Kieran had never been on a date before, and this wasn't even a date.

He found himself fixing his clothes, tugging at the cuffs of his khaki pants, and running his fingers excessively through his dark hair. The ravenhead looked around, desperate for a mirror or glass reflection of a store window to look at.

"What's with the nerves?" Autumn teased, head falling back against the park bench. The prelude of a full sunset adorned half their face, sunlight dancing off their multitude of rings and making their umber skin glow. "Is this about that boy you invited with you?"

"I'm acting like a teenager," Kieran grumbled, turning around to face his friend, "And that says a lot cause I don't even remember how I was like as a teenager."

Their brows knitted. "Is this just an invitation or a date?" they inquired.

"An invitation but— I don't know. I called him a friend. He called me a friend. I don't know. Do you disapprove?"

Autumn shook their head and stood up from the bench, fishing out a hand-held mirror from their backpack. "You already explained why you needed to go to this smaller theater— to get used to how it feels." They handed the mirror to Kieran. "It's one step closer to obtaining your ticket. Of course I'm all for it."

Oh right. His afterlife ticket. He didn't even think of that. Lennon had hogged up every bit of space in his mind now.

The ravenhead looked down at the mirror and found a boy who had lost all direction staring back at him.

"Kieran," Autumn continued, placing a hand on his shoulder so he would meet their eyes, "I don't want you to misunderstand me. I don't care who you hang out with— as long as it's for the sake of finding your afterlife ticket and not flirting." They raised a finger at the last word for emphasis. "Just please keep in mind two things."

Kieran nodded automatically.

"One— the more time you spend with him, the more of an attachment you'll form. I get that you need him for the sake of finding your ticket. But don't get distracted."

The ravenhead took a deep breath. Don't get distracted has already been quite the problem.

"And two— I'm saying this for his sake. What's his name again? Lennon?"

"Lennon," Kieran echoed.

"Lennon is human," Autumn said, reaching up and parting Kieran's hair properly to fix up his appearance for him. "And I'm not saying this to create a divide. I'm saying this because he is alive and he has a life and goals and dreams and purposes that he still needs to live out. I understand that he chose to come with you. But still. Don't take too much time out of his hands." They adjusted the mirror in Kieran's hand so he could see his own reflection. "What do you think?"

Kieran wasn't sure if Autumn wanted his opinion on the lecture they just gave him or the way they tidied his hair. "Good," he decided to say, waving the mirror in their face, "Did you steal this?"

A scoff. "What do you think?"

"Thief," he sneered.

"Teenager," Autumn fired back, snatching the mirror from him. Their friend began to laugh. "Stop acting like it's your wedding, mister Orpheus." Autumn rested the back of his hand on his forehead dramatically. "Oh so in love with some girl he just met—"

"Who's Orpheus?"

Autumn gawked at him. "Kieran, do you even know what musical you're watching?"

"Hadestown."

"And do you remember what it's about?"

"Not a clue."

Autumn groaned. "You're hopeless," they complained, stepping forward to flick at Kieran's temple. "We literally read the pamphlet at the theater on Monday. You were too busy making heart eyes at Lennon." They zipped up their backpack. "Have fun being clueless."

"Stop acting like you're so experienced and wise and old."

"I am experienced." They stuck their tongue out at Kieran childishly. "I've lived longer than you— sorry correction, I've died longer than you."

"See you around," the ravenhead said, smiling at the one person who looked out for him since the start. He touched the pinecone necklace around his neck.

"See you." Autumn tutted. But their dimple deepened with a heartfelt smile.

__________

Kieran stood adjacent to the maroon brick wall of the old building, illuminated by the warm, decorative light bulbs lined above the entrance in a blinding, eye-catching manner. HADESTOWN was displayed on the marquee board for all to see.

He was early— too anxious to wait anywhere else. And to his surprise, a familiar mop of chestnut hair poked out from the crowd not long afterward.

Lennon pulled out his phone and pressed it against his ear. "Hi," he beamed when he got close enough to Kieran.

He was presented in a tawny brown knitted sweater that almost reached his knees and a baby blue beanie that crowded his curls in front of his eyes. Lennon pushed them away from his view.

Kieran blinked at him. God, this boy looked like a dream under these lights.

"I just got out of a study group with a few people and had to drop all my stuff off at home," he told him cheerily, "I do have my camera though." He showed off the camera around his neck with a cheeky smirk.

"Hi, Len. I doubt you can take pictures in there." Kieran grinned at the boy's adorable antics.

"I won't during the musical." Lennon jutted his bottom lip out. "I'm not rude like that. Now smile."

The ravenhead did as told, smiling wide as Lennon pocketed his phone and snapped a photograph with his camera. He liked how normal the boy made him feel, telling him to smile for a picture they both know he won't show up in.

The pair began to approach the ticket booth, joining the queue in front of it.

"Thanks for coming," Kieran mumbled against the shell of Lennon's ear.

"Of course. That's what friends are for."

Friends.

"Tell me if you feel overwhelmed," this angel of a boy answered back under his breath, "I don't want you to be scared."

Kieran looked around him and soaked in the flashy surroundings of this theater, monitoring his own emotions. He felt okay, actually. He turned his gaze back to Lennon and smiled. He felt okay.

"Ticket for one, young man?" the man behind the booth inquired. He gave the boy a sidelong glance, noticing that he wasn't prepared.

Lennon panicked, eyes darting back at the ravenhead. Kieran acted quickly, sliding a ticket into the boy's pocket.

"Ha ha here," the chestnut boy stammered, nearly tripping over his over feet while he handed over the slip of paper, "I totally just— I had my ticket. Yup. There it is."

The man gave his approval and the two burst into laughter as soon as they entered the red-carpeted theater.

"Why'd you even steal two tickets when you don't even need one?"

"I don't know! So we get to sit together?"

"We need to practice acting in public more," Lennon laughed, forgetting to lower his volume.

Kieran clamped a hand over the boy's mouth as attention was drawn towards him. "Shh. They're gonna think you've gone mad, Len."

But the chestnut boy only laughed harder, the skin near his eyes crinkling with joy. "Let them."

Kieran withdrew his hand when he realized how close his fingers were to Lennon's lips. The boy took another picture of him, who was in the middle of protesting as more eyes were drawn towards them.

Lennon giggled to himself, but his smile drooped a little when he looked down at his camera.

"What's wrong?"

The boy let out a little disappointed huff of air. "I just wish I could take actual photos of you, Kier," he confessed, gradually making eye contact. He didn't forget to speak in hushed tones this time. Perhaps because these were words only meant for the ravenhead to hear. "I take pictures of things I'm afraid to lose. Photography is like my... my love language."

It took a second for Kieran to truly pick apart and digest Lennon's words, and when he did, he approached the boy and gently guided his hands to lower his camera. Lennon tried to disguise the way he shuddered when they locked gaze.

Kieran's jaw was set, but his eyes were brightly lit and smiling anyway. Like a thousand galaxies were packed into his dark irises. "Put your camera down for the night, Len. Live in the moment," he breathed.

Lennon's entire body went rigid at his next sentence, accompanied by a mere shrug from the ravenhead.

"Love me in other ways."