Haato || 21+ || they/them || HeartToHaato on AO3
Hello there, call me Haato! I'm the author of the Encanto darkfic To Extinguish The Sun and its derivatives. I've opened up a place where I can give updates and post any extraneous art or story details that I can't easily share on AO3. Thanks for checking me out!
- I wrote the Camilo-centric Encanto darkfic To Extinguish the Sun on AO3, and am currently working on its spin-off As the Embers Dim and Die. These pieces are mature and handle dark, heavy topics, and as such it is recommended that it be read by mature readers.
- My second work in progress, If the Right One Came, is a much softer Luisa x OC piece.
- My main Encanto OCs (featured in the above works) are Mateo and Tomás Herrera, and as such there’s likely going to be plenty of artwork of them featured here.
- I have no set uploading schedule.
- I’m probably a lot more afraid of you than you are of me.--
- Proshippers (yes, including Madrigalc*st shippers) not welcome. Begone, foul demons ✌😙
Hey this has been a thought bouncing round my head. Thought I’d crack it open and ask so;
What are your thoughts on a modern version of TETS and TEDAD (The Embers Dim and Die sorry lmao)
Would that ruin the outline of the story or would it just be a particular challenge on doing more research.
Because say it’s modern and they still have their gifts. Would that change a lot of the story and how it’s supposed to be?
Anyways just a thought— love your writing 😁.
This is a great question! I've actually got a number of different modern AU plots floating around, so I've definitely got some thoughts on how something like that would play out!
Usually in these modern AUs they're still set in the town of the Encanto and the Madrigals still have their powers, everything's just been modernized to fit into a 21st century time period: phones, cars, internet, all that. The Madrigals still use their Gifts in helpful ways, though many of them have jobs or hustles on the side - Julieta volunteers in the nearby hospital, the dads have proper jobs, some of the grandkids have internet followings, etc.
Modern!Mateo, meanwhile, is kind of considered a different entity from canon!Mateo, as his motivations aren't as... "profound" as they are in the stories, though there's still an element of obsession and believing Camilo to be his perfect match. In a present-day setting it wouldn't be nearly so easy as for Mateo to do what he does without being noticed - so he's forced to handle things in a more modern way.
There are officially 4 variations of a modern TEtS/AtEDaD storyline that have been drafted within the discord server, with 4.0 more or less being declared the "official" one. They share a lot of the same story beats so there's a lot of repeated elements. Note that these outlines may contain upsetting contents, please read with caution. I've put the descriptions under a readmore for this reason:
1.0 is more or less the very first TEtS AU to exist so it's not as polished, but the gist is that Mateo is a college student Camilo meets while crashing a college party. After a period of befriending, manipulation, and isolation, Mateo tricks Camilo into traveling with him to a motel in the middle of nowhere. However, Dolores was able to hear him leave, and follows them in her own vehicle to thwart the worst from happening. She is able to rescue him and have Mateo arrested, with them returning home battered but safe.
2.0 also sees Mateo as a college-aged friend, though Mateo's approach this time is much more sinister and violent. He uses party drugs to render Camilo unconscious, and films himself doing inappropriate things while he's incapacitated. This goes on until Camilo finds the recordings, horrified by their contents, leading Mateo to outright abduct Camilo to a derelict house off the highway. This AU is the first in which Tomás is an important player; this time he's the one to spot Mateo in a bar as an alert of the kidnapping is broadcast to his phone, so he's able to follow him and help free Camilo while his family catches up. This is the one time Mateo's actually taken out by one of Pepa's lightning strikes!
3.0 was born from an offhand comparison to a character from Life is Strange, and as such is the first depiction of Mateo being Camilo's high school photography teacher, living on his own in a small apartment in a nearby city. He gains Camilo's trust by being the "cool teacher," letting him skip class and hang out in his room, taking him out to do fun things, and eventually asking him to be his private model. This route also involves the use of drugs, primarily for Mateo to pose Camilo in certain ways, but the "sleeping spells" cause Camilo trouble at home when his parents have him tested and it's discovered he's got drugs in his system. Unfortunately they assume he's been partying and the rift between them only pushes Camilo further towards Mateo. This one doesn't actually have an ending, but it ended off with Camilo again discovering Mateo's been the one drugging him and trying to escape, allowing Dolores to hear him and try to help.
