Don’t Fear the Future
Bruno Madrigal x FtM Transman OC (Desi)
Fandom: Encanto
Length: Many Chapters…
Warnings: Mentions/Depictions of Dysphoria, Family Trauma, Spicy Content- but that’s later.
Written: by @GalacticKaz on Twitter, @DapperDragonDesigns on TumblrÂ
Notes: Desi’s experience is strongly based on mine as a Transman- I know it’s not everyone’s path/feelings but I wanted to share one aspect of what it can be like. I’m also rusty at writing so…sorry about that. I just wanted to share, writing this has given me a lot of joy.Â
Also: This is a multi-chapter story, to follow it you can of course, follow my account or find chapters under the hashtag #Bruno x Desi
“Desi? You in today?” Luisa called out as she ducked down into the doorway of the village’s pottery and clay crafts shop. She looked around for the Artisan’s familiar face, while surveying the warm interior of the shop’s open foyer.Â
The floor tiles she walked on were intricately designed with warm browns, reds and greens- weaving a large circular design on the floor of the Main entrance to the shop. The windows were filled with succulent plants and an oversized couch rested under the window. The walls of the room were lined with shelves which displayed the work of the man who lived here- Various plates, pots and ceramic goods of multiple colors and designs, all shining with a soft varnish of glaze met her eyes. The wooden beams above her had chimes dangling down which she carefully avoided stepping further in, the wind from the window made them clink together in a soft, melodic manner as they glinted in the shafts of sunlight.
“I’m in the back, Luisa!” Came a deep reply from the doorway that led to the work space “Give me a minute, I’ll be right there!”Â
From the framed doorway came the figure of the Artisan Himself, He wore a collared shirt covered by oversize work overalls which were smeared with dried bits of clay, and fresh smears of wet earth. He wiped his hands hastily on the sides of the garment. His thick wavy hair was tied back, even if a few errant strands fell across his forehead, the pitch-black color of his youth had given way to a peppering of grey, mostly on the sides and a prominent streak of white that if his hair was let down, would frame the left side of his face. He adjusted his glasses, clear deep blue eyes peered from behind them at Luisa.Â
“Good Morning Luisa, do we need more floor tiles already? Dios Mio…you all work quick! Give a man some time to keep up with demand!” He said with a grin. It was the hum all about the village for the past few weeks, of the famous Casita crumbling violently apart, the cracks themselves still ran through the village even- but they had all banned together to help the Madrigal Family with repairs, food, and housing in the meantime. It was expected from such a tight knit community, it was the least they could do for a family that helped so much. He, also, was part of the efforts to bring the house back to its former glory. He wasn’t one for working on scene, but a house needed tiles, pots, roof shingles…and he was the only one who could make them in the village- He solemnly promised to get an apprentice after all this was said and done.
 “Come on, let’s go to the back yard and load some more to the cart which I hope you bought over again? No more carrying them girly…” He said as he waved for Luisa to follow him through the messy crafting room and out through another door into the back yard of the workshop. Here he kept various tiles he’d made in stacks, along with the extra supply of pots and a few other items.Â
“How goes the repairs anyhow? Do we need roof tiles yet?” He said jokingly, he knew they weren’t that far along just yet…thank gods, he didn’t know if his back could handle the demand that quickly.Â
Luisa laughed “Oh we are not that far along yet Desi, just more floor tiles…maybe some pots for Isa, I think she misses her plants” She remarked ducking through the door to the back yard after Desi.
“Oh…that’s a relief for my poor back” He remarked placing his hands in the small of his back and giving an exaggerated weary back cracking motion, leaning into them “I’m not as spry as I was in my youth, I need the time of you all building the walls to make roof shingles.”
Luisa grinned in response, she’d always liked Desi out of all the villagers. The old man had a good sense of humor and was one of the few who would thank her with goods as opposed to just a kind word. That was his way though, Desi wouldn’t have something done for him without doing something in return. He had a philosophy almost of equal exchange.
“I’ll get the boxes for you then…” Luisa remarked- she may not have her powers but she was still far stronger than the average person, including Desi. She began to load the boxes of tiles into the cart as they made small talk about the housing repairs, about how the family was doing, about the good weather despite Pepa having lost her power to hold blue skies…
“So Everything is going well as it can be then? Good, good to hear…” Desi asked filling another box with tiles in the meantime
“Oh…we are holding up pretty well all considering…” Luisa stated “It’s a lot to handle, but I’m used to it. Although there are some problems with my Tio Bruno.”
“Oh?” Desi remarked casually- He’d heard about Bruno. The whole village was abuzz with the Misfortune Teller’s return. Desi hadn’t been in the village when Bruno was around, he’d travelled in over those impossibly high mountains a bit after his mysterious disappearance. To hear he had been living in the family’s walls was- well- it was a choice for sure.Â
“Yeah…A lot of people still seem nervous around him. Heck, even the family is getting used to him being back…” she said shifting another box into the cart. “No one in the village really wants to put him up, even if none of us have any powers any more…they are just…”
“Superstitious?” Desi finished for her.
Luisa grunted “Yeah, Superstitious. Not so sure where Tio Bruno has been staying really…although since he was living in the walls, I mean…he shows up every morning still...avoids the topic really.”
