Work Text:
Night Vale is weird. And terrifying. And fascinating.
Those are the only conclusions Carlos has been able to draw about the town so far. He and his team of scientists have been investigating for months, and they’re still no further than when they started. Every question they answer leads to a million more. They could spend the rest of their lives here and never be done.
So with everything else that’s going, Carlos doesn’t notice the changes in himself until six months in, and even then it’s only because of Grace, who sidles up to him when he’s waiting for the centrifuge to finish with his samples.
“Carlos?”
“Hmm?”
“Have you, y’know, noticed anything weird?”
Carlos stares at her. “We’re in Night Vale, Grace.”
The shorter woman shakes her head. “No, no, I mean... about yourself. Something different.”
He gives it some thought, then shrugs. “No, not really. Why?”
She looks disappointed. “Oh, nothing.”
“Have you noticed anything different about yourself?” he asks, because that’s something they haven’t seen before, the town somehow infecting others.
“Not until yesterday. James talked to me, said I was being angrier than usual.” She sighs. “And, well, when I thought about it, I have been. I don’t know if it’s the stress or this town but I keep lashing out at everyone and getting annoyed when they’re using my equipment, even when it’s not even my equipment but ours, you know?”
Carlos pats her on the shoulder. “You should take the day off. Maybe get some rest or fresh air.”
“But I can’t leave you guys!” she exclaims. “There’s too much work to be done, Carlos.”
Definitely stress. Carlos smiles at her. “We don’t want you burning yourself out, Grace. You can come back tonight if you’re working on something that really needs finishing.”
“Maybe,” she mutters, folding her arms.
“Why did you ask me if I noticed something about myself?” he asks. Why not if he noticed anything odd about her?
She shrugs. “I guess I was hoping I wasn’t the only affected, but everyone else says they feel normal.” She gives him a wan smile. “Of course, that’s what I thought as well.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Carlos tells her. “You know, if you want to do something useful, you could go to the Museum of Forbidden Technologies and see what’s there.” None of them have gone yet, unable to find the time.
Grace’s brown eyes light up at that. “Oh, good idea, Carlos!”
~
He talks to James a little later, who nods.
“Yeah, we’ve all been stressed and snapped at each other, but Grace was getting out of hand. A day away from the lab should do her good,” James says.
“I wonder if it’s not more than stress,” Carlos muses, still thinking about the town being infectious. “What if we’re changing too and we haven’t noticed it yet?” Ever since Grace left, he’s been thinking, and he’s realised that ever since they got to Night Vale, he’s been eating more. He used to be the type who was so caught up in his research that he forgot, but that’s changed. He eats a regular breakfast, eats at least three sandwiches, takes two portions of whatever dinner they have, and that’s ignoring the snacks during the day. At least his mother won’t complain or worry over him being too skinny any more.
James frowns, also thinking. “I haven’t noticed you being more annoyed lately.”
“Let’s agree to all keep an eye on each other, just to be on the safe side.”
“Will do,” James promises.
~
Carlos does now notice Grace’s increased anger. It seems the museum trip hasn’t done her much good. He mostly keeps an eye on himself, and his hunger. The more he thinks about it, the more he realises that it’s still there even after he’s eaten. It’s a hunger for more than food.
He also begins keeping track of his physical measurements. As expected, he’s gone up two clothes sizes. When he checks his temperature, he’s surprised the thermometer reads 102 Fahrenheit. Technically he’s got a mild fever, but he doesn’t feel sick.
“Grace?” he calls out, still holding the thermometer.
“What?” she yells. “I’m busy!”
He walks over to her bench, and she glares at him. “I want to take your temperature.”
She rolls her eyes. “Ugh, fine.”
It only takes thirty seconds, but it feels like forever with Grace glaring at him. “102 as well,” he says. “I’m going to check the others.”
Grace leans over to see for herself. “Weird,” she mutters, then she looks up at Carlos. “Are you wearing a different deodorant?”
“No,” he replies. “Why?”
She shrugs. “Nothing, just thought you smelled different. Nicer.”
He stares at her and her cheeks turn pink. “I, er, maybe it’s the laundry detergent.”
“Maybe,” she agrees, and goes back to work.
~
Carlos checks his other four colleagues. Their temperatures are all 99 or 100. Normal.
“You think it’s a Night Vale thing?” James asks, sipping his coffee.
“I don’t know,” Carlos says. He tries not to worry. They only have one data point for everyone, things could be different tomorrow. “I’ll keep an eye on it.
