#mini triplets

It was just after breakfast when it happened.

Pepa was basking happily in the sun, full to bursting with the food her Mami and Julieta had worked on together. Julieta was working hard to learn how to cook - while her gift made anything healing (they had learned that when Pepa had demanded the eldest triplet pick a blade of grass to see if it fixed Bruno's grazed knee) it didn't necessarily mean it was pleasant to eat, and Julieta was nothing if not a perfectionist. She was getting good, Pepa had to admit, especially with arepas and tamales. She was definitely having an easier time of it than Pepa and her emotions...

And just like that, a cloud started to form. The redhead huffed, staring up at it with a pout of pure disdain. "Why?" She grumbled, before trying to think of happy things.

Puppies, kittens... That one time she managed to smush Bruno's nose in their birthday cake before Julieta could stop her...

That was when the poke to her side came, and with a yelp of surprise she turned to see her sister smirking at her. "Move over, I wanna sunbathe too!"

"No!" Pepa huffed. "This is my sunbeam, thank you very much! I made it!"

Julieta poked her again, scrunching up her face. "Move it! I'm older than you, you have to share!"

Pepa slapped at her hands before poking her back. "By ten minutes! Make me!"

To be fair, she should have known Julieta would have taken that as a challenge.

Despite what the villagers may think, Julieta was no angel. No, Julieta was the devil in disguise, and no one believed neither her nor Bruno when they said that aloud.

'Julieta is harmless' they would say.

Tell that to Pepa's sides.

The redhead shrieked and kicked under her older ("TEN MINUTES DOESN'T COUNT JULI") sisters nimble fingers, trying to push them away unsuccessfully. Even though she pretended to hate it, the blinding sun overhead more than gave her away as she cackled.

"Julihihihi!" She screeched, "Stohohohop it!"

"No!" Julieta grinned evilly. "You wouldn't share your sunbeam! This is revenge!"

Then Pepa saw him. Her saviour. Walking out of Casita with a green tablet, face hidden behind that mop of curls. He looked a little downtrodden, but Pepa didn't have time for concern.

"Brunohoho!" She reached one hand out towards him, before squealing and retracting it as Julieta managed to slip a hand under arm. "Sahave mehehehe!!"

Bruno looked a little bit like a deer in the headlights, but he did head over to his older sisters curiously.

"Hola, hermanito!" The healer greeted him casually.

"Hola, Juli." Bruno tilted his head, curls flopping with the movement. "What's happening here?"

"Pepa wouldn't share her sunbeam."

"It wahas mihihine!"

"I asked nicely!"

"Oh. Well, it's sunny now! You can both have a sunbeam!" Bruno looked at the two of them with a small smile. "Right?"

"Nah, it's revenge at this point."

"Bruhuhuno I swehear to Gohohod you behehetter help meHEHEHE OR I'LL TIHIHICKLE YOU!"

"Hey, hey! Why did I get dragged into this?!"

"Bruno, if you help her I'LL tickle you!"

"This is unfair!"

"LIHIHIFES UNFAIR!"

"Who are you more scared of, Brunito? Me or Pepa?"

"Both of you!" Bruno yelped as Pepa gave him the stink eye. It was then that he noticed Julieta had slowed down, and as he saw Pepa prepare to overpower her, he didn't risk his chances.

"Um, I gotta go give this vision to Senor Osvaldo." He grimaced, "I'll be back soon... Hopefully." He tugged his ruana over his head, scurrying off like the rats he so adored.

Julieta watched him as he left, and Pepa used her distraction to quickly turn the tables and pin her arms down.

"So, Juli," she grinned, "I need to share huh?"

"Pepita... Let's talk about this..."

"Oh, no, its only fair that I share the tickling with you, surely!"

The healers next response was cut off with a squeal, and she burst into giggles as Pepa attacked her tummy.

"Unfahahair!"

"VERY fair, thank you very much!" The redhead grinned. "I much prefer tickling to being tickled, I must admit!"

Julieta squirmed on the grass underneath her, yelping as the change in position made Pepa's hands slip down to her side. "Oooh, good spot?"

"No!" The eldest triplet replied stubbornly, "That just surprised me!"

"Ah. So THIS doesn't tickle?"

The shriek Pepa received caused the sun to pulse with a wave of heat as she grinned mischievously.

"Liar, Juli! What would mama say?"

After a few more minutes of Pepa teasing her older sister, she flopped down beside her panting frame, once again basking in the sun.

"That was fun!" She grinned.

"For you, maybe."

"Hey! You started it!"

"Touché..."

Pepa turned her head as she heard steps behind them, realising their little brother was on his way back to Casita. He still had his ruana on, and he seemed much smaller than he had those 10 minutes earlier.

"Brunito!" She called, watching him jump a little as he turned to face them. "Come here! I've got a sunbeam for you!"

Julieta rolled slightly away from her, leaving a gap inbetween them before patting the space encouragingly. "Come on, hermanito! Mama surely doesn't need you, you've already delivered the tablet!"

The two watched as Bruno looked up at Casita, face uncertain, before sighing and walking down to where the two girls were basking in the grass. He plonked himself down between them, letting them pull him down and attach themselves to either side of him. He was always a tactile kid - he loved a good hug. He closed his eyes, not only basking in the warmth from the sun but the warmth from his sisters too.

It was a trap, of course.

While Bruno shrieked and squealed, the candle burned steadily in Alma's room, who watched the three fondly from her window.

Maybe she could get them tonight too. After all, she would be the one removing the grass stains from their clothing...