After class, Pond slung his camera bag over his shoulder and found Light waiting near the railing, leaning casually against it.
They walked down a quieter path of the campus, sunlight filtering through the trees and scattering patterns across the bricks. Pond stopped near a spot where the light fell just right, letting shadows carve shapes over the walkway.
-Alright- he said-Show me how you usually shoot.
Light lifted the camera, fingers hovering over the shutter, uncertain. Pond stepped closer, almost naturally, and gently held the camera from behind, guiding Light's hands.
-Try relaxing your grip- Pond murmured. -Move slowly… see how the light falls.
Light tensed at first, then relaxed a fraction as Pond's hands steadied his own. They were close enough that he could feel Pond's shoulder behind him, and he didn't pull away.
As he adjusted the angle, Pond's hand lingered briefly on Light's waist, just for a few seconds, before stepping back. Light's breath hitched slightly—not loud enough to notice—but he didn't look away. The warmth, the contact, stayed with him long after Pond had moved.The touch was light, unspoken, but it left a small awareness in the space between them.
-Better-Pond said softly, his voice quiet in the open air. -Now take the shot.-
Light exhaled and clicked. The result was sharper, the composition cleaner. He glanced back at Pond, who simply nodded.
-You're getting it- Pond said.
Light gave a small, self-contained smile. -Thanks
he whispered, though it carried more weight than the word suggested.
They continued practicing, moving along the courtyard paths, stopping occasionally to check angles or shadows. Light adjusted the camera, Pond's quiet guidance close by, their shoulders brushing more than once, each contact leaving a subtle awareness behind.
-Tomorrow is finally Friday, - Light said, voice casual but relieved.
-You've been counting? - Pond asked, raising an eyebrow.
-Maybe, - Light admitted with a small smirk. - It's been… a long week.
-You're not wrong, - Pond said, adjusting his camera strap. - Feels longer when you're trying not to miss anything.
Light laughed softly.
-Yeah… and I don't want to miss anything with this, - he added, gesturing at the camera.
-Then don't, - Pond said quietly, letting the words hang. Not a command. Just a suggestion that mattered more than it sounded.
They walked in silence for a moment, sunlight falling low over the paths, shadows stretching. Each photo, each shared glance, each pause felt like a small agreement: to notice, to learn, to exist alongside one another without fuss or labels.
-I'm glad you're helping me, - Light said finally, almost as an afterthought.
Pond glanced at him briefly before nodding.
-I'm glad too, - he replied.
The camera clicked again, capturing the way light filtered through the trees. And for a moment, the world around them—the students, the noise, the deadlines—fell away, leaving only the quiet rhythm of two people learning to move in sync, slowly, deliberately, without needing to name it yet.
He turned to Pond and pointed the camera at him.
-Pose, - Light said, a small grin tugging at his lips.
Pond raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly.
-Pose? You mean stand there and look like a statue? - he teased.
Exactly, - Light replied, trying to keep a straight face but failing. - Like you always do when you're behind the camera.
Pond chuckled softly, stepping a little closer, one hand adjusting his hoodie.
-Fine, but don't expect me to make it easy for you.
Light lifted the camera, squinting slightly through the viewfinder.
-Too easy, - he muttered. - Hold still… a little to the left… no, your chin… perfect.
Pond stayed quiet, letting him direct. He noticed how focused Light looked, how his hands adjusted the camera, the concentration in his eyes. It was different watching Light behind the lens than taking photos himself. He looked… intent, serious, and somehow more present.
-Got it, - Light said finally, lowering the camera. - That's the one.
Pond leaned back slightly, a small smile on his face.
-You're not bad at this.
-Not bad? - Light raised an eyebrow, amused. - That's faint praise, you know.
I'll give you full credit next time, - Pond said, voice low and calm.
They laughed quietly, the sound blending with the soft rustle of leaves and distant footsteps. For a moment, the campus felt like a world of just the two of them, cameras and sunlight, shadows and quiet understanding.
-Your turn now, - Pond said, handing Light the camera. - I want to see what you see.
Light's fingers brushed against Pond's briefly as he took it, but neither moved away. The small contact lingered, unnoticed by anyone else but registered clearly between them.
-Alright… I'm ready, - Light said, his voice soft but confident.
-Okay....-clic-