~
For the rest of the week, Carlos checks everyone’s temperatures once a day at the same time. It’s always the same, the other four have normal temperatures, he and Grace have a mild fever. By the end of the week, though, they’re at 104.
“This isn’t good,” Grace says, touching her own forehead. “I don’t feel ill.”
“Neither do I,” Carlos replies, and he’s trying not to panic. Something is going on with them and they don’t know what it is. “Do you think we should go to the hospital with this?”
She shudders. “I’ll wait until I feel ill, thanks.” She reaches out for his forehead, her touch is gentle.
He leans into it, it feels good. “Yeah, me too,” he mutters.
“Are you sure you’re not wearing a different deodorant?” Grace asks, her hand still on Carlos’ forehead.
He nods, staring down at Grace. There’s something about her. Something special, but at the same time it doesn’t feel quite right. “We should get back to work.”
She nods, and removes her hand. “We should.”
~
Later that day Cecil drops by for a visit with some of the droppings he’s collected from Khoshekh, and he hands the brown paper bag over to Carlos with a happy smile. “You really should come to the studio and see him for yourself, Carlos, he is just the sweetest!”
“I will,” Carlos says, taking the paper bag and staring at Cecil. They haven’t seen each other in a few weeks, but Cecil seems different somehow. Maybe he should ask Cecil to have lunch with him, it’s almost noon and Carlos is starving.
Grace walks in, waving some papers at Carlos. “Hey, have you seen the latest article on – what is he doing here?”
“Bringing us Khoshekh’s droppings,” Carlos explains, holding up the bag. “Remember, you wanted to look into the whole floating cat thing?”
She’s glaring at Cecil now, walking up to him. “You don’t get to be here.”
Cecil frowns slightly. “I know I’m not a scientist, but -”
“Leave.” Grace’s voice is low and dangerous, and she prods Cecil with her index finger. “Leave him alone.”
“Whoa,” Carlos says, because this is getting weird. “Grace, I asked Cecil to come over and bring these, we were too busy to get them ourselves.”
She blinks, and steps back. “I – I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” she says, her face red. “Cecil, I’m sorry, I’m glad you brought these.” She takes a deep breath, then turns to leave the room.
“Sorry about that,” Carlos says quietly, his hand on Cecil’s lower arm, the bare skin soft and warm. “She’s been under a lot of stress lately.” He should definitely ask Cecil to grab something to eat with him, and then Cecil can tell him more about Khoshekh’s behaviour and eating patterns.
“Oh no, I understand completely!” Cecil tells him, still smiling. “I should’ve asked you first if there were any Alphas in your team, I can’t believe I forgot!”
“Alphas?” Carlos asks. Were Cecil’s eyes always such a beautiful combination of green and purple? How has he never noticed before?
“Yes, it’s terribly rude of one Alpha to come into another Alpha’s territory unannounced,” Cecil explains. “I really should’ve checked ahead, but I was so eager to get the bag to you that I completely forgot, Carlos.”
Carlos smiles. He loves the way Cecil says his name, like it’s something delicate and precious. “That’s fine.” He’s so hungry, and yet he can’t turn away from Cecil to grab the apple on his desk.
Cecil looks down at Carlos’ hand on his arm. “You should be careful, Carlos,” he says slowly, “around Grace.”
Grace? Why should he worry about her? “I will,” he promises.
Cecil nods quickly, then steps back. “I should leave. Get back to the station. So much work to do, and I really shouldn’t stay here.” He glances at the door Grace left through. “And remember, be careful.”
“You don’t need to leave,” Carlos says, as Cecil is halfway to the door. “Not so soon.” He takes a few steps closer to Cecil, but Cecil has already opened the door.
“Some other time!” Cecil tells him, and walks out.
For a few seconds, Carlos feels bereft and he’s clutching the brown paper bag to his chest. “Cecil,” he murmurs.
Then the smell of cat droppings hits him and he quickly puts the bag on his desk. He flushes at the memory of touching Cecil, and wonders why he felt the urge to do that. He rubs his stomach, surprised that the hunger has grown less urgent. Then he remembers what Cecil said about Alphas, and curses himself not asking him about it.
~
He mentions the Alpha thing to Grace, who snorts.
“I’m not a dog, he’s just being the town idiot,” she replies, but then her eyes widen as if she remembers something. “Wait, Alphas. I need to go.”
Carlos doesn’t have the time to ask Grace where she’s going, she simply grabs her bag and leaves, her lab coat still on.
He turns to James, who shrugs. “Well, at least she won’t be snapping at us for a few hours, right?”