4.0 also sees Mateo as Camilo's teacher, but it harkens back to the first variant where Mateo takes Camilo to a motel after gaining his trust and isolating him from his friends and family. Unfortunately things go terribly wrong for Camilo here, and when he's returned home he's withdrawn, irritable, and even more divided from his family who aren't too happy with him going on a roadtrip without permission. We've played with a few different resolutions to this one, with Camilo finally opening up to a number of candidates, but the first and favorite scenario was having him open up to Agustín in the middle of the night as a parallel to TEtS Chapter 4. Mateo is again arrested and Camilo's able to sleep a little easier at night.
Ricardo (owned by @cringecanto ) and Mirabel, whom he has a fat crush on. Ricky is a big sweetie and I like him very much \ovo/ trying to do all the clothing details sure was something, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Mirabel, girl, why are you so colorful--
The Encanto OC event is decidedly over at this point-- but one of these days I'll probably still end up talking about the AUs I've got floating around, just for the heck of it--
The second half of my OC relationship info post - this'll include some info about Tomás's bonds with my other OCs, as well as those background OCs' relationships with each other and canon characters.
@encanto-extended-edition
Tomás in regards to his natal family:
Tomás is the youngest in a family of four, born to Lucía and Horacio Herrera.
Lucía was a schoolteacher and volunteer in the town library, who passed away when Tomás was still a child. Tomás loved and admired his mother, considering her to have been a saint in life. The memories he has of her are fond ones, recalling her as being a kind woman without a bad word to say about anyone. He thinks highly of her optimism and humility, and her ability to make anyone feel understood and listened to.
Lucía as well as Tomás's older brother, Mateo, are both canonically deceased as per the events of the story the Herrera family is introduced in. This leaves Tomás and his father as the last living of their family within the Encanto.
Horacio used to be a mason, having to retire early due to weakness in his legs. Between this and the loss of his parents, his wife, and eventually his oldest son, Horacio sometimes thinks he's cursed - but his one silver lining is his remaining son, Tomás. Horacio has zero qualms about being openly affectionate with Tomás both physically and verbally, and though he's a little oblivious at times, he only wants the best for his boy. Tomás in turn is a loyal and protective son to Horacio, willing to put up with a little embarrassment if it makes his father happy. It doesn't matter how old Tomás gets, he'll always be his papá's conejito.
Art by cringecanto (right)
It's a bit self-indulgent of me, but I'm of the mind that when Tomás marries into the family, Casita springs up a small in-law suite for Horacio so he won't have to spend his days in an empty house. I also am of the mind that in their youth Horacio and Bruno were quite friendly with each other, due to both more or less being underdogs with not a lot of friends between them.
Horacio likely approached Bruno before his wife's passing, just on the off chance he saw her make a miraculous recovery. That isn't what he saw, of course. But though devastated, Horacio accepted the result with as much grace as he could and didn't blame Bruno or his visions for the bad news.
They ended up losing touch when Bruno became more withdrawn and eventually "left", but upon Bruno's return to society their friendship ends up picking right back up where it left off. When Tomás marries into the family and Horacio tags along, he and Bruno spend a good amount of their time having tea and playing cards as old men tend to do.
The rest under the cut to spare the poor dashboards out there!
The Patch:
The Patch, or El Parche, is the group name I use to refer to Camilo's small group of older friends, including Tomás (as introduced in the previous post). They're childhood friends; as a unit and individually they're all well-liked young men within their peers and the community as a whole, decently popular in different ways. They initially were meant to be unnamed background characters whose designs were pulled from random Encantownies, but I accidentally got attached to them and now they all have proper designs and development. Such is my life.--
Cristián Vargas, Rafael Molina, Santiago Torres, Tomás Herrera
Santiago (22) is the oldest not only of the friend group but of his own siblings, of which he's got 6 younger sisters and brothers. He's the designated 'mom friend' by nature, easily slotting into leadership positions and able to keep a handle on multiple goings-on at once. That said he very much is a mother hen type, a bit fussy and prone to scolding his siblings and friends (usually Rafael) whenever they start steering towards bad decisions.
