Y/n crept around Casita's corners, trying to steer clear of Alma, but had no idea where she was. Turning a corner, she whispered into the air, "Dolores, bestie, squeak if she's coming."

Hearing nothing, she continued on. But on her next turn, she bumped into a handsome teenage boy. Startled, he shifted into Miguel, then back into Camilo. "Ay! Jeez, N/n, what are you doing, spying on people?"

"Sorry, Milo! I didn't mean to...you know..." Standing straight, she brushed off her dress. A moment of awkwardness passed. "Camilo..."

"I'm breaking up with you," he cut off quickly, brushing his curls out of his eyes.

Dumbly, Y/n blinked. "Huh?"

"It's over. Kaputz. Now you cry, I awkwardly try to comfort you, we part as unlikely friends." Despite his words, his eyes darted around, as he still was not sure if what to say.

"Camilo, I..." But instead of playing out his scenario, she stepped forward and hugged him. He jumped back a little, half expecting her to beg him not to leave her. "Thank you," she whispered.

Suddenly offended, he yelled at her, "Hey!"

Y/n laughed as she pulled away. "No, no, it's not that. It's just...I don't love you," she shrugged. "I don't want to marry you, anyway. You really are an amazing friend and I'm sure in any other story, I'd be head over heels for you. But...this is the story where I can only ever see you as a brother at most and an annoyance overall."

He pouted at the last bit, sticking out his upper lip, before giving her a small smile. "I get what you mean. You're awesome, N/n. So pretty and smart. But..." His smile quickly fell and his demeanor shifted as cloudy as Pepa could make a day. "I - I don't even know if I like girls. Or guys or..." His voice broke off, which Y/n tried to ignore, but could not ignore the tears that were forming on his eyes, scaring her a little. He was always the happy mascot of the family, so to see him like this...

"Abuela would never forgive me if I suddenly want to be with a guy and I already don't know what she's gonna say about me not wanting to marry you and I'm trying really hard to stay happy for everyone else and I don't know what else to do and why am I telling you this -"

"Milo, hey." Y/n pulled him into another hug, this time feeling his arms slowly wrap themselves around her. "It'll be alright. You still have plenty of time to figure out what you want in somebody."

A few more moments and he pulled away, forcing a smirk. "Well, I sure as heck know it ain't you."

Growling, Y/n banged her head against the wall. "Why am I nice to you?!"

"Because ya love me. But not as much as you love somebody else ~"

"Shhh!" She pressed her finger to his lips. "Dolores might hear you!"

"Y/n, she knows. Everyone knows. You'd have to be blind or stupid not to know that you're in love with Migito." He shifted back into Miguel, making kissy faces at her.

"CAMILO!" she desperately begged. "What if he hears you?!"

He changed back again and rolled his eyes. "He probably knows, too. But it's okay, I'm pretty sure he loves you back."

Before she could respond, a small squeak could be heard in the distance. "Gah! I was never here!" she said quickly, diving into some random person's bedroom.

"Wha...okay -" Shrugging, he walked off as Alma walked through with Isabela, both chirping happily about the wedding.

"Such a perfect match," Alma was saying.

"So perfect," the eldest agreed.

"And so good for the Encanto."

Once they were gone, Miguel sneaked by, not knowing that Y/n was watching him from the doorway. "Good luck, amigo," she whispered before casually snaking around and going off to find her mother.

-

Sand rained in front of Miguel. He looked at it hesitantly, asking the house, "Casita? Can you turn off the sand?"

A floorboard bounced up to the door, but stopped there, trying to let him know its limits.

"You...can't help in here?'"

It responded with a no, then a worried noise.

"I'll be fine. I need to do this. For you...for Abuela...maybe a little for me and Y/n." He turned back to the sand with determination, confidence in every step. "Find the vision. Save the mir - AHHHH -" When he tried to walk in, he tripped over his sandals and rolled down the hill completely made of sand, smushing his face into it. Lifting his head, he coughed the sand away, removing his glasses to wipe his eyes. Getting himself situated, he looked up at a tall tower. "Whoa..." Hundreds of stairs led to the top, Miguel feeling his stomach drop as he noticed this.

