Chapter Text
(Age 10)
Why?
What did I do to deserve this?
Crashing through a large thicket Bruno nearly trips and crashes to the ground, distracted by his thoughts and the tears attempting to cloud his vision. Stumbling forward he rubs at his eyes with one of his arms and continues forward, forcing down agonizing sobs that threaten to escape.
It happened again. He had been trying to help Julieta heal some of the farmers when one of them had curiously asked if he could give them a vision. He had tried to convince them they didn't want one, had resorted to begging them, but word had already gotten out that "Alma's Seer-Son" was preparing to give another vision in the middle of town.
He had no choice but to comply.
And as usual, his words weren't accepted happily. The vision had been brief but clear- the farmer's favorite donkey was going to break one of its legs in a few days, and a chance for recovery didn't seem possible. In an instant the town was on him, and no amount of Julieta's calming words nor Pepa's furious defence of his character could deflect the poisonous insults they tossed his way.
If that wasn't bad enough his mamá's familiar disappointed look could be seen from across the center of town. She started walking closer, and he knows, he knows what she'll say, exactly what she always says. She'll bring him home and tell him to stop being pessimistic, to do better for the family. To stop scaring the people they're supposed to help as if he has any choice in what he sees. So, he did the most logical thing he could in that situation.
Bruno turned around and left.
And now he's lost in the woods with no idea where he's going. Though knowing his luck, he'll probably be eaten by a tiger or something.
Running through another thicket Bruno finally forces himself to slow to a stop, panting softly while examining his surroundings. A medium sized clearing greets him, with a large tree near the center; flowers growing underneath it in a calming blanket of color. Flowing calmly near the tree is a small section of a stream, water bubbling happily as it flows along. Tucked in a far corner of the clearing is a small pond with tall grass growing on its shores, one section of the shore opened up with mud, pond flowers, and some sand. Hesitating for a moment he eventually decides to walk to the tree and sit underneath the shade of it's gently flowing branches. Sniffling softly Bruno rubs at his eyes and hugs his knees to his chest, faint tremors betraying the fact that he has started to cry again. Whimpering softly as he sinks further into his feelings the passage of time eludes him; it isn't until the clear sound of breaking branches and someone crying out in surprise echo out in front of him that he realizes he's not as alone as he first thought.
Staring in horror Bruno glances between the broken branches above and the small figure currently lying in a heap on the ground in front of him, too stunned to speak let alone move. Hearing the stranger groan softly in pain he finally snaps out of his thoughts and moves closer, kneeling next to them while sputtering in a panic, new tears threatening to spill down his cheeks at the thought that someone may have just perished in front of him.
"D.. Dios Mio- A..Are you okay-?! Do you need a doctor?? P..Please don't be dead..-"
"Ach..- Joder..- Yeah I'm fine..- help me up-?"
Taking their hands into his, Bruno stands up and gently tugs them up with him, stumbling a bit and immediately apologizing when he catches them wincing. Taking this opportunity to finally get a good look at them he nearly panics at the sight of their red hair, certain he just witnessed Pepa falling from the tree. Forcing himself to focus for a moment he quickly realizes that the girl is not, in fact, his sister- evident by the fact her hair is just a few shades darker, isn't as curly, and isn't tied up the way his sister's normally is. The girl stands up to her full height and rubs her head with a huff, standing nearly a full foot taller than him much to his brief annoyance. She wears a light blue dress, stitches of flowers and hummingbirds decorating it in various places with a large range of colors. A small scratch on her cheek makes his gut clench with guilt despite the fact her fall technically wasn't his fault. Finally noting the curious hazel eyes staring into his own Bruno blushes a bit in embarrassment and looks away, holding his arm awkwardly. Hearing a small chuckle he looks back towards her and nearly flinches as she holds her hand out, glancing between her hand and her smiling face with obvious confusion and apprehension on his face.
"María Ortega. Sorry for listening in, I tried to stay quiet so you'd have some privacy but that didn't work too well- Couldn't leave either without alerting you that I was there."
Hesitating for a moment, Bruno eventually reaches out and gingerly takes her hand, smiling awkwardly from her words while internally screaming over the fact a stranger witnessed his breakdown.
"..B..Bruno. It's.. It's fine- My fault for not watching my surroundings. Uhm..Are you okay?"
