CTTO: mari-mari-maricela
⇨encanto
⇨camilo x fem reader
⇨ in which the madrigal family and l/n family are connecting together, but only through a seemingly unwilling proposal.
"We will be having another family at dinner tonight, so everyone please be on their best behaviour." Abuela states, setting herself down at the head of the table for breakfast. Everyone suddenly turns their eyes to her. "You all know of the L/N family, correct?"
"How could we forget?" Fèlix chuckles, leaning back in his chair, "The head of the L/N family came here from out of Encanto, and they're pretty impressive, aye?"
Augustin hums out, putting down his glass of juice, "Yes, they're a family of mechanics. Their inventions are magnificent."
"Yes, they are." Abuela says, tilting her head up to her family, "They've reached wondrous feats, which is why we've decided that our families will be working together to keep Encanto safe from harm."
Mirabel furrows. "How are we going to do that?" She questions cautiously.
"That will all be explained when dinner comes along." Abuela reassures them.
But everyone already knows.
As soon as breakfast is done, all the cousins as heading out to town together. Dolores is the first to speak up.
"I hear Abuela talking to someone earlier this morning, I think it was Mr L/N." She explains, looking at each of her cousins and siblings, "There was something about how both of our families combined would be able to give Encanto a good start to the next generation, whatever that means."
Luisa then huffs out, hands on her hips, "Oh no, this isn't another one of their arranged marriages, is it?"
The rest look scared now. Who would be the unlucky pick?
"Well that sucks, but at least we'll be able to have some mechanics around casita." Camilo says, trying to make the sun shine a little bit brighter.
"What if they try to marry me off again?" Isabela mumbles, holding her cheek in her palm.
Mirabel shakes her head. "There's no way, especially since Abuela knows how your last one went down." She states, hand on her bag strap, "Congrats on your four year anniversary by the way, Dolores."
"Ah, thank you." She squeaks in return.
"Are you sure Mr L/N even has any sons?" Antonio suddenly speaks up, grabbing everyone's attention.
Nobody answers. Because nobody knows.
"He could have a son." Luisa mentions, "But... we don't know for sure."
"There you have it!" Camilo chimes happily, dusting his hands off, "No arranged marriages for la familia Madrigal. Now let's go, the town needs helping!"
Antonio follows after his brother with joy, ready to do as he needed to.
Dolores and Isabela share a look before sighing, walking off to do their part.
"How else would they join our families together then?" Mirabel questions, looking to her strong older sister.
Luisa shrugs her shoulders, tilting her head. "Maybe this is just another deal between families."
Hours would pass before dinner had struck, and everyone was nervous about it.
Camilo sets the table along with Antonio, Dolores, Mirabel and Augustin, not minding having to do the extra plates and cutlery. He's about to make a joke with them when he feels a tug on his shoulder.
"Mami, what's wrong?" He asks as soon as he sees who is holding him. Pepa has a growing cloud above her head, turning into a deep shade of grey that made him more worried.
"Aye, Camilo, I need to speak to you about dinner." She whispers out, trying to calm herself by playing with her hair, "It is very important."
Camilo raises a brow before noticing his father waving him over, looking serious for the first time in ages. He takes a deep breath in and takes hold of his mother's hand, walking towards Fèlix.
When they are away from the family, Pepa takes Camilo's hands tightly in her own. "My son, I have to tell you something." She begins, voice wavering a little before Fèlix rests a hand on her shoulder.
Her son watches her with careful eyes, slowly reaching out a hand in case she needed it. Pepa clears her throat, "Your... Your Abuela has organised something with the L/N family, and we—I had just found out because she told me a few minutes ago."
He waits, furrowed brows as he squeezes her palms. "Mami, wait a second." He says quietly, "Try to relax first, casita will be in the middle of a tsunami if you continue. It's alright, take your time."
Pepa is eternally grateful for her children, always so patient and loving. Fèlix and herself must've done such a wonderful job.
"He is right, mi vida." Fèlix claims, sending his wife a smile, "Take your time."
She loves this man with her whole entire life
A few moments of reassurance later, the clouds above them are dispersing and Pepa is able to think properly. Fèlix lays a gentle kiss to her forehead, nodding towards their son.
She turns to Camilo with a determined expression. But is cut off at the sound of casita's front door's opening.
"Oh no." Pepa mumbles, lightning striking the floor in between them.
"Camilo, go help your cousins, I will calm down your mother." Fèlix asks of his son.
Camilo listens, hugging Pepa one last time before moving off downstairs. He sneaks passed Abuela, who is greeting the guests.
"Welcome to la casa de la familia Madrigal." Abuela says, happy tone as she shakes hands with two people, one of them notably being Mr L/N.
Camilo takes one look, not seeing anyone else in front of Abuela before getting into the dining room and finishing off whatever needed to be done.
Then Abuela entered the dining room. She wears a joyous grin on her face before speaking up, "Please take your seats. Our guests have arrived."
Each of the families sat on one side on the table, Abuel being at the head and leaving at the other end for the guests. Camilo watched as his parents entered, Pepa still looking shaken up and Fèlix keeping his eyes on his wife. They sat down soon after.
Here entered the L/N's.
Mr L/N is giving a friendly smile as he enters with his wife. "Thank you for inviting us into your home, familia Madrigal." He speaks up, arm wrapped around the woman beside him.
She says, sporting the same coloured outfits as her husband, "We hope it wasn't a hassle."
Julietta then states, "No, it wasn't. We are always happy to cook for friends."
