The Shapeshifter's Clues (Camilo Madrigal x Reader)

Arepas that Heal?

The Madrigal Abuela seemed to be talking to the house. A yellow chair streaked through the tile floor and came towards you. The chair moved and scooped you under, sitting you down next to a small counter.

"That was unexpected," you said, startled. The Abuela just smiled.

"I'm sure since you're new here you don't know about the Madrigal family gifts or the miracle," she said.

Obviously.

"When we get you set up, I will explain everything. Now where are those two?"

Like they were magically summoned, Casita's tiles moved and brought Camilo, Antonio, and Julieta, who you remembered was their tia, into the room.

"Traitor, we were only a few steps away," Camilo muttered to Casita. Casita responded with a little melody it made by moving the tile floor to a rhythm. "Whatever."

Julieta turned to you and said, "Ah, a head injury. Thank goodness it wasn't too deep. Let me get some arepas."

You wondered how arepas would cure you, but you weren't one to renounce free food, so you nodded. You noticed Camilo shifting his weight between his legs and nervously fidgeting with his hands. What did he do?

"I can't seem--to find--any--arepas," Julieta exclaimed as she searched every cupboard. "The healing leftovers are gone!"

Casita knew something. It pushed Camilo towards his aunt and smacked him with a cupboard. "Okay, okay, Casita!" Camilo responded, as he gave Casita a dirty look, although it looked like he was scowling at the floor. "Tia, I--I--got kind of hungry after breakfast." He lowered his head in shame.

"Ay, Camilo," Julieta shook her head and rolled her eyes, but you could see that she was trying not to smile. This sort of thing had happened before. "I'm going to start lowering the quality of my food if you keep eating it all! How is it possible you were hungry after breakfast?"

Camilo grinned sheepishly and responded, "I'll help you make more, and also some buñuelos for Señora Mildred. It's Sunday, after all." He looked at you and smiled. You felt your cheeks getting hot.

"Camilo. We all know you love Julieta's food, but her gift is the reason why the food is important! For when this happens! From now on, no eating after breakfast," Abuela Alma said with a harsh tone of disappointment.

Camilo seemed hurt, but decided not to push. You thought maybe when you got home you could make him some arepas so he could eat if he got hungry. For now, you kept examining the large, beautiful kitchen. Herbs hung from the teal cupboards, wooden spoons and spatulas organized near the stove, and a huge fire oven that could probably fit you inside. Not that you wanted to find out if you could.

"Here," a nervous voice said behind you, as the person tapped your shoulder with their finger. "I have an arepa here that I saved. You can have it."

Turning around, you could see a skinny man wearing a hooded green ruana, his shaggy, curly dark hair barely resting on his shoulders. His arm held a single arepa that he offered up to you.

"Thanks, uh, what's your name?" you were surprised to see such a mysterious man. It was as if the air had summoned him.

"I'm-"

"We don't talk about Bruno, y/n," Camilo stated with a teasing voice.

"Camilo, let your poor tio say what he needs to say," Julieta reprimanded.

"All right, heh."

Bruno seemed unwilling to continue talking, so you took the arepa and thanked him. He finally gained the courage to continue with his sentence.

"As Camilo said, I'm Bruno, and well, I gave you the arepa, and yeah, see you," Bruno scurried away and picked up a rat that had snuck up on the counter.

You had decided already that you liked the Madrigals, but you didn't understand what the deal with the 'gifts' was. An arepa couldn't heal you. Sure, it would calm your growling stomach, but it wasn't like it was magical or something. Maybe arepas were sacred here? You hadn't done your research yet.

Taking a bite out of it, you realized that all the arepas you had ever eaten in your life couldn't possibly taste better than the one that was in your hands. But what happened next you weren't expecting. A sweet surge of energy traveled from your mouth to where you had hit your head, and it felt like flower petals were gently covering your injury. You raised your hand up and touched where the bleeding was, but there wasn't an injury anymore.

There was no denying that something about this tiny village in the middle of nowhere had some kind of magic that you had had no idea about.

"Let me explain," Camilo grinned, noticing your face.