Title: Mariposa
Fandom: Encanto
Rating: Teen and Up (due to emotional depth and subtle tension)
Warnings: No major content warnings; emotional moments and mild stress around confession
Relationships: Bruno x [Female!Reader] (slow-burn romance)
Characters: Bruno, Mirabel, Dolores, Abuela, Luisa, Camilo, Felix, Augustin, Peppa, Julieta, Casita (the magical house)
Summary:
You’ve lived in the magical world of Casita for a year now, slowly building a deep bond with Bruno Madrigal. As the Madrigal family gathers nervously for a long-awaited moment, Bruno finally finds the courage to reveal the feelings he’s kept hidden for so long.
Its a standalone I made (because why not) while watching the Encanto for the 50K time. Anyone here likes Bruno?
It had already been a year since you moved to Encanto... and only now was it truly sinking in.
Time flew by so fast, you admitted to yourself, walking slowly through the narrow streets of the town, which was gradually settling into sleep, wrapped in a blanket of evening mist and warmed by the last sleepy rays of the sun. You waved goodbye to a few people you passed who wished you buenas noches, pulling you slightly from your thoughts... Everyone was so kind, even though not so long ago, you had been a complete stranger here. It fascinated you that places like this still existed, where kindness lingered. This little corner had worked like bálsamo on your weary heart.
The heels of your shoes clicked against the cobblestones. You skipped over a few of the wider cracks and avoided the broken ones, feeling a lightness in your step, a childlike joy in your heart that you hadn’t felt in so long. You laughed out loud when you almost bumped into a donkey standing by a hay bale, not noticing him at all while concentrating on the stones beneath your feet.
Pleased with yourself, you hopped onto the sidewalk and glanced at the colorful mural of the Madrigal Family, kissed by the last golden rays of the sun.
You smiled warmly at the thought of them, but at the same time, felt a pang of jealousy in your stomach... They were lucky. Born in a beautiful place, in a wonderful home, and they had each other. They had warmth, love, trust, peace... That was more valuable to you than any treasure. Even their gifts seemed to you like just an addition to the uniqueness of that family and this place. Maybe that’s why they welcomed you so warmly? Because you weren’t looking for excitement, but for a place to belong, for peace—you were modest and hardworking? Or maybe it didn’t matter at all and they would’ve welcomed you anyway?
Abuela definitely belonged to the first group, and Mirabel to the second. You laughed just thinking about it. They often disagreed, but still tried to find a solution that satisfied them both... After all, Mirabel was slowly starting to take over Abuela’s duties and would fully do so once she became of age. Abuela, however, still liked to have the final say. Two very strong personalities. You liked almost everyone in the family, you could find common ground with each of them, and if not, you still enjoyed a simple conversation about the weather... Your gaze slipped across the painted faces—names you struggled to remember at first (and whether someone was a cousin or a sibling, that was a whole other story)—and landed on the figure just as a beam of light began to illuminate it.
It shimmered around the face of a man with green eyes and a slightly wild look—the only person not smiling.
Your heart fluttered. You lowered your gaze, embarrassed that you had looked a little longer than you should have, your cheeks flushing.
Bruno.
Well, he had caught your eye the moment you arrived in Encanto... Maybe because he tripped over your suitcase, walking with his head in the clouds, just as you stood in the town square staring at your map. Your things spilled everywhere, and Bruno, quickly retrieving one of his flip flops that had flown a few feet from his foot, showered you in apologies, packed everything for you, and even carried your luggage. He was so flustered, even though you assured him it was fine... That mix of superstition, embarrassment, and surprising gentleness had immediately tugged at your heart. He had a bit of crazyness in him, true, but it was something you had grown used to—and even found... endearing. Others often found him exhausting: his excessive gestures, jokes (often regretted right after), difficulty focusing, honesty that could sting, and of course the rats he cared for and wouldn’t let anyone harm. But to you, that was just one part of him. He cared about others, was incredibly smart, and usually had the best solutions to problems. You had seen him take the blame for others more than once to keep them out of trouble—like when someone broke or lost something. He always saved Antonio.
You smiled, feeling butterflies in your stomach, knowing you were heading toward Casita and there was a good chance you’d run into Bruno. You always "ran into" each other—lately more often than not—even when you had errands in town, Bruno would "coincidentally" be headed the same way... The memories of time spent together, how he always treated you like a true gentleman, made a blissful smile spread across your face and you sighed... but then, somewhere deep down, a whisper of doubt crept in. Did Bruno enjoy spending time with you the same way you did with him? Did he... like you? Or were you once again seeing something where there was nothing? What if he was just being nice? Lonely and needing a friend? What if he had no romantic intentions at all?
