It was only the second time Carlos had stayed over. They had got so engrossed in a Netflix documentary about the decline of the central American bee population that Carlos had fallen asleep on the sofa.
Not wanting to wake him, Cecil dug out his old Scout camp blanket and laid it over his sleeping boyfriend.
He then snuggled up in bed in his favourite leather pants, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
A few hours later Carlos stirred with a moan. He hated having to get up to use the bathroom during the night, he could never get back to sleep again very easily and his dream sequences were thrown way out of whack.
After a couple of minutes of debt with himself he decided, as he always did, that he should move and use the bathroom.
He shifted the blanket off himself and promptly tripped right over the coffee table.
Clearly he had not woken up in his own bedroom.
As he rubbed his shin he took in his surrounding, and smiled as the memory of having Cecil snuggled up against him last night returned.
He slowly got to his feet and staggered towards the bathroom, as he passed by Cecil's room he couldn't help but steal a glance at the sleeping form through the already open door.
Carlos almost face planted the sink when the loudest rumble of thunder sounded as he was splashing some water on his face.
He stood still for a moment, heart racing.
If he was honest he didn't really do thunder. He know some people loved storms, and yerh he got that. He'd seen some truly beautiful photos of lighting strikes. But that was the kind of thing he would rather appreciate at a distance.
His mind raced.
Would Cecil mind if he snuck into his room and just maybe slept on the floor?
He decided to peek into Cecil's room on the way back to the living room, and then make up his mind.
Carlos tiptoed his way back along the hall, freezing in place when ever the thunder hit.
Slowly he made his way to Cecil's door.
He took a deep breath.
And looked inside.
Cecil was still curled up in bed, but his face was contorted in fright, and he was vaguely flailing his left arm, as if trying to bat something away. Though in reality the action would be more suited to petting a cat.
Was Cecil afraid of thunder too?
Carlos took a timid step into Cecil's room. "Cecil love, it's ok, it's only thunder."
Cecil's lips moved lazily, muttering a response Carlos couldn't hear in the doorway, so he took a few more steps forward, more confidently this time and said. "What was that dear?"
Cecil's lips moved once again, this time with an added flap of his hand.
"stopit steve"
At least that's what Carlos thought he heard. Maybe Cecil wasn't scared of thunder after all.
"Carlos! Help!"
Those words Cecil spoke so clearly that Carlos rushed to the sleeping man's side and grabbed his hand.
"Cecil my love, I'm here, it's me, I'm here."
At that a flicker of a smile crossed Cecil's sleeping face, before he rolled over taking Carlos' hand with him. Pulling the rest of Carlos awkwardly onto the bed.
"Well I guess that settles it" Carlos mutters as he tried to get comfortable, which was not easy when your boyfriend has taken one of your hands hostage. But somehow he managed it, slipping his free arm around Cecil's waist to bring him into a warm embrace. Secretly more for his own benefit against all the loud thunder happening outside.
After a little while Cecil's muttering became less frequent and he stops flailing his arm. And as Cecil became still so did the storm that was ragging outside.
And as the thunder drifted away Carlos relaxed and, burrowing his head into his boyfriend sized pillow he managed to get back to sleep.
Author's Note: Just to clarify this is set in an AU where Cecil's emotions have an effect on the weather. I don't own Welcome to Night Vale.