LOAF

The summer breeze gently caressed your skin as you stood on the landing pad next to Akh Va’quot shrine, looking out at the view surrounding Rito Village. You watched as the setting sun trickled over the land, bathing everything in a golden honey coloured glow. A handful of clouds littered the sky, occasionally causing a shadow or two to slink across the body of water and surrounding cliffs.

You spent a lot of time in Rito Village; Revali being the main reason why you were here so often.

It was always a long journey from Hateno Village, but Revali would always make it worth it with the time you would spend together. He was intelligent, quick-witted, a skilled archer. It was to no surprise that you had fallen for him, as much as you told yourself not to. Despite knowing it was a terrible decision. You had assumed he had fallen for you too.

He was so gentle with you. He treated you differently to everyone else.

There was the morning after you had stayed the night at the Swllow’s Roost, he had offered to walk you to the village entrance to see you off on your journey home. You remember how he had called you beautiful, even when you were only half awake, you hair had not yet been styled and you still had the remanence of sleep in your eyes. The rito didn’t call just anyone beautiful. You remember how that one afternoon last spring, his beak gently brushed against the shell of your ear as he whispered “Aim a little higher, darling”, while he taught you to use a bow- his bow to be exact. You refused to use it at first, worried you would break it, yet he insisted. You remembered how he held you close on that chilly winter afternoon walk and said how once the both of you returned to the village, he would make you a hot drink to warm you up. You remembered how concerned he was that you would catch a cold. You remembered that one evening he had finally made the journey to visit you in your hometown, (In all the years you had known each other, he had only done this once) and how you had spent your evening together under the stars on the edge of the village, away from the eyes of the other towns people; laughing, dancing, exchanging stories.

The kiss.

Or what you believed to be how ritos would kiss one another.

“You don’t mean that!”, you laughed as you playfully hit his feathered shoulder.

“I most certainty do! Do you think a rito like me would lie?”, he asked, leaning a little closer with that cocky look of his plastered across his features. “You’re the pretties hylian I’ve see. Dare I say, prettier than Princess Zelda herself”. This only made you laugh more, a deep blush creeping across your cheeks as you shushed him, lightly pummelling his shoulder in your flustered state. “Your cheeks are turning red. I can’t say I blame you for having that reaction when you have someone like me complimenting you”.

Feathered fingers gently grasped your face and turned you to face him.

“Someone like you?”, you echoed his comment, snatching his wing away from your face and holding it gently in your grasp. “Someone like you…pompous, arrogant-“

“OH! So that’s how you see me?”, he laughed, and you joined in. If anyone else had said this to him you knew his reaction would be very different, but since it was you... “And here I was, thinking you loved me”.

Finally, your laughter had come to a stop, both of you catching your breath.

That was when he slipped his wing from your grasp and wrapped it instead around your smaller frame before he pulled you in to him and laid the maxilla of his beak against your forehead.

You felt your heart flutter for a moment. You were sure this was a rito’s equivalent to a kiss. You had only ever seen this interaction performed by couples. It was a sweet, romantic gesture.

And revali was doing this with you!

Before you could begin to overthink, you allowed yourself to relax in his grasp and be in the moment, feeling at peace, contempt, loved. Everything in the single moment was perfect.

It was memories like this that broke your heart, because despite all of this, he had never told you he loved you. He had never made his feelings clear. He had never made whatever your relationship was publicly known.

You had known the rito for four years now. The two of you had never agreed to being romantic partners, yet you acted like so much more than friends; how you would both find any excuse to be close to the other, how your touches always seemed to linger a little longer than necessary… How Revali had confessed on that late evening on the bridge connecting Rito Village to the outside world that if he had to take a bride one day, he would want someone like you.

You couldn’t go on like this. You couldn’t wait forever, stuck in this limbo, wondering what the two of you truly were. Was there a future for the two of you? You didn’t want to carry on being known as the hylian that’s always around Revali. You wanted people to know that you were more than that and not some hopeless fool.

You needed to hear that he thought of you as more than that.

You wanted to hear that he wanted you the same way you wanted him.

You needed to make a decision.

You had already rejected other hylians, gorons and zoras alike, turning down some that others had only dreamed of being with. You were slowly becoming the laughingstock of your friend group, and all for what? To stay in your sorry state, believing you may have a shred of a future with the rito?

So, this time, you weren’t so hasty when the goddess Hylia blessed you with a second chance to find happiness.

You had met him in Kochi’s Dye Shop. You needed to dye some materials for a scarf you were making (ironically for the one that was the source of your problems), and he was dying an old, faded tunic back to its once vibrant grass green.

You found out his name was Link.

Link was quiet, but dedicated, hardworking, sweet. You had seen him around the village a few times. He was always willing to help anyone who asked. You couldn’t help but admire that about him. He was well respected, popular amongst women, and you had to admit, you couldn’t help falling for his charms a little too.

After your initial introduction, the two of you began saying hello in passing, stopping to talk to each other if you had the time. There had been a night or two he had made time for you from his busy schedule, and you had shared a meal by the fire. He would tell you stories of the adventures he had been on, the people he had met along the way, and about his duties as Princess Zelda’s newly appointed knight. He was funny too. Most wouldn’t expect it due to his usually reserved nature.

Sometimes, you couldn’t help but think of Revali when with the Link. How you should be laughing at his jokes, asking how his day was…and a sense of guilt would was over you.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”, the rito’s voice shook you from your thoughts.

Just his voice prickled your skin with goosebumps and got your heart pounding.

You looked over your shoulder, seeing him standing there, chest puffed out proudly and his wings clasped behind his back as he walked towards you. The scarf you had once made him had recently been replaced with a teal blue one sporting a print of Devine Beast Vah Medoh, indicating he was the newly selected champion of the rito.

Of course it would be him.

“Yes, the view is always beautiful here”, you agreed, your tone a little melancholy as you turned back to said view.

You listened to the approaching footsteps as Revali made his way to stand next to you. “How do you know I was talking about the view?”, he asked, his vivid green eyes glancing in your direction with a playful smirk gracing his features as he stood next to you.

A lump began to form in your throat.

“How have you been?”, he asked gently you only gave a weak smile in response.

“I’ve been okay…”, you responded, not sure what else to say. “Congratulations on becoming the rito champion, you deserve it”. The lack of warmth and familiarity in your tone was immediately picked up by Revali, yet he chose not to comment on it just yet, unsure if now was the correct time to do so.

“Thank you”, was all he could say in response to your comment to begin with. “As you know, I’ve trained for years to be a worthy defender of my people”. You only nodded your head in acknowledgement at his words in response. When you didn’t bother to continue the conversation further, he finally asked, “Is there something wrong?”, always being straight forward and to the point unless he was taking the time to taunting or tease someone. When he was making fun of someone, he would pretend he didn’t know what he was doing; like how he would love to give others back handed compliments if they dare challenge him.

“I mean, you did miss the most targets during practice, but I’m sure you’ll improve eventually”, and “You’re pretty good for a rito who can’t fly in formation”

It was clear though he had no suspicion as to what could possibly be troubling you. He had no idea of the torment he had been putting you though.

You were silent for a moment, wondering if you should just push your feelings to the side and continue chasing this fantasy just to save yourself the possible heartbreak that was to follow this conversation.

“Revali… what are we?”, you asked.

There it was. The silence. The sickening feeling settling in your stomach. The dryness in your throat. It was as though the whole foundation of your world began to quake the second that question left your mouth.

Revali was still silent. He just stared at you.

That was all you needed to know exactly how this conversation was going to go.

“Why would you ask that?”, he asked, his tone of voice was like how he would speak to the other newly appointed champions. It was professional, directed… Unfamiliar to your usual conversations with him which usually held an air of adoration and softness.

You finally turned to face the rito fully, staring directly into his eyes. “We have known each other for four years now, Revali”, you pointed out. “During this time, you’ve never once mentioned how you truly feel about me”.

“I don’t see why you’re bringing this up”, he spoke coolly, making your blood begin to boil.

“I have spent four years of my life waiting for you”, you finally snapped harshly, your tone causing the rito’s eyes to widen, his piercing green eyes boring into you. You had never spoken to him like this before. “I can’t wait another four years, or eight, or sixteen”. You already sounded exasperated. Years of pent-up emotion bubbling to the surface. First was frustration. “Incase I haven’t made it clear enough, I love you Revali… I am in love with you”.

The air was filled with more silence, unsure of where to take the conversation next. The only thing that could be heard was the wind. Revali’s beak opened for him to speak, but he quickly closed it again.

“So you don’t feel the same?”. Your throat felt tight, and it made your voice break slightly, causing the rito’s eyes to widen. You had never once let your emotions get the best of you around him, so seeing you so upset was new.

“Why does it matter how I feel?”

“Because I want a life with you!”

Revali pulled his gaze away from you, not being able to look you in the eyes… the eyes he loved so much. The eyes that could ruffle his feathers with a single look. The eyes that held all the answers. “You know that’s not practical”.

“How? How is it not practical?”, you shot back and that was when you finally saw his mask crack. His own frustration and pain seeping through. He would also hardly let his emotions get the best of him. He was a rito champion. He had to be professional- a role model for all his race. They all had their eyes on him. History had it’s eyes on him. He couldn’t let them down when so many people were looking to him.

“What would the other rito think if I were to take you as a bride”- There it was. It was like a knife had just been plunged into your heart. You knew he was very private about his personal life, but it hadn’t crossed your mind that he was worried what others would think of your relationship.

