He couldn't sleep. His eyes had memorized the lines in the ceiling, your face hidden in all of them. The warmth of your smile held onto his mind like a vice. He'd been lost in the thought of you all day, even when you were right by his side, making faces from his remarks as his attempts to make you compliment him again fell short. He wanted so badly to hear you talk about him with that extra warmth in your voice you normally reserved for your family and closest friends, the ones who should be family, and only weren't in blood. When you'd held his face, staring into his eyes like his irises held all the secrets of the world and you wanted to memorize them all, he'd wanted so bad to close the small gap between the two of you, to kiss the words out of you, to move your lips with his own until you let out all the thoughts and feelings you kept bottled up in that beautiful head of yours. He could watch you mutter your worries for hours, the silent songs you'd mouth when you got distracted pulling his attention without even trying. It would be creepy, he thought, if you knew how often he caught himself staring at you, but for now, he would let himself indulge in these small pockets of fantasies.
He shifted in his bed, the covers bunching up at his side, his curious mind wondering if you were up as well, thinking of him like he was thinking of you. His hands reached towards the empty space at his side, your smile flashing behind his eyes as he tried to force himself to sleep. This was ridiculous. You were just his friend- his friend with kind eyes, and a sweet smile, and warm hands that he wanted to hold him forever while he kissed you senseless and then some. Was this what a crush was supposed to feel like, and he'd just never dealt with a real crush before? Were you the person who was going to change the way he looked at love for the rest of his life? With a heavy gulp, he realized that you already had.
When he woke the next morning, deep rings under his eyes, his family had decided they'd had enough of him wandering around aimlessly, waiting for the perfect opportunity to see you. Not everyone had met you, though everyone had heard him speak about you before, and that had been enough to judge your character. The poor boy was running himself into the ground just thinking about you, and his mother would not stand for that.
"Mi hijo, eat something! I can see you pushing your food around your plate," Pepa scolded her son, he blinked at his mother dazedly for a moment before pulling himself back into reality.
"Sorry, mamá," he said, wolfing down his food before he could even breathe, ignoring the exchanged glances between his family members.
"Camilo, is something...wrong?" Mirabel asked her cousin, who tilted his head at his cousin in confusion.
"No? Why would there be?" Camilo replied with slightly downturned lips.
"It's just- well, no offense, primo, but you look like death," Mirabel said, and Dolores nodded, Antonio looking over at his older brother curiously. Camilo's frown deepened as he looked back down at his plate.
"I'm telling you, I'm fine," Camilo mumbled, standing up and taking his plate to the sink. Pepa eyed her husband, who sighed and stood to go speak with his son.
"Camilo," Félix called out to his son, who paused on his way out the front door.
"Yes, Pa?" he replied, turning to face his father with a slightly guilty expression.
"Your mother told me that you've been going to speak with your friend in the town, (Y/n)," Félix continued, and Camilo nodded.
"Sí, she's a very good friend of mine," Camilo agreed, and his father sighed.
"Be careful, hijo. If you spend too long lost in your head, she will slip away before you even know she's gone," Félix warned, and Camilo sputtered for a moment, before looking down at his shoes, walking out the front door without another word.
His family, however, was not the only one who noticed the change in demeanor.
"Mi camaleón, what happened?" you asked worriedly, studying the rings under his eyes as you gently held his face, Camilo's eyes closed to help ease some of his nerves. He shrugged, shivering slightly when you lightly brushed your thumb on the ring under his right eye.
"Just having some trouble sleeping, mi rosa," Camilo explained, his eyes opening to the lovely sight of your flushed cheeks at the little pet name.
"Well, aren't you getting bold?" you teased weakly, pulling your hands away from his rosy cheeks as he grinned at you.
"It's not my fault that you're as pretty as one," he shrugged, and you looked away in embarrassment as he laughed at your reaction.
"What am I going to do with you?" you muttered, and his grin only grew at the comment.
"I could give you plenty of ideas if you ever need them," he teased, his voice dropping down an octave as he spoke. You sputtered at him for a moment, before lightly hitting his arm as he laughed.
"Don't make me regret coming out here with you," you grumbled, hiding the gentle red glow of your cheeks with your hands as he gasped in mock offense.
"You dare insinuate you don't wanna be out here with me?" he joked, and you snorted.
"I mean..." you laughed as he gasped again, letting your head fall against his shoulder as you laughed, Camilo joining in on your laughter, enjoying the way you were nearly falling into him as you did. When your laughter did die down, you didn't make any moves to sit up, instead shifting until you were resting comfortably in Camilo's side, the young man, looking away momentarily to hide his excitement at the action, especially when he found he could put his arm around you without you pulling away. You perfectly melded into his side, like a puzzle piece finally finding that one specific place it was meant to be, and it struck him like lightning that he never wanted this with anyone else. No smile would hold his attention like yours, no laugh would bring him to his knees like this- there was no one else in the whole world who he wanted pressed up against his side, still giggling every now and again, making his heart glow.
That was the difference. He'd liked girls before- he'd seen how beautiful they were, he'd heard their laughs and felt his heart flutter in his chest, but that's where it would end. They were dazzling diamonds that had captured his attention, but you were something different entirely- you were something precious, something real, something personal and intimate. Diamonds were hard and cold, despite their beauty, but you were all warmth and softness, like your hands, still covered in ink and pencil lead, calluses on the tips of your fingers from playing guitar.
He'd liked girls before, but he'd never started to fall in love with them before, and you had made that as easy as breathing.
"Oh," he breathed out softly, and you hummed softly in acknowledgement, looking up at him curiously so he would know that if he chose to speak his mind, you would be listening. "I- it's nothing," he muttered, and your brow creased in concern. He wanted to kiss that crease until the worry faded away, wanted to see that cute little smile of yours for the rest of his life.
