Fluff
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You both like wtnv, and cecilos.
You: ((Carlos has come home, but he aims to surprise Cecil later in the evening. In the meantime, he's going to clean himself up and make himself presentable. Little does he know Cecil's coming home early)) Sand. There was so much /sand/. Carlos sighed as he peeled off his shirt, stiff with the sweat of six months of wandering. Sending Cecil one last heart emoji, he turned on the shower head and stepped under the streams of water. "Gods..." He couldn't stop himself from grunting as the filth and grime started to wash away, small piles of sand gathering on the floor of the off-white linoleum. He'd get himself cleaned, dressed, and pampered for his boyfriend. Whistling to himself, he worked the shampoo into his hair, unaware of the front door opening down the hall.
Stranger: Cecil was so ready to get home, have some dinner, watch a few episodes of Dance Moms, and go to bed. And of course call Carlos to tell him about his day and wrap himself in his dark, oaky voice. He was already locking the front door behind him and kicking aside his work bag when he heard whistling and water running. Odd. The usual creatures that crept in his home were much more subtle than this. It must be an intruder. Thinking quickly, Cecil grabbed a seldom used umbrella from next to the front door and stepped into the hall, makeshift weapon ready. "Hello?" he called out as he approached his bathroom, feeling sand grit under his shoes. At the bathroom door, he banged it loudly. "Show yourself. You are not welcomed here!"
You: "Gah!" Carlos' whistling came to a halt when he heard the thudding on the door. The scientist's eyes popped wide open at the sudden intrusion, and shampoo immediately slid into his eyes. Crying out again at the stinging sensation, Carlos blindly reached for the shower curtain, trying to get his hands on a towel. Still, even through his startled antics, Carlos couldn't quell the surging in his chest. Even angry, even threatening, Cecil sounded so distinctly /Cecil./ "Cecilito?" he cried out, eyes squeezed shut as the shampoo burned. "Cecilito! It's me!"
Stranger: Cecil jumped at the exclamation and gripped his weapon tighter, stomach clenching at the noises he heard inside. Then he heard Carlos's voice. His heart gave a little skip before picking up again. "Carlos?" he asked, voice full of hope. Clenching his jaw, he stopped himself and held up his weapon again. It could be a trap. One last blow, using his beloved boyfriend to lure him in. "You have, um, five seconds to come out," he called out, not as threatening as before. Hope couldn't win out just yet.
You: Gods, the tone of Cecil's voice nearly tore him in half. Heart thudding, Carlos walked out of the shower with his arms extended in front of his person, stumbling like a zombie and throwing the door open in a single, sudden movement. His eyes were still closed, a cluster of bubbles resting on the edge of his nose. "Cecil--?"
Stranger: Cecil stepped back from the door and braced himself, heart racing from anticipation of an attack. The clattering certainly didn't help, the image of Carlos, really Carlos, waiting for him inside the bathroom morphed into some hideous creature waiting to feast on him and his vulnerabilities. When the door flew open, Cecil just started screaming and swinging, eyes squeezed shut as he flailed the umbrella and waited for an attack.
You: Before Carlos could even flinch, he was on the ground, his head pounding. The scientist was frighteningly thinner than he had been before, his ribs all too visible under tan, stretched skin. His shoulders were peeling from extended sun exposure, and his hair had grown ridiculously long. Even his face was matted with dark, curled hair, a sandy beard reaching down to his collar. The scientist propped himself on weak, shaky arms, the shampoo still stinging his eyes. "Cecil!" he cried out again, voice husky. "Cecil, stop! Amado!"
Stranger: Even after he made solid contact against whatever was in the bathroom, Cecil continued screaming and swinging for a few more seconds, sure that it could be rearing in for a counter attack. Well, he could confirm it if he opened his eyes. He flinched went he heard Carlos's voice and opened his eyes, blinking quickly in disorientation. His gaze fell on the man on the for, recognition hitting a second later. "Oh my Gods!" Cecil exclaimed, tossing away the umbrella and kneeling next to Carlos and gently cradling his roughened face between his hands. Was it really him? He barely looked like himself, but it had to be him. "Carlos? Carlos, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it." He took a breath and asked quietly, throat tightening, "Is it really you?" He was touching him, but Carlos was still stuck in that desert otherworld.
