Thank you. Hope you like this one. I'm rather nervous lol.

Shades of Black and White

I lean against the kitchen bench quietly, panting laboriously with a still thudding chest, waiting for Christian to return to me, stunned over what just happened. I cannot believe what just happened then. Not so much what Christian did to me while keeping me pressed flat against his refrigerator, of course, but... with the light smashing above us, with the electricity cutting off in his penthouse.

A sneaking suspicion tells me that it was due to us, what just happened. It seems impossible and ridiculous, because... how could that realistically happen and be the case? But it feels, to me anyway, to be the only logical explanation we have right now.

I reach up blindly, tucking my hair behind my ear, thinking the past previous moments between us through. I recall our conversation over dinner, how he asked me to move in from Friday through to Sunday. Could I do that? Could I actually spend an entire weekend with Christian here? Could I... get used to us finally living the way we are supposed to now, together, as a soul mated couple?

Immediately, I feel silly over my reluctance, my hesitance to accept his offer to stay on the weekends. Why did I do that? Why did I turn him down or act hesitant? Haven't I always been waiting eagerly for this moment ever since I was little, just like no doubt everybody else does?

Meeting your soul mate, giving colors, then...all the rest of it unfolding excitingly before you. Moving in together, becoming a couple, being intimate. Eventually getting married, having children- all of that.

I know Kate's frustrated and envious that I've finally met my soul mated other half, that I am no longer colorblind. If Kate were in my position, if she was in my shoes and her soul mated other half was asking her to sleepover Fridays through to Sundays, I know she would jump enthusiastically at the chance. So why aren't I as well? Why do I have to be so... guarded? So... hesitant to take a chance?

Of course I want to move in with him, even if it is just a brief trial period, like he said, Fridays through to Sundays. Why hadn't I immediately said yes?

Tearing through my thoughts, I jump, crunching on broken shards of glass with my shoes from the light-bulb coating the kitchen floor as the sudden blaring of my ringtone startles me from my phone in my front jean pocket.

I check caller ID as the screen flashes up at me in the dark. Uh-oh. It's my Granny Rose. It's about time she called me. Without hesitation, I press the answer button, holding the phone up to my ear while leaning against the sink.

"Hello, Granny," I murmur fondly.

"Hello, dear," she says back in her sweet, frail voice. "Your mother has told me some exciting news about you?" Oh, good. Here we go. I brace myself for it with a tight grin, knowing what's bound to come next. Much as I love my grandmother, she can be a little imposing at times. "Carla tells me that you finally met your soul mate?"

"I did. Mom was telling the truth, Granny." I flush, remembering what just happened barely minutes ago; Christian pressing me up against the fridge, how heated we got together. How he gave me my very first orgasm. It was so intense, the heightened danger of the light-bulb exploding adding to that. Not that I would ever tell my Granny, of course. "I can see color now. It's been... five or six days since it happened."

"Ooh, what's he like?"

"Um, well, he's very..." I hesitate, unsure how to answer that, feeling hot all over. There's just too many ways to describe him. "He's... great. Very handsome, Granny. "

She chuckles on the other line happily. "Oh, I bet he is, pet. So when's the wedding?"

When's the wedding? Gee. "Um, there's no wedding date planned as yet, Gran," I admit uneasily. "We haven't talked about anything like that yet." She hums on the other line, sounding disappointed. "It's just that we're taking time, getting to know each other a lot before we even so much as begin speaking of marriage and all of that serious stuff, so we're just... cruising along, taking our time."

"Well, don't take too long, darling. I want to see this young fellow make an honest woman out of my granddaughter before I get too old and die." I laugh, even although I know she's being completely serious. "I want to see you in a beautiful wedding gown, walking down the aisle."

"Well, things were far different nowadays to how it was back when you met Grandpa Jack. Nowadays marriage isn't such a priority at the moment. Like I said, we're taking it slow and enjoying ourselves."

I catch a glow of light moving through the living room. Just my luck, it's Christian holding a lit candle. Why does he have to appear now, now that I'm stuck having to deal with my Grandmother and her imposing questions? I know she'll want to speak to him.

I move my mouth away from the phone, covering it with my hand as I speak to Christian softly, "You found candles?" I whisper to him. He comes closer, glass cracking beneath his shoes, his face glowing eerily in the flame. "Any luck with finding the fuse box or anything to turn the electricity back on?"

"Nothing as yet. Who are you talking to?"

