death, crying, yelling

summary: Five times Bruno's presence wasn't wanted, and one time it really, really was.

One and a half times, actually, but that doesn't flow off the tongue quite as well.

Bruno is 14 years old, and he's beginning to notice there's a difference between the way the townsfolk act around him, and the way they act around his sisters.

Of course they all love Julieta. He can understand that. On top of being kind and loving and warm, she'll occasionally hand you a delicious treat that will also heal all your aches and pains. He can't resent them for wanting to be around her. And the truth is, she really is that great, so he can't even resent her, as much as he sometimes wants to.

Pepa is where it gets interesting, because anyone can see that having a moody, temperamental teenager around whose emotions are directly tied to the weather could be – well, it could get messy. And it frequently does. But the interesting thing is, as far as Bruno can tell, the townsfolk don't seem to mind all that much. Sure, there's the odd grumbling and complaining when it snows in the middle of summer or rains with no warning at all, and Mamá will frequently throw her a warning look when Pepa starts to get upset, with a stern, "Clear skies, Pepa, control yourself."

But the townsfolk still smile at her when they see her in the street. They still ask her how she is, and sneak her a warm buñuelo from their stalls, and thank her cheerfully for the warm temperatures. Pepa always insists that they're trying to keep her happy for the nice weather, but Bruno thinks that they really do appreciate what she does. Rain, after all, has a purpose too, and nobody wants clear skies all the time. Everyone knows that Pepa tries to walk amongst the crops when she's raining and hide in her room when she's storming, and besides, when she is in a good mood, she's exciting and caring and fun to be around. People just like her, simple as that.

And then there's Bruno.

The townsfolk were awed and amazed by all of the triplets when they first got their gifts, Bruno remembers. But while it seemed to wear off for his sisters, and people got used to them, it never seemed to get that way for Bruno. For as long as he can remember, everyone outside of his family averts their gaze a little when he looks at them and stares when he doesn't. And somewhere along the line, that awe had somehow turned to discomfort.

Bruno isn't sure when it happened. His sisters insist they don't know what he's talking about, but when you're at the centre of it, it isn't hard to see. Rooms quieten when he walks in. People cross the street when they see him coming, or pretend to be engrossed in conversation when he approaches. They come to him for visions, still, but that's the only time most people will willingly talk to him.

There's a difference between respect and fear, Bruno knows, and he knows it because he sees how they all treat his mother. That is respect, and try as he might to be friendly and normal, people just...don't like being around him. He can see it in their faces.

Bruno may be a fortune teller, a soothsayer, a living prophet, but he's still a teenage boy. He cares what people think, and the more uncomfortable they become around him, the more uncomfortable he becomes in his own skin. It's hard to be warm like Julieta or chatty like Pepa when you know everyone in the room is waiting for you to leave so they can relax, he tries to explain to his mother, but she never seems to understand.

Bruno is 14 years old, and he's found he doesn't like leaving Casita unless he has something good to tell everyone.

Today, for example, it's a beautiful day, and his mother and sisters are in the town, being helpful and adored. There's building going on, some kind of schoolroom that's become needed as the number of children in their town grows too big for the house of Señora Pascal, who taught Bruno and his sisters when they were young.