Carlos figures that Grace knows what she’s doing and tries to focus on his own work, but he feels restless and all that’s going through his mind is Cecil’s visit. How Cecil looked, how he smelled, how his skin felt, the soothing way Cecil spoke. Carlos shakes his head, annoyed with himself. The hunger is still there, a void that feels like it’s never going to get filled.
~
That evening at the apartment he shares with Grace and James, Grace isn’t back in time for dinner. James is still at the lab, and Carlos eats yesterday’s leftovers, his mind still on Cecil.
It’s a relief when he hears Cecil’s voice on the radio, and Carlos listens with a smile, giving it his full attention. Usually he works on a report or does the dishes while Cecil tells him the news, but not tonight. Tonight Carlos is riveted and even the hunger inside of him is forgotten.
Cecil even mentions his visit to the lab that afternoon, and Carlos grins when Cecil talks of how impressive the lab is, and how hard Carlos and his scientists are working. By the time the show is over, Carlos is both elated and annoyed. Cecil’s show really should be longer, there’s so many things happening in Night Vale that it’s a shame Cecil doesn’t get more than half an hour.
~
It takes Carlos some time to fall asleep that night, and when he does, his dreams aren’t helping.
It’s dark, and he’s lying on something soft, and he realises he’s naked the same moment he realises someone else is there. Someone is touching him, cool hands on his hot skin, and Carlos moans. He shifts closer to whoever is there, needing more like he needs air.
There are more hands, more than one person has, and in his dream, Carlos doesn’t care. Fingers run through his hair, a hand touches his chest, something cool rubs his arms and when his legs are spread by whoever is with him, Carlos doesn’t fight it but spreads them eagerly. The hunger inside of him is strong, and he wants to cry with relief when he feels something slip between his cheeks. Something cool and hard and long, something to fill him, something to satisfy the hunger.
It slips deeper, and it’s the most amazing thing ever. Carlos is shaking, still needing more. He’s filled inch by inch, until he thinks he can’t take anymore, but the other person is relentless and keeps pushing. Carlos gasps, feeling full and satisfied, and then it’s like he explodes.
~
He wakes up, sweaty and panting, his sheets a tent over his erection. “Fuck,” he groans, because the hunger is back and he knows what he needs now. How has he not noticed before that what he wants isn’t food, but sex?
He slides his hand underneath the sheets to wrap around his hard cock, and starts tugging on it with a firm grasp. He needs to come, needs it desperately, but his hand isn’t enough. He grunts, and rolls to his side and awkwardly wriggles to get his other hand where he needs it. He’s had sex with guys before, but he’s never done this to himself.
Carlos manages to get one finger inside, and it’s rough and too small, but it helps. He keeps pumping his cock, and eventually manages to get two fingers inside himself, which is better. It’s good enough, because soon Carlos is coming, writhing on his bed and still frustrated because while wonderful, it doesn’t satisfy him at all.
He whimpers when he pulls his fingers out, feeling even emptier than before, and he sighs when he notices the time. He has to get to work.
~
He’s just put on his lab coat and grabbed his first coffee of the day when James comes up to him, excited.
“Grace has figured it out,” he says, waving some shiny brochures with the Night Vale City Council logo on them. “She knows what’s going on!”
Grace is hot on his heels, grinning with excitement. “Carlos, we’re not ill, we’re –” She stops, frowning slightly at him.
He worries that they’ve somehow noticed he spent the morning jerking off, but he has taken a shower, a thorough one even. Very thorough. Very nice. Very... not entirely satisfying. “So?” he asks, hoping he’s not blushing.
Grace runs over to Carlos to shove him against the wall behind him, making him drop his coffee. When she presses her smaller body against his, he becomes hard instantly. “Carlos,” she says, her pupils dilated.
He nods, but can’t shake the feeling that it’s not right, she’s not right for him. “Grace, I –”
She pulls him down by his lab coat to kiss him and it’s intense and overwhelming and he wants to give in, but the feeling of wrongness is still there. She pulls back, and she shakes her head. “No, not you,” she says.
James coughs, his face red with embarrassment. “So... that happened.”
Carlos is staring down at Grace, and he knows what he needs to do. “I’m taking the day off,” he tells them, and runs out before either of them can stop him, and he ignores Grace shouting about the hospital.
~
He stops running when he’s past Big Rico’s, realising he has no idea where Cecil actually lives. He’s also still mostly hard, and he turns to face the wall when he calls Cecil, hoping it looks casual enough not to draw attention from any passers-by.
“Cecil, I am calling for personal reasons,” he says.
“Carlos!” Cecil replies happily.