Chuckling softly Maria scratches the back of her neck and gives him a blinding smile, but before she has the chance to speak a voice calls out from nearby, prompting the two to face the bushes at the other end of the clearing as the voice comes closer.
"María! Dónde fuiste? Señorita Hernandez said you left your lessons again-"
Pushing through the bushes walks a tall boy with tan skin and short dark curly hair, practically a mirror image of Bruno himself if it wasn't for some subtle differences between the two boy's faces. He's wearing a cream colored shirt with etching of flowers and bees going down it with stripes along with dark pants and sandals on his feet. As the boy approaches Bruno takes notice of his kind looking green eyes and the freckles forming stars on his face, the curious and kind smile the boy sends him forming warm butterflies in his chest. María being kind to him was shocking enough, but now this stranger as well? Unheard of.
Standing awkwardly to the side Bruno gives the two privacy as they begin to bicker a bit, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt as he waits for them to finish. The taller boy fusses over the scratches on María's hands and face much to her obvious chagrin, to the point that she turns to Bruno and drags him into the argument, stunning him with her likeness to his sisters.
" Bruno-! Please tell him I'm fine otherwise this fusspot won't stop until he's dragged me off to see señorita Rivera-"
"I will not- wait. Bruno-? miércoles- I'm sorry-"
Holding out his hand the boy gives Bruno a sheepish grin, his smile brightening when the shorter boy accepts his handshake. Still a bit stunned from the rollercoaster of emotions he's been put through Bruno almost doesn't catch his name as he introduces himself.
"Names Martello Agnello- thanks for helping Marí, she has the self preservation senses of an ant. Ow- Hey - ! "
Cutting Martello off the previously mentioned girl smacks his arm and aims a half hearted glare at his head. Turning to face Bruno she smiles reassuringly when she notices the clear anxiety he's feeling, giggling in amusement when he blushes and looks away. Gently grabbing each of the boys hands, the energetic girl tugs them back to the tree and makes them sit together, immediately bombarding Bruno with questions. To Bruno's surprise she never lets go of his or Martello's hands, opting to hold them as she rambles as if she's known Bruno all their lives.
"So where are you from? I haven't seen you around here before- Are you from the valley or from outside? How-"
" Marí slow down- you need to give him a chance to answer before you hit him with another question."
"Give me a break 'tello, he seems cool and I wanna be his friend! We can be friends, right?"
Startled by her intense focus suddenly being aimed at him, Bruno stumbles over his words, stunned by the two's easy acceptance of his presence. Do they not know about his family? Do they not know about his gift? Will they hate him once they find out-
Realizing he still hasn't answered Bruno blushes hard in embarrassment and glances between the duo's expectant faces and their joined hands. Giving them a small hesitant smile he answers in a shy whisper, fear still gripping his heart as he asks the one question that will decide his answer.
"You..You don't hate me? Despite who I am?"
Martello cuts in when he notices the confusion and concern on María's face, his voice gentle with understanding.
"I don't, no. He's Bruno Madrigal Marí- the seer old man Jorge told us about. He warned the old man about his bird shed collapsing last spring."
Brow furrowed in a new burst of confusion María gives Bruno an unimpressed look when she notices the fear on his face, huffing in annoyance while squeezing his hand to help show him she's not upset.
"Why would I hate you for something out of your control? I want to be your friend dummy, not call a priest or something stupid like that. Besides, the warning you gave Jorge helped a lot. Mamá said that if you hadn't given him that vision he'd be out of business and starved by now-"
They don't hate him.
They don't hate him-
Slowly, ever so slowly a grin blooms on Bruno's face, turning into a smile so infectiously happy that his new friends can't help but smile as well. Using his free hand to wipe away some brimming tears in his eyes Bruno chuckles shakily, finally giving an answer.
"I.. I'd like that. I'd like to be friends."
The moment he announces his choice he's instantly dragged into a breathtaking hug, María cheering happily while squeezing the two boys in a group hug. As he listens to the two chat cheerfully Bruno let's himself melt into the hug and simply basks in the life of this moment, still breathless from the fact that in just a few moments he went from loneliness to having friends. His first friends besides his sisters.
His new beginning.
___________
(Age 14)
"I'm bored."
Turning a page in his book Bruno doesn't bother looking up, taking a bite of a melcocha before responding with a bland tone.
