Blackouts are fun

Several weeks had passed since I summoned Gavial. Life at Café Soleil had settled into a comfortable routine.

It was hard, but I managed to convince Gavial to work as a waitress. Her blunt and outspoken personality was a hit among customers. And despite her initial reluctance, she seemed to really enjoy it. Just like Yae, she looked great in her uniform.

At home, she was even less reserved. She lounged around in nothing but an oversized shirt that fell off her shoulder and a pair of panties. She loved beer and burgers. When she wasn't watching t.v. she was gaming.

At first, I was afraid she was worried she would become a NEET, but thank god she liked working in the café and going out.

One evening, as I finished cleaning up the café, I found Gavial and Yae lounging on the couch, playing a heated game of Super Smash Bros. Melee. Huh? I guess even Yae had a competitive side.

"Oi, Orochi! Come play with us!" Gavial called out without taking her eyes off the screen.

I joined them on the couch, grabbing a controller. Oh, sweet summer child, did you forget I was a total loner who played games all day in my past life. The room echoed with laughter, cheers, and the occasional swearing.

As I was about to win, all the lights and TV went black.

"What the hell just happened?" Gavial exclaimed, her voice filled with irritation. "I was about to make a comeback!"

"Ha! Nice joke. I was obviously baiting you."

"I guess the power went out," Yae replied, her voice calm despite the unexpected interruption.

Feeling around in the darkness, I found my phone/sacred gear and turned on its flashlight.

"Great, now what do we do?" Gavial grumbled, clearly annoyed at not being able to play, and that she was about to lose.

I am always prepared for emergencies. "We can start off by getting some candles."

We rummaged through the drawers and found a box of candles. I also grabbed a few bags of chips and other snacks from the pantry and brought them over. Gavial and Yae followed suit, bringing their own snacks and drinks. We also got some pillows and blankets.

I always loved the glowing light of a fire. When we eventually move out, I want to get a fireplace.

"Well, I think this is the perfect mood to eat some snacks and play board games, maybe charades."

Gavial cracked open a beer and took a swig. "Ahhh~ I guess it beats staring at a blank screen. Alright, what you wanna play?"

We settled on playing a classic board game. Monopoly. The game quickly became intense, with Gavial and Yae displaying their competitive nature. Honestly, it was kinda scary.

They were ruthless, trading properties and making strategic moves to bankrupt each other. I found myself caught in the middle, trying not to become collateral damage. Even then, I was still close to losing.

As the game progressed, the friendly atmosphere turned fierce. I forgot what monopoly does to people. Gavial's loud and fiery personality clashed with Yae's sly and cunning nature, making every turn a heated exchange of colourful language.

Hours passed, and the game seemed to have no end in sight. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the game reached its climax. They were too busy fighting among themselves to notice me building properties.

"And that, my dear, is what a comeback looks like."

"No way! How did you manage that?" Gavial exclaimed, her eyes wide with astonishment.

Yae chuckled, a mix of admiration and playfulness in her voice. "Well played, my love. Looks like I was too focused on beating the alligator."

"I told you already! I'm not an alligator."

Gavial crossed her arms and pouted. "Whatever, fox. I'm just glad this game is finally over. I need a break from your conniving strategies."

Yae just giggled.

I joined in the laughter, relieved that the tension from the game had finally dissipated. "Well, at least we can all agree that Monopoly brings out the competitive side in all of us."

As we cleaned up the game and put away the board, the power suddenly flickered back on, flooding the room with light.

"Finally! Now we can get back to gaming!"

"Actually. I was hoping we could keep the lights off and watch a movie. The sofa is a pull-out bed. I kinda like the ambiance with just the candlelight."

Yae smiled mischievously. "That sounds like a great idea. It'll be a cozy movie night."

Gavial shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "I guess it is getting late. Sure, why not."

With the decision made, we turned the couch into a bed. Yae brought over a stack of DVDs while Gavial and I snuffed out some of the candles to dim the room.

We snuggled up together under the warm blankets ready to watch the movie. As it went on, Gavial would make occasionally yell at the screen or complain while Yae would whisper a prediction. The contrast in their personality was fun to see.

By the time the movie had ended, Gavial was fast asleep sprawled out on the bed, with one of her legs over me and her shirt ridden halfway up her stomach.

Yae and I exchanged a knowing look, silently agreeing to let Gavial sleep undisturbed. We carefully got up from the makeshift bed, making sure not to wake her, and tiptoed out of the room to the balcony.

"Tonight was fun. We should make it a thing. Once a month, we turn off all the lights and use candles. No screens, no nothing."

Yae nodded, a gentle smile on her face. "I like that idea."

"It's moments like these that make me appreciate the simple things in life," I said, "sadly, this slow life won't last. Once the plot starts, things are bound to get hectic. If we plan on living here, I am going to have to find a way to get stronger so we can keep this peaceful life."

"Don't worry, take all the time to need. In the meantime, we'll protect you."

After spending a bit more time talking we went to bed. The only thing better than cuddling with one beautiful woman was cuddling with two.