When a Butterfly Flaps its Wings | Encanto Fanfic

Bruno

Bruno knew precisely where his sisters were. With everyone back home due to the worsening weather, there was only one place Julieta and, by extension, Pepa would go.

Julieta always baked when she was stressed. It was a habit she gained because of her gift. She was always too worried about not having enough food for everyone who might need it.

Julieta would bake straight through the night if Bruno allowed her to. Instead, Bruno refused to sleep until she did, forcing her into a corner. She would either continue baking and force Bruno to stay up with her or give in to her mother-henning and go to bed.

It worked every time.

Pepa would join him in making sure Julieta didn't overdo it. Although, more often than not, she would end up falling asleep on his shoulder as they waited for Julieta to give in.

Bruno bit his lip as he stood outside the closed kitchen door, hand on the doorknob, but refused to open it.

"Bruno?" Camilo said, concerned. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah..." Bruno responded, staring wide-eyed at the door.

"Hey," Camilo said, gently putting a hand on Bruno's shoulder. "I'll be right here, okay? If you need to, just call me. I'll get you out of there."

Bruno smiled. "Thank you, Camilo."

With a deep breath, Bruno opened the door. In the kitchen, he could see his sisters talking to each other. They seemed... upset.

"I..." Bruno swallowed heavily, throat suddenly dry. He tensed up as his sisters immediately turned to him, eyes wide.

He looked back to Camilo, who gave him a thumbs up and gently ushered him through the door.

Bruno cleared his throat. "I... I thought I would find you here..."

"Bruno..." Pepa breathed. The dark cloud over her seemed a little lighter.

"You're back," Julieta said, her eyes misty.

Bruno fidgeted with his hands, looking everywhere but his sisters, "... Yeah."

It was quiet for a moment. Nobody knew what to say; a gap of thirty-five years hung between them.

"I'm sorry." Bruno broke the silence.

His sisters startled, looking at him in confusion.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault." He continued. "We were supposed to grow up together, but I ruined everything."

"No, Bruno, I'm sorry," Julieta said, sniffling. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't been so careless, you wouldn't even have been in town that day."

Pepa gently glared at both of them, "It's neither of your faults, okay? The blame is on the townspeople."

"But..." Pepa continued, "Bruno, I'm sorry too. For the longest time, I had thought you had run away because of me."

Bruno paled. "What? Of course, I wouldn't run away because of you."

Pepa sniffled, wiping at her face. "The last time we ever talked, we fought. I thought I chased you away."

Pepa knelt down and cradled Bruno's face in her hands. "I never got the chance to tell you that I love you so much, hermanito."

Bruno's eyes burned. "I love you too, Pepa."

"I'm going to hug you," Julieta warned before pulling Bruno in. Bruno immediately relaxed as Julieta's familiar scent, the smell of someone who spent all day in the kitchen, washed over him.

He started crying as Pepa joined the hug.

He wasn't the only one.

For the first time since he was attacked, everything felt right again. At least, for the moment.

Bruno gasped, pulling away from his sisters as he felt his gift reignite. His sisters looked at him in concern.

"Bruno?" Pepa said.

"What's wrong?" Julieta asked.

Bruno just laughed as he watched the cracks in the kitchen heal.

Hug a sister, indeed.

And then the yelling started.