Next to him, Antonio's bird landed next to him, squawking a greeting.

"Oh. Hello." Miguel looked back at the wedding staircase. "Lotta stairs. But at least I'll have a friend."

Without missing a beat, the toucan flew away.

"No, you flew away immediately."

He flew up and landed at the top of the stairs.

"Alright," he decided and, sucking it up, began his climb up.

-

"Welcome to the Family Madrigal..."

-

"...there's so many stairs in Casa Madrigal..."

-

"...you would think there'd be another way to get so high 'cause we're magic, but no...magical...how many stairs is in here?! Bruno, your room is the WOR🐓ST!"

-

Finally, Miguel found the top, out of breath as he practically dragged himself up the last step, but his sense of accomplishment diminished when he saw the gap between where he was and where he was looking to be. "Come on..." he groaned, exhausted enough from his climb.

He grabbed a nearby rope and threw it across to anchor himself.

"Okay, I can do this..." But he looked down and let out a whimper. Not thinking about the drop, he swung across, feet clinging to the ground.

"Woooo!" he cheered, pumping his fists. When he stomped, part of the rock broke off, his foot quickly retreating. He glanced at the toucan, receiving back a judgmental look, then went inside the temple.

The toucan followed as Miguel cautiously went inside, bumping into a holder. Rats scurried out of it, grossing him out slightly. The bird, on the other hand, noped the heck out of there.

"Quitter."

Now by himself, Miguel went into the dark room with a sandy outline. "Empty..." he muttered.

The cavern door slammed shut. Before Miguel could start screaming, a piece of green glowed brightly. Curiously, he inched towards it and dug it up, pulling it out, opaque glass, still green, now in his hand.

"What's hurting the magic?"

-

Alma swept up the flowers from Isabela earlier, smiling away as she dreamt up the future wedding of her eldest granddaughter and Mariano. They would have their five babies, each with a magical blessing of their own, strengthening the Encanto. As for Y/n and Camilo, they would have to wait a bit, but they would be married at the right age and have babies of their own. It was what was best for their family and their community.

The room shook. Concerned, she looked up at the candle, which flicked slightly. Even though she worried, in the back of her mind, she was running how to speed up the process of fixing the family. Y/n and Camilo would have to marry at eighteen. There would be no excuses from either of them. Isabela would have to get pregnant right away, before the wedding, if necessary.

And even though she loved her entire family, including Miguel, she had to wonder if any of this was his fault. No, of course not. He had never outright rejected a gift. Even though she was obligated to love him, she still knew this deep down.

It could not have been his giftless father's fault. He was not born a Madrigal, therefore, he had an excuse.

Julieta was her golden child out of the triplets. If anything were to go wrong, she would have thought it would be Pepa's fault for her bad moods or Bruno's for his awkwardness. But could sweet, caring, helpful Julieta be to blame?

No, of course not. She had been perfect and had given her a second perfect child. Nobody could be at fault if they had produced both perfection and an outcast.

Could it perhaps be...her fault?

How silly. Out of the question.

It had to be Miguel's fault...for some reason or another.

Right?

-

M/n had taken over cooking for that night while Julieta ran some errands in town. Currently, she was trying to prevent the stove from catching on fire.

Y/n walked in, sighed loudly, and flopped in a chair dramatically. She reached out when she saw it if the corner of her eye that her mother was offering her an empanada. "Rough day?" she asked sympathetically.

"You could say that." She took a bite and swallowed. "Mamá? Before you married Papi, were you nervous?"

She stopped rolling the dough on the counter and said slowly, "Yes...but I think everyone is before they marry."

"Oh..." She took another bite. Not as good as Julieta's, but not terrible, either.

"You love him, don't you?" she suddenly asked, Y/n chocking on the cheese.

