Beat without a Melody | Camilo Madrigal

Act of Midnight

You two stayed under the blanket in comfortable silence. You stared at the open window revealing distant stars. Camilo on the other hand, watched your expression as you gazed at the stars.

"You know, it's rude to stare." your face merged into a smirk similar to his when he'd tease you.

"I learned from you," he replied, pertaining to the gifting ceremony where he had caught you staring at him.

"Would you let it go." you groaned lowly, annoyed by his recall.

"No."

You felt Casita shake the tiles under both of you, making you two inch closer together.

The pair moved away from eachother, realizing the gap between the both of them.

Casita gave low clicks and clacks as if she was teasing both of you, before dragging a small clock, reminding you that it was already midnight.

Casita shook Mirabel awake, she yawned and stretched her arms noticing you and Camilo sitting on the floor sharing one blanket. She rubbed her eyes as if they were deceiving her.

-

You three managed to slip out of the nursery quietly and through the halls easily without a sound.

Mirabel was on her tiptoes as she glanced around cautiously.

Camilo followed behind her, rolling his eyes at the sight of Mirabel looking absolutely silly as he walked normally managing to make no sound, effortlessly.

"This is it," Mirabel whispered, pausing in front of Bruno's room. The door wasn't glowing like the others.

"That's a lot of sand," you stopped, seeing the rain of sand covering the entrance of Bruno's tower.

"Really? Almost didn't notice," Camilo said sarcastically, with a condescending smile.

After you had gotten through the sand shower that covered the entrance, you brushed off the sands that stuck to your body before freezing at the sight of a thousand stairs.

"I'll race you to the top," Camilo smirked at your daunting expressions before he walked pass Mirabel and started climbing the stairs.

You exchanged contemplating looks with Mirabel before grinning at each other.

"You're on." You both challenged before racing up the stairs.

After the first flight of stairs all three of you gave up. Panting and exhausted. Mirabel was far ahead of you and Camilo, she had been singing to herself as she jogged up the stairs.

We really should've slept. This is exhausting.

"Did you really have nightmares when you were a kid?" you asked filling the silence that followed you and Camilo.

He looked at you before looking forward. "Yeah.." he admitted. "When Abuela found use of my gift there was demand to be useful, to be happy, to be.. Perfect."

"Do you still think that now?" you asked. He was held aback by your question, hesitating to answer.

"Yeah, I guess I do. But it doesn't bother me, anymore." he answered, hiding the hurtful truth.

You gave a small chuckle, "You're an idiot." You shouldered pass him.

He sped up to catch up with you. "Hey, I'm the happy, funny Madrigal. If I'm not, then what even am I?" his statement started happy but ended up taking a dark turn before reaching the end. He gave a wry smile as he turned to you for an answer.

"Yourself." you answered with a small smile knowing you had answered his questions wisely.

You hated how Alma expected– demanded impossible perfection from her grandkids even if perfection grew them further from their true self.

You couldn't help but be grateful, you'd rather have one family member than have a big family that expects a facade of perfection.