"You're fishing Marí, fishing takes time. What did you think would happen?"
"Well I know that genius, I'm not an idiot. But shouldn't I have caught something by now?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know, do I look like a fisherman to you?"
Gasping dramatically María looks up from her fishing, placing a hand on her chest and laughing as Bruno rolls his eyes at her.
"Bruno Madrigal, scion of house Madrigal, cursing? What would 'tello think!"
"He'd agree with me and find my cursing justified, you cretin. Now hush- short beings should know not to interrupt my reading."
Sputtering and huffing in annoyance at the jab at her height María casts out her fishing line again, casually swinging her legs while perched up on a fallen tree that hangs over the stream. Watching the stream for a bit she eventually speaks up again, watching a small fish swim past her line with an annoyed glare.
"You're barely taller than me you ass- just because you hit your growth spurt first doesn't mean you'll be the tallest forever."
"What was that? I couldn't hear you from up here, you're gonna need to speak up-"
"...Who are you and what happened to the shy little short stack we cajoled into being our friend?"
"Corruption changes a man, my friend. You wouldn't know since you're the one doing the corrupting."
Grumbling as the cheeky seer snarks back María gives up on fishing and pulls in her line. Packing up her fishing line she rests her fishing pole on her shoulder and gets up, carefully walking down the log to return to shore. Plopping down next to Bruno she steals his melcocha and takes a bite, pointedly ignoring the unimpressed look he sends her way as she starts to talk again, a thoughtful look on her face. Noticing the worry in her eyes Bruno tucks his book away to give her his full attention.
"..Hey Bruno?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think..Do you think Martello's okay?"
"I'm sure he's fine Marí. Traveling out of the valley has always been difficult, but he's with his dad so I'm sure everythings fine."
"I know it's just- he was supposed to be back 3 days ago wasn't he?"
"4 days. He's fine colibrí , there was probably a storm over the pass through the mountains. It's not uncommon for the pass to be closed randomly around this time of year."
"I suppose.."
"Besides, when he gets back you can impress him with the progress of your mining apprenticeship, didn't you mention something the other day about Señor Valdez considering you for early captain-ship once you actually start working in the mines?"
"What, are you guys gossiping without me?"
Looking up from their conversation at the intruder, the duo is surprised and delighted to see the very person of their current topic, though he has most definitely gone through some changes. His hair has grown out to his shoulders, round glasses are perched upon his nose, and most important of all- He's grown taller. Much taller. Glancing between Bruno's shocked face and Martello's confused and cheerful one it isn't long before María is fighting off chuckles, wheezing into her hand while trying and failing to not fall over. Finally snapping out of his shock Bruno groans and holds his face, lamenting over his title of tallest being so abruptly ripped from his hands.
Damn month long trips over the mountains, what the hell did they feed this guy??
Rolling his eyes over the twos dramatics Martello walks over and forces himself in between them, plopping down on the ground and pulling them into a group hug with a bright happy grin. Melting into the hug the three simply hold each other, glad to be reunited again, basking in each other's presence for the first time in over a month since the newly crowned tallest of the group left. Speaking of new things María finally takes note of the new addition to Martello's face and reaches up to pluck them off, placing his glasses on her face with a curious look.
"What the hell are these Agnello? You're not becoming an old man on us, are you?"
Blushing a bit in embarrassment Martello tries to take them back with a grumble, jabbing Bruno in the side with his elbow when the other boy starts to laugh at the two's antics.
"Dad made me get them because I kept squinting at the street signs- they're stupid, I know."
Raising a teasing brow María takes the glasses off and places them back on Martello's face, pushing them into place with a cheeky grin.
"They're not stupid, they make you look cute, you're like a dorky beanpole now. My cute aprendiz médico . Anyways, c'mon- now that you're back we can go swimming!"
With that she jumps up and sprints for the pond, laughing happily while hollering for the two to join her. As she runs off she completely misses the bright blush that has overtaken Martello's face, though Bruno certainly hasn't. Playfully nudging the taller boy with his shoulder he chuckles as Martello rushes to cover his face, giving him a teasing grin and raising an inquisitive brow. Noting the silent question being aimed his way the bespectacled teen returns to watching Maria messing around with the plants on the pond's shore, a smitten look overtaking his face; Bruno's eyebrows disappearing into his hairline as he looks between his friend and the energetic redhead currently running around nearby.
