Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Chirality

Chirality is the state whereby an object is not identical to its mirror image, despite them being the same.

***

All Carlos hears is the scream, though it's a moment before he processes the fact that the scream is his own; a scream that seems to come from the very depths of his soul.

He doesn't think. Doesn't stop to analyse the moment, or the emotions or the risks. He just runs; aware that Cecil is running beside him but not able to process what that means either, running until he's close to where Kevin has fallen.

Derek Hartley is still standing over him, smiling and smiling, looking as though he suddenly thinks all of this was worthwhile.

"I will end you!" howls Azatothoth the Bloodthirsty, voice laden with a rage so intense that it makes several other enforcers – who have been closing in – immediately back off and decide they'd rather fight other people instead. Derek Hartley stands his ground, staring the demon down even as Azatothoth slings his bow over his back and draws his sword again.

"You?" Hartley hisses, voice laden with scorn. "You really think I'm scared of an adjunct from the Fourth Infernal Plane? You're just a drone. Not even fit for junior management."

"Maybe so," Azatothoth rumbles. "But we're the ones who hold companies like yours together. Or rip them apart."

The rage in the demon's eyes is impossible to miss. Carlos catches a matching flicker of alarm in Hartley's eyes, and then closes his own.

There's a sound that defies description, accompanied by a sudden intake of breath that Carlos is strangely certain won't be followed by another.

"…Masters of us all…" Cecil breathes, voice shaking.

When Carlos manages to look again… Derek Hartley is dead. It's probably best to leave it at that. What's left of him is slumped a good distance off, where Azatothoth is now staring in utter contempt.

Carlos doesn't think anymore. He crosses the remaining space between himself and Kevin, dropping down at the stricken man's side.

"Oh no, no, no…" he hears himself muttering. He tries to clap a hand over the wound on Kevin's side, but Kevin has already done that and is holding on tight. Carlos presses his own hand on top, feeling hot blood spill between both their fingers.

"…Oh wow, that hurts…" Kevin gasps. He's gone pale, eyes a little unfocused. "Could you maybe… you know..?"

"Don't you dare ask me for an aspirin again," Carlos replies, feeling somewhat delirious himself, as Cecil drops down on Kevin's other side looking…

…horrified? Wait, what?

"Whyever not?" Kevin murmurs. "'s good for pain."

"Kevin, acetylsalicylic acid is also a blood thinner."

"Acetyl… what?"

"Acetylsalicylic acid. Aspirin."

"…Oh. You're very smart."

"And you're very wounded!"

Carlos knows he sounds a little hysterical, but he can't tone it down. He can't.

"You should run," Kevin gasps, looking more and more pained with every second. "Both of you. I… just hope I bought you enough time."

"You did," Cecil replies, and the tone of his voice is so intense and certain that Carlos looks up, knowing the anguish writ large across his face will give everything away.

But Cecil doesn't even blink. He looks between the two of them and then up at the battle raging all around, and something new comes to his eyes: a determination that transcends whatever fear he must also be feeling.

A determination pouring from the unseen power coiling around the square.

Destiny. Prophecy.

"…Leave me," Kevin says, and there's nothing in his voice now but him; no cheer, no malice, no amusement, no threat. Just a man; a man effectively spilling his own blood onto enemy soil. "It's OK. It's OK. My mother always used to say that my death would be because of a mirror, and I… I'm just glad it was for you…"

"My mother always said the same," Cecil replies, gripping his arm. "And I'm sure both our mothers were very wise. But it won't be today. It will not be today."

And he picks up Kevin's fallen blade, rising to his feet with the weapon in hand, standing between his stricken double and the group of Strex employees – some of whom look to be middle-managers – that is now advancing, having clearly (and literally) caught the scent of blood.

Cecil swings the blade in their direction. It's a brave and defiant gesture, but it's clear he has no real idea what to do with it.

"Stay back!" he declares. "No one touches my double!"

"And what, you're going to stop us?" one of the middle-managers – a fearsome-looking woman – sneers. "You and what army?"

"This army!" comes a shout from close by.

It's Steve Carlsberg, still standing with the other three: Josie, John and Larry; all four of them forming a line and holding hands. They're bloodless, unhurt, and it's only now that Carlos processes that this is because no one can get close to them.

And they've clearly gotten more accustomed to the power coursing through them.

Another electric ripple cuts through the crowd, without disturbing the shield protecting them from the helicopters. Overhead, Carlos hears Tamika Flynn give a renewed cry of triumph as her helicopter swoops past, chasing one of the Strexcorp copters. And then there's a second ripple, a wave of cool light – impossible and yet happening nonetheless – that knocks the group of middle-managers off their feet, sending them flying out into the battle.

"…Thanks!" Cecil calls over to the four, in obvious relief.

"This doesn't mean I like you!" Steve shouts.

But there's relief on his face too.

"This is only going to work for so long," Kevin rasps, grabbing Carlos' shoulder with his free arm. "You seriously need to…–"

And then a new sound cuts the air.

Three knocks.

Three knocks from the far side of the unopening door.

"…Hartley's key…" Kevin gasps.

"What about it? Do we need it?"

"No. No. His key… his real key… you've already got it. I switched it out, days ago. Replaced it with one like mine… one of the less-powerful ones. Yours is the one he thought he had. The only one that can…"

And Kevin looks round at the door.

"I can open it?" Carlos manages.

"With the key I gave you, you can," Kevin replies.

"But… we don't want it open. That… that light…"

"That light… the… the Smiling God… would come through if Hartley opened the door. But those keys… they're smarter than you think."

Carlos stares. "The keys are smart?"

"Yes. If someone else opens that door… they might get something different…"

"Might?"

Kevin gives a little shrug. "Well, we are talking about overruling the Smiling God. I can't promise it will work."

"But it might work?"

"Yeah. It might work."

"Good. Because we're still outnumbered and I don't know how much longer our people can hold the Strex lot off."

"So… go," Kevin insists. "Go open that door and find out what else is on the other side…"

Maybe it's the thought of leaving him that makes Carlos finally understand. Maybe it's just that unseen power coiled through the air.

But he does. He does understand.

Three are the key.

"Cecil!" Carlos calls. "We need to get to the unopening door. All three of us!"

"All three of us?" Cecil repeats. "I… Carlos, you're a genius!"

