Title: Candles

Author: wintercreek

Disclaimer: If they were mine, they'd be happier.

Spoilers: Through S6.

'Ships: A/G

A/N: Part of the wintercreek chronology.  As all my fics are.

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Candlelight was practical.  The average basic candle cost less than a generic light bulb and provided light with no additional charges for silly things like electricity.  And at any rate, the world had done perfectly well without light bulbs for hundreds of years.  Thousands, millions, really, but the only relevant years were the ones with candles but not light bulbs.  Also, candles didn't shatter if one dropped them.  All the facts pointed overwhelmingly to the superiority of candles.

The one, truly compelling argument for light bulbs trumped even the sheer weight of candle evidence.

Rupert liked the electric light better.

"It's hard to read by candlelight, Anya.  The flickering hurts my eyes."

"Oh."  And with that, all of Anya's revolutionary plans to fit the apartment with candle sconces and do away with light bulbs altogether went out the window.  It would have cost too much, anyway.

But candles did have their uses.  Romantic dinners, for example.  Power outages.  Window displays at the Magic Box.  A relaxing bath by candlelight.  Or this, apparently.

"I don't understand, Rupert.  I thought candlelight was hard on your eyes."

"Yes, when I'm reading.  When I'm trying to focus on tiny font, in ancient, dusty tomes.  Not when I'm taking in a life-size work of beauty like yourself."

"Awww."  Anya couldn't stop the coo from escaping her lips.  She turned back to the trail of tea candles lighting the way through the park.  A pool of light shone from the top of the hill.  A picnic under the stars.

Later that night, Anya set candles all around the bed and they lay, side-by-side, in the fluttering shadows.  "Rupert?"

"Mmm?"

"Is now also a good occasion for candles?"

"Yes my dear."

Anya sighed with contentment and then arose, cupping each flame and blowing it out.

"What are you doing, Anya?"

"Some things are not to be witnessed by anyone else.  Not even candles."

*Puff*