A few more greetings before Mr and Mrs L/N take their seats. There is one seat empty, making everyone glance around to each other. An awkward silence falls over the two families before Mrs L/N begins to apologise for the delay.
Before she gets to the cause, the front doors open and hurried footsteps are heard.
"La excusa!" The person calls, panting a little while she fixes her blouse, "I was caught up with work and lost track of time, I apologise."
Abuela only smiles, gesturing over to the seat beside Mrs L/N. "Oh, it's alright, it's good to see that you are a hardworking young woman." She chimes.
The new girl gives a nod before setting herself down. She takes a deep breath in, sitting up straight. She can feels eyes on her, then looking to see Isabela gawking.
She knew. It all came together now.
Everyone fell into a steady beat, food going around and drinks being poured. But Isabela only had one thing on her mind.
Did Camilo know?
He did not know.
Until Abuela clears her throat.
"Now, we should talk about the whole reason for this dinner." She says, placing her hands on her lap, "Mr and Mrs L/N and I have been discussing something."
Dolores gulped.
"Y/N." Abuela calls, making the girl look over to her, "You're of age now, yes?"
She nods her head, a slightly clenched jaw as she tightening her grip on her skirt. Here it comes.
"And so are you, Camilo."
He snaps up from his glass, furrowed brows as he slowly nods.
The clouds above them tell the table all they need to know about the situation.
"We have decided that the best way for our families to protect Encanto would be to join together through marriage."
There.
All the dread and fear that Y/N was feeling seeps in.
Almost everyone is shocked at the table. Augustin and Julietta are wide eyed and mouth agape. Luisa has stopped pouring a drink for Antonio and holds the jug in mid-air. Mirabela's glasses nearly fall of his face and Delores is letting out a few small squeaks of surprise.
But they can't understand why Y/N isn't reacting.
Camilo slowly breathes in and out. He glances towards Y/N, who only stares down at her lap for a few seconds before lifting her head and giving a big smile.
"Muchas gracias." She says, tilting her head, "It's an honour to be able to join our families."
Abuela gives a big grin, about to say something when Camilo suddenly stands from his seat.
Everyone watches him.
"I'm sorry, I just need to get some air."
As soon as he leaves, Abuela is turning to the L/N's. "I apologise, this is not how dinner was supposed to go on." She claims, shaking her head.
"No, it is alright." Mrs L/N says, waving her hand.
It's quiet for a few seconds before Y/N stands up. "I will go talk to Camilo, if that is alright." She says quietly.
Thunder booms around the room.
"I promise not to hurt your son." She says towards Pepa, who is unable to look back at her.
The Madrigal is holding onto her husband's hand tightly, closed eyes as she tries to calm herself down.
Abuela nods at Y/N to go, so she does.
Outside, Camilo is among the birds and bushes, a few feet from the treeline as he sits on a trunk. He's furious, he's appalled. He's picking at a stick and drawing lines in the sand. He's so angry, that he won't even let a word out.
It's not that he didn't like Y/N. It's that he didn't know her.
How could you marry a person you barely knew?
Camilo closes his eyes with a sigh.
"I'm very sorry."
He doesn't have to turn around to realise it's Y/N. It's the same voice that so publicly thanked Abuela for the chance to be apart of the Madrigal family.
"You seemed happy about it." Camilo claims, continuing to face forward.
"I'm far from it." Y/N retorts, setting herself down on another tree trunk beside him. Camilo looks at her. "I just turned 19, and now I'm supposed to get married off to the town's magical family."
He raises a brow. "So what? You just don't like me?" He mumbles, furrowed brow.
Y/N blinks at him, shaking her head. "We just met today, Camilo." She reminds him, "I just... I wish I got to do a lot more before I got married."
Camilo turns away from her, dropping the stick. "Like what?" He asks light-heartedly.
She lets a fond smile grace her lips. "I, um... want to finish my projects." She informs him, "I really love working as a mechanic around town, but I just want to make something for my own enjoyment, y'know? Just because I want to?"
"And why can't you do that after you get married?" He inquires, leaning back a little.
She chuckles back, "Because after marriage, you're expected to start a family. I don't think I could juggle both at once."
Camilo gives a tiny grin.
She didn't seem too bad.
"So why did you agree to this if you don't want to get married?" He sighs, rubbing the side of his neck.
Y/N fiddles her fingers. "Because my parents asks me if I could." She states, "See, I'm an only child, so they want me to carry out our bloodline and all that. I'm doing this purely because it would make them happy."
She stands up, brushing the dirt off of her skirt before holding out a hand to him. Camilo takes it after hesitation, pulling himself up. She squeezes his hand with a serious expression on her face.
"I have no intention of falling in love here."
Camilo raises his brow at her words.
"Please just pretend whenever you need to. In return, you can do whatever you want and I won't bat an eye." She says, shaking her head once, "I'll finish my work as usual, and you can help the townspeople and not have to deal with an actual marriage."
Y/N gives him a pleading look, lips pressed into a line. She just needed him to do this one thing.
Camilo then sighs, showing her a tired smile, "Okay. You got yourself a deal, amor de mi vida."
"Are we doing pet names?" She deadpans.
"Yes. It's what I would do if this was an actual loving relationship." He claims.
"Fine. But don't call me the 'love of your life', you literally walked out of dinner after you were told to marry me." Y/N huffs, walking towards the house.
Camilo snaps his fingers. "You're right." He says, "How about just mi vida?"
She stops, hand against the door as she glances to Camilo.
"Try not to use it that often."