Chapter 5: Blackout and Candles

I gasp, tucking myself in and pulling my knees to my chest. There's a blackout. And it's so dark. And I can't see anything.

I scramble for my phone, and when I feel it, I immediately turn it on. With some light in the room, I let out a small sigh. I walk towards by blinds and open them. It's raining and basically storming out and almost no light gets in. My living room is filled with darkness and my phone light allows me to just see my window and part of my sofa.

I shiver. And I don't even have candles, and my torch doesn't have batteries cause I always forget on buying some.

Maybe I should sleep? I shiver again and quickly shake my head. I'm far too awake now, and slightly too scared. I gulp and look at my phone again and quickly open it. Going to contacts, I see Bucky pretty early on and send him a text.

'Hey Bucky! Gee what a horrible blackout, do you have some candles or torches to lend? I'm all out...'

With that, I send it. It takes a minute until I receive a response.

'Yes. One minute.'

I smile in silent success, feeling already better that someone would be coming. After a while there was a knock on the door and I quickly head to it and open it. I see Bucky, standing with the same box I gave him a couple of days ago.

I raise an eyebrow.

"Isn't that...?" I trail off while he nods and gives a small sigh. "My colleague, Tony, is very annoying." He simply says. I crack a smile and a small laugh and nod. "Right, of course." He hands the box to me, "Thanks," I say while taking the box from him. For some reason, it feels like it's slightly lighter than before.

He hums, "You're welcome," and turns around to walk away. I jump up, not wanting this comfortable atmosphere to leave. He turns around and raises an eyebrow. I gulp and blush softly, "Uhm... join me if you want afterwards. Having company during a blackout it nice..." I trail off.

We both stay silent before he grunts, "Ok. I'll return soon." I grin and nod. I see him walk away into the darkness, away from my phone's brightness and I return in my apartment, leaving the door slightly open. I place the box on my table and open it. I see there are lots of candles that vary in size. Most are normal white colours, but some are red and even pink.

And... are those rose petals at the bottom? An amused grin falls on my lips as I take out the bigger ones and take a lighter from the box. I set in the table and start lighting a few around the place. I sit down on the couch and light a final one on the smaller table in front of the sofa when I see the door opening.

Bucky slips in the apartment and halts when he sees me.

Pretty.

A small smile appears on my face at the sight of him.

With the candles, a soft warm light kisses my cheeks and body in the right way.

I see him crack a smile as he just stands there and I gestured him to sit down next to me.

He follows my instructions, forgetting immediately the guy he just beat up and the reason there was a blackout.

He sits down and smiles softly at me.

"I hope you don't mind me inviting you like this... it's just kinda scary all alone, you know?" I ask, feeling slightly childish, but nonetheless happy. Honestly, it wasn't that bad if I was all alone in the dark, sure it was a bit scary but I could endure it. He shakes his head, "It's fine. I can keep you safe like this," he says seriously. A small blush graces my cheeks, it gave me an excuse to spend more time with him.

"This usually never happens though, it's been so long since there's been a blackout," I offhandedly mention. The first time there was a blackout for three months after I moved in here. I was eating pizza with a colleague of mine and I was so thankful she stayed with me until it recovered. It was even worse because the day before was Halloween and I was slightly traumatized by a horror movie.

Bucky stayed silent for a while until nodding, "Yeah, it's pretty strange..." Except that it really wasn't for him. There was a guy that called himself Superman, that had 'super' powers and that had 'super' urges to harm people. Originally they were fighting on the rooftop of another building, but somehow they ended up on this building's rooftop and Bucky slammed him in the electrical compartment on the roof. Hence the blackout. But Bucky knew it was alright because he notified Steve this and Steve, even if he sighed, told him he's get Stark to do something about it.

It'd probably take an hour or so for Steve to convince Stark and then 5 minutes for Stark to actually come and fix it.

I sighed, "It makes me think how now we're so dependent on electricity, right? Or we're so invested on new technology..." Bucky considered that for a moment. It was true that this generation took technology for granted, always relying on it. He also relied on it back then, if he recalled correctly. He only remember bits and pieces of his past, but he'd remember watching TV or using buses. And even if Bucky kept his distance from Stark, he always admired the way he could make things.

"It's not too bad, technology helps people," Bucky responded, because it was true. Not saying that technology always helps people, but it sure made living more comfortable. Without technology, Stark wouldn't be around, or hell even Bruce Banner wouldn't be around, a soft talker that Bucky liked talking to. If technology wasn't around, Steve probably would be stuck in ice and Bucky wouldn't be around... to see the person in front of him.

And so the conversation flowed. They talked about the uses of technology, which quickly went about Stark, which led to video games which led to just games which led to pranks.

"I had invited my brother here for lunch one day and decided to scare him. So, there was a huge teddy bear at my work that was about to be thrown out and I took it. So what my friend and I did was cut it open and I went in it and sat on this sofa... disguised as the bear."

Bucky had a smirk itching up on his face. He somehow knew he would like this ending.

"So he walked in my apartment and was confused about there being a bear. In the end he walked up to me and took my bear hand. At that moment, I jumped up and I guess roared? In any case, he jumped up so high and- well, I probably should have noticed, but he actually had a paint in his hand. Like, paint in a bottle. Red paint, in a plactic bottle. So of course, he squeeze that and it rocketed up all over the huge teddy bear, on him, on the table, on the sofa and..." I pointed up. Bucky looked up and snorted when he was a red stain on the ceiling, "the ceiling."

"It was a bit of a mess."

Bucky chuckled at the story, "a bit."

So the conversation continued. It took two hours before the lights flickered on and we both just looked up at the lights lit everywhere, both slightly stunned. "I guess the repair guy came along..." I mumbled and Bucky wanted to chuckle again. Tony Stark as the repair guy? That was a good one. We both stood up and turned off all the candles. I walked him to the door and we both said our quiet goodbyes as he shifted the box half filled with candles.

He halts for a while before looking back, "Will you be alright?" I almost turn to goo at his tone and question itself. I grin, "I'll be fine, thanks." He nods.

We both, unknowing for the other, feel a small dread for parting. "Besides, if anything happens, we're close to each other!" He smiles softly and nods. "Right. Goodnight."

I wave softly, "Goodnight Bucky."

I'mm backk

Some good action, hmm? ^^
Next chapter will be a bit... different!

27 - July - 2018

Tsuki