Title: What We've Got Here
Fandom: Welcome to Night Vale
Pairing: Carlos/Cecil Palmer
Categories: Romance
Length: Medium (2399 words)
Warnings: N/A

Author on LJ: margo_kim
Author Website: Margo_Kim

Summary:

Carlos's reaction to the first date involves a lot more anguished cries than Cecil's, though to be fair, they're only anguished cries of "Why did I do that, why did I say that, why am I allowed to interact with other people" so they're still better than at least eighty percent of Night Vale's late night wails.

Review:

If there is anyone in the world who says they don't anguish over a first date, they are lying. Or they are dead. In Night Vale, I suppose, it is possible to simultaneously do both, but neither of these apply to Carlos the Scientist, freshly returned from his painfully awkward (from his perspective, at least) first date with Cecil Gershwin Palmer.

On the surface, this fic is not much more than character exploration and an embarrassed recounting of a painfully awkward date, but where its magic lies is in its pointed contrast with the canonical recounting of the aforementioned date. It illustrates the stark differences between Cecil and Carlos while simultaneously and charmingly illustrating their peculiar congruence.

What I liked best about What We've Got Here was that very stark contrast, the way Carlos's inability to communicate effectively is so very different from Cecil's natural gift for communication. After all, Cecil's defining trait is his ability to communicate, and that the true affection they have for each other still shines through makes it all the more magical, even in a town like Night Vale where everything is vaguely magical.

What We've Got Here