"My Granny Rose actually just so happened to call me," I explain, then as I place my ear back to the phone, I hear Gran.

"What's that, dear?" she calls. "I can't seem to hear you for some strange reason, pet? Think the receptions playing up?"

"Oh, no, Gran, I was just talking to Christian, the, um... person I was just talking about. I'm at his house right now, sleeping over."

I know what she's going to say the instance I say it. "Oh, so that's his name, the young fellow? Your soul mate? Can I speak to him?" I cringe, pressing the phone onto speaker so I can hear their conversation.

"Granny Rose wants to speak to you," I murmur to Christian with an anxious laugh.

Though it's hard to tell in only the candlelight, Christian seems composed and willing. He hands me the lit candle carefully, taking my phone from me.

"Hello, this must be the infamous Granny Rose that I've heard about from Anastasia? You wished to speak to me?"

I catch myself nibbling down on my thumb nail anxiously as Gran exclaims loudly over the phone, making the speaker gush with air. "Yes, hello. Are you going to make an honest woman out of my granddaughter?" There she goes, blunt and brutal. I watch Christian apprehensively through the candlelight, trying to guage his expression. It's impossible to know how he feels on her question though.

"I certainly hope so one of these days," he murmurs, and he smiles, raising his eyebrows at me. Wow, we haven't even spoken about marriage and yet, here he is, saying this? I have a feeling he's simply trying to appease my Grandmother though. She laughs on the other line, so I guess it's working.

"You're a man," Gran says on the other line, somewhat surprised.

"Uh, yes," Christian answers and finally, I notice his composure cracking a little. He sounds wary, anxious. "I am?"

"You're not my dear Ana's age, are you? I can tell by your voice. You're older?"

"That's right. I'm twenty eight."

"Not too old for my Ana then. You better treat her well and like the special girl she deserves to be treated as, won't you?" I cup my mouth, trying to stifle my giggle in the palm of my hand. God, she's terrible. "If I find out from my granddaughter that you haven't, you'll be dealing with me."

"Consider me properly warned."

"When do I get to meet you?" Oh, God. Just imagining poor Christian being in the room with her while my Grandma Rose interrogates him; I cringe a little just thinking about it. It's bound to be overwhelming on him, because I know firsthand that my Grandma can be impossibly blunt and forward at times.

Christian hesitates for a moment, blinking at me through the light. "Hopefully very shortly," he answers uncertainly.

"I'm looking forward to it then. You tell my Ana that I better go. I was just calling to hear the news." I don't think she realizes that she's on speaker phone, that I can hear her and talk to her as well. Then again, she isn't exactly up-to-date with technology, especially at her age.

"I can hear you, Granny Rose," I assure her softly. "I put the speakers on so that we can both hear you. We'll definitely have to visit so that you two can meet very soon."

"Sounds good, darling."

"How have you been feeling?" I ask hastily, knowing she's been having trouble with her vision ever since her soul mate and my grandfather Jack died. "How have your eyes been?"

"Oh, same old, pet. Only in one eye, it's getting worse."

My stomach sinks in sadness for her. It's been a while since I've last spoken to her. "Oh, no. That's not good, Gran? So there definitely isn't anything any doctors can do?"

"Nothing, they say. Doctor says only choice I have is to hope it gets better. Can't see it doing that anytime soon, though. It just keeps going from bad to worse. Can hardly see out of my left eye now."

"Oh, that's no good, Gran."

"Can't complain, I suppose. No use complaining. Visit soon with your fellow, alright?"

"Will do."

"Love you, pet."

"Love you, too," I murmur back with a smile.

"It was great talking to you," Christian says politely, and Gran murmurs it back, then the phone clicks off as she ends the call. I try to see his face carefully through the flickering candlelight as I switch off my phone. It's nerve-wracking, not being able to see him properly without the lights on. I can't tell or read how he is feeling over her conversation with him at all. "Well, that was nice, getting the chance to speak to her," he murmurs.

"Really?" I ask uncertainly. "I know she can be a little... forward and interrogative? It's just the way she is."

"When you told me about her, I gathered she was quite the woman, the character. She certainly didn't disappoint." To my relief, he doesn't sound uncomfortable by their conversation at all. "I found a few candles and some matches that I had lying around," he adds, and he moves towards the table in the dark, shards of glass breaking beneath his shoes. "Just be careful when you move out of here, won't you? There's a lot of broken glass from the light-bulb."

"That was so strange, how that happened," I murmur breathlessly. "Is the entire building out?"

