' accidental penpals' // mirabel madrigal x reader

chapter. 11 - a hollow casita

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( 3rd person pov)

The Madrigals were gathered together around their table after the recent incident with the villagers just an hour ago. Quite some time has passed, but Julieta and Pepa remained as if they were still stuck in that very moment, replaying the townspeople's distressed faces in their minds.

Well, almost everyone was there. Abuela lay in bed with Julieta's cooked meals on her desk, under Bruno and Mirabel's supervision. And also Antonio for obvious reasons.

The teen didn't feel like discussing the topic about the villagers' issue, for it hit too close to that terrible vision and to Y/N herself. Suddenly Bruno's gentle voice broke through the thoughts that caused her to space out.

" I'm gonna get you some water mami, I'll be right back." he said, exiting the room. Mirabel could feel the eyes of her Abuela stare directly st her from the corner of her eye.

Regarding the vision, she never told anyone until this day. Not to her family (except Camilo who probably forgot about it already, and there's also Bruno), not to Y/N's family, not to Y/N. Out of all the people listed, Abuela was at the top of her " List of people to keep this secret hidden to". The lack of sound in the room grew uncomfortable as she remained seated beside her grandmother. Bruno was taking too long just for a glass of water.

" Mirabel."

Mira flinched at the mention of her name. " Y-Yes Abuela? Do you need anything?". Alma only responded with a slight nod. " I need an answer from you."

The old lady adjusted herself in bed, leaving a space as she invited Mirabel to sit beside her. Mirabel did so, taking a shy seat beside Alma. " Does she make you happy?" Abuela suddenly asked.

Her grandchild's eyes widened. " Wh-Who?"

" Y/N of course."

It grew silent again, before Alma all of a sudden gave Mirabel a gentle embrace. Not being used to her grandmother's affection, Mirabel couldn't help but feel emotional.
" I lost you Abuelo while running away Mira. Running away from terrible fates, terrible people. And because he was the only one willing to face it, he provided a safe life for us. So whatever it is you're hiding from your dear friend ... please don't leave her in the dark. It's a terrible place."

Finally Mirabel wept in her arms. " I don't know what to do Abuela. I don't want her to die."

Alma took her hand and placed something on her palm. It felt so cold and metallic that Mirabel felt a sting as she looked down her palm. There, laid a heart shaped locket. Mirabel looked up, her eyes red from all the crying.

" But this is yours Abuela...". The old lady in front of her only laughed, raising another heart shaped locket from her pocket. " I have my own. That one though ... that's yours."

Mirabel opened the locket, shocked to see a small picture of her and Y/N beside each other during their first dinner together with both of their families.

" Abuela I- oh my god thank you." she let out softly, one of her tears landing on the metal necklace.

Bruno then finally came in with a tray of water and a bowl with hot water accompanied with a towel. " I-I'm sorry did I ruin a moment-?"

" No Bruno it's alright. We just finished." Alma interrupted, holding in a laugh. Mirabel jumped off the bed to help him with the tray, taking away the leftover meals from Abuela's desk before placing the bowl of hot water and the towel down.

" You can go Mirabel. I can take it from here." Her Tio reassured, knowing that she just cried. Mirabel immediately wiped her eyes, embarrassed. " Oh! Haha! Okay uh...thank you Tio. Bye Abuela, thank you again!"

And with that. She left the room. Now the faint voices from downstairs grew clearer.

" If we don't act right now then our town will end up just like Mama's old town, Julieta! Lots might end up dying and that includes us!"
" You think I don't know that? I don't know what to do right now Pepa! It's so sudden and of course I want to protect everyone. But if we don't even have leads to these people then we can't resolve this even through talking."

Mirabel watched as her mother slowly sat back down into the chair, massaging her forehead with one hand looking visibly stressed. Pepa meanwhile started raining, but she remained unbothered, also visibly frustrated.

" Dolores have you picked up anything?" Felix asked his eldest. But Dolores only replied with a sad shaking of her head.

Julieta sulked again, sinking deeper into her chair. Mirabel has never seen her mother this stressed all her life, especially without Abuela to be there for both her and her Tia.

" The situation is serious this time isn't it?" Mirabel flinched, turning around to find Camilo leaning against the railings, sharing a frown. " Yeah ... what's even gonna happen to us if we lose the Encanto? What will happen to the candle? The miracle even..."

" If it does come to that .. I think we'll permanently lose our gifts." Camilo grimaced at his own words.

" And ... and the Encanto?"

He inhaled before looking straight at his cousin. " I don't know. History will probably repeat itself or something."

The girl buried her face in her palms, the new locket around her neck dangling below her as she slowly lost hope. Suddenly everything was connecting, the river, the storm, Y/N's death. What if all those events are related to the same guys? What if it's HER they want specifically?

" Camilo." she started, with a dead look in her eyes. Camilo turned to her, concern striking his face. " What's wrong Mira?"

" We have to see Y/N today."
" What? Why?! With the issue going on right now, I don't think they'll even let us out!" he protested.

Stomping to her room with her confused cousin following, she slung her bag over her shoulder and kicked off her house slippers to place on her regular ones before resuming. " I know but- but Y/N is from a family of JOURNALISTS. They'll know what's going on since they're good observers!"

" And what if they target them next because of that particular reason?" Camilo pointed out. At this point Mirabel grew even more frustrated. " We have to at least try to do something about this too!"

Camilo stopped talking for a moment, giving a familiar silence to return to the room.

" ... I'm coming with you then. You'll end up doing something risking your own life like from 2 or so months ago." He finally said.
She looked at him. " Really?!"

" Don't get too excited now, we might get grounded for this."

Mirabel replied with a light chuckle.
" Well it's worth a shot."

" ...you did not."
" I just did."
" Don't do that ever aga-"
" Just get ready already before we lose our chance!"

Finally, Camilo ran out of the room, leaving his cousin who was trying to keep everything together at the moment.

This time it was really best to set her feelings aside. Because even with her mind alone, she couldn't even form any more words to reassure herself.

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Well my inconsistency with the updates is slowly showing everyday aaaa 😭😭

I owe everyone a lot now because of the wait. Thank you so much

I love u all 😭🤍