La Luna - His Future || Bruno Madrigal Fanfic || Book One

Half Moon Rising - Bruno's POV

*The song that accompanies this chapter is 'IDK You Yet' by Alexander 23

The moon's light flooded through the open window inside the kitchen of our casita. It's where I've been sitting for the past hour. Watching her take slow shallow breaths, laying atop the kitchen table that Julieta and the woman they call María placed her on after I carried her back from the river. The room was empty now. Both Julieta and María had attempted to find the source of Luna's injuries. Together they mixed herbs and salves, testing each potion and concoction out on my sweet Luna's frail body. María's gift was similar to my sisters, in that she healed wounds and internal injuries but she was able to project her gift out from her. It was difficult to watch her search tirelessly over Luna's limp figure laying there motionless, her hands moving and touching individual sections. Each time she found nothing her face would contort and you could see the defeat written on it. After an hour of failed efforts, the two of them left me to be with her. María said our connection would help, somehow. I hope so cause the idea of losing her so soon was something I wasn't ready to give into.

The sound of sniffling coming from the doorway startled me and I turned my head to see a small figure standing in the flickering candlelight. His hands wiping at his eyes, followed by more sniffles. A golden mess of semi wet hair clung around his red puffy eyes. Luna's little one. I held out my hand to him, not saying a word, hoping he'd be brave enough to take it. I'm sure he wanted to come see her, to be near her. His feet were almost silent as he carefully approached me, taking my hand in his. He was a brave little guy, no doubt about that. Picking him up and setting him down in the chair next to me, he rested his head on my lap, not letting go of my hand holding his. He didn't need to say anything. We both just looked out ahead at Luna on the table. The sniffling had slowed down and he seemed to relax a little more. His soft breaths calming me, knowing he was falling asleep and could rest.

Pattering of nails on the tiled floor in the hallway rang out through the quite house. They were soft but quick. Followed by the shadow of a large creature, shifting into a tall lean young man. Luna's other boy. He was breathing quickly, resting his hand on the doorframe, "I'm sorry. I looked away for a second and he was gone.", he whispered. His words were laced with a deep regret. He felt responsible and was carrying probably too many burdens in the moment. I smiled at him, as best I could. He stood in the doorway, his eyes going between me and Luna on the table. His steps into the room were heavy as if the weight of the world were on him. It looked as if he were trembling while staring at her sleeping form, his movements were measured and delicate approaching her. Reaching the head of the table where her sleeping face rested, he fell to his knees, dropping his forehead to the wooden surface. In the moonlight it looked like his shoulders were moving as if silently sobbing. When his face looked back up at hers you could see the tears shining off his cheeks. My heart was breaking seeing them both like this. We all shared the same pain and loss over her but theirs must surely be tenfold. This kid couldn't have been much older than Luisa, if that. He reached a trembling hand out and brushed stands of her wavy golden hair out of her face. "We can't lose her too..", he said it with a shaky voice, "We can't lose another mom. Not again."

These boys were trying so hard to be brave right now. But they shouldn't feel like they have to. I reached under the sleeping child on my lap and scooped him up in my arms, careful to not wake him. Walking over to Luna and sliding down the wall opposite her on the table so she was still in view. Her oldest looked back at us, seeing my other arm open, reaching for him. He slumped the remainder of the way down off his knees and scooted his back to sit next to me. You could tell how hard he was trying to stay strong in this moment, so I rested my hand on his back, gently rubbing it. His body crumbled over to the side against my shoulder and hot tears hit my ruana where he buried his face in.

After a few minutes his breathing began to match the other sleeping child in my arms. Both boys wrecked from the horror they had to live through tonight. I'll try and stay awake as long as I can, in case she needs me. She's a fighter. And she can't leave us just yet.

The moon was bathing her in a blue luminosity that seemed far too fitting. Looking out the open window I saw it. A crescent moon. Of course, it'd be her half-moon looking back at me.

"It's okay, mi amor. I'll be right here. I told you, I'll always wait."