**A/N: Hey y'all! Thank you so much for 300+ reads! I am so super crazy excited that you guys like my book so far. Also, up top is a pic of a few different versions on how I imagine the character to be, but this is just me. This is my personal image of Y/n. I'm not saying this is how she looks for all of you, so please no hate. Please let me know in the comments which one you like best, and I will include my art starting on chapter 10 ;) Also also, please remember to like, follow, comment, WHATEVER, I really like being able to interact with my readers! Love y'all, and please enjoy the following sucky little chapter I just thought of after a week of utter bedlam :)**
Dolores was never all that great with loud noises. Not when she was at the center of it all, nor when it came from a distance. She still heard it all the same. So when a loud 'thud' sounded in her ears from directly above her head, she visibly jumped, dropping the basket of clean linens she'd been carrying.
The small army of various small mammals at her feet scattered when the basket fell, alerting Camilo down the hall when one of the lemurs came running at him. He'd just come sneaking out of the kitchen with a handful of Tía Julieta's buñuelos when he became a post for this lemur, and he followed the sounds of someone's shattered breaths until he found the source. Turning the corner and seeing his sister was a shock, and within a matter of seconds he was already at her side.
"Dolores, what happened?"
Looking over at her brother, Dolores found it even harder to try and pull together whatever had happened.
"Upstairs...someone fell." Confusion painted Camilo's face as he absently glanced upward, finding nothing but the wooden ceiling. "They haven't gotten up."
Camilo's eyes suddenly widened, and Dolores had to grab his wrist before he sprinted up the stairs on his own.
"I've got to go and see who it is," he protested, failing to twist out of her grip. "Maybe I can help them."
Dolores wasn't fooling around when she yanked her brother backwards into her, and he yelped.
"You are not going on your own, you hear me?" Her voice was more of a harsh whisper in Camilo's ear, and he nodded vigorously. "We can't let anyone know yet that anything's wrong. Everything about today has to be absolutely perfect for dinner later. Unless you want to explain to Abuela that something's gone wrong...?" Camilo's eyes widened in fear, and he shook his head.
Releasing her brother, Camilo resisted the urge to curse as he fell to the floor. He looked up at Dolores, and raised his hand for a thumbs up.
Dolores picked up the basket behind her and set it on the counter, and helped Camilo to his feet. Then, calmly, the two of them walked until they approached the stairs, ascending them quietly.
"Do you know who it is?" Camilo asked. Dolores shook her head, tilting it to try and hear if they were saying anything. She heard nothing but shallow breaths and the flicker of the miracle candle.
"They're in Abuela's room."
"But Abuela's out in town?"
"Then it's someone else. They're in Abuela's room though."
Creeping up to Abuela's door, Dolores was mere inches away from the doorknob when a flowering vine shot up and crossed in front of the door, blocking anyone from going in.
"What are you two doing?" Isabela questioned from in front of her own door, leaning forward on the rails of the balcony. Both Dolores and Camilo stiffened as they turned to the sound of their cousin's voice, and Dolores withdrew her hand.
"We're looking for someone," she told Isabela. "I heard something in here, so I thought they might be there."
Isabela didn't look convinced, leaning back and folding her arms over her chest. She raised a suspicious brow at Dolores' words, rolling her eyes as she waved her hand to lower the vine.
"I don't know what you're so worried about. The only one in there is Y/n."
Dolores could hear Camilo's heart skip a beat, and his breath caught in his throat. She didn't turn to look at him before twisting the knob and flinging the door open, ignoring Isabela's slow approach and curious eyes.
Lying on the floor at the foot of the window, sprawled out and limp, was your unconscious form. A small pool of a crimson stain dripped from a shallow gash across your forehead, and your hand was glowing similarly to the miracle candle, which was still sitting on the windowsill. Your skin had paled several shades, and your breathing was shallow and ragged. No one else was in the room.
Dolores stood frozen in the doorway, mouth agape. She could sense Camilo standing behind her, and his heartbeat slowed significantly. She felt Isabela come to stand behind her as well, and felt her breath over her shoulder as she peeked into Abuela's room. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw you lying there, and became the first to push past Dolores to get to her.
"What happened to you...?"
Isabela's hands shook as she summoned some vines to curl around your form, and raise you gently above the ground. Your head lolled to one side, and you groaned. Isabela used her own two hands to level it, and some more vines grew to support your head.
