Having Lennon's eyes on him was a whole new sensation in itself.

Kieran wasn't used to being seen. Both figuratively and literally. Sometimes the boy's undivided attention on him made his skin dance with nerves. And this was definitely one of those moments as Lennon stared blatantly at him through the viewfinder of his camera.

The chestnut boy had led him to a spiraling stairwell next to an art museum, where he claimed had a variety of shapes he could experiment with.

Kieran sat with his legs crossed near the top, gazing down at Lennon, who fiddled with his gear. The boy had handed the ravenhead an open umbrella as a prop.

While Socks was asleep, half-buried in the hoodie that Lennon ended up taking off and placing on the ground like a cat burrito. At least he had a white shirt underneath because Kieran was sure his entire being levitated in panic when Lennon took off the first layer of clothing.

"Nice necklace," Lennon commented suddenly, noticing the accessory through his camera. He pressed a few buttons.

"Oh yeah." The ravenhead reached for it on instinct. "Thanks."

"Did you make it?"

"My friend did. They made it for me."

"You have another human friend?" Lennon perked up. There was no trace of jealousy or shock. Just pure curiosity. Just pure Lennon. He finally finished setting up his tripod.

Kieran shook his head. "They're another... ghost like me."

The chestnut boy made eye contact. "How many of you are there?"

He shrugged, uncrossing his limbs. "Just me and my one ghost friend. I don't know why I haven't come across anyone else, actually." He paused, taking a deep breath. "So. When I, um, found out I committed suicide..."

He drifted off when he saw Lennon visibly stiffen, all movements ceasing, afraid that how wasn't the time to bring it up again.

But the boy was nodding. "Only if you want to talk about it," he told him gently.

Kieran let Lennon lower himself down on the stairs next to him before leaning against the railing and continuing. "I want to tell you how everything works... if that's okay."

"Yeah. It's okay."

"It's a lot," the ravenhead added, almost as if he himself was fishing for excuses not to continue on this topic. He looked away.

Lennon clasped his hands together, craning his neck forward to see Kieran's face. "You should know by now that I like long explanations on how the universe works," he said with a lopsided grin.

The boy's grins always prompted a smile from Kieran. His shoulders loosened. "Alright." He organized his thoughts and raised his index and middle finger. "There are two kinds of deaths. Natural deaths— diseases, old age, accidents. And then there's me— those who ended their own lives." He paused. "Name one person you know committed suicide."

Lennon's brows scrunched. "I don't think I know anyone..."

"Mhm. Cause in this world, suicide is just a stigmatized idea that simply cannot exist. Therefore whenever it happens, the universe resets." He gestured to himself like a robot explaining his own mechanisms. "Hence I do not exist. Hence everyone who kills themself doesn't exist. They're... removed essentially."

The boy's arms held onto his stomach like he was queasy at the thought. "How about your friend?"

"Oh they exist," Kieran replied, tilting the umbrella in his hand, "They found their afterlife ticket— a family heritage ring that belonged to them. Honestly, I don't know why they bother waiting for me to cross over. It's been very clear I'll never find my way over without any evidence of existence."

Lennon mauled over the information, eyes focused on his battered sneakers. "What's on the other side?"

"Does it matter? I just need a way out."

Running his tongue over his upper row of teeth, Lennon gazed softly at the ravenhead across from him. This boy with his skin a little pale, his lips a little discolored. In fact, Kieran looked a bit more transparent than he remembered, like he had exhausted his energy searching for his ticket.

"Is it scary?" Lennon asked, intertwining his fingers and dropping his voice a decibel lower, "Are you scared?"

He saw Kieran's Adam's apple bobbing nervously before he spoke, meeker than ever. "I'm— terrified, Len." Hesitantly, he met the chestnut boy's eyes, brimming with quiet empathy. "I've been terrified for longer than I remember."

There came to rush— the impel to hold him. Instead, Lennon tucked his hands under his crossed arms.

"It— it's okay." Lennon smiled just as meekly through the stutter in his response. "I'm scared too."

"You? Scared of what?"

The genuine mystification on Kieran's face made the boy laugh, hiding his face behind his sleeve cutely.

"You're the most carefree, most lively person I've ever met— Well, it doesn't say a lot since I haven't gotten the chance to met any people. But truly!" he continued, scooting closer to the boy like a newfound specimen, "You're just so... unbound. That's a good word for you. That's the perfect word for you. You're always an explosion of something. Never confined."

Lennon leaned his chin into his palm and gazed at the ravenhead with the softest look on his face, admiring the rare occasion of Kieran being so animated and chatty.

What he failed to grasp, however, was that he was the topic at hand.

"What's your last name?"

The chestnut boy blinked out of his trance, the question out of the blue. "Curio."

"Okay." Kieran leaned closer, their knees grazing each other's. "Tell me, what is Lennon Curio afraid of?"

"A lot of things." He subconsciously rubbed his arm where the bandage lay. "Needles. Spiders."

"Ah."

"But um." Lennon nudged his head towards the camera that was facing them but didn't dare look at it himself. "This whole thing I have with photography is my coping mechanism... for fear."

"Of what?"

"People leaving."

Kieran's expression crumbled into something more serious. "Who left you?"

The boy didn't answer, feet shifting awkwardly and face downcast.

Kieran pulled back when he sensed Lennon's unease, not wanting to crowd into his space. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

The smile Lennon gave him was full of thankfulness. "I'll tell you when we get home."

When we get home. As if Kieran lived with him.

"Whatever makes you comfortable."

Lennon flashed him one last smile worth swooning over before leaping onto his feet and going back towards his camera. "Oh!"

"What?" Kieran asked.

"I forgot I started a timer."

The ravenhead was on his feet at once, making his way towards the camera and squinting at the small screen.

There sat Lennon all pretty and beaming to his right, where Kieran was supposed to be. Of course, he didn't show up in the picture, however, a bright red, opened umbrella hovered over the space above him.

Kieran loved how candid it was. He loved Lennon's peppy smile and his side profile that showed off the strong slope of his nose.

"I look like I'm talking to nothing but air," the chestnut boy noted aloud, "Which is perfect. Essence without being!" He reared up on the balls of his feet excitedly. "You know, I wanted to try having just the umbrella floating in the picture. It's cinematic. But you top it all off! I can feel it. I can feel you through the photo. Isn't that something?" He ranted on in pure Lennon fashion.

Kieran's eyes remained fixed on the photo. "You're cute," he let slip, poking at the boy's tummy.

Lennon's body folded into itself to escape the ravenhead's teasing fingers. "Thanks," he giggled, swiveling the other way as his cheeks flushed.

Once they've calmed down, the chestnut boy stifled a yawn before gesturing Kieran towards his original spot.

"You're sleepy?" the ravenhead asked.

"A little." Lennon rubbed his eye and smiled. "Let's take a few more and head back."

The sun began to bid them farewell.

Kieran's sharp face was aglow under orange hues, a resemblance of a smile adorned his lips, just to show Lennon how content he was in front of the camera.

It made him feel seen.

Lennon made him feel seen.

The fading of colors swept across the sky like a turning page, welcoming a brand new chapter. One that hopefully brought the boys closer, despite the infinite worlds between them.