Chapter Text
Bruno had been right of course, Dolores had told the family immediately. The two of you had exited his tower room to find a crowd of Madrigals standing in the courtyard, talking excitedly. Dolores had her arm looped with Mariano’s as she whispered eagerly to Mirabel. The moment Antonio spotted you and Bruno standing on the balcony, he shouted “Look, there they are!” and suddenly all eyes were on you two.
The celebration that night had lasted hours, the family staying up and talking about what the wedding would be like. Alma was pleased to finally see her son married, and especially so soon after Dolores had wed Mariano as well. You and Bruno sat beside each other on one of the couches in the backyard as you listened to the rest of your family attempt to plan your wedding for you. Everyone seemed to have their own idea about how it should go and who could do what to help. You and Bruno shared a look as ideas were thrown about the room.
In the end, no one actually wanted to be controlling, their ideas were simply suggestions. So you and Bruno took their exhilarated brainstorming with good humor. Some of their ideas were actually quite good, and you found yourself taking mental note of what things made Bruno nod and what made him cringe. However the ceremony would be, how big or small, extravagant or not, you knew that you’d be thrilled as long as you got to call yourself Bruno’s wife at the end of the day.
The first few months of your engagement went by in a flurry of planning. You and Bruno both struggled to balance your work during the day, and the growing complexity of the ceremony being planned. You were grateful to Mirabel and Alma who took charge and began to direct the rest of the family on what to do to help plan. Soon each member of the family had their own jobs related to the ceremony, even Antonio, who besides being the ring-bearer, promised to have an assortment of colorful birds show up and fly a synchronized dance as you and Bruno emerged from the church.
You felt that maybe the whole thing was getting a bit dramatic when Isabela added in that she’d make not only the world’s most colorful bouquet but also topiary figures of you and Bruno. At that point, you had pulled her aside and brought a delighted smile to her face as you gave her an alternative request. Instead of the figures, you asked if she was able to create a weeping willow tree to place nearby the house as a wedding present. She had let out an excited ‘of course I can do that!’ And said that for the evening of your ceremony she’d create a whole grove of trees so large the canopy could shelter the entire wedding party. You told her not to tire herself out, but the idea of having dinner beneath the trees sounded beautiful. Bruno had agreed and added that it would look lovely illuminated by candles and hanging lanterns.
A bump in the road of your engagement came about 4 months in. You had been so caught up in planning, that you realized you hadn’t even told your parents yet. The idea brought you anxiety for some reason, and you found yourself putting it off. It had actually been Felix, who pulled you aside one day and sat you down for a conversation. Agustin had walked by the table and Felix had called him over. The three of you sat as Felix told you he had noticed your increasing nervousness. He had told you that he understood completely, though he had known the Madrigals for most of his life, it was still nerve-wracking for him to marry into the magical family. Agustin had nodded in agreement, telling you that though the family meant well, they didn’t really realize the pressure that came with marrying one of them.
You had smiled at them gratefully, and told them that you had begun to feel much better about the pressure months ago, but that you had something else on your mind. The two men had listened patiently as you had described your unease about telling your parents.
Over a year had passed since your first visit with them. You had gone back 7 times since then, the visits spread out over months. Your relationship was still somewhat tense, and at times you could feel the familiar arguments trying to worm their way into conversations, but it wasn’t all bad. Many of your visits were even pleasant.
Not all though.
On your third visit to them, you had asked Vanesa to send Bruno with you. The Bruja had obliged, always willing to help you despite her distaste for your parents. You found yourself truly grateful to her, sometimes even lingering in her house to have conversations after talking to your parents. The first time you had brought Bruno back with you, an argument had erupted between your parents and Bruno. Your parents still resented the way he had (rightfully) called them out and lectured them. And Bruno despised the couple for how they had treated you. At one point the yelling had gotten to be too much and you left the house, overwhelmed by the dispute. Bruno had promptly followed after you, apologies spilling from his lips desperately.
