crack_van | Delible Ink, by AwkwardAnnie (PG)

Fandom: WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE
Pairing: Cecil/Carlos
Length: 2,407 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: works on AO3
Warnings: Magical Tattoos, Fluff, First Time
Why this must be read:

Cecil and Carlos both get a surprise — Cecil didn’t know that Carlos was inked, and Carlos didn’t know what happens to tattoos in Night Vale.

"Oh, Carlos, he's beautiful. You didn't tell me you had tattoos! What do you call him?"

"Um. I don't really call it anything. Cecil, that is dye that was injected into my epidermis."

"He should have a name," says Cecil.

It’s usually Cecil who’s tattooed in fanfics, but alas ...

"Oh, no, no. I can't," says Cecil sadly. "I've always wanted one, but I'm allergic to needles."

Carlos wonders whether this might be a euphemism. "You mean you're acuphobic?"

"No, just allergic," Cecil elaborates offhandedly. "Surgical needles are the worst, of course, but even sewing needles bring me out in a rash. I have to wear latex gloves to fix a button. "

The author has fun playing with the implications of living tattoos (pro: tattoos make really great gifts; con: intimate moments can be a little awkward if you haven’t been introduced to the inhabitant of your boyfriend’s chest) in this sweet story.

“Delible Ink” on AO3