He races over, and between them they somehow manage to pull Kevin to his feet: Cecil taking one of the man's arms over his own shoulders, and Carlos supporting him on his injured side, keeping a hand over the wound. They stagger across the battlefield; barely aware that Azatothoth is knocking people out of their path, barely aware that the still-linked four are closing in, watching them defensively.

Carlos jams a bloodied hand into his pocket and pulls out the key. "This is it," he gasps, his own voice shaking. "This…"

He pushes the key into the lock and turns it.

And pulls on the door handle.

…But there's nothing.

"…That's impossible," Kevin murmurs, almost brokenly. "That's the key, the key, and I was so sure…"

He staggers a little, nearly losing his footing, and both Cecil and Carlos have to half-catch him, tightening their hold to keep him upright and…

…just for a second, their hands meet across Kevin's back, and Carlos feels it again: that shot of heat, rolling through him. The same heat he felt that afternoon in WZZZ, and inside the house that doesn't exist.

"What is it?" Cecil asks, clearly having caught the shock in his boyfriend's eyes.

"You didn't feel that?" Carlos replies, stunned. "That… heat?"

"No," Cecil answers. "I…–"

And now Carlos gets it.

Three who are two who are one.

"Touch me again," he says, not even bothering to think what those words sound like. "So both of you are doing it at the same time."

Cecil doesn't argue. He reaches around Kevin, who is staring at Carlos in bleary-eyed shock, and grips his arm.

And Carlos feels it: a heat that rolls through his whole body, like waves breaking on a sea of lava. For a second he can hardly focus… and then everything sharpens. Everything.

He reaches forward, turns the key once again… and pulls open the unopening door.

And there is light. But it isn't the aggressive, all-consuming light of the Smiling God; intrusive and terrible. Oh no. This is a different light, just as bright but warm and welcome, like the glow of a radiant sunrise, spilling into a darkened room and signalling a new day. It courses through the air, spiralling around the linked four standing a little way off, covering the whole battlefield with its aura.

And there's more. Standing in the doorway, glowing as bright as the light pouring around her, is a woman: a young woman with eyes that have seen so much more than her twenty-two years might suggest. A young woman who smiles back at them, not the Strexcorp smile but the Night Vale smile, full of hope and warmth and serenity… and a mystery that will never quite be answered.

"I'm home," whispers Former Intern Dana. "I'm home."

Beyond her lies a vast and open desert, but where before it had always been cloaked in the glow of day, now it is wrapped in the glitter of night. At its centre stands a mountain, with a blinking red light atop it, and between the foot of the mountain and where Dana stands are…

Warriors. Hundreds upon hundreds of masked warriors. And, close by, another young woman: a young woman wearing a satchel much like the ones used by the youth militia to carry rocks… except, in this case, it's filled with oranges.

"We made it," breathes Former Intern Maureen.

Two of them.

"We made it," Dana echoes, and then she turns, smiling at the army who have followed her all this way.

And they charge.

Cecil and Carlos somehow manage to get out of the way in time, pulling Kevin with them, as the masked warriors burst out into the world, turning to race at the stunned Strexcorp employees. Maureen follows, starting to pull oranges from her satchel and throw them at the Strex enforcers, and – as each strikes its target – the person in question flickers and vanishes.

Revenge, it seems, is sweet as citrus.

When the vast desert behind her has emptied out, Dana finally steps through. She's radiant – she is the source of the light – and there's still absolute serenity writ large across her timeless face. The young woman turns, closing the door behind her, and it glows vibrant white as if sealing… and then disappears.

And now everyone beyond where the door once was can see her, shining like the warm light of day as she watches her otherworldly army take back her city.

"For Night Vale," she whispers.

Behind Dana, some of that same light is still spiralling around Josie, John, Larry and Steve, lifting them part-way into the air. The light builds in intensity, brighter and brighter, until it bursts outwards, blazing through the shield that has been protecting them from the Strexcorp helicopters – the last of which has just fallen – until it touches the sky. The spiral of sunlight filling the dome of the heavens begins to recede, coiling back into the westward sun, wrapping around and around until, with one last shout of light, the sun is whole again. It hovers where it is for only a matter of seconds, and then sinks beneath the horizon, throwing the town into night.

And there's silence.

Silence.

Silence.

It's over.

It's over… and they've won.

Around the square there are flashes of light as the last of the demons start to disappear; all except Azatothoth the Bloodthirsty, who looks set on staying right where he is, lurking close to his stricken summoner.

Exhausted, Kevin collapses, and now Cecil and Carlos have no choice but to lower him gently to the ground, dropping down beside him. His face is white, and wracked with pain, but there's a strange kind of serenity there too.

On the far side of the square, the masked warriors from beyond the world are rounding up the Strex survivors, whilst the Night Valeans race out onto the battlefield to start rescuing the wounded.

Quite a lot have fallen, on both sides. Carlos can see that. But a great deal more have not fallen, and that's… that's something to cling to. On the edge of the square, he can even see his team of scientists – looking exhausted and alarmed but very much alive – where they've been this whole time, armed with a collection of homemade explosives and what looks suspiciously like Frederick's prototype death ray.

Never mess with a scientist. Especially not these scientists.

And Carlos… Carlos' mind is racing; racing with certainty, the likes of which he hasn't felt since…

…since the bowling alley. Since the Arby's parking lot.

They seem so long ago, now.

Still glowing, Former Intern Dana starts walking towards them. She smiles over at the re-grounded Josie, John, Larry and Steve, giving them a little nod as if they all share a secret now… and maybe they do. Maybe that light was more than just a power beyond all telling.

Dana walks closer, dropping down onto one knee close to Kevin, staring at him, and at Cecil.

"You made it back," Cecil whispers, and there's joy in his eyes despite everything else. "You made it home."

"I did," Dana replies. "It's so good to see you again."

Kevin, meanwhile, is staring up at her in confusion. "…Vanessa?" he whispers.

Dana looks at him again. "No," she answers. "I'm Dana."

"Oh," Kevin breathes. "Well… you look just like her… I think, I… everything is going cold…"

"We have to do something!" Carlos exclaims. "Is any of the Medical Board still alive? We have to get him to a hospital!"

"Many of them are still alive," Dana replies, softly, though how she just knows this is impossible to say. "And they will help the survivors. But they don't need to help Kevin. I can do that…"

"You know who I am?" he murmurs.

"Of course I do," Dana says. "I was the first person from Night Vale to see you. I was hiding there in the booth, the day of the sandstorm. And I was terrified. But I'm not terrified now. Now… I understand…"

She reaches forward, nudging first Carlos' and then Kevin's hand away from the wound on his side. Carlos catches sight of it for a second, which fills him with horror… and then Dana lays her hand over it.

