grave slow and serious
From beneath his hair, Light watches Takashi's father lift Takashi in the air and spin him around, laughing. Takashi shrieks with glee and clutches his father's shoulders, and Light smiles politely, wondering what would possess an adult to act so undignified in public.
"And how are you, Light-kun?" Takashi's father asks, once he's put Takashi back down. Takashi clutches at his father's hand and grins at Light.
"I'm well, thank you, Yamamoto-san. How are you?"
"Oh, well enough, well enough." He chuckles, as though he's made a little joke that only he will understand. "Tell your family hello for me."
"Of course."
Light's father is home for dinner that night. The beginnings of frown lines are etched on his brow and he speaks in low murmurs to Sachiko about Sayu, and about Light when Light is supposed to be out of earshot. They say nothing Light doesn't expect; reports on his grades (perfect) and his behavior (so good it worries his mother, but his father, of course, reassures her).
"Yamamoto-san says hello," Light reports dutifully during dinner, and his mother smiles at him and thanks him, but most of her attention is on Soichiro and Light supposes he can't blame her. He tries to imagine his father as another Yamamoto-san, quick to laughter and perpetually smiling, but then Soichiro speaks and his voice shatters the spell.
It had been strange to think about, anyway.
The next day, as they get ready for a test, Takashi waves two green Kit Kat bars at Light. "Look what Dad gave me this morning!"
Light shoves his jealousy deep inside him, where it can't be seen. "What flavor is it this time?" he asks.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: For those who don't know: Kit Kat bars are given to students in Japan on test days because "kitto katsu" means "you will surely win".