"Well, I checked the elevator and that isn't working, so I'd say so."

Despite how freaked out I am, I end up cracking up with laughter in astonishment. "Wow, so the entire building's electricity is down right now? None of the lights are working in any of your rooms whatsoever?"

"None of them." I laugh again and he joins me, chuckling just as breathlessly himself. The sound of his laughter, it makes those tingles infect me again, covering my skin. "I just tried them all, believe me."

"You think it was because of us? Because of what we did?"

"It appears so," he mutters. He grabs the candle from me, setting it on the table while he works at lighting more candles. Then he adds under his breath wryly, "Blackout by orgasm." It only causes me to crack up even more.

"That's definitely a way to put it," I whisper, my voice shaky with laughter. "Blackout by orgasm indeed." It's so good that we can see the humor in it all, despite how creepy and unnerving it is.

I can't help wondering if there is something abnormal with me then, though, if I caused it, the outage, all due to what Christian was doing to me. Does that usually happen during intimate times between two soul mated couples or is it something exclusive to us?

"What if we're stuck in here for days all because the elevator isn't working?" I can't help stressing.

"That's doubtful," he assures me assuredly. "Taylor comes up of a morning. Gail, also. Part of my security team. Someone is bound to notice it tomorrow and get everything up and running again. I wouldn't worry too much about it, Anastasia."

With four candles lit, he passes me two, and I follow him out carefully into the living room. Thank god for candles, even although it doesn't emit too much light. I can't help glancing out towards his window and the balcony, checking.

We didn't cause a worldwide catastrophe then; Parts of Seattle are still brightly lit up, large looming buildings and the streetlights. It must just only be his building then. Hopefully the electricity will be up and running sooner than we think.

"Want me to get us more wine?" Christian asks as I watch him carefully put a lit candle on the coffee table near his large couch.

"After what just happened? Yes, please, Christian. Wine sounds very good after that."

"Be right back. Make yourself comfortable, but try not to ignite anything, will you?"

I laugh again at his joke. "Oh, I can't make any promises, Mr Grey." I'm grinning widely to myself as I step around his couch, sitting while holding onto the flickering candles warily.

I turn and watch as Christian disappears back into the kitchen, though all I can really see is barely the faint outline of his vivid red shirt, his body, and that glowering flame from his candle. I laugh again softly to myself, tossing my head in bewilderment. How strange tonight has turned out. But in a good, enjoyable strange.

Christian returns slowly a moment later, struggling with two glasses, the candle, and something tucked beneath his arm. I reach up, accepting a glass of wine from him quickly while placing the candles upright on the table.

As he sits beside me, sinking into the cushion, I see he's holding the box of chocolates I got for our dessert. I'd completely forgotten about them, funnily enough.

"Look what I found," he murmurs, reaching forward to place his wine glass on the table. He busies himself in opening the wrapping on the box.

"Our dessert. I completely forgot."

I'm not even sure what the chocolates will be like, but once he peels the wrapping off, he opens the lid. He doesn't offer me one. Instead, he does something that completely surprises me. He selects one, holding it between his fingers. Then he shifts towards me on the couch, his eyes reflecting brightly in the candlelight as he looks at me.

"Open your mouth, Anastasia," he says softly, his voice rather hoarse.

I understand what he means immediately in saying that, and I feel my mouth go dry. He wants to feed me a chocolate. Surprisingly, it's exciting, fun, the fact that he does.

"Okay," I murmur nervously, agreeing. I shift a little on the cushion so I'm facing him more. "Yes, I would like a chocolate." Obediently, I open my mouth a little, parting my lips while staring deep into his flashing eyes, that tingling sensation hitting me hard, brutally, all over every inch of my skin.

He brings the chocolate he's holding up to my mouth, to my lips. I'm thankful now that the power and electricity is off, I find, because no doubt, if he could see me properly, he'd only tease me over how red my face is bound to be.

He slips the chocolate between my teeth, and I bite down, chomping a piece off with a happy hum. It melts inside my mouth instantly, flavorsome, a hint of peppermint creme and dark chocolate. Christian pops the rest of it inside his mouth, sucking, chewing.

"These chocolates are nicer than I thought they would be," I murmur while sucking, pleased. "I wasn't sure if they'd be nice or not, but they're actually really good." I have to force my eyes away, glancing down at the wine that shimmers in the glass. I've nothing done anything like this before, nor had I dreamed I ever would. Though innocent and harmless, Christian just feeding me chocolate and him eating it too, it's a lot more... seductive somehow. "Would you be nervous?" I force myself to ask, hoping to break the tension.

