Widower Agustín / Divorced Julieta AU
Since @daliceus is now interested in Widower Agustín / Divorced Julieta AU, I decided to try and come up with one that would work in the Encanto canon where the miracle did happen (from what I gather, the AUs so far are all modern/non-miracle AUs).
I might call this one "Disowned Julieta AU".
So.
Thanks to Bruno’s vision, 19-year-old triplets find an injured Agustín in the mountains surrounding Encanto. Let’s say he is a Biology student doing research and got lost. Julieta heals him. He stays in the village to study local wildlife and help out. He gets injured often, so he and Julieta spend more time together. They quickly grow close.
Alma disapproves of Agustín. He is an outsider who doesn’t appreciate their miracle. Also, he is a walking disaster. Plus, there might be people looking for him from whence he came. She lets the boy know it would be best for all parties involved if he returned to the civilization. Not to mention, Julieta is as good as engaged to a childhood friend, whom Alma watched grow up and adores. Agustín concedes that his family on the outside would miss him and he couldn’t let them think he died. With a heavy heart, he bids Encanto and Julieta farewell.
Julieta never quite forgets that adorable city boy and is holding on to the hope he would return one day. At times, she fantasizes about seeking him out. Alas, she is loyal to the Encanto and feels obligated to serve the community with her gift. In the end – as she’s not getting any younger – she relents and marries her childhood friend. He doesn’t stir her heart the way Agustín did, but she convinces herself a strong friendship is more important than passion.
Julieta’s husband (let’s call him Latino Gaston) is not much of a support system. He doesn’t get why she’s upset when she’s basically a female Jesus. She cannot be open with him about her feelings, because he just tells her to fix the things she doesn’t like. After marriage – and even more so after Isabela is born – his typical self-confidence escalates to arrogance and vanity. He loves his new status as a Madrigal. What he loves even more is showing off his perfect little princess, claiming she’s going to become the leader of the community – perhaps over Julieta, who obviously has a problem speaking up for herself.
Well, that does it. Julieta packs her daughter, the basic essentials and leaves Encanto. She is done sacrificing everything for the community and getting nothing in return. She is not about to let her daughter grow up in this toxicity.
Alma makes Bruno have a vision and track Julieta down. He does. She tells him she’s not going back. He decides to stay with her.
As for Agustín – he had returned to his natal family and tried to live on. For many years, he just focused on getting education. At one point, he tried to find the Encanto again, but got injured and landed in a hospital. His family begged him to not risk his life again. Begrudgingly, he agreed – there was no guarantee he’d reach Encanto again. Knowing his bad luck, he’d kill himself somewhere along the way. He had to let go of this teenage infatuation and move on.
At some point, he fell in love with and got married. Sadly, their baby took the wrong position in the uterus. An emergency C-section was performed. The mother fought bravely, but the wound didn’t heal properly and she passed away. Agustín was devastated. At long last he had found happiness only for it to be so brutally taken away from him. He couldn’t accept it. Fortunately, his family was there for him. His wife’s family, meanwhile, cut all contact. They didn’t want to see the ‘abomination’ that killed their daughter.
A couple of years passed. While traveling for work, Agustín runs into a travelling herbalist. He knows the herbalist. She recognizes him too. They catch up. The old flame returns with double force.