"Bruno? If I ever get the chance to marry her, I genuinely think I'd die on the spot the happiest man alive. Just look at her, isn't she incredible? I don't have a chance in heck."
Watching his friend for a moment Bruno has a startling moment of just pure affection and exasperation as he comes to several realizations at once. His best friends are in love, but so so incredibly blind, neither of them are going to confess until they're all old and wrinkled. He's in for a painful couple of years stuck in the middle of their pining and there isn't a thing he can do about it. Sighing in defeat as he tries to ignore the fact that their smitten pining will likely frustrate him to no end in the future Bruno instead chooses to mess with the other boy, giving him a teasing smirk while standing up.
"Y'know you can say hell right? Just because you say it doesn't mean you'll be sent there, it's not a crime."
Scoffing at the seer's words Martello stands up and brushes off his pants, playfully shoving Bruno with a bright grin, chuckling when the shorter boy glares up at him due to the height difference being even more obvious now that they're both standing.
"Unlike you and Marí, I'm not a heathen who needs curses to sound intimidating."
"Are you two coming or am I going to have to carry your lame asses?"
Looking towards the pond the two are met with an unimpressed María, hands on her hips as she stands waiting for them. Sharing an amused look the boys decide to not make her wait any longer, shoving each other as they race to the pond, calling out to the grinning girl watching them with a happy smile.
As the friends splash each other with pond water Bruno can't help but internally sigh with a rare nostalgic bloom of bliss as he thinks of what the past 4 years have brought him since meeting his friends. Noting the goofy grin on his face the two knock him from his thoughts by teasing him, succeeding in making him be even more blissful and happy over their relationship.
Who knew a chosen family could steal his heart just as much if not more than those he's known all his life?
___________
(Age 25)
"But what if she says no and then I die alone in a shack somewhere as a sad hermit?"
"The odds of her saying no are so low they're not even worth mentioning, and you already have permission from her parents, stop worrying hermano . Do you have the flowers and the ring?"
Hands trembling Martello holds up a small box with one hand and a bouquet of red roses, orchids, and gerberas. Giving the taller man a soft reassuring smile Bruno reaches up and holds his shoulders, speaking soft yet adamantly as he tries to get his friend to believe in his words.
"She loves you, Martello, and you love her just as much if not more. In what world would she possibly say no?"
Looking down, Martello avoids Bruno's intense gaze, blushing a bit in embarrassment while gently clutching the important items in his hands to his chest. Despite being the youngest of the trio Bruno has always had a sense of maturity and seriousness about him, even without his gift involved; and it's during moments like these that Martello is reminded of that fact. Lifting his gaze from the floor Martello gives his best friend a sheepish grin, relaxing a bit in the presence of the shorter man's confidence over the situation.
"I..I guess it's pretty dumb of me to worry huh?"
"It's also dumb of you to fuss about it within earshot of the person you're trying to ask to marry you."
Freezing up in surprised horror, the two men slowly turn their heads to look towards the voice, shrinking slightly under the look María is giving them. Smiling sheepishly the two huddle next to each other as she pushes away from her casual leaned position on the door frame. Giving the two their moment Bruno steps away and watches the show, giving Martello a cheeky grin and an awkward thumbs up when he gives the seer a panicked look.
Gently taking Martello's hands in hers, María smiles up at him, chuckling softly as he blushes hard from her being so close. Voice soft with obvious affection and love she speaks up while pulling him closer.
"You don't need to pull some fancy stunt just to ask me to marry you mi querida doctor- I would say yes even if you just walked up and asked me."
Looking into her eyes with clear awe Martello takes a moment to speak, his voice full of loving reverence as he tries not to cry. Lifting a shaky hand he presents the box while giving her a hopeful smile.
"And..will you? Marry me, that is?"
Smiling brightly as if he just offered to gather the stars themselves for her to hold, she nods, tears falling down her cheeks. Processing the fact she's said yes fairly quickly Martello breaks out into relieved laughter, hugging her tightly. Remembering a certain seer who's been standing off to the side the whole time the two turn to face him and hold their arms open, laughing happily at the sight of him sniffling and smiling over the happy moment. Tugging him into a group hug the trio hold each other while radiating an almost breathtaking air of happiness. Tears still falling from his eyes Bruno has to force himself to fight the urge to look into the future in order to make sure the wedding goes well, the arms holding him helping him ground himself in the current moment.
