Believe

Author: Seth

"Let those who have never suffered say what they want, true belief is eternal."

"Where do you think you're going?"

Tel stopped mid-pace, gently placing his foot back to the ground.

"I have some unfinished business to take care of. But you already know that, don't you?" He replied, refusing to turn around.

"You shouldn't go." Yuu admonished, though his words had no strength behind them. "You won't stop regretting. Not this time. Not the next. Not ever."

Tellyth trembled. "I don't want to hear that crap from you of all people. You know how this works. Why are you even trying when you know that all it will do is hurt us both?"

"I have enough to regret already." The redheaded shinigami answered quietly. "I don't need any more."

"… Does it really never leave you? Not ever?" Tel asked hesitantly and at length.

"No."

Finally, the ex-Ginsenkei soldier turned to meet the dull gaze of the death god. "And is it worth it?"

"I don't know." Yuu shook his head slowly.

Tellyth stood there, watching the other young boy, enveloped in his voluminous black robe. As he regarded the shinigami, he couldn't help but feel as if he'd never seen an older, more tired person, save for maybe one.

"But you never stop, even though you don't know." The trap expert looked down at his feet.

"Because I don't know." Yuu replied, turning on his heel and started walking away.

"So we have to hope?" Tellyth asked, slightly desperately. "Again, and again, and again because… we believe?"

Yuu let out a hollow laugh. "What else do we have?"

Tel stood in the same spot long after the steps of his companion had faded away, staring into space. Idly, he fingered his robe, tumbling the conversation over and over in his mind.

It was an odd feeling, having all the choice in the world, and absolutely no choice at all. In that context, he could understand his fellow's actions, if only faintly. It was something he had to do, not because it would accomplish anything, but because it was something he had to do.

Tel chuckled lowly. No difference, yet all the difference in the world. He was getting philosophical; fancy that.

Turning, he continued to walk the path he'd originally been walking. He had a reunion to go to.

"Because we believe… that it'll be worth it, huh?" He murmured quietly to himself as he let his existence bleed out of the pattern. "Forever."