“I can’t mate with you”, he pointed out, “We can’t create offspring together! Isn’t that the whole point of marriage? To settle down, leave a legacy behind”, he huffed, turning his back to you, looking out at something, anything, just so he didn’t have to see the growing pain in your eyes any longer.

“I can’t make love to you the way I need to”, he added flushing with embarrassment under his layers of perfectly preened navy feathers. “I can’t make love to you the way I want to-“.

“But I don’t care about that. Just having you in my life is what I need”, you chocked back tears that were threatening to fall. You didn’t want to cry. You didn’t want him to see you crumble.  

“Well, I am part of your life, aren’t I!? Isn’t that good enough?”, he exclaimed, turning to face you once more.

“You know what I mean by that, Revali. Don’t play dumb”, you warned him. A pregnant pause fell over the two of you then. You both just stared at each other for a moment, as if you were truly seeing one another for the first time- not just your happy personas you both wore when deep down you both knew you longed for something more. “I’ve already rejected countless courtships and marriage proposals, praying to the goddess Hylia that you would finally ask me to be yours”, you confessed. “I can’t keep waiting…”.

You both wanted more… So why couldn’t Revali just accept that?

“Perhaps you should take up the next offer. It would be better for both of us”, Revali chimed in with a bitter laugh. You felt sick. It was like someone had plunged their hand into your organs as began squeezing and twisting. It hurt. The love of your life was giving up on you, after you gave him everything.

You gave him everything.

“Well, I guess I will”.

With that, you could see his muscles tense. He had dug himself this grave, and now he had to lay in it. He had said it without thinking, like he always did when he was emotional. A fury began to build within him. He was angry at you for not arguing back. For not telling him that you only wanted him. He was angry at himself for not just allowing himself to love you. For not allowing himself to be with you. “Good luck finding some as good as me then; The Rito Champion”, he grumbled in his snobby arrogant tone that he never once directed at you before.

“I have, as a matter of fact”, you fired back, your jaw clenching as you tried your best to maintain your composer.

“Oh, is that so? And who would that be?”, he replied in a mocking, patronising tone. You had never been on the receiving end of this side of his personality before. You knew Revali could be rude, self- absorbed, egotistical. But how he was acting now was just vile.

He was cruel.

He was mean.

He was not the Revali you loved.

“His name is Link”.

The navy rito’s eyes narrowed at the mention of this name, knowing exactly who it was, and his feathers ruffled up in agitation, not being able to hide his emotions any longer. “Link?”, he repeated.

“Yes”.

“The princess’ newly appointed night?”, he scoffed, to which you only gave a single nod as your response. This was his breaking point. “How pathetic”, he began. “Are you sure you want to make that decision? Settling for a silly boy who plays with swords”, he spat his words with so much venom. Your face couldn’t help but contort in pure disgust at his attitude. “He can’t offer you anything of value. He’s small, weak. He probably doesn’t even know your name!”,

“Revali, stop”.

“I haven’t even met him yet, but I can tell he is no match for me”.

“Revali-“.

“He’s probably a strange looking thing anyway; with those pointed ears and fleshy body”, your eyes widened in disbelief at what you were hearing. “Why would you want to be with a hylian anyway? What do they offer in comparison to a rito?”, he spoke before he could think of what he was saying. This comment struck something in you, and in that moment it felt like your whole world was tumbling down.

“I AM A HYLIAN, REVALI!”, you yelled back.

And that was when it all clicked.

He was embarrassed of you. He was scared that the other rito’s would think less of him if he were to settle down with a hylian. Like he had mentioned previously, you couldn’t have children together to carry on his legacy, you couldn’t fly, you’d stick out like a sore thumb living amongst the rito. You would be a burden.

And then your tears began to fall.

Revali’s own eyes widened as he had realised what he said. The raging fiery anger than once burned behind his eyes now replaced with worry, fear, regret.

“I-… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it-”, you didn’t give him another moment of your time, barging past him and heading straight for the stairs that spiralled down the giant stone pillar that led to the exit of the village. “I wasn’t thinking! You know I don’t think any less of you because you’re a hylian!”, he called out, turning a few heads as he tried to catch up to you, but you wouldn’t stop. Not for him. Not ever again. That was one advantage you had as a hylian. You were used to relying on your legs to transport you from place to place, meaning you could outrun the rito any day.

You finaly made it to the archway of the village, heading towards where your horse was tied up in the stable, but to your surprise, the champion landed in front of you, giving you no choice but to face him.

“Please… I didn’t mean what I said. I-…”, he was desperate. The thing that truly mattered most in his life was about to leave to most likely never return. It felt like everything was unravelling in his grasp. “Please… I love you”.

“I see now that we would be an ugly match”, you said, barely able to speak as it felt like there was a gaping hole where your heart had been only moments ago. You made your way to your horse and climbed up, tying a cloak up and pulling the hood over your head in attempts to hide the tears that would not stop falling. “Perhaps in another life… things may have been different for us’, you sobbed softly.

“Please… I need you… I was angry- I didn’t-“.

Eye meets in that short instant

The moment all senses stop

Little tremors spread inside me

For the first time I am swallowed by the feeling

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

Mi Mariposa,

I can still remember the first time I saw you. How I’d thought I’d gone to heaven, because Infront of me was an angel. Someone so perfect, I was sure I wasn’t worthy of your love. Even now I must question if I truly deserve someone as special as you.

How I long to have you in my arms, to kiss you. I wish to be by your side every second of every day just in order to bask in your beautiful glow. Mi vida, you have no idea how much my soul yearns for you.

You make me feel as though I’m living in a dream. A dream I never wish to wake up from.

I wish to have you here with me now, so I could tell you this in person.

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

The extended olive branch of peace hadn’t gone as smoothly as the family had hoped.

When Alma originally approached the family in the market with the proposal of an arranged marriage between their daughter and Bruno, Santino Ruiz had almost lost his cool.

“So, now our family name is good enough?”, he had scoffed, not even looking the woman in the eyes. Sofía, his wife, had smacked his shoulder, scolding him to at least be civil with the woman after everything they had done for their community.

“I’m sorry Alma, my husband-“, she began to stutter out apologies. Sofía was a sweet woman. She always had been. It just so happened that the man she had fallen in love with wasn’t.

“It’s okay Sofía, I understand that I’ve hurt him in the past”, she soothed, taking the smaller woman’s hands in her own with an understanding smile. The slightly younger woman smiled back as a silent thank you, her eyes wrinkling at the corners as age had begun to catch up with her youthful looks, while her husband tutted and looked the other way. Alma remembered her from before the Encanto, before her and Santino had married. She had always been the quiet and shy type growing up. Alma remembered how Sofía had looked up to her; asking how the older girl thought she should style her hair, doing the same activities as her, always staying close by at any festivals.

“So, why our daughter?”, She asked.

“My Bruntio used his gift and had a vision. The vision showed him marrying your daughter and the two of them living a beautiful life together”. Sofía swooned at the news, the whole idea already sounding more romantic than anything she had ever heard. “The vision promised prosperity, good health, grandchildren-“, Sofía audibly gasped, a wide smile spreading across her lips. This sounded like a fairy tale to her; her daughter marrying into the most powerful family in the Encanto, the pair being happy and showered in blessings, it was more than she could have ever asked for. For her daughter to live a happy and healthy life. What Alma was saying had completely captivated her, so much to the point where she hadn’t even noticed her husband’s building rage until it was too late.

“I will not have your son dirtying our bloodline!”, he spat, standing tall over the two women. “That boy is a bad omen. I highly doubt he saw all these things in his vision. It’s probably all just a lie to get someone to marry him, since no one else wants to marry that pendejo”. Alma flinched in shock and Sofía’s eyes widened at her husband’s comment.

“Santino! Don’t say that! You’re making a scene”.

“Escúchame Sofía, what can that boy offer her? She would be limited in life if she married him! And should they have children- No lo permita dios- They would be every bit as much of a freak as their father!”. The man’s shoulders were tense, his breaths heavier than usual, clearly and truly bothered by this conversation. He took his wife gently by the elbow and began to guide her away from the market and the matriarch of the Madrigals.

“They are not freaks, Santino. Their gifts are blessings! Look at our community! Look at what they’ve all done for us!”, Sofía pleaded for her husband to open his eyes, gesturing around them at the bustling community. “We are thriving thanks to the Madrigals”.

“And how has Bruno helped?”, he snapped back. His wife wouldn’t often stand up to him, but she knew in her mind and in her heart that he was wrong.

“He has helped to keep us safe and out of danger with his visions! He has allowed us to spend time with our loved ones when there wasn’t much time left! And now he has told Alma that there is a possibility for our daughter to have the honour of being part of their amazing family! So why can’t you open your heart and forgive the past-”, Sofía then flinched as her husband stood in front of her, blocking their path and glowering down his nose at her.

“Don’t you dare insult me like that!”. This now caused some others at the market to turn their head, wanting to know what this sudden outburst was all about. Sofía couldn’t blame them, it was a small village and people wanted something to talk about. Noticing this, Santino cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “We’ll discuss this when we get home Sofía, I don’t want the whole Encanto listening in on our conversation”. With that, he left and began walking in the direction of their house.

Sofía’s shoulders slumped forward in defeat. She turned to Alma with sad apologetic eyes. “Alma, lo siento. I wish he would learn-…”, she sighed, rubbing her eyes in irritation, attempting to distract herself from the drama that had just unfolded.

“It’s okay Sofía. Brunito’s prophecies always come true. I’m sure he’ll come around eventually”, Alma’s eyes met the other woman’s finally. They exchanged a silent thank you to one another; Sofia’s being a thank you for extending such an offer to her daughter and their family, Alma’s being a thank you for someone other than her familia standing up for Bruno for once. “Give him time, Chica”. The younger mother nodded, and with that, the two went their separate ways.

