Work Text:
Carlos had to look twice to make sure he was actually seeing correctly and not dealing with another one of Night Vale’s many indoor mirages that tended to occur when it was overly cloudy outside. He took the precaution of removing his glasses, cleaning them on the hem of his lab coat before slipping them back on and looking once again for the third time. His eyes widened slowly when he realized that both tests had come to the same conclusion.
Earl Harlan was crying.
The former Scoutmaster and current sous chef was sitting on the couch, watching one of the DVD box sets Cecil had given to him for his birthday earlier that week. He had been excited about several of them, promising to allow himself time to relax and enjoy them. His mismatched eyes were focused intently on the screen, face expressionless as tears flowed freely down his cheeks, leaving small wet marks on the front of his shirt.
Carlos frowned and stepped a little closer, glancing over at the screen just in time to watch a nearly completely naked young man getting struck across the face with some kind of bone club, bloody and battered body crumbling to a heap on the sands. “What..?”
"Spartacus," Earl whispered, voice thick with emotion, "These Roman soldiers failed in their mission and that one’s father ordered a decimation to take place. He just killed his best friend and possible lover."
"Oh." Carlos winced a little as the show continued to play out, shaking his head as he sat down beside Earl on the couch. "Are you..?"
"…I do not think I would have been capable of obeying such orders," Earl said.
"Earl…" Carlos reached out, wiping the tears off of the other’s face with the back of his hand. "Maybe you should take a break from this show, huh?"
"Perhaps," Earl agreed, reaching out to press a button on the remote to turn the television off.
Carlos smiled, running his fingers through the other’s hair, pulling him in close, letting Earl rest his head against his chest for comfort, his ear pressed close so he could listen to Carlos’ heart beating under his shirt.
"I don’t care who gives such an order…I would never allow harm to come to either of you," Earl whispered.
"I know, Earl."