You furrowed your brows and slowed your pace. A wave of worry pressed down on your love-struck heart. The only thing you could do was ask him.
Your mouth instantly went dry, sweat beading on your forehead... You shook your head. No, no, no, that wasn’t a good idea. You decided to delay it as long as possible. The idea of rejection already hurt.
You approached Casita, spotting a ribbon of silvery smoke curling from the chimney against the starry sky, lights twinkling in every window except Antonio’s, who was already asleep at this hour. Bruno’s tower was dark too. That intrigued you—he was usually home by now, especially on Fridays when everyone gathered for a glass of homemade wine and a chat. You were practically treated like family already.
You were just about to knock when out of the corner of your eye you spotted a familiar figure in an oversized green poncho, and your heart immediately skipped a beat.
"Hola, Bruno!" you called softly and giggled as he jumped like he’d been burned, pulled his hood over his head, and darted around the corner—too late, you had already seen him, and to make it worse, the tail of a rat sleeping on his shoulder was still sticking out.
Casita nudged Bruno back toward you with a window shutter, as if scolding him for being rude. He immediately pulled back his hood, nervously clutching one arm and looked you straight in the eyes.
He froze, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, until Casita gave him another gentle shove with the shutter—a silent "go on".
He blinked, licked his lips nervously, glancing at his sandals.
"G-good evening... y-you look really beautiful tonight... I mean... not just tonight... you looked beautiful yesterday too, but that doesn’t mean you’re only beautiful on Thursdays and Fridays and ugly on other days... I mean you’re always beautiful... madre mía... I’m sorry..." he stammered in a flood of words, blushing deeply, twisting his poncho in his hands—and your heart beat faster, your body flooded with warmth.
You too... you thought, but didn’t have the courage to say it aloud. He wore his usual clothes, had that same wild, tousled hair he’d had the day you met, dark strands heavily streaked with gray—the ones you’d longed to run your fingers through. And those big, shadowed eyes... Ay, Bruno... You hadn’t even realized you could fall in love at first sight—with a man so much older than you. But he was special. Extraordinary.
You stepped closer, not even realizing how widely you were smiling. It calmed him. He knew he could stumble, stutter, and ramble around you without judgment. He knew you accepted him. You were the only one who laughed at his not-so-good jokes. Maybe your sense of humor was just as questionable. He reached out a trembling hand to greet you.
Suddenly, Casita "accidentally" knocked down a rose from Isabela’s window, and it "just happened" to fall into Bruno’s open hand.
"O-oh..." he breathed, gently brushing his thumb over the petals before softly tucking the flower into your hair. For a moment, you were closer than ever before, feeling his nervous breath, the warmth of his body, the scent of his cologne... a few grains of sand from his sleeve drifted onto your skin. You didn’t care. That moment could’ve lasted forever—the touch of his gentle fingers in your hair...
But it was short-lived. He stepped back quickly, afraid he might’ve made you uncomfortable. He laughed nervously. You couldn’t stop looking at him, admiring every inch of his face, discovering small imperfections that only made him more real.
"HAHAHA! What a story, Agustín, remarkable!" came Félix’s voice from inside, followed by laughter. The party was in full swing.
"Well... I guess we’re really late..." Bruno said softly. There was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes, a deep sadness that tugged at your heart. You knew how much spending time with family meant to him, how he cherished being part of every gathering.
"Bruno, it’s not that late," you reassured him. "We can still join them..."
"Well, um, tonight I actually had... different plans," he admitted, blushing—and his words caught you by surprise. It had to be something special to make him skip Madrigal Friday, good wine, Julieta’s food, Félix’s jokes... "I told Mirabel I probably wouldn’t come..."
"Oh... Is something wrong?" you asked, worried.
"No, not at all!" he quickly said, then reconsidered. "Well, yes—but it’s nothing serious. I mean, it’s serious for me, but not like a broken leg, or... ehh..." He furrowed his brow, frustrated with himself again. He took a deep breath, gathered his thoughts, and asked shyly: "Would you maybe want to go for a walk with m-me?"