You: Carlos started to laugh--it wasn't his usual, full-bodied laugh, but the wheezing chuckle was amused all the same. He squinted his reddened eyes, looking up at his partner before nuzzling himself deeper into Cecil's hold. His bony fingers dug into Cecil's back, the scientist starting to cry. "It's me, Cecil," he whispered, the whacking of the umbrella already forgotten. His body was filled with aches and pains, but none of it mattered. Not with Cecil here. "Oh, gods, it's me, and it's- it's really you!" The scientist swallowed, closing his eyes again to spare himself the stinging. "Cecil, before I say anything else, I want to apologize--"
Stranger: Cecil tensed at the laugh, not expecting it, but then let out a slightly strained chuckle that turned into soft sobs. "Carlos..." he whimpered, sitting on the floor and pulling Carlos into his arms despite that he was wet and naked. "It's you. It's really you," he sobbed, gasping for breath as tears rolled down his eyes. Carlos felt so frail in his arms, as if he was going to disintegrate in his arms. Gods, he hoped that didn't happen. "Shh, don't apologize for anything. You're here. I can't believe this. I can't..."
You: He could barely reply. Instead, Carlos wrapped his arms around his partner, his legs tangling with Cecil's. He couldn't get close enough--couldn't convince him he was truly home. Carlos hadn't told Cecil how terrible it was in the desert. How could he? He'd spun tales of beautiful sunsets and newfound constellations, all while trying to catch a scorpion with a cactus flower and a stick so he wouldn't starve to death. Carlos simply couldn't bring himself to frighten Cecil. All the while, Cecil was retreating further into their empty home, isolating himself from family and friends as he waited for Carlos to call. "I'm sorry," he repeated, tears rolling onto Cecil's shoulder. "I'm so, so sorry. I love you so much, Cecil, I do..."
Stranger: Cecil pulled Carlos onto his lap, breaths hitching with every sob. He held on tightly even though he was sure he was completely worn out. Carlos looked bad. Really bad. Cecil didn't even recognize him at first glance. Too thin, hair matted, skin roughened. Cecil just wanted to lay him down and take care of his every need. He had been yearning for some actual warm social interaction, as he had been closing in on himself even more with every day that passes without Carlos. Cecil couldn't control himself as he sobbed and trembled, ocassionally breathing out Carlos's name and quiet declarations of love. After a while, he worked himself out, and his sobs started to slow down to something more manageable. "How are you, Carlos?" he mumbled as he eased his grip on Carlos, voice weak. "Are you injured? Hungry? Thirsty? Gods, I missed you so much..."
You: Carlos /was/ injured. He /was/ hungry, /was/ thirsty, but most importantly... ...he was /home./ "I missed you too, amado," he whispered, wiping his eyes on Cecil's beautifully familiar sweater vest. "I missed you every- every day. Right now, I just need you. Okay? I just... Don't leave my side. Please. I can't take it right now. I'm so scared if I let you go, you'll be gone again..." Carlos swallowed, hard, and squeezed Cecil's hand. "Just stay by my side. Please. Come shower with me. Eat with me. Sleep with m--oh, gods. A bed. A real, honest-to-gods bed..." Carlos started crying again, this time out of pure joy. Cecil, water, and bed. It was more than he could have ever dreamed of.
Stranger: "I won't. I won't," Cecil shushed, rubbing a hand up and down the thin skin on Carlos's back. It would kill him if he even just glanced away for a second and have Carlos disappear. He gave Carlos's hand a light squeeze in return, being mindful of how worn out and weakes he look. Cecil was still trembling, and sobbed ocassionally cut through him, but he was calming down, just quietly taking in Carlos and letting him babble. When Carlos started crying again, he let out a quiet laugh, more light than the first one, and cradled Carlos against his chest. "We'll shower together. Then I'll get you some food, and some water, and I'll check if you're hurt, and brush your hair, and hold you. I am not letting you out of my sight." He shushed him softly, rubbing his back to calm him down.
You: "I'm so tired," Carlos whispered through his sobs, but he was still smiling despite himself. He hadn't been held in six months, and the true human contact was unfathomably comforting. He was spellbound by every brush of Cecil's hand. "I don't know if I can stand again, Cecil. I'm just so tired... I looked all day. Every day. There was nothing but /nothingness/, no matter where I turned. I- I lived to call you, but I didn't want to scare you..." Carlos' mouth continued to run as he cried, babbling about the hundreds of lies he'd fed his partner. There was no masked army. There was no room of picture frames. Only tales he'd spun to spare Cecil, to keep him from worrying. Now, being held, he put it all out in the open. No more secrets between them. "I'm sorry," he finished, shaking his head and tickling Cecil's neck with his beard. "I was so scared I wouldn't come back, Cecilito, I didn't want to scare you..."
Stranger: "I'll carry you." Cecil would do anything Carlos asked him to, anything at all. Carlos looked awful, and Cecil just wanted him to be the bright eyed, beautiful, scientific Carlos he loved. As Carlos spoke more, Cecil's heart sank even more, heavy worry settling in his stomach. Carlos was alone in the desert without any food, water, shelter, or company, and he still managed to think of sparing Cecil's feelings. Cecil began crying again, sobs taking over him again as his embrace tightened around Carlos. That was just horrific. He couldn't believe Carlos had survived that. "You're-you're safe. You're okay. I'm here. I'm here. I'm here, my love," he gasped between sobs. "I'll take care of you. You're okay. I can't believe you did that. Oh, Carlos..." More hard sobs cut off his breathing.
