Archive of Our Own ^beta

Carlos watched with a raised eyebrow as Cecil circled the lights in his wheelchair, moving slowly to avoid alerting them to his presence before he was ready. “Ceec, are you sure?”

“Don’t worry, Carlos!” Cecil chirped, bracing himself as he leaned forward in his chair. “I’ve wrangled lights like these plenty of times! We’ll soon have this place decorated and ready for the drugged up bears in no time! HEE YAA!”

* * *

“I’m sorry I forgot you at the store,” Earl mumbled for the tenth time that day. He looked over at Roger shamefully after pulling up in front of Cecil and Carlos’ house, gauging the boy’s reaction.

*It’s okay,* Roger signed to him.

“Are you sure?”

The boy looked at him.

Earl bit his lip, clearing his throat as he awkwardly toyed with his eye patch. “I mean…I thought I was getting better. I hadn’t had any gaps in my memory for a few weeks and then today I just…” He fell silent when Roger reached out and touched his arm.

*It’s okay,* Roger signed, *I promise it’s okay.*

Earl took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He nodded his head and offered the boy a smile, taking off his seat belt. “Okay then. Let’s celebrate the holidays with Cecil and his family, okay?”

He was only slightly surprised when the door was slammed open, a bedraggled Carlos standing there with his glasses askew. “Earl! Can you help me with Cecil?”

“What..?” Earl peered inside and he couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the sight of Cecil, hanging upside down from the ceiling, still in his wheelchair and wrapped up in the lights.