Holidays in Night Vale [Welcome to Night Vale]

Chapter One

Cecil's POV

"Carlos," I sing out, smiling inwardly. The holidays are approaching and we've been decorating the radio station energetically. "The mistletoe's strung up."

Carlos turns the corner, leaning on the wall so I can only see the top half of his body. His hair is matted, but still curly and perfect, and he is smiling with his perfect teeth. His glasses are on the bridge of his nose. Carlos is wearing a thick, red sweater depicting a reindeer's silhouette, but it doesn't seem to be holding any weapons or bleeding anywhere.

He stands for a second, skimming over the rooms we've been decorating. His eyes come to me and they work their way up my body - I can feel them as they reach my own eyes. It just makes me smile even wider.

Carlos stands slowly, pushing himself off of the wall and walking over towards me. I admire the way he walks - like he owns the place, like nothing can stop him. When he first arrived here, Carlos was awkward and shy. Now he has pride, evident in his walk, his voice, his smile.

He reaches me and immediately places a soft, warm hand on my shoulder. I can feel his heat on me and it is soothing, knowing that he's here and not some apparition that I have made up or am somehow viewing.

I turn my head to look now at the radio station, studying our careful handiwork. Carlos and I worked together, putting up wreaths of leaf and bone. We also found a tree, but upon further examination it might just be a cactus.

"It looks amazing," Carlos compliments. He reaches up to the mistletoe that is hanging above our heads in the doorway and pulls a leaf down, straightening it. Then he looks at me, biting his lip. "You know the mistletoe tradition, right?"

I nod, laughing. He pulls me towards him and our lips lock. I do not know how long we stand there, but it feels like an eternity. I want it to be an eternity. His warmth is spreading throughout me, starting at my lips and where his hand is pressed firmly on my chest, pushing me up against the wall. It blossoms like a flower and it almost makes me dizzy when the warmth reaches my head. I feel giddy, happy, excited. I never want him to pull away.

The moment ends when we hear sudden static on a nearby radio. He lingers for a little bit, breathing on my softly but deeply. I slide away from him, teasing, and saunter over to the radio.

The message being broadcast is short, but it leaves me somewhat shocked. It's a message from the Night Vale City Council.

I look over to Carlos, who undoubtedly heard the news. His head is tilted towards the ground, his hand on his chin, and he looks deep in thought, pondering the possibility of the event soon to come and how it could happen.

The message stated that Night Vale was supposed to get snow.

Living in a desert, we haven't seen snow for a long time that isn't artificial. John Peters - you know, the farmer - lent us his chipper from his farm and some citizens got together and shredded some bones and cheese wheels to create the artificial snow.

"Cecil, this is impossible." Carlos states. "It can't snow in a desert."

I give him a reassuring look back. "The City Council is probably behind it. They control a lot of things around here."

He nods, continuing to ponder this mystery. "I'm going to head to our apartment, Cecil." he explains calmly. Grabbing his jacket, he adds, "I'll be back soon to help finish up the decorations."

And like that, Carlos is gone, the door shutting with a bang behind him.