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

I can’t go back to the way it was

You didn’t know me, After I bumped into you

I become craving you more,

Uncontrollably

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

It had been three days.

Three days since that fiasco with the Ruiz family.

The Madrigals had noticed a few murmurs and whispers throughout the Encanto of a possible engagement involving the youngest of the triplets. Nothing scandalous, nothing more than ripples in their calm ocean. Yet they all still hoped that those ripples didn’t grow into waves, or anything worse.

Bruno had reverted back to his usual self, that flicker of hope that he was so desperately clinging onto, the flicker of hope that Julieta and the rest of the family wanted to see ignite into something more, was now burning out. For the past two days he hadn’t left his room other than to eat. He had two visitors the other day, asking for visions. One left after noticing the number of stairs leading to where the male resided, and the other left more confused than when they had entered. That had been the only communication Bruno had had with the outside world since the incident.

“I can’t say I’m surprised”, Pepa lamented as she sipped her espresso, a small grey cloud forming over her head. The two couples of the family were sat outside enjoying the sunshine while they had the chance. “I just knew Santino wouldn’t give him a chance”, she muttered into her cup.

“I thought you didn’t want him to pursue the Ruiz, yet you’re sounding a little disappointed Pepa”, Agustín pointed out with a teasing grin, pushing his glasses up his nose to prevent them from slipping of his face and into his own drink.

“Because I knew this would happen”, she corrected him, taking another sip of her drink. “This is the last thing Bruno needs right now”.

“Chico’s been even quieter than usual” Félix joined the conversation, a scowl settling across his brows, which looked out of place on his usually happy features. “I tried talking to him about it all, but he insisted he was okay and to not worry”. Félix shook his head. Despite not being a blood relative and finding the younger man a little unsettling at times with some of his visions, he saw Bruno as a younger brother. All he wanted was the best for him, like the rest of the family.

Pepa let out a groan of frustration and massaged her temples, eyes closed as she tried to focus on not creating a thunderstorm. “He may have ruined my wedding- and believe me, I will not let that go, but he is my brother. I still want him to be happy and the Ruiz family is not what will bring him happiness”. Julieta bit her lip in thought as she listened to her sister. Perhapse she was right? Maybe instead of encouraging this vision they should try to stomp it out. Brush it under the rug and pretend it never happened. But any time she thought of telling Bruno to ignore the vision and try to change fate, her heart clenched. The memories of how optimistic he had looks and how he had smiled when looking at the vision, as though he were already in love with the woman in the vison.

Agustín noticed his wife’s distress and gently too her hand in his own under the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She looked over to him, noticing the love in his gaze that still gave her butterflies. “Bruno’s visions have never been wrong before. Perhaps we just need to give this one some time”, Agustín reassured the group. He always knew what to say to put Julieta’s nerves to rest.

“Let’s discuss something else”, Pepa waved her hand, signalling the group to move onto another topic. She was the one to usually determine how the conversations progressed out of fear of possibly flooding the Encanto with a down pour of rain or a sudden hurricane making its way through the village due to a bad conversation topic. “So, have the two of you thought about children yet?”, she asked, glancing between her sister and Agustín as she leant forward on the table, eager to hear their response. “You know how I’ve always wanted to be Tía Pepa”.

The couple exchanged glances, unsure on how to respond. They hadn’t given it much thought. For now, they were just enjoying being in love, being married. They were just enjoying their lives. Obviously, they had thought about children, and how could they not when Alma was so desperate to become an abuela. Yet, they were in no rush to have children. “Well, we’ve… thought about it”, Agustín chuckled awkwardly, feeling a little put on the spot with Pepa’s question. “Perhaps two or three would be nice”.

“We’ve also thought about three, maybe four”, Félix winked Pepa’s way, causing her to flush and the sun to shine brighter. Julieta couldn’t help but giggle at her sisters reaction to Félix’s goofy antics. Pepa was fanning herself in order to cool her flustered state when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye, and her jaw dropped.

It took a moment for the others to follow the woman’s line of sight, but before long their eyes also settled on what was causing the sister to stare slack jawed into the distance.

It was her. The woman from Bruno’s vision.

She herself was a vision and no one could deny that.

She wore a burgundy long skirt that was embroidered with red carnations with jade green stems, leaves and vines which fluttered elegantly in the breeze as she approached the casita. Her white shirt had matching green trimming with sleeves that came down to her elbows and she wore simple pearl drop earrings. She was prettier in person than in the vision.

“Is that-…”, Félix began, wanting to make sure he was seeing who he thought it was, and that he and the rest of the family weren’t having some sort of strange fever dreaming.

“That’s her”, Julieta stood up out of her seat, buzzing with excitement. What was she doing here? Was she here to see Bruno? She must be here to see Bruno! What else would she be here for?

The young woman’s attention turned from the castita to the family sitting on the patio, a little stunned to notice everyone staring at her.

So that’s why she had felt she was being watched.

It almost felt as though she were a main performer at a carnival. She cautiously made her way over to where the family sat at their table, fiddling with her fingers nervously as she grew closer and closer. “Hola, mucho gusto”, she greeted with a nervous smile. She could already feel her palms growing sweaty and her mouth going dry, and she couldn’t help but mentally curse for pushing herself into this situation. She noted the wide eyes and silence in response to her greeting, knowing she was probably the last person the Madrigals expected to see after hearing of her father’s outburst in the market. “I’m here to see Bruno, and possibly speak with your mother, Señora Alma Madrigal?”.

“A-Ah! Yes! Of course!”, Julieta stuttered out springing into action, quickly followed by the others who did the same, Agustín almost knocking over the table in the process. “Please, have a seat! We’ll fetch Bruno. Would you like anything to eat? Perhaps a drink?”, the eldest triplet offered as casita pulled out a chair for the lady. Before the Ruiz could respond, Julieta was already heading to the kitchen to retrieve some coffee for her.

Meanwhile, the others had sprinted into the home, looking as if they had all gone mad. “I’ll find Mamá. You two get Bruno. Vamos!”, Pepa ordered before the trio charged up their stairs and split off in separate directions; Agustín and Félix heading straight for Bruno’s tower.

The pair burst through the door, sending a loud bang echoing through the cave, causing the man they were searching for to practically jump out of his skin. “Bruno!”, they both yelled out, scrambling for the multiple flights of stone stairs. “Bruno!”, they continued to call, already panting heavily as they tried their best to make it up as many of the steps as they could, Félix falling behind slightly while Agustín charged full steam ahead. Finally, Bruno appeared at the top of the stairs, looking sick with worry, expecting the worst of news due to the state they were both in.

“Que esta pasando?”, he asked as he began to descend the stairs, being able to take multiple steps at a time due to making the same trip day in and day out. His body and muscle memory taking over on instinct to prevent him from slipping.

“She’s here! She’s here!- To see you!”, they panted heavily.

“Wait-wait-wait! Who’s here?”.

That was when he heard her name once again and he felt every one of his hairs stand on end, like an electric current was sent through his entire being.

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

As if I have dreamed in a dream

I’m lost looking for you

You are the dream I live in, the dream I can never awake from

Every day and night I’m gon’ chase you

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

From there, it felt like the three men were kicked into overdrive.

They all practically threw themselves down the stairs, eventually making it safely to the bottom. They threw open the door to Bruno’s room, getting temporarily stuck as they all attempted to squeeze through the doorframe at once in their over excited state. They hurried along the hall and down the stairs before Félix without warning grabbed Bruno by the hood of his ruana, causing him to choke slightly and to fall to the floor at the sudden halt of movement. “You can’t let her see you like that! You’ve got to look more presentable!”, he scolded and began to wrack his fingers through the others loose ringlets, causing the younger male to wince and yelp in pain, batting the other’s hand away.

“And what about those bags under your eyes?”, Agustín added, stroking his chin in thought, before trying to press his fingers into the skin under his eyes and massage the dark circles away. “Maybe this will help”, the thought out loud.

“You two aren’t helping”, Bruno grumbled, finally breaking free from his two brothers grasps.

“What are you three doing?”, Alma’s voice made their spines straighten, each of them turning to her and standing to attention like soldiers. “Brunito, you don’t want to keep her waiting”, she brushed a few curls out of his face before her hand rested on her son’s cheek before using a pout to point in the direction leading outside to where she sat with his sisters. Bruno smoothed out his clothes, having been practically tackled by his cuñados, before taking a deep breath and heading to where he could hear the group’s voices coming from.

Hers stood out to him instantly, like a glistening emerald pendant. He couldn’t even see her, yet he already found her perfect. Perhaps he was getting a little carried away. He needed to calm down. He took another deep breath, clenching and unclenching his hands in hopes to distract himself from his growing nerves. This only added to his nerves when he noticed how sweaty his hands had become. Why was he so sweaty? What if she wanted to hold his hand?!

As he made his way outside, he first noticed his sisters; Pepa leaning back in her chair, her eyes narrowed and her gaze intense as she stared down her nose at the other. She usually did this when talking to someone she disliked, yet she seemed to be giving her a chance, which Bruno would take as a positive any day of the week. Julieta on the other hand was chatting away, giggling and laughing, making small talk in order to make the newcomer feel welcome. She was always good at making others feel welcome- feel wanted, which was one of the many reasons why Bruno loved his sister.

And then he saw her. In the flesh. She was real.