To say the least, it was uncharacteristic for Isabela to care so much for one person like this, and neither Camilo nor Dolores knew what to say.
Camilo was horrified by how much blood had dripped from that gash across your forehead, and how much it still dripped as Isabela used her vines to carry you across the room.
"Is there anyone in the hallway?" Camilo turned and peeked behind him, on both sides, and looked back into the room at Isabela.
"Empty. They must all be in the village."
Dolores and Camilo cleared from the doorway as Isabela carried you out, and down the hall to your room. Dolores ran forward to open the door, and welcomed the cool evening breeze coming from within. The lanterns came to hover over the walkway, and Isabela hurriedly went to set you down on your bed.
"What do you think happened?" Camilo asked aloud, hoping for any kind of answer from either woman in the room. He'd gladly take an answer from you, if it meant you were going to be okay.
"I just heard someone fall. She must have hit her head on the way down. I...don't know how it happened."
"Do you think it was the candle?"
"Why would the candle do this, though?" Isabella snapped, easing the covers over you. "How would it do this?" Camilo shook his head, unsure.
"I don't know. But her hand is still glowing like the candle. Her light doesn't normally do that."
All three looked over at your hand, which was indeed still glowing. It made absolutely no sense to them, but they all started to wonder if something had happened with you and the candle in Abuela's room. No one would know for sure though until you woke up. As horrid as it may seem, they couldn't even tell anyone about this either. Not now.
The guilt eating away at Isabela made her sick to her stomach. What if this hadn't been an accident? She'd been so ugly to you not even half an hour ago, and it very well could have been the last thing she'd ever said to you. Isabela hadn't meant this to be a threat...she just didn't want you, or Mirabel, to mess this up as you'd messed up so many things before. The family was depending on her to marry Mariano and carry on the family miracle, keep the magic strong...it was so much pressure on her all at once. She didn't want you or Mirabel to tack on this much more. But now...it pained Isabela to want to hear your voice again.
"I can get something from the kitchen for when she wakes up," Camilo declared, and looked over at Dolores in the doorway. "Mamá's expecting you in town soon, and I'm pretty sure Abuela's trying to find Isa." Both women looked down at their hands, and Isabela's hair fell gracefully over her shoulder.
"Camilo you can't keep fussing over her like this..." Dolores' voice was small, and she looked at her brother with worry. "I get you two are close and all that, but we can't raise any kind of suspicion—"
"I love her, Dolores," Camilo blurted out, fists clenched at his sides. "I can't just leave her when she's hurt."
Isabela and Dolores both stared at Camilo in shock at his admittance, glancing between him and you, and back at him. In all honesty, Dolores had known all along. She saw the way the two got along, and how Camilo often fawned over your every word. She saw how he would often cast his eyes over at you when you weren't looking, admiring you. His look of pure awe at your gift, even from the beginning when you were still learning how to control it. Isabela, however, was dumbstruck. She'd noticed the two were close...but she hadn't known Camilo felt it was that close. She supposed she should have known though, and pieces were slowly beginning to click in her brain.
Camilo stood defiantly before his sister and his cousin, and he wouldn't take a no for an answer. Dolores nodded, offering him a slight, small smile.
"Okay. Just make sure no one else finds out though, okay? We can't have everyone go into panic mode."
Camilo nodded, turning to Isabela.
"I'll keep Abuela occupied. Make sure she doesn't come anywhere near this room." Camilo smiled, silently thanking them as they walked out. He followed close behind, and made his way to the kitchen.
It only took a few minutes for him to go and come back with an empanada, and pull up a chair to your bedside. He folded his arms over the edge of your bed, and with sorrowed glances he rested his chin on his arms and struggled to fight back tears.
Camilo knew next to nothing on how to treat or dress a wound and head injuries. For all he knew, you could even wake up an amnesiac and forget he ever even existed. The thought both pained and terrified him to the point that, after crossing his mind enough times, it brought on silent, salty tears. He hastily wiped them away, and moved to grasp your hand. It was still glowing just like the candle, radiating hope, warmth, and familiarity. Something about it just seemed off though...and Camilo couldn't quite place it. It just seemed so different from how your light made him feel.
To the village, your light was simply an extension of the miracle candle, which had protected the Encanto for the past 50 years. To Camilo, it was more than that. He didn't just feel protected, he felt safe. He didn't feel just hope when he watched you light up the night sky, he felt faith. You radiated more than warmth, you radiated a heat that sunk deep into his bones, easing him into content. You weren't just familiar, either...you were home. That's why he couldn't bring himself to really believe that the candle had done this to you. Why would anything ever do this to someone as pure, and as bright as you?
