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]

Ah.

[The raised eyebrow remains raised.]

So on the roof back then when I asked if you trusted me or not, you lied huh.

[But it's said with a vague look of amusement.]

[inordertobelieve]

[ ........ ]

I wanted it to be true.

[ Almost the same thing. Teru looks embarrassed to be caught here though. ]

[arbiter]

[He laughs, though it's more like a puff of exhaled air and a half grin than a distinct sound.]

So when did it actually become true?

[inordertobelieve]

[ There's another pause here, though not one of being flustered. Teru just needs a moment to think. It's just turn to lean on the rail and look over the lake for a moment. ]

I don't know. There's no specific moment that comes to mind, surprisingly. It was gradual... but at the time Kira appeared, I already knew I trusted you.

[ So 'somewhere in the first two months of dating' is his vague answer. ]

[arbiter]

I see.

[Brief quiet. As nobody is near by for the time being, Light brushes Teru's back before turning away to look at the other side of the lake.]

[inordertobelieve]

[ For a while they stand side by side quietly. Teru doesn't feel any specific need to disrupt the atmosphere with words anymore after their conversation has come to a peaceful, natural halt. Coexisting quietly is a joy in itself that he takes in gladly. It's only after a bit, that the regular plans of the day start nagging at him again. ]

Do you think we should go buy ingredients soon? I'd rather not let it get too late in the evening for cooking.

[arbiter]

[Silence between them doesn't bother Light as much as it used to. The sunshine feels pleasant on his face, and Teru is standing close by. The change that took place that made silence one created by the weight of everything that couldn't be said, to one that happens because nothing needs to be said is something he appreciates better now. He glances over when Teru interrupts however.]

We should go, yes.

[inordertobelieve]

[ As they slowly leave the peacefulness of their small impromptu date behind, Teru must admit that to his own discredit... he hasn't thought this through. Asking Light about a nice dinner had been as spontaneous as ideas ever come to him - and now it occurs to him, they don't actually have a shopping list. ]

.... was there something else we needed other than the specific ingredients?

[ He knows a few things from the top of his head already, but is that exhaustive...? Better ask God. ]

[arbiter]

You don't remember?

[There's a faint tone of mock scandalized shock. Living with Teru has been eye opening in terms of how routinized his boyfriend's life really is, and while he doesn't expect anyone to know what items have to be replaced in the house inventory. except, perhaps his mother, there's still something to be said for how easily Teru feels discombobulated by these kinds of teasing questions.]

[inordertobelieve]

[ ... ah. Teru looks almost caught for a moment, before he shakes his head. ]

Well, there is salt, cheese, green tea... toilet paper... But despite it all, I may be forgetful. Anything else?

[ Of course, they couldn't need too many things because now that it is affordable, Teru takes great care to plan a functional household. ]

[arbiter]

[Unable to keep himself from smirking when he catches that look, he turns his face quickly back to looking straight ahead.]

Pear. [A beat.] Not that they were on a list, but I'd like to have them for later. Other than that... we have salmon furikake, yes?

[inordertobelieve]

[ A nod. ]

Yes, that package is fairly new.

[ He considers for another moment, mentally sorting through each drawer and cupboard of their kitchen. ]

Aside from eel, we should have everything for unagidon at home already.

[arbiter]

That's fortunate.

[He'll assume that Teru's assessment there is correct. It's not as though he's committed this stuff to memory, considering his non academic work load]

It'll make carrying things less cumbersome. [They do still have their uni books, after all.]

Have you made it before?

[inordertobelieve]

Once, but it's been a long while ago in home economics class. I'm confident it will turn out fine, though. I'm going to be careful.

[ He's not exactly a master chef, but he's able to follow recipes quite well. ]

[arbiter]

[That gets a soft kind of laugh.]

So you're planning on cooking alone, huh? I suppose that would free up some time for me to finish some work for the case....

[Shaking his head slightly:]

Matsuda-san's productivity leaves residual work to do as usual.

[inordertobelieve]

[ On cue, Teru rolls his eyes when Matsuda is mentioned. He has only met the man so many times, but he sympathizes with Light's struggle immediately. ]

Since you're the person being celebrated, I figured it would be natural for me to do the preparations.

[ Not that he would really say no to Light cooking with him - a frivolous thought, when he knows that doing work is so much more of a priority, of course. But it's nice to do it together. ]

[arbiter]

[The smirk from before is gentler after a moment.]

You really are spoiling me at this rate.

[Never mind the fact that he's technically the primary source of income for thm at the moment.]

I don't mind helping. You'll be helping me out later anyway.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Immediately, excitement floods Teru again. He feels elated, electrified even, knowing that he'll be able to contribute to God's mission in such a direct way. To think that only a year ago, he'd not known how happy he could be... ]

That is hardly effort though. I'm looking forward to doing it.

[arbiter]

So I take it I'll hear no complaints about hand cramps later then.

[Though intended as a joke, Light recognizes a split second late that it was in poor taste.]

I'm glad I can trust you with this.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Mentally Teru is about halfway through protesting 'I work in an office job, you know' but then that dies on his tongue. ]

Of course you can. I'm always at your service.

[ .. ah, this is a weird thing to say in public. Though it's not like anyone is truly listening in on them walking down a street. ]

But more talk of this tonight.

[arbiter]

[The excessive formality and ease of that sentiment gets a raised eyebrow.]

Do stop, you'll make me blush.

[He will do no such thing, but hearing these overtly romantically based things said this casually in public as they're surrounded by people on on the streets on either side of them on their way to the grocery store feels more off than the murder innuendos.]

Talk to me about something else. Are you and Takada-san still sharing general classes together?

[inordertobelieve]

Only one, this semester. We haven't been talking a lot recently, but she initiates small talk once in a while...

[ The reason for this distance is of course Light's absence, but there is no need to spell it out. Avoiding questions had become too much of a hindrance and Teru found it easier to just isolate himself entirely. ]

She appears to be doing well. Apparently she's met someone in the news-casting branch who might turn out to be valuable contact for her future career.

[arbiter]

[This gets a fractional smile.]

That sounds like seiso-Takada, alright. Making connections early with the right people. [A beat.] Admittedly, those times we talked together as a group were fond early college memories.

[Even if it did get awkward at times between her attraction to one or both of them. But again.. halcyon days only in retrospect.]

I wonder if trying to replicate those times would be a mistake.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru pauses, trying to figure out an appropriate way to reply to this comment. He doesn't want to talk about Takada's concealed nosiness and he doesn't want to think about the looks she'd be giving Light. ]

I doubt anything can be replicated that easily. A lot has happened for us and even if it were the same, it might not feel that way.

[ One part of his mind loses debate with another here, so he adds: ]

We can certainly go to have a coffee with her sometime though. I imagine there is a lot happening in her life she'd like to catch us up on.

[ And the reverse, but they wouldn't be as forthcoming. ]

[arbiter]

She is very talkative, yes. [A beat and a correction:] No. Rather she's very opinionated around the right people.

[There are girls, after all, who do nothing but talk ears off. He spares a single distant thought for a certain blonde idol and her annoying shinigami. To Takada's credit, she was always a class above Misa.]

But you're right. It's foolish to think the past can really be replicated. [Daily reminders of that should've beaten this out of him really, but in the spirit of nostalgia it'd seemed pleasant in theory.] I expect she'll want to know if I owed the yakuza some money.

[At the very least, he does superficialy seem more amused than not. Teru might see through that one though.]