And the light pours out of her, coursing down into the wounded man on the ground. His whole body shakes like he's been hit, a stunned cry slipping his lips… and then the light is gone. The light is gone and Dana is still kneeling there, herself once more.

Kevin gasps, as though drawing breath for the first time. He's still covered in blood, but his side is completely healed. Completely. There isn't a mark left on him.

"…How..?" Carlos exclaims, stunned, as a wave of relief hits him with all the force of eternity. "How..?!"

He doesn't know what else to do. He throws his arms around Dana and hugs her, despite the fact they've never even met before… not on the same plane of existence, at least.

"He needed it more than me," she whispers, blushing a little, as Carlos finally pulls back.

"Please tell me he's not still alive," comes a cold voice from close by.

They turn, to see that the masked warriors have escorted a group of Strexcorp personnel over: two women and one man from the Management Board, as well as Lauren Mallard, who has Daniel at her side, his arm over her shoulder, evidently wounded too.

It's Lauren who's spoken, though why the survivors from the Management Board have deferred to her, Carlos neither knows nor wants to know.

"Help me up," Kevin whispers, and Cecil and Carlos oblige. The man may no longer be dying, but he's still very pale and quite unsteady. They all stand, Dana rising too and remaining nearby, staring over at the group from Strex.

"I'm still alive," Kevin declares, obviously trying to keep his voice as level and calm as possible. "I thought you of all people would be pleased by that, Lauren. We used to get on so well."

"Yes, we did," she replies. "I liked you. I admired you. And then you betrayed Strexcorp, betrayed the Smiling God, for… for what? For this pathetic little backwater?"

"My reasons are my own," Kevin replies. "Not Strexcorp's. Not anymore."

Lauren glowers at him, having evidently wanted him to give voice to the obvious answer.

"It's corporate treason," she hisses. "You, and the other defectors, none of whom seem to have survived. I ought to make it the full set. I should kill you where you – for want of a better word – stand."

"You come near him and you'll have to go through me," Cecil interjects, and only now does Carlos realise that Cecil still has Kevin's knife.

"And me," Carlos adds, as fiercely as he can.

"And me," Dana declares, folding her arms.

"And us," say Josie, John, Larry and Steve, in very effective unison.

Lauren glowers all the more. "Fine," she says, flatly. "Fine. We're going back to Desert Bluffs. Strexcorp is withdrawing from Night Vale. You like this little place so much, you can keep it. All this revolutionary nonsense is interfering with important business productivity. And as for you," she adds, looking at Kevin, "you can consider yourself fired. And exiled. You'll never set foot in Desert Bluffs again. Never."

"Fine," Kevin replies, obviously trying to keep his voice level. Obviously trying to keep the sudden anguish out of his tone.

"And he won't need to," Cecil declares. "Because he can stay right here, in Night Vale."

Kevin looks stunned. Lauren looks even more annoyed.

"Well, good luck with that," she hisses.

And the Strex employees turn – still flanked by the masked warriors – and walk away.

"…You really mean it?" Kevin murmurs, still staring at Cecil in shock.

"Yes, I mean it. Now don't do anything weird that makes me change my mind."

Kevin manages a delirious little grin, and then glances over at Azatothoth. "Hey, Azzie," he says. "I'm totally alive!"

"Of course you are," the demon replies. "I'm convinced there's no force in existence capable of sparing me from your incessant summonings."

"Oh, you," Kevin says. "You like me really. Otherwise you wouldn't have let me have a private soul-bind. And you certainly wouldn't have done that delightful thing to Mr Hartley where you…–"

"I shut my eyes for that part, Kevin, I don't want to know," Carlos interrupts, with a shudder.

"Oh, fine," Azatothoth concedes. "And hey, I sort of got to kill my boss. Ex boss. By proxy. Or something. I'm living the dream!"

And, with a grin that reveals far too many pointed teeth, he vanishes in a blaze of infernal light.

"I really do like that guy," Kevin murmurs. "He's so helpful."

"…He's soul-bound to you," Cecil reminds him.

"Yeah," Kevin agrees. "Think I might pass out now."

"Don't you dare," Carlos says.

But he does.

***

Given that the sun has set before 4pm, it's going to be a long evening. In many ways, though, this is a welcome fact. The dark cloak of night wraps over the town, its namesake, cooling the heat of a day in which everything has changed.

Beyond long-missed and familiar walls, so much is happening. Out there, out in a town still coming to terms with its regained freedom, a thousand stories are unfolding.

Out there, a mother and a brother wrap arms around a daughter and a sister who has been lost for so long. They, of course, are different people but she is the same person… except that she is not the same person, because of everything that has happened to her.

Nervous parents stare in pride and concern at a teenage girl bedecked in war paint and still quoting from books usually far beyond one so young.

A conspiracy-theorist – no, truth-seeker – ruffles his stepdaughter's hair and goes back to telling his internet contacts about the massive corporation he's just helped defeat.

A smiling farmer walks through fields of imaginary corn, fingertips trailing through open space that is anything but empty, staring up at a sky lit with stars.

A wise man looks out at a forest that still whispers in the night, wondering how he ever got caught up in events so wild and insane.

An old woman re-erects a sign outside her house that reads "Angels' Residence" and then stands, hands on her hips, waiting.

And, in the spaces in between, the wounded recover, the survivors celebrate, the lost are mourned. Orange emblems are pulled from buildings, to be replaced with a familiar, welcoming purple eye.

Battle-scarred helicopters rest, quiet and still, on the desert sands.

In the silence of Mission Grove Park, beneath an offset bench, the earth begins to move almost… hopefully.

But all of this happens… somewhere else. Somewhere beyond long-missed and familiar walls.

Within those long-missed and familiar walls… in a dimly lit living room, a scientist is on his knees beside a couch, holding the hand of a man who is still unconscious.

"Any change?" Cecil asks, softly, as he walks back into the room.

Carlos looks round. He's in a better state than he was when they first got home, given that Cecil all but pushed him into the bathroom so he could do something about the blood.

There was quite a lot of it. Quite a lot. The stuff gets everywhere. And Carlos has to admit that the shower and the change of clothes are helping with his mindset.

But only so much. Since he re-emerged from the shower, he's been here, kneeling beside the couch where they've laid Kevin. The man is still unconscious, breathing softly, looking oddly serene… which is in stark counterpoint to Carlos, who is trying to repress how frantic he feels.

