When a Butterfly Flaps its Wings | Encanto Fanfic

Bruno

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35 Years Ago

Bruno silently walked into the town. His hood was up to hide himself from the townspeople who hated him. It wasn't very effective, considering how recognizable his green ruana was. It gave his identity up almost immediately.

At least it made him feel braver. With the hood on he could pretend he was someone else. He could pretend that he wasn't Bruno, the Encanto's very own boogeyman. No, with the hood he was .... Hernando!... who was loved by everyone. Hernando, who wasn't scared of anything- especially not the townspeople he was raised to serve and protect. Hernando can be brave and strong and loved, in the way that Bruno could not be.

It was wishful thinking really. That he wouldn't be recognized on sight.

The people in town gave him a wide berth, trying to be as far away from Bruno as possible. The glares and sneers were more cruel than usual. Bruno honestly wasn't surprised. He was always treated so much worse after he predicts someone's death. Especially when that person was rather popular in the Encanto.

Señora Guzmán had asked him for a vision of the future almost three weeks ago now. He saw her husband's death.

She had screamed at him. Hit him and cried. She called him the devil. A monster. A murderer.

Two days later Señor Guzmán died of a heart attack. His mother had to deal with angry townspeople demanding Bruno be punished for cursing the Guzmáns. The look on her face while she dealt with them made him wonder if maybe she actually agreed with them. If only a little.

Monster.

Murderer.

Demon.

He was grounded for a week. He wasn't allowed to leave the house for three. He was sure that the only reason he was allowed out of the house today was because everyone else was too busy to run errands, and Julieta had run out of flour.

It was fine. He didn't want to go out anyway.

Bruno took a deep breath as he entered the store. He tried to ignore the lady at the counter who started praying the second she saw him. He tried to ignore the customers rushing out of the store, leaving their groceries behind in their haste to get away from him.

It's fine. Really. He just needed to get the flour and then he can go home and forget this ever happened.

Breathe.

He found the flour and hurried to the store clerk. She looked terrified. Bruno fiddled with the coins in his pocket, "Um... How... How much? For the flour, I mean..."

The lady looked pale. She was hyperventilating. Honestly, Bruno was getting concerned.

"Señora? Are you okay? Maybe you should sit down? You look like you're about to pass-"

Her eyes rolled back and she collapsed onto the floor.

"-out... Oh god." Bruno vaulted over the counter, quickly checking over the unconscious lady. "Señora? Please wake up..."

Healing was Julieta's gift, he honestly had no idea what he was supposed to do when someone passed out.

The lady's eyes fluttered, and Bruno sighed in relief. That was a good sign, right? "Señora are you okay? You passed out and took quite the uh fall..."

Her eyes snapped to him and she screeched. Bruno jumped back in fright, eyes wide.

"Get away from me, demon!" she screamed, as she threw whatever she could find behind her counter at him. "I won't let you kill me too!"