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

[inordertobelieve]

[ Then why were you even friends with Yamamoto? is a thought that crosses Teru's mind, but that's a question he'll never ask. In the end, maybe he's happier not knowing. ]

Is Hagiwara-sensei doing the required class this year again? I was hoping he wouldn't so we could exchange information on different professor biases...

[arbiter]

[He shakes his head.]

It's Uchino-sensei this year. From what I've heard, he's allegedly a closet Marxist. Considering this is Intoduction to Psychology, I doubt he'll deviate much from the textbook, but if he starts praising the proletariat, you'll be the first to know.

[inordertobelieve]

I appreciate the updates.

[ It's the one good thing about the year Light was missing in the end - they may have lost the chance to talk about the same classes with each other, but they now can refer back to the experience of two different years of studying. Teru doesn't doubt they will be speaking of this for hours and hours as the semester goes on.

It certainly turns into an engaging conversation now that lasts until they are in front of their door and Teru turns the key to let them in. It's nice to come home alongside Light instead of finding him already there. The excitement and awkwardness of sharing one living space has worn off by now, but there is a quiet contentedness that comes with it. Their home. A place Teru can feel he truly belongs.

He flicks on the light switch and slips out of his shoes. ]

I've gotten so used to calling out to you in your room when I come in, I almost did it out of reflex this time as well.

[arbiter]

[As they enter their apartment and Light shuts the door, he breathes out deeply and visibly relaxes his shoulders. While he's n longer as tense about being in the public eye as he used to be, he's never been able to shake the feeling of being an outcast now. It's ridiculous how much appearances can change things, but despite the best efforts of his mother and Sayu to convince him otherwise, he knows people are looking at him and not in a favorable way. Months later, and he still wonders if it'll stop leaving a sour taste in his mouth or if the only thing that really changes is his ability to keep that from showing.]

Strange how even the smallest things become part of daily routine.

[He sets the grocery bag down to take off his shoes and turn them towards the door.]

Welcome home.

[inordertobelieve]

[ That makes Teru smile, if only a little and for little time. ]

You, too. Welcome home.

[ Even though he hates changed of routine, he's looking forward to getting to say this to Light more often again.

While Light is still busy with his shoes, Teru takes hold of both of their grocery bags to carry them to the kitchen, one in each hand. No use wasting time with the unpacking, the sooner they can get everything lined up for cooking, the better. ]

[arbiter]

[LIght straightens up and watches Teru walk towards the kitchen for a moment. It's not a new sight by any means considering the fact that they've been living together like this for several months now, but somehow it's curious how smoothly the image of home changed. Shoes now in their proper place, Light leaves his book bag by his bedroom door and then walks into the kitchen after his boyfriend. Brushing Teru's arm, he picks out the toilet paper from the groceries.]

I'll put this away.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru nods gratefully at that. Nothing better than to get that abomination out of sight after all.

The evening passes in quiet, calm routine. They cook well together by now, no compare to the confusion that had ensued on their first shared attempts in the kitchen. There is almost no communication needed as they hand each other ingredients with practiced movements. When all is cut up and only final touches are needed anymore, Teru sends Light out of the kitchen so he can check the news without needing to rush the evening. He takes his time setting the table neatly.

They chat as they eat, and sometimes minutes pass until Teru remembers to take his next bite because he is enraptured with what Light is saying and with the prospect of having fully regained a regular life with him.

Teru offers to put away the dishes by himself to give Light a head-start on homework, then he sits down next to him with his own assigned reading. It's only when he's on his last few pages, taking his last lines of notes that their promise from earlier in the day comes to the forefront of his mind again. Anticipation suddenly makes it very hard to focus. ]

[arbiter]

[The assignment doesn't take Light long to complete; after all he read through his fist year textboks while he was in the hospital alongside Teru. A quick refresher is all Light decides to do and then turns his attention more towards his work with the task force. For now the status quo of not having any new leads to look into has maintained an unsatisfying, but state set of affairs with the others. He might have to plant a red herring somewhere down the line, while their finances slowly dwindle away.

Lost in thought as he examines statistics about crime rates that have been turned over fom various governments to "L," only the occasional staccato of the keyboard breaks the silence. He pauses much later when he catches the time on top right hand corner of his laptop screen.]

It's getting late, isn't it....

[He looks over the top of the screen over at Teru.]

Are you almost finished?

[inordertobelieve]

[ Caught off-guard in his thoughts of not-quite reading, Teru twitches at Light speaking up, before nodding in a more refined manner. ]

... yes, it's the final page. Nothing new content-wise, but it's good to memorize how this professor wants it phrased.

[arbiter]

How long do you need?

[inordertobelieve]

Give me three more minutes.