Ever since Cecil went off to shower, Carlos has been struggling to work out what he can possibly say to his boyfriend when he gets back. They've both been oddly businesslike up 'til now; concentrating on getting home and dealing with the fact that spending an afternoon on a battlefield has a tendency to leave you covered in blood.

But there's a lot they're not saying. There's a whole world of unspoken words hanging between them, and they sting like fresh wounds all of their own.

Carlos doesn't know what to do. He doesn't even know how Cecil has let things go on this long, but he's confident this will have to be the end of it.

And he can't even think about that.

"No," he replies, very softly, looking round at Cecil. "No change. He's still out."

Cecil paces closer, resting a gentle hand on Carlos' shoulder, which makes him jump. It doesn't, however, send that strange spiral of heat running through him anymore. Whatever that was, it seems to have disappeared along with the unopening door.

"He'll be fine," Cecil says. "I think he just needs some time to rest. He did… go through a lot."

"…Worth it in the end, though…" the man on the couch murmurs suddenly, which makes Carlos jump, and stare at him in renewed hope.

Slowly, Kevin blinks his eyes open, looking blearily up at them. "…Hey…" he says.

"Hey yourself," Carlos manages, aware his voice is shaking but feeling too relieved to do anything about it. That same relief also keeps him from noticing the way Cecil grips his shoulder, which is telling in its own right.

"How are you feeling?" Cecil asks.

"…Like I just survived getting fired…" Kevin replies. "I… whoa, my head feels weird… I… wait, where am I?"

"Our place," Carlos replies.

Kevin stares at him. "…You brought me home?"

"Had to take you someplace safe," Cecil points out. "Those strange masked warriors are still helping the Secret Police clear the last of the Strex personnel out of town, and we didn't want your old employers trying anything."

"Ah… good… good thinking," Kevin agrees. "I… thanks for that. You didn't have to…"

"Of course we did," Cecil insists. "You saved our lives. And…"

He trails off, which makes Carlos look up at him in surprise.

"…Carlos, can I speak to you for a moment?" Cecil asks, which makes Carlos jump.

He's confident he knows what's coming next. Confident he knows, and confident he doesn't have a clue how to deal with it.

"Sure," he agrees, voice shaking. "We'll be right back," he says to Kevin, and then lets go of his hand, scrambling to his feet and following Cecil through into the kitchen.

When he gets there… he stands, arms wrapped around himself almost defensively, not knowing what else to do.

"We need to talk," Cecil begins, softly.

"I know," Carlos manages. "Cecil, I… I…"

But he can't get the words out. They're a raging storm inside his head, but he doesn't know how to give them voice.

"You love him," Cecil says.

"I… Cecil, I love you," Carlos insists, desperately. "I love you with all that I am."

"I know you do," Cecil replies, voice so soft and sure. "And you also love him. One doesn't necessarily rule out the other. They can both be true."

"I… I know," Carlos concedes, "but…"

Cecil takes a step closer, which almost makes Carlos jump back in alarm. The other man puts a gentle hand on his shoulder, tugging him in, and eventually Carlos relents, dropping his arms from where they've been tight around himself, and letting the other man hold him.

"I'm sorry," he whispers. "I'm so, so sorry. I wish I could just… decide. And… and…"

"I… may have another solution," Cecil says, suddenly, and there's a weird little edge to his voice that does make Carlos jump back, staring at him.

Perhaps his subconscious mind understands, before his conscious mind can make sense of it.

"You… you do?" he just about manages to say.

"Yes," Cecil tells him. "I don't know if it would work, though. I'd… need to see what Kevin thinks."

"…You could just ask me," comes a soft voice from the doorway.

They both turn to see Kevin standing there. He still looks dishevelled from the battle – though they got the worst of the blood off whilst he was unconscious, which is something – and a touch hazy-eyed from having just woken, to say nothing of being more than a little in shock after the events of the day. And the truth of the matter is… here and now, the lingering streaks of blood aside, he looks as lost and hopeful and soul-cripplingly wonderful as Cecil did, that night in the Arby's parking lot.

And Carlos' heart just breaks. It breaks… and he understands.

And apparently… he isn't the only one.

"What are you going to do now?" Cecil says to Kevin.

"I… don't know," his double admits. "I… all my life I've known, and now… now it's all come crashing down. I don't regret a thing, but… I can't ever go home. I don't even know where I will go."

"Why do you have to go anywhere?" Cecil asks, and only now does Carlos process that the man is slowly advancing on his double. "You don't have to. You could stay here."

"Stay here?" Kevin whispers, and oh but the flicker of hope in his voice nearly breaks Carlos all over again, seconds before his conscious mind finally processes what's going on.

Finally processes that – once again – the seemingly impossible is actually happening.

"Yes," Cecil answers. "Stay here. With us."

He reaches out all at once, grabs hold of Kevin, and pulls him in to kiss… and it's like the whole world has inverted, revealing the bright, inconceivable starscape beneath. Carlos can't breathe. Can't think. He is staring, beyond a shadow of a doubt, at the most impossibly beautiful thing in the universe.

Two of them. How did he not even stop to think that the two of them would look so..?

…OK, no, wait, he may have stopped to think it. Once or twice. Or…

Oh.

The kiss breaks, and there's a long, strange instant where the two borderline-identical men are staring at each other, one in shock and the other in complete understanding, and Carlos is confident that if he even moves he'll cause the whole universe to unravel all over again.

None of them says a word. None of them needs to say a word.

Before Carlos knows it, Cecil has reached over and grabbed hold of him, pulling him between the two of them, facing Kevin. They've stood like this several times before – Cecil behind and Kevin in front – but it's different now. Different… and exactly the same.

Kevin kisses him – kisses him hard – whilst Cecil presses against his back and wraps around him, and it's so mind-breakingly wonderful that Carlos feels like his knees are going to give way. There's hands all over him – more than he can keep up with – every touch electrifying and flooded with heat again… though not a mystical, scientifically-impossible heat.

No. This is a heat – a need – of a much clearer kind.

"Please," he gasps, well-aware he already sounds wrecked. "Please."

"Anything for you," the other two both whisper, one in each ear, in unison, and Carlos can't for the life of him work out how they're able to do that. It's as though something has just clicked and they understand.

They understand everything.

