#carloc

Kevin looked around him, sand in every direction and mountains in the far off distance, but too far off to make in one day. For the first time since that terrible company had come into his beloved city he was alone and could think clearly. The realization that he could do this made Kevin smile, but not the Strexcorp smile a natural smile one he hadn't given in years!

Kevin looked around him letting his facial muscles relax only to flex them into a more natural smile this lead him to screaming at the top of his lungs!

"YEEEEESSSSS!!!! YEESSSS!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHH!!!! TRY TO TAKE ME NOW STRXCORP!" Kevin threw his head back taking in the rays of the strange desert sun. The thoughts running through his head were Free at last, free at last thank the Smiling-No, thank you, Cecil for freeing me at last!

He surveyed his surroundings, but it really was only rocks, sand, and a far off mountain, but the important part was that there was no one here to control him. No Strexcorp to hurt him when he didn't do enough work, no "Smiling God" to posses him, and most of all no LAUREN! This was the best moment of his life! He could wait to tell Diego!

Diego

His sweet Diego Kerr, artist extraordinaire always trying to capture the perfect sunrise, with paint or oil pastels, while Kevin was at work, but took the portable radio so he could always listen to his boyfriend's voice.

Thinking about his love suddenly all his energy left him his chin fell to his chest and his knees hit the ground roughly, tears were starting to make there way down his face.

But for the first time in years Kevin frowned and let his sorrow finally show on his face, because his sweet Diego was not with him. Kevin was finally himself and Diego wasn't there to see him be himself.

His frown shifted, Kevin's brow's furled, lips pinched, and nose crinkled slightly, he was trying to look determined, but he really hadn't used his facial expressions in years so he wasn't quite sure what he looked like.

Anyway, Kevin was determined that no matter what, he was going to get back to his Diego.

Even if it killed him.

"YOU RUINED MY LIFE! NOW I NEED TO GET IT BACK!" He yelled at nothing of course, but it made him feel better none the less.

I don’t remember.

I don’t remember when we got here, or how we were holding hands in the park. It’s hard to think clearly in this town anymore. Time became this background of meaningless noise and somehow…along with it so has my ability to keep track of things.

Was Nightvale always so lonely?

As we walked the dirt path, the people screamed at the sky. Cecil wondered if we might join in…but I had been preoccupied. In my mind was this unsolvable variable that had pricked and prodded, but never reared its head. So I told him that I was tired, and had already been scared enough. 

I’m still scared. God damn it, I needed to think. Science, I told myself, you need to do some scientific experiments. 

We worked collecting the samples. Without my equipment, there wasn’t much that could be done, and yet Cecil watched me like a hawk. Through that smile, I wondered what was going through his mind. This Cecil…who perplexed me and who’s hand briefly touched my face.

I can’t think.

“So…” Cecil started, looking at the test samples curiously.

Looking up, I quirked an eyebrow and said nothing for a minute. Cecil at first didn’t notice, his eyes were bright like a child’s and full of innocence. He was preoccupied with an experiment that I neither cared nor wanted to continue anymore. 

What is he thinking. I sit down and lean against the potentially dangerous and seemingly normal looking tree. “I’ll need my equipment to fully test the samples back at the lab but, for now it’s inconclusive. It looks pretty harmless.”

Cecil just nods and sits on his knees. I found myself wondering about him for the third time. “…What do you think?”

“Hm?” Cecil had just been staring at him, preoccupied. I felt my heart skip a little.

“About the trees.” About me. 

“I’m not a scientist, I’m not sure what to think.” Cecil scooted so that he was leaning right next to me, absolutely content. My heart clenched with envy. How can you be this content with so many unanswered variables.

“You looked pretty occupied looking at the samples. I figured you had to have been thinking something.” I replied and narrowed my eyes.

He smiled mysteriously, “More or Less.”

Coquetish bastard. I try and whittle some form of an answer but with each prodding, he somehow managed to dodge the question. All the while, his eyes were on me. Was he doing this on purpose? 

For a while we sat under the tree, just as we did on the roof of my car. Back then, we had seen this mutual understanding and now…everything was so confusing.

I needed to get away from here. I need to think.

My head was beginning to throb and it was then I said, “It’s starting to get late, we should head back.”

The drive home proved awkward. Cecil seemed withdrawn, and tensed. The woman who had decided to scream and disappear was what gave him away.  I watched with concern, and for a moment, I had been about to say something…when we stopped.

“…Well. This, is me.”

It wasn’t what I wanted to say.

Like a switch had been flicked on, Cecil’s face looked at me curiously, “Uh-huh.”

I realized he was waiting for me to invite him in. I considered it, but the more we looked at each other, the more it began to dawn on me that I needed to be alone. “….I should probably go figure out how to turn these people back.” It was a terrible excuse.

And he believed every word of it.

“…Do you need any help?”

My heart beat faster at the prospect. Inviting him in, showing him my work. Letting him get preoccupied with my place before I-

I stopped myself, and smiled back, “No..a scientist is self reliant. It’s kinda the first thing we learn.” 

“Oh.”

His eyes are downcast, and posture that of a defeated man. This wasn’t how I wanted our day to end. I looked back sadly, and bit my lower lip, leaned in a gently pressed my lips to his.

And everything made sense.

Before I could see his reaction, I had left the car and scuttled to my lab. I knew what I needed to do, and it was as if a fog had cleared. I watched him go from my window, accidentally hitting a shadow entity at the end of the street.