Tomás and Santi are usually on the same page when it comes to caution and forethought, contrasting with Rafa and Cris's more go-with-the-flow attitudes. Santi's compassionate nature makes it easy for him to pick up on what Tomás is feeling without him voicing it, taking it upon himself to either make decisions based on what Tomás would most prefer or urging the others to do so instead. Tomás appreciates Santi looking out for him, feeling it alleviates pressure off of his own shoulders when he's unsure of what to do.
Rafael (21) is the most boisterous of all of them, the beacon of activity and extroversion to balance out his more subdued companions. He's a risk-taker and extremely liberal-minded about topics that usually wouldn't be openly bragged out, often leading to Santi urging him to keep it down (which will inevitably be ignored or expanded upon specifically to make Santi flustered).
His loud and brash personality clashes with Tomás's reserved ways, but the two have a unique bond despite the expected incompatibility; Rafael is not at all discouraged by Tomás's quietness and Tomás isn't put off by Rafael's brazenness. They both think the other is easy to communicate with - Tomás never has to guess what Rafa's feelings are and Rafa likes Tomás's predilection for being a listening ear.
Cristián (20) is far old enough now to have an identity and social circle separate to those of his twin brother César, but when he was a young child he used to be very shy and hesitant to leave his brother's side. When Santi and Rafa became his friends it was the first time he felt comfortable with something (or someone) that was more or less his own - so when his new friends started chatting with Tomás he felt a little threatened. Fears of abandonment were unfounded though, as not only did his friends not dump him in favor of the New Kid, but he very quickly realized why they liked Tomás and ended up getting attached to him too.
As adults they have similar mellow temperaments and get along quite nicely, though Cris's vastly improved self-assurance has made him a lot more laidback and unflappable than the more organized and prim Tomás. Tomás admires Cris's ability to be both steadfast and considerate, unwavering in what he believes in but knowing when to handle situations with delicateness and care.
When Camilo entered the picture and turned the Patch into a five-man-band, all four of the older members collectively decided that he was more or less their joint little brother. Santiago attempts to provide Camilo with proper advice and look out for him in ways an older brother should, which often means trying to make sure Rafael keeps his crude language in check around him. Rafael usually does not, taking a completely different approach to being and older brother and totally enabling Camilo's mischievous nature. Cristián is somewhere in the middle, oftentimes siding with Santi or Rafa purely based on what he think would have the most entertaining result.
Beyond this though Cris is a unique source of understanding for Camilo, as Cris is the only other person he knows who doesn't experience romantic attraction for anyone and has no interest in dating. He could have asked Bruno, of course, but solidarity feels a little better coming from someone close to his own age rather than his quirky hermit uncle.--
Cris, Santi and Rafa are the older brothers to Cecilia, Alejandra and Juancho (the town kids) respectively.
Other relationships to Encantownies include:
Santi and Alejandra have five other siblings, and José (the tall fellow Camilo shifts into near the start of the movie) is their tío. Osvaldo is a tío to Rafael and Juancho, as well as their teenaged sister. Cris's parents are seen bringing Cecilia into Casita before Antonio's ceremony, and his twin brother César is the young man who asks Luisa to help upright his leaning house.
Other OCs:
Claudia Reyes (19) is the young lady with the drum seen during The Family Madrigal, whose family owns the music shop they're playing in front of. Beside her are her brother-in-law on the left and her father on the right.
She's Rafael's long-time girlfriend, on his same wavelength of open-mindedness and free spirit. They've been in a strange will-they-won't-they situation since they were teenagers, with Rafael playing it off like they're not all that serious and just messing around. Everyone knows Rafa's totally full of it and is head over heels for her though, including Claudia who's more or less just waiting for him to finally get around to proposing. They're going to have at least 4 kids together.
She knows the rest of the Patch more or less as her boyfriend's friends, but there's still rapport between them and Claudia's more than welcome to hang with the boys whenever she wants. On top of that, she's also Luisa's good friend who oftentimes will suggest Luisa try out outrageous things in an effort to push her out of her comfort zone.