The two of them stay pressed close, now both kissing Carlos' neck, one on each side, because of course each of them knows full-well that this will drive him gloriously insane. And they're right. His knees actually give way after a moment of such onslaught, but the other two already have hold of him, and don't let him fall.

It's another long moment before they finally pause, and Kevin finally stops to stare at them. "…You really mean it…" he whispers, in what can only be unrestrained joy.

"We really mean it," Cecil replies.

"Merciful Einstein, yes," Carlos manages.

"We… should…" Kevin starts out, and then hesitates, almost as if he's worried he's pushing his luck.

"Bedroom," Cecil says, obviously understanding what Kevin means without him needing to get the words out. "I think you already know where it is."

For once, Kevin has the good grace to blush.

They slowly make their way down the hall, kissing as they go. This is distracting enough with two, but with three of them, it's no small wonder they even make it as far as the bedroom. They clatter through the door, starting to pull each other's clothes off, and before Carlos even knows it the other two have switched places, and now he's got Kevin behind him, holding him, whilst Cecil kisses across his chest.

The strange thing is – even without their very different eyes as a point of reference – Carlos can tell the other two apart without difficulty. If he'd had the opportunity to think about it in advance, he might have expected it to be more challenging… but it isn't. They're borderline identical, and utterly different, and when he's got more time to consider it he realises it's going to be absolutely fascinating, and…

He giggles a little, not aware of how out of his own head he already is. The others pause a second to stare at him.

"What is it?" Cecil asks, softly.

"You two," Carlos murmurs, still grinning to himself. "You're so very… chiral."

"…Chiral?" Kevin repeats; and, by the by, Carlos realises he has got to get the man – both men – to come out with scientific terminology more often, because it really is ridiculously hot.

"Yeah," he breathes, happily. "Chiral. Like where you have two molecules of the same compound, but they're mirror images, and you can't ever superimpose one on the other. But they're still the same. You're like that."

The two doubles exchange a look. "He's rambling about science already," Kevin points out.

"I noticed," Cecil replies. "That's usually a good sign."

"A very good sign," Kevin agrees.

There's another little moment where the two of them are having a conversation using just their eyes, and then – before Carlos knows it – they drop him back on the bed, pulling off the last of his clothes. With that done, they start tugging the remaining clothing from each other… and wow, that is hot to watch, especially given that they keep pausing to make out again. Carlos puts his hands behind his head, making it quite clear how much he appreciates the show, and thereby getting more than he bargained for when the other two suddenly drop down either side of him – Kevin on his left and Cecil on his right – grabbing hold of his hands with one each of their own, and pinning him.

"Yes," he gasps, pushing up – just to feel how firmly he's held – and kissing Kevin, deep and drawn out, whimpering a little as the kiss breaks and Cecil leans in to capture his lips instead, kissing him just as hard.

"You like that?" Cecil asks.

"Like it?" Carlos repeats. "I'm in heaven."

"Awwww," Kevin replies, with a rather devious grin. "You're sweet. But there's nothing divine about what we're going to do to you…"

It really is a good job they're lying down already. Even just the looks in the two doubles' eyes would be enough to knock Carlos for six, but those words, that promise..?

"You're wicked, you know that?" Cecil says, looking at Kevin.

His double gives a little shrug. "Carlos likes it," he points out, and then a look of renewed delight crosses his face. "And so – it seems – do you."

"How observant…" Cecil murmurs, a similar expression in his own eyes, as he reaches out with his free hand to pull Kevin in, kissing him hard, right over Carlos. And wow, but he really could watch them do that all night.

As the kiss breaks, Cecil's eyes flick over his double; over the palm that's just been gripping his shoulder, and the one that's still holding Carlos. "…Are you left-handed?" he asks, seemingly out of nowhere.

Kevin looks surprised by the question. "Of course I am. You're not?"

As if by way of an answer, Cecil gives a little wave with his right hand.

Carlos laughs again. The other two look at him quizzically.

"Told you," the scientist murmurs. "Chiral. Maybe one day I'll write a research paper about you, only no one will believe it because this place doesn't make any sense…"

"Also you'll have to censor most of it," Cecil points out. "On account of all the sex."

"Speaking of which…" Kevin adds, that wicked look back in his eyes. He and Cecil exchange a glance, and then both push a hand between Carlos' legs – one left and one right – starting to stroke him firmly. At the same time. It's so mind-blowingly incredible that Carlos cries out all at once, arching up into the contact.

"Please," he whispers. "Please."

They're still pinning his wrists between them – perhaps they understand things about him that he doesn't understand himself yet – so all Carlos can do is turn to kiss them one at a time, murmuring appreciation and encouragement in between. It feels… beyond incredible. Absolutely beyond incredible. Either of them on their own can reduce him to blissful incoherence, so the two of them together? He doesn't stand a chance.

And he loves it.

Kevin slides a little lower, finally letting go of him in order to start kissing across his chest, circling a nipple with the tip of his tongue, whilst Cecil kisses the curve of his neck, over and over until all Carlos can do is close his eyes, completely lost in the ever-building storm of sensation. He can't keep up with it. Isn't trying to keep up with it, not when he can sink in it instead, caught in the onslaught that is everything he ever wanted and everything he didn't know he wanted all at once.

How often do you get that lucky? Not often at all. But maybe, after everything, it's about time he did. About time they all did.

And with every second, they're pulling him closer and closer to the edge; an edge he wants not only to tumble over, but to be full-on thrown over. So he's left in no doubt about this. About any of this.

He's been whispering "Yes… yes…" again and again for at least ten seconds now, but it's a few more before he finally notices. This gets him a pair of matching grins, as the other two pause to look at him.

"Are you close?" Kevin asks, with a deadly little edge to his tone.

"Yes," Carlos nigh-on whimpers.

Kevin and Cecil exchange a glance, and as they do, Carlos realises that the two of them are a very, very bad influence on each other.

They stop stroking him all at once, letting go, and it's a good thing they both grip hold of his wrists again because Carlos bucks up almost immediately, crying out in desperation.

"Please," he gasps. "Please don't stop. I need you."

"We know," Kevin replies. "But didn't I say there was nothing divine about what we're going to do to you..?"

"But don't worry," Cecil adds. "We'll give you everything you want. Everything you need. Relax. You know you can trust us…"

Merciful Einstein, what is this? Good double, bad double?

…Because, if so, they should do it more. A lot more.

Carlos nods rather longer than he needs to. He does trust them. He trusts them above anything. Trusts that he can be with them – with both of them – and it will be all right.

