bonnie & clyde

Slow Dance [chapter 9]

Camilo lazily stood with most of his weight propped up against the railing that lined the second floor's hallway. Behind him stood José who was trying his hardest to hang up a banner. Abuela was nagging about how he was doing it wrong, giving a million ways to do it better. And yet she stood still doing nothing.

It was always a bit confusing to y/n as to why Abuela was so strict when she couldn't even meet her own standards.

Y/n and Camilo had been trading glances for the last couple minutes. She was on the ground floor helping within the chaotic mess going on down there. Camilo would make a face when they locked eyes, and she'd make one back before getting told to stop messing around and get to moving.

"Hey," Camilo was now leaning against a post as he looked at José's work. He gave a nod while crossing his arms, "Nice job over there."

José turned his head and sent a glare at the boy, "Yeah, yeah."

Camilo let out a light chuckle before hearing his grandmother say they needed another José. He looked down to the ground floor real quick to see y/n finishing up the utensils table set up. She clapped her hands together at her accomplishment before looking up to the second floor where she locked eyes with Camilo. She sent him a smile and a wave, and he sent her a wink back before actually getting to work.

"José!" Camilo shifted into the man's body. He helped hold up the banner and sent a thumbs up José's way.

Y/n was pulled into the kitchen by Mirabel who held a grumpy expression. She had a cart in her arms full of various things that could be used at Antonio's ceremony... or later for birthday parties if they didn't use them for his.

"Hola señora Julieta," y/n greeted, stealing some sort of pastry off a platter before she was stopped.

She grinned a sly one when she got a light hit on the back of the hand. Julieta didn't make her put it back though; she found the trouble maker quite fun. And since Mirabel was one of her triplets, then technically y/n was also her child...

Y/n slid on to one of the counters. She watched as Mirabel set the things in the box down on the counter and Casita moved them from tile to tile, putting them away.

Mirabel and her parents had a conversation. Agustín had been stung by bees again. His face and hands had gotten all puffy like they always did. Though he was a kind man that only ever meant well, Mirabel's father sure was accident prone. He was going on about being exceptional and... un-ceptional?

"Mirabel, just don't overwork yourself," her mother cupped her cheeks and planted a kiss on her nose.

Mirabel grumbled something before nodding, "Come on, y/n. We're leaving."

Her eyebrows rose as she hopped off the counter. She waved goodbye to the Madrigal couple before leaving with their daughter. Not even ten seconds out of the kitchen and they had been separated. Mirabel had went to retrieve something, and Camilo linked his arm with y/n's and started to lead her somewhere. But she didn't mind it. She wanted to be anywhere but there— a place without all the noise. She couldn't imagine the torture Dolores must go through with having her gift and still being forced to help decorate.

"Hurry up!" Camilo whispered. He snuck up the stairs with her behind him and matching his pace and the sound of his footsteps. Camilo peeked his head around the corner and looked side to side before seizing y/n's hand and rushing to his room. He opened the door and shut it just as fast. "I sincerely hope Abuela doesn't come looking for us until guests start coming. I can not change into anybody else to hang up another banner or grab something from underneath somewhere."

Y/n laughed, "I guess sometimes it's beneficial to not be a Madrigal, huh?"

"Maybe, but soon enough I'm going to be making you one," Camilo purred, his mouth next to her ear so she could feel the warmth of his breath against it. His eyes held a certain unexplainable look in them. Camilo wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled so her back crashed against his chest.