"Dibs on having Bruno be my Godfather."
"Wh- mi amor that's not fair, why can't he be my Godfather and you ask Mer to be your Godmother?"
Sure enough the lovebirds start to halfheartedly bicker, prompting Bruno to sigh tiredly and roll his eyes with a loving smile.
God why do I love these idiots.
___________
"Since it is your intention to enter into the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church."
"I, Martello Agnello, take you, María Ortega, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life."
"I, Maria Ortega, take you, Martello Agnello, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life."
"What God joins together, let no one put asunder."
With that the two finally seal the moment, forming a bond that both would never dream of breaking. Cheers ring out as the two newlyweds hold each other, arguably the loudest of them all being the two's favorite Madrigal; tears shining in his eyes like the rarest of jewels as he witnesses one of the happiest moments of his best friend's lives.
To have and to hold indeed.
___________
(Age 27)
Please please be okay oh god-
Rushing down one of the many winding streets Bruno sprints towards a house that rests around the center of town, tears brimming in his eyes as his mind brings up a thousand possibilities of what could be wrong. Just moments before someone had approached him while he was walking home to Casita informing him that María and Martello were asking for him, hinting that something important was happening but refusing to explain what exactly was wrong. And naturally, Bruno had dropped everything and sprinted towards the well trodden path that leads to the neighboring town in which the married couple live, every hell scenario one can think of immediately coming to the panicked seer's mind.
Wasting no time for pleasantries, the moment he's near the front door he immediately opts to kick it down, eyes blazing green as his stress levels make the visual effects of his gift spark up.
"María-?! Martello, are you-"
"Hijo de puta- Bruno-! What the fuck are you doing-?!"
Blinking in confusion Bruno finally pays attention to his surroundings, immediately stunned by the sight of María standing inside the house, a shattered bowl on the floor in front of her. Rushing forward Bruno pulls her into a hug, narrowly avoiding the broken glass as he fusses over the startled woman being smothered in his arms. Eventually pulling away he gently holds her shoulders while examining her face, relief nearly making his knees weak when he realizes she's okay.
"What happened? Someone told me you both needed me but they refused to say why and-"
"So you kick my newly painted door down, you fussy ass?"
"You would do the same thing and you know it mi amor . Bruno, can you close the door please? Come to the kitchen when you're done, we'll talk at the table."
Ever the voice of reason, Martello calls to the two from the kitchen, amusement clear in his voice. Sighing in defeat María lightly smacks Bruno in the back of the head before walking to the kitchen, muttering about protective idiots as she disappears down the hall. Now thoroughly confused the seer rubs the back of his head while closing the front door, eyes fading to their normal color now that the main source of his stress has been taken away. Stepping into the kitchen he's met with the sight of Martello standing near the counter filling cups full of coffee and María sitting at the table already holding a cup. Sitting across from Maria he thanks Martello as the doctor hands him a cup before sitting next to his wife, pulling her into a gentle side hug while sipping from his cup. For a moment there is a tense silence, until of course María quickly becomes bored of it, setting her cup down with a frustrated huff.
"..I'm still pissed about the door, though I get why you did it. Honestly..I have no idea how to tell you this so I'm just going to be blunt, okay?"
Waiting until she receives a nod of confirmation from Bruno, María takes Martello's hand in hers, the two sharing a look and twin nervous smiles before focusing on the confused man sitting across from them. Martello gently places a hand on María's shoulder and holds her close as she finally drops the news they've been holding back for over a week. Moments after Bruno sincerely wishes that someone could hold him up as well, because nothing, nothing could ever prepare him for her words.
"We're going to be parents, and we want you to be the twin's padrino ."
…..
Parents?
Godfather?
Twins-?
It takes him a moment to realize he hasn't said anything yet, though when he does finally break through his astonishment it's as if someone injected an entire pot of espresso into his bloodstream. Within seconds he's standing and lurching over the table, joyously ignoring the coffee soaking through his shirt and burning him in favor of clutching his friends as close as possible, happy tears flowing down his cheeks in a steady river. Laughing together the three move to the floor and sit together in a group hug, many tears being shed over this heartfelt moment and what the future will bring them in a few months.
