matador (manolo sanchez x reader) ₊˚

come at me bro

You freeze in your place, your shoulders turning rigid at the sight of a shining, bright diamond. With your mouth agape, you watch as Joaquin gets down on one knee, holding up a velvety ring box to your best friend.

"Maria. Uh, will you... will you marry me."

It's almost as if you and Maria's eyes both widen in unison. You resist every urge to groan at such a boyish, hasty deed. His tone is shaky, he didn't make eye contact; this is far from the Joaquin you knew in your youth. What is he even doing???

"Um..." Maria mutters, fiddling with her fingers, obviously put on the spot in front of hundreds of other people.

Claudia and her three other sisters audibly whisper 'yes' with dreamy eyes. You frantically peer around the room, searching for some way to intervene and save Maria.

"Don't worry, your father already said you could." Whispers Joaquin, as he starts to sweat.

"He did- w- h- what??" Maria stammers, peering to her father with widened eyes.

General Posada awkwardly freezes in his spot. "Oh, uh... Who else can protect us from Chakal?"

Your frown deepens as you watch General Posada push Maria towards Joaquin. Holding Manolo's guitar in one hand, you grit your teeth together, stepping forward. You're midway from placing your hand on Maria's shoulder, your mouth open to speak your mind...

When Pepe bursts through the double doors with a dazed Manolo in his arms. Mindlessly, your frown melts into a smile at the sight of him, as you think back to the events of earlier. The partygoers of San Angel gasp in shock, Pepe slinging his arms up like he did something wrong.

"Uh-oh!" Pepe exclaims, running off to the side.

Manolo drunkenly sways back and forth, staring at you with the most adorable, lovestruck gaze. He seems very much out of it. He slyly saunters over to you, in a manner that is very un-Manolo like. You hesitantly watch as he sways in his step, marching over to you and slinging a heavy, muscled arm over your shoulder. He pulls you in, and you can practically feel his heartbeat against your cheek.

"What'd I miss?" Manolo asks with a strange laugh. The audience gasps, whispers bustling through the crowd.

Joaquin looks between you and Manolo, eyeing Manolo's guitar in your hands as you quickly hide it behind your back. The soldier gasps, half confused, and half excited for his brother.

"What, w-wait a sec, did he propose too?" Joaquin asks, and Manolo peers at him. Maria looks toward you, her eyebrow raised in intrigue. You give her a 'help!' kind of look.

"What? No-" You immediately say, realizing why others might think so, with the way Manolo's practically draped over you. Slowly, the Sanchez boy falls out of his daze, politely leaning off of you. Still he stands close, surveying the events before him

Joaquin's face slightly falters, holding the ring box in his hand. He looks to Maria, who's already distracted by Manolo's sudden appearance and behavior. Joaquin frowns.

"Well, if that's the case... then you wouldn't mind getting out of the way, right?? You two are, uh, interrupting." He slyly remarks, repositioning himself to kneel in front of Maria.

"As if she'd say yes so soon! You two barely even know each other!" You exclaim without thinking, before gasping and covering your mouth. Joaquin gasps, his offense deepening. The audience turns to you and Maria, while she gives you a slight look. Even Manolo looks to you with slightly widened eyes. 

Joaquin rises from his kneel, his fists by his hips. He marches over to you, while you look him dead in the eye. "Why don't you two go run off, frolic through a field, maybe you can watch him go fight a bull, or something-" He says with a cocky chuckle, tracing your shoulder with his finger.