You nodded, intrigued. Walks together weren’t anything new. Practically every evening you’d wander the area, talking late into the night, or just enjoying each other’s company. You chatted about theatre, which you both loved; watched telenovelas and theorized about the next episode (Bruno was banned from peeking into the future—but his guesses were usually spot on); Bruno helped you build the home you had finally earned after working as a literature teacher... You wanted to do it yourself so he patiently showed you how to make spackle and use sand to mark house's shape. You both decided where to put each room. His advices were much appreciated by you... He was always there for you, and you, perhaps the only person in town who truly listened to him, helped him open up and just be himself. You could both be silly like children—racing sticks in the river to see whose reached the waterfall first, making up silly songs... You were far more proper in public than he was, but often let go for a bit of fun. You danced together at events—and always only with each other.
The thought of it, of being so close to Bruno, of his touch, his gentle gaze... Bruno danced muy bien, even though most people assumed he’d be clumsy and goofy... He changed when he danced—serious, focused... His hips moved smoothly, mere millimeters from you...
A shiver ran down your spine. Why were you even thinking about this?
*
You were sitting on one of the hills near Casita, looking up at the stars twinkling above you. You had just been telling him about what had been weighing on your heart since the morning, and he listened attentively, stroking a rat sleeping on his shoulder.
"...You know, I've never said this before — not to you, not to anyone — but luck hasn't really been on my side in life. I lost practically everything, and I decided to leave the past behind and start over. That’s when the legends started circulating about Encanto, about a town where people are happy, where an extraordinary family looks after others... A perfect place. I packed a suitcase, just the essentials, and set off..."
"I'm so sorry..." Bruno whispered, but you shook your head.
"It was a good decision, because I found what I was looking for – a home. You all." You lowered your gaze and added almost inaudibly, "You."
Bruno shifted slightly, and his eyes sparkled. But then his face darkened again as painful memories returned.
"It hasn't always been like this here... If not for Mirabel, I’d probably still be living inside the walls of the house..."
"WHAT?" you gasped in disbelief. Bruno gently stroked the rat, which had finally awakened. He sighed and began to speak in a hushed voice.
"I can see the future, and everyone wants to know what's coming. Everyone. At first, it was serious matters – health, marriage... Those who needed guidance came to me. But over the years, that changed. There were lines of people, so many of them, asking about the most trivial things, pushing my abilities to the limit. There were days I created vision after vision from dawn until dusk... And everyone expected me to tell them they’d find happiness, wealth, that all their dreams would come true. Sure, I saw a lot of happiness, but also a lot of pain. I saw horrible things that still haunt my nightmares... heh... and people... They didn’t understand that if a prophecy came true, it wasn’t my fault — it was usually theirs. Because they didn’t take care of their health, or their pets, or their families, they wasted money on nonsense... It's easier to blame someone else for your misfortune, right? Well, a lot happened, especially eleven years ago. Everyone treated me like some creep who brought bad luck, a bad omen..."
"That’s... that’s awful!... How could they!..." Your voice caught in your throat, a growing rage bubbling up inside you, fists clenched. How could anyone treat him like that? Bruno? The sweetest, gentlest man under the sun!? It was unthinkable!
"Yeah, well. I felt completely helpless, just one person against a crowd. No matter what I did, they took it as some sort of malice. They dissected every word I said, trying to prove I brought misfortune... And the vision I had the night Mirabel didn’t receive a gift — Casita falling apart — it broke my heart. I didn’t want my niece to suffer. She was so tiny... I destroyed the vision and hid away for many, many years. A whole decade..."
You listened to his words in disbelief, silver tears glimmering in your eyes.
"...It’s only been a year now that things have gotten better, thanks to Mirabel... Encanto has opened up to outsiders, too — before, it was hard to get in..."
You shook your head in disbelief.
"Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?"
Bruno chuckled softly.
"I don't think the Madrigals like to talk about that time... You know, we healed many wounds — except our pride."
You nodded, melting at the sight of Bruno’s smile.
"I wanted you to know that not everything here is so wonderful and perfect, but we’re working on ourselves. Especially me..." he added almost inaudibly, then, after a pause, continued. "I know I’m weird... I talk nonsense and I’m a total klutz..."
He sighed and sniffed slightly, looking downcast. Only when the rat licked his cheek did he perk up. He lifted the rat from his shoulder and gently cradled it in his hand, scratching it affectionately behind the ear.
"I used to be disgusted by them as a kid, but then I started noticing how incredibly underrated they are — smart, caring, and more like little sweet puppies with long tails than pests. Each has a different personality, different food preferences... This one in particular got really attached to me."