"Camilo? Well, no, but I could learn to, Mami, I'm sure I could. If we were Madrigals, you would be taken care of when you're older and my kids would be well provided for and -"

"I meant Miguel."

Her mouth opened as she tried to find the words, then closed, then opened again, squeaking out, "Miguel...?"

"Y/n." M/n reached over and grabbed her hands, squeezing them tight. "Marry for love. Whether or not it's Miguel, but always do it for love. Not out of obligation. I was very happy with your Papá because we had love, even if we didn't always eat."

Y/n felt excitement light up her eyes. "Mami, are you saying...? But...won't Señora Alma...?"

"I'll talk to her later."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She jumped up out of her seat and threw her arms around her mother. "I'm free, I'm free, thank the Lord I'm free!"

They stayed hugging for a moment until Y/n sniffed in the scent of smoke. "Hey, do you smell that?"

M/n turned and, seeing the stove had caught fire while her back was turned, ran out to get some water. Y/n ran out, but the smile still on her face the whole time.

She was free.

-

After Miguel had pulled apart all the pieces, he put them together to reveal...himself, looking out at the broken home.

"Me?"

The room shook, sand pouring down and burying the pieces. Quickly, he picked them all up and put them in his knapsack before running to the doorway. It was stuck and sand was rapidly filling the room. He banged on it like his life depended on it - which it kind of did. Calming down, he tried juggling the handle. It opened, throwing him out, along with all of the sand.

Groggily, he opened his eyes, realizing he was facing the cliff. Letting out a yell, he scurried backwards.

-

"Miguel?"

"Hey, N/n," he tried to respond nonchalantly, back from Bruno's Tower, gripping his sack.

"Any luck?" But she stopped, noticing something, and reached out for his hair. "Is this sand?" She rubbed the piece in between her fingers. Miguel moved her hand away, trying to shake it off.

"Yeah, weird room. Would not do again. Um, listen, I found -" He tried to pull her back to the nursery, accidentally bumping into his grandmother, who looked down at him sternly.

"Ugh, where are you coming from in such a hurry?"

"I'm sorry, we were -"

"With an engaged woman, at that."

"I - I'm sorry, we weren't..."

Squinting, she asked, "What is in your hair?"

"Uh..."

"My gift!" Luisa cried, running up the stairs in tears. "I'm losing my gift!"

"What?!" Alma demand, panicky.

"Miguel, Y/n, and I were having this little talk about me carrying too much so I tried not to carry so much but then I realized it was putting me behind and I knew I was going to let everyone down and I felt really bad so I was grabbing all the donkeys but when I went to throw the donkeys in the barn they were...heavy!" She ran off, still sobbing loudly, leaving the three in awkward silence.

"What did you do? What did it say to her?" Alma asked, looking back at them.

"Nothing, we -"

She cut her grandson off. "Y/n, you're going to be a Madrigal. You need to learn how to act properly. And yes, your mother did speak to me about your concerns. We'll talk about that later."

Maybe not as free as she initially thought.

Next, she glared at Miguel. "Miguel -"

The bells from town rang to interrupt her. Unconsciously, Alma adjusted her earring. "Ugh, I have to get the Guzmán's for Isabela's proposal. Stay away from Luisa until I can talk to her. Tonight, we can't have any more problems. And whatever it is you're doing, stop doing it, both of you!" She marched off to retrieve Mariano and his mother.

Miguel looked over at his sister's door, where she had retreated, the light flickering.

"You didn't do a thing wrong." Y/n's voice cut into his thoughts, he hand gripping his arm, causing it to turn lighter around his grip.

But he seemed to ignore her. "Come with me," he said instead, expecting her to follow him to the nursery.

-

When they got inside, Miguel pulled out the shards and dumped them on the table to show them, putting them back together.

"You?" she asked more shocked than she meant to be. She tilted it slightly on the table, the cracks in the house fixing and her now next to him, Miguel smiling now. "Me?" But when she turned it back, she was gone, Miguel still looked concerned, and the cracks back. "I don't understand."