His cock jerks at the sound of Cecil’s voice, and he bites back a groan. “I need to see you,” he says. “Somewhere private. Your place?”
“Of course, I’m surprised you haven’t called me sooner.”
Carlos’ grip on the phone tightens. He would’ve done, but it’s only since this morning that he’s figured out what he needs and that he needs it from Cecil. “Where do you live?” After Cecil gives him the address, he barely hears what Cecil has to say. “I’ll be there soon,” he says, and hangs up.
He runs to get to Cecil’s apartment building, and a few people raise an eyebrow at his hurry, but mostly he just gets ignored. Steve Carlsberg raises an eyebrow at him and smirks knowingly when Carlos nearly runs into him.
He keeps ringing the doorbell until Cecil lets him in, and Carlos can’t help grinning when he sees Cecil smile at him. “Hey,” he says, panting.
“Come in, Carlos.” Cecil steps aside and Carlos walks in, still thrumming with energy.
Carlos waits for Cecil to close the door. “I need you,” he says, shrugging off his lab coat and dropping it on the floor.
Cecil breathes in sharply. “Oh, Carlos, you poor thing.”
He grabs Cecil by his shoulders and pulls him closer. “I need you, Cecil, please.” He can’t handle the emptiness inside anymore, his body is hot and aching and Cecil has to understand.
Cecil’s hands are up in the air, almost touching Carlos. “I should take you to the hospital,” he mutters, “but it’s probably too late now.”
He pulls Cecil in for a kiss and again, it’s intense and overwhelming, and Cecil even tastes right when Carlos slides his tongue past Cecil’s lips. “No hospitals,” he says, pulling back with some difficulty. “Cecil, fuck me.”
Cecil lets out a whine, and his hands land on Carlos’ waist. “My bedroom is this way.”
~
Carlos has never taken off his clothes faster in his life, his erection bobbing awkwardly as he shuffles to get his shoes and socks off. He then falls back on Cecil’s bed, waiting for Cecil to join him. It seems to take forever.
When Cecil is finally naked as well and lies down next to him, Carlos is so relieved he can’t even bring himself to care that Cecil has three writhing tentacles instead of a cock. All of them have the thickness of an erect penis and are about seven inches long, so they should feel right. They’re a dark green, which turns to blue and purple towards the base.
“They match your eyes,” Carlos murmurs, and Cecil blushes when Carlos reaches out to touch one. It wraps around Carlos’ wrists and Carlos groans at how strong its grip is. “Cecil...” He can’t wait much longer.
Cecil, still blushing, strokes Carlos’ stomach and buries his face in Carlos’ neck. “You smell so good, Carlos,” he says, kissing a path down. “Ever since my visit yesterday I’ve been hoping.”
He groans, they don’t have time to talk right now, and he thrusts his hips in Cecil’s direction. “Cecil, please.”
Cecil doesn’t even stop kissing him, the hand stroking Carlos’ stomach simply moves down to spread his legs further before Cecil lies on top of Carlos, his writhing tentacles caressing Carlos’ cock.
Carlos thrusts up, because the cool touch feels amazing. He spreads his thighs to give Cecil and his tentacles room, and he gasps when one of them slides down and across his balls before finally running a circle around his hole and slipping in.
The tip of the tentacle is small, and Carlos groans impatiently, but it keeps sliding in further, slowly filling him. Cecil looks down at him with some concern. “Carlos?”
“More,” he gasps, his arms around Cecil, hands running up and down Cecil’s back. “It’s not enough, I need – ah!”
A second tentacle has joined the first, and as both slide in deeper, Carlos moans happily. “Better?” Cecil purrs.
He nods desperately, whimpering when they keeping moving, stretching him further. “Yes,” he hisses, because he’s finally filled, he’s finally got Cecil inside of him, and it feels so good. The tentacles move, twisting around each other, brushing places that have Carlos crying out underneath Cecil. “More,” he pants, because the hunger is still there and Carlos is so close but he needs Cecil, he needs all of Cecil.
Cecil’s hand strokes Carlos’ face and hair tenderly and he kisses Carlos. His third tentacle has been stroking Carlos’ aching cock, and now it slithers down to join the other three. “This may hurt.”
“Don’t care,” Carlos groans as he feels the tip of the third. He shifts to spread his thighs more.
The third tentacle slides inside, but slower, occasionally stopping to secrete some fluid, then pulling out to push back in deeper. Cecil is right, it does hurt, but not nearly as much as the hunger and Carlos is begging Cecil to push in even deeper.
“We have to be careful,” Cecil tells him, panting against Carlos’ shoulder. “Careful.”