"Nervous with what, Ana?"

"If you did meet my Grandmother Rose?"

"Not at all. I think I'd like to."

"It'll probably be worse in person though," I point out nervously, bringing my glass of wine to my lips, sipping it. It washes away the sweetness of the chocolate. "She'll probably be embarrassing, asking you more questions about us getting married or... whether we'll have children. Are you sure you wouldn't be too put-off by that?"

"I'm not one to be afraid of a few questions, Anastasia," he assures me. "Another chocolate?"

"Mm, yes, please." Just like before, he does it again, feeding me. I try to get over the nerves quivering inside me as I hold his gaze while he brings another chocolate to my lips. I bite into it, my lips and tongue brushing against his fingers. This chocolate this time seems to be hazelnut.

Christian finishes it off, placing it into his mouth, sucking his fingers clean. Absently, I realize he probably had my saliva on his fingers, seeing as my tongue brushed against them. I realize he probably doesn't even care.

"I'd like for you to meet my family one day as well," he says after swallowing, surprising me.

"Really? You would?" I think I'd like that, too. There wouldn't be much point in not doing that, would there? "I think that would be nice. I've never been invited to meet someone's family before."

"Likewise. I haven't either." He picks another chocolate, only this time, he eats it all himself. Reaching over, I grab one myself, nibbling on it. Another peppermint creme. "I haven't... brought anyone to meet mine so it would be rather new to me." I catch an anxious edge to his voice.

"I haven't either, Christian. So you didn't invite any girlfriends you had to meet your parents?" I'm just curious, and I voice the question carefully, being cautious not to mention the particular name of a certain ex of his.

I sense him watching me in a wary, cautious way as he chews and sucks. "I haven't ever before, no." He offers me another chocolate and I take one. "Honestly, the relationships I had- if you could even call them that- weren't... the types where you took them home to meet the parents."

Hmm, that comment makes me think deeply while nibbling on my chocolate. Sometimes he says things that leave me hanging for more. I wonder what he means by that, though I can't deny to being sort of relieved. But what does he mean, that they weren't the types of relationships that would end up with the woman being introduced to his folks? So Leila never met them?

"Was that because you knew they weren't your soul mate, so you didn't really... feel it necessary to introduce them?" I ask slowly, unable to curb my curiosity.

"Something like that, yes. To be honest, I didn't feel it was... serious enough to warrant that."

After that, we fall into a sort of peaceful silent, eating chocolate and sipping our glasses of wine. It's really nice. I'm definitely enjoying myself a lot tonight, even despite the freaky blackout incident we are experiencing in his penthouse.

"Say yes," he whispers after a while, his voice startlingly desperate, pleading.

"Say yes to what, Christian?"

"To staying here on the weekends. Fridays through to Sundays. Say yes." He sounds as though he really wants it. It makes my cheeks burn.

"Yes," I murmur without hesitation, and it's surprisingly easy, how it comes and falls from my mouth. It's a big step, but I realize I do want it. It's time to take chances and let it go naturally how it wants to go, no matter how frightening it may be. "Yes, I'll stay over at your place on the weekends for the time being, Christian."

I think he's relieved and happy, but I can't be too sure. A yawn escapes from me, one I'm too late to stifle, so Christian rises, grabbing a lit candle, wandering into his bedroom to find me something to wear to bed seeing as I didn't bring any clothes for my stay. That's fine by me though; I did enjoy wearing one of his shirts last time. Grabbing one last chocolate, I suck on it while following him into the bedroom too.

I can barely just see him as he carries something that he's found from in his wardrobe. "This alright?" he breathes, showing me a long blue business T-shirt with buttons.

"Sure. It's fine by me."

I don't bother getting changed in another room like the bathroom this time around. I stay in the room with him, despite how nervous I feel, how sort of exposed and self-conscious as I peel off my jeans, stepping out of them. I hardly think he can see much anyway, seeing as the lights are down with only the faint flickering from the candles. I'm wearing underwear and a bra anyway.

I hear a faint rustling noise from his side of the room as he takes off his clothes himself, and it takes all the effort I have not to peek, tempted as I am to.

I strip out of my shirt, throwing my arms quickly through the sleeves of his large T-shirt, shivering while attempting to blindly do up the buttons. Once I'm done, I already find Christian pulling back the covers on his bed, dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers. It's light enough from the candles that I can see the light emitting from his bare, toned skin, his muscular thighs.