Her eyes flited up and met his and he could feel his throat tighten, for a moment, he was breathless. The sun kissed her skin, highlighting all her features, every pore, every minor detail, and everything about her was beautiful. Everything felt surreal. It was like a dream. He didn’t expect to ever be face-to-face with the girl of his vision, his dream partner, or at least, this is who she was supposed to be.

The two stood in silence, both a little stunned finally being in each other’s presence, mouths slightly agape in shock as if one were about to say something but thought better of it.

This caused the family to smile; Julieta giggling softly as she looked over to her sister and mother in excitement, whereas Agustín nudged Félix, both of them laughing silently together as the fact that they had never seen their brother-in-law act this way around a woman. The Ruiz noticed the other’s reactions at the fact that they had just been gawking at each other in front of everyone, and quickly averted her gaze with a crimson blush spreading across her cheeks. Noticing her flustered state though only made Bruno’s heart race.

“Ay dios, eres tan hermosa”, he foolishly forgot himself and muttered under his breath, only for it to be his turn to flush a deep red as he realised, he had said that out loud. Thankfully, it seemed to be quiet enough for no one else to hear.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting, dear”, Alma took the lead in the conversation since it currently seemed as though her son couldn’t string a sentence together in his dazed state. Each member took a seat at the table, purposely leaving the seat next to the Ruiz open for Bruno. He quickly sat himself down upon noticing the rest of the family doing so, glancing to his side to catch a glimpse of her. He didn’t want to be rude or stare, but he couldn’t help but want to look at her. “I’m assuming you’re hear about the engagement!”, Alma urged on the conversation.

Bruno swallowed thickly, his Adams apple bobbing with the motion, and he tried to breathe as evenly as he could. He didn’t want to appear nervous, but right now he couldn’t stop the subtle bouncing of his leg that was giving him away. He was glad this was hidden beneath the table, out of sight. Though he didn’t seem to be the only anxious one at the table. Glancing over to his side, he noticed the Ruiz’s hands clutching and fiddling with her skirt. It was just out of sight of everyone else, but knowing she felt the same was somewhat comforting. He knew he was not alone.

“Ah, yes. The engagement”, she began softly, with a small smile. “First of all, I would like to apologize for my father’s behaviour”. Upon hearing this, Pepa’s eyebrows shot up to the point the family thought they would end up in her hairline. “What he said was unkind to say the least and I want you to know that it was unacceptable and I’m sorry for him acting in such a way”.

“A Ruiz apologising… I never thought I’d see the day”, Pepa mumbled to herself causing Félix to laugh and nudge her shoulder playfully, earning a gentle eyeroll and a small smirk in return. It was a silent ‘I may have been too quick to judge’.

“Ah, well, we appreciate and accept your apology”, Alma beamed, briefly looking to the rest of the family before turning her attention back to the woman next to her son. “And since you’re here, I’m assuming your father has agreed to your marriage?”, she asked, guesturing between the two.

“Well, not exactly…he’s still considering”, she confessed, looking down at the tablecloth, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone at the table. “But my mother has given her blessing”. Alma nodded her head, showing her understanding of the situation, the rest of the family just staring on in shock. “I guess today I’m hear because I would like to get to know Bruno a little better before we make any final decisions”, she stated clearly before finally turning to address the man next to her for the first time; “If that’s okay with you of course, Bruno”.

The way she said his name put him in a trance. He didn’t know his name could sound so sweet. His hazel eyes stared at her for a moment, forgetting that it was him who she was addressing, before blinking a few times to ground himself back into reality. “Oh! Me? - I mean- Of course!”, he stammered, offering a smile which his sisters picked up on. It wasn’t his usual sad or pained smile that they would often see while he tried to save face with the village people or the few times he was witnessing other’s good fortune in the visions they had asked for. This smile was like a breath of fresh air. It was shy. It was somewhat vulnerable. It was genuine.

Their guest couldn’t help the corners of her lips curling up to match Bruno’s expression, averting her gaze as she could feel her cheeks growing warm again.

Alma couldn’t say she was too pleased at the news of the two wanting to get to know each other before agreeing to their marriage. She was growing impatient as Bruno was nearing thirty and was still unmarried, as well as her still did not having a single grandchild weighing on her mind. But she would allow it. This vision showed the two being happily married together, so she was sure they would happily accept the marriage offer soon. “I don’t see why not. It will be good to spend some time together, to lessen the nerves before the engagement”, Alma agreed.

Upon hearing this, Bruno noticed Ruiz’s muscles relax, her shoulders slumping ever so slightly as she let out a breath she seemed to be holding for who knows how long. It was sweet. Somewhat endearing. He liked the fact that she wanted to actually know who he was, instead of making assumptions about him through the rumours and lies the Encanto told about him. It made him feel like she wanted to marry him for more than just the magic their children would inherit. Like she wanted to marry him for who he was. “So, tell me, what is it that you do in the Encanto? I’m aware your father builds houses for a living. I must say, your family’s home is very impressive”, Alma then interjected, steering the conversation back to how their marriage would benefit each other and the community.

“Well, from time to time I help design the layouts of the houses and help with the interior, but my true passion is the arts”, the young woman confessed, a little embarrassed as she knew her strengths weren’t necessarily seen as useful. Although Bruno’s ears perked up at the mention of this. “I love to paint murals for people in the community, I also like to write stories in my free time. During festivals I enjoy singing and dancing”, she began to ramble on, her very being practically glowing with love for her hobbies, before she caught herself, shrinking back a little as she worried that she was leaving a bad impression. “Ah, but they are just what I do when I’m not helping the family business”

“That sounds wonderful! You’re like a social butterfly with how you engage with the community”, Julieta complimented their guest, Alma nodding along in approval as she thought this possible newcomer to the family may help to bring Bruno out of his shell a little more. He had always been such a shy boy and with his gift and how the people of the Encanto spoke about him, it had only made him recede more into himself.

The Ruiz flashed a tight smile in response. “Muchas gracias. Although I do enjoy time to myself too. I believe it’s important to find a healthy balance between the two”.

“Such wise words. And how old are you?”, Alma continued with her questions, wanting to gain as much information on her son’s possible future bride. She wanted to guarantee that this vision Bruno had wasn’t false and that this engagement wasn’t going to be a waste of time. She wanted to know that this woman would be the perfect match for her son.

“I’m twenty-two”. Her response caused Bruno’s breath to catch in his throat for a moment. There was a six-year age gap. He didn’t mind so much. It could have been worse. But he couldn’t help his mind jumping ahead of time and thinking of how he would soon start to age. His hair would begin to grey, his skin would start to wrinkle, not to mention he already had bags under his eyes from multiple sleepless nights. He didn’t want to have to burden a beautiful woman like her with being with an older man. Perhaps she wouldn’t mind? She seemed interested in the engagement.  “I’m surprised you haven’t married yet. Bruno, aren’t you surprised that a man hasn’t asked for her hand in marriage?”, his mother’s words brought him crashing back down to earth.

The table was watching him, eagerly awaiting his response. It was clear that his mother had noticed his lack of confidence and how he had barely said anything to the woman since she got here. The woman to his side’s cheeks began burning a deep shade of red. Which his own then seemed to match as he floundered to compliment her and make conversation.

“O-Of course I’m surprised”, the seer agreed with his mother, trying his best to look the woman in the eyes as he spoke. “I mean, you’re very beautiful. Any man would be lucky to call you his wife”, he mumbled, his heart pounding against his ribs as he dragged his fingers through his curls.

‘Pull yourself together Bruno! You’re a mess!’

His heart stopped for a second as he heard a soft, “And any woman would be lucky to call you her husband”, and then his heart practically melted.  

‘Dios mio, ella es perfecto’

His mother and relatives smiled proudly at the simple interaction; Felix squeezed Pepa’s hand and gave her a nod of approval, signalling that he approved of the union, and Julieta looked to Agustín with a giddy grin of excitement. They were so excited, practically bursting with pride for Bruno. Upon noticing this though, Bruno could feel a knot forming in his stomach.

‘Don’t mess this up, Bruno’

Simple conversations continued to flow into the late afternoon. Questions on how the Ruiz planned to further help the community if she were to marry into the Madrigal family, how long did she think it would be until she could get the approval of her father, when the wedding should take place if the engagement were accepted, etc. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits as a warm sunset washed over the Encanto.

“Brunito, it’s getting late. Why don’t you walk our guest home to make sure she returns safely”, Alma suggested to which her son nodded in response with a tight smile, slightly nervous at the idea of being alone with the Ruiz daughter, but also relieved he would be able to speak to her without the pressure of his family watching. He was sure they could both do with five minutes away from everyone, where they weren’t on edge thinking every other question to come out of their mouth would be about how many children they wanted or his mother possibly commenting on how they should abstain from sex until marriage.

Alma stood up from her seat and made her way over to the two. She took the young woman by the hands and gently held them in her own. “You seem like such a sweet girl. I’m sure you would make my Brunito proud to call you his wife.  I’m sure if your parents are to accept the engagement offer, you and my son with live a life full of blessings and prosperity”.

“Gracias Señora. Thank you all for being such generous hosts”, the Ruiz thanked the Madrigals before Bruno cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Let’s get you home, shall we?”.

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

I’m in love

I’m dreaming in a dream every night

I’m in love

I’m dreaming in a dream every night

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

The walk through the village was a little awkward to begin, both parties not knowing how to strike up a conversation with the other. They knew little to nothing about each other yet had this prophecy of their engagement looming over them. It was daunting to say the least.