[ And he's glad to find that when he really puts his mind to it, he can focus on his reading again. ]

[arbiter]

Mm.

[Eyes going back down to his computer screen:]

Let me know when you're done.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Much to his own satisfaction, Teru keeps his word about the time. Very shortly after he sets his papers down on the table and stretches a little. ]

That was it. Then, you were going to....?

[ He meant to say 'tell me how to pass judgement' but somehow it gets stuck in his throat. ]

[arbiter]

[The typing comes to a stop as Light looks back up.]

Give you a list of people to pass judgment on, yes.

[Rising to his feet:] Let me go get the note.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru finds himself getting up too, though it is just to put his schoolwork aside and free up the table. There is something that doesn't feel right about having it so cluttered in this one moment.

His heart is beating fast, but he doesn't see a need to be embarrassed in front of himself for it. ]

[arbiter]

[Moments late, Light returns to the living room with a black notebook in hand. Light first sets that down on the table before moving his chair closer to Teru, followed by his laptop.]

Here.

[He pushes the note closer to Teru as he takes a seat and opens up a list of criminals along with their profiles for Teru's perusal.]

I'd email this to you, but obviously that's a potential security breach.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru nods silently, eyes fixated on the notebook. It's far from the first time he's seen it and he knows what to do, but now that its powers are available to him personally, it is awe-inspiring. This slim collection of paper would give him the power over life and death, to judge and to make an impact that not even his work could give him. Teru reaches out and opens the death note, fingers lingering gently over the paper for a bit longer than needed. ]

All of these, then...?

[arbiter]

All of them.

[Light confirms, all traces of levity absent from his tone. Thirty people who've been judged to no longer be fit to remain amongst the living. Light gives Teru a look.]

You're not scared, are you?

[inordertobelieve]

No, of course not.

[ Teru's speaking quietly but without wavering in his voice. "Scared" is not how he'd describe his experience now, it's true, but there is something that is making him swallow dryly anyway. This moment is decisive. His whole life up to now..... his whole life from now on.... He's about to take the last formal step to surpass being a mere human, to become a real part of the godly power he had always supported.

His hand is shaking a little when he reaches for the pen, so he feels the need to clarify. ]

I'm excited... and grateful you let me be part of this.

[arbiter]

Exciting, huh.

[Seeing Teru's hand shake, he brushes his boyfriend's arm gently. There's half a smile on his lips, if only because he remembers feeling both different and similar things. Fear at first, then iron clad conviction... and rarely laughter. Laughter at the look on Penber and Misora's faces. All back when things had seemed both like a game and a task that only he could fulfill.

Of course, it had never really been a game, but it'd been easy to lapse in and out of that mentality before his sentiments of putting his life on the line had been tested with fire.

Hand resting on the inside of Teru's elbow, he leans in a little closer.]

We're going to be the same now. I always thought of you that way, but it's becoming even truer.

[inordertobelieve]

[ The same. Part of God, part of Light - synonymous statements but each wording fills him with a different nuance of joy.

He pauses for yet another moment, only to revel in the elevation he feels, then lifts the pen. His grip is tight as to suppress his own shaking and his eyes focus on the first profile. A homicide case... three victims... despicable.

And Teru finds himself smiling, because he knows he'll be the one to put closure to it now, more power than he ever had as a prosecutor, so much more he can offer to the world now.

Writing feels like it takes minutes, even if it's only a few strokes of a pen. ]

.... delete.

[ He said the word in his mind countless and countless times before, whenever he read the news, whenever he looked over Light's shoulder, delete, delete, delete.... Saying it out loud is better. Teru releases a breath and closes his eyes.

Delete.

It is a good feeling. ]

[arbiter]

[Light remains silent, watching Teru's expression with open curiosity. The nervous, anticipatory energy emanating from his boyfriend seems to fill up the atmosphere, and Light catches himself mirroring the act of writing the man's name in his mind. But where he'd have ordinarily counting down forty seconds, Teru interrupts with an unexpected comment. The nature of it, gets Light to raise an eyebrow and laugh.]d

...Delete?

[He moves his hand away and leans back on his chair, draping an arm over the back.]

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru's eyes shoot back open at the laughter and he looks over at Light, startled and a little sheepish. ]

... yes.

[ He clears his throat and sets the pen down on the table for the moment being. ]

Complete erasure from this world.

[arbiter]

Yes, I gathered as much.

[The amusement in Light's eyes doesn't fade.]

You make it sound like a ritual this way.

[inordertobelieve]

... it is, isn't it? What would be more worthy of being called that than the act of carrying out divine punishment?

[ These are things he should probably not be explaining to his literal God, but he can't silence himself either. ]