Beautiful Bruises ~ Camilo Madrigal x Reader

Barriers and a Broken Nose

And you shut the door.

You ran to your room, hurriedly grabbing a few pairs of clothing and shoving them in your satchel. The pantry was stocked with fruit and bread that you similarly packed, before running into Pepa and Antonio in the hallway. Night was quickly approaching, and Antonio cried in his mother's arms while Pepa sadly stroked his curly locks.

"I'm so tired, mama!"

"I know, sweetie. Shush, Mijo, I've got you."

Your eyes widened, and you gripped the strap of your bag tighter as you ran outside.

I have to find my dad. In my hallucination, my mama told me her people taught her dangerous things. The only one who will know where she came from is my papa.

Isabela and Dolores stood facing each other in the darkening yard, Isabela hunched and broken-looking while Delores appeared defiant. Isabela's usually glowing face was hollow and gaunt, while her prima's eyes were practically glowing with hatred.

"You're lucky to be having that child, and yet you refuse to eat! Some people would love to be in your shoes, you ungrateful bitch!" The unbridled fury* in Dolores' voice sent you stumbling back a few steps, but you scurried past them, careful to keep hidden.

"I want to eat, Dolores! What is wrong with you?! I thought you were happy for me! I thought you would try to help..." Isabela's voice faded as you approached the stables, hurriedly saddling a grey mare speckled with black spots. Her nameplate read "Apples".

"Cmon, girl," you mumbled as you slowly led her out of the stall.

"(Y/N)?" You spun around at the distinct male voice, sending a pail flying at the offender with your telekineses. "Hey, it's me!" Carlos cried indignantly, dodging the spinning piece of metal narrowly.

You leaned against Apples, clutching your heart dramatically in an attempt to act natural. 

"Jeez, you gave me a heart attack. Anyway, bye now, got to go." You quickly attempted to hop on top of the tall mare, but slid back down. Carlos raised an eyebrow.

"Need a hand?"

You scowled, but reluctantly beckoned him over. He placed two hands above the ground to act as a step-ladder for you, and you managed to slide your foot in the loop and heave yourself onto the saddle. 

"Thanks," you said awkwardly, before sending Apples into a trot. Moments later, you heard another horse following behind you. You turned to see Carlos riding closer on a large brown stallion.

"Thought you could use some company."

"Carlos, no. This isn't just an evening joy-ride. This is something serious, and I don't want you to get hurt. First of all, Lucía would kill me, and second of all you're my friend," you said sternly, pulling on the reins.

Carlos rolled his eyes, riding ahead of you.

"I know a lot more than you think. You continue to underestimate me, (Y/N)." His wavy black hair was choppily cut in the back, likely the handiwork of Lucía. "I'm not foolish or nieve, like Camilo, bless his soul."

You scowled, riding up beside him.

"Camilo isn't nieve, he's just... he's sweet. He likes to make people laugh. And don't try to ride in front of me, because you don't know where we're going," you added, annoyed.

He didn't even look at you.

"Don't I?"

There was a long silence, with just the gentle breeze brushing your face and the soft sound of horseshoes hitting the cobblestone path as you waited for his explanation.

"Over the mountain. Anywhere else, and you wouldn't need a horse, or that satchel full of stuff," he said, inclining his head towards the pack hanging around your shoulders. You shifted it behind you defensively, narrowing your eyes.

"Why are you so eager to come along?" you inquired suspiciously.

"Lucía would kill me if I didn't. You mean a lot to her, you know. She's upset that you haven't been around much lately," he added, a certain softness reaching his eyes. "She misses you - said you used to be best friends."

You swallowed hard around the lump developing in your throat, bringing Apples to a faster pace so you wouldn't have to look at him.

"I haven't had much time. Things have been... pretty crazy lately."

"Care to explain?"

And so you told Carlos the story as you made your way up the mountain infuriatingly slowly. As you reached the top of the mountain, the morning sun glinted over what looked like the edge of the world, blinding you momentarily. 

But when you looked at the world beneath you, all thoughts seemed to disappear.

"Whoa," Carlos breathed, stepping forward to look at the large buildings seemingly stacked on top of one another below. Hundreds of people bustled through the busy city, nobody stopping or idling to talk to others, as they did in Encanto. "So... how do you expect to find your father?"

You pointed.

"If he took after his papa, he's probably there." A short walk away from the city was a small camp, with men on horseback eyeing the countryside as though danger might appear at any moment. "My Abuelo was one of the men that... killed Pedro."

Carlos raised an eyebrow but didn't comment as he hopped off of his horse.

"I don't want them getting spooked," he explained, tying the reins to a straggly bush. You followed suit, before hurriedly running forward.

"I'd like to make it down there before night-" You fell backwards before you could finish the sentence, groaning and clutching your nose. Carlos laughed, before noticing the blood dribbling between your fingers and hurrying forward.

"Hey, you hit the magical barrier," he said, before carefully tugging your hand away from your wounded nose and pressing a clean white cloth to it, his dark brown eyes focused and intent. "I thought you had a plan on how to get through it."

Still a little annoyed at his laughter at your attempt to walk through the barrier, you pushed him away.

"You bet I do."