I wonder if he'll want me to reciprocate, I can't help thinking as he climbs into bed, turning on his side, making room for me. I wonder if he would want me to do what he did, in rubbing him with my hand, even although I don't know much, of course. It couldn't be that hard, could it?

While this is a pace I am comfortable with right now, reciprocating in that way, through the material of his boxer briefs, is something I find myself eager and all-too-happy to do. I mightn't be totally ready for that major stage as yet, the sex stage, but stuff like this wouldn't hurt.

I bite down on my lip, undecided as I slip in beside him while he holds the sheets open for me, inviting me in. He puts his arm around me as I shift over so that I'm facing him, the side of my head against the pillow. I think it's mainly making the first move that's difficult.

"Um, you know how you did what you did to me before?" I begin nervously, glancing up at him through the faint light. "In your kitchen?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"Well, I..." I hesitate, feeling myself redden again. "I really enjoyed that."

He laughs softly at my words as he rolls slightly on his back, reaching behind him with an arm, tucking his hand behind his head. It would be so easy to do it. All I would have to do is reach down beneath the sheets. "Yes, I think it was obvious, how much you enjoyed that, Anastasia," he murmurs with a smile, his gray eyes glinting at me from the candlelight. "If blackout by orgasm was any indication..."

I laugh softly at his words myself. Blackout by orgasm. It's so true. There cannot be any other explanation for what happened; It can't be a coincidence, the electricity shutting off and the light-bulb exploding at the same time he did that to me.

I don't know how I'll manage to say it, but I sort of let it out in a quick, embarrassed breath. "Um, I... I know I said I wanted to take this slow, but I'm happy to reciprocate, if you wanted me to?"

"Reciprocate?" he breathes, swallowing loudly.

"You know, um..."

I just get it over with before I lose my courage altogether. I reach down between us, beneath the sheet with my hand, feeling around with my fingers. When I locate his boxers and, more importantly, what's there between them, I rub around in a circular motion, my cheeks feeling blistering hot as I force myself not to avoid Christian's gaze.

His lips part at my actions, a hiss escaping through his clenched teeth as he swallows again. "You sure?" he mutters in shock, I think. "Ana, I don't expect you to force yourself to-"

"-I want to," I promise him. "I really do. It's only fair."

He looks astonished for all of a brief second, before something else takes over in his expression, something... empowering. He clenches his eyes shut as I begin a repetitive stroking movement through the fabric of his briefs, pressing down with my fingers. I feel his pelvis flex instinctively, I feel him hardening. I've never felt an erection before, no less been the cause for one, I don't think. Even through the silky fabric, there's so much heat.

"This way," he whispers unsteadily, and he brings his hand down beneath the sheets, pressing his hand firmly over mine, guiding me, showing me.

He presses down with his fingers over mine, making me wrap mine around him through the fabric so I'm completely touching him, stroking the outline of him that stands erect in his boxers. When Christian slowly reopens his eyes to peer over at me, the look in them, the desire, the warmth, it's... everything.

"That's it, Ana," he mutters in approval, and he moves his hand away, letting me do it all on my own. "Exactly like that." A groan comes from the back of his throat as I pick up speed while flexing my fingers, being firmer, feeling more confident with it. "I'm... I'm going to come," he warns me, and he closes his eyes again tight with another grunt. The fact that I can do this to him, that I'm capable of making him feel this way, it's satisfying.

I grip even harder and then he cries out, bucking with his hips as something warm and sticky trickles, leaking through the fabric of his briefs while he pants raggedly, heavily.

I bring my hand away, watching with a smile as Christian breathes shakily, another groan leaving his mouth, his forehead appearing slightly damp with sweat. I mightn't be ready for the next part as yet, but at least in the meantime, I can learn other things to do that I am comfortable with.

At the back of my mind, it occurs to me. Nothing happened this time with him. No smashing glass this time. No blackouts. Nothing.

Thank you so much for your comments and encouragement, it really does help motivate me. Hope you enjoyed this one, they are getting there gradually :D I hope I haven't written Ana too immature and annoying, hopefully her reactions are fairly believable. Trouble will happen soon, some more drama with Leila. Christian's secretive ways will definitely be biting him in the ass. I'd love to know what you think? Am I doing okay? Is the pace still too slow? Am I writing Ana/Christian too annoying?