Desi hummed thoughtfully, going over to look at his extra supply of pots to pick out a few for Isabella. He was not a superstitious man himself, and had no idea why the whole village blamed the man for the fortunes he told. Really, one lady had blamed him for her goldfish dying, as if that wasn’t a regular occurrence with fish. He did have an extra couch and well, if the Madrigal family ever got their powers back, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to be on the good side of a fortune teller. Desi felt a spike of curiosity for what might be seen in his own future, were that day to come.
“Your Tio Bruno can stay here, if he wants, I’m not a superstitious man.” Desi offered
Luisa blinked in shock at Desi as he was weighing various pots in his hands, so long as she’d known the artisan- he wasn’t one to offer his home, or anything personal out to others. He was one of the more…mysterious figures in the village- He’d come from outside first of all and only talked about a history of hard travelling that leant him the ability to climb the mountains. Not that his presence wasn’t welcomed, especially since the previous Pottery Craftsman was working his way up in years with no apprentice- Desi’s talents were easily welcomed. Even her sister Dolores, when she’d asked about him before, didn’t have much to add aside from that the shop always sounded beautiful with all the chimes hanging from the rafters.
“I’m…sure he’d be happy for that!” she exclaimed, quickly loading the last box of tiles into the cart. Desi held up a pot for her to load up too, followed by another heavy one.
“I’ll travel to the Casita with you as well” He said hopping into front of the cart, leaving room for her “I need to see how many more tiles I’ll need to be making these coming weeks, and how tired my old bones will feel” Luisa grinned sliding in next to him
“-and we can tell Bruno he has a place to stay” She chimed in as the donkeys pulled the cart down the cracked dirt road heading to the house.Â
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As the cart pulled into the ruins of the house, everyone seemed busy on one thing or another. Laying out sand linings for digging new foundations- and for spacing out rooms- Clearing away debris or pouring cement and setting tiles. Bruno himself was currently waring a bucket, lending spackle to a man on a ladder working to repair one of the old columns.Â
“Ah, it seems to be coming along magnificently…and rapidly!” Desi remarked seeing his own handywork in the tiles being laid down in bright patterns over the foundation in what would be the new foyer. He hopped out of the cart as it slowed to a stop pulling out a notebook from his side pocket and getting ready to note new quantities of tiles to be made…not only for the floor on the foyer, and various rooms, but also for the walls in the kitchen…He hummed to himself scratching some notes down before greeting the house elder, Alma, warmly. He caught in the corner of his eye Louisa going off to tell her sister Mirabel something, probably about his offer to house Bruno- He watched as the word passed from Luisa, to Mirabel, to…the man with a bucket on his head who immediately gestured and jumped back in shock.
“- the help has just…exceeded anything we could have asked for” Alma continued as Desi’s attention was bought back to his conversation with her.
“Oh, yes well, the Family has done so much for us…it would be neglectful to leave you all in your time of need…” He quickly stated, pretending he had not been distracted at all- even though he could feel a foreign gaze boring into the back of his neck.Â
Eventually after his discussion with Alma ended he turned around to immediately be greeted by the hazy, questioning, soft green eyes of Bruno. The man stood at about the same height as Desi, if not perhaps a bit shorter, but he did seem to be slouching. A rat seemed to be peering from under a curtain of hair.
“Hello, uh, Good Morning…” Desi said with a grin towards the other man, holding out his dusty hand
“Oh, yes, morning” Bruno said taking Desis hand and giving it a nervous shake, He did not have a strong grip, Desi noted.
“Hm…dirty.” He remarked at the residual red clay dust on Desi’s hand
Desi laughed “Well, typical of one who works with mud all day. Bruno? I assume?” he stated, the man noddedÂ
“And I see you have ah…pets”
“Oh yes, well, friends, from living in the walls” Bruno laughed awkwardly. His eyes darting off, then back to Desi. Everything about his body language said that while he initiated the conversation…he also wanted to leave it right now, Desi cleared his throat- my as well get to it then.
“When you go into the village, my House is the one on the outskirts, left side, five houses past the church. It has an ornate door, backyard full of pots, hard to miss.” He said, gesturing with his hands as he gave directions.
Bruno blinked dazedly- was this man really affirming he could stay there? He had known what most of the village thought of him and has bounced to and from a few houses before just figuring out his own thing to do- it had been a bit…awkward.
“Are you sure? If you aren’t, I’d be fine, wouldn’t want to put you out, or make you uncomfortable, or unpopular or….” Bruno stammered out already stepping back from Desi. Desi cut him off before he could go on-Â
“It’s not a problem, I’ll have a spot set up for you in the main foyer, hope you don’t mind a couch, it’s about all I have to offer- Don’t even mind the pets.” Desi stated casually, waving his hand to dismiss Bruno’s stammered excuses. He looked back to his list to give the awkward man a chance to escape the conversation- He heard a muttered thanks and when he looked up again he had disappeared, almost as randomly as he’d appeared.
He saw Mirabel and Luisa give a small high five from behind the pillar, he was glad he could give them something to be happy about. Desi shook his head while walking off, the family had always been…interesting and eccentric. There was no reason to think Bruno would have been any different, in fact, ten years in the walls had made him even more so than the rest, Desi reasoned.Â
He finished his notes about what else was needed to repair the Casita and then began the longer walk back to the village to set up a spot for the Madrigal he said he’d house for the time being.
