(3rd person view)
Camilo woke up early that morning a loud voice cutting through the silence as his mami called from downstairs. A hint of distress in her voice made him quick to move.
"There it is again, that faint plea" His older sister was sat at the table, her hand cupping her ear, the rest of the family watching intently.
"What's going on?" Camilo spoke with a low voice, if his sisters was trying to pick out something quiet, his loud voice certainly wasn't going to help.
"Some girl sounds like she's lost maybe? She keeps calling for help but it's getting fainter and fainter. Luisa and tía Julieta have gone out to try and find her." There was an unspoken hope between the family, Camilo felt different. He felt odd about the situation, deep down he knew it was right to rescue the girl in distress but he also couldn't help that this girl was bad news.
"They found her! They're coming back. They will be around 30 minuets." Dolores said, happy she didn't have to listen to the plea's, rather to the good news her tía delivered from miles away.
The spare room was laid out and a batch Julieta's arepas con queso were put on the table. Sure enough, 30 minuets later, Luisa banged open the door, a girl unconscious in her arms, Julieta following close behind, worry etched over her normally peaceful features. Camilo looked at the girl, still unsure, despite thinking the way her (h/c) hair drooped off of his cousins arm was pretty. His Abuela was quick to pull him away, demanding respect for the girl, no matter who she was.
It was the first sign for the curly haired boy that he didn't like her. Why does she get to march- well be carried into la casita and he isn't able to even look at her? She isn't royalty, at least, he didn't think she was. She was just some girl that would be gone by two days.
~~~
Well he was wrong.
Two day's came and went but the girl still hadn't left. Though she had woken up by now, having eaten some of his tía Julieta's food, he thought she was fit to go. And made sure she knew.
"Alright princesa," (The term being used as a form of torment rather than endearment) "I think it's time for you to go. I've packed your bags, they're waiting outside, ready for you! Alright, vamos, let's go!" The girl looked back at him with tired eyes and nodded, slowly rising from her bed. She couldn't tell in the moment that the boy before her was annoyed by her, she thought he was being encouraging.
"It's almost like you want me gone." She joked, a small smile etched on her face.
"More than you know." He mumbled back in reply, she hummed, and he shook his head.
"Nothing princesa, come on." The girl takes too long to move, so he grabs her arm, pulling her out the door.
"Abuela! She's ready to go!"
"I hope you aren't pushing her in anyway Camilo at this time, if she leaves before she is ready to and falls ill, her parents will never forgive us."
"Oh don't worry about that, my parents don't know you. They don't even know me." The girl laughed at her own joke, earning confused looks from the family around her.
"Oh, um- they don't live... around here and my parents are... always... away so we never really hang out." She mumbled, an awkward silence falling on the group. "Ahem, anyway, thank you so much for your hospitality. If you could, could you do me one last thing?" Abuela nodded.
"So, I am actually from Oscurathorne, up the road away and I am not very familiar with the land outside of here. I am looking for a group of people, I think they are called the Madrigals or something and well, my Abuelo sent me. He's dead now but um.. his name was Miguel." At the name, Abuela gasped.
"Well my dear, you have found us, we are the Madrigals!" A ginger haired women stepped forward, holding her hands and speaking to her.
"Miguel..." The older woman sat down, placing a hand to her heart and looking at the painting on the wall, of a younger man. "What do you need from us? I will do anything." She turned back around to look her in the eyes, she was still processing her luck of finding the Madrigals straight away.
"Well, I'm (Y/n), and I am kind of homeless."
At the words the family bustled around you, offering apologies, condolences and their bedrooms. Camilo rather, dragged a hand down his face, it didn't look like the girl was going anywhere anytime soon. His cousin, Mirabel, was quick to remove the bags from your hand, insisting that if you came all this way for them, surely you could stay a little longer. He looked at his Abuela, thinking that there was no way she would let you stay long term. Right?
"(Y/n), you came to the right place, cariño, I owed Miguel a large debt, I never got to repay him, I can repay you? You say you are homeless, sí? Well, not anymore. I trusted your Abuelo enough to let you in. Please, stay with us young one, we can take care of you." Mirabel dropped your bags hugging you, pleased to have a new friend. Camilo's jaw practically hit the floor. He had expected a couple weeks but moving in?
"Lo lamento to interupt but we don't have a bedroom? she won't get a door and the spare room has to... well stay spare." He receives a glare from Mirabel.
"She can stay in the nursery with us."
"Or in my room?"
"Or mine?" The Madrigal children overlap with offers before looking at their Abuela.
"I think she should go in the biggest room, Camilo, I trust you will make her feel welcome?"