You hadn’t been too angry with him. Really your parents had been the ones to start it. But you couldn’t help but feel upset that the people you loved couldn’t even try to get along. As you sat on the back steps of your childhood home, Bruno wrapped an arm around you and sat with you while you got your breathing under control. Eventually, your father had opened the back door and taken a seat on the step on your other side, your mother followed after, sitting on the step above you. The four of you simply sat in silence for a moment as the grasshoppers chirped and the stars blazed above you. Eventually, apologies had been passed around.
You had told your parents that if they couldn’t get along with Bruno, you would not be visiting them again for a while. That had cowed them a bit, and everyone had agreed to remain civil. Afterward, when you and Bruno had returned back to Vanesa’s house, she had pulled Bruno into a hug and congratulated him for ripping into your parents so thoroughly. Bruno actually accepted the embrace for a moment. He later told you that though he still found the enchantress to be exasperating, the one thing they could always agree on, was how much they both disliked your parents, well, that and they could also agree on how much they both adored you.
After you had explained all this to Felix and Agustin, they had gifted you with some sage advice. You were going to marry Bruno no matter what your parents said about it, no matter how they reacted; telling them was simply an act of courtesy on your part, and it was better to just get it over with so you didn’t have to waste any more headspace on the matter.
And of course, your soon-to-be brother-in-laws were right. The next day you had called on Vanesa and had her bring you back to your hometown. You would have had Bruno come with you, but the thought of your parents rejecting the marriage had you wanting to go alone. As little as Bruno valued their opinion, you knew it would still hurt him if they said they didn’t want him to marry you.
The conversation had not gone how you would have expected it. Your parents had already come to accept the fact that you and Bruno were truly in love, that he would always be a part of your life. They took the news of the wedding quite well, and for a moment you felt giddy with their congratulations. But it had been a bit too good to be true. The moment you had told them the wedding was to be held in the Encanto, the smiles had been wiped from their faces. An argument had broken out over the location of the wedding, your parents insisting it take place in their hometown, after all, it was where they were married. You, of course, rejected this thought immediately. Encanto was your home now, the people there were your community, and there was no other place in the world you wished to be married.
Your mother had begun to cry angrily, telling you that if you married there, she and your father wouldn’t be able to attend the wedding. You had looked at her in irritated bewilderment. Of course they could attend, you had said, Vanesa could send them over easily. This had only riled them up further, and they began to curse out the woman you had begrudgingly begun to think of as your friend. They told you that they didn’t trust her or her magic and that they certainly didn’t want to go to some strange town under some mysterious enchantment. You realized with a jolt that they would really let their superstitions and their prejudice against Vanesa keep them from being there on your wedding day.
You had taken a deep breath to calm yourself and told them that it was your wedding, your life, and you were going to get married in the Encanto. If they refused to be there, then that was their choice. You had said that you loved them, and then you had walked out the door.
As you marched across the streets of your hometown, you found that your anger at your parents’ stubbornness far outweighed any sadness about them not being there. That night you had described your visit to Bruno. He had told you that he was proud of you for standing up for yourself, and for not letting yourself be bent to their whims.
Several months more of planning had passed, when you found yourself calling on the Bruja Vanesa again. Without asking why you needed to be transported, or even paying attention to the large unwieldy box in your hand, she had agreed. You found yourself smiling fondly at the woman, as you realized that she truly cared for you, and she was really on your side.
You had appeared in her house again, the dim surroundings no longer mysterious, but familiar and homey. The woman had paused as she realized you had brought a large box with you.
“Y/n, did you really bring a gift with you for your parents after they were so nasty to you last time?” She huffed hands on her hips.
“No.” You stated simply, carefully dropping the large item on her table with a shrug.
“...I’m confused then.” She looked at the item with squinted eyes, before popping up with a wide smile.
“Oh! Oh! Did you bring a bunch of garbage to dump on their doorstep! I’ll help.” She clapped.
“What-? No? Why would someone even do that…?” You were momentarily distracted at her words.
“I’ve done much worse.” She nodded, a grin curving her lips as she remembered some distant act of deviancy fondly.
“I’m sure you have,” you shook your head with a little chuckle.
“Anyway, this isn’t for my parents. I’m not even here to see them really. Though if I'm feeling nice I might stop in on them.” You explained taking a seat at her table.
Vanesa sat across from you, confusion furrowing her brow.
She poked the box suspiciously, then looked up at you.
