"Carlos," Cecil purred, nuzzling his head into the crook of the scientist's neck and shoulder, inhaling his scent, of an almost-sterile sweat. He passed his arm down the sleeve of Carlos's lab coat, his fingers finding the other man's and entangling there. They stood like that, entwined, staring up at the starry void that stretched over the quiet desert city, on the top of Carlos's apartment building. "The feeling of your name in my mouth…" he muttered, giving a slight squeeze with his hand, stroking the inside of Carlos's thumb with his.
"That does nothing to the sound of you saying it," said Carlos, glancing up at Cecil, admiring the way his eyes shined beneath his thin glasses. His slightly-receding hair was almost a lavender color in the reflected light from the sky, and Carlos knew that this man was his, now and for as long as time continued its improbable existence.
Cecil was bent slightly at the waist in order to rest his head on the man's shoulder, but somehow, it didn't seem like an awkward arrangement. Cecil turned himself toward the other man tentatively, his long fingers brushing against Carlos's face. Carlos blushed and smiled, retreating a bit into his bushy mane, which framed his face, accented by the touch of silver just under the small indents left by the lab goggles he wore so frequently.
A soft, dry wind blew across the desert and ruffled Carlos's hair and Cecil's parachute pants, and Cecil's heart skipped a beat. Carlos looked like what he imagined an angel would look like, if they existed. His radiance was daunting to be near, and yet…
"Can I kiss you?" Cecil asked, his voice, usually so strong, wavering just a bit.
"I was hoping you would ask," said Carlos, reaching up with his free hand and pulling Cecil's face to his. Their lips met, and that was all it was for a moment, the lip lock holding them in what could have been an infinity in the face of the unchanging void above them.
Then, Cecil slid his tongue into Carlos's mouth, and their tongues met. Cecil wrapped his arm around Carlos, pulling the shorter but thicker-built man closer to him. Carlos pulled his hand around Cecil's head, running his fingers through his shot blond hair. Cecil pulled his mouth away, only to continue kissing down Carlos's neck, pulling back at the collar of his work casual lab coat. He pulled back and they looked each other in the eyes. Carlos blushed, but didn't break they eye contact. A smile pulled back Cecil's cheeks.
Carlos looked down, and gave a short laugh. Cecil looked to see what was amusing, and saw that the two of them were still holding hands, fingers interlaced. A calm fell between them, a calm of the warm desert night air and of sexual energy. "Come with me," said Cecil, pulling Carlos back to the roof access door of the building, down the stairs, into Carlos's apartment, to the bedroom. "We've gone on a few dates now…"
"Three dates," said Carlos. "All of them, nothing but wonderful." The two men sat on the bed, hands draped on Cecil's thigh.
"Yes!" said Cecil, his eyes lighting up with the thought of the three whole magical evenings he had already spent with Carlos. "And what I was thinking was, well…"
"Yes, Cecil?" asked Carlos, his big brown eyes causing Cecil's heart to beat faster. He felt a rush of blood to his head.
"I think it's about time we get intimate," said Cecil. "I know it's not the mandated fifth-date intimacy that the Sheriff's Secret Police enforces, but I love you, Carlos, and I want to share my body with you."
Carlos's smile wavered for just a moment, and his hand went slack in Cecil's hand. Cecil's heart dropped, and he knew that he had said the wrong thing, that he had pushed it too far.
"Of course, we don't have to, I mean, we can wait, it's okay, or we don't have to…" Cecil pulled his hand out of Carlos's and retreated a bit. "I didn't mean to, I mean…"
"Cecil," said Carlos, taking ahold of the man's hand anew. "Cecil, I would be glad to join you in coitus, and I mean that." He gave a smile. "My reaction, well, I'm sorry. I don't really feel sexual attraction—it's not you, it's just, in general."
"Shh," said Cecil, halting Carlos's explanation. He looked at the perfect man in front of him, his whole self quivering with delight that he would not have to leave him. "Say no more, I understand. If you're asexual, I can completely understand—we can go to city hall tomorrow and fill out the deferral form for the Sherriff's Secret Police…"
"Cecil, you didn't let me finish," said Carlos. "I am asexual, yes. But I am fully willing to have sex with you. In fact," he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small package, which Cecil recognized to be a condom, "I was hoping that I would be able to."
"Really?" asked Cecil, his face that of a child who just won a contest at the county fair. "I mean, you would do that?"
"Just because I don't have the attraction doesn't mean I can't have sex, or enjoy it," said Carlos. He pushed a wavy length of hair out of his face so that he could more fully see Cecil, so that Cecil could be the center of all of his attention. "And if I love someone, especially if I love them as much as I love you…"
Cecil cut him off with a kiss, and the two of them leaned backward into the bed. Cecil could feel himself ready for what was going to happen, the waistband of his parachute pants tightening in anticipation. "I love you," Cecil mouthed as he slid his hand under Carlos's shirt, connecting his lover's body.
"And I love you," said Carlos, pulling Cecil's glasses off and kissing him as he placed them on the night stand, out of harm's way.