[IC] Misc. Open Post

[curriculum_fictae]

For various overflow, misc. threads that don't fit on the comms they're for, etc.

Comments

[curriculum_fictae]

…

Um. I. Don’t take this the wrong way, but. Is anyone in your family happy?

[hijoperdido]

[He gestures vaguely with one hand.]

They're happy when everyone's happy.

[curriculum_fictae]

Okay, then who is happy in this family?

[hijoperdido]

I-

I just told you, they all are. Just, y'know. Sometimes it's not so obvious and everyone has bad days sometimes.

[curriculum_fictae]

The fact that you can’t even name anyone specifically is telling, Bruno.

[hijoperdido]

Look, what- What exactly do you want from me here? You show up out of nowhere, start asking about my family, then start criticizing my family. What do you want.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin pinks at that and withdraws. ]

I - sorry. I just want to help. That’s all.

[hijoperdido]

Every family has something wrong, okay? No family is perfect, and- And everyone has something they're working on. Mamá is doing her best taking care of everyone, and we have to help her. And sometimes that means Pepa has to keep her emotions under control, and Isabela may have to marry some guy she's not interested in, and I have to stay back here, out of sight and not hurting anyone.

It just - It's like that sometimes.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin makes another face, but he doesn’t comment on any of those things directly, at least. ]

I suppose I don’t have that sort of family, so I can’t comment.

[hijoperdido]

[Bruno, meanwhile, huffs through his nose and sits back a bit. Staring down at his self-made plate with his name, then at the light coming through the crack in the wall.]

....Sorry. I just- They're all I've got.

[curriculum_fictae]

No, no. That I understand. My - my mum. Like I said.

[ A deep breath. ]

It’s just - in my specific case, I should have walked away years ago.

[hijoperdido]

...Where would you've gone?

[curriculum_fictae]

Physically? I moved to London. Mentally, well. I should have just cut contact. Stopped trying to see her.

[hijoperdido]

Oh.

Yeah, there's nowhere I can really uh. 'Move' to, not without leaving the encanto.

[curriculum_fictae]

No, I. I see that. Yes. And you seem …

[ He hesitates. ]

Well, I don’t know your mum, but just from what you’re saying she seems. Ah. Like there’s more hope, probably.

[hijoperdido]

[He seems like he's never known anything else in his life.

He fidgets with his spoon on the plate a bit, thinking about that.]

There's hope for them, I think. If. If she can do it, then things will be better for them.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Yeah. That too. But that’s why Martin’s worried. If he literally can’t escape, and this is all he’s known, AND his mother is as bad as Martin’s …

He hopes that last part isn’t true. But he just doesn’t know, does he? ]

She? Your mother?

[hijoperdido]

[He just. Takes an arepa and idly breaks it apart, sharing it with the rats nuzzling their little noses on his arms.]

Mirabel, my youngest sobrina. She, uh. The night she was supposed to get her Gift didn't go so well. Her vision was... Different. I-i dunno what'll happen but if there's hope for this family, it's her.

[curriculum_fictae]

… how old is she now?

[hijoperdido]

Fourteen now? She was five when she was supposed to get her gift, and then it went bad and I didn't know what it meant, still don't know what it means. But she's- She's trying.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He. He doesn’t say anything, but this face clearly says “you’re leaving the future of your potentially toxic and definitely magic family to a FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD???” ]

[hijoperdido]

[Yeah he's good at reading.]

Look, she's smart. She's hard working, she wants so badly to do right. And- and her vision that I had? Definitely has to do with the fate of the magic. So. So yeah.

[curriculum_fictae]

Okay, okay, I believe you. Different world, different rules.

[hijoperdido]

[He nods, obviously pleased with that. Then thinks again.]

I- boy I wish I knew how to get you home. Not because I don't like the company, just. You seem really kinda stressed out by mi familia, and- And I dunno.

[curriculum_fictae]

I’m -

[ SIGH. ]

I’m not stressed. I’ll be less stressed. I just care about you? And it seems like you have few that do.