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The lights went out with an audible sound, kind of a bzzt and a click at the same time, and from the living room, Ymir heard a soft whimper. She rolled off their bed, grabbing her phone and clicking buttons to turn the screen on, wondering if Historia was okay.
“Historia?”
“Yeah?”
Her voice was small, scared, and Ymir tripped over one of her shoes in her haste to get to her. The light from her phone was only strong enough for a small area, light reaching into darkness. Historia sat on their couch, hugging herself, chest rising and falling rapidly. She sat down beside her slowly, putting her hand on hers, setting her phone down.
“Historia, baby, it’s okay, it’s just a blackout, and I’m here. You’re okay, I promise.”
She looked at her, eyes wide, and Ymir moved closer, unsure of Historia’s limits. Hoping it wasn’t too much, she put her arm around her, keeping her voice soft.
“Where’s your phone? It’s got that fancy flashlight thing.”
Historia nodded, moving to pull her phone out of her back pocket, and handed it to Ymir, pushing herself into her lap, setting her head on her shoulder and taking a deep breath.
Wrapping an arm around her, Ymir found the flashlight app, noticing with alarm that the battery was running low. She ignored it, setting Historia’s phone on the table and holding her.
“It’s just me and you here, the power should be back soon, and even if it’s not, that’s okay. You’re safe, my love, everything’s okay.”
Historia sighed deeply, relaxing in Ymir’s arms.
And then her phone died, plunging the room back into darkness, and she froze up, hands clenched in the material of Ymir’s shirt.
“Shit, fuck, um, here, Historia, let me just…”
She tried to move, but Historia clung to her with a whine.
“No, no, no, don’t leave, don’t leave me-“
“Alright, I won’t, I promise.”
So she stood up, carrying her girlfriend bridal style, shifting to accommodate her weight.
The smart thing to do here would be to go see if the neighbor’s electricity was out too, but that meant leaving Historia, and Ymir wasn’t gonna do that.
On the way to their bedroom, she unplugged things that had been on and turned light switches to off, Historia growing heavy in her arms.
Gently setting her down on the edge of the bed, she knelt and held her hand, trying to give as much comfort as she could, voice soft.
“Can you tell me where the candles are, my love?”
“Uh. Top… top drawer.”
“I’m gonna get them, okay?”
Ymir kept talking as she got a few from their shared dresser, finding a box of matches along with them. Placing one atop the dresser, she lit it, Historia breathing a sigh of relief when the room lightened. She smiled at her, lighting another at the windowsill, and then one more, putting it on the nightstand.
Though the candlelight was flickering, and the room was cast with shadows, Ymir figured it was better than the pitch black it just had been.
Knowing it was late, before she went back to Historia, Ymir changed her clothes, going from jeans and a t-shirt to just a soft tank top and underwear. Historia made a half-hearted irritated noise at the way she just dropped her dirty clothes on the floor, but didn’t protest further.
“You want pajamas?”
“Yeah.”
Ymir took a shirt and long-ish bottoms out of the drawer, knowing she got cold easily, and gave them to her, flopping down on their bed while she changed.
She felt Historia lie down, and turned to face her, brushing the soft blonde hair out of her face, moving closer.
“Will you tell me why it scared you so bad? I didn’t know you’re afraid of the dark.”
“Because it’s just… so large and lonely. It’s smothering, and I can’t see, and I just don’t like it.”
Ymir nodded, gently stroking her back, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“It’s alright, I don’t blame you. I was the same way. Go to sleep, okay? I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Historia smiled slightly, knowing she was safe, safe in Ymir’s arms. Always had been, always would be.
That knowledge, and Ymir’s soft breathing beside her, was what she fell asleep to.