𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 [Camilo Madrigal x Male! Reader]

IX

     "Dolores dear are you busy?" Tía Julieta called from the kitchen. "No. Do you need something tía?"

Peering from behind the dining room wall I quietly watched the two talk "Yes. Could you pick up some ingredients for me please?" Dolores gave her a happy nod, carefully reading the list tía handed her. "Sure, I can head out right now."

"I-I wanna come!!" I slid out from my hiding spot and into the kitchen, running straight into the tile counter and jabbing myself in the gut with the corner of the table. "Oww, sorry casita.." I muttered leaning against the table as I tried to soak back the pain. I took a moment before pushing myself off the counter. "Can I come to the market?"

Dolores gave me a slow nod as she passed me whatever tía was cooking, I didn't bother to check what it was before biting into it. "I'm okay." I stood straight, Dolores put a hand on my back and led me towards the door. "Come on pollino." She patted my back a bit before shushing her voice to a whisper. "If you're gonna blackmail me at least save me the embarrassment please." She whispered to me before offing my back and pushing the door open.

We walked into town together, Dolores reading over the list in her hand as I softly hummed to myself. She stuffed the list into a small bag she brought with her as we finally reached the market. "Alright, go find your friend and don't get into trouble please." She gave me a small smile I responded with an encouraged nod. "Any tips to where he is?"

She lifted her head up, holding a hand near her ear as she focused in. "He hasn't left his house yet, but he's getting ready to." She moved her hand back down to her side. "That's all the help you're getting through."

I nodded, smiling up at her. "¡Gracias mana!" I gave a small wave before running off. I have no idea where he lives but I know for a fact he's not in the market which is helpful. I ran off to where most of the houses were, trying to be subtle about my search for him.

     I sat down against the edge of the bridge, dropping my head in defeat. "Dolores you liarrr." I groaned. Dolores said he hadn't left his house yet, most the houses in Encanto are around the same area so I thought it would be easy to find but he's no where! I'm not even sure why I keep running around just to talk to this guy.

Taking a deep breath I stand to my feet. Might as well find my way back to the market. Maybe I'll help out Dolores as thanks for helping me so much. I wander my way back towards the market, stopping to talk to friends or to help out the townspeople as need be. As I wave goodbye to a friend and continue my walk, from the corner of my eye I see mi madre. "Shoot!"

I turn the corner, pressing my back against the brick wall to hide myself, and shifting myself into Dolores for extra cover. I mutter under my breath, practically begging for mami not to see me. Nervously, I poked my head around the corner. Mami was busy talking to one of the townspeople. Good for me as I can make an escape. I let out all the air I had been holding in, my entire body relaxing against the brinks.

"Nice cover there chameleon." I let out a Dolores-esc squeak and my body quickly stiffened back up. I looked over at the familiar voice of [Y/n] sitting on a bench. "Did tú madre catch you sneaking out?" That alluringly smug smirk already plastered his face.

"Will you shut up?" I looked back over the edge of the wall, mami was no where to be seen so hopefully I'm safe. I looked back over at him. "I'm not sneaking out. I just.. got distracted."

"Mhmm sure." He rolled his eyes at me before peaking past me a bit. "Cost is clear. Now change back, seeing you as Dolores is weird." He muttered the last bit to himself. I tilted my head a bit in confusion. "Makes you taller. Harder to reach your face when I finally decide to punch you again."

I groaned at the conceited look on his face before shifting back into myself. "Whatever you say." I shrug it off, sitting next to him. Resting against his side was a bag of fried chicharrón you'd get from street venders, he offered me some which I happily took. He took my crunching as an opportunity to speak.

"So you got distracted and turned into your sister to hide from your mother?" He pointed out my obvious lie. I only nodded in response. "What was so distracting?" I didn't have to be looking at him I could hear his smirk in his voice. "Finally realize how you feel for me?" He knows.

A coughing fit quickly escapes me. Clogging chokes fill my throat. Struggling to breath I hack up coughs. I sit up grasping the edge of the bench. I struggle against the chicharrón now stuck in my throat. Managing to swallow it with a harsh scratch to the back of my throat. "Wh-Wh-What?" I choked out in between coughs as my throat finally clears.

"I was joking! I was joking!! Are you okay?!" He scooted towards me, putting a hand on my chest and leaning me back after I managed to swallow. I quickly nodded, finishing my coughing fit and holding my hand to his against my chest. He put his spare hand against my arm. "I was gonna make another 'you pity me what were you thinking' joke I didn't know you were gonna start choking!" He said mocking his own voice.

I looked up at him, finally catching my breath. "Your uhh your face is red again." He gave me a nervous smile which I could only respond to with a disappointed look. "Not the time for jokes sorry. Let's get you some water." He helped me stand and together we entered the market through a back entrance he'd found. He got me water from one of the food vendors and passed it to me, even offered to help me drink it when he noticed I was struggling a bit from how shaken up I was.

I took a few drinks to clear my throat. I held a hand at the base of my throat for a second before relaxing a bit. "Quit being nice to me. It's creepy." I joked, cracking a smile to show I wasn't mad. He laughed it off with me, seeming almost relieved that I wasn't upset with him.

"Oh please, I've gotten in enough trouble because of you. Least I can do is keep you alive." He smiled as we strolled around the market, trying to find my sister. As we walked I could see the smirk appear across his face again.

"You got pretty flustered when I mentioned you having feeling something for me." He gave me a playful nudge. "I was thinking more on the lines of 'oh that poor boy! I know his secrets now I have to be his friend out of pity!' kind of deal. What were you thinking Camilo?"

I rolled my eyes, ignoring his further attempts to embarrass me. "Your face is red." He sung, leaning forward to look at me. "It's red because I was choking a minute ago!" I argued as he smirked at me. He gave me another nudge. "Yeah sure. Good excuse, lindo."

I blinked in response, pausing in my tracks to look up at him. "Wh- Did you just call me-." He pointed ahead of us. "Tú hermana." I looked to where he was pointing, Dolores looking back at me with the exact same expression I had. I felt my face quickly heating up as I turned back to him. Just barely noticing the slight red that started to rise to his face. "Laterrr." I could hear the smug in his voice as he turned around and walked off.

I looked back at Dolores, walking over to her still a bit in shock. She leaned down a little towards me. "What was that?" She whispered staring past me. I put a hand against my chest, where his hand was earlier. "I think he just called me pretty."