Carlos whimpers as the three tentacles move inside of him. “You feel amazing, Cecil.” Now that he’s got what he wanted, he’s calmer, able to properly enjoy having Cecil so close and inside of him. There’s no void, no hunger, only the two of them.
Cecil’s face is red now. “So do you,” he mumbles, a look of slight disbelief on his face, like he’s still not sure this is actually happening.
It doesn’t take much longer to push Carlos over the edge and he’s coming, the pleasure spreads through his body, through every cell and neuron and it’s perfect. He’s clinging to Cecil, whimpering and moaning and then the orgasm fades. He groans softly, and his arms fall down on the bed, lying by his side.
The tentacles inside of him move faster and Cecil is making desperate noises above him until he lets out a long groan. Carlos feels the tentacles twitch and spurt, and he gasps at the strange sensation. He feels thoroughly satisfied for the first time in weeks. “Oh God, I needed that.”
Cecil laughs, and leans to rub the tip of his nose against Carlos’. “I know,” he says. “Dear Carlos, what were you thinking, going into heat? Don’t you have suppressors?”
“What?” he says, because Cecil can’t expect him to think right now.
“Suppressors,” Cecil repeats. “You know, because you’re an Omega? Heat cycles can be dangerous. Grace should get them too if she hasn’t already. The City Council does not approve of untreated Alphas.”
Carlos groans. “Cecil,” he says, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Cecil frowns, and even the three tentacles that are inside of Carlos go still. “You – you don’t?”
Carlos shakes his head. “No.”
Cecil’s face turns red. “I assumed you knew! What is this, your first heat?”
“I guess,” Carlos says, feeling awkward.
Cecil’s smile goes soft. “Oh, Carlos,” he murmurs, and he kisses Carlos again, running his fingers
through Carlos’ hair. The tentacles inside of him move too, making Carlos groan into the kiss.
“Uhm, aren’t you going to pull out?” Carlos asks, when Cecil is kissing his cheeks.
“I can’t,” Cecil tells him, then looks worried. “You really don’t know about any of this, do you?”
Carlos shakes his head again. “I already told you, I’ve no idea what’s been going on with me.”
So Cecil tells him, and it’s a long and complicated and rambling, but it all boils down to Carlos being an Omega who goes into heat and needs either the suppressors he can get from the hospital or an Alpha to satisfy him during his heat. Cecil explains that Grace being an Alpha without suppressors made her more aggressive, especially when Cecil was in the lab.
“So that’s why she kissed me,” Carlos says thoughtfully. “Alphas get the same urges.” Mostly around Omegas in heat, it seems.
Cecil’s eyes narrow. “She kissed you?” And his voice goes dangerous, like when he talks about Steve Carlsberg.
It’s ridiculous that Cecil is jealous even when he’s still technically fucking Carlos, and Carlos smiles. “She did, but we both knew it didn’t feel right. I needed you, and she needs... I don’t know, but I hope she finds them. But you’re on suppressors?” he asks, to change the subject and continue the explanation.
“Of course,” Cecil says. “It’s very unpleasant without them, I can barely be around treated Alphas without wanting to punch or bite them. Although that’s how I feel about Steve even with suppressors,” he adds after a pause.
“And you knew.” That explains a few things about Cecil’s visit. “You knew what was going on with me and Grace, and you just left yesterday!”
Cecil kisses his cheek, ignoring Carlos’ huff. “Grace was already defending her territory, I felt it was best if I left. And like I said, I thought you knew you were about to go into heat.”
“You still could’ve said something,” he grumbles.
“It’s rude for an Alpha to talk about that sort of thing to an Omega,” Cecil says, looking uncomfortable, “especially about that Omega’s heat cycle.”
“Huh,” Carlos replies, as Cecil keeps playing with his hair, “like women and their periods.” It’s fine for women to discuss it amongst themselves, but hardly any man will go up to a woman and have a serious discussion about menstruation.
Cecil looks confused. “What’s a period?”
He laughs. “Never mind. Is there anything else I need to know about this... Omega thing? How long will it last?”
“Oh, the actual heat will last about a week or so,” Cecil tells him, beaming happily.
A week. Right. He can handle that, if it’s just a vague hunger most of the time, and he and Cecil can make arrangements and – and he groans when he feels the need growing rapidly. “Cecil,” he says, his flaccid cock hardening again. “I think I – you need to fuck me again.”
“I did think you were lasting rather long,” Cecil murmurs, and his three tentacles start moving inside of Carlos again, twisting and turning until Carlos is whimpering constantly.