Your sudden unconscious jolt startled Camilo out of whatever trance he'd been in, and he rose from his seat. He could see your eyes moving beneath your eyelids, and your brows furrowed in agony. Your face twisted into something that pained Camilo, and you gritted your teeth. The pain melted into a state of anger, and you balled the soft material of your covers in your fists.
Camilo could hear you muttering incoherently under your breath, and he leaned in closer to try and see what you were saying. You were shaking your head as you spoke, your hair framing your head in a halo of h/c [waves/curls/whatever.]
"Y/n...?"
Unresponsive at first, Camilo eventually gave up and settled back in his chair, heaving out a sigh. But when he saw your eyelashes flutter, his attention was directed entirely at you. He leaned forward to where his elbows rested on his knees, and watched as your eyes finally opened, slowly but surely.
"Camilo?" Your voice in the shapeshifter's ears was like a chorus of angels finally emerging from the clouds after a terrible storm. His name danced on your lips in the space between you, and it took him a solid minute to remember the empanada he'd grabbed from the kitchen.
"Mi Vida, you need to eat this," he said softly, cradling the small pie in his hands. "You fell earlier, do you remember?"
You seemed to be slipping in and out of consciousness, and Camilo didn't want to rush you to do anything before you were fully awake. After a few minutes of watching you grasp onto your surroundings, he tried offering the empanada to you again. This time, you raised a trembling hand to take it from him, barely brushing your fingers against his as you did. You weakly brought it up to your lips, taking a small bite. The various spices and flavors danced on your tongue, and you silently thanked Julieta for being so wonderful. As you had many times before.
"Thank you, Camilo," you groaned, sitting up as you worked up the courage to take a bigger bite. As you did, you could feel the headache drip from your brain in cool sensations, and a wave of ease washed over your body as you felt some kind of cut on your forehead mend itself, and the soreness in your muscles, and the stiffness in your joints, faded. Camilo smiled at you as he saw you settle into comfort, and you sighed as you fell back into your headboard.
"Feel better?" You smiled as you handed Camilo the empanada back, and sat forward again.
"Much. But you look like you could use some of that too. Eat." Camilo didn't protest. He took a large bite of the pie, and sighed heavily through his nose as he chewed. Every bone in his body could finally relax, knowing that you were alright. Knowing that tonight could go well after all. Nothing for anybody to worry about.
"You really had some of us worrying there, Mariposa," Camilo mused, leaning forward on the edge of your bed. You looked at him with confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Camilo didn't seem to know how to answer your question. You thought he would have given you a simple answer...but he looked troubled, and conflicted.
You could only really imagine how much it had to have hurt Camilo to find you like that. You couldn't remember much, but you remembered being in Abuela's room before the familiar sight of darkness flooded your vision. Surely it had to have been Camilo who found you?
"Dolores, and Isabela...all three of us found you. Dolores took it upon herself to distract the family by keeping them out in the village during the day, until you woke up. Isabela is keeping Abuela busy, keeping her away from Casita by talking to her about tonight."
You honestly had a hard time trying to understand what Camilo was telling you. Isabela actually did you a favor? Isabela Madrigal? Miss Perfect Little Princess?
"You're serious?" Camilo nodded in response, his lips stretched out into a thin line. You stared down at your hands, fumbling with your fingers.
"Y/n?"
You shook your head, and put on a smile. There was an ache in your chest you couldn't understand, and it clenched your heart like an iron fist. You hadn't a clue why it was there, but it bothered you. However, you'd figured you'd terrified the boy beside you enough for a day. Hell, enough for a lifetime or two. Raising that bar a little higher didn't seem like such a good idea.
"Thank you, Camilo," you told him softly, leaning against your side to be able to hug him tightly.
At first, Camilo wasn't sure what to make of the embrace. It really seemed like something was bothering you just there. But when he felt your arms wrap around him, he forced himself to be able to melt into it. It wasn't difficult, but it was morally troubling. He didn't really have any other choice but to let you run on your own terms. So, with his head and his heart at odds, he snaked his arms around your waist, and buried his face in your hair, praying you couldn't hear or feel his rapidly beating heart.
**A/N: Sorry this chapter kinda sucks. I promise it'll get better with the next one!**