"You know you can always tell me anything, right? You do not need to hide from me, mi camaleón," you told him softly, and he nodded, pulling you tighter to him with a soft sigh.
"(Y/n)," he said softly after a few beats of silence, and you looked up curiously again, the bend of the river in front of you flowing on gently.
"Yes?" you replied, and he contemplated his next words.
"...you said you came to this village, not that you grew up here, right?" he asked quietly, nervously, and you sighed.
"That's right, my family came here after I started to get really sick, having heard that this town was very spiritual and connected with the spirits. They thought that coming here would help cure me, that praying here would allow the curse to be lifted from my shoulders, and I suppose in a way they were right," you explained, watching as Camilo blankly stared at the water in front of the two of you.
"...was it scary?" he asked, his voice even quieter than before. You frowned.
"Moving? I honestly don't really remember that part-" you began, but were cut off by Camilo shaking his head.
"Being sick," he corrected, and you swallowed.
"Oh."
Silence stretched between the two of you for a little while, before you sighed again, shifting slightly to be able to more easily look Camilo in the eyes, though you made sure you kept his arm securely around yourself. "Honestly," you finally began, and Camilo stared intently at you, clearly anxious, but just as equally concerned as he watched the way your hand ripped up the soft green grass surrounding the two of you, "I try not to talk about my time being sick- it wasn't exactly a happy time in my life," you admitted, blowing out a gentle breath. Camilo didn't respond, simply waiting patiently for you to continue, and so you did. "But yes, it was scary. It was one of the scariest things I've ever experienced- there were times where I was convinced I wouldn't live through the night." Camilo tensed at that, a strange flash of protectiveness shining in his eyes as the arm still around you pulled you to his chest, nearly knocking you off balance from the change in position, a small yelp escaping your lips at the sudden action.
"I'm glad you're okay," he mumbled, and a small smile graced your lips, though you knew he couldn't see it.
"Trust me, you and me both are happy I managed to keep my life," you said, his other arm coming to wrap around you until you were being held in a tight, warm embrace, your face pressed against his shoulder as he practically engulfed you. You took a shaky breath in, the smell of him filling your nose, before letting it out again, slumping against him.
You sat there for who knows how long, your arms wrapping around Camilo in return as one of his hands came up to gently stroke your hair. You didn't speak, neither of you wanting to break the gentle silence that had settled around you, the sound of the water flowing the only noise to break the peace. You felt yourself becoming drowsy in his comfortable hold, your eyes slipping closed as your breaths began to even out, a soft chuckle leaving Camilo's lips.
"Are you really falling asleep?" he teased, and you mumbled a tired reply, not even remotely interested in moving. He snickered and shifted, and before you knew it you were no longer on the ground, Camilo picking you up yet again to take you home.
"...do you have roses this time?" you mumbled sleepily, smiling, and he snorted.
"Who needs roses when I've got you?" he flirted, and you giggled.
"Trying to sweep me off my feet, mi camaleón?" you flirted right back, and Camilo faltered for a moment, before grinning.
"Looks like I already have," he teased, and you giggled again, the town watching as the two of you looked at each other softly. You didn't know how Camilo was strong enough to carry you around so easily, but your tired mind didn't want to question it; that would be something to ponder another time.
"Again?" you mom asked when Camilo showed up on the doorstep with you being held tightly in his arms.
"Nah, she's just tired, sleeping beauty started falling asleep on the ground," Camilo explained and you huffed, waiting for him to set you down so you could walk inside. Instead, your mom smiled at him and stepped aside to let him in.
"Did you two at least manage to have a nice time together?" your mom asked him as he walked inside, making a bee-line towards the small couch your family owned.
"Sí, we did," Camilo agreed, plopping down on the couch like he'd done it a million times, you blinking in confusion as he didn't let go.
"Uh, Camilo, what are you-" you began, before your brothers rushing in cut you off, both boys running over to Camilo excitedly.
"Come play! Please?" the older of the two boys begged and Camilo chuckled.
"That depends on what your older sister here says," Camilo said smoothly, looking at you with that charming smile that made your knees go weak.
"I think you mean whether or not you decide to actually put me down," you countered, and both of your brothers laughed.
"Come on, pleaseeeeeee?" the younger one begged, already tugging your arm so you would move. You giggled, and moved to stand, pausing briefly when you felt Camilo's grip on you tighten.
"Up to me, huh?" you teased him and he shrugged, finally letting go of you so you could go talk to your mother, who was smiling oddly at you and Camilo. Immediately, mayhem filled the house as Camilo chased the two energetic little boys, you and your mother rolling your eyes.
"You two finally figure out what's going on between you?" she asked, and you raised a brow at her.
"The only thing we did was talk about when I was sick and hug," you said, and your mother nodded in understanding.
"That explains how you two came in- you realize you probably scared him, right?" she asked you, and you sighed.
"I didn't really want to tell him, but he asked and I couldn't really find it in myself to say no. He has a right to know the truth, right?" you said, and your mom nodded, watching as Camilo launched your brothers onto the couch as they roared with laughter, laughing along with the two bunches of energy. It was off how well he seemed to fit into your life, into your home- you wondered if it would be the same way if you were to ever go over to see his family.
"Are you staying for dinner, Camilo?" your mother asked the young man, and he beamed at her.
"I would love to!" he chirped, before immediately returning his attention to your siblings. A small, warm smile spread across your lips, and your mother shot you a knowing look.
"What?" you asked her, and she shook her head with a smile.
"Nothing, mi amor, just help me set the table."