“If you aren’t here for your parents, why did you want to come here?” She asked curiously.
“I’m here for you of course.” You told her, the corner of your lip quirking up as Vanesa’s eyes snapped to yours.
“You…you came to visit me?” She muttered. You delighted in her unsure attitude, never before seeing the theatrical woman act that way.
“Yes, I did. I want to thank you. If it weren’t for you, I never would have met Bruno, I never would have learned my craft, or found my family. Though some of the things you did were very much not okay, I know that you were always trying to help me. And I know you haven’t been spying on me anymore like you promised you wouldn’t. Otherwise, you would have known about the little surprise I’ve been working on for you.” As you spoke, you watched surprise transform the face of the woman before you.
“So thank you, Vanesa, you really are my friend. Just no more pranks, please, otherwise I’m going to have to rescind my words of friendship,” You laughed.
Vanesa stared at you for a moment, and you realized that she was probably unused to hearing thank-yous from people. And possibly even more unused to being called someone’s friend.
“Y/n…” She looked at you in wonder.
“…how special you are.” She murmured, the gentle tone unfamiliar.
You blushed a bit and scratched at the back of your head.
“W-well go on then…open the gift, we probably shouldn’t sit here all night.” You told her with a little half-shrug.
She lifted the lid and pulled the thin paper around the object away, letting out a little gasp.
“They’re…they’re windows.” She whispered, tracing the panes with her fingertips. The windows were a matching set of two, made to be placed in the thin windows that were on either side of her front door. Both of them showed Vanesa prominently as she appeared in her visions of smoke, her cloud of hair billowing upward dramatically, a mischievous smile on her face, and as a little joke, a rat on her shoulder.
“You did say after all, that you believed in me and my art, and that later on, you’d have me make windows for you. I took measurements last time I was here.” You revealed with a smile.
Vanesa stood from the table and pulled you into a hasty embrace.
“I knew you were amazing! Didn’t I tell you I believed in you! Look at you, mi pequeña artista favorita! Look how you shine!” She exclaimed happily.
You pulled from her embrace after a few minutes with a laugh.
“You were right about a few things. What was it that you said? I may not like the plan you came up with for now, but once I see that it works out, I’ll come running to you with praise?” You grinned.
“So I guess it’s time for me to say those words of praise you predicted.” You laughed.
“Vanesa, you’re the best! You’re so talented! You saved me!” You quoted.
“Oh! Almost forgot,” You snapped.
“And you look very lovely!” You finished.
Vanesa did something you had never seen her do. She turned red, a rare blush darkening her cheeks. She looked away and let out an embarrassed cough.
“Of course!” She said, recovering her confident attitude.
“I am the best after all!” Still, even with her show of bragging, you could see how deeply your actions and words had affected her, her eyes warm as she looked down at you.
After giving Vanesa her windows, you had figured that you were feeling nice after all and that you would stop in on your parents for a quick visit.
They had pulled you into an embrace immediately, apologies ringing in your ears. You were startled by their desperation, but you realized they may have worried that they had chased you away again. You patted your mother and father on the back lightly and sat down for a long conversation.
By the end of your talk, you and your parents had reached an understanding. They were still too afraid of the power that Vanesa wielded, and the magic that saturated the town of the Encanto. They wouldn’t attend your wedding, but they’d be sending you their love from afar. They said that though you didn’t require it, you and Bruno had their blessings. Your mother begged the two of you to come to visit once you were married, promising that she and her husband would behave and not start any fights. You realized that this compromise was the best one that you would reach with the stubborn couple. Giving them your promise to return with Bruno as Husband and wife, you hugged them one last time, before leaving for the night.
Finally, after 14 months of your engagement had passed, your wedding day had arrived. You awoke early in the morning, once again startled to find a crowd of Madrigals standing over your bed in the guest room. Nearly every Madrigal woman hovered over you, eager grins making you chuckle nervously. Only Alma was absent, the woman downstairs sipping her cup of coffee with a smile as she listened to the sound of you squealing while her female family members dogpiled on you with a hug. Really you shouldn’t have been surprised, you had participated in the same wake-up hug on the day of Dolores’s wedding.
