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]

[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. ]

[arbiter]

Fair enough.

[Tilting his head slightly, Light half smiles.]

To me, it's something that's become part of a daily routine, as supernatural as it may be. [More seriously:] Not to mention that it doesn't always work.

[Lessons learned the hard way.]

It's a shame in some respects that the second death note ended up in the hands of someone like Misa.

[inordertobelieve]

[ More than a shame Teru thinks, but he doesn't feel like letting vitriol about Misa Amane spoil this evening for the both of them. He nods thoughtfully. ]

It may become routine to me eventually, but I want to cherish this feeling of contributing to your new world.

[ Teru raises his hand to brush over Light's arm briefly. ]

I'll do as much as I possibly can to help you out.

[arbiter]

[He looks down briefly as Teru touches his arm.[

I know. Rather, I knew that already.

[Making eye contact, he brushes Teru's cheek gently.]

Thanks.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru leans into Light's hand, turning his face slightly so he can deliver a kiss to Light's palm. ]

I'm so lucky...

[ He murmurs it against Light's skin, less of a conscious statement and more of a thought that escaped his mouth involuntarily. ]

[arbiter]

[The kiss comes as a faint surprise, and for the briefest of moments Light feels flustered by the way Teru's lips move against his palm. The actual words take an additional second to register.]

...Oi. [He says softly with a smile.[ Weren't you the one lecturing me earlier about luck?

[Leaning close he moves his hand to tip up Teru's chin. Closing his eyes, he presses their lips together.]

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru is spared of the embarrassment of answering that question in the sweetest of ways. Within moments, his arms are wrapped around Light's neck so he can return the kiss wholeheartedly.

It's only a few moments in that he remembers duty and let's go. ]

... ah, I'll finish my task now.

[arbiter]

[They break apart and Light opens his eyes, feeling warm and contented. He wouldn't have thought this would be possible back in June of last year when everything still felt so raw, but here they are now. A seamless pair making a real impact on the world together and it's moments like these where Light feels genuinely happy.. and then reflexively unsure all over again precisely because things are going so wonderfully.

Unlike Teru, Light holds on a moment longer. When he realizes how irrational this is on his part, he lets go and nods.]

Please do. Eventually, you'll be selecting those who are to be judged as well, but for the time being I don't want any deviations or discrepancies from the established norm.

[He breathes out deeply and picks up his college reading.]

This is so dull in comparison.