Years later Bruno still cheerfully beams over the faint scars littering his stomach, an eternal reminder of one of the happiest days of his life. No one has ever been able to convince him to explain where they came from. And no matter how much she pushes, Julieta has never convinced him to let her heal them away, receiving a quick and nervous excuse before he'd rush away to escape the conversation.
___________
(Age 32)
" Brunito , would you be alright with bringing the boys upstairs? We can clean the kitchen just fine by ourselves,they always seem to sleep longer after you've put them to bed- "
María's words are immediately met with whines of complaint from two small boys, yawns interrupting them as they try to convince their mother they aren't tired. Chuckling softly Bruno ruffles the boys' hair with a loving smile and hums in amusement when the two immediately grab his ruana and tug on it in a silent command for him to pick them up, conveniently forgetting their protests moments before in favor of nuzzling their faces into their favorite tío 's neck once he has them resting comfortably in his arms.
"Alright boys- What your mamá says, goes. Let's get you to bed aye?"
Gently tucking the two toddlers close to his chest Bruno smiles happily as Maria and Martello approach to kiss their children's foreheads, murmuring gentle promises to come upstairs soon to wish them goodnight before hugging Bruno and sending him off. Walking slowly so as to not disturb the children dozing in his arms he makes his way upstairs to their room, a blissful smile lighting up his face as he glances down at them.
Matías and Valdez Agnello. His ahijados . The two boys are perfect in his eyes- taking their looks mostly from their father, but with parts of their mother's personality already starting to show. Watching them try to fight the sleepiness pulling them under makes his heart swell with a new wave of love, tears brimming in his eyes from the emotions swirling within. The miracles resting in his arms have already taken over a large part of his heart and he doesn't mind in the slightest.
Gently, Reverently, almost as if he were handling fragile glass; Bruno sets the twins down in their beds one by one with the softest smile anyone could ever claim to see on his face. He takes a moment to make sure they're tucked in comfortably, stroking their hair and planting a gentle kiss on their foreheads before stepping away, hesitating in the doorway of their room with a thoughtful look on his face.
He was far more than a simple tío . He was a padrino , and the level of trust and responsibility that title entails is something he never dreamed he'd be entrusted with. Never in a thousand years. Can he keep them safe? What if he fails? Dios mío, what's he going to do if the two ever have siblings in the future? Huffing softly Bruno shakes his head in an attempt to scatter his thoughts and starts to pull their door closed, brow furrowing in confusion and slight frustration as a brief feeling of dread hits his stomach.
And of course, that's when the pain hits.
Slowly at first, it starts teasing his mind into a false sense of security with short small bursts of pain to convince him it's just one of his usual headaches. After a few moments it seems to settle and he nearly let's himself breathe a sigh of relief. That relief is swiftly short-lived, his thoughts screaming in agony as the simple waves turn into an internal typhoon, knees buckling underneath him as stars consume his vision from the pain overtaking his senses. Gasping shakily, Bruno nearly accidentally bites his tongue in half as he snaps his jaw shut, clinging to the doorway while trying to stay quiet during his fight against the rising vision.
Please- please no, not here, not them- not their boys- Son demasiado jóvenes, demasiado jóvenes para morir, por favor no- Te lo ruego, te lo ruego, por favor, oh Dios- Dios, por favor-
He needs to move. He needs to get away from them, the sand will hurt them, he needs to go - Shakily forcing his hands away from the door he takes a step and immediately slams down onto his hands and knees, biting back a whimper as he ends up collapsing further onto his stomach. Gritting his teeth Bruno reaches out and desperately starts to drag himself away from the boys' room, trembling as wave after wave of gut wrenching pain tries to force him under the influence of his gift. Time seems to slow as he pulls himself forward, the distance between him and the end of the hall never seeming to shorten no matter how much he pushes himself to move.
Blindly reaching forward he doesn't realize he's made a mistake until it's far too late. The crash of glass hitting wood assaults his ears, and when he glances down he's horrified by the sight of green shards biting into his skin like vicious hounds. Staring at the slowly growing pool of blood the seer begins to spiral further, the faint sound of small feet hitting the floor in the other room shooting a large spark of panic up his spine. He'd failed. Sinking further within himself he barely catches the sound of panicked voices calling his name, familiar calloused hands gently moving him onto his back and moving him partially onto someone's lap. Emerald tears escape his eyes as he blankly stares upward, unable to move as the vision takes advantage of his moment of weakness and uses this chance to mercilessly take hold. The last thing his hazy eyes allow him to see is four of his most precious persons crying over his trembling form. Their voices are muffled in his ears and Bruno can't help the massive wave of guilt that attempts to drown him as his mind catches the urgency and fear in their voices. Before he fully loses control he manages to murmur softly to them, voice choked with pain and unending tears.
