Work Text:
“Good night, Night Vale,” Cecil’s voice comes through on the radio.
“And until next time, Desert Bluffs,” Kevin’s voice joins him.
And before they can end their show as they have done countless times before, both radio hosts let out hacking coughs in perfect unison. Not like a throat-clearing cough or an allergy cough, but something more.
Back at their home (the one near the Dog Park, giving Charles and Kevin a quick route back to Desert Bluffs Too when needed), Carlos and Charles exchange a look. Charles has known the radio hosts for a much shorter time than Carlos, but even he knows that the sound of two town Voices coughing like that can be anything but good.
“Carlos, you’ve known Cecil for years. Has he ever coughed on air like that before?” Charles asks.
Carlos shakes his head. “Only once or twice when sentient dust clouds invaded the studio. But I’ve never even seen him sick before. At least, not like cold or flu kind of sick. And even in the Desert Otherworld, Kevin never really got sick.” He turns off the radio. “Those coughs sounded like the ones Esteban had when he had the flu.”
“I’ll start making some soup then, just in case.” Charles kisses Carlos’ cheek before standing to walk into the kitchen. “Any virus that can make those two sick has to be pretty intense.”
By the time Cecil and Kevin get back home an hour later, Charles’ thoughts are confirmed. They are both leaning against each other, trying to hold the other’s weight but wobbling back and forth on unsteady legs. Carlos and Charles rush to either side of them and lead them to sit on the couch. Charles rushes back to the kitchen to add the finishing touches to his soup, and Carlos kneels in front of the radio hosts.
“What happened?” Carlos asks, cupping Cecil’s cheek in one hand and Kevin’s in the other.
“Sick,” Cecil states simply as he leans into Carlos’ touch.
“I don’t get sick,” Kevin insists, though the heat radiating from his scarred cheek and the sweat rolling into his eye sockets say otherwise.
“Kevin, honey,” Charles calls from the kitchen, “You and Cecil are definitely sick.”
“But at the same time?” Cecil groans. “Voices aren’t supposed to get sick.” He closes his eyes and curls up to Kevin.
“Charles is making some soup for you both and we already put Esteban and Donovan to bed.” Carlos kisses both their foreheads. “Whether or not you’re supposed to get sick, you both need to relax.”
“We’re going to get you sick now though!” Kevin whines. “And how are we supposed to work if we’re still sick tomorrow?”
“You don’t,” Charles says as he brings two large bowls of soup into the living room. The soup is steaming and smells strongly of cayenne. “And don’t worry about us.” He grins at Carlos. “Scientists and theologists are always fine, after all. Especially to take care of you two.”
Kevin makes a face. “I can’t not go to work, Charles!”
“Yes you can,” Charles and Carlos reply in unison.
Cecil laughs. “You two are cute when you talk at the same time.” He sits up to take a bowl of soup from Charles.
“Not as cute as you two,” Charles smiles and gives the other bowl to Kevin.
While Cecil and Kevin eat their soup (with little protest, as Charles has mastered the rather tricky art of blending Night Vale and Desert Bluffs flavors together), Carlos checks the contents of a bathroom medicine cabinet. Given the fact that Cecil and Kevin are likely just a little eldritch and not entirely human (both Carlos and Charles have asked multiple times, but the radio hosts have never given straight answers), Carlos doubts that Nyquil will do much good, but he grabs the bottle anyway. They have plenty of children’s medication too, but he knows those won’t make a dent in whatever bug the hosts caught.
When he walks back into the living room, Kevin is still protesting about taking the next day off of work, and even Cecil has some trepidations about contacting station management in between his bigger worries about getting their sons sick.
“I can call Steve to see if he and Abby would be able to pick up Donnie and Esteban tomorrow morning if you’re both still sick,” Carlos offers.
Cecil and Kevin look at each other for a moment before nodding. “Yes please,” they say in unison before a shiver runs up both their bodies.
Charles winces, hating to see two of his boyfriends so miserably sick with a bug that managed to affect them so fast. “And I’ll call both the Night Vale and Desert Bluffs radio stations. I’m sure one of them can find an intern to broadcast for you both. I imagine it’s easier now that you do a joint broadcast for both towns instead of separate shows for each.”
It’s true, Charles discovers when he calls both stations later in the evening while Carlos is calling Steve. Station Management has been more lenient with Cecil, especially after Esteban came into the picture, and Kevin essentially manages himself in Desert Bluffs, so getting an intern to cover for them is easy enough.
After giving Cecil and Kevin double-doses of Nyquil and ensuring them that they can indeed stay home from work, Carlos and Charles guide them to bed.
“Where are you going to sleep?” Cecil asks as Kevin curls up against his chest and falls asleep in moments. It’s quite impressive how quickly the medication kicks in.
Carlos kisses both of their burning foreheads. “We’ll be fine on the couch. You just let us know if you need anything, okay?” Cecil nods and dozes off with an arm around Kevin.
“I hate seeing them like this...” Charles mutters as he walks into the living room with Carlos.
Carlos sits on the couch and pulls Charles down to sit next to him. “I do too, but I’m sure they’ll be fine. Steve will pick up the kids tomorrow, and I’ll call my scientists in the morning to see if any of them might have any flu medicines that would work on... whatever kind of humans Cecil and Kevin are.” He lets out a small chuckle and leans against Charles.
Charles laughs back. “How did we end up falling in love with such interesting men?”
“Interesting is definitely a word for them,” Carlos grins as he turns on the TV, making sure the volume is low enough not to wake up anyone in the house. “But you know,” he reaches over and gives Charles a little boop on the nose, “you’re pretty interesting too. You’ve got to show me around Pine Cliff one day.”