The town librarian, usually referred to as the Maestro, is an enigmatic yet helpful figure in town whose mission in life is the sharing of knowledge. They can be considered everyone's friend, though like Horacio they have a kinship with Bruno that goes back quite a few years. All perfectly platonic, mind you! Additionally, given Lucía's history of volunteering in the library, the Maestro also is on good terms with the Herrera family and still keeps in touch with Horacio pretty regularly.
And I think those are the most notable relationships to get into for now! Up next will be the AU posts, and... boy, do I have a lot of those. 🫠
For this week about OC relationships, this'll be a perfect opportunity for me to introduce a couple background OCs that I wasn't able to last week. In order to prevent an insane amount of clogging I've decided to split the info into multiple posts, starting with the Madrigals' relationship with my favorite Just Some Guy: Tomás Herrera!
Tomás, like many other villagers within the Encanto, has lived his life understanding that the Madrigals were special people with incredible abilities. He's grown up respecting them as such, but eventually he'll come to find himself being taken in as one of their own and adopting their name - and their legacy. But though Tomás is happy to marry the love of his life and join her family, doing so comes with some difficulty adjusting to the new environment: he's gone from a household of four, to three, to two, to over a dozen. Everything gets so busy and bustling so quickly, and initially it's a little hard to keep up; for the first few years under Casita's roof, Tomás feels decidedly "un-ceptional" and like an outsider who is a Madrigal in name only. But as years go by and he gets more comfortable with all the new activity, responsibilities, and magic, he'll come to accept himself as being where he belongs just as the rest of the family already has.
In regards to Camilo Madrigal:
Tomás and three of his good friends (Santiago Torres, Cristián Vargas, and Rafael Molina) bond with Camilo as they and the rest of the town help to rebuild Casita after the events of the movie. Camilo had his own friends his age, of course, but there was something special to him about being taken in by a patch of older boys and being considered one of their own. He's simply Little Brother Shaped!
Though all four of them have their own dynamics with Camilo, Tomás and Camilo grow very close despite their seemingly conflicting personalities. Camilo aims to help Tomás loosen up and come out of his shell in ways he likely wouldn't attempt to do on his own, and in return Tomás offers Camilo stable and level-headed advice that is a welcome change in perspective from the kind he gets at home.
Of course they can get on each other's nerves, namely when Tomás won't budge or when Camilo's joking goes too far. But all in all they're a bulletproof duo, where Camilo gets the older brother he never had and Tomás gets to be the older brother he should have had.
Art by LintuShadow.Art (left)
In regards to Luisa Madrigal:
The experiences Tomás had growing up alongside Luisa Madrigal weren't unique nor exclusive only to him. He's hardly the first or only villager she's extended her hands to over the years - but from mundane favors to quite literally saving his life, everything Luisa has ever done for Tomás has meant the world to him, even if to her they were simply her duties as a Madrigal.
But despite what he may have believed, Tomás hadn't been completely invisible to Luisa. She knew him well enough as someone she grew up and went to school with, and though she was indeed doing what she needed to, she never really forgot any time she helped him (or anyone else). If anything, he was a friend to her!
What really sealed Tomás's fate was a moment he witnessed something he wasn't meant to, one that helped him recognize that someone as unremarkable as him and someone as special as her actually could have something in common: the mindset that one's own feelings could be ignored when there were more important things to worry about. From there admiration blossomed ruthlessly into a hopeless crush, and though it took him a while to be able to pull it off, he relayed his feelings to her through a simple gift: a hand carved wooden dove for her 20th birthday.
As a couple they compliment each other nicely, though in a different way than Tomás's friendship with Camilo. They are each other's pillar; his emotional stability allows him to support her in her time of need, whereas he feels safe and at ease when she's around. Luisa can very well take care of herself, this she and everyone else knows... but sometimes it's nice to sit back and let herself be treated like a princess, something Tomás is always more than happy to oblige. There's little room for arguments or disagreements between them, provided they don't try to out-martyr each other - sometimes it is necessary for one to wring true feelings and thoughts out of the other like they're pulling teeth. But they can't hide from each other, and over time it becomes much easier for them to be open and accept that maybe their feelings do matter when someone is willing to listen.