" P...Por favor, perdóname..- "
___________
From the moment he wakes Bruno is an immediate pain. Muscles twitch with phantom pains and a bone deep soreness. His skull pulses with the feeling of sharp stones stabbing deep within, crushing everything in their path. The seer's ears still ring from the cannon blast sounds of the earth falling apart around them. Them . Dios mío, why did they have to-
Bruno has no time to calm down before the victims of his cursed gift approach. Martello pushes a glass of water into his face and gently makes him drink, fussing just as he always has. María approaches Bruno's other side and takes one of his hands in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze when she feels him tense up. The second Martello takes the glass away Bruno begins to speak. He rambles as much as he can, voice hoarse from screaming during his vision, frantic as he tries to compel them to heed his words. He clings to them both and refuses to let go, eyes sparking in his stress between their usual gentle green to the poisonous emerald he has learned to hate.
"Marí- 'tello- please..- please- you can't- The mines. You can't return to the mines. T..The tunnels will collapse, no one will be able to get to you, you can't go back. Por favor. No puedo perderte, no podemos perderte, por favor no te vayas. Promise me you won't go back-!"
Shushing him softly Martello cups Bruno's face in his hands and moves onto the bed to sit with him, gently stroking Bruno's face and hair as he tries to help the panicked prophet calm down. María joins them by sitting close and giving Bruno a side hug, resting her head on his shoulder while continuing to gently squeeze his hand whenever he tenses. Eventually María speaks up, waiting until Bruno has calmed enough to answer.
"How much time do we have, Brunito ? How far into the future did you go?"
Her question startles him and prompts Bruno to give her an incredulous look, stunning the poor man to silence. It takes him a moment to sort his thoughts but when he does his voice is immediately stricken with fear. The look in his eyes forces María's heart to leap into her throat, emotions forcing tears to spill and slowly slide down her cheeks like falling stars.
" Why should that matter-? You can't honestly be thinking of- María , please don't tell me you-?"
Martello grabs Bruno's other hand and shares a look with his wife, both glancing towards the seer's upset face again at the same time. Glancing between the resigned yet determined looks on their faces Bruno nearly instantly knows what they're thinking, and the sudden realization immediately sparks a soul deep weariness and guilt he knows he'll never be able to shake. His pleas will not reach them. No matter how much of a fuss he may try to kick up, the two will continue working as they always have. To ask them to stop helping people would be like asking the world to stop turning. María guides and takes care of her crew in the mines, Martello patches them up and helps whenever rescue is needed.
They care too much for the people they help to stop what they're doing.
Noticing the tears forming in Bruno's eyes Martello immediately reaches out to brush them away, tears of his own threatening to spill as well. Without missing a beat María grabs them both and pulls them into a bone crushing hug, the trio sitting together in grief stricken silence. They do not sob, nor do they speak up to try and convince each other to change their minds. Instead they mourn. They mourn what will come to pass, what they have that may be lost, the impact that the future may have on the two children sleeping in the other room. Bruno takes brief solace in the fact that no tablet has formed. At least they will not have to grow up with a physical representation of the curse he's plagued their parents with.
Later on that night when Bruno sneaks away while the house's occupants are seemingly asleep, the couple does not chase after him. They watch from their bedroom window as a lone cloaked figure disappears into the darkness, holding each other close for comfort, eyes red from the tears that refuse to fall anymore. From the moment Bruno woke and learned of their decision they knew he would leave. And they knew, deep down, that tonight will likely be the last time they ever catch sight of their favorite seer.
Gently, silently María lifts a tablet made of a familiar glowing green glass, holding it so her husband may look at it with her. Her voice is hoarse from crying when she eventually speaks.
"Do you think he'll forgive us for lying?"
The doctor chuckles sadly and reaches up to hesitantly touch the tablet, tracing his fingers over the image of himself and the love of his life holding each other close while standing within a cave.
