Harana: Camilo x Reader

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞: 𝐀 𝐃𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧

♫

     Down in the gutters— the place she calls home was in shambles. She hadn't touched a thing or two that might help with the growing pile of trash, even the shattered glass remained. With her stash of beer zeroed, she was forced to go out and buy some more. She didn't even bother showering; only adding a pair of shades to cover the dark circles on her eyes.

     It reeks. The sight waiting for her was not tantalizing even for the slightest bit. The pub has its drunkards clamoring at daylight, crying over a spilled beer or puking at the smell of their own vomit. There's only one vacant spot left and it was beside a man hunched over the bar's counter and a passed-out lady. She hesitantly inserted herself between them, calling the bartender by putting up her two fingers.

     "I be damned, if it isn't the Madrigal's pet." She couldn't miss the gravelly voice coming from the slumped-over man. It was hard to put a name to his face but it was simultaneously familiar and alien— his skin was yellowing and his thinning hair clung to his scalp from the sweat. Pulling up her shades, she now saw clearly that this was none other than Gutiérrez.

     She sneered, waving the bartender away as she grabbed her purse, ready to leave. "Tell me, why do you look even more repulsive since the last time I saw you?" His question was loud enough to garner hushed snickers. Y/N clenched her fists, "Speak for yourself." She leered; there was barely meat in his bones, his jutted cheekbones cast a rather big shadow.

     As he was about to clap back, a pain jolted to his sides causing him to clutch where his liver was. His bared teeth showed his bloody gums, he was clearly in need of care. "Is your pride so big that you can't even ask for help when your life depends on it?" She harshly questioned, dodging the splutters of blood.

     Gutiérrez chortled; he'd rather die than to ask help from a Madrigal. "You and I are not so different." He sighed wistfully. It was jarring to see that no one batted an eye that he was slowly drinking to his death, not even the bartender who should've rejected his orders.

     He was truly alone and it was for certain that fact will stay until the end. 

    She shuffled uncomfortably, hiding through her blackened shades. Her ears rung as she finally hears the miserable cries of help that disguises themselves as a good time. Is this what she was becoming? The bile rose on her throat and she pushed it back in. 

    "No, I am not like you." She rasped, backing away and bumping shoulder to shoulder with a stranger. Gutiérrez apathetically pursed his chapped lips, "Whatever you say, princess, whatever you say." He faced his back to her, gulping the last bit of his drink to signal that he has no longer interested in their conversation.

     She hugged herself on her way back to the apartment complex. Leading up the stairs, she saw Lucia impatiently waiting by her doorstep. "Dios mío, Y/N, you worried me!" He ran to her, holding her arms. When Camilo told him what was happening, he didn't know what to do. A part of Lucia wanted to yell at him for leaving Y/N in such a state but refrained to do so when he saw how swollen Camilo's once bright eyes were.

     Without a word, Y/N engulfed Lucia in an embrace, pressing her face on his shirt. "I- come on, let's get you inside." He softly said as he patted her hair. She weakly nodded in agreement. Her nimble fingers clung to the cotton material, she was trembling tremendously yet made no peep. 

     "I'll run you a bath, you stay here." Lucia was almost reluctant to leave her but decided that it will only be a quick detour. Running his hand on the water, he felt it flow warmly. Fortunately, Y/N had some body soap left. He squeezed a good amount in, letting the bubbles rise in the steam. He turned off the faucet before calling her.

     Y/N meekly entered the bathroom, there was a pleasant rosewater smell wafting throughout the small space. Lucia shyly went over to the exit, "If you need anything, call me." He softly closed the door.

     As she peeled her clothes off, she couldn't shake the image of Gutiérrez. He was a classic example of a cautionary tale parents tells their kids. It used to be easy to differentiate wrong from the right but as she gets older, the line blurs. And when she finally had time to stop and think, she realized all of the mistakes that she made. She chose to do the wrong because it was simply easy in the short run.

     But would it have been worth it?

      Once she had finished bathing, she slipped on a clean robe. The soreness on her back had eased but her chest was still undeniably heavy. Lucia came into view, he had cleaned up what he could and it made a little difference. The air was quite thick or so that what Y/N thought, she didn't know how to approach him after being exposed vulnerable.

     "I'm sorry for the trouble." She bowed guiltily. Lucia laughed and waved it off, "That's what friends are for." As sad as it is, this wasn't an unfamiliar situation for him. Lucia dumped the contents of the dustpan in the trash, humming, "I just wished you had come to me." 

     If it weren't for Camilo, he wouldn't have known. Sure, he was busy with his work but he would make time for her at any time and any day. "My mother said that she loves me." She dropped on a nearby seat, rubbing her wrist against her closed eye. "I pushed her away... and I pushed him away." With her head hung low, Lucia came to her and tilted her chin up.

    "I'm just so lost, Lucia, I'm a kid pretending to be an adult." Carefully, he wiped her tears. "We're all a little lost, Y/N." He paused before saying, "But that doesn't mean you have to be lost alone."

     She found comfort in his words. Her eyes trailed over towards where the glass shattered, she had been purposefully avoiding it as it was a reminder of her last time with Camilo. So as she reached over for the largest shard on the floor, she saw her reflection and knew that it was time to pick herself up once again.