This Love

Lights Out

This is set in New York during the first power outage Angela and Juice experienced together. It's been mentioned in "It Was Always You" once or twice and @Hopelessangelxxx who commented to ask for the whole story so...here it is! I loved writing this one!

Let me know what you guys think!
🥰

~'~'~'~'~

Juice dialed Angela's number for what felt like the fiftieth time. He'd seen on the news there was a blackout in her neighborhood, and he was a little panicked knowing it was her first summer in New York, and there was no way she was ready for a New York blackout. The line was dead, though, which did nothing to soothe his panic. He grabbed his shitty flashlight, tucking it into his pocket before going to the nearest bodega.

He combed the place for another flashlight or lantern or anything that could provide light that didn't have to be plugged in. "Shit," he breathed when he couldn't find a light, heading up to the counter and greeting the clerk with a nod. "You got any flashlights or anythin'?"

"You kiddin'? That shit was sold out like yesterday," the clerk said on a chuckle. "Candles too. Best I got are those prayer candles."

Juice looked over his shoulder to where the clerk was looking. About five prayer candles in different colors with different saints all over them were on the shelf. "I'll take 'em all," he said, grabbing them, a bag of Doritos, a cold pack of beer, and all of their favorite candy.

The clerk was so pleased, he threw in a lighter with them. Juice flagged down the nearest taxi and spent the surcharge to get down to Angela's place. He gave the taxi driver a heavy tip before heading up the walk. The block was illuminated by people with flashlights and candles. People were sitting on their stoops, trying to get some kind of relief from the intense heat. He knew how they felt, the jeans and a t-shirt he was wearing were bad choices. Thankfully, someone else was coming out of her apartment building, so he slipped in the door with ease.

He climbed the stairs, hating the way his shirt was sticking to his back as he got to the top. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he knocked on the door in his signature knock. Angela opened the door, a single prayer candle in her hand. Her hair was up in the messiest bun, and she was wearing very short running shorts and a sports bra. The light from the prayer candle in her hand made her sweaty skin glisten. "Hey you," she greeted, a look of relief on her face. "Please tell me those are more candles."

Juice chuckled, waiting for her to take a step back before walking inside. "More prayer candles," he explained, following closely behind her to set them on the table.

"Thank God. I only got this one 'cause my aunt gave it to me for bendiciones on my move. St. Thomas Aquinas, patron saint of students and universities," she explained, grabbing her lighter and starting to light the rest of the candles. "It's so fuckin' hot too. I searched the place for flashlights but apparently bikers don't prep for fuckin' power outages. All they have is that stupid rotary phone hidden in the spare closet, but what the hell does that even do?"  (Blessings)

He chuckled at her rambling. "It's a landline," he explained, grabbing said phone and using his shitty flashlight to find the phone plug. He plugged it in and listened for the dial tone. "Works when the power's out. Your fancy hand held needs power. This don't."

Angela looked just a little embarrassed at not having known about the phone. "Oh," she said before sighing heavily. "What snacks did you bring?"

"Little of this, little of that. Lots of booze," he stated, digging into the bags and putting bags of junk food out for her.