30 Days of Domestic Fluff Challenge
DAY 10
Story: Realms
Pairing: Victor Castillo/Ismeralda Delos Reyes-Castillo
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"B-but why you? Doesn't your aunt have children? Someone close that can take of her?"
Ismerlda sighed ruefully as she packed her folded clothes into the bayong. This was exactly why she didn't tell Victor that she was about to leave for Clarin to take care of her sick Tia Consuelo. She imagined that he wasn't going to take the news well.
She was right.
Apparently, her Papa told Senyor Castillo about her trip who then asked details from his son, who of course, had no idea what his father was talking about.
"Your friend Ismeralda is leaving tonight. You don't know?"
Victor didn't know and he hated the way he found out.
After a momentary state of confusion, he bolted out his house to confront her about it, hoping that she would deny the news. But she didn't.
She was folding the last few pieces of her clothes when the furious knocking of their door ensued. Her Papa just came home from the sea and wasn't amused at seeing the Castillo boy almost breathless at his doorstep. As much as he liked the boy's family, the idea of him being so close to his precious Ismeralda didn't sit well with him especially now that they were about to become a dalaga and a binata. However, it seems that his daughter wasn't interested in making any more friends. She has been attached to this boy since she was six and it appeared that he just received news of her departure. So Senyor Delos Reyes let the boy inside his home so the (barely) children can say goodbye to each other.
Ismeralda was surprised to see him enter her room and he immediately started to furiously demand answers. Normally, she'd fight back but he had every right to be mad. "Howcouldyounottellmethis, Ithoughtyouweremyfriend! IhadtofindoutfromPapa! Pleasedon'tgoIsmepleasepleasepleasedon'tgo..." He babbled.
"I didn't tell you because I knew you were going to over-react." Ismeralda responded weakly as she turned to face him. "But, it was wrong of me to do that. I'm sorry, Vico."
He deflated at that and shifted his eyes downwards doing his best to hold back tears.
Javier always teased him about his crying, constantly berating him for acting like a baby. It's not how men should act, he'd say. At thirteen, Victor was about to turn into a man and he shouldn't cry at every slight inconvenience.
Ismeralda thought this was all horse shit.
Victor was a sensitive boy who wore his heart on his sleeve. Sure, it was annoying how he'd bawl his eyes out whenever someone's pet dies or how he'd dance exuberantly whenever his Mama brought home his favorite pandesal from the town over. But this was also why she liked to be his friend. Other boys in the barrio are always saying or doing something that they don't mean. But not her Vico.
"It's only going to be a couple of months," She explained as she stepped closer to him. He was getting taller, she realized. A couple of weeks ago, he barely reached her chin and now they were almost eye-to-eye. What if he's already taller than her when she comes back? She won't be able to jokingly hold things over his head and watch him reach helplessly for them. The thought annoyed her a little bit.
"I'm going to write to you as frequently as I can."
Victor took a deep breath before nodding weakly. "Alright." He lifted his head to look at her and she smiled warmly at him. So what if he was going to end up being taller than her? He was still going to her Vico. Her annoyingly precious best friend. The little boy that always holds a special place in her heart.
"You promise?" He asked and she ruffled his curly hair, laughing at the way he tried and failed to swat her hands away. She never figured out how he was able to keep his hair perpetually messy, another thing that she constantly teased him about.
"I promise."
