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“Cecil-l-l,” Carlos groaned, covering his face with both hands to stifle his laughter. The afterparty had been over for a while now, and they’d spent the time attempting to do the impossible task of organizing the numerous chairs scattered around the room. “That is definitely not how you stack chairs.”
“What do you mean?” The radio host paused, in the middle of creating some sort of statue that vaguely resembled an elephant. If elephants had eight legs and a unicorn horn. “I distinctly remember this, the Secret Police were very insistent that everything had to line up exactly, or else they would charge extra for the ‘sloppy craftsmanship’.”
Even a little past tipsy, Cecil’s words were barely slurred. There was, however, a flush creeping up his cheekbones, and his eyes were brighter than usual. That could also have something to do with the fact that he’d gotten married to the love of his life not even three hours ago. The love of his life, who was now supporting his weight on a still-standing chair and giggling violently.
“Well, where I come from, people stack chairs in rows.” He waved his arms in a semi-straight line, trying to replicate an invisible example. “On top of each other- like… um…” Was there a word for that? “Like a building?”
Cecil was quiet for a minute, narrowing his eyes at his sculpture. “So, you want the chairs to look like a building.”
“Sort of. Here, let me show you.” Carlos grabbed a couple chairs, almost stumbling over them as he collapsed the frames and stacked them on top of each other. “Ta-da.”
“Well that’s boring.” Cecil’s eyes widened instantly, his hands flying to his mouth. “Oh! I didn’t mean to offend you, I’m sure when you have mountains of them all stacked on top of each other like that, it leads to a formidable looking structure.” He nodded sagely.
Carlos let out another giggle, reaching up to grab Cecil’s hand. “No offense taken. Things are done differently here in Night Vale, and if I don’t know that after… how many years here,” he smiled. “Then I haven’t been paying attention. Which is very detrimental to the scientific process.” His expression turned serious. “A scientist must always pay attention. Especially when dealing with explosives. Or bananas.”
“Ooh Carlos.” Cecil wrapped his arms around the scientist’s waist, burying his face in his curls. “You know how much I like it when you talk about science.”
“Oh?” Carlos reached up to cup his husband’s (husband’s) slightly flushed face, a smile pulling on his lips. “I think I might have heard something about that.”
Their lips met, the distance between them closed, and that kiss was just as perfect as the one they’d shared in the front seat of Carlos’ car, all those years ago.
Until someone started banging on the door.
“If you want that deposit, those chairs better be stacked in fifteen minutes!”
Another, higher voice, added, “Congratulations by the way!”
Carlos snorted, while Cecil yelled his thanks to the closed door.
“Well, we’ve got fifteen minutes, whatever those are, to figure out how to stack these chairs.” Cecil raised an eyebrow. “Care to join me, my perfect and glorious husband?”
And if Carlos already wasn’t completely gone for this man, he was now.
“You 'betcha, my equally ‘perfect and glorious’ husband.” He looped an arm through Cecil’s, resting his head on his shoulder. “Let’s show these chairs what they’re made of.”
“Plastic and the tears of innocents, Carlos. I think they may already know that,” Cecil said, his voice gentler than before.
“It’s a - nevermind.”
By the time the rental agency came to check their progress, they had created a sculpture of… well Carlos wasn’t entirely sure what it was supposed to be, but Cecil seemed proud of it. They received a check, a pat on the back, and then they were sent on their way.
Streetlamps flickered overhead, and distant thunder echoed over the rooftops. The desert air was cool and breezy as they walked - well, more like stumbled - back to their shared home, hand in hand. Everything was quiet in Night Vale, except for the two newly-wedded husbands who were butchering their way through “Super Trooper”, and feeling…
Well.
They both felt really neat, if they did say so themselves.