You: "I'm sorry I lied," Carlos repeated again, reaching up and wiping Cecil's cheeks with shaking hands. He felt naked and vulnerable, his face twisted beyond recognition with pity as Cecil cried. "I'm so sorry, Cecil. I'm sorry. I thought I was going to die out there, I honestly did, and I didn't want you thinking I'd gone out alone and hungry. I wanted you to hear how much I loved you without the distraction..." Carlos leaned up and peppered Cecil's face with weak kisses, the motions sloppy and inexperienced after so many months in the desert. "Please, I- I think I just want to go to bed," Carlos nearly begged. "I want to hold you, I want to make everything okay..."
Stranger: "'s okay," Cecil muttered, starting to come down from the nearly hysterical sobbing. He took Carlos's hand that tried to dry his tears and pressed a soft kiss on his knuckles. Even now, Carlos was trying to comfort him. "You can stop apologizing. I understand. I can't believe you, doing something like that. Gods, Carlos, how can you be so selfless?" He closed his eyes for a moment and let Carlos press kisses on him. Gently, he cupped Carlos's cheek and pressed a kiss on his lips. It was different, with Carlos's chapped lips and unruly beard, but it was still Carlos. Cecil would have liked bathing and feeding Carlos first, but he couldn't stand being more than at arm's length from him. "Do you need me to carry you? Would you like a glass of water?"
You: Carlos only nodded, latching his arms around Cecil's shoulders and bending his legs at the knees. Soon enough, Cecil had him in the air, lifted with little to no difficulty. Had he really lost that much weight? The second Cecil had deposited him onto the mattress, Carlos was crying again. There was no water left in his system, his tear ducts producing no further tears. Still, he couldn't stop himself from weeping, clutching the beautifully soft blankets in his free hand while the other held fast to Cecil. After months of rocks and sand to sleep on, he could scarcely believe the comfort of a real, honest /bed./ "Please," Carlos whispered, leaning towards Cecil pathetically. "Please, come closer. I want to hold you. I want to comfort you, querido. Please..."
Stranger: Cecil had carried Carlos before, but Carlos was nearly weightless when he lifted him up now. He gently set Carlos on the bed, pulling away slightly to kick off his shoes, trying not to focus on Carlos's crying or else he was going to start crying himself again. It was no use, as Carlos's desperate whispers cut right through him. Carlos still wanted to comfort him? Cecil crawled into bed with Carlos immediately, sniffling and crying, and wrapped himself around Carlos, "No, I'll take care of you," Cecil muttered, resting Carlos's head on his chest. "Just, let me take care of you. I got you. You don't have to worry about a thing, okay?"
You: "We'll take care of each other," Carlos whispered, not looking for a fight. He sniffled and wiped his eyes on Cecil's sweater again, arms and legs looping around Cecil like a child. He felt like he was enveloped in heaven, and he found himself fighting sleep already. Still, he forced his reddened eyes open, if only to talk to Cecil and keep him happy. "I'll never leave again, amado," he promised. "I'll call work. I'll tell them to keep me in the office. I just... I love science, but I love you more. I can't risk losing you again. I can't believe I left you so alone."
Stranger: Cecil pulled up the blanket to cover Carlos, so glad that he had new sheets so Carlos could be wrapped with freshly washed sheets. He pressed a kiss on his forehead and nuzzles his hair, not minding the soapy mess Carlos had there. He was not taking a single cell of Carlos for granted. He found that he was exhausted now, head pounding from the crying. "Please do," he mumbled. Usually, he didn't like interfering with Carlos's science, knowing it upset him, but he needed Carlos. He couldn't lose him again. "I was okay. I can't believe you were trying to comfort me while you were... dying." The last word squeaked out painfully. He couldn't believe how close he was to losing Carlos without even realizing it b
You: Carlos shook his head. "You weren't okay, Cecil. I know you. I know how you work. If you had known what I was going through, you would have died with me." Carlos smiled weakly, his fingers tightening slightly on Cecil's side. "You're empathetic that way. Sweet. Caring. I've always loved you for that. You're the most deserving man in the world..." He coughed slightly, a few speckles of sand dotting his lips. Still, he pressed on. "Nothing matters now. Now that we're together again, everything that's passed has passed. Can we leave it behind us? Will you try with me?"
Stranger: ((I got to go. It's late and I'm falling asleep on my phone. This was great!))
You: ((Alright, sleep well, and thank you! :D))
Stranger has disconnected.