"Can I pet her?" you asked shyly, pointing to the female rat, who was staring at you and squeaking for attention.
"Of course!" Bruno exclaimed, and carefully placed the animal onto your hand. Once she settled in, he supported your hand from below. His touch sent a pleasant tingle through you. "Her name’s Antonella, she’s a bit skittish, but... oh, I think she likes you — that’s great!"
He beamed as Antonella melted under your shy, gentle touch. Her fur was soft and delicate, and her little face surprisingly sweet, and… oh, she suddenly started making weird eye movements, which startled you...
"Oh... don’t worry, rats make strange faces when they’re happy. They're weird like me."
He laughed. Suddenly, the rat picked up a scent and darted into the grass, running off.
"Hey, where are you going?" You looked disappointed, worried you had scared her, but Bruno just shrugged.
"She’s got her own business... o-oh..."
You both froze when you realized his hand was still holding yours. You looked at each other questioningly, but neither of you pulled away. On the contrary — you felt his thumb lightly brushing your skin.
"And that important thing you had to do?" you asked with curiosity, drowning in Madrigal’s deep gaze. He snapped out of his thoughts.
"Thing? Ah, right... Well... Well..." You felt his hand start to tremble, the grip tightening slightly, your heart pounding again. "I... I’ve been alone practically my whole life. The son of the Madrigals was a highly desired match in Encanto, and when I came of age, many women wanted to marry into our family for the prestige... Because I... well, you know how I am... Clumsy, talkative, odd... I’m not like my father... And then, when everything started falling apart and I got labeled the villain, even if I fell in love, heh, no family would give their child to someone who brings misfortune, right?"
"Why are you telling me this?" you asked softly, tears welling in your eyes.
Bruno licked his dry lips, staring deeply into your eyes.
"Because I love you. And you have every right not to feel the same... to tell me ‘no’... I’ll understand..."
"And what if I love you too?"
Bruno let out a nervous laugh.
"Well, uh, I didn’t really consider that opti–"
You silenced him with a kiss.
You couldn’t hold back a second longer.
It lasted only a moment, just a peck, but it drew a soft moan of pleasure from Bruno.
When you pulled away, he was still looking at you in disbelief, as if not quite processing what had just happened.
He wiped away the tears of joy running down your cheeks and cupped your face with both hands, gazing at you adoringly.
"Mi amor, hermosa, mi corazón..." he whispered over and over, his lips just a breath away from yours. This time, the kiss he gave you was nothing like the awkward peck… His lips eagerly captured yours, and his hands slid from your face down your arms to your waist, pulling you close. You could feel him trembling, craving to hold you — now, immediately — and yet he was still so gentle and unsure. You slid your hands under his poncho, placing them on his chest, where his soft skin peeked from under the loosened collar.
"Ay, amor..." he moaned with pleasure when you slipped your fingers under the fabric and touched his bare skin, goosebumps immediately spreading across it as a shiver ran through him. His lips caught yours again, but this time, as you gasped for breath, heat flooding your body, his tongue slipped passionately into your mouth.
You felt a wave of excitement course through you, making your whole body tingle and, for a moment, go limp.
"Are you okay?" he chuckled softly, seeing you melt, and nibbled your neck, making you giggle. "I’ve never felt so... hmm... how do I say this?"
"Masculine? Attractive? Handsome?"
The air caught in his lungs, and he went pale for a moment, as if those words scared him.
You gently stroked his cheek.
"That's how I see you, you know, Bruno? You know what else? You're my best friend... Mi Bruno... funny, caring, full of love... I... I longed for you to feel the same way I feel about you..."
He melted at the sound of your words and kissed your neck, his scruff tickling you. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small golden ring with a green stone. So he was prepared for you to say yes after all.... Ay, silly Bruno.
It wasn’t an emerald or any gemstone, but a piece of his vision glass cut to resemble a diamond. Inside it shimmered a faint shape that resembled a butterfly.
"My whole life, I looked into the futures of others, but before I met you I had finally decided to see my own, to check if happiness awaited me... I saw only this shape: a butterfly... I thought about it for a long time, trying to find meaning, running after all the poor butterflies in the area, hehe, but when I met you... it stopped mattering. I don’t want any other happiness — just you by my side... Will you marry me?"