"He already despises himself enough, mi amor. If he were to learn that this exists-"
Martello moves the glass in her hands ever so slightly, his heart sinking in his chest as the image shifts. Stones appear above the image of them, implying quite clearly what their fate will be in the future. His eyes burn with grief and steely resolve as the weight of the future hangs over their heads. The short time they will have with the twins has made life all the more precious.
" It would break him. "
___________
(Age 51, Present Day)
Shaking his head in an attempt to force himself to focus and to force the faint bittersweet memories of the past away, a small man draped in a familiar green poncho slowly walks through the large crowd swarming past him, the village he's traveling through bustling with constant activity. As he continues to walk almost aimlessly his mind drifts against his will once again, forcing him to reminisce over more recent times.
One year.
It's been one year since his isolation quite suddenly ended. One year since his new purpose began.
He has been tracking down every single person he's ever given a vision to in order to speak with them. To hopefully apologize to those who need him to do so, and to patch things up with anyone who has suffered from the consequences his gift may have mistakenly unleashed upon them. Hundreds of people, thousands of words, and yet no matter how hard he tries Bruno cannot force himself to approach his final apology. His biggest regret.
The Agnello Twins.
If there was anything that would be tied for first on his list of regrets that will follow him to the grave, leaving his family behind and abandoning his godsons would be it. He should have met with them over a month ago. He'd tracked them down and found that they live in the same village their parents grew up in, he could have simply gone to the market and asked around to find them, and yet his own cowardice continues to drag him down. And now here he is. Stumbling through a village, María and Martello's village, in hopes of finding his old friends. Perhaps if he can earn their forgiveness, they'll help him reunite and apologize to the twins-
"Oh- Dios mío- We're incredibly-"
"- sorry, are you alright Señor -?"
Quite suddenly Bruno is ripped from his thoughts, nearly hitting the hard unforgiving ground if it wasn't for two sets of arms catching him. Looking up slowly his heart stutters in his chest from a sudden jolt of surprise and fear at the sight of who is holding him up. ' God must surely hate me ' , he can't help but think, twin pairs of curious and astonished hazel meeting Bruno's own horrified mossy green. ' They've grown up so quickly and I missed it all. '
Almost 20 years of running from the consequences of his vision, guilt eating away his soul for leaving them behind simply because he didn't want to deal with the pain of what his vision would bring, and he runs into them in the middle of a random street. Who would have thought?
Blinking a bit Bruno blushes in embarrassment when he realizes he was staring, standing up straight and immediately fidgeting with the hem of his poncho as he rushes to apologize. One of the twins waves his words off with a grin and a soft chuckle, Bruno's eyes immediately focusing on the large scar on their face that starts on the lower end of their right cheek and arches up to curve over the bridge of their nose, ending over their left eye with the end of the scar splitting their eyebrow ( How much did he miss? His boys are scarred, how could he fail them so horribly- ). Smiling nervously Bruno takes some solace in the fact that the two don't seem to recognize him and decides to take a risk, swallowing down his nerves so he may move forward.
"Do..Do either of you know where I may find María and Martello Agnello? I uh..I'm an old friend of theirs."
The steely pained look in their eyes is all he needs. Confirmation he has hoped for years with every ounce of his being he would never receive. Within moments he is tongue tied as he tries to apologize, ignoring the two as they try to convince him to stay for just a moment longer. Tears already clouding his sight Bruno forces his way through the crowds and runs out of the town as swiftly as his shaky legs can move. He sprints into the woods blindly, ignoring the faint sting of leaves and branches hitting his skin, no destination in mind.
He should've run home.
A large tree stands proudly next to a happily bubbling stream. A pond rests at the other end of the clearing, tall grass hiding a small muddy island at its center that he knows must still be there.
All he can do is collapse to his knees in the center of the clearing and scream as ghosts of the past haunt him with their cheerful laughter, hugging himself tightly as they call his name with a warmth he'll never be worthy enough to deserve again. Tears choke the breath from his lungs, violent tremors shaking his lanky frame as he breaks the denial he has been shielding his heart with and finally lets himself mourn. And as he lifts his tear streaked face up to face the slowly emerging evening stars Bruno Madrigal curses his supposed gift for what it's done to his heart.
There is no need for a gift that only brings pain. What sense are the warnings it brings, if they are not heeded by those who need them?