The Shapeshifter's Clues (Camilo Madrigal x Reader)

A Day of Sorrow

Y/n,

If you are reading this, is because I have already joined my husband, your abuelo, in heaven. By what I told you before this, you know what you need to do. I hope you take this news lightly, and know that I trust you and have the utmost faith that you can do what I ask of you. Our family, the village, it puts its faith in you. Only trust someone who you know will help you achieve this mission. Your first clue is this:

Every person dreams to see

New beginnings eternal as a tree

Colors flow through the air

Escorting us through the despair

Never has the morning sun risen

In a place where hope is lost and souls are imprisoned

Look beyond what is presented

Learn to observe, the hurt amended

Old as time have people yearned

Time to find what they have earned

Run and find what time has hidden

Each in a while was once forbidden.

Encantos aren't always good-ridden.

Your pillow provided the perfect material to soak up your wails and tears. Your mother and your brothers were crying now, and your father was trying to keep them as calm as he could. But how could he? Your family was always close to your grandmother, and her loss created a void so large in the hearts of everybody. What could anybody do?

You had nothing to do except lock yourself in your room and reread the last piece of writing your grandmother had penned, a remnant of who she was. Suddenly, you thought of Camilo.

Oh no. He was so close with her. Maybe even closer than me. What will he do?

You thought yourself selfish. You weren't the emotional type, the one who lingered on the past. You decided to push your selfishness aside, even though you had a right to, and talk to the only person who could provide some advice at the moment.

You left through the window.

You didn't even make it half a block before Dolores, Camilo's sister, stopped you in your tracks and embraced you in a hug. "I'm so sorry. I heard--I can't believe it."

You couldn't hold the tears in and you got Dolores's blouse wet. She didn't seem to mind and she herself started to get a little choked up. "Camilo--he--invited her a couple of times. She would always make us laugh. He would say such wonderful things about her."

You cried harder. "It's ok, it's ok," Dolores wiped the tears off of your cheeks with her fingers.

"Does he know?" you sniffed as Dolores let go of the embrace and looked at you with extreme sympathy.

"I was walking through the vendors stalls and I, I heard what happened. No one knows yet except me." Dolores struggled to keep her poised composure.

"I need to talk to him. Where is he?" you didn't want to cause a scene in the middle of rush hour. So many people were chatting and laughing away. It wasn't fair. 

Dolores didn't want to tell. She knew what would happen. "He's--he's near the school. He's doing a play for them, the kids."

You turned to leave and was stopped once more by Dolores grabbing your arm. "Break it to him slowly, please. My brother loved her. She was like his second grandmother."

Nodding, you turned away, dreading what you had to say. As the school got closer, you could hear the giggles and laughs of the village children as Camilo shapeshifted into different characters, saying his lines and acting in a dramatic manner. You would have smiled if you could have. For now, you would wait until he finished his performance.

When he did, he ended with an elegant stretch of his hands and a dramatic bow. The children were delighted. "Come back tomorrow for the grand finale of The Marvelous Journey of Coffee Kid! Thank you for being such an adoring audience!"

The children clapped. One by one they hugged Camilo. The teacher thanked him for today's performance and corralled the children back inside.

Camilo was left alone and he picked up his props and started to put them in a box for tomorrow. He noticed you out of the corner of his eye. Running to you, he put on his best face and said, "Y/n! I didn't know you were coming! So, did you enjoy the performance?"

"It was good, from what I saw," you responded so quietly, you almost didn't hear yourself.

Camilo noticed the expressionless manner in how you said it. "Are you ok? If you're still nervous from what we did last evening, we haven't been caught yet."

You didn't answer. You didn't want to tell him, he was so innocent.

"What is it?" Camilo urged you. "Y/n?"

Your eyes started to well up. "I-"

Camilo's caring instincts kicked in and he quickly sat down next to you and put his arm around you. "What happened? You can tell me. Anything. I promise I won't judge."

He held your gaze and you could tell he was telling the truth. But you didn't want to upset him.

"Please," he begged.

"My abuela died this morning," you whispered quickly. Rip off the band-aid.

You regretted saying those words as soon as you said them. You witnessed Camilo's happy and trusting gaze slowly wane into one of denial and anguish. "No.." he whispered to himself.

"No. No...this can't...this can't..."

He covered his face with his hands and repeatedly said, "No...no...no...no."

"This can't be happening! NO! No---" Camilo wept and stood up furiously. "You're lying! No! She was fine yesterday! It's not true!"

"Camilo, unfortunately--"

Camilo ran. He left you there and went to sit by the fountain where you had first met.

You chased after him. "It's true! I miss her too! Camilo! I need to talk to you! I loved her too!"

He turned away and looked at the water. "How? She was fine----she was fine."

"She had cancer!"

"Why didn't Tia Julieta heal her!? Isn't that what her dumb gift is for?"

"You don't mean that," you said, but you realized he was right. Julieta should have been able to heal her with her food. Why hadn't it worked?

"I'm sorry, y/n. I don't know what came over me. I took all those days with her for granted. I thought she would always be there. I'm such a bad person."

"You are not, Camilo. You are one of the bravest, funniest, and talented people I have met. This will be hard for my family and yours too, but we can get through this together, I promise."

Camilo managed a little smile. "Thanks, y/n. Now, ignoring my little breakdown, did you have something you needed to tell me?"

Letter in hand, you showed him. "I need your help with something."