More than all right. Incredible. Even if they are so totally going to break him before this is over.

The other two let go of him – after a pair of long, lingering looks – and push up onto their knees, starting to kiss over him and… wow, he really could just watch them all night. It's like staring at some beautifully-recursive, not-quite-mirror. Their hands move across each other, tracing identical planes of skin, and Carlos wonders how long the two of them were thinking about this when they were spending all that time arguing. All that time getting in each other's faces about anything and everything.

But mostly about him. Which is ridiculously hot too.

And there aren't words for how badly he wants them in return. Carlos sits up, curling in close to Cecil and Kevin, kissing wherever he can reach and then – because he can – starting to stroke both of them at the same time.

"Yes," Kevin whispers, dropping his head back in delight, which is all the invitation Cecil needs to start kissing the side of his neck.

"You like that?" Cecil murmurs.

"Yes," Kevin manages again, sounding suddenly a little out of his mind.

"You want us?"

"Oh yes. Both of you. Very, very badly."

"Good. Because you're with us now. You're safe with us."

Perhaps Cecil understands things about Kevin that even Carlos doesn't. Not yet. Or perhaps… he does, deep down, beyond what words can explain. Perhaps he has all along.

Cecil leans in close, whispering something to Kevin. Carlos can't quite catch what it is, but it makes the man's eyes go dark with delight, and he suspects he'll find out very soon. And he's right. All of a sudden, the other two are a flurry of movement, pushing Carlos back on the bed, and before he knows it Kevin is on top of him, starting to stroke him again… but slowly. Slowly. Gloriously, agonisingly slowly.

"Please," Carlos murmurs. "Please."

"There aren't words for how badly I want this," Kevin says, and though he's looking at Carlos, the statement is clearly meant for both of them.

"We know," Cecil replies, pressing in behind him, and… OK, when did the man get hold of the lubricant? Carlos isn't wholly sure, but he's clearly got it now, given that he's in the process of applying it… though not to himself. Kevin arches back against his double, who is now stroking him firmly, and wow, that is hot to watch. Especially given that the two of them are right on top of Carlos, pressed in close, and even more so when Kevin arches all the more, arm stretched up and back to hold on to Cecil, head turned to kiss him.

The man really is very flexible. And utterly shameless, especially in bed.

He drops forward after a long moment, catching himself just before he falls on Carlos, grinning again… and then his eyes go darker than the void of space.

"Yes," Kevin gasps, and Carlos knows – even though he can't quite see – that Cecil must have just pushed inside his double. The flicker in Cecil's eyes would give that away even if the flicker in Kevin's didn't, and right now both of them look… beyond what words can express.

"Please," Carlos says, staring up at them both, his own eyes shot full of desperation. "I need you. I need you."

"You have us," Cecil tells him.

"You always did," Kevin adds.

Did he? Oh… maybe he did. Well. That's… insanely gratifying, really.

But he still needs them. Needs them right now.

He doesn't have to wait any longer, though, because – with Cecil still pressed in close behind him – Kevin starts slowly sliding into Carlos, and… and…

"Oh yes," Carlos gasps, almost soundlessly. "Yes… yes…"

There is such a thing as perfection. There is. And this is it.

And in the end… here he is, lying on his back with both his lovers on top of him, slowly but surely bringing all of them towards physical and emotional ecstasy.

It's wonderful. There aren't words for how wonderful it is. Not all the words, in all the languages – alive, dead and unpronounceable – combined. Carlos stares up at the two of them, as Cecil grips his hand and holds on tight.

"You feel amazing," Cecil breathes in Kevin's ear, and Carlos can feel in turn just how Kevin reacts to that.

"You're not so bad yourself," his double murmurs in reply. "I never thought you'd…–"

"…You don't have to think about that," Cecil interrupts, but very gently. "You're here now. We all are. That's what counts."

He's right, of course. Carlos knows it too. Knows he ought to be concerned – maybe even alarmed – at how all this is going to work, but… he isn't. Because he knows it is. Knows nothing – not even string theory, not even thermodynamics – has ever felt so right.

You don't get certainty like that often in a lifetime. Rarely more than a handful of occasions. But this? This is one of them.

The other certainty is that he's not going to last long like this. Not when they've already taken him right to the brink between them, and not now he's got both of them on top of him, every movement dragging him closer and closer to the bright edge of the universe.

"Yes," he whispers again, sounding utterly raptured. "Yes. Please."

Kevin manages to push a hand between them, starting to stroke Carlos once more, and it feels so incredible that it knocks the air from his lungs.

"…Do one thing for me?" Kevin asks, sounding like he's right on the brink himself… though still managing to look a tiny bit wicked nonetheless. "For… both of us."

"Anything," Carlos replies, knowing he'd give them the whole world if it were possible.

"Say our names when you come. Scream them to the rafters. So we both know that you're ours… and that we are yours…"

"And," Cecil adds, his words a hot whisper in Kevin's ear, and clearly meant for him, "that you are ours."

That pretty much undoes Kevin on the spot. For a second that surely lasts a glorious infinity inside the other man's head, he seems caught on the cusp of bliss, and then he falls, whole body going suddenly tense as he comes. It means he's the first to cry out, though Carlos can't for the life of him work out what language the man has slipped into.

It doesn't cause any demons to appear, though, and he sounds very happy, so it's probably still a good thing.

It's certainly more than enough – along with everything else – to send Carlos over the edge as well, pleasure and completion suddenly blazing through him, intense and wonderful. And though the world has half-whited out, though the very fabric of reality really does feel as though it's coming unravelled all over again, he still manages to make good on his promise.

"Kevin!" he cries out. "Cecil!"

Then Cecil is coming too, holding on to both of them as he does, tightening his grip as though concerned the universe might very well tilt sideways under the sheer wonder of the moment, and… as though that connection between the three of them is everything.

He's right. It is.

And, one by one, they slowly collapse against each other, as the bliss starts to fade and a strange, wonderful exhaustion sets in. It's accompanied by a silence that – for a few moments – none of them dares break. They just lie there, curled in something of a tangle, revelling in the contact and perhaps just a little afraid of what comes next.

"…That… was amazing," Cecil manages, finally.

"Tell me about it," Kevin agrees, a very contented smile crossing his face. "I… I mean, just… wow."

"Takes a lot to render you incoherent," Carlos points out, very warmly.

"True," Kevin concedes. "But that? That was a lot."

He's not wrong.

