━ ⭒─⭑━
Wandering through Encanto, your eyes fixate on the ground, each step a mechanical motion rather than a conscious choice. The voices have reached a crescendo, an overwhelming cacophony that screams and shouts, begging for your help, relentless in their pursuit for attention. No matter how hard you try to shut them out, their presence is a constant ebb and flow of noise, now louder than ever, only to fall into eerie silence for fleeting moments, moments that grow shorter with each passing day.
During one such moment of silence, you find yourself on the outskirts of town, dragging your feet, a shadow of your former self. Your father's worry has deepened, a mirror to Camilo's concern, which has transformed into outright alarm, adding another layer of weight to your burdened shoulders. He notices the subtle flinches, the distant look in your eyes that often darts to unseen threats, and the shadows that cling to the edges of your vision. Despite his probing, you push away his questions, a barrier built of false assurances, unwilling to voice the fears that consume you.
A heavy sigh escapes you, the decision to head back home weighing on your mind, knowing your father is likely out on another of his deliveries. Just as you take a step toward the familiar path home, a sharp sensation pierces your head, a harbinger of the voices' imminent return. Tears well in your eyes, your hands tremble uncontrollably, and your breath becomes rapid and shallow in panic. "I can't do this. I can't do this," you whisper to yourself, a mantra of despair.
Without conscious thought, your feet carry you to the one place that has always offered a fragment of peace—your secret spot, a secluded nook cradled by the tall tree Isabela grew in memory of your mother. Shielded from the world by the long, flowing vines cascading from the branches above, you collapse at its base, your small form enveloped by nature's embrace.
Your body shakes uncontrollably as the voices escalate, their demands piercing through the fragile peace.
"Please, let me tell my family that I love them!"
"My husband deserves to know what his sister did to me!"
"Help us... Help us... HELP US!!"
"I can't. I can't. I can't," you trembled as you covered your ears in hopes of drowning them out, but it was no use.
Just as you're about to succumb to the overwhelming despair, a sudden grip on your shoulders jolts you, and you brace for the familiar mockery of a spirit's deception. Instead, a voice cuts through the chaos, clear and unmistakably real. "Hey, Y/N. Calm down. Please, calm down. I'm here."
Cautiously, you open your eyes, meeting two pools of green filled with worry.
Your heart wants to believe it's truly him, but your mind rebels, scarred by too many deceptions; too many times than you could count, you found yourself in a similar predicament, yet when you allowed yourself to relax, you found that instead of really being someone you cared for, it was just a spirit playing jokes.
Flinching back, you shook your head, "No. No. No. You aren't real. You aren't real. You aren't real," you chant, body curling in on yourself as you expected a spirit's mocking laughter to follow.
Yet, the laughter never comes. Instead, you feel two hands cover the ones you held over your ears.
They were...warm...a sensation both unfamiliar and comforting.
Spirits have never possessed warmth; their touch has always been a cold reminder of their otherness.
Slowly, your breathing steadies under his touch, and you dare to lift your gaze, allowing yourself to truly see him.
Golden-brown skin that speaks of sun-kissed days.
A wild mane of curls that defied gravity, seemingly untamable, no matter how much it was brushed.
Two gorgeous green eyes that made you feel as if you were lost in a forest of evergreen trees.
And freckles—so many freckles to count—scattered across his nose and cheeks like stars against the dusk of his skin.
Noticing your attention, Camilo offers a gentle smile. "There she is," he whispered, his hands moving from your ears to cradle your face.
"Y-You're real," you manage, the statement half question, half revelation.
Camilo's smile widens, and he hums in affirmation, his gaze softening as he looks at you. "Yeah, Y/N," he gently caressed the side of your face. "I'm real."
In the serene quiet that follows, the only sound is the gentle rustling of the leaves above, whispering secrets to the wind. Camilo's touch remains, a comforting warmth against the cool air of the evening. It's in this moment of calm that he breaks the silence, his voice carrying a weight of concern that seems almost out of place for the usually jovial boy.
"Y/N," he starts, his gaze never leaving yours, "I've noticed...you've been different lately." His observation hangs in the air between you, a statement of fact that you've been desperately trying to ignore. "You seem distant, lost in thought, and you flinch at things that aren't there. I'm worried about you."
His words, spoken with such genuine concern, cause a flutter in your chest—a mix of warmth from being cared for and a sting of vulnerability from being seen in a state you've tried so hard to conceal.
Despite the truth in his words, your initial reaction is defensive. "Have you been watching me?" you ask, a hint of accusation in your tone, even though a part of you is touched by his attentiveness.
Camilo's confident demeanor falters under your scrutiny, a blush creeping up his cheeks as he stammers, "I-I mean, not in a weird way! I just... I care about you, Y/N. And when someone you care about is hurting, you notice, you know?"
His earnestness, coupled with his embarrassment, brings a soft smile to your lips despite the turmoil within. It's hard to remain guarded in the face of such sincere concern. "Thank you for caring, Camilo," you whisper, the words barely a breath as you lean your head against his shoulder. The gesture feels natural, a silent acknowledgment of the bond that has formed between you amidst the chaos of your life.
Camilo's initial surprise at the contact fades into a contented silence, and he gently wraps an arm around you, offering a silent promise of support. In this moment, with the cool breeze dancing around you and Camilo's warmth beside you, the weight of your burdens seems just a little lighter.
"Anything for you," he murmurs, his voice carrying a strength that you find yourself leaning into. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"
And for the first time in a long while, surrounded by the protective embrace of nature and the reassuring presence of a friend who has become so much more, you allow yourself to believe that maybe, just maybe, you're not as alone as you thought.
"Okay."
━•༓☾ ❝ 𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐀/𝐍 ❞ ☽༓•━
***Hope you liked what I've written so far!
The next update may be either this weekend or even Thursday, depending on how motivated I am. But seeing as I've been writing and editing for the past 6 hours, I like to think I'm pretty motivated 😁
(tactus mortis)
camilo madrigal x fem!medium!reader
@winxanity_ii
(wattpad)
~
ⓇⒺⓂⒺⓂⒷⒺⓇ:
ᴠᴏᴛᴇ 💛 / ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛ💜 / ѕнᴀʀᴇ 💙
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