The Heart of Camilo (A Camilo Madrigal x Reader Fem Y/N Story)

Confrontation

*Camilo*

I sat on the roof of Casita, watching as the glow of the sunrise began to light the sky. I had been up here all night, watching for the faraway glow of firelight in the dark, waiting to see if the fire had spread, if it was coming towards us. There was nothing still, just the light of the sun. It was the fifth day. I looked up, searching the dark of the sky, wondering when the meteor shower was going to begin, if the time mattered, feeling sick to my stomach.

Crack. Damian appeared next to me suddenly, making me jump. He reached out and grabbed my arm to steady me so that I didn't fall off the roof. His other hand was holding a plate of food, which he held out to me.

"Thanks." I took it from him, and he smiled sadly at me, but didn't say anything, just sat there and looked out at the forest with me, the rising sun.

"They are saying that I shouldn't fight today when he comes," Damian said finally, pushing his hand through his hair. "Because we know that if he gets a gift like mine, he'll be able to travel anywhere he wants in a matter of seconds. He could escape easily, immediately find the other family."

"Then I guess Mirabel is sitting it out, too," I said dully.

"I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry - I wish I could help more. I ... I know what it's like to lose someone you love."

I looked at him, but he was staring resolutely out into the trees. I wasn't sure if I should ask, opening my mouth and then shutting it again.

"My fiancée was killed in one of the riots," he said, answering the unasked question. "I would do anything to go back, to save her. I was so close. I teleported to her just in time to see them cut her down. So I know how much it must be killing you to be stopped from leaving."

My heart broke at the thought, remembering what it had felt like to be held by Gabriella, watching Y/N get fire shot at her right in front of me. "I'm so sorry," I said.

"Yeah," he said. "And listen, Camilo, you know that I would teleport you there right now, but if I think I'm teleporting us somewhere and it's actually on fire ..."

"I know," I said. "I get it. I just wish ... if the fire was burning, wouldn't we see it by now?"

He frowned, looking at the trees again. "Why don't you come inside?" he said. "We're all talking strategy."

"I'm a shape-shifter," I said dully. "It's not like I can really help in a situation like this. Turning into other regular people won't give me much of an edge. You go."

He grabbed my shoulder quickly, and then with another loud crack, he disappeared. I pulled my knees to my chest, burying my face in my folded arms, wondering if I would ever not feel like the most useless person on the planet when it came to protecting Y/N.

***

By mid-day, tensions were high. Isabela, my mother, Luisa, Rafael, Maya, Rosa, Sara, and Eliana were the ones that everyone had determined had powerful-enough gifts to actually attempt to take down Ramirez. No one said the word 'murder' out loud, but I think everyone knew what they would do if they had the chance. As Damian had said, he, Mirabel, Dolores and Antonio would be hiding in the basement, which everyone had been working to disguise all day so that Ramirez wouldn't find them. Damian, Mirabel and Antonio's gifts would allow him to travel too easily and escape, and getting Dolores' gift meant that he would be able to hear them. We had to pray he took the gifts he wanted if we couldn't take him down and then left. I felt it was insanely hopeful thinking, but my parents looked distraught and I didn't have the heart to poke holes in their thinking.