Forbidden
"Cecil, I am calling for personal reasons."
The line always sent a little thrill of excitement down Cecil's spine, and he shivered slightly. "Carlos! I am SO glad you called. What are the personal reasons?" He fought back a giddy giggle.
"Do you have time to stop by my lab before your show? It shouldn't take long."
"Of course, I'd love to! Any time! I'll come right now if you like. Is that okay?"
"That's fine. I'll see you soon."
Cecil hung up and let out a shrill squeal ending in a sigh of perfect contentment. Carlos.
Beautiful, sweet, PERFECT Carlos. The brilliant scientist who had come to Night Vale and captured his heart over a year ago now. Who had finally returned his affections. Cecil hummed to himself as he ran a comb through his coarse hair with just a bit of almond oil, and slipped on a pair of purple leather sandals before driving over.
Carlos opened the door with a grin, which only grew when he met Cecil's gaze. They breathed in each other's presence as he stepped inside, and Carlos closed the door behind him.
"I got a package in the mail today. A big box of my abuela's cookies. You have to try them, they're like nothing you've ever tasted."
Carlos pulled him eagerly over to a lab table where a big box was carefully centered. It was open, and a sweet smell wafted out. The scientist picked out a big soft brown cookie and held it out. It was lumpy with big broken chunks of chocolate and walnuts.
"Mmm…" It smelled heavenly, and even better because it was a gift from Carlos. The scientist took one himself and nodded eagerly at Cecil.
"Go on, try it! You'll love it."
Cecil grinned and brought the cookie up to his mouth, and Carlos watched him closely, mirroring his action. They bit down at the same time, and Carlos closed his eyes and sighed blissfully.
The other man was quiet for a change, and when Carlos opened his eyes, he was chewing slowly and reflectively.
"Is that…" he mumbled thoughtfully.
"She puts cinnamon in them," Carlos said eagerly. "And cloves, and probably a gallon of butter."
"But… Carlos, is there… wheat in this?" Cecil's voice dropped to barely a whisper, his eyes wide.
Carlos paused. "Of course. Wheat flour. That's not usually the first thing people notice, though."
Cecil gulped, swallowing a bit of the – admittedly delicious – forbidden treat. "You know that all wheat and wheat by-products have been banned by the City Council, don't you?" he whispered, lips barely moving, eyes never leaving Carlos's face.
"It's – Honestly? Why?"
"It's a law. They're strictly prohibited within the city limits after that time all wheat and wheat by-products started turning into venomous snakes. That stopped, of course, but it's for our own safety, still."
Carlos straightened up slowly, looking from the other man to the cookie and back again. And then, slowly and deliberately, he took another bite. Cecil gasped.
"Carlos!"
The scientist crunched his cookie loudly, never looking away from the radio host, who glanced desperately around the room, and out the window. The Sheriff's Secret Police were always watching, of course. There was probably one in the bush outside, one beneath the window, and possibly one sewn into the couch (it was hard to be sure).
Carlos swallowed noisily. "Cecil, I'll be damned if I give up the best thing I've ever eaten," he said, deadly serious.
"Yes, that's the PROBLEM, you will be ANYWAY!"
"Hey!" Carlos called out suddenly, making Cecil jump. "Secret Police! Hooded Figures! Angels! Faceless Old Woman? Anybody else watching? Let me eat my cookies, and there's one in it for anybody who wants one."
Cecil couldn't breathe for a moment, but there was a shuffling sound, and a number of people stepped out of the corner of his vision. Carlos handed them each a cookie. There were two angels, and they held the baked goods aloft, into a beam of holy light. A few cookies just disappeared. Finally the two men were seemingly alone in the room again. Carlos gave a sharp, decisive nod and finished off his cookie. The room was so silent that his chewing was practically deafening.
"I can't BELIEVE you did that!" Cecil hissed with an edge of hysterical laughter.
Carlos grinned. "With as much as you talk about the dog park and hooded figures and angels and everything?"
"Yes, but…"
"And you got on the subway, and crossed through some sort of dimensional vortex into Desert Bluffs…"
"But Carlos, that's… it's part of my job, and I assure you, I go through regular reeducation for my efforts! I'm – some people simply refuse to learn, and it's my own fault, but that doesn't mean YOU should put yourself in harm's way!"
Carlos caught Cecil's narrower face in both his hands. "And using writing implements is part of my job," he murmured. "And eating these cookies is… part of my family. And I spent a long time living in fear of everything Night Vale could do to me, and I'm finished with that. I'm going to do my job, Cecil, and I'm going to live my life, no matter what that involves. And if you think for a second that I'm not going to eat my cookies, you'd better think again."
"You're incredible," Cecil whispered breathlessly, his eyes glued to Carlos's darker ones. Carlos chuckled and leaned in kiss him. It tasted buttery and chocolaty, and with a deliciously subtle underlying taste of wheat.
"So are you," Carlos pulled away just enough to breathe into his mouth. Cecil quivered, licking his lips.
"Perfect… gorgeous, magnificent, brave, brilliant, PERFECT Carlos," he sighed happily.
"Hm." Carlos bit into another cookie and chewed while he gazed back fondly at Cecil.
Slowly the gleam faded from Cecil's eyes, leaving him looking slightly perplexed.
"Is everything all right?"
"Oh yes! Yes, it's fine, just fine." Cecil's brilliant smile was back in an instant. "I should be getting to the station soon."
"Okay." Carlos smiled fondly and pressed a soft, gentle kiss to the side of Cecil's mouth, ending with a little flick of his tongue that made Cecil shiver pleasurably. "I'll see you later."
"Uh? Oh, yes. Yes, definitely." Cecil laughed, his face reddening.
"Have a good day at work."
"You too! Good luck… with science!" Cecil's smile dimmed just a bit. "And Carlos… be careful."
"I will. You too."