He is her osito. She is his paloma. he's so in love with her it makes him look stupid
Art by mushroomflood (left)
In regards to the other Madrigals:
Bulletpoints to make things go a little more quickly--
Julieta, as his future mother-in-law, is the closest thing Tomás has had to a mom since his own's passing. He's bashful around her for a while, even moreso when he gets the greenlight to start calling her Ma. He comes to enjoy helping her in the kitchen periodically, as he already has cooking experience from living with his father.
He wants to make a good impression on Agustín very much, despite how remarkably easy it is to get on the man's good side - all Tomás really had to do was promise to take care of his daughter and Agustín was sold. Tomás would like Agustín to teach him how to play piano but he doesn't know how to ask.
Mirabel, by virtue of hanging out with Camilo a lot, ends up getting close to Tomás as well. Tomás doesn't know how he ended up with not one but two teenage ducklings following him around but he's not mad about it. When Tomás and Luisa become engaged, Mirabel gifts him with an embroidered vest that he wears all the way up until the wedding.
The only problem Tomás has in regards to Antonio is that he's terrified of wild animals. Antonio himself is a perfectly sweet kid and Tomás is kind to him when he wants to socialize, but he'll be a little on edge if Parce decides to tag along. It likely takes years for him to get used to having the denizens of the jungle waltzing around the house, but he comes to trust Antonio to keep a handle on them.
Alma intimidates the hell out of him, especially since he's in a very Agustín-like position of probably not being her first choice to wed one of her grandchildren. But he'll prove himself to her in how devoted he is not only to Luisa but to Camilo as well, and eventually earn her blessing (to which he's both grateful and relieved).
Similarly, Isabela is a little tough on him at first and is the one to give him the third degree when she finds out he's involved with her baby sister. She recognizes he's kind of a marshmallow soon enough though and eases up on him after that. There's a cordial mutual fascination between the two and their skillsets, given Isa's ability to conjure trees and Tomás's ability to turn those trees into something new.
Tomás and Dolores are shaking hands over being exasperated by their goofy little brother Camilo, but beyond that their lowkey personalities mesh quite well. Oddly enough, between Dolores's Gift and Tomás's natural observational skills, the two tend to have enough information between them to quietly discuss goings-on around town.
Pepa and Félix are a little more removed from Tomás due to him being a cool color family addition, but as housemates there's still interactions to be had. Félix's extroversion brings a lot of energy Tomás doesn't always know what to do with and Pepa's storms take some time to adjust to, but all three of them readily agree on how much they care about Camilo and that's all that's really needed to keep the harmony.
Bruno keeps to himself more often than not and Tomás wholeheartedly understands. That said, once Tomás gets a good read on how Bruno operates and how best to approach him, they're able to have a rather polite rapport. The rats skeeve Tomás out a little but they're no big deal compared to things like jaguars and anacondas, thus Tomás can be convinced (by Mirabel and/or Camilo) to offer his talents and build little sets for Bruno's telenovelas.
Mariano is in the same boat as being a mundane marrying into a very non-mundane family, and with the added history of being casual friends beforehand Tomás ends up gravitating towards him as they adjust to their new lives as Madrigals. They, along with Camilo, end up becoming more or less the second generation parallels to the Madriguys that came before them - Tomás's Agustín to Mariano's Félix to Camilo's Bruno.
Art by cringecanto
Part 2 will be coming shortly! Then, as I'm fairly certain it's already technically Week 3, the post for that week's prompt will follow sometime soon after.
Tomás Herrera is a quiet, mild-mannered young man who befriends Camilo during the rebuilding of Casita. His succinct and reserved nature masks an observant and introspective mind, and while he doesn't say much he has plenty of thoughts and feelings inside.
Tomás lives in his childhood home with his father and brother, while his mother passed from tuberculosis when Tomás was 9. Though the men of his family make their living in masonry and construction work, Tomás has pursued woodworking can often be found in his private wood shop. The framework of most furniture is left to the carpenters of the village, but Tomás carves the intricate patterns and details into the grain, adding that flair that pulls a piece together. Another creative endeavor is poetry, but he'd rather eat his notebook than let anyone see it.
Initially the friendship between Tomás and Camilo is a very casual one. But as their bond strengthens, their opposites-attract personalities result in them growing very close with one another. Camilo is the energetic mischief-maker while Tomás is his level-headed foil, and it's a combination some people are surprised to see works as well as it does.