Once again Camilo's jaw hit the floor, spluttering. Sure his room was big but that's only because it changed all the time. He rolled his eyes, looking at his Mami for help but she just looked back, a warning cloud growing, he had brought this on himself. Your eyes grew wide, "Woah.."
Pepa turned around, looking at you, the cloud vanishing. "Oh, of course, you haven't met the family! I am Pepa.. well, we have a family song but... that will have to wait, I am swamped with preparations for the gift ceremony for Antonio, there is still so much to do, we are so far behind! Ah, clear skies, clear skies." She waved her fingers attempting the eradicate yet another cloud that had appeared above her head. You smiled as she rushed off, realising the urgency of what needed to be done.
"So... I guess we are roommates?"
"Grab your stuff follow me, a couple rules. 1. we now have sides of my room. You keep your stuff on yours, I will keep mine on mine. 2. We don't need to get involved with each others personal business. 3. You are most definitely not allowed to date my relatives. 4.Just, keep out of my way, ok?" You paused taken a back, finding yourself quite uncomfortable. Camilo began to move away from you but was caught by a near by window smacking him.
"Did the house just move?"
"Yes, it's magic, we are magic, so what?" It hit him again "Alright Casita, I get it."
He leads you to a door, a wooden carving of him imprinted on to it. He opened said door and the room swirls, accommodating his needs, a sector of the room looked different to the rest. It was plain and boring, a wardrobe and a bed, nothing else.
"That's your area, welcome!" He said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. You couldn't understand why he was so angry at you. Had you said something? You left it alone, bringing out the little clothes you had and folding them in the draw. The wardrobe obviously didn't have the taste for your brown plain clothes, as it began to chew them, ripping them to shreds. You watched in despair, trying to pull the fabric from its clutches before giving up and sitting on the bed. Camilo, who had watched the whole thing, doubled over laughing.
You weren't finding it so funny, you stood up, and left the room, not uttering a word to boy.
Knock Knock
"Mirabel? You in there?" You knocked on the nursery door, or what you thought was the nursery door. You had only been here a few minutes as an official house member and this was the only none glowy door so you figured you'd give it a go.
"Mhm, come in!" You sighed in relief, thankful you weren't knocking on some random cupboard. You entered into the small room.
"Wow! It's so nice in here! So much better than the corner." Mirabel shot you a confused look, you just ignored it, waving it off.
"So... Camilo's wardrobe ate my clothes." As soon as the words left your mouth she was at her own wardrobe door, flicking through the clothing, holding some items up.
"Now, I don't know if this will fit you put I think it would look super pretty on you." She held up a (colour) top with a matching (colour) skirt, little droplets sewn onto it.
"It was originally for my tía Pepa but I used the wrong colours so, I think this will suit! Sorry it's only one thing, I don't have many clothes that don't look exactly like my own."
You look at the outfit, amazed.
"You made this?" She nods.
"Mirabel, single handedly you are the most talented person I have ever met."
"Pft, you haven't met my family then." She pats your shoulder, looking at the ground.
"So what about your family? You have to be more talented than them, nothing is better than this."
"You are going to be so surprised at tomorrow's ceremony then."
"What do you mean- oh hello, and who is this?" You are interrupted by a small boy, pushing past your legs and going to hide behind Mirabel.
"This is Antonio, Mi primo." He waves at you shyly. "Antonio, this is (Y/n), she just moved in."
"Hi (Y/n). I am very pleased to meet you." You smile at his manners, this family must have been taught well. "And I am pleased to meet you, Antonio, I hope you don't mind me being here, I know your brother does." You say, matching up in your head kids and their parents. He frowns at that, and you feel like you stepped out of line.
"He isn't normally mean. I can talk to him if you would like?" You smile, you had mistaken his concern for you as concern for his brother. He reached out to grab your hand, you took his squeezing it gently.
"Thanks cariño, but I'm ok, I think your brother is just annoyed that I have to be in his space."
The younger Madrigal nods, turning to Mirabel.
"Mami sent me up to bed early, she wants me to be prepared for tomorrow." You look at the clock on the bedside table, it was already 8:30 Pm. You must have slept until 8pm. Maybe you weren't fully better yet.
"You know, I think I am going to go to bed too, I need more sleep." You lower your voice, so as not to scare the child, talking to Mirabel "Apparently collapsing and having barely any clue is tiring."
She laughed a little, patting your arm.
You leave the room, heading back to the room with Camilo's face on it. You felt like you were intruding on privacy as you walked through the door without knocking, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. You hummed, figuring he was helping his mama with whatever celebration was happening tomorrow. You settled yourself into the bed.
"Magic house huh? Ya think you could give me a blanket?" You joked, closing your eye, to tired to notice a certain curly haired Madrigal walk through the door, rolling his eyes before grabbing a blanket out of thin air, laying it on top of you.