Cecil and Carlos Under the Sand Wastes
As he leaned his head on my shoulder I wanted so bad to tell him, to just whisper in his ear "Cecil I love you" but he word wouldn't come. Instead, I just wrapped my arms around his shoulders and leaned my head against his. He slowly reached his pale, long fingered hand and held on to the mine resting in my lap.
"Carlos" he whispered, "come with me I have something I want to show you."
He hoped off the trunk of my car in his usual child-like fashion.
"Ok" I replied slowly sliding down until my feet rested on the ground. I was sore but he smile that lit up Cecil's face was worth it.
"Great let's go" he said excitedly pulling on my arm as he took off down the street. Every muscle in my body protested but I ignored it and ran along with him, wishing I'd spent less time trying to figure out Nightvale and more time exercising. I watched as the city of Nightvale passed on either side of me. I looked at the people who had confused me so much when I first arrived in this city but that I had come to know as friends. They watched us as well some ignored while some smiled at us as we passed but no one looked at the two of us disapprovingly, that's one of the things I had come to love about Nightvale unlike the rest of America nobody cared that I was running down the street hand in hand with the man I loved, there was no judgment here. Before I realized it we had passed the city and were running towards the far end of the sand wastes.
"Here we are" Cecil said.
"Where" I asked gasping for every breath?
"I found this place a couple years ago, I was looking for a treasure that was rumored to be buried under the sand wastes. Turns out it was under the biggest tree in the scrub lands, but that's another story."
He dropped to his knees and began shoveling the sand aside with his hands. He didn't appear to be out of breath at all which was slightly discouraging to me.
"Here it is" he yelled!
And that's when I saw it, what appeared to be a trap door buried and long forgotten underneath the sand. He pulled open the door revealing a ladder leading deep under the ground.
"Come on" he said beginning down the ladder. I followed close behind him my excitement building. What was down here that he wanted to show me? The second me feet came in contact with the cool dirt floor Cecil grabbed my hand and began to lead me slowly down the corridor. It seemed to go on for miles but I could see a sliver of light escaping from underneath a door.
"Wait, Cecil, there's a light on somebody must've found it, we should get out of here."
"Don't be silly Carlos, nobody found it, I planned on showing you this place today, I left the light on."
Almost immediately after he finished saying this we reached the door.
"Wow, I thought it was farther away."
"So did I the first time I think it might be some kind of trick done by whoever built this to make the door seem farther away."
He opened the door quickly and hurried me in but he was careful when closing it behind him. The room was empty except for a small light hanging from the ceiling and a mattress with a few blankets and pillows scattered haphazardly across it in the corner.
"Well, go lay down" Cecil said.
I hesitated before taking a few steps toward the bed and lying down on my back. Cecil got down next to me laying on his side facing me.
"I want this to be our place, just somewhere we can come together to get away from the city. It's nice and quiet. What do you think?"
"I think once we decorate a little, and make it our own, it will be perfect."
"I knew you'd like it" he said flashing that perfect smile.
"I love it" I said wrapping my arm around him and pulling him closer to me. "I really, really love it."
He rested his head on my chest laying one arm across my body. I thought about telling him how I felt but I didn't know how to explain it. I wasn't used to this there were no facts no science just feelings, feelings I had never felt before.
"How do you think we should decorate it" ha asked?
"Let's not think about that now" I said gently kissing the top of his head.
"Cecil, can we just talk?"
"Of course."
"Cecil, I don't really know how to say this."
"You don't want to be with me. Do you Carlos?"
"No, no that's not it at all I … I love you Cecil. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else. It's take me a while to realize it but there's no place I'd rather be than in Nightvale, and there's no one I'd rather be here with. And I hope you feel the same way because I've gotten do used to you being around I think I started to take advantage of your presence, but I realize now that I was wrong to do that, and I don't know what I could ever do without you."
"Wow, Carlos, I wasn't expecting that, I mean, I… I love you too, I feel the same way."
The room went silent I could hear Cecil breathing, I could feel his heartbeat against mine.
"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, do you want to think about decorating?"
"Not just yet" I replied sliding my hand underneath his sweater vest and unbuttoning his shirt.
His smooth skin felt warm against my hand. He leaned his head closer to mine and closed his eyes, I knew what he wanted, I wanted it to and here was my chance. I closed my eyes and leaned into the kiss. His lips felt warm against mine, I could feel the passion between us everything was perfect. Every move I made he matched, I ran my fingers through his soft hair and I could feel him smile as I pulled away.
"Is something wrong" he asked
"No, I'm just tired and sore."
He didn't reply just slipped his sweater vest over his head and tossed it across the room. His shirt was already unbuttoned which made it easy for me to slide it off and let it fall. I pulled him close again and he rested his head against my chest. He let out a little sigh and wrapped his leg around mine, I hugged him a little closer. And there in that small underground room with the man I loved wrapped up in my arms, I finally slept.