As they walked through the streets, the Madrigal couldn’t help but notice the curious eyes that watched them from a distance. Whispers of surprise flitted in and out of earshot, talking about how they were surprised to see the two together, which only caused the seer to grow more tense… until a thought hit him.

He remembered Agustín mentioning that the woman liked the arts, as well as recalling what she had said at the table.

“So, you like the arts?”, he finally broke the lingering silence, which instantly captured her attention.

“Yes, I do”, she giggled a little awkwardly, feeling silly for talking about her passions but yet she was happy that one of them had finally decided to speak up, easing the tension that hung in the air. “Do you?”.

At this question, Bruno’s spirits began to rise. “Yes, I do. I love to write when I get the chance”, he explained with that genuine smile that seemed to grace his features a lot more frequently. “I enjoy singing and music too, although I am not the best. I’m not so good with dancing though. Perhaps I could be better with some practice”, he mumbled the last part. His sisters were beautiful dancers. Every festival, every party, they were dancing up a storm. Yet he seemed to be a little clumsier with his movements and often stuck to the side-lines. That or the moves just didn’t look right when he tried it.

“Perhaps I could help you with the dancing?”, she offered, which caught Bruno by surprise. “I’d also love to exchange stories with you and see how you write. I enjoy dramas, romances, horror and comedy”.

“That’s an interesting mixture”, Bruno noted with a small chuckle which she then seemed to mirror with one of her own. “And yeah… that sounds quite nice actually”.

Before long, the pair had reached the Ruiz house on the edge of the village.

“Well, here we are! La casa de Ruiz!”, he announced in a somewhat goofy tone, causing the other to laugh a little, and oh how her laugh was music to his ears.

“Thank you for walking me home, Bruno. I’m excited to learn more about you”, she revealed, playing with her hands nervously as she spoke, which Bruno then noticed he was mirroring her movements with his own hands, stopping once he noticed.

“I’m excited to learn more about you too…”, he trailed off, leaving them both standing in silence, not knowing what to say but desperately wanting to continue the conversation.

She began to turn towards the door to her home. “Well, I guess I’ll let you go-“.

“Would you like to see me tomorrow? I-I mean, would you like me to- I would very much like to see you again-“, Bruno cringed at his rambling. His mouth had begun moving before he could even truly think of what he wanted to say. He took a breath and tried to arrange his thoughts and think logically, but that was near impossibly when she was around. “Would you like to meet me tomorrow afternoon?”.

Bruno’s eyes met with her own once again and he felt- for a lack of better words- helpless. He wanted this to work, with every fibre of his being. He wanted to try for her. There was just something about her that made him want to try. She was so beautiful and gave off such a kind-hearted aura. He didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

He noticed how she bit her lip in thought for a brief moment before a smile graced her features once more. The sight of her smile gave him butterflies and he cursed himself, wondering if a man should fall for a woman so quickly.

“Yes, I’d actually really like that. Shall we meet buy the church just past mid-day?’, she offered with such a sweet tone to her voice, like honey, that Bruno felt as though he could completely fall in love with her at any second.

His heart began to hammer with excitement.

“Yes!”, he agreed a little too quickly. “I-I mean, that sounds great”, he added in a calmer tone, smoothing out his ruana as a distraction for his eagerness. The couple stared at each other for a moment, cheeks aglow and their nerves mixed with excitement struggling to be hidden.

“Perfecto! It’s a date!”.

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

You and your words flooded my senses, Your sentences left me defenseless. You, you, you… The world seemed to burn.

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

My soul burns for you carniño,

I can’t seem to get you out of my head. It’s like you’re a record stuck on replay, forever in my mind. A record that plays such a sweet melody, because that is what you are. A sweet, beautiful melody.

I could drown in your beauty. I just want to soak you in. To drink in everything you do. I want to submerge myself in you. I am in complete amore with you, now and forever.

You light a flame in me that causes me to burn brighter and hotter than I ever have in my entire life.

I hope you burn for me too.

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

It was quiet aside from the sounds of cascading sands off in the distance, although, despite the tranquil setting, Bruno couldn’t sleep. Not even for a moment. His entire being was riddled with anxiety. Flooding his system with frustration.

‘Bruno, you are the only one who has not taken a bride’.

His mother’s words continued to haunt him, taunting him almost. He wished she would stop. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to find love. He desperately wanted to find love. To find someone who finally accepted him, flaws and all. Someone he could share the rest of his life with. Someone so he finally wouldn’t be alone. Someone who made everything alright.

Alma had begun filtering through potential brides from their Encanto for her son weeks ago, yet Bruno hadn’t shown interest in a single one, and her patience was beginning to wear thin. There were only so many options to choose from and she was growing anxious that he would never settle down. His sisters had already found their partners and were in talks of children already, so naturally she began to worry.

He was to meet with another woman tomorrow, another suitor, being the reason he couldn’t sleep. What if he didn’t like her either? Would he then be out of options? What would his family say? Bruno could feel his chest tighten at the figures of his imaginary family looking longingly at him, only for their faces to fall in anguish that he’d returned without a trace of a future spouse once again. He didn’t want to disappoint his family even further. He loved his family.

‘People already talk Bruno. Haven’t you heard?’

He sat up in his hammock, racking a hand through his dark curls in exhaustion. A huff escaped past his slightly chapped lips. He was sick of meeting with these women just to be left with disappointment when he couldn’t sense that spark. That feeling so many people described themselves feeling when they had met the one. Their true love. He couldn’t go on like this. He needed answers. He usually wouldn’t do this, not for himself, but he was desperate. Alma was growing impatient. He needed to know if he would ever find someone. If he could make his madre proud. If he could bring honour to his family.

He made his way to the large sand pit in his room, down the dark stone wall, grabbing salt, a match and a few more items. He felt his throat go dry as he entered the domed room and made his way over to the sandpit. This always made him a nervous wreck. Flashes of other people’s reactions to a vision they didn’t like played over and over in his head, glimpses of some of the horrible prophecies he had seen, loved ones dying, betrayal, hardships. It made his sick to his stomach sometimes. What if what he was wasn’t good? How would he face his family if he knew that he would never marry, or that he would never be able to give his mother the grandchildren she longed for him to have.

He quickly threw the salt over his shoulder.

He then followed up by lighting a small fire infront of him. He cracked his knuckles and clicked his neck one way then the other, tilting his head as far is it would go, almost touching his shoulders.

“Okay… Let’s do this”.

With that being said, he closed his eyes and began to channel his vision. A gust of wind began to pick up,  the sand around him catching on the breeze, whirling and weaving it into shapes and images, telling stories of future events for only Bruno to see. Once he felt grounded enough, focused enough, he opened his eyes, the once gentle hazel green now replaced with bright luminous jade green irises, matching the shades of the magic that wove throughout the swirling sand. His hair whipped wildly around him as he desperately searched for something. Anything. A glimpse of a vision that could give him some indication as to what was in store. A sign that he was going to be okay. That everything would work out.

‘There!’

The luminous flecks of green began to form an image.

It was Bruno, standing in the rain. At first, the man felt his heart begin to sink to his stomach, but his breath caught in his throat as he watched the image of himself hold out his hand- an invitation. His palm then met with another, and the silhouette of a woman came into view.

Bruno felt his chest tighten, hope flickering to life within him, which then quickly began to spread throughout his entire being like a wildfire as he watched the events of his vision unfold.

They were dancing. They were laughing. They were happy, even as the rain continued to beat down and drench them both mercilessly. The woman’s face finally began to come into focus and Bruno couldn’t fight back the look of amazement that plastered his face. He was awestruck. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. From how she smiled to the way her soaking wet hair flew about as they dance, from her nose to her eyes, everything about her was bewitching. He couldn’t help but let the small laugh of amazement escape his lips as he watched himself wrap his arms around her waist and pull her into his embrace before capturing her lips in a chaste kiss.

Other visions began to form.

Him and the woman were surrounded by his family in this one. Bruno’s sisters smiling and conversing with the woman as if it were the easiest thing in the world. They were accepting her into the family with open arms. His mother and himself stood a little further away, Alma adorning a proud smile while Bruno stared on in amore with the woman. His soulmate.

Other moments flited in and out of focus in the sand. Moments of sweetness; a tender kiss, the pair in each other’s embrace under the stars. More intense moments also appeared; Bruno hungrily capturing her lips while his hands roamed her body, her touching him in a way no one ever had before, her on top of him with her head tilted back in ecstasy. He felt his cheeks burn bright and he had to tear his eyes away quickly, feeling as though he was spying in on someone else’s private moment- a private moment that made him feel guilty for seeing her in such a way before even knowing her, even though it was his future. His.

His eyes fell upon a vision, just before it faded out of focus and was lost to the whirlwinds around him. Her rounded stomach with his head leaning against it. He was sure they were laughing but before he could take a closer look it was gone, and the sands began to fall around him.

His hands found his hair, gripping it tightly at the roots and he let out a laugh of disbelief. If anyone were to wake up and overhear him, they’d probably think he was truly a mad man. His chest heaved as he took deep heavy breaths, attempting to calm his racing heart and he was smiling so much his cheeks hurt.

He was going to find love! He was going to have someone to marry, someone who understood. Children were also promise in his vision- well, a child. His child. Someone loved him enough to carry his child. A crimson red creeped its way onto his aching cheeks at the thought. His mother would be so pleased to hear this news.

A hint of green caught his attention out of the corner of his vision.