"Me neither. I'm sorry, N/n, I didn't know you were in the vision." He leaned over, looking intently. "Why are we in your vision, Bruno?"

Thunder bolted from the other side of the room, making the other two jump. Pepa stood there, looking innocent, but stressed.

"Tía, jeez..."

"Sorry! Sorry, I didn't mean to..." The clouds came back over her, annoying her. She pushed them out the door. "Shoo, shoo, shoo!" she grunted, slamming the door behind her. [I'm sorry, but her desperation was hot -] She crossed the room for a teddy bear. "I just wanted to get the rest of Toñito's things and then I heard...The Name We Do Not Speak." She covered the bear's ears as she said the title, clouds reappearing over her. "Great. Now I'm thundering. And a thunder will lead to a drizzle. And a drizzle will lead to a sprinkle..." Bearing her teeth into a smile, she repeated, "Clear skies, clear skies..." and the clouds went away.

"Uh, Tía Pepa?" Miguel began as she took Antonio's clothes got sorted out of the dresser. "If Bru -"

More clouds thundered above her head.

"If he," Y/n corrected quickly, Miguel nodding, then finishing.

"...had a vision about someone, what would it mean for them?"

"We don't talk about Bruno." She wrung one of the socks out.

Y/n cut in, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I know he's a vision man, but who the hell is Bruno?"

"My uncle," Miguel explained, Pepa trying to make them be quiet again, this time more sternly.

"We don't talk about Bruno."

"Sorry."

"I know, it's just...hypothetically...if he saw you..."

She stood, the clothes now folded, and tried to change the subject. "Miguel, please. We need to get ready for the Guzmán's."

"I just want to know if it was generally positive or...like, less positive, or..."

"IT WAS A NIGHTMARE!" Félix cried, busting through the door.

"Félix!" Pepa yelled back, exasperated.

Félix put his hands on her shoulders and gently guided her away. "Ay, they need to know, Pepi, they need to know."

She put a finger over his lips. "We don't talk about Bruno!"

He went on, anyway. "He would see something terrible and then - crack-ba-boom! - it would happen."

"We don't talk about Bruno!"

"What if you didn't understand what he saw?"

Félix grabbed Miguel's shoulder with one large hand and Y/n's with another. "Then you better figure it out because it was coming for you!"

Pepa pulled Félix away from the other two, pointing accusingly.

Pepa:
We don't talk about Bruno, no, no, no
We don't talk about Bruno

She grabbed onto Félix's hands to salsa.

Pepa:
But!

It was my wedding day

Félix:
[It was our wedding day!]

Pepa:
We were getting ready and there wasn't a cloud in the sky

Félix:
[No clouds allowed in the sky]

She glared at him for cutting in again.

Pepa:
Bruno walks in with a mischievous grin

Félix:
[T H U N D E R!]

Fed up, she broke away and stormed off.

Pepa:
Are you telling this story or am I?!

But he pulled her back, flirtatiously hand-crawling up her arm.

Félix:
[I'm sorry, mi vida, go on...]

Melting back into his arms, they weren't back to dancing, now in perfect synch.

Pepa:
Bruno says, "It looks like rain."

Félix:
[Why did he tell us?]

Pepa:
In doing so, he floods my brain

Félix:
[Abuela, get the umbrella]

Pepa:
Married in a hurricane

Félix:
[What a joyous day, but anyway -]

"Aww," Y/n said, putting her hand to her chest.

Pepa, Félix:
We don't talk about Bruno, no, no, no
We don't talk about Bruno

Félix spun Y/n into Miguel, winking at her, Miguel toppling backwards.

-

Dolores grabbed onto Miguel's arm, pulling him close.

Dolores:
Hey...

Grew to live in fear of Bruno's stuttering and stumbling
I can always hear him sorta muttering and mumbling
I associate him with the sound of falling sand
[Ch, ch, ch...]

