In sickness and in health

The Entertainer

 The village was abuzz with life, children squealing and chasing one another, parents fondly watching from their homes, warm smiles on everyone's faces. The incident with the Encanto had given everyone a burst of life and joy, the laxer hold on the Madrigals themselves allowing the tension to slowly fade from the inner workings of the town. It almost seemed that the release of the pressure pressing down on the Madrigal's made it easier for them to help the town, faked smiles to hide exhaustion now absent as they laughed and danced with the townspeople.

In the middle of it all, with a smile on her face as she carried a basket of baked goods, stood a girl, a young girl, who's smile could rival the sun. She was but a face in the crowd, for the most part, but when that smile broke out, everyone knew she was there. Humming, she would offer the treats to her neighbors and friends, exchanging pleasantries with the confidence she barely knew she possessed. Kids crowded her with wide, curious eyes and bright giggles as she paraded around, holding the basket high above their heads to prevent their grabbing hands from reaching the treats safely tucked inside, the people around them all chuckling in that fond way only those who truly love can do. She took the playful attitudes in stride, accepting the town's quirks in stride, slipping right into the culture as if she were born to do so.

She was about the most fascinating thing that he had ever seen, and he wasn't sure why.

The young man himself stood on the other side of the town square, entertaining the crowd of people that had surrounded him from the moment he walked outside. No man alive could deny that he was a natural born entertainer, his gift only amplifying what he could already do. He hadn't noticed the young woman at first, too busy captivating his audience with his usual charm, only losing his focus when the children who had been previously enamored with him ran off to go and talk to you. You, who he had never seen before. Camilo had lived in this town his whole life; he knew every single person who lived within the mountain range that kept them safe. So how could he not know you?

"Everything alright, Camilo?" an older woman asked the young man, who nodded his head immediately while smiling reassuringly at the group of people who were still, in fact, standing around him, staring at him in varying degrees of shock and surprise.

"Simply admiring the view," he reassured the group, already slipping into the familiar feeling of his theatrics, though he couldn't put the same amount of energy and attention into it now that you had caught his eye. The town hadn't seen much excitement or change since the Casita had been destroyed and rebuilt a few years ago, and it seemed as if this small change was all that was needed to steal his mind away. The laughter of his small audience would pull his attention back well enough, but never without the added feeling of agitation from being distracted so much in the first place. The fact that you were new to him must have been too startling for him to be able to focus, he reasoned with a smile, finally doing an overly dramatic bow to signal that he was finished with his mini show. The crowd clapped with bright smiles and encouraging cheers before dispersing, joining their friends and family in their daily duties.

"You're quite the performer," a warm voice complimented from behind him, amusement in their tone as he turned to face them with his charming smile.

"What can I say? It's in my bloo-" he froze, his words getting stuck in his throat at the sight before him. It was her. In all her bright eyed, sweet smiled glory, her brow raised in amusement as she stared at him.

"In your blood?" you supplied, shifting the basket in your arms to adjust to the weight on your back. He nodded dumbly, looking a little lost, before his eyes drifted to that said weight on your back.

"Why are there kids hanging off of your shoulders?" he asked confusedly, breaking out of his trance as a small, amused smile graced his lips. Your smile grew at the sight, and you thought to yourself, 'much better', before you winked at him and took a deep breath to collect yourself, unaware of the sudden reaction in Camilo's gut you caused from the wink.