Returns

[inordertobelieve]

[ There is something strange about remaining after his class. For the last months, he's always headed straight home after class and he'd almost feel lazy remaining sitting on a bench know if he didn't know what and who he's waiting for.

He's known Light would finally come back for weeks now, but it's hard to believe him just walking down the path towards him again. The last time that has happened seems so long ago....

They're finally back on the right path completely. Teru has no reason to be nervous about this, but maybe 'nervous' is not the right word for it so much as 'excited'.

Against habit, he does not keep his head bowed as he sits and instead actively looks out for his boyfriend. ]

Comments

[arbiter]

Your absence does drive the quality of discussions down though. There's no value in debating those who haven't mastered the assigned reading in recitation.

[A beat.]

You're not going to insist that I call you "Mikami-senpai" when you're inevitably asked by the faculty to become the teaching assistant for a required law course, are you?

[inordertobelieve]

[ The mere thought of Light calling him senpai is so bizarre to Teru, he raises both eyebrows. The strangeness of the mental image even suppresses his joy over being praised like this. ]

I'd rather not hear that. The mere thought of teaching you seems preposterous enough in itself already.

[arbiter]

I'll try not to give you a hard time if it ever comes to that.

[Not quite laughing and not quite smiling either, Light shifts his gaze to his left at the rest ot campus.

A little less than a year ago, L was sitting on one of those benches outside. And Misa showed up out of nowhere. Good fucking riddance. He frowns at nothing in particular and speaks softly.]

It is strange to be back though. [Not needing to worry. Not needing to plan three steps ahead.] I'm glad it's just the two of us now.

[inordertobelieve]

[ That ought to sound strange coming from Light, who always used to be crowded by people one way or another, but it doesn't really stick out to Teru that way. He nods readily. ]

I didn't realize how much I missed walking campus with you until I saw you just now.

It's been so long that I got used to not having you there, but this is much more natural.

[arbiter]

[A pause.]

It's a little nostalgic, yes.

[If they'd been alone, Light would have brushed Teru's hand, but they aren't and people pass by them with relative indifference.]

I used to think about things like this a lot back when I was still hospitalized. I'm really happy right now.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Against all eyes, that gets Teru to smile again - very softly, but notably so. ]

I thought about it, too, though visiting you and having the whole afternoon together started feeling nice as well.

Though now I hardly need to worry about class being our only time together anyway.

[ Living together felt caging sometimes while Light still lost his memory, but now... There is no better knowledge than going home to God. With God.

A beautiful secret to keep from the world. ]

You'll need to let me know how the lecturers are doing this year though. I'd like to cross-compare between professors.

[arbiter]

Of course. What else do we have to talk about together anyway, huh?

[A raised eyebrow is accompanied by a hint of a smile in return.]

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru meanwhile keeps a perfectly straight face as he answers. ]

Nothing much except for the abstract and concrete nature of justice.

[ The new world we're making together. ]

[arbiter]

...Put like that we sound insufferably dull.

[Far from it.]

[inordertobelieve]

There's no issue with dullness as long as it has relevance, is there?

Though I couldn't imagine anything less dull than improving the world we live in.

[arbiter]

There isn't.

[A beat and Light meets Teru's eyes briefly. That's why I chose you.]

[inordertobelieve]

[ I missed having you here so much. For Teru, Light's presence fills up the whole university space with purpose somehow. ]

Then the judgement of others can be irrelevant to us.

[arbiter]

That's always been true, hasn't it?

[It's a softer toned question and Light looks down at Teru's hands. A year ago this would have been unthinkable and yet...

Light reaches forward and pauses.]

Can I?

[inordertobelieve]

[ Out of instinct Teru almost would have asked 'is that alright' but he remembers soon enough that he has no reason to question God. If Light wants to hold hands, then... ]

O-of course.

[ It comes out a little unsteady. Teru hasn't felt like anything was lacking with their relationship in the hidden and he still doesn't feel the need to boast about being taken, but there is something thrilling about walking together with Light in public, unashamed. ]

[arbiter]

[A moment of hesitation ticks by in silence before Light connects their hands, palm to palm. That sensation is far from new, but in broad daylight in the middle of a university campus it feels for whatever reason - new. He breathes out, after the vague half-expectation everyone to stare in horror passes.]

Let's stay outside for a little longer. It's nice today.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru closes his hand around Light's - it's exciting to be able to do, but feels strangely awkward in practice. Everyone around them could be looking... Teru tells himself he wouldn't mind that, of course. But they aren't looking either way, they're busy with their own books and friends.

Teru decides to look at Light instead of them. ]

Yes, let's. Where do you want to go?

[ It's a celebratory break of plan. Probably. ]

[arbiter]

[Light brushes his thumb over the back of Teru's hand. The act feels more natural than it would have a year ago when he was under constant scrutiny. Now it's a different kind of scrutiny - one that doesn't have a solution as simple as writing a name. But he doesn't have a choice but to bear with it anyway.]

I'll leave that up to you. You theoretically know what's around campus better than I do, after all.

[A pause.]

We don't have to keep holding hands all the way to wherever we're going. I just wanted to try it... for once.

[inordertobelieve]

Mhm. Let's stay like this for a few more steps at least.

[ Or maybe a few more than that even? So far it seems surprisingly easy to do.

For a moment, Teru enters a state of musing where to go. He never exactly lingers long on campus so naming good spots is not easy for him either. ]

Let's just head down to the lake for a bit, then? It should be pretty quiet around this time of day.

[arbiter]

Sounds good to me.

[On both counts, though he doesn't specify that.]

We haven't done anything like this in a while. [Because a lot of unpleasant things happened.]

I'm looking forward to it.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru tightens his grip on Light's hand at that. ]

So am I. It's a celebration then.

[ Saying that word, something else seems to occur to him. ]

We should buy something nice for dinner after we've left the park as well. It wouldn't seem complete if we didn't make the whole afternoon special in some way.

[arbiter]

Eh?

[The word is so heavily at odds with what Light had been thinking that he's visibly caught off guard by the suggestion. But he'd be lying if he said he wasn't touched by the thought of it as such.]

That's a bit much for something as simple as going back to school, isn't it....

[Simple. As if it hadn't been a struggle to fight for this kind of normalcy. Light squeezes Teru's hand. Thank you.]

[inordertobelieve]

However, we've waited long for this moment. It's worth at the least this much to me.

[ Not like taking a walk and making a nice dish are truly exceptional acts for most people, Teru is dimly aware. ]

What do you feel like?

[arbiter]

[Light ponders the question a he begins to walk. This feels stranger somehow, walking side by side and hand in hand, as though they were any other normal couple in university. But something like this Light feels like they've earned.]

Unagidon.

[A side glance.]

If you're going to insist. You're right though, it finally feels as though everything is back on track like this.

[inordertobelieve]

I am going to insist, yes.

[ Teru is certainly a man who sticks to his choices when he's made them. ]

I've been confident about things going the right way for a while now, but now it's more than just my faith, it's a tangible step. I am happy about it.

[arbiter]

[A beat of silence.]

You know, you never did tell me what finding out the truth was like and because of how buy it was between Rem's return and m taking over the investigation, I haven't had the chance to ask.