Land of Graces | Encanto

🕯ꕥ ║ Chapter XV : Caretaker Bruno

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Children.

Youthful hearts with youthful minds. They'd believe every word the elders say—whether it be a haunted warning or a fantasy; they'd believe all of it. They viewed the world through rose-colored lenses, filled with lies that poured into their innocent minds, an ideal that can easily be wounded by reality.

Every adult wishes to remain in their youth to escape the advent of senescence. Turn back time and live their childhood to correct their regrets—to live free. However, the opposite applies to these kids. They desired to grow faster and live with freedom.

Without knowing that they're unshackled from the heavy chains of expectations, responsibilities, and burdens.

Are they really? I don't think so.

Aren't they annoying? Well, a little.

For Bruno? Not so much. Taking care of them reminds him of the moments when his mamá and his sisters cared for him.

His lips twitched upward at the thought, clasping his hands together to recreate the warmth he felt. The warmth of his mother's embrace, her loving smile that could defeat a thousand hurricanes, and her whispers of praise treasured in the depths of his heart.

Something he can never see nor hear again.

He missed that feeling, yet he knew he couldn't expect more. It's like wishing to a dead star, praying into a once brightest celestial orb now warped with the pitch-black sky. Maybe he wished so fervently that the star couldn't even bear his prayers, and it faded away with everything he desired. It can never be like before.

Inside the nursery room, his dark eyes shifts from the window that watches the birds flock on the morning horizon, towards the two children; a longing smile forms on his lips. Now, he's content to look after his sobrina y sobrino, the pride and joy of his two older sisters; Mirabel and Camilo.

Camilo sleeps on the bed beside him, embracing the little toy that Pepa bought for him. A chameleon. Bruno was hesitant at first and warned her that he heard somewhere that chameleons bring bad luck. Yet, his hermana insists, reproaching him for being frenzied and believing in such delusions.

Mirabel was on the floor, drawing on a sheet of paper; different colored crayons were strewn beside her. The crayon in her hand roughly stroked against the paper, erratically coloring inside of '3s' connected together—is that a butterfly?

In deep thought, Bruno stares down at his feet, wondering what gifts they would receive. Would Camilo have a gift like his mother's? Could he transform into animals? How about Mirabel? Would she have a gift much like her talent? Sewing? Creation?

"What if they had something like your power, Señor?" A little girl chimes. Bruno's eyes lift to see a brown-haired girl on the floor, sitting in front of him along with her brothers.

Oh, right. He wasn't just taking care of Mirabel and Camilo, but also Secélia's children.

He lets out a nervous laugh, rubbing his calloused fingers across the smooth fabric of his ruana. "My gift? Oh no, kid. I wouldn't want them to have anything like my gift."

"Why?" Lulu tilts her head, blinking innocently.

"But your power is cool!" Matéo jumps up to his feet, tugging the hem of his small ruana upwards and displaying the hourglass symbols on it. "Mamá told us that your gift is to make visions!"