Por amor al arte (Julieta x F!Reader)

Part 21

lyrics from Vestida de azúcar by Gloria Trevi

____________________________________

"Mamá Juli, it's your turn to fight the beast" you said, entering the room you shared with her.

The older woman blushed a little at the nickname. Two days had passed since Eliza learned to say mom and took her first steps, but it was more than enough time for you to decide you wanted to torture her and laugh at her. She didn't have the heart to tell you that her blush wasn't from embarrassment, but from longing for it to be more than just a nickname.

"What did this bad woman do to you, mi amor?" she asked the baby in your arms that was covered in dirt

"Someone is upset that I didn't let her eat Isabela's flowers" you explained, passing the girl.

Eliza pouted and buried her face in the woman's neck, crying uncontrollably. You rolled your eyes as Julieta rocked her to calm her down. Anyone would think that you had hit her because of the way she cried so heartbroken. Drama queen.

"Shh my love, shhh" the brunette cooed "I'll make you some sugar flowers that you can eat"

You watched in silence as your friend lulled your daughter to sleep, soothing her as only she could. A familiar warmth filled you as well as a deep fear. Eliza was getting used to the woman's arms and love, just like you, and you didn't know which of you would hurt more to part when the time came.

"You spoil her so much" you said "that's a problem"

"Why? Jealous that she loves me more?" she asked mockingly

"Jealous that my own daughter is stealing my Julita bonita" you said, loving the other's blush

"Oh shut up" she scolded you softly "you know no one could replace you"

You smiled at her and fell silent again as she finished calming your daughter down. You really loved these little moments of happiness where you could lose yourself with her, pretend you were a little family, and run away from real problems. Here, the uncertainty of your future, the fear for your brother or the sadness of knowing that your love was not reciprocated had no place. Here it was just you and her.

"But seriously" you said once Eli stopped crying "it will be a problem"

"What thing?"

"How much she loves you" you said, not knowing if you were really talking only about your daughter "it will be a problem because we will leave one day and I will have to separate her from you and I don't know if I will be strong enough to hurt her that way"

"You don't have to" she said softly "you could stay here with me...uh, us. Could you stay with us"

You looked at her for a moment and sighed. This was a conversation you had had since the day you went to clean up the remains of your house. Alma had offered you a permanent place in Casita again, both you and Karim when he woke up. She had said they could use your land to make a bigger workshop if you wanted or you could sell it or something. It scared you how quickly you were about to agree.

You desperately wanted to say yes, to stay here with this wonderful family that had given you so much. With Julieta, the woman who already occupied all your thoughts and had unintentionally stolen your heart. But it was precisely because of her that you couldn't do it, you weren't a masochist, you couldn't live here and face her every day without being able to kiss her and love her as you wanted for the rest of your life. You weren't that strong.

"We already talked about this, Juli" you said "I don't want to be a burden to you"

"We already told you that you wouldn't be" she told you, approaching you "you would have your workshop, you would go back to work and do what you like...the only difference is that I wouldn't have to count the days until your next visit"