°•.˜"*°•𝓞𝓷𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓲𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓭 •°*"˜.•° (C. Madrigal X Reader)

Chapter one hundred and twenty three: Reveal

"Dolores-" I began before being interrupted.

She suddenly embraced Camilo and I in a warm and tight hug. I felt her arms wrap around me, pulling me in close, and I couldn't help but be surprised by the sudden gesture. As her embrace lingered, I could feel her genuine joy and happiness radiating through her body.

Camilo reciprocated the embrace. It was a reminder of the bond that Camilo had always had with his family and the bond that I had formed with them when I lived with them all those years ago. As we eventually parted, I could still feel the warmth of her hug lingering on my skin, a reminder of the connection that we shared.

"You're finally back!" she exclaimed softly "My hearing isn't as good as it used to be but when I heard you entering the Encanto, I just couldn't wait to hug you guys again."

"You really missed me then, huh?" Camilo replied, a snarky tone in his voice that remained from his teenage years.

A quick smack to the back of his head at Dolores' hand reminded me that even after all these years, Camilo was still her cheeky little brother.

"Ay!" Camilo exclaimed.

"I did miss that," Dolores replied "Oh, right! Come in, come in!"

As I stepped into the threshold of the Madrigal's home after being away for what felt like an eternity, I was immediately overwhelmed by a flood of memories and emotions. The familiar scent of Tia Julieta's cooking wafted through the air, mingling with the sound of Tio Felix' booming laughter and the chatter of my family as well as Camilo's.

Every corner of the house seemed to hold a piece of our past. From the creaky stairs that still fluttered when Casita willed them to, to the well-worn furniture that had seen us through family gatherings and celebrations.

Despite the years that had passed, it was as if time stood still in this place, and I felt a sense of comfort and belonging wash over me. I ran my hands over the smooth surface of the kitchen table, feeling the same grooves and imperfections that I traced as a teenager all those years ago. I gazed out the kitchen window at the familiar view of the path to the town and the surrounding mountains, their peaks shrouded in mist.

Dolores leaned towards one of the pillars around the common area.

"Casita, could you give us a lift?" she whispered to the pillar.

Casita rumbled as the tiles made wave-like ripples and a floating set of stairs appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Even though most things seemed the same, the magic seemed...different. The stairs that Casita had conjured were not bound by gravity, they simply hovered off the ground in a path leading to the second floor. The magic had grown more powerful and Casita had become more capable in the time that Camilo and I were away.

"Come" Doloress said, taking my hand and leading me up the stairs.

I hesitated as I took my first step onto the plank of wood. As soon as I did, it slightly lowered itself and shook. Dolores laughed at me. It was refreshing to hear her laughing again.

"You have to trust it," Dolores said softly.

"Um, can't I just use the normal stairs?" I asked.

Dolores shook her head, a laugh under her breath as she smiled. I took deep breaths before taking my first step onto the stairs effortlessly floating in mid-air. I ascended the floating stairs that led to the second floor of Casita. I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder. With each step, I felt the gentle sway of the stairs beneath my feet, a sensation that was both exhilarating and nerve wracking.

As I reached the top of the floating stairs, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my chest. Ahead of me was my door. The same glow shined brightly from the intricate carving of myself using my gift. The carving itself had changed, grown with me to resemble me better. A lot about the carving had changed, just as I had in all these years. But you could still make out my smile.

I took a deep breath and reached out to turn the doorknob, my heart pounding with anticipation. The door creaked as I pushed it open, a rush of memories flooded my mind as I did.

I turned on the lights to reveal something that made Camilo and I smile more than we had in any of the time that we were apart from this household.

-----

This story will end soon, I swear, it's just taking me a heck of a long time to pump out these chapters.

I hope a few of you are still following along!

- Kolour