He can’t describe how good it feels to have Cecil inside of him right now, how complete and full he feels. He tries to thrust up, but it doesn’t do anything, he doesn’t feel the tentacles slide deeper.
“I told you, they’re stuck.” Cecil nuzzles his hair. “Don’t worry, the secretions dissolve after an hour or so.”
“Good,” Carlos moans, a small part of him panicking, but the rest of him too happy to be filled for so long. “Good Cecil, good.” He comes again, nails digging into Cecil’s back, and his brain is much clearer afterwards. “You, er, stuck?” he asks, once he’s got his breath back.
Cecil nods, his tentacles slowing down their movements. “Yes. Once the heat starts and the Omega gets filled by the Alpha for the first time that cycle, they secrete a fluid that’ll keep the Alpha inside of them until the initial urge is satisfied.”
“...I secrete a fluid that keeps your – you inside of me?” Carlos asks. He needs to investigate that, how would that even work?
“Yes,” Cecil says, rolling them over so they lie on their sides, Carlos’ leg still around his hips, and Cecil’s hand is still in Carlos’ hair. “It’s easier, I suppose. You saw how quickly you needed me again, imagine having to push in and pull out every single time. Much simpler like this.” He moves one of the tentacles for emphasis.
Carlos lifts his head to look down where they’re joined. He can’t see anything, but damn, he can feel it. “And we’re stuck like this for an hour?” he asks. Maybe being filled even after orgasm slows down the urgency growing inside. It does feel rather good, after all, having his hole stretched and filled like this. Almost like being full after a big meal.
Cecil nods. “Probably,” he says. “That’s the average for Omegas.”
He groans, moving to lean his head against Cecil’s shoulder. “Sorry I dragged you into this without, I don’t know, getting some water first.”
“It’s fine, Carlos,” Cecil kisses his forehead and rubs his back. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
They stay like that for a moment, holding each other, until Carlos can’t take it any longer. “Again,” he says, and that’s all Cecil needs to know.
The tentacles move inside of him happily, turning Carlos into a panting, whimpering mess in Cecil’s arms. He’s surprised there’s still come erupting from his cock when he groans his way through another orgasm.
Cecil is making soothing noises as Carlos lets out a deep sigh. “How long?” he asks. “Once the initial urge is over, how long between...” he makes a vague gesture at their groins.
Cecil smiles and goes back to stroking Carlos’ hair. “Oh, you should be able to last three or four hours without me.”
Carlos stares at him. “But we have work! I need to research and experiment and you need to prepare for the show!”
“Calm down, Carlos, you’re not the first to go through a heat cycle in Night Vale,” Cecil tells him. “I’ll help you.”
While that is a relief, the idea of not being able to go for three or four hours without feeling the urge worries Carlos a lot.
~
Carlos has no idea how long it takes for the mysterious secretions to dissolve so Cecil can pull out, but when Cecil does, Carlos is both relieved and disappointed. As Cecil’s tentacles slither out, Carlos feels empty and he almost wants to ask Cecil to fill him again, but Cecil has already got up to get them something to drink.
He slowly rolls onto his back. He lost count of how many times he’s come in the last however-long-it-was, and he’s also not sure how many times Cecil came, but Cecil’s happy grin tells Carlos it was plenty.
“Here you go,” Cecil says, sitting on the bed and handing Carlos a glass of water.
Carlos sits up and takes it, chugging it down immediately. “Thanks.”
“Do you feel better now?” Cecil asks, taking the glass from Carlos. His tentacles are coiled up in his lap.
“The best I’ve felt in a few days,” Carlos admits. “Tired, but good.”
“Oh, if you need a nap, I don’t mind,” Cecil offers, but Carlos shakes his head.
“I shouldn’t hold you up any longer, you have work to do. So do I, really, I should check these secretions and talk to Grace and – and then I’ll probably need to see you again,” he mutters, blushing as he realises how much he’ll be seeing of Cecil this week if what Cecil said about three to four hours is correct.
“Of course science comes first,” Cecil says reassuringly. “I understand.”
He leans in to kiss Cecil, one hand cupping his jaw. “I really can’t thank you enough, Cecil, seriously.”
“I usually have my lunch break around one,” Cecil tells him as Carlos moves off the bed to find his clothes. “Maybe we can eat something first?”
He has no idea when his urge to be filled will be back. He can feel it already, a faint desire to straddle Cecil and shove those three wonderful tentacles inside again. But he has work to do, and he can’t keep Cecil away from his. “Yes, that’s a good idea.” He’s hungry, actually hungry for food after the sex they’ve just had. Once dressed, he flashes Cecil another grateful smile. “See you then.”