Charles kisses his forehead. “It really is the most theologically interesting place I’ve ever been to, so I’m sure you’d love the science there too. Once Cecil and Kevin are feeling better, I’ll show you all around. Deal?”
“Deal,” Carlos says before pushing his boyfriend gently down onto the couch. “Now, we need to get us some sleep so we can take care of a couple sick radio hosts tomorrow.” He kisses the theologist.
Charles kisses him back. “It seems like you might have something else planned.”
“Science does show that it might just help us sleep better,” Carlos grins.
And, predictably, it does.
---
They wake up cuddled next to each other on the couch the next morning to Steve Carlsberg knocking on their door. Carlos and Charles leap up and answer the door together.
“Hey, Steve,” Carlos says with a yawn. “I thought we agreed on 8?”
“But it is – ” Steve opens his eyes wide. “Oh. I forgot Cecil told us to change our clocks last week. Oops?” He rubs the back of his neck and gives them both a sheepish grin.
Charles laughs. “It’s okay. I’ll wake up the kids, but we’re leaving breakfast up to you!”
Steve gives them a thumbs-up. “Deal! Abby and Janice are so excited to spend the day with Esteban and Donovan!”
Charles leaves Carlos with Steve while he walks back to Esteban and Donovan’s room. When he comes back, the boys are both rubbing sleepiness away from their eyes but seem to perk up in an instant when they see Steve.
“Ready to head over to Uncle Steve’s?” Steve asks, a huge cheesy grin on his face. The boys both give him enthusiastic nods in response. “Your dads aren’t feeling too good, so Aunt Abby and I are going to let you sleep over until they’re better!”
Esteban gives Carlos a worried look, and Carlos tousles his hair. The boy has always been very empathetic for his age. “They’ll be okay, I promise. We just can’t have you and Donny getting sick too.” He leans down to give Esteban a forehead kiss before looking back at Steve. “Do you need us to pack anything for them?”
Steve shakes his head. “We have plenty of clothes and toys at the house! We’ve even got Skype if Cecil and Kevin want to talk to the boys once they’re awake. Just call us if you need anything, alright? Abby said that Cecil can get a little dramatic when he’s sick.”
Carlos and Charles exchange a look before laughing together. “Cecil? Dramatic? Never.” Carlos finally says through more laughter. “But we’ll be sure to keep in touch if we need anything or if the boys need to stay over longer.”
Steve pulls them both into a tight hug and Donovan and Esteban join in before saying their good-byes. Just as they start to drive away from the house, Kevin staggers into the living room.
“Was that Steve?” he asks, rubbing his empty eyes. His face is still pale and his hair is glued to his forehead with sweat.
Charles nods. “He picked up the boys so you and Cecil don’t need to worry about them getting sick.”
Kevin frowns. “I’m feeling better today!” he insists, but a cough reveals the truth. It’s hard enough that he ends up shaking and has to sit down on the couch.
“You absolutely are not feeling better,” says Carlos as he puts his hands on his hips.
“I am!” Kevin insists again. He moves to stand back up again, but Charles’ hand on his shoulder keeps him on the couch. He finally relents and looks up at his boyfriends while he relaxes. A weak smile spreads across his face. “You two are so cute. Your hair says you had some fun,” he chuckles before coughing again.
Carlos and Charles exchange a look. Steve arriving earlier than expected meant they didn’t have time to get ready for the day, so they both have pretty wild bedhead. “Perhaps a little,” Carlos says with a playful grin and gentle nudge at Charles.
“You have got to let us in on some of that soon,” an abnormally quiet voice comes from the hallway. Cecil steps slowly into the living room and sits next to his double. He looks just as disheveled as Kevin.
“Once you’re both feeling better,” Carlos promises. Involving all four of them at the same time in their bedroom activities is challenging at best, but always worth it.
“’m already feeling lots better,” Cecil tries, but he’s even less convincing than Kevin as he leans against the other Voice’s shoulder.
“Cecil.” Carlos leans down in front of Cecil and places a hand on his burning cheek. “Ceec, honey, I love you and I know you. And I know you’re not feeling better.” He grips Kevin’s knee with his other hand. “Same goes to you, Kevin. We’re going to get you both feeling better before you know it. And once we do, Charles and I are going to absolutely smother you in kisses. And more.”
And they do.
It takes four long days for Cecil and Kevin to start feeling better, and they’re both dramatic menaces while Charles and Carlos just try to keep them relaxing and not worrying about work. It’s a miracle that Charles and Carlos don’t get sick too, but it doesn’t make taking care of the radio hosts any easier. The Voices’ moods both seem to improve whenever they call Steve on Skype to talk with Donovan and Esteban (Charles decided it would be best to let the boys sleep over for several more days), but they still get just as dramatic as soon as the calls end.
The day their fevers break – at exactly the same time – Charles and Carlos come home to Cecil and Kevin dancing together and laughing in the kitchen. It’s a relief to see them both feeling better, and a surprise when the radio hosts all but tackle them into a flurry of hugs and kisses.
Eventually the four of them are laughing and smiling together, a tangle of limbs and frantic, desperate kisses. This continues for the rest of the day, all of them taking advantage of having the house to themselves and having no other obligations.
Later in the evening, Cecil and Kevin call Steve, joy clear in their voices as they say they’re feeling much better and can pick up Esteban and Donovan in the morning. Once the call ends, they finally join Charles and Carlos in bed, more than happy that they can finally snuggle together again after four agonizing days of being forced to sleep separately.
Things are finally back to normal – well, as normal as things can be in both Night Vale and Desert Bluffs – and everything is right again.