Storyteller (Encanto X OCish Reader)

CHAPTER 23 - In Lanternlight

"Okay," he said, nodding but still looking rather worried. "Please just tell me if you're cold." The others around the table sent each other knowing looks before hiding them when you and Camilo once again looked around the table to see where the game had progressed during your talk.

"C'mon. Let's go read," Camilo said, taking your arm. You had just eaten lunch, no progress with the weather so far. Still as stormy as ever.

"Where though?" you asked, speeding up your step so he didn't have to drag you but he still held onto your arm.

"My room," he smiled before turning to walk backwards to talk with you better. "You can see my bookshelves, my treasure, the love of my life, what I live for - my raison d'être-"

"Woah," you laughed. "You expect me to know what that means?"

"It means 'a reason to be' or more simply - a reason to live."

"And that's books for you?" you asked, raising your eyebrows with amusement.

"I exaggerated," he admitted, opening the door to his room.

You watched with amazement - you knew it was normal for those rooms to be bigger on the inside but this was just perfect in your opinion. The room was coated in warm yellow and orange but that wasn't what captured your attention. Next to the wall, there were 5 bookshelves, 4 of them stacked with books and the last one full of other stuff like little figures Camilo had made out of clay.

"Shall we?" Camilo asked, making you turn around and look at him. He had lit up a few lanterns on the table between the window and a two-person sofa.

You frowned with a smile. "Could've sworn that the desk was higher just now."

He pointed a thumb to himself with a grin. "Shapeshifter, remember?"

You made an 'oh' face before sitting down next to him and you started to read. About midway through the chapter, you sneezed.

"That's it, I'm giving you my ruana," he said in a tone that was not to be argued with.

You argued anyway. "You don't have to-"

"At least until we read," he said, looking at you seriously. "Please."

"I don't know...," you trailed off, making the mistake of looking away because the next second, he pulled his ruana over your head.

"Aha!" he celebrated, throwing his hands in the air. "Now there's no point for you to argue over."

You huffed. "Alright. But I'm giving it back to you as soon as we finish reading."

"Deal," he said with a smile before seemingly diving into the book's context again. It was your turn to stare at him for a bit, studying his features that were illuminated by the light of the lanterns.

After about 5 seconds, you turned to the book to read so Camilo wouldn't have to wait for you for too long. But Camilo hadn't managed to understand even one sentence. He kept reading it over and over again but nothing arrived to him since his mind was elsewhere. He was thinking about you. How you looked with his ruana on. He thought it fitted you rather well but that wasn't the only thing on his mind. More than anything, he hoped your illness would go away and if you had to wear his favorite ruana for that then so be it - he rarely had a problem with being cold anyway.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts and forced himself to read so you wouldn't have to wait. But not before sneaking a glance at you from the corner of his eye, a soft smile gracing his lips.