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The Night Vale Reception Hall was decorated in black, white and various shades of purple, bouquets of white roses and lilacs resting on top of white and purple table clothes. Well-dressed guests slowly made their way into the hall, conversations filling the room as the guests made their way to their respective tables. As soon as the last few guests were seated, the respective wedding parties entered the room, starting first with Carlos’s team of scientists, followed by Janice, her mother Celiné, Interns Maureen, Kendra and Silas before Carlos and Cecil, dressed to the nines and walking arm in arm, brought up the rear. The pair gazed at each other lovingly as they took their seats at the head table, their grins wide as they laced fingers. The rest of the wedding party took their seats as silence descended upon the reception hall. The silence stretched for a bit before one of the scientists, an astrophysicist named Casey, leaned over and nudged Carlos in the side. Carlos tore his gaze from his husband, blushing a bit. He coughed to clear his throat and stood, pulling Cecil up with him.
“Hello, and welcome to the wedding,” Cecil droned, his voice washing over the assembled crowd as Carlos muttered something about Cecil’s greeting not being necessary and we talked about this Cecil.
“Um, hello everyone,” Carlos called out, trying to not stutter. “It’s wonderful to see you all. Glad you all could come and umm…. Well, thanks I guess. I mean, not that I guess, your support is, well, scientifically speaking, your support means a lot to the both of us so it’s great that you guys are here. I hope you enjoy yourselves and yeah. Thanks again.”
Carlos quickly dropped back into his seat, smoothing the legs of his dress pants while avoiding making eye contact with anyone in the room. Cecil grinned and returned to his own seat, laying a hand over Carlos’s as conversation resumed in the hall.
“That was adorable Carlos,” one of the scientists, a girl with black and red hair, teased.
“Anika, be nice,” Casey scolded.
“Sorry sweetie,” Anika responded, patting the top of her girlfriend’s hand as she sat back in her seat.
“Get a room,” Rochelle muttered to Dave and the tall, dark haired geologist named Leonard on her left, causing the other two scientists to snicker.
~~
The reception was in full swing by the time the first dance came around. Both dinner and the cake had been served after Cecil and Carlos took it upon themselves to smash the other’s face into their cake slice, wine had been poured and Celiné, Rochelle, Mayor Dana, and Dave had given their congratulatory speeches to the happy couple. Mayor Dana left as soon as her speech was over, but Cecil and Carlos were happy to see her nonetheless. The two greeted guests at the head table until Janice asked Michelle Nguyen for the microphone.
“Would Uncle Cecil and Uncle Carlos come to the dance floor?” Janice asked into the mic, catching Cecil and Carlos’s attention. “It’s time for you to dance together.”
Cecil turned to look at Carlos, his grin reaching his luminous eyes as he asked, “Ready?”
With a grin, Carlos offered his hand to Cecil. As soon as Cecil’s hand was in his, Carlos lead the two onto the dance floor. The pair reached the center and the lights dimmed, leaving the two standing in a pool of soft light. With a less than enthusiastic thumbs up, Michelle dropped the needle into the waiting vinyl. The gentle sound of piano came through the speakers as Cecil and Carlos began to slowly move in a circle.
“Though I've tried before to tell her of the feelings I have for her in my heart,” Sting’s voice crooned from the speakers as Cecil and Carlos leaned in for a gentle kiss. “Every time that I come near her I just lose my nerve as I've done from the start.”
“Every little thing she does is magic,” Sting belted as Cecil and Carlos danced around faster, Cecil’s dress swirling around him as the two were spinning each other and dipping each other with goofy grins on their faces. “Everything she do just turns me on! Even though my life before was tragic, now I know my love for her goes on!”
Carlos pulled Cecil close, giving him a quick peck on the nose as the song continued.
“I love you Carlos,” Cecil murmured, nuzzling under Carlos’s chin.
“I love you too Cecil,” Carlos whispered as they picked up the pace for the second chorus.
Cecil grinned and lifted his arm so that Carlos could spin under it. Carlos completed two turns before Cecil dipped him backwards once more. From his position, Carlos spotted Doug and his partner Alicia towering above the crowd. He gave them a quick wave before Cecil pulled the scientist back up.
“I resolve to call her up a thousand times a day and ask her if she’ll marry me in some old fashioned way. But my silent fears have gripped me long before I reached the phone. Long before my tongue has tripped me. Must I always be alone?”
“That verse makes me think of all the times I tried to call you for personal reasons, but ended up calling for not personal reasons,” Carlos mused as he spun Cecil into his chest.
“That is both adorable and kind of cheesy,” Cecil replied with a grin as Carlos spun him back out again.
“Not as cheesy as this,” Carlos said as he lifted Cecil.
Cecil laughed and put his hands on Carlos’s shoulders to stabilize himself as Carlos spun the two of them around. Carlos gently set Cecil back down and pulled him in close for another kiss as the song slowly faded out. The reception guests clapped for the happy couple before they joined the two on the dance floor for the next song. Carlos and Cecil stood still in the center of the dance floor, foreheads resting against each other.
“I love you Cecil,” Carlos said, lacing his fingers with Cecil’s.
“I love you too Carlos,” Cecil responded. “I love you so much.”