"Bruno, I..." you whispered, and unbuttoned a few buttons of your blouse, revealing part of your chest and a symbol no one had seen before, tattooed over your heart: a butterfly. Bruno instinctively looked away, not wanting to embarrass you, but understood you were letting him look. He gained courage, admiring your cleavage, shapely breasts and glistening skin.
A silence fell between you, stunned.
You took the ring from Bruno’s hand and slid it onto your finger, then took his hand and placed it over the tattoo. He shivered at the softness of your skin between your breasts. His thumb stroke you unleashing a caleidoscope of shivers and tickles burning you with desire underneth your skin...
"My Mariposa" he whispered and you both sunk into each other's arms
*
A MOMENT EARLIER IN CASITA
“Shhh! She’s coming!” Dolores hissed, listening closely.
The whole family sat nervously around the table, waiting.
“Are you sure Bruno wants to propose? Didn’t it seem a bit off to you?” Abuela asked, surprised, and the others quickly shushed her.
“Definitely...” Mirabel rolled her eyes. “He’s been planning this for a while... We really have to help him, because he’ll never do it himself... Now is the perfect momento! I feel it!”
Peppa and Julieta nodded sadly. Their brother had been bottling up his feelings for too long. The had seen how much you mean for him... If not love, then what?
“Casita, you know what to do, right?” Mirabel muttered, and a quiet creak answered her. She nodded and began listing: “Luisa blocked the door with the piano, just in case — nobody can get in, so they’ll be alone. We’ve got extra flowers everywhere in case Bruno forgets to pick some...”
“Oh! Here he is! Shhhh!” Dolores squeaked, then frowned. “Ugh, he’s saying she looks pretty on Thursdays and Fridays — what a disaster...”
The family rolled their eyes, Augustin smacked his face with his palm in embarrassment, almost ruining his glasses...
Dolores focused hard to report every detail:
“It’s getting a little better, bravo tío ... Gracias for the flowers, Casita, you saved the day... Eh... I’m scared she’ll want to come inside anyways...”
“We have to think of something!” muttered Camilo. “Let’s pretend we’re having fun without them!”
“HAHAHA! What a story, Agustín, remarkable” Felix suddenly shouted, and the others started laughing and making fake noise — clinking glasses and cutlery. Dolores covered one ear so the noise wouldn’t bother her, and she brightened up.
“It works! Good job!” she smiled widely, and the group sighed with relief, sinking into their chairs.
“I didn’t think this would be so stressful...” muttered Mirabel massaging her temples.
“They’re going alone! Eh... Nothing interesting, just talking...” Dolores shrugged and kept listening. “She’s talking a bit about herself... Now Bruno... Hmm...” she frowned. “He’s talking about how we treated him... how much we hurt him... Poor tío Bruno...”
The family grew somber, wishing they could erase that painful part of their history... They sat silently, lost in their thoughts, especially Abuela... Her own son treated like that...
“Wait! This must be it...” Dolores exclaimed, breath quickening. “They’re holding hands!” she squealed, barely holding back her excitement. The others urged her on for more!
Dolores strained to hear, barely holding her nerves.
“He said it, he said he loves her...” she whispered, tears shining in her eyes.
“What did she reply!?” Peppa shouted, breaking free from the cloud of stormy emotions above her.
“She... She... KISSED him!”
The family jumped to their feet, cheering and hugging each other.
“Quiet, it’s not over... He pulled out a ring, said he saw a mariposa in his vision of happiness, searched for it, didn’t find it, so he made a ring from a tablet for her... Ay, Dios mío!”
Dolores stopped, embarrassed.
“What happened next?” Mirabel asked, worried, seeing Dolores cover her ears.
“She has a butterfly tattoo on her cleavage... They’re kissing and...” Dolores muttered, blushing hard, firmly plugging her ears so no more sounds could reach her. "That's it, I won't be listening any more na-ah! For my own sanity's sake..."
The others blushed probably knowing far too well what you and Bruno were doing right now...
“Where exactly is her tattoo!? Is she naked right now? That's Inconceivable!...” Abuela gasped, almost falling off her chair.
"Well ehm not ehm only ehm her...." Felix coghed out and exchanged meaningful, smiling looks with Augustin. "Allright everyone - mission accomplished, time to bed!" And added in quieter tone: "We must rest, because when new babies arrive..."
"FELIX!" Shouted both Julieta and Peppa closing his mouth.
Mirabel blinked, bright red.
“Well... Not quite according to the plan, but it went better than I thought...” she laughed.