They stay as they are for another moment, a tangle of breath and gentle touches and gradually slowing heartbeats, until – finally – Cecil carefully pulls back, moving to lie down beside them. As he does, Kevin also pulls back, letting Carlos roll onto his side where he can curl into Cecil, before curling in as well behind him.

"I feel like I could sleep for an entire day," Kevin murmurs.

"Take as long as you need," Cecil tells him. "You're with us. You're safe."

Kevin curls in closer, arm around Carlos, both of them holding onto him, and Carlos can feel the way the other man is drifting off to sleep. It sounds like a very lovely idea. But before he opts to follow, he looks up at Cecil.

"Thank you," Carlos whispers, so heartfelt that he can hardly get the words out.

"You don't ever have to thank me," Cecil replies, kissing him on the forehead. "But you're welcome. Now… sleep. Sleep. I think we've all earned that."

He's quite correct, of course. He usually is.

And, in little more than moments – safe, held, wanted and finally, utterly complete – Carlos too has drifted off.

Three who are two who are one.

When the universe gets it right… it sure gets it right.

***

When Carlos wakes up, the first thing he's aware of is that he isn't alone.

He really isn't alone. He's lying half-draped across Cecil's chest, with Kevin curled in behind him, an arm wrapped around his waist; both of them warm and wonderful and breathing softly, and for a long moment Carlos just lies perfectly still, letting this moment sink in, letting it become etched into his mind, wanting to remember every detail for the rest of his days.

"Hey, you," Cecil murmurs, kissing him on the forehead.

"Hey…" Carlos replies. "I… oh wow, I think you broke me…"

"That was sort of the idea," Kevin says, tightening the arm around him just a little. "Was it good breaking..?"

"Good?" Carlos repeats, hazily. "It was amazing."

It was more amazing than he has the words for. He's lying curled in bed with both of his lovers, and it's more perfect than he can fathom. More perfect even than the moment when you finally understand what valency really means, or why string theory needs all eleven dimensions to make sense.

"…What happens now?" Kevin asks, the slightest touch of hesitancy in his voice.

Cecil reaches out a little more, so as to pull them both in closer. "You stay here with us," he replies. "Though not in bed forever because, as much as it is very lovely, we will have to get up at some point. Plus Carlos can do some amazing things with bacon that you might have experienced before but not in a long time. Breakfast is serious business for scientists."

"So I recall…" Kevin says. "So you do… actually want me to stay stay?"

"Of course we do," Carlos answers.

Kevin holds on a little tighter. "…For real?"

"Forever," Cecil tells him. "You're a part of me, and you're a part of Carlos too. And… I don't think any of us wants to be incomplete any longer…"

"I don't know what to say," Kevin whispers.

Carlos laughs. "That's a first."

"Oh, shush you," Kevin tells him, kissing the back of his neck.

And the way he curls in even tighter speaks volumes.

"We probably should get up…" Cecil points out.

"Mmmm," Carlos agrees. "And jump in the shower."

Cecil laughs. "I don't think all three of us can go in at once."

There's an odd little pause.

"We could try, though," Kevin suggests.

"Yeah," Carlos agrees, grinning. "For science."

***

So they do. They do, and it turns out tessellation is a fine art.

And now it's a little while later. Carlos is making breakfast, whilst Cecil sits at the table, flicking through the news on his phone… and occasionally glancing out the window.

The reason for this is Kevin. The man has wandered out into the front garden and is now standing there, hands in his pockets, staring up at the sun.

"…Is he still doing it?" Carlos asks, stepping away from the stove for a moment to have a sip of his coffee.

"Yeah," Cecil replies. "Do you know why?"

"It's… a Desert Bluffs thing," Carlos says. "They're rather fond of the sun, which shouldn't come as much of a surprise given recent events."

"How can he even stand to stare at it like that?"

"…I don't know. I never did."

Carlos pauses for a second, which makes Cecil look up at him. "What is it?" the other man prompts.

"Can I ask you something?" Carlos says.

"Of course."

"…What made you change your mind about him? And… and not just change your mind but end up… well…"

This inevitably brings up some very graphic memories of last night, and he knows he's blushing at least a little.

Cecil smiles. It's a serious smile, but a genuine one. "It was out on the battlefield, before the fighting. When we were talking to Derek Hartley. The moment Hartley told Kevin to kill me, Kevin… he just had this flicker in his eyes and I knew. I knew he'd refuse. And… it was as though everything just clicked in my mind. The way he was around you and the way he was around me, and I just… knew. And then he nearly got himself killed for us, and the thought of it, the sudden fear at realising he might die…"

"I know what you mean," Carlos replies, and it's still so strange, to be able to talk about this. To be able to just say it and not have to worry. "When Hartley stabbed him… it felt like the whole world had stopped, and I realised I hadn't been so scared since… since the afternoon you were grabbed by Strexcorp. I realised… both of you are my world, and that's… that's OK, isn't it?"

"Yes," Cecil tells him. "And that's still strange to me… but it is. It is OK."

"I'm never going to get over how adorable you two are," comes a soft voice from the doorway.

It's Kevin. Carlos isn't sure how long the man has been there, but perhaps it doesn't matter. Judging from the look in his eyes, he's more than happy with however much he's overheard.

"Adorable?" Cecil repeats.

"Yes, adorable," Kevin replies, slipping easily into a chair opposite his double. "I could totally just listen to you all day."

"If anyone is listening to anyone, it will be me listening to the two of you," Carlos says. "Seriously, either of you on your own is mind-blowing, but both of you at once..?"

"Ooh, that sounds like a challenge to me…" Kevin remarks, with a wicked little grin.

"I would have to agree," Cecil says, and oh dear, but he's got a pretty wicked look of his own. "And one that might require quite a lot of repetition. You know… for science."

"Oh, of course!" Kevin concurs, trying to pull off what is probably supposed to be a sage-looking nod, albeit mixed with rather too much glee. "I remember how important repetition is for science."

"…If the two of you don't stop it right now, breakfast is going to end up delayed," Carlos interjects. "By quite some margin."

Both doubles fall silent. Carlos gives them a suspicious look and then goes over to the stove again. The second his back is turned, there's rather a lot of giggling behind him.

He facepalms. "Oh, you two should have your own show…"

***

Somehow, breakfast still happens and, as they're finishing it, Cecil's phone buzzes.

"It's a text," he tells them, looking at the screen. "It's from Cat."

"Cat?" Kevin says. "Oh, you mean Caitlin. Your sister."