~
They barely make it to the apartment Carlos shares with Grace and James before Carlos is frantically trying to open Cecil’s belt, and he’s still not sure how he made it through lunch without begging Cecil to fuck him on the table in front of everyone.
He moans with relief once he gets the tentacles inside of him, pushing up to check if they’re not stuck again, and they’re not. Cecil is panting as well, little gasps of pleasure when Carlos moves against him, eager for more.
He comes, biting down on Cecil’s shirt when he does, and feels Cecil tense up and groan.
When he realises he’s got Cecil shoved against the wall of his hallway, trousers and underwear around his ankles, he blushes. “Sorry,” he mutters.
“For what?”
“For this, for not even being able to wait until we were in my bedroom,” he says, cheeks still burning.
“It’s a perfectly natural urge you’re feeling,” Cecil tells him, smiling reassuringly.
He steps back from Cecil. “After this morning, Grace went out and got suppressors.” It has been an awkward morning in the lab, with Grace asking Carlos why he didn’t need suppressors and Carlos having to explain that it was too late for him. The brochures Grace took from the hospital confirmed it, suppressors were useless once the Omega had gone into heat. Carlos needed to take them at least two weeks before his heat was about to start for them to have any effect.
“Oh, that’s good!” Cecil smiles. “That should make things easier for all of us.”
“Us?”
“Yes, in case you ever need me to come to your lab,” Cecil explains. “She won’t feel as threatened and she’ll know in advance I’ll be there.”
Oh God, the idea of Carlos being so desperate that he needed Cecil to fuck him in his lab was mortifying. “I, er, don’t think that’ll be necessary. Not the safest place for it either.”
“Well, you’re the scientist.” Cecil shrugs. “But if you need me this afternoon, don’t hesitate to call. I’ll be out with Old Woman Josie, the angels told her they have something important to show me, and I’ve no idea how long that’ll take.”
“I’ll be fine,” Carlos tells him, and smiles. “And if you need me this afternoon, call me, we’ll be there to help you investigate.”
~
He’s hunched over his bench, trying to take deep breaths to regain some self-control. The need to be filled, the need for Cecil is overwhelming, but he called the station five minutes ago and the intern told him Cecil is still at Old Woman Josie’s, and he can’t drag Cecil away from the angels and their important message.
Grace gives him a light pat on the back, and Carlos shudders. “Sorry, that – that probably didn’t help,” she says.
“It’s fine,” he manages. The urges come and go in waves, he’ll just wait until this one has subsided a little and then he can get back to work. “I’m just... I’ll be fine.”
“Call him,” she tells him firmly. “Call Cecil and tell him to get over here immediately.” She even slides Carlos’ cell phone over to him.
“He’s at work, he’s busy.”
Grace lets out a laugh. “Please, when has Cecil ever been too busy for you?”
That’s true, but Carlos shakes his head. “I can wait a bit longer.”
“No, you can’t, you’re trembling.” She picks up the phone and selects Cecil’s number, then pushes Carlos away when he tries to stop her. “Oh, hello, Cecil. We’re at the lab, Carlos needs to –” She frowns, then looks at the phone. “He hung up.”
Five minutes later, Cecil is there and Carlos drags him towards the nearest bathroom.
~
“Sorry, I wanted to wait longer, I didn’t want to drag you away from the important thing, but Grace grabbed the phone and –”
Cecil shushes him and kisses his jaw. They’re in one of the bathroom stalls, Carlos facing the wall and Cecil right behind him. The tentacles are still inside of Carlos, and Carlos is already dreading the moment they slip out and leave him empty. “The angels wanted to show me the paintings they’ve made. They’re not very good, but Old Woman Josie thinks they have promise.”
“Oh.” Carlos isn’t sure if he feels more or less embarrassed now.
“Carlos, it’s fine for you to call me at work or wherever I am. You’re in heat, your body needs this.” The tentacles move inside of him, and Carlos moans. “I don’t mind.”
“I’m still bothering you,” he mumbles. “I don’t want to bother you.” He wants to be in control of his own body again, and this is only the first day.
“You’re not bothering me,” Cecil tells him firmly. “Is that why you left so quickly this morning and after lunch? Honestly, Carlos, I’m happy Grace called, because if I had to look at another terrible painting, well, Old Woman Josie would not have been happy with me.”
Carlos laughs. “Thanks. It’s just... I’m used to being self-reliant, and understanding what is going on or at least trying to understand what’s going on, rationally and methodically. But this heat cycle makes me lose all of that.” It makes him lose himself.
