#encantoartdump

It was an odd sensation, the man was usually awoken by one of Antonio's bird friends by now. Or at least by the bright rays of the sun from Pépa's morning romps with Félix. No one is surprised by that anymore. Alas, it seemed with the slow rise and fall of his bare and neatly trimmed chest, that he was still off in slumber; every so often with a twitch or two and a mumble about bee's being everywhere. The poor man was haunted even in his dreams of the creatures, they wouldn't pose such a threat to him if he'd just let Antonio relocate the nests- but he insisted that it was him encroaching on them that caused the stings, they weren't naturally violent things.

That's the kind of man Agustín Wilmer Rojas-Madrigal was.

The morning was peaceful and quiet, very much unlike any other morning. If it weren't the sunrays or the birds waking him- a violent and sudden rapping on the door from his youngest would surely give his not-so-old heart a jolt and wake him up better than the strongest Colombian café. Only thing usual about this morning was the empty side of the bed where Julieta usually slumbered. How he missed the mornings where she'd feel just as lazy as Pépa, and hunker down in his arms. Breathe in his scent, more or less from the night before during throes of passion, that she was so addicted to. Of course, Alma would scold her for those days, but Julieta would always give him a look that read 'worth it'. Before going about her day as normal, just in hyper-speed to make up for lost time lazing.

Slowly peeling his dark hazel eyes open, only to dilate and force his lids shut quickly as a beam of sunlight happened to seep through the closed slats of their window and cascade just over his eyes. There's that sudden rush of adrenaline he was used to in the mornings. If it wasn't one thing- it was another. It was bad enough he couldn't hardly see, sans glasses, but now the sun was trying to take the rest of his sight! Sitting up and rubbing his eyes to get the sun spots out of them from the sudden onslaught of light. He felt around for his glasses to which he heard them fall and clatter to the ground, and with a defeated sigh... he froze. Debating- if he got out of bed to look for them, he would more than likely end up stepping on them, or kicking them under the bed. But, he couldn't just sit in bed waiting for Julieta to come rescue him- she might be out all day with her cart full of arepas and bunellos for the villagers. The conundrum came to a halt when he went to rest on his arm and slipped off the edge of the bed; with a loud thud he came crashing to the ground and turned his head, his glasses laying right next to him.

What luck.

Not ever one to look a gift burro in the culo- he gripped the arms of his glasses and slipped them on, pushing himself up and standing. He swore he'd gone to bed fully clothed- taking note in the vanity mirror at the other side of the room that his shirt was missing and- GASP -his night cap! He knew Julieta hated the damn thing, but it completed his ensemble! He was also painfully aware that sometimes his beautiful wife often would unbutton his night shirt as he slept so she could put her face to his skin- claiming it's far more calming than that itchy fabric of his night shirt. He couldn't argue that it wasn't itchy... but it was comfortable! Aside from the itch.

Looking around suspiciously, there was no sign of Julieta, no sign of Miraboo- no sounds of Camilo and his grandeur over-the-top dramatic rehearsals with Bruno. Nothing at all. He often felt left out of many family ordeals when it came to Madrigal gift-events... and when everyone would leave Casita for their morning jobs, it was always he and Félix left behind to clean Casita... which was a pointless job and they both knew it... because Casita could clean itself! They had once tried to get Mirabel excited about helping around the house like that... before she fixed everything with Alma and brought Bruno back. She was not impressed. Honestly, neither were they as they tried to break it down and make it sound important.

So Agustín decided to get dressed, slipping into his usual dark blue pinstripe slacks with matching vest, long sleeved white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, navy blue tie with brown dress shoes and the peace de la resistance... his mismatched socks and flor on his chest. He figured he didn't have any wood to chop today, nor anything else around Casita to help with, so he'd venture into the surrounding jungle to find that perfect spot where he found the cutest little chamomile flor that he'd present Julieta every time he came to her for healing when they were younger. It'd been a little bit since he'd gotten her one. Usually her apron pockets were weighed down and brimming with the things, but he'd been relatively careful after Bruno returned to live with them... well, he'd supposed he'd always been living WITH them... but returned to being PRESENT.

He opened the bedroom door and immediately was wrapped up in vines and blindfolded by a flower crown- Isabela. "Bellbell-" Agustín spoke quietly, as to not hurt Dolores' ears, not knowing where the quiet girl might be skulking around. "Sí, papa?" His eldest daughter's playful tone made the man's heart melt, he couldn't ever be mad at the kids, even Camilo. It just wasn't in him to be. "The blood is rushing to mí cabeza. Could you let me down, and perhaps explain the ambush?" He asked his daughter in the calmest and sweetest tone. "I can let you down- but I can't explain and you can't take the flower crown off your eyes."