"Yes," Cecil replies. "You… haven't met, have you?"

Kevin shakes his head. "No. But I… well. I should probably apologise in advance for all the stuff you're going to realise I know about. Those Strexcorp intel dossiers were… detailed." He somehow manages to look a little guilty… but only a little. "What does your sister have to say?"

Cecil gives him a slightly suspicious glance but doesn't comment further. "She's just checking up on me. Says the town is already going back to normal. Apparently Janice went off to school with Tamika this morning."

Exactly how you go from being a teenage revolutionary to needing to do your homework again, Carlos isn't sure. But he figures it's probably for the best.

"Speaking of getting back to normal… what are the two of you going to do?" he asks.

"That's a good question," Cecil replies, a flicker of sadness in his voice. "I'm a bit between jobs at the moment… although maybe I should call into the radio station and see if…–"

Perhaps on cue, he's interrupted by a clank from the front door: the sound of something being posted through the mail slot. Looking intrigued, Cecil gets up and goes to see what it is, returning with a vibrant scarlet envelope and an expression of intense surprise.

"Whoa, what is that?" Kevin asks.

"This… looks like one of the messages from Management," Cecil tells him.

"Management?"

"Yes. Management. The… whatever-they-were who used to run the radio station before Strexcorp bought it out. We never saw them, but they communicated using envelopes like these. I should probably…"

And, with a nervous flicker in his eyes, Cecil opens it, pulling out a sheet of paper inscribed with elaborate cursive lettering, and a second, slightly smaller scarlet envelope. He pauses, reading the letter… and then smiles.

"Is it… good news?" Carlos asks, hopefully.

"Yes," Cecil says, sounding suddenly overjoyed. "Yes, it is good news. Station Management is back, and they… they want me back as well."

Carlos feels a sudden rush of relief. Even given everything else that's been happening, Cecil just hasn't been right since he had to go off-air. "Oh, that is good news," he says.

Kevin smiles as well – Kevin smiling is not exactly unusual – but there's a flicker of sadness in his voice as he speaks. "I'm happy for you," he says. "I guess I should… probably try to work out what I'm going to do…"

"I may have an answer to that," Cecil tells him, with a smile of his own. "Management also said that, if I was happy to… I should give you this." He waves the second scarlet envelope. "And I'm happy to."

He hands it over, which makes Kevin's expression blend to one of surprise. "Oh," he says, staring at the envelope for a moment. "You know what's in it?"

Cecil nods. "I know what's in it."

So Kevin opens the envelope – and, yes, he does so using the knife he's wearing at his back again, and maybe that's something Carlos will have to get used to – pulling out a sheet of paper also inscribed in heavily cursive lettering.

"…Oh!" Kevin exclaims, staring at the paper as if daring it to change its content, or perhaps just not quite believing that it says what it says. "Oh! They've… they've offered me a job. They say… they think there's scope for a joint show and they want us to give it a try. And you… you're… OK with that?"

Cecil nods again. "You and I… let's just say we got off to a bad start. But I think maybe we have a few things in common and given what happened last night… I think it could prove to be very enjoyable…"

Kevin beams at him. "Then I'd be delighted."

"Can I come?" Carlos can't help asking. "Just this once. I'll settle for listening to you in future but the first time… I really want to see this."

Which is quite an understatement. The two of them on air at the same time? He's never going to get any work done!

***

Going back to the radio station is beyond strange. The last time they were here was that fateful afternoon when Cecil outright called for an uprising, and he and Carlos had to make a run for it.

The place doesn't seem to have changed much, although it's quite a hub of activity: predominately interns, dashing here and there trying to get everything back to normal. As Cecil and Kevin come in through the door, quite a lot of them turn to look, and it's clear they're relieved and concerned all at once.

Carlos guesses it will take a while for them to get used to having Kevin around still, especially those of them who were here when Strexcorp was in charge.

It's getting close to air time, and – according to an intern – Management wants things back to normal post-haste, so they head on down towards Cecil's studio. They reach the door, and Cecil pushes it open…

…and freezes.

"…Kevin?" he says, voice very carefully flat.

"Yes, Cecil?"

"Why is my broadcast studio covered in blood?"

Kevin somehow manages to look a little guilty. But only a little. "Oh, that?" he says. "That was me. I was just… trying to make the place feel more homey!"

There's a short pause. "Kevin?" Cecil says again.

"Yes?"

"It doesn't feel more homey. No blood in the broadcast studio. And no blood in the house. And… we're going to have to have a little talk about these proclivities of yours because quite frankly they're a bit weird."

Carlos is trying very hard not to laugh, although he's mildly concerned it's hysteria rather than amusement.

"Awww," Kevin pouts. "They're not weird. They're just…"

"…Kevin. They're weird."

"…Oh, fine."

It's at this point that – perhaps mercifully – an intern comes hurrying down the corridor towards them. "Cecil!" the young woman calls. "Cecil, don't… oh. Ooops. You already looked in there, didn't you?"

"I'm afraid so," Cecil replies.

"Ah… sorry about that," the intern says. "We've been trying to sort all the rooms out but we haven't got round them all yet. You might want to use the one at the end of the corridor. It's in rather better shape."

"Thank you," Cecil answers. "We'll do that… ah…"

"…Janelle," the intern tells him, helpfully. "I'm new!"

"What happened to… actually, no, don't tell me…" Cecil mutters, looking like he doesn't quite dare ask.

Still getting a few alarmed looks from Intern Janelle, they head on down to the studio at the end of the corridor, which is entirely free of blood and therefore far more acceptable.

There's going to be a lot more of this, Carlos knows, as the two doubles prepare to go live. It's inevitable, of course. They have so much in common, but they're also amazingly varied, and perhaps that's the great joy about them.

Well, that, and the thing they can do where… no. No. He'll save that thought for tonight.

In the meantime… there is this. There is a studio, in a radio station, in a town, and there are two men sitting on opposite sites of a table, microphones at the ready, entirely identical and completely different at exactly the same time.

Chiral. His chiral lovers. What more can a scientist ask?

Familiar lights flash on… and they're live.

"The world is vast and incredible, and full of more mystery, more terror, and more beauty than any of us could ever know," Cecil starts out.

"And yet, it's the little things: the little moments, the little similarities, the little differences, that impact on us the most," Kevin completes.

They look at each other and smile, and then speak in unison: familiar words that nevertheless take Carlos' breath away.

"Welcome to Night Vale."