Laying in the sand was a jade slab, glowing with an image. (The depictions always look as though it had been formed into the stone rather than etched into its surface). Bruno slowly made his way over to the slab and as he noticed what the vision pictured, he felt as though his heart was melting. His very being ached. The image that was of himself and the woman. She had his face gently cupped in her hands, staring longingly, lovingly into his eyes. She was looking at him in such a way that not many people did. Her gaze held such a deep-rooted love. She was looking at him with such adoration. As though he held all the answers to her problems. As though he was her life source. Bruno gently dusted off the vision, running his thumb carefully across the image. He was sure he could feel his heart skip a beat.

But who was she?

This woman he was supposed to spend his life with, he had never seen her before. He didn’t even know her name. Was she even part of the Encanto? Everyone knew everyone here. Surely that meant she was an outsider. Or perhaps they had just never crossed paths. Bruno often kept his head down when walking through town, not wanting to see how others stared at him as he passed by, or how some would avoid him like he was cursed. Maybe he was. He sure as hell felt like it sometimes.

‘Julieta! She knows everyone! She’d know who she is if she’s part of the Encanto!’

He envied how adored his sisters were sometimes. How everyone would greet them as they strolled past. How some people were desperate to just catch a glimpse of them and practically worshiped the ground they walked on. It wasn’t his fault that he saw the negative in his visons, not just the positive. It wasn’t his fault that he preferred to tell people the truth, rather than installing them with false hope that everything would be okay. He guessed people only cared to hear what they wanted, and what they wanted was for everything to be perfect. People could be so selfish.

Bruno cast his attention back to the vision in his hands.

“I promise I’ll find you, mi vida”

He held the tablet close to his chest, as he made his way back to his hammock. He was scared that it may disappear if he let go, wanting to cling to this good fortune for as long as he possibly could. For a moment, he had to question whether the vision was real, if this vision was correct, and that is wasn’t wrong somehow. He settled down into his bed and inspected the jade vision again. He didn’t know they could be so perfect. He finally closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath of the mid summers air, and allowing his mind to flood with fantasies of him and the woman of his dreams.

Bruno slept well that night; his fears and worried put to rest, his stress and anxieties buried away. He was sure they’d resurface at some point, but for now, he was in a state of pure bliss.

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

I’m searching and scanning for answers in every life,

For some kind of sign.

You, you, you…

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

The next day, the morning sun was warming the air that hung about the casita and the rest of Encanto and Bruno practically hurled himself down the stairs in search of his oldest sister, the banister catching him by the arm as he almost slipped and fell off the last step. “Gracías Casita!”, he thanked their home, checking the vision over for any cracks or scratches before stampeding into the kitchen, making a mental note be more careful next time.

Julieta was by the stove making an array of arepas for the day ahead and Tamale for the family breakfast. She turned her head in surprise as she heard her brother skidding across the floor in attempts to slow himself. “Idiota, you’re going to hurt yourself! Slow down!”, She warned her brother, dusting off her hands on her apron.

“But you’ll be able to heal me if I get hurt”, he retorted with a loveable smile, that his sister couldn’t help but return.

“That may be true, but you still shouldn’t put yourself in harm’s way. You’ll still feel the pain before I’m able to heal you”, she reminded him just as her eyes locked onto the jade slab in his arms. “Qué es eso?”, she asked, her blood running clod for a moment. With Bruno’s urgency to get into the kitchen along with the track record of his recent visions, she didn’t expect it to be good news. However, she felt the tension ease away from her muscles as she noticed Bruno’s growing smile.

“I had a vision last night-“

“I can see that”

“Julieta, I found her”

“Who?”

Bruno flipped the tablet over, revealing the image to his hermana.

Julieta’s jaw dropped at the sight and instantly scurried over to where her brother stood by the kitchen’s island, taking the vision gently in her hands. “Dios mio”, she spoke under her breath as her eyes inspected every inch and detail of the image of the happy couple.

“What’s going on?”, a man’s voice caused Bruno to almost jump out of his skin. The siblings turned their attention to the doorway and found Agustín walking over to join them, his pace slowing as he noticed what the pair were examining. His eyes quickly darted from the vision, to Julieta, to Bruno, then back to the vision. He swallowed the small lump forming in his throat as the spectacled man his way over to his wife and cuñado. “Is it good news?’. Julieta’s small smile let him know he was correct, and he released the breath that he didn’t even know he was holding.

Although she was smiling, her face was still contorted in a mixture of shock, disbelief and worry. “Bruno, do you know who she is?”, she asked her brother, trying to keep her spirits high despite the information she knew.

“No. I was actually hoping you might know who she is”, he confessed, looking at her with silently pleading eyes, hoping that his sister would have the answer he so desperately craved.

“That’s the eldest Ruiz daughter”, Agustín chimed in as his eyes finally settled on the vision, taking one side of the slab in his hand and tilting it toward himself to get a better look. “We were in the same class”. At this news, Bruno’s whole demeanour lit up. “Yeah, she lives on the outskirts of the Encanto with her familia. Don’t remember much about her. She was very quiet”.

“Bruno, this is great news but-“, Julieta interjected before her brother cut her off.

“But?”. She didn’t want to dampen the mood or crush Bruno’s hopes of finally finding love, so she’d have to choose her next words carefully. Her warm brown eyes met her brother’s soothing green ones, and she felt her heart ache for him. His eyes were shining with such joy- something she hadn’t seen from him in such a long time.

“You may struggle speaking to her”, she spoke gently. The two men’s brows furrowed at her statement, confusion plastering their faces as if she were speaking another language.

“I mean, I can speak to women. I may be a little nervous at first-“.

“No, Bruno, I mean… Her family doesn’t necessarily… like us”.

“Who doesn’t like us?”, Pepa asked, a small storm cloud beginning to form over her head. Julieta cringed at the sight, wishing she hadn’t said anything and just kept quiet instead, but Félix was quick to join his wife’s side, linking his fingers with hers and cooing sweet words in her ears, chasing the small storm away. Félix always knew exactly what to say to Pepa. He knew just the right words to sooth her and had such a wonderful personality it wasn’t difficult for him to put anyone’s emotions at ease.

“The Ruiz family”, Agustín explained which instantly set Pepa off again, causing Julieta to roll her eyes at her husband.

“The Ruiz’s! They’ve always been jealous of us!”, she huffed, stomping over to take a seat at the kitchen table. “Alexander Ruiz is the worst of them all! Strutting about the Encanto as if he owns the place! Cabrón!”, Pepa growled in rage, now thundering just from the mere thought of the man, causing a strong wind to pick up and swirl about the kitchen. Bruno held his ruana in place to prevent it from flying up and smacking him in the face, and Julieta had to do the same with her apron.

“Mí amore, you don’t need to worry about him. Look at me, Pepi”, Félix purred as he gently guided his wife to look at him with two fingers gently placed on her chin. Upon gazing at Félix, the storm clouds immediately began to dissipate, causing the shorter man to smile. “Don’t let him win by giving him your time and energy, mí vida. He doesn’t deserve it”, he cooed softly, causing all traces of the storm to disappear.

“Julieta, the arepas!”, Agustín called as the smell of smoke began to fill the air. The brunette gasped and dashed to the stove, trying her best to waft away the plumes of smoke as she cursed beneath her breath. She had become so caught up in Bruno’s news that she had forgotten the breakfast she was making for her familia.

“So. why were you even talking about the Ruiz’s?”, Pepa asked through a bitter laugh, her jaw a little tighter than before from where she was trying to prevent her anger from seeping out. Upon hearing her words and her original reaction to the mention of the Ruiz family, Bruno hid the slab behind his back as best as he could. Although it was useless as Julieta explained, “Bruno had a vision”.

Pepa’s eyes snapped towards the direction of her brother, a wicked yet playful smile creeping onto her features. “Did Alexander lose all of his hair? Did their father lose his voice?”, she began to bombard her brother with questions, only making him back up, his throat feeling tight and his palms growing sweaty. He didn’t want to tell her. He was scared. He didn’t want his happiness to be snatched away. Not yet. He didn’t want her knowing; about the vision, about how he had seen her welcomed the eldest daughter of the Ruiz family in with open arms, how despite not meeting yet the woman in the vison made his heart flutter, how he would give her the moon and all the stars in the sky if he could, how one day she would call this woman she claimed to hate her family, how one day she would possibly be called ‘Tía Pepa’ not only by the children of Julieta and Agustín, but also by a child who was half of a bloodline she seemed to despise.

“He saw that he was to marry their eldest daughter”, Julieta explained.

Pepa’s face dropped, and her jaw slowly hung open in shock, the storm clouds beginning to swirl above her head once more. “W-Well, I never saw a wedding per say”, Bruno began to stutter out, backing away from his sister as he revealed the glowing vision from behind his back.

“Why would you want to associate with people like that Bruno?!”, Pepa shouted as her eyes  met with the vision in front of her, lighting striking at Bruno’ feet, causing him to jump back, almost knocking over one of the potted plants.

“Pepa! Calm down! We don’t know her, she may not be like the rest of her family”, the eldest of the triplets tried to reason with her sister. “Agustín says that he used to go to school with her”.

“It’s true! She doesn’t seem like the rest of the Ruiz’s!”, Agustín spurted out, trying to prevent his cuñada’s storm from getting any worse. Thankfully Pepa took a deep breath in and attempted to calm herself down while Bruno still cowered over by the plants, fearing that he may get zapped by a rogue lightning bolt.

“I just don’t understand how you could want to be with someone like that”, she signed, flopping down into the seat she had been sat in prior, pinching the bridge of her nose in irritation as Félix immediately made his way to stand behind her, rubbing her shoulders and allowing his thumbs to work their way deep into her shoulder blades. Bruno swallowed thickly, thankful that his sister had managed to control her temper.