“Oh, Carlos.” Cecil wraps both arms around him and hugs him tight. “It should get easier, the first day is always the worst, or so I’ve been told.”
Six more days of this, of losing control and needing Cecil desperately every couple of hours. “I hate this.” He feels Cecil tense up. “Not you,” he quickly adds. “I hate having to go through this.”
“I’m here for you,” Cecil tells him, and the tentacles slide out of Carlos. “Remember that, will you? Call me when you need me and I’ll be there. Although it would be most inconvenient during the show,” he adds thoughtfully.
He turns around and hugs Cecil back, silently wishing Cecil’s tentacles were detachable. “I will,” he promises.
~
He’s on his elbows and knees in Cecil’s bed, his face in the pillow as Cecil fucks him that night. Cecil knows by now what Carlos likes, so the tentacles rub against his most sensitive spots constantly, making Carlos moan desperately. Soon he’s biting Cecil’s pillow, shuddering as he comes. “I should go home,” he mumbles, once he’s able to think properly.
“What? Carlos, it’s fine, you should stay here,” Cecil tells him, sliding his tentacles out so he can move to look Carlos in the eye. “You’re more than welcome to spend the night.”
Carlos knows how annoying it can be to have someone sleep over unexpectedly, and sits up. “I should be fine,” he says. He does feel very satisfied, even if Cecil looks very tempting lying down like that, his tentacles writhing in his lap. “I’ll call you first thing in the morning.”
“I still don’t think this is a good idea.” Cecil looks worried, and tries again to convince Carlos to stay before Carlos leaves.
“I’ll be fine, Cecil.” Carlos leaves him after one last kiss, repeating to himself that he will be fine as he drives home.
~
Carlos wakes up several hours later, his body aching with need and he spends some time swearing and cursing before he calls Cecil.
“I did tell you it was better if you slept over,” Cecil tells him, not sounding sleepy at all.
~
They fuck in Cecil’s bed, because Carlos was too restless to wait when he could be rushing to Cecil instead, and afterwards, once Carlos is done riding Cecil and his tentacles and feels fulfilled, he lies down next to Cecil and sighs. “It’s really going to be a week of this, isn’t it?” he says. His hope that the urge wouldn’t be growing, or at least not be as strong while he slept was now thoroughly dashed.
“Yes,” Cecil says, kissing his shoulder. He’s lying on his side behind Carlos, one arm wrapped around him.
Carlos strokes Cecil’s arm, then twines their fingers together. “Can you – is it a problem if you keep your tentacles inside longer?”
“Of course not!” Cecil immediately says, hugging him tighter. “I can keep them inside for the rest of the night if you like, it might make it easier in the morning.”
Carlos nods, intensely grateful. “Good night, Cecil.”
“Good night, Carlos.
~
The rest of the week, Carlos sleeps at Cecil’s, and every night Carlos is filled by Cecil’s tentacles before they sleep and remains filled during the night. It means he can sleep seven hours before the urge is too strong rather than the four hours he got the first night. They fall into a rhythm of fucking first thing in the morning, then after lunch, then around dinner time and then again before going to bed.
It becomes easier for Carlos to recognise when the urge is about to get particularly strong, and it also becomes easier to wait until lunch, then dinner, then night. Cecil was right, the first day is definitely the worst.
When Carlos wakes up on the eighth day since this started, he feels strangely refreshed. The urge to be taken by Cecil isn’t even that strong that morning, but Cecil’s tentacles are already inside of him and they do feel really good.
They meet for lunch, but Carlos doesn’t feel the overwhelming need to be filled, and he quietly shares the happy news with Cecil, who smiles as well.
“I thought you seemed calmer this morning,” Cecil tells him.
“I felt calmer,” Carlos replies, sipping his coffee. He puts his other hand on top of Cecil’s. “You know, I’ve been thinking, this week has been so weird, we need to let things go back to normal.”
“Oh?” Cecil says quietly, almost afraid.
Carlos nods. He’s been thinking about this, and knows it’s the right thing to do. “Yes, where we go on dates first and then work up to having sex.” His cheeks flush as he says it, because after the week they’ve had, why try dating, but he wants to spend more time with Cecil while they both have their clothes on. He thinks it would be nice.
Cecil blushes as well. “You want to – oh, Carlos, yes, that’s a wonderful idea!”
Carlos smiles, and decides to go to the hospital for suppressors that afternoon. Next time he has sex with Cecil, he wants it to be because he wants it, not because he needs it.