Mariposa Dulce, a girl with one foot, has know the Madrigal triplets since they were little. Now she's fallen in love with the youngest triplet, Bruno. Will their story be one for the ages?
No lemons, some strong language
I just rewatched Encanto with subtitles because I have audio processing disorder. When Maribel is talking about the cracks abuela says "the magic is strong" and then adds "and so are the drinks." She just said Maribel was drunk in front of everyone. Abuela Alma is not someone who gets my respect and I do not believe that she should have been forgiven so quickly.
Ever.
~Author-sama
I pulled my candles from my pocket and set them in the altar.
Bruno came out of our room with a smile as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. "You're up early, mi cielo."
I nodded. "I'm just too excited today."
He kissed my cheek as he went to the kitchen.
I smiled down at the new little gold candle I'd left early to buy that morning. "Mi amor?" I called him back.
"Yes, Mariposa?" He asked.
"Can you bring the matches for the candles?"
After a moment, Bruno brought me the match book and a cup of hot chocolate for each of us. He set down the hot chocolate beside the couch and passed me the match book. "These are c-cute," Bruno said as he pointed at the gold candle set. He picked up one of the taller candles in curiosity. "There's a flower scratched into it..." He muttered to himself, only just loud enough for me to hear. "I've seen this before...
"They're a family tradition," I explained. "A new candle is added when someone gets married or has a baby. The candle is removed if someone passes. It was quite large at one point but it became much smaller over time. We'll build it up again soon enough. Rosa has the flower, mine is a butterfly, and yours is an hourglass."
He smiled as he lit the candle in his hand before replacing it.
"They stay up until Easter. Papa used to say it was so we wouldn't get lost to the bad spirits while it was dark outside. Mami was a bit more religious and said they had to be lit at night to represent faith in dark times." I set the little candle with the other three.
Bruno looked at it closely. "What is this one? There's no carving?"
I smiled. "We have to choose a carving to go on it." I lit the candle. "And a name to go with it."
"A name to go-" he froze. His head slowly turned to me. "Really?" He whispered.
I chuckled and nodded.
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Bruno let out an excited laugh and picked me up, letting my crutches fall. He kissed my cheek and lips as he spun me around. "Oh, Mariposa that's amazing!"
~~~
"Merry Christmas," Alma greeted us.
Bruno's smile was as big as our wedding day. "Merry Christmas, Mami."
Alma looked us over. Even she knew that Bruno wasn't ever this excited to be home. She appeared confused as zhe let us in.
Bruno greeted his brother in law and Julieta's match in the living room as I unloaded my gifts to the family from the delivery bag I'd borrowed from Rosa. I was glad that Rosa had decided to spend the time with the preacher's son since she didn't know exactly how much vitriol Alma held for me. I didn't want her to know how much my mother in law and I butted heads.
"Wine?" Pepa offered me.
"Oh," I shook my head, "no thank you, Pepa."
"More for me," Pepa shrugged, downing the glass she'd offered. From the sound of her voice, Pepa was far more than a glass or two in. She sounded lucky to still be standing.
~~~
"-and he laughed about it," Félix laughed at his own story.
"That's wonderful, Félix," Alma laughed. "How about you, Bruno? Do you have any stories?"
Normally, to keep the peace, Bruno would have said "nothing new" and something about my current project before moving the conversation to someone else around the table. Not this time.
He looked at me with a smile. "Actually, we have some news." He smiled at his mother. "Mariposa is pregnant."
There was silence for a second before Pepa threw her glass against the wall. "How could you?!" She rushed out, stumbling a little with a storm raging outside, leaving her food on the table. Casita took care of the glass.
Bruno and I looked to Félix for an explanation.
Félix tapped his fingers awkwardly against the table. "We're not pregnant yet..." about said
"I'm sorry," Bruno apologized.
"Don't apologize for that, Bruno," I told him. "It's not your fault we got pregnant first. We just got lucky."
"How long?" Alma asked sternly.
I knew well what she was implying. "One month," I crossed my arms. "Despite sharing a bed, we did not have premarital sex."
Julieta jumped up. "Agustín, we should go." She practically dragged him out of the kitchen.
Alma stared at me. "Did I say that?"
"You implied it," I said, meeting her gaze with the same ferocity.
Bruno stepped between us. "I'm sorry about Pepa's issues, Mama, but can't you just be happy for us?"
"First you make Julieta dance bear foot and now you show up Pepa," Alma said bluntly. "I think it's best you leave and don't come back until after the baby in born."
Bruno turned to me and offered a hand to help me up. "I think I agree."
A/N
Ages: Mariposa - 23
Bruno - 21
Rosa - 19
Dancing barefoot is something unmarried women do at a younger siblings wedding. It is said that if they don't, then they will never get married. Julieta would have danced barefoot at Pepa's wedding too since she was born first and married last.
