landslide / closed to wonderwalls

[arbiter]

[The room appears to have been furnished by a minimalist, with only the bare minimum of required furniture. A familiar figure sits on the couch evidently engrossed in reading a newspaper..]

Comments

[wonderwalls]

[ Teru has to turn and look at Light directly after the kiss, feeling both comforted and a little distraught. ]

...yes. That's why we've been able to form such a partnership.

[ We both wanted to achieve something, together, and now... ]

[arbiter]

[He moves back slightly, but remains closer than he'd been previously.]

It's been a long partnership, hasn't it.....

[wonderwalls]

Almost 12 years... if we count the time since your... departure.

[ Mikami finds himself enjoying to bring their faces so close that they could almost be touching. But of course they aren't, because this isn't Light. ]

[arbiter]

[A brief pause.]

I didn't want to leave. [An unnecessary clarification.]

Do you normally count it that way?

[wonderwalls]

[ He nods. ]

Yes. We're still a couple whether or not we are physically together at a given point in time.

[arbiter]

[Interlacing their fingers.]

That makes me very happy to hear.

[wonderwalls]

[ And of course it would, but Teru will take anything right now to just feel a little more like they are still real. ]

It will be even more years.

[ He sighs and brushes his thumb over Light's hand. ]

I'm repetitive as well.

[arbiter]

[Spoken with a subtle kind of affection.]

That's to be expected from you in some respects, isn't it?

[Turning Teru's hand palm up, he writes:]

Feels like home again.

[wonderwalls]

[ Teru tenses up a little as the writing begins but does not pull away, instead staring down at their hands as if hypnotized.

It's been so long...

I shouldn't let anyone but the real....

No, this is essentially a physical daydream. None of this is real.


This resolve in mind, Mikami leans up for a short chaste kiss.

I can't welcome you home until this is real though. ]

[arbiter]

[Although Teru breaks the kiss, Light closes the distance between them again to prolong the moment for a little longer. In the end, it's only for a few more seconds before he draws back.[

Sorry.

[wonderwalls]

[ It's too much asked to resist this as it happens, but when it's over, Teru draws back a little further. ]

I initiated. Don't apologize.

[ A pause. ]

But even if I tell myself this is alike to the times I lose myself in memory of what we were, it's still different, isn't it?

[arbiter]

[A brief silence. You'e overthinking is the response he doesn't give.[

Your loyalty is incredible as always.

[He squeezes Teru's hand and lets it go.]

Not that I'd ever questioned it, but it seems you've been giving yourself a hard time, too.

[wonderwalls]

[ A sigh. ]

You're out there either dead or alone, there is nothing else I can do but push myself to the limit to try and fix what I let happen to you.

[arbiter]

You didn't let anything happen.

[He's quick to make the correction, and even quicker to regret letting go of that hand. But in light of how Teru feels about this situation Light stays put and leaves his hands on his knees. A similar sigh:]

I left too much ambiguity in my instructions. [A beat as his hands slowly clench.] That's all there is to it.

[wonderwalls]

[ It happened and I didn't prevent it. That's the same thing. ]

... don't say that. Let's not speak of it. I'll find you.

[ And it won't undo anything. ]

[arbiter]

[You'll find me and then what? We continue not to speak of it? His clenched hands don't relax and gaze remains on his knees, head slightly bowed. I suppose we were good at that too.

But that isn't what Teru wants to talk about or hear right now. Right now what Teru needs is....]

You will. And then both of us can rest.

[wonderwalls]

[ They're lying to each other again and both know it, but Teru nods all the same and places his hands over Light's silently. ]

[arbiter]

[In silence, Light brushes his thumb over the back of Teru's hand. He can see that words have worn out their usefulness, and it leaves only physical expressions of comfort - most of which Teru has already indicated is unwanted. He sighs.]

Sleep. You look exhausted.

[wonderwalls]

[ And he is. Teru nods silently and leans against Light's shoulder, closing his eyes. ]

... I love you.

[ He's said that before, but it feels nice to do before drifting off to sleep. He ought to be apprehensive of feeling too safe, but he's too tired. ]