As she shushed, Y/n caught a glimpse of a hooded figure on the staircase, disappearing away. She was about to say something, but Dolores started up again, pulling Miguel back after she saw him try to run away. She put her hands on her hips and shook herself to the side, Miguel and Y/n trying to do the same.

Dolores:
It's a heavy lift with a gift so humbling
Always left Abuela and the family fumbling
Grappling with prophecies he couldn't understand

She hopped up on a stool, long down on both of them.

Dolores:
You both understand?

-

Camilo:
sEvEn FoOt FrAmE

Camilo shifted into a demonic looking Bruno with glowing green eyes, then back to himself with rats on his shoulders.

Camilo:
Rrrats along his back
When he calls your name, it all fades to black

He twirled around, Y/n shrinking in on herself, nervous he was going to jumpscare her. Miguel pulled her closer, glaring behind him at Camilo to tell him to stop scaring her. But snickering, he kept going.

Camilo:
Yeah, he sees your dreams and FEASTS on ya screams

He turned back into Bruno, Y/n jumping back as the sand pulled Miguel down. She watched him go, shrugged, and jumped in after him.

Miguel landed on the ground, Camilo helping him up. Seeing Y/n falling down, he reached out as if he were able to catch her, but, last minute, pulled back, forcing Miguel to reach out quickly, Y/n falling into his arms. They stared at each other in the dark until Camilo came in between them, obviously knowing he was being an annoying third wheel, and pulled them closer with his hands over each of their shoulders, shaking them and grinning like an idiot.

Dolores, Camilo:
We don't talk about Bruno,

Pepa, Dolores, Camilo:
No, no

Pepa, Camilo:
No

Dolores:
No...

Miguel and Y/n walked out, Pepa with her hands dramatically on her chest as she sang and Dolores shaking her finger in their faces.

Pepa, Félix, Dolores, Camilo:
We don't talk about Bruno

Miguel shielded his eyes as they came out while Y/n bopped along, getting into it.

Y/n:
Talk about, talk about, talk about Bruno...

Señora Osma:
He told me my fish would die, the next day - DEAD!

She held up the fishbowl, cocking her head to the side.

All:
No, no...

Osvaldo:
He told me I'd grow a gut and just like he said!

His shirt suddenly popped up so that his stomach showed.

All:
No, no...

Padre Flores:
He said that all my hair would disappear, now look at my head...

He pulled off his toupee, then everyone else surrounded Miguel and Y/n, Miguel holding onto her protectively.

All:
Your fate is sealed when your prophecy is read!

-

Isabela's swung slowly lowered her down as everyone else gazed up in awe, their hands outstretched.

Isabela:
He told me that the life of my dreams would be promised and someday be mine

Miguel just rolled his eyes, his arms crossed. Y/n, meanwhile, waved cutely, Isabela having to suppress a smile when she saw how normally she was treating her, beginning to believe in the prophecy.

Isabela:
He told me that my power would grow like the grapes that thrive on the vine

She hopped off, her hair flowing behind her.

-

Alma:
[Oye, Mariano's on his way]

Alma walked up Señora Guzmán and Mariano, who was working it - aka, practically dancing a sexy dance - with his walk.

From above, Dolores watched sadly.

Dolores:
He told me that the man of my dreams
Would be just out of reach...

She twirled around to the other side of the balcony, noticing Miguel looking up at her empathetically with a mutual understanding.

Dolores:
Betrothed to another
It's like I hear him now...

Isabela:
Hey, bro

He snapped out of it as Isabela took a break from decorating with her flowers to address him, pointing.

Dolores:
[It's like I hear him now...]

Isabela:
I want not a sound out of you

Dolores:
[I can hear him now!]

He gave her a look and was about to punch her in her pretty little perfect face, but felt Y/n tug back at him and shake her head.

Miguel:
Um, Bruno...
Yeah, about that Bruno
I really need to know about Bruno
Give me the truth and the whole truth, Bruno!

Camilo:
iSaBeLa, YoUr BoYfRiEnD's HeRe -

Camilo jumped in a circle and turned into Mariano, cackling.

