I Would Have You In My Dreams Forevermore (Bruno Madrigal x female reader)

Acquiring the Record Player

"What did we miss?" Pepa asked.

"Did Mama just?!" Bruno said. His voice was nervous and timid.

"Did you at least look over the rice while we were gone?" Julieta asked.

Señora Madrigal smiled as she looked at her children. "Our guest and I were just bonding, and what we discussed is up to her to tell you. Yes I hugged her, and yes the rice is alright." She gave me a small wink as she left the room. The siblings watched as she breezed past them.

"So, uh, you probably have questions." I said awkwardly.

"Ok, bye!" Bruno said turning the other way, only to have Pepa grab him by the hood of his ruana.

"Just because you dislike human interaction and awkward conversations Brunito, doesn't mean you're getting out of being a part of this one. Aren't you just a little curious."

"Well, yeah, but.." He looked at me. His large eyes showing more than anything the curiosity and the intrigue I apparently now possessed.

Moving out of the way for Julieta, I spoke. "So I have a 'gift'." Once more I put quotations around it and Bruno's eyes became wider than they already were. "It's more of a curse in my opinion. I walk in the dreams of others, and can affect the dreams."

"Is that why you came to Encanto?" Julieta asked putting some arepas on her griddle.

"Kind of?" I ran my hands through my hair, "I get chased out of every town I go to, and it was time for me to leave the one I was in. My vendor recommended me to one here in Encanto, who ensured that your mother would welcome me. Turns out your mother saw herself in me, and wanted to give me a chance to feel comfortable using my ability."

"Why do you sound less than enthused at that?" Pepa asked.

Letting out a sigh I answered her. "It's invasive, and dreams are confusing. One misstep and I am not the one saving a child from a nightmare." I paused, noticing my breath waver, "I am the nightmare."

Pepa's clouds got darker, and she balled her hands into fists. "That's not fair to you."

"It rarely is when people don't understand." I said and looked at Bruno. I finally took a second to really look at him. He was handsome, lanky, yet short, with a mane of dark curls framing his expressive eyes. Those eyes told of a deep understanding that he might not be able to put into words.

"So you work, stay as long as possible, then leave?" Julieta asked and I nodded. "What about your friends, your family?"

"I don't have friends, and my family gave up on me a long time ago. And it's more like being chased out of town than willingly leaving."

Julieta slammed her spoon on the counter. "You're about our age, right?" Again I just nodded. "How old were you when they gave up?"

"Sixteen."

"Dios! You were just a child!" Julieta said. "Have you been following the pattern of being chased out of towns that long?"

"Yes?" I shrunk in upon myself a bit at Julieta's anger on my behalf. "I'm just a nightmare, and I understand their fears."

"A nightmare doesn't talk to a child the way you did to my girls last night." Julieta said. Pepa nodded, apparently Julieta must have told her about the interaction with her family. Taking a deep breath, Julieta walked over to me. "Have you ever even had the chance to fall in love?"

I laughed darkly, "Who would want me to be in their dreams every night, without a second to process their day? I pity the person who would. They would grow to resent me and I would become more of a burden than they deserve."