Bruno Madrigal Oneshots

Do you understand?

By flavorblastedfishybusiness on Ao3

Warnings: self-worth issues, crying

Summary: Bruno doesn't feel like he deserves to celebrate his birthday with his sisters, but they won't let him believe that any longer

He felt the patter of small, cold feet crawl up and down his arm. At first (which was so, so long ago. How many years ago was it now?) the sensation was an unsettling one, one that would wake him up from the few hours of slumber he managed to sneak in (it's not that he didn't want to sleep, no, it's that sleeping caused dreams and dreams led to visions and he was done with that). But now it was a comfort, a constant companionship that he wasn't scared of losing because they were rats, and rats didn't have very good lives to begin with, so how could he possibly ruin their lives too? Knock, knock, knock on wood.

"Hello, friends," he whispered to them. "It's quite early for you guys to be awake, don't you think?"

They squeaked, and even though he didn't share the power his nephew had, he could've sworn that it was in reply to his question.

Truthfully, he didn't know for sure what time it was. He had requested for windows to be installed in his room when it was rebuilt (because for some reason his familia got this look on their faces when he mentioned that he would be fine going back into the walls, that they really didn't need to add his room on again. It was a look that it pained him to see on them, so he relented quickly to their protests). The windows reminded him that he wasn't in the walls anymore, that he could go outside whenever he wanted and there would be someone there to greet him with a smiling face, though he didn't know if the smile was a real one or not. But sometimes it was too much, would send too many emotions flooding into his body that he couldn't handle anymore and, without him having to say anything about it, Casita would pull the curtains shut.

A rat tugged at his finger, pointing at the door. His room was no longer just a sandy tower; instead, he had an actual room with furniture and pictures and signs that someone lived there and was capable of living there. Of course, he could still go up to his vision chamber, but he didn't do that often (ever).

He sighed.

"I don't think they want me out there today," he said.

It shook its head, looking about as determined as a rodent could.

"Today isn't like any other day," Bruno said. "It's their birthday. Mine too, I guess," he added, almost like an afterthought. "I don't deserve to celebrate with them after everything that's happened."

The rat squeaked at him and ran over into a whole in the wall.

"Don't even think about telling Antonio about this!" he called, pointing an admonitory finger. "You'd be surprised what kind of plots I can come up with!"

"You should sit down, Mamá," Mirabel laughed, trying in vain to grab Julieta's hand and lead her to a chair. "It's your birthday, you deserve to take a break."

Julieta smiled, patting her daughter on the arm gently. "Thank you, sweetie. But you know that if your father tried to cook instead, we wouldn't have a kitchen to celebrate in."

"Hey!"

She leaned in closer to Mirabel, cupped her hand to block one side of her mouth, and stage whispered, "He complains, but we all know I'm right."

Dolores popped her head around the corner. "Papá would come and help, but he's busy helping calm down Mamá in the living room."

A second Dolores snuck up behind this one and slapped her on the back, startling her enough that she turned back into Camilo. He scowled.