For much of his adolescence he harbors a crush on Camilo's cousin Luisa, admiring her for her dependability and selflessness (plus a lifetime of rescues here and there). He's reluctant to reveal these feelings, believing himself unworthy of her attention, but Camilo thinks he should suck it up and be honest before someone else does it first. In certain future scenarios he succeeds and courts her, eventually marrying her and siring one daughter named Lilia.
Art by HeartToHaato, malewifebruno, blookyb92, & LintuShadow.Art
It seems like there's a fandom OC event going on, so......... I'll just reshare what I've got here! Plus a litte extra tidbit--
Tomás through his various stages of life:
5 years old. A very withdrawn little boy, recovering from a rather grisly "accident" that left him with a noticeable scar.
10 years old. Starting to come out of his shell a little bit, having made a tight friend group and has grown his hair out long enough to conceal what he considers his ugliest feature.
15 years old. Teenage hormones are in full swing and he's becoming more in tune with his artsy, melodramatic side. Starts to really get into woodcarving at this age.
30 years old. By now is Tomás Madrigal, husband and father, and is much more mellow and confident in himself. Riding out the peak of his life!
Tomás Herrera is a quiet, mild-mannered young man who befriends Camilo during the rebuilding of Casita. His succinct and reserved nature masks an observant and introspective mind, and while he doesn't say much he has plenty of thoughts and feelings inside.
Tomás lives in his childhood home with his father and brother, while his mother passed from tuberculosis when Tomás was 9. Though the men of his family make their living in masonry and construction work, Tomás has pursued woodworking can often be found in his private wood shop. The framework of most furniture is left to the carpenters of the village, but Tomás carves the intricate patterns and details into the grain, adding that flair that pulls a piece together. Another creative endeavor is poetry, but he'd rather eat his notebook than let anyone see it.
Initially the friendship between Tomás and Camilo is a very casual one. But as their bond strengthens, their opposites-attract personalities result in them growing very close with one another. Camilo is the energetic mischief-maker while Tomás is his level-headed foil, and it's a combination some people are surprised to see works as well as it does.
For much of his adolescence he harbors a crush on Camilo's cousin Luisa, admiring her for her dependability and selflessness (plus a lifetime of rescues here and there). He's reluctant to reveal these feelings, believing himself unworthy of her attention, but Camilo thinks he should suck it up and be honest before someone else does it first. In certain future scenarios he succeeds and courts her, eventually marrying her and siring one daughter named Lilia.
Art by HeartToHaato, malewifebruno, blookyb92, & LintuShadow.Art
Lovely lovely sketch commissioned from LintuShadow.art on IG - one of my all-time favorite Encanto artists! I have my buddy @malewifebruno to thank for urging me to snag a commission slot--
It’s such an honor to see Tomás in Lintu’s style 🥺🥺🥺 I’d always joked that the only way for Tomás to look more like a proper Disney character would be for Lintu to draw him, and now he’s real 💙💙
If there were to be an encanto fandom event centered around OCs (includes any kind: romantic, platonic, side characters, literally anything) could you please reblog this post if you would be interested in participating?
Happy pride month! Had this done for a while but decided to post it right at the very end--. Featuring a few of my Encanto OCs who fall somewhere under the umbrella 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
Bathed in an emerald haze, the picture in the glass was that same rudimentary door the two had seen just before the vision ended. The man who had been approaching it was now completely visible, glancing over his shoulder with an expression of uncertainty - it was Tomás Herrera, one hand holding the golden-glowing lantern and the other reaching for the doorknob.
A scene from my current WIP, As the Embers Dim and Die. This is a redraw of a piece I did about a year ago for the first draft of the story, since I figured a fresh new narrative could benefit from a fresh new visual.
In the wake of Camilo’s disappearance, Pepa and Bruno search the future for any clues that could lead them to finding him. In the ensuing vision, they instead find something unexpected: a seemingly unrelated young man from the village, in a location no one, not even he, can recognize. What does it mean, and what role does humble Tomás Herrera have in Camilo’s future?
[Fic is rated M for mature and potentially triggering content].