“Believe me, I wish I had a say in this”, he half laughed, trying to force an uneasy smile onto his features.

“You do have a say, Bruno. You could ignore the vision”, the red head muttered, causing her brother’s smile to fall. Her words hurt. They didn’t even truly know her yet, and yet Pepa wasn’t even willing to give her a chance. Maybe his vision had been wrong? But how could that be? His visions were never wrong.

“Pepa, you know that’s not how my visions work. They always come true”, his curls fell into his eyes as his gaze met the ground, unable to maintain eyecontact with his siter right now.

“Mamá!”, Julieta’s voice suddenly called out, everyones heads whipping around to notice the matriarch of the Madrigals standing by the doorway. Everyone’s spine seemed to straighten, a few smoothing out any crinkles in their clothing to look more presentable.

“What’s going on? I heard thunder”, she asked, her brows pinched together in worry as she made her way into the room. Instantly she noticed the vision in Bruno’s outstretched hands, her reaction playing out similarly to the other members of the household. “Brunito, what is this?”.

The man froze, like a deer in headlights, unsure if he should hide the vision away out of fear that he was once again causing problems with his gift, or whether he should show his mother that her fears would be put to rest with this new found love.

“He had a vision, Mamá”, Julieta chipped in, making the decision for him. “He’s to fall in love with the eldest Ruiz daughter”, she offered with a warm smile, hoping that her positive tone would help get the others to accept the prophecy. Bruno had been so happy originally at the idea of finding a spouse, it had seemed to breathe new life into him. She didn’t want to see that flicker of life burn out like it had many times before, each time breaking her heart a little more.

“Ruiz?”, Alma repeated, making sure she had heard correctly. “Which daughter is that again?”, she asked, taking the tablet from Bruno’s hands.

That was when Bruno heard it for the first time. The name. Her name. It drifted from Agustín’s lips and bounced around in Bruno’s mind. It was such a pretty name. It suited her. He tested it out on his tongue, at no more than a faint whisper. The corners of his mouth turned upwards in satisfaction at the sound.

“Ah, yes. She was always very polite. Very pretty. I’m surprised she’s Santino’s daughter. Perhaps Sofía changed him for the better”, Alma thought out loud, looking over the image of the couple in her withering hands; how happy they appeared, how she looked at her Brunito with such love in her eyes. “What did you see?”, she asked her son.

Flashes of the vision replayed in Bruno’s mind; the dancing, the kisses, her moaning his name. He could feel how flushed he was becoming at the memories, causing his siblings to raise their eyebrows at his flustered state. He’d leave those details of the vison out. “We were happy together, Mamá. I saw that she became a strong member of the family, Pepa and Julieta were welcoming her with open arms, and children were also promised in our future”. Pepa turned her nose up at the news, but the rest of the family seemed pleased, especially his mother. A warm smile graced the older woman’s features before she placed the vision to the side and reached out to cup her son’s face., which put all of Bruno’s worries to rest.

He had done something right. Finally, he had done something right.

“Brunito, this is wonderful news! Felicidades!”, she congratulated her son, placing a gentle kiss upon his cheek, the rest of the family chiming in with their own congratulations. “I shall contact Santino and Sofía Ruiz right away”.

Pepa stood up from her spot at the kitchen island before beginning to rant, “But the Ruiz’s have always been so cold and rude towards us! They have no respect and they are so jealous of our gifts, Mamá!”, she cried, her storm clouds growing larger the longer she ranted for.

“Pepa, calm down! You’ll start a hurricane again!”, Alma scolded, shooting a sharp glare her way. Pepa slumped back down into her chair, Félix whispering encouraging and soothing words into her ear, kissing along her jaw playfully, earning a smile from her in return. “Believe me, I would have loved for Brunito to marry Ximena Pérez, or Maya Garcia, but this is who he is to be happy with…”. Alma took a breath, calming her own simmering fury. This tended to happen each time the prospect of Bruno’s marriage was brought up. Being the only son and the youngest of the triplets, his marriage seemed to more of a family affair than personal. His marriage had to benefit the family. “Besides, the Ruiz’s are well respected and liked by others in the community. They have done well for themselves. Their daughter would be a good addition to the family”, Alma offered a warm smile towards the rest of the household, although it didn’t seem to reach her eyes.

“She was very bright in school and seemed to be hard working”, Agustín began recalling, trying his best to remember the timid girl from his class that she once was. “She enjoyed the arts. Bruno, perhaps you could speak to her about literature, or theatre! Strike up a conversation!”, he offered, beaming over in Bruno’s direction, knowing he too enjoyed more artistic subjects.

“Do you remember any snacks that she would eat? I could make them for her to help her feel more welcome”, Julieta joined with her suggestion as she began dishing up breakfast, the scents of each dish filling the air, causing everyone’s mouths to water and stomachs to rumble.

It warmed his heart to see his family coming together to support him.

Although, he could now feel his mouth going dry and his heart begin to beat a little faster. He had completely forgotten that he would have to speak to her at some point. What if he stuttered over his words? What if she found him dull? What if they had nothing in common?

His eyes caught sight of the tablet once again, and those worries seemed shrink as he was reminded that they were destined to be together. This was their fate. He was meant to be hers, as she was meant to be his. They were destined to be happy together.

Things were going a lot smoother than you initially anticipated.

So far it had been easy to hide your relationship from Brian and from the kids, although Brian was beginning to suspect something. “You’re happier than usual these days. What’s going on? Have you been given a pay rise?”, he asked, more so in a teasing tone.

“No, I’m just loving life at the moment. Is that a crime?”, you retorted with a playful shrug. Brian narrowed his eyes at you, highlighting his suspicions that you were lying to him. You gave him a gentle shove before he began laughing. “I’m being serious!”.

“Okay! Okay! I’ll believe you”, he laughed, putting his hands up in surrender. “If you do want me to set you up with anyone though, just let me know”.

“What are we talking about friends?”, Sundrop’s voice suddenly chimed in,  catching the two of you off guard, making you practically jump out of your skin.

“Sunny! You scared me!”, you scolded him, a subtle frown falling upon your features.

“Ah! I’m sorry! I just REALLY wanted to know what you were talking about”, Sunny explained himself in a sing-song tone, leaning against you slightly which made your nerves go haywire.

“I think our friend here is dating someone”, Brian motioned over to you, to which Sunny giggled and peered over at you.

“Oh! Is that so?”, he chuckled.

“Yeah, she’s been acting a lot happier than usual”, Brian mentioned. “Usually, people are happier when they’re in love”, he pointed out.

You could already feel the blood rushing to your cheeks. You couldn’t look the two in the eye. Even though Sundrop knew you liked him, and he felt the same, you still grew shy and a little embarrassed whenever it was mentioned. And how he loved to bring it up.

He had started asking you questions while on shift  like, ‘Are you dating someone as attractive as you?’, and saying things like, ‘Why don’t you take home some cake from the food court for your partner’

“Is it true? Are you in love with someone?”, Sunny asked, and although you couldn’t see it physically due to his blank white eyes, you could feel the animatronic’s eyes scanning you up and down, making you even more flustered. And that’s exactly what he wanted. That cheeky little- “Ooooh! You’re blushing! You must REALLY like them”, he sang, booping you on the nose with his finger. “Aren’t you just adorable”.

“So you are seeing someone! Who is it? Do they work here?”, Brian began to bombard you with an avalanche of questions, which you just waved off.

“Go on you break, Brian”, was the only retort you could manage right now, before turning your attention to finish preparing the snack for the kiddos, (carrots and cucumber). With that, Brian left the daycare to take his break, laughing to himself at the whole ordeal, leaving you and Sundrop alone with the kids.

“Will you be staying late tonight?”, Sunny asked, practically bouncing on the spot. It seemed as though every time he remembered he had you in his life now, especially in a romantic sense, his system didn’t know how to handle it, and bouncing around like a rabbit was one of his coping mechanisms for calming himself down- well, bouncing around more so than he usually did. You didn’t mind though. You actually found it rather endearing.

“Yes, I will, and I’d actually like to speak to Moon later if that’s okay?”, you asked. You knew Moon still wasn’t stable, but you didn’t think it was fair to have Sun shut him away. Moon was just as much a part of Sun as Sun was of him.

“Yes! Yes! That’s all good! Moon had been behaving recently and I’m sure he’d appreciate the company”, Sunny beamed, despite his unmoving face plate.

You’d thought about it a lot recently. About how Sun and Moon seemed to be somewhat neglected in comparison to the other animatronics. You understood that Freddy and the gang were the main attraction, however, Sundrop and Moon seemed as though they hadn’t been updated in years. Turns out their faceplate was supposed to have pupils on their eyes that had faded and scratched off over time, along with some other finer details.

“You know, it’s rude to stare”, Sunny tsked feigning his disappointment, pulling you from your thoughts.

“Sorry”, you laughed as you finished cutting up the vegetables and began portioning them up for the little ones.

“It’s okay. I don’t mind you staring at me”, Sunny then confessed, and his fans began to whirl once again. You flashed a smile his way. He would often go through bursts of confidents before receding back into a flustered mess. To you, it just made him more loveable.

Finally, the kid’s snacks were finished, and you began dishing them out. They were all sat in a circle, rambling amongst themselves, laughing, arguing about who’s parent would win in a fight- the usual things kids bellow the age of eight would talk about. Their snack break was the only time you could sit down for a brief moment. That and TV time.

Sunny strolled over at flopped down next to you. Since you two had started dating, he had become more affectionate to say the least. He’d try and hold your hand whenever given the chance. He wanted to cuddle and hug you more often and would call you pet names whenever the two of you were alone, and right now was no acceptation, although he was more subtle about it around the children.

