Beautiful Bruises ~ Camilo Madrigal x Reader

Murderer

And then you heard a scream.

You managed to lift your head up just enough to see Jude standing over your mama, the dagger she had used to threaten Lucía embedded in her leg. Her hold on Camilo was broken, and he ran over to where you lay gasping on the ground.

He crouched down, his hands continuing to shake as he gently cupped your face in his hands.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. You heard noise from behind him, and you both spun around. Your mama had control over Isabela again, and she was strangling him with her vines. He clutched at his neck, his shouts never escaping. Isabela screamed, her hands outstretched and a horrified look on her face, but she couldn't do anything. You mama looked at you, her expression pained as she held one hand over the injury on her leg. Luisa sprinted at her as Camilo jumped to his feet, unsure of who to help. 

Before Luisa could throw the boulder she was holding at her, your mama's hand shot out and intercepted her. Instead, she turned towards you and Camilo, shocked.

"Jude!" you screamed as you watched his face grow red, knowing exactly what type of pain he was going through. You almost didn't notice when Luisa launched the giant rock at you.

Camilo immediately dove for you, trying to pull you out of the way, breathing heavily.

"Come on, get up!" he shouted. But the boulder was approaching too quickly - there was no way you would be able to escape it, but Camilo could.

But instead of running, he clenched his jaw and protectively crouched over you, trying in vain to save you from your certain fate.

"Camilo, run!" you yelled.

"I'm not leaving you," he said decisively, grabbing your hand and pressing his lips to it. "We die together, Cariño." You looked around his head to see the boulder about to crash down on you. Letting out a strangled scream, you thrust your hands forward, and the boulder jerked to a stop midair.

Camilo spun around, his mouth gaping. Your hands shook, and you grit your teeth, trying desperately to keep a hold on it. You could see your mama in the distance - she was struggling, but still had everyone under her control. Jude was certainly almost dead.

So you did the only thing you could - you pushed your hands forward, throwing the boulder on top of her.

It was difficult to ignore the sickening crunch of bones.

You fell back as soon as your hold on the rock dropped, your head thumping against the wall. Everything inside you ached, your muscles quivering with the strain of the past day.

"(Y/N)," Camilo breathed, his eyes wide. He pulled you against him, holding your head close to his chest. "(Y/N)." He didn't say anything else, and he didn't need to. You just wanted to lay in his arms, completely numb, until the end of time.

I should feel bad, you thought to yourself. Why don't I feel bad?

Camilo's thumb wiped away tears you hadn't felt fall, tiny droplets of memory. Memories of your mama, who was gone forever.

But maybe the reason you didn't feel bad was because, in reality, she had always been gone. All she had ever done was lie to you. Her whole existence  had been a lie to you.

"You're alright," he whispered softly, pressing his hand comfortingly into the small of your back. "I've got you." In the distance, you could still hear Jude gasping for breath as Isabela sobbed in relief. He was alive.

"I..." you paused, unsure of what you had been about to say. Maybe because there was nothing to say. "I feel gone." You didn't have the energy to cringe at your poor word usage, but you didn't have to. You felt Camilo nod against your head, one of his curls brushing your nose.

"I know. I felt it too." It only took you a moment to understand why - it had been when you died, when you died saving him. But he hadn't killed you, not on purpose. You had.

The minutes ticked by, and you heard footsteps approaching cautiously. They must have been giving the two of you some privacy.

"I'm sorry," Camilo whispered before anyone arrived. "I couldn't stop. I'm so, so sorry." A tear dropped onto your forehead, and you scowled up at him.

"Stop being upset. Everything's back to normal now, alright? We can live life, and smile, and have fun. Right?"

Camilo smiled sadly.

"Nothing will ever be normal again, Mariposa."

His words fell like dirt over you, covering and smothering your thoughts. The world looked dull and bleak when you were finally pulled to your feet by Mirabel, who strangled you in a hug. You winced when she touched where bruises were forming on your neck - a collar that would remain long after they faded visibly, strangling you slowly.

"Sorry," she said quickly, gently taking your hand. You wobbled, and Luisa quickly came over, her expression pained.

"Sorry," she said in a wobbly voice, just like her little sister had moments ago. "I couldn't control myself."

You nodded as she scooped you up and started carrying you back, burying your face in the crook of her arm. You didn't want to look into the faces of the villagers you passed.

Because you were a murderer.