Now that made him raise an eyebrow, usually reserved for flirting with Julieta- his hand was forced when Isabela said something curious. "You can't tell me why you ambushed me?" He was slowly let down from the snare of vines and he stood up, respecting her wishes and leaving the flower crown over his eyes. Even going as far as to adjust it along with the rest of his outfit, once he stood on his feet. "Correct, papa. I promised I'd keep you busy- and can't disclose information or I'll have to suspend you again" She stated with a sly smile "Sorry, papa. Thems the rules." Agustín smiled and shook his head "Camilo's been teaching you strange terms again?" He asked her with a chuckle and Isabela could only giggle along "no this time it was Tío Félix." Agustín should have figured it was Félix's doing- one way or another... it was the yellow team teaching his daughter odd outlandish slang. She lived for it, his little wild child. Ever since Mirabel fixed the miracle, and Alma's let up on being so overpoweringly controlling, Isabela's really come out of her shell with her own wild personality. Honestly reminding Julieta and Agustín of a young Pépa, which was only slightly terrifying.

"Is that pa?"

A voice called up from the dining room just adjacent to la cocina, Isabela soon responding "No. It's Camilo, I have him tied up in case papa comes out." The sound of sarcasm in her voice being evident, "that ain't me!" another voice called up from the dining room and Agustín was certain he heard Isabela roll her eyes. "I was being sarcastic, tontos! Yes it's pa. Who else would it be if Camilo is right next to you, Mirabel?" Ah. That explained the sarcasm. The girls did reconcile their differences long ago... but they still had a sisterly dynamic to where they poked fun at one another often, that would never go away. They'd do it with Luisa too, but the sweet thing was so sensitive, she'd often take things to heart or overthink them- and either end up crying or apologizing. Agustín's gentle giantess.

"Well in my defense he was just Tío Bruno up until you said he was up there with you" Mirabel called back and crossed her arms "Anyway, mom says you can bring him down now" She left to return to la cocina, Camilo attempted to as well, but was immediately booted out by Casita at Julieta's request since they couldn't keep making more things after he over ate them. "I'm on it~" Isabela sing-songed which earned a loud gruff groan from Mirabel in la cocina, and loud smooching noises from Julieta who was now smothering Mirabel with kisses speaking to her between the kisses "you cant smooch always get smooch annoyed with smooch your sister smooch when you smooch know smooch smooch-" a laugh emitted from Mirabel with the double kiss "Moom! That was a double attack you can't do that!" The playful banter and the over-smothering of love from his beautiful bride with their children always brought Agustín such pure joy. The banter went on for a while as Isabela brought Agustín down and into the dining room. Sitting him in a chair, and kissing his cheek sweetly "Stay there papa~" she moved away and he sat there in silence for what seemed like ages. "What's going on everyone? I'm not getting any younger-"

What a way to phrase that.

"Funny you should say that" Luisa's voice chimed and made him jump a bit. Luisa was home?! What upside down backwards day was this, and where could he get more days like this! Though her workload has lessened since Mirabel saved the miracle, she was still ever the over achiever and work horse, so it was still not often he'd see his little -not-so-little- girl unless for meals. "Lulu!" Agustín chirped happily, still not able to see just yet. "Buenos Dias papa" The large Madrigal giggled and leaned down, pecking his cheek too. "Dios I feel so special to have all my girls here in one place and it's not for a meal! It must be my birthday." He said. As a joke. It took several long minutes of everyone being absolutely quiet for him to realize...

"IT IS MY BIRTHDAY!" He shouted, making Luisa jump a bit. Isabela and Mirabel shook their heads and giggled to themselves. That was their papa, he eventually got there without anyone's help. It just... took a little while.

"Ay, Agustín"

Julieta said from the kitchen, finishing up the last decorations to the cake she and the girls worked diligently for all morning. She brought it out and placed it in front of her husband, kissing his cheek softly, then the tip of his nose... then sweetly on his lips... then not so sweetly on his lips. "MOM" Mirabel gagged and Julieta giggled "What, I get to give mí esposo his birthday kisses". The eyebrow shot up over the flower crown and wiggled "That she does" he quickly agreed. Making all three girls groan, and the cackling from Camilo commence. "Can I take the flor crown off yet? While I love it, Isabela, I also love my sight- what little I have left of it." Agustín chuckled warmly.

"Yes papa, you can take it off- right mama?" Isabela made sure that was the plan right now and Julieta nodded "Correct." She smiled as he lifted the crown and lowered it to his lap- his eyes wide to see the cake before him, two large wax candles in the shape of a 4 and a 9 adorned the top of a beautifully decorated two-tier cake. The icing was glossy and slightly marbled with a handsome dark teal color. His eyes began to tear up and he bit his lip trying to stop it from quivering,

"Feliz Cumpliaños, Pa/Papa/Agustín!"