Camilo's Journey

Chapter 15:

Camilo woke up already wanting to go back to sleep but Delores nudged him till he grunted at her and they got off the plane.

It felt like the whole town was there to greet them when they arrived. Camilo half assed so many hugs and didn't even shift to match them, everything he did felt like an effort.

His mama held him at her side, from the moment she saw him like she knew he wasn't okay.
There Camilo felt safe, shielded from the usual chaos that was his village. Peppa didn't even let him go once it was just the family gathered in Abuela's room. Camilo was startled at how sickly she looked. Her energy felt nothing but a distant memory. She was thinner and paler and Camilo couldn't stop himself from rushing to her side. Closely followed by his mama.

" Camilo." She said softly and took his hands in her cold ones. Camilo took some deep breaths and listened to her as she told him how proud she was of him for going out in the world and giving it a good go.
"I didn't do very well, Abuela. I think I belong here with the rest of you." He said softly. His mama rubbed his back.
"Nonsense Camilo, you've known nothing else but the encanto, of course your first time away was going to be hard. But you stuck it out and I'm very proud of you."

Camilo cried in his mama's arms as Abuela took each of them aside and told them she was proud of them. It felt like she was saying her goodbyes to each of them individually and Camilo hated it, she couldn't leave them. She took care of each of them in different ways, sure she was big on perfection before they almost lost their encanto, but she always loved them, she was the one that they all went to when they had a problem no one else could solve.

Hours later, After she'd spoken with all of them, there wasn't a dry eye left in the room. At some point Antonio had found his way into Camilo's arms.
"I missed you." He said suddenly.
"I missed you too, little brother." And Camilo kissed the top of his little brother's head.
"Are you going to be alright?" He asked his big brown eyes wet from the tears but full of concern for Camilo.
"Yes Antonio, but how do you.." Camilo started but Antonio cut him off.
"The animals told me everything." He said with a sigh. "The tiger said that you are stronger than anyone can probably understand and I agree with him."

Camilo wiped at some new tears and hugged Antonio tightly.
"Thank you, and thank the tiger for me, okay." He said with a smile. Antonio nodded.

"Camilo!" Mirabel called out to him as they all started to move back to their own rooms. Camilo put Antonio down and went to see her.
She hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"There's a boy here, who is much too adorable to be claiming he's your boyfriend, he's looking for you, I told him I'd find you and you'd come down and meet him." She said and nudged his side. With a wipe of her eyes and a smile only Mirabel could find right now.

"He is too adorable for.. wait what?!" Camilo sputtered, his mouth was surely hanging open. Mirabel waved a hand in front of his face and he shook off the shock. He couldn't believe it.

"Spencer came? All the way to Colombia? On his own?!" He gasped. He remembered Spencer's anxiety and fear of flying.

"That's right, that's his name!" Mirabel exclaimed as she remembered the name of the boy Camilo loved. "And yes, it was just him." She added looking a little confused.

"I'll explain later, thanks Mirabel." Camilo cried and raced down into the front yard, his eyes searching for Spencer.
When Camilo saw him sitting in the town square, on top of one his bags, curls in disarray, tapping the rhythm Camilo had tapped for him,  only then did it sink in what Spencer had done to be there for him when he needed him.

He ran across their front yard, his heart about to explode and tears streaming down his face. Spencer suddenly looked up, his face in an adorable flush of pink and his own eyes wet. The later, Camilo simultaneously hated and was touched by.

Camilo practically scooped Spencer up in his arms and held him close.
"I can't believe you're here." He gasped as hugged his beautiful, sweet boyfriend. Spencer smiled and it lit up his face and Camilo's heart.

"I should have been by your side as soon as you said you needed me, Camilo. I kept thinking, It's what you would have done for me and it was what I wanted to do for you! Because I love you Camilo!" Spencer said. Camilo cried and kissed him as passionately as was publicly acceptable, he felt it in every inch of his body, just how much he loved this boy. And how incredibly lucky he was to have him here right when he needed him to be.

They broke away from the kiss slowly and Camilo cupped Spencer's face in his hands.
"I love you too, Spence." He told him. And then Spencer was crying which set off Camilo even more.
Finally they wiped their eyes and walked back to the house hand in hand.

"Come on, I want you to meet everyone." Camilo told him proudly. Spencer nodded timidly but he was smiling.
"Just let me get freshened up first, I look like shit and smell like plane." Spencer said .
"You my darling could never look shit, you're beautiful. But yes, I will show you too my room." He said.

"Camilo behave!" His father's voice came from behind him. Camilo couldn't miss a chance to imitate his father, much to Felix's disgust.
But Spencer giggled, yes he giggled! Camilo melted at the sound.

"Papa, this is my boyfriend, Spencer." Camilo said proudly. His father immediately smiled as Spencer blushed.
Camilo saw the shock on Spencer's face that was quickly followed by a smile as his father hugged him.
"So lovely to meet you, Spencer. If you keep looking out for my son the way Bruno and Delores have told me you have been, we'll have no problems." Felix said. Spencer smiled.
"I will, sir." Spencer said, ever so sweet and shyly. Felix put a hand to his heart.
"Felix is fine, no "sir." needed." His papa said.
And Camilo actually looked forward to the rest of the family meeting Spencer, it all took his mind off the reason they were here.