Madrigals:
[TIME FOR DINNER!]

The family got to setting the table while Miguel and Y/n snuck out to reassemble the vision.

Pepa:
It was my wedding day

Félix:
[It was our wedding day!]

Pepa:
We were getting ready and there wasn't a cloud in the sky

Félix:
[No clouds allowed in the sky]

Dolores:
Grew to live in fear of Bruno's stuttering and stumbling
I can always hear him sorta muttering and mumbling
I associate him with the sound of falling sand
[Ch, ch, ch...]

Camilo:
Seven foot frame
Rats along his back
When he calls your name, it all fades to black

Isabela:
He told me that the life of my dreams would be promised and someday be mine

Isabela and Pepa twirled each other around the table while Camilo, Félix, and Agustín tossed up glasses in a synchronized dance to setting the table.

Pepa:
Bruno walks in with a mischievous grin

Félix:
[T H U N D E R!]

Pepa:
You telling this story or an I?!

Dolores:
It's a heavy lift with a gift so humbling
Always left Abuela and the family fumbling
Grappling with prophecies he couldn't understand

Camilo:
Yeah, he sees your dreams and feasts on ya screams...

Isabela:
He told me that my power would grow like the grapes that thrive on the vine

Alma:
[Oye, Mariano's on his way]

Félix:
[I'm sorry, mi vida, go on...]

Dolores:
You all understand?

Isabela:
I'm fine

On their way there, they saw Luisa, struggling to move a piano. Miguel felt himself falter, feeling horrible for his older sister. Grabbing Y/n's hand, he ran with her info the nursery and dumped the pieces back out, frantically trying to put them together, the family's voices surrounding him.

Pepa:
Bruno says, "It looks like rain."

Félix:
[Why did he tell us?]

Pepa:
In doing so, he floods my brain

Félix:
[Abuela, get the umbrella]

Pepa:
Married in a hurricane

Félix:
[What a joyous day, but anyway -]

Camilo:
Seven foot frame,
Rats along his back
When he calls your name, it all fades to black
Yeah, he sees your dreams and feasts on ya screams!

Isabela:
He told me that the life of my dreams would be promised and someday be mine

Dolores:
He told me that the man of my dreams
Would be just out of reach...
To another, another

Isabela, Dolores:
And I'm fine, and I'm fine, and I'm fine

Dolores:
And I'm fine...

Isabela:
I'll be fine

Madrigals:
HE'S HERE!

We don't talk about Bruno

Miguel:
Why did I talk about Bruno?

Madrigals:
We don't talk about Bruno

Y/n:
Who the hell is Bruno?

Madrigals:
Not a word about Bruno!

Miguel:
I never shoulda brought up

Miguel, Y/n:
Bruno...

Just as the vision was reassembled, Agustín came in for Miguel and Y/n, dancing with his skinny lil legs. "Iggy-boo, N/n, got your party pants on? Because I do -" He stopped, mouth wide open when he saw what was on the table.

At first, Miguel tried to hide it. "I...broke into Bruno's tower, I found his last vision, the family's in trouble, the magic is dying, the house is breaking, Luisa's gift is fading, and I think it's all because of...me? And Y/n had nothing to do with it."

Slowly, he pushed past, mouth still agape as he looked down at it in horror.

"Pa...?"

Grabbing at the pieces, Agustín shoved them in his pants pockets, urgency in his voice to make them understand. "We say nothing. Abuela wants this night to be perfect. 'Till the Guzmáns leave, you did not break into Bruno's tower, the magic is not dying, the house is not breaking, Luisa's gift is not fading. No one will know. Just act normal." He grabbed them by the shoulders, whispering seriously. "No one has to know."

A squeak came from the other side of the courtyard. They slowly looked and saw Dolores, her eyes wide.

"I know..."

She squeaked again and was off to the dining room.

"She's gonna tell everyone," Miguel informed.

Alma's voice called out sweetly, but still firm, "Time to eat!"

Still looking out, Y/n whispered, "Miércoles..."