That Lies in Wait, by malacophilous (PG)

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

Fandom: WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE
Pairing: Station Management/Cecil Palmer (unresolved)
Length: 883 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: malacophilous on Tumblr; works on AO3
Notes: set during “Station Management” (ep. 3)
Why this must be read:

Because sometimes even Lovecraftian abominations need a little love.

The show was over. Cecil was huddled underneath his desk, microphone clutched tight, its cord wrapped several times round one perfectly ordinary hand. He held his breath, but wasn't very good at that and ended up letting it out in quiet little puffs, still trying to hold in as much as he could anyway.

Please don't, was the phrase which materialised in Cecil's mind, but not in the tone with which he usually thought. Please don't be, and then there was a sense-memory of a very young, small fear, the fear a child knows at the top of the tall slide at the playground for the first time, too scared to move forward but too embarrassed to admit defeat, climb down, and be laughed at by the other children. It was precisely not the sort of fear Cecil felt for Station Management, and the misunderstanding was disarmingly quaint, a creeps-up-on-you sort of charming.

'H-hello,' said Cecil, blanking on what else he should possibly say as he laid eyes on Station Management for the first time, possibly the only time anyone had. 'You don't look like what I had expected.'

“That Lies in Wait” on AO3

Comments

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

That stands alone, perfect and clear even when you don't know any of the story. It is lovely.

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

Glad you like it! Be sure to give the author some love.