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]

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.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Teru 'hmh's in agreement to that, but he's already internally vibrating with excitement at the thought of doing the whole job some days. ]

.. ah, it's too bad I cannot do your homework for you, but that's the rules.

[ He picks his own pen back up as he speaks. ]

But knowing you, you'll be done before you know it.

[arbiter]

[Homicide is also against the law, Light thinks halfway amused, but doesn't say.]

If it doesn't put me to sleep first.

[Light sighs and flips the page.]

I'm genuinely not sure why I thought university would be substantially different from high school. Wishful thinking I suppose.

[A beat. No - that's not true. It is different, just not in the way that he hoped.]

Can't complain in the end.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Mentally, Teru adds that Light is also doing the same content twice now, counting in their long study sessions at the hospital, but it seems wiser to leave that completely unsaid. ]

After you're finally through, it will help you make an impact in the mundane way of it, too. That's something, even if the education isn't challenging.

[ And then he looks back at the list of people to kill and starts writing. Whispers of 'delete' leave his lips quite often. ]

[arbiter]

[Light gives Teru a side glance and resists the urge to shake his head at this. The whispered deletes are thoroughly amusing and also thoroughly distracting.]

Pragmatic as always.

[He spares a half smile.]

But in the interest of speedy reading, I'll finish this in my room. Your enthusiasm here is making me want to pay attention to you instead, you know? The book doesn't need any more help in that department.

[inordertobelieve]

... I apologize.

[ Teru looks up at Light, expression incredibly sheepy, but for once he does not offer silence. He wants to cherish this night of his first divine punishments, a small selfish wish for a ritual that makes him giddy. ]

[arbiter]

Don't. You can be as loud as you please now.

[Light gets up, gathers his belongings and tucks them neatly under his arm.]

Just turn off that computer when you're done and knock on my door, alright?

[inordertobelieve]

Of course.

[ Teru nods and then loses himself in his work again before Light even fully has left the room.

Delete, delete, delete...

It's nice and rhythmic, easy to get into and keep up pace. Repetition, repetition... Teru has always liked doing math homework because it made him fall into a similar pattern, but this is ten times as satisfying.

When he finally finishes, he doesn't know how much time it took him exactly, because it felt long and short at once. For a moment he leans back, closing his eyes and feeling the satisfaction, then he does as Light said and turns off the computer.

He stretches a little, then walks to Light's door and knocks. ]

[arbiter]

[As Teru predicted, when Light is actually concentrating on the assigned reading, it doesn't take him too long to complete. By the time he's done, it's approximately 9:30 - later than the time Light has usually completed all his daily tasks. That much is to be expected with the addition of some tedious school work in addition to having spent part of the afternoon wandering outside with his boyfriend, but he can't help sighing.

As it appears as though Teru isn't finished yet, Light heads to the bathroom to wash up for the evening. It feels strange somehow to need to structure his life around something as ordinary as school again, though the change isn't unpleasant either. He emerges from the bathroom just as Teru begins knocking.]

You seem radiant.

[He comments with yet another half smile.]

[inordertobelieve]

[ Ah. Teru hadn't even noticed that Light went to another room, so he turns to face Light rather confusedly before his expression softens again. ]

... it's because you shared your glory with me.

[ It's obvious the compliment flustered him, however. ]

[arbiter]

...

[Light ought to be used to hearing this kind of thing from Teru by now, but it still throws him off for a beat before he laughs softly.]

You were radiant long before today, you know. To me, anyway.

[Brushing Teru's arm, the laughter dies down but the affectionate glint in his eyes remains.]

Sleep with me tonight?

[inordertobelieve]

[ The only thing Teru has ever found radiant about himself was his name, Light is the one who fits that term much better. He's a good person, but a shining one...? If that's how he appears to Light, he is more than satisfied. ]

I'd love to. ... I'll get changed and come over then.

[arbiter]

[Light makes a contented 'mm' noise. Not that he was expecting Teru to answer differently, but the enthusiasm is pleasing to hear nonetheless.]

Take your time. I still have a few small things to take care of.

[Evening medication, putting murder weapons away. Standard every day actions.]

You can make yourself comfortable if you're done first.