You felt silicone fingers ghost against yours, warm and gentle. He’d Comforting. Sunny’s large hands made yours appear miniscule in comparison. It was expected though when he was a whole two foot taller than you. You felt your fingers lace together and he gave your hand a grounding squeeze.

That was also something you noticed. He enjoyed gently squeezing your skin. Whenever you’d hug him, or hold his hand, you felt the animatronic gently squeezing your flesh. It didn’t hurt. If anything, it felt more soothing, as though he were giving you a massage.

Once snack time was over, the kids played for the rest of the day

Once the day was over and everyone was gone, the two of you were finally allowed to let your guards down.

As you watched the final flock of parents and children filter out, through the mesh walls that surrounded the daycare, you felt a pair of firm arms snake around your waist and pull you backwards. You let out a small yelp of surprise, trying to keep your balance before you heard Sunny chime out, “I’ve got you!”.

“That’s twice you’ve scared me today”, you tutted, turning to face the animatronic properly.

“I’m sorry, my sunshine. I just get over excited when I see you”, he was practically purring, nuzzling your neck. “I hope you don’t mind”.

“Of course, I don’t mind. If I did, then I wouldn’t be with you”, you pointed out before placing a gentle kiss to Sun’s cheek. His fans whirled and you could feel his outer casing heating up like the bottom of a laptop. ”May I speak to Moon now?”. Sunny was silent for a moment, holding you just a little tighter before letting out a huff.

“Fine”.

You walked over to the lightswitch and flicked off the lights and before you knew it, Moon was stood infront of you.

“Hello starlight~”, he purred, leaning in a little closer, closing the gap between the two of you. Moon loved to hold you close, having your body pressed up against his did something to his system that he couldn’t quite explain. Well, he could, however it was a complex topic which he would prefer not to discuss. “Did you miss me?”, he asked with a raspy tone to his voice box, holding you flush against him as his slender finders cupped your chin, turning your head to make sure you faced him and only him.

“Of course, I missed you Moony~”, you purred back, matching his flirty tone. This pleased him, earning a deep chuckle from the animatronic. “Did you miss me too?”.

“Of course, I missed you my darling”. Moon then began to laugh once again. His voice was deep and made goosebumps litter your skin. “Ooooh, Sunny-boy is not enjoying this”. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes playfully at the mention of this. You loved how competitive the boys could get, but sometimes it could make things a little difficult or awkward.  

“Well, Sunny should know that I’ll be spending time with him later”, you huffed, pouting playfully.

“Enough about Sunny. He gets the most time with you anyway. I want your attention on me, and only me”. With that being said, Moon leaned in close and whispered, “Kiss me”. You felt your whole body heat up, your face turning a deep shade of pink. You hadn’t kissed either of them properly yet. You weren’t even sure you could kiss them properly. They didn’t have lips after all. “Well Starlight? I’m waiting”. You bit your lip and took a breath. Well, you guessed it was now or never. You slowly leaved in and placed a gentle kiss to Moon’s mouth.

You could tell he was trying to kiss you back since you felt pressure pushing gently back against your own mouth. You felt your heart flutter knowing that Moon was trying to kiss you back, that he was enjoying it enough to kiss you back. Until he pulled away with a gruff sigh. “Is everything okay?”, you asked, instantly wondering if you had done anything wrong. Had he grown bored of kissing? Was your breath bad?

“It’s nothing, superstar”, he spoke gently. You didn’t believe that statement, even so, you weren’t going to push him. You believed he would speak to you in his own time if anything were truly wrong.

And you were right.

Because Moon was now starting to overthink.

‘She probably hated that’, he was telling himself.

‘Do you really think so?’ Sunny responded, now beginning to panic slightly.

‘Why wouldn’t she hate it?! We don’t have any fucking lips! How are we supposed to kiss her back!? It’s impossible’.

‘Moon! Language!’, Sun scolded.

‘Oh I don’t give a fuck about language right now!’.

“Moony”, your voice broke their internal monologue.

He looked at you, staring into your eyes. He couldn’t help but notice that your eyes seemed to sparkle like the stars from how they reflected the glowing stars around the room, and the way you looked at him, it stopped all their thoughts for a moment.

You took his faceplate in your hands, smiling timidly. “Is Sunny jealous that he didn’t get a kiss?”, you asked him. He was unsure of how to answer. Should he tell you the truth?

“Yeah. He’s going crazy that he didn’t get to kiss you first”.

This comment caused you to giggle, which made both Moon and Sun’s processors slow and fans speed up. You were melting their non-existent heart and they didn’t know how to deal with it. “Well, why don’t I give Sunny a kiss too?”.

“No!”, Moon quickly shut down your offer, grabbing you buy the shoulder’s gently, securing you in place so you couldn’t hurry off and turn off the lights. “I mean….ah… I guess I’m trying to say I’d like to spend a little more time with you”, he confessed.

With that being said, you linked your fingers with the tall being’s and guided him over to a pile of pillows that had been set up the other day. “How about we cuddle for a while then?”, you suggested, taking a seat before gently tugging Moon down with you.

The two of you landed on the pillows, but before you could get comfortable, Moon took a gentle hold of your hips and moved you, so you were now laying on top of him. You became a little flustered being in this positing, but mentally yelled at yourself to get your mind out of the gutters and collected yourself. “You’re so comfortable to lay on Moon”, you hummed as you closed your eyes, allowing yourself to relax, but Moon didn’t respond, because he was miles away.

‘Do you really think that matters?’, Sun asked.

‘Of course it does. Humans like the feeling of other people’s lips when kissing, otherwise it’s weird’.

‘Well, do you think she thinks it’s weird to kiss us?’.

‘Probably’.

‘Oh…W-Well what do we do?’, Sunny panicked, worry beginning to flood their sensors.

His pet name for you is ‘Sunshine’ or ‘Sunflower’.

He loves comparing hand sizes with you and loves how small your hand is in comparison to his.

Gives you sweets from the food court and plushies as gifts.

‘Kisses better’ any bruises, scars, scrapes you have.

Likes to stick stickers he collects on your cheeks.

Often says things like “You’re so sweet Sunshine! I could just eat you up!”, before proceeding to litter your face with kisses.

Makes you little hand made gifts.

Holds your hand all the time.

Strokes your hair while you’re sleep/nap.

Can be found humming songs like ‘You Are My Sunshine’, ‘Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows’, and ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” when they are thinking of you.

☀️Sun☀️:

Would instantly stop and move away creating space between the two of you.

They will instantly ask what's wrong.

If you're crying, they would first ask if it would be okay to touch/hug/comfort you or if you needed space.

If you wanted space, he would just sit by quietly until you were okay and ready to talk, unless you ask for them to leave, which they would do instantly.

If you wanted them to comfort you, Sunny would instantly pull you into their arms, cradling you softly, stroking your hair, wrap you in the sheets and help you focus on your breathing, etc.

Once you were ready to talk he would ask what was wrong.

If it was his fault, Sunny would instantly feel awful and want to cry, but would keep it together for your sake.

They would talk it out with you, learning what lines were crossed, re-establishing what your limits were and making mental notes.

Sunny would probably ask if you want too continue.

If you agree to continue, they would be super gentle with you and probably ask for permission to do even the smallest of things.

If you want to stop, Sundrop would instantly give you a blanket, offer to help you get changed, make you a warm drink as well as a glass of water and surround you by things you would find comforting. E.g; plushies, comfort films, food, cuddles, etc.

🌙 Moon🌙 :

Would also stop instantly and back up

If you were crying I feel like he would try to get an answer out of you first before he comforts you in order to know how to go about it (whether to comfort you, give you space, etc)

“Starlight, I can’t help you unless you give me an answer. Now, take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong”.

I feel like they would be great at comforting you since they’re experienced with comforting crying children 

Would be a lot more calm than Sunny when approaching the situation. 

Would offer you a glass of water and help you to calm down before discussing in depth what happened.

Would re-establish boundaries with you and what you’re comfortable with.

I feel like unlike Sun who’s just constantly trying to please you, if something like this happened, he would stop everything and refuse to go back to it for the night, instantly switching into after care mode.

Would double check that you're okay before offering to help you change, clean you up, getting you a pillow and blanket and asking if you would want to watch a film or listen to some music etc.

Definitely has some form of a praise kink.

Both giving and receiving for this.

Loves being told he's a “Good boy”, but will also love telling you “You’re doing so well, Sunshine”.

Loves to roleplay!

He calls it ‘playing Mums and Dads’.

Probably has some form of a breeding kink.

Since he works in the daycare, he wants to be a dad and have kids of his own one day. (Although its not physically possible).

This is where the breeding kink comes into play.

“I’m going to make you a mummy/daddy~”

Loves foreplay and teasing.

Will spend ages on foreplay until you're begging him to fuck you.

He equally loves aftercare.

Litters you with sweet soft kisses.

Lots of cuddles.

He loves when you play with the rays of sunshine that stick out from behind his faceplate.

His voice starts glitching when he’s extremely aroused and when he reaches climax.

Is surprisingly very good at talking dirty.

Likes to hold your hand or hold you close while you fuck.

Loves intimacy and being close to you in general.

Uses pet-names like; Sunshine, my light, my flower during sex.

Sometimes likes to take marker pens and write his name on you.

Very vocal.

VERY LOUD

He’s fast paced and can sometimes get too carried away and be too rough.

“I’m sorry Sunshine~ I just can’t help myself~”.