A Marriage of Convenience: A Bruno Madrigal Encanto Fanfic

Chapter 6

A week later and things were going good. Claudia and Bruno had been working on the new episodes of the rat's telenovela. So far Juan Carlos had finally realized Maria was his (dun dun duh) sister. Meanwhile she had been hanging out with the girls more too. They teased a lot, but it was nice to make friends for once. If Claudia was to have sister in laws she was happy it was these two. However, today was different than usual, and all because of what Alma said at breakfast.

"Brunito, you need to go to town occasionally. You have a magic gift for a reason. You need to share your visions with the town."

"Mama, I….you know the town doesn't like my visions. Maybe I could just-"

"No arguing, you're going to town. That's final. Maybe Claudia can come with you."

And that's how they found themselves walking behind the other Madrigals on the way to the village. Claudia could see how Bruno got nervous and more anxious the closer they got. Based on the stories people told about him, she guessed he had a good reason. Eventually they arrived and then all hell broke loose.

"Umm Senor Dias, I hate to tell you this-" Bruno began nervously.

"Then keep your mouth closed! If I wanted one of your fortunes I'd ask for one, but I don't."

The rest of the interactions went the same, unless one of the other Madrigals was close by. Then they were extremely nice. It was like a switch had turned. Claudia observed at a distance.  She had always been uncomfortable in the village.

"Padre Muñoz, I have a prediction."

"Yes Bruno my son."

"I hate to tell you this, but you're gonna lose your hair in like twenty years."

The Padre looked shocked and then sad.

"Uh...thank you." He eventually said.

Bruno nodded and then awkwardly walked away.

Wherever he went whispers followed him.

"Mama isn't that the man who can see the future?"

"Yes honey, but don't point at him. He may make your future worse."

Everytime he heard one of them, Claudia noticed that Bruno got more and more upset. It took a woman screaming at him about her fortune for him to run off into an alley. Pepa began to berate the woman as a storm brewed, while Claudia ran after Bruno. She was worried. She knew the village feared him but she never imagined that they could be so cruel to them.

Bruno was inconsolable. He knew that nightmare had been right, and this proved it. No matter how hard he tried. They would always despise him, and soon enough so would his family. He just knew it.

When she finally caught up she found him cornered by a few villagers in their twenties. Claudia recognized a few of them as guys who had tormented her in the few times she had gone to the village. They were one of the reasons she hadn't gone, the other reason being the Rojas' obsession with keeping her out of the public eye.

"Well well well, what do we have here? Hey boys, looks like we got the ugly little malparido."

"Look guys can we please skip this today?" Bruno said as he tried to walk away. He looked scared and it pulled on Claudia's heartstrings. One of the boys pushed him back rather roughly.

"You told my sister that her baby was gonna die! You're gonna pay!"

"I was trying to warn her. I just read the future I don't-" Bruno got more anxious.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear your meirda. You keep giving people these awful visions and honestly we're all done with you. You're just a little useless malparido. Your gift is worthless and so are you. So we have to show you how much of an ass you are."