Gift Swap

Part Six

TWs:
Notes: Written along side Camp_Gravity

If what Camilo had said really is what's going on, then...

Isabela suddenly let out a startled yelp and quickly covered her ears. Everything was louder than normal. She could hear a rat squeaking and crawling up Bruno's pants, which honestly sounded and felt disturbing.

Bruno didn't seem to care that a dirty rat went up his pants and into his hair. No one really understood where all these rats came from and why Bruno was just so chill with them.

"Guessing Isabela got Dolores's gift." Mirabel pointed out while watching her frustratedly trying to cover her ears as tight as she could but it didn't help anything.

"Be quiet," she snapped.

"Hey, you're the one who was screaming just earlier. We came to help."

"It's so loud."

"This is..." Pepa tried to speak while rubbing her forehead but couldn't find the right words to comment what was going on, "Oy, I need to sit down."

Camilo nodded. "Do you want me to make some tea? It's the only thing I can make."

Mirabel nodded. "I think that's a good idea. Let's have everyone here already go downstairs for breakfast where we'll all meet up to discuss what going on. I'll find everyone else and give them the memo."

Camilo nodded and shut the door to his room. He had opened it mostly to see how much it was shifting, which it was shifting its normal, quick pace.

Pepa and Félix already started leaving to head downstairs while Mirabel looked over at her sister. "Isa, you think you can join the others?"

"I don't know. How does Dolores deal with this?"

"Maybe you can ask her when she wakes up?"

She nodded and followed the rest of the family. Bruno stayed behind however.

"Did you need something?" Mirabel asked him after noticing that he didn't move at all to leave.

"You woke up in my room?"

She slowly nodded. "Yeah... It was weird. Also, we need to get you a real bed, tío."

"That would be nice..."

"You could've just asked sooner, ya know?"

"I don't want to bother anyone with my stupid problems."

"Hurting your back while sleeping on stones and sand isn't stupid."

"If I really can't sleep, I just go to the walls, simple and safe."

She sighed. "Who's room did you wake up in any way?"

"Isabela's."

"Oh. Huh, I wonder what that was like."

"I Kinda... ruined the place. I might've had a small panic attack when I first woke up."

She blinked. "Oh. Well, I'm sure we can fix it after this all gets sorted out and fixed."

"I feel so bad."

"It wasn't your fault."

"I know, but still."

She nodded. "Well, you can make up for it by helping me find everyone else. I still don't fully understand what's going on, but I know we'll figure it out together."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "We will, but also know that it's not your fault. No matter what people might say if you give them a vision."

Mirabel nodded while looking at him firmly. "I kno- wait, what?" She hadn't yet realized that she had a gift now and it just came to her, "I... I can really?"

She blinked as she let the realization sink in deeper. "I have a gift!"

"Mirabel, I don't really suggest-"

"I finally have a gift!" she cut in eagerly, "I'll finally fit in! I'll be special too! I can help-"

"Mirabel! My gift isn't a good gift."

She paused and frowned a bit. "Of course it is."

"It's not."

"But it's a gift either way, right?" she asked hopefully, "I can still use it and at least *try* to help people?"

"I wouldn't use it, Mirabel."

"I want to be helpful though!"

"You are helpful."

"But I can be helpful like you guys!" she argued, just wishing to be someone as special as the rest of her family.

"You don't want my gift. It's so horrible and puts too much pressure and guilt onto you."

She frowned. "I'll take any gift if it means I can fit in along with you though! Just teach me how to use it and maybe I can do it right."

"There isn't a right way to use my gift. It changes with every person I use it for."

"Then just teach me how to use it."

"Mirabel, it's not a good gift."

"But-"

"No buts. It's not a good gift and I don't want you to use it."

She hugged herself, feeling upset and a bit frustrated but tried her best to hide it. "Okay..."

"Please trust me."

She sighed and looked up at him. "Let's just go wake up Dolores."

He nodded and they went around and got everyone.