Por amor al arte (Julieta x F!Reader)

Part 12

Julieta sighed as she leaned against her bedroom door, slowly sliding down to sit on the floor. Her head was spinning and she could feel her heart wanting to burst out of her chest as fear filled her little by little.

She couldn't be having this happen to her, not now. She felt bad, her mind told her that it was a betrayal to Agustín, that she was only trying to use you to repair the damage and ease her pain. And both options pierced her soul, she didn't want this, she wasn't ready.

But it was undeniable how happy you made her. From the way you smiled at her, the way you held her hand, the cute way you leaned towards her to tell her a secret and the funny looks you sent her before getting up to mischief, the care with which your hands played with her hair, your soft lips on her cheek, your sweet voice singing to her the songs you had written.

You didn't even have to do much, just seeing you was enough to make her day so much better. And that terrified her. She was giving you too much power over her, she was letting you control her as you pleased (because she would do anything you asked of her), she was completely exposed to you, and that kind of surrender was only meant for the kind of person Agustín had been for her.

"She's just your friend" she reminded herself softly. "Just your friend, she doesn't see you as anything else. She could be your daughter"

That last was what caused her the most conflict. Because it was true, you were too young for her, you had a whole life ahead of you while she had already lived so much, but beyond that, what worried her was realizing that if there weren't so many years between you, maybe she would think of courting you.

"Think of Agustín" she scolded herself "think of your daughters"

Think about herr pain. Think of how you took her in, think of how you gave her a home, think of how you stayed up with her so many nights, letting her vent. Think about how you refused to let her down, even though you were heartbroken too. Think that she doesn't want to be alone, think that she wants to be with you.

"God" she cried desperately "what do I have to do? I'm alone in the port of my life, I don't have a beach where I can dock, I don't have moorings, I don't have anyone anymore. I'm adrift"

Julieta felt hot tears run down her cheeks. She didn't want to do it, she didn't want to admit how much it hurt. She was afraid. Damn, you were a woman! And while at the time she couldn't care less what the townspeople might say, she didn't want to ruin your life. She knew better than anyone how much they could hurt someone just for being different, and she wasn't going to hurt you just on a whim.

But it didn't make it hurt less.

"Tell me Lord, who do I have to wait for? With what wind, with what direction should I sail? Will there be a port where I can anchor?

She was older than you, widow, pathetic. You were a butterfly, just beginning to fly. She couldn't rip your wings off.

She couldn't be falling in love with you.

___________________________________

Dolores gasped when she heard her aunt. She sounded so fragile, so scared and small, it broke her heart. The brunette had always admired the strength of her second mother, she was always smiling and helping everyone, there was always a kind smile on her face and she and her brothers knew that no matter what, they could always count on tía Julieta. It was time to return the favor.

"She's crying" she said, interrupting her cousins' increasingly heated argument "Tía Julieta is crying"

"What?" Isabela asked

"Why?" Mirabel frowned, ready to go find her mom.

"She's confused" Dolores said "Because of her...feelings for Y/N" she added in a low voice.

Pepa's daughter saw how the faces of her younger cousins changed rapidly from concern to anger, then to confusion, sadness, and resignment. She tentatively approached Mirabel, knowing that between her and Luisa, the girl was the one who was most against the idea.

"Look, I know it hurts" she said "I know you think of tío Agustín...but you should also think of tía Julieta"

"I do! I know mom doesn't want this! I know she loved dad and misses him! Staying alone is the best for her!"

"For her...or for you, Mirabel?" Isabela asked softly, putting a hand on her shoulder "Mira, no one denies that mom loved dad with all her heart and that she misses him every day just like us... but we can't force her to be alone, with no one who loves her"

"We love her!"

"Not how dad did it" Luisa intervened, surprising her little sister "I miss him a lot, Mira... but I don't want mom to be sad"

"She deserves to be happy" Isabela said, taking her sisters' hands in hers "And we have to make sure that she is. She has been strong for us all her life, it's our turn... just because she loves someone else doesn't mean she's going to replace dad, her heart is big enough to love us all"

Mirabel looked at the ground, feeling the tears run softly down her face. She was upset, she wanted to yell at her sisters for being so selfish and insensitive... but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she was the one being so. Dolores saw the conflict in her cousin and approached her too.

"You want to hear tía Julieta laugh again, don't you Mirabel?" she asked

"...Yes" she nodded "I want her to be happy"

"So think, when do you see her smiling the most? When she is walking or cooking by herself... or when Y/N and Eliza are here?"

The younger girl thought about it for a moment, knowing that her cousin was right. Mom always smiled more when you were around her. She joked, laughed, even sang and danced when you were with her. Maybe...maybe you were what she deserved.

Mirabel sighed and wiped away her tears before looking at her older sister. Isabela looked at her worriedly.

"It hurts" Mirabel said "...but it will hurt me more to know that I didn't do anything for mom having the opportunity"

Isabela smiled at her and pulled her into a tight hug before pulling Luisa along as well. Her sisters were still amazed at how much the older one had changed, but it was a welcome change. They were getting back the older sister they never had.

"So...what's the plan?" Mirabel asked when they parted

"Uyyy, let me tell you e-very-thing!" Camilo smiled, taking out some typewriter sheets from under the bed.

Luisa and Mirabel looked at him confused while Isabela and Dolores rolled their eyes. He was definitely the drama guy.

__________________________

"I don't think it will work"

"It will"

"She's going to be really mad at us if she finds out."

"Then keep your voice down, idiot!"

Bruno sighed as Pepa pulled him towards his room. The two of them had noticed the tension between you and their older sister and the redhead was determined to bring you together, even if it was the last thing she did! And Bruno agreed that Julieta needed a nudge in the right direction, but he doubted his sister's plans would work.

"Remind me how a rope, a bucket, and a teddy bear are going to help us" he said.

"You just trust me!" Pepa smiled

"...the last time I did, you left me tied to a post"

"This is different!" the older rolled her eyes

"How?"

"I acutally love Julieta"