The women cleared out after shouting out “Felicidades!” and were off to make sure the day went smoothly.
You had pulled your beautiful wedding dress from the closet, running your hands over the carefully embroidered silver and white flowers that you and Mirabel had slaved over. But you stopped yourself before putting it on, a thought presenting itself to you.
You were giddy with excitement, the only nervous energy in your body was positive. But you knew Bruno better than almost anyone. You had no doubt that he was eager to marry you too, but his excitement was sure to come with anxiety. The ceremony would be large, and all eyes would be on you two. Even though this would surely be one of the happiest days of both of our lives, you wouldn’t fault him for being nervous.
And well, you still had a few hours to get ready.
You smiled to yourself as you decided to go forward with your little plan.
Bruno was pacing back and forth in his bedroom, dressed smartly in dark pants and a white shirt. He was muttering to himself, and you watched as salt then sugar went flying over his shoulder.
“I can do this…I can do this…I can do this…”
You smiled to yourself internally; you had been right, he was nervous.
You let out a squeak and Bruno spun around and stared at you in surprise, clearly not expecting to see you as Pepita hours before your wedding.
He bent over and scooped you into his warm palms.
“Pepita! What are you doing here?” He spoke, though you could see the way his shoulders had relaxed slightly at your appearance.
You jumped from his hand onto his shoulder, a familiar gesture of affection.
Bruno hummed as the reason for your visit dawned on him.
“Came to comfort me huh?” He said, brushing his hand along your fur.
“You always know how to make me feel better…” he spoke.
He lifted you from his shoulder and held you in his palm at eye-level, a teasing twist to his mouth.
“Isn’t it supposed to be bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?” He teased.
You twitched your whiskers at him.
“Yeah, yeah, I guess it only applies if the bride is in her wedding dress…which you certainly are not.” As he said this, he ran a thumb over your head, your little eyes closed at the motion.
“Thank you for thinking about me Y/n. I’m not that worried…okay maybe I am a little bit. But even if I do something ridiculous like trip in front of everyone, as embarrassing as that would be, it doesn’t matter.” He smiled lovingly at you.
“All that matters is that I can finally call you my wife,” Bruno sighed affectionately, before pulling your form towards him and planting a kiss on your little head.
He set you down reluctantly.
“Alright, I- Uh, I think I’ll be fine now. You better go get dressed, the girls are probably looking for you now so they can do your hair and all that stuff.”
With one last squeak, you ran off to get ready.
You and Bruno were married before the entire Encanto. He had looked at you in your wedding dress like you were a work of art, worshipful adoration painting itself across his handsome features. The sound of your family cheering behind you as you kissed for the first time as a married couple would be seared into your memory forever. And just as Antonio had promised, a flock of vibrant birds soared across the sky in a graceful dance as the two of you emerged from the church, finally husband and wife. You both laughed as you ran out the doors, Bruno’s hand in yours, your fingers interlaced as the bells chimed behind you.
The wedding party had been joyous and lively. Julieta had cooked the meal with the help of other chefs in town, and even Daniela got her chance to pitch in, helping bake and decorate the elaborate wedding cake. The sun set over the town, as music and laughter filled the air. Children ran about excitedly, and enthusiastic conversation sounded around you. Once the sky had darkened, the wedding party moved to the grove of trees Isabela had created, Everyone let out gasps of awe, as you took in the wonderland she had conjured. Beneath the hanging tendrils of the willow trees, little lanterns were hung about like stars. Colorful ribbons were laced through the branches, and long tables with chairs were set up beneath the curtain of leaves.
As people were seated and food was brought out, you and Bruno took your places next to each other, hands clasped together beneath the table. The dinner had been beautiful, the speeches fond and teasing, the dancing freeing. But by the end of the night, you were both thoroughly tired, and you could tell that both of your social batteries had run out. Finally, you announced to your community that you and your husband were retiring for the night, which to Bruno’s embarrassment, was met with loud whooping and cat-calls.
You didn’t really mind their assumption though, you thought with a grin as you eagerly pulled your husband into the casita. They were right after all.
