crack_van | Mostly void, partially stars, by dee (R)

Fandom: WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE
Pairing: Cecil/Carlos
Length: 4,981 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: badfic.net; on Tumblr; works on AO3
Warnings: Profanity, police brutality, third eye, angst
Why this must be read:

Here’s another fic inspired by a Tumblr comment (the original post appears to have disappeared): “i wish the night vale fandom were less overwhelmingly trusting of carlos [...] what if carlos isn’t who he says he is.”

Just after sunset, he gets a text from Carlos: Where are you? Do we have milk?

Cecil smiles as he reads it, feeling warmth that has nothing to do with the setting sun.

Secret journalist business, he replies. And no.

A moment later, he gets a, K. Be careful. Then an emoji of an eggplant.

It’s what they send each other, instead of hearts and I love yous. Because they are, ostensibly, thirty-something adult men and not, in fact, teenagers.

Cecil is living with Carlos and deliriously happy. Then his latest investigation takes a bad turn, a terrible secret about Night Vale and Desert Bluffs is revealed, and he finds himself grappling with betrayal, heartache, and the possibility of forgiveness.

“I love Night Vale,” Carlos says. “I love you. And I hate myself for— for ruining it.”

The stars are always there, Cecil thinks. Even when it looks like they aren’t. Past the clouds, past the light pollution and the smog. So few in comparison to the void but so, so many, when looked at with darkness and with distance.

“You should’ve told me earlier,” he says.

“I know. I was… I was scared. I had myself convinced it didn’t matter. So many secrets in Night Vale, so what’s one more and—“ He stops, and Cecil hears the sound of a fist against the wheel. “And I’m an idiot.”

“Mostly void, partially stars” on AO3; link to podfic in notes