The next morning you had awoken in your husband’s arms. He smiled down at you and pulled you into a kiss. And you hadn’t left his arms for half of the day. Finally, when you felt the urge to clean up, you had darted out of his bedroom and into the bathroom across the little hall. After a quick shower, you had stepped out from the bathroom only to pause.
“Bruno…?” You called in bewilderment.
The now fully dressed man emerged from the bedroom at the sound of you calling his name.
“What is it, mi amor?” He said, peeking at you from the doorway.
“There’s a third door here.” You said, staring at the new door in the hall in wonder.
Bruno stepped into the hall and surveyed the little hallway, his eyes landing on the unfamiliar plain wooden door.
“...there is. Casita, did you do this?” He spoke.
The floorboards began to lift beneath both of your feet nudging you towards the door.
“Okay, okay!” You laughed.
You reached for the door and swung it open curiously.
You gasped in delight.
Casita had made you your very own studio. A large worktable, chairs, and art supplies were strewn about. You turned around in a desperate attempt to take it all in. Spread across the table was everything you could need to make pieces out of stained glass. It was a little workshop, just for you, nestled inside Bruno’s tower.
You had thanked the building tearfully, turning to your husband and pulling him into a hug. You knew what this meant, the casita had welcomed you fully, accepting you as one of the Madrigals.
Being a Madrigal came with its ups and downs. Life was busy, hectic and sometimes stressful. But you always had support, had companionship, had family, and most of all, you always had Bruno. He was always there to make you laugh when you had a bad day, and he seemed to know you better than anyone in the world.
He knew you so well, he could tell right away when Camilo tried to prank him. The boy had finally mastered taking the form of a rat. You had happened to be just around the corner one day, when you caught Camilo trying to trick your husband. You had hid behind the corner, curious to see how this would go. The shapeshifter had run up to Bruno in the form of a rat, one that looked exactly like you as Pepita. Then he shifted into you, standing before Bruno, arms outstretched and a mushy look on your face.
Of course, Bruno had caught on to the deception right away. Camilo had changed into you as he always saw you, fully clothed. Your husband knew full well that anytime you changed back from being Pepita, you’d have no clothes. You saw the devious thought pass over Bruno’s face.
He pulled his sobrino into his arms, crying out “Y/n, mi hermosa esposa! There you are!” Then he leaned slowly towards the boy who was pretending to be you, making an exaggerated kissy face.
Camilo jumped out of his tio’s arms with a yelp, changing back into himself and tripping and landing on his backside. His face had burned bright red as he watched his uncle break out in uncontrollable laughter.
After the boy had scrambled off with a humiliated apology, you had emerged from your hiding spot, and hugged your husband from behind.
“That better not be you again Camilo…” He muttered.
“Oh it's not,” you said, tracing lazy patterns on his chest.
“Hmm…maybe you should prove that to me, amor.” He teased, already sure that the woman hugging him from behind was you.
“Gladly,” You said with a grin, pulling him away to his tower room by the hand as he let out a startled yelp.
It was only a few months into your marriage, when Bruno spoke to you one night about something that had been weighing on his mind for some time. As the two of you sat side by side in the little reading nook nestled into the window of your bedroom, Bruno wrapped an arm around you with a sigh.
“I…I always felt bad, you know. That I never got to give you your vision I mean. The whole reason you came here in the first place was for my help. And you ended up putting helping me first instead.” He spoke as his thumb rubbed circles into your shoulder.
“I’d do anything for you, amor.” He said softly.
You leaned forward and kissed him slowly, your lips lingering on his.
“I know Bruno.” you said with an affectionate smile as you pulled back slightly
He brushed the hair from your face tenderly.
“Let me have a vision for you? I can finally show you your future.” He said, his eyes darting over the face of his wife as if he was trying to memorize every detail he saw.
You laughed kindly and shook your head, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. You met his gaze, his eyes stilling on yours.
“I don't need a vision of my future.” You said.
“I see it right in front of me.”
The end.
(Meme time! For the last time!)
Bruno, introducing his wife to someone new: “Hey come meet my wife!”
The wife in question:
(Bonus drawing!)
I thought it might be fun to draw the scene from this chapter where reader visits Bruno as Pepita hours before their wedding to comfort him. Sorry it’s a bit rough/unfinished!
Thanks for reading!