AN: Ugh... What happened? It's been a week?

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"Hey,"

"Hmm?" Reaper looks down from the dark sky and to the smaller skeleton sitting in between his crossed legs. The corner of his mouth was pulled into a gentle grin.

"If you're dead, how can I touch you?" Geno inquired, his hands wrapped on Reaper's arm for emphasis.

"I'm not exactly dead, per se." Reaper said and Geno gave him a questioning look. "You see," The taller skeleton began and placed his hand on Geno's chest. "This is my soul- our souls combined together. In a way, I'm still alive. I just don't have my own body." he simplified.

"So you're like... a ghost? Or a spirit or something?" Geno asked and Reaper nodded. "It's still doesn't explain why I can touch you." the smaller skeleton added and once again holding up Reaper's arm in the air, although he was glad to hear that his friend was alive. Somehow.

"I'm just as confused as you are." Reaper shrugs his shoulders. "I didn't even know anyone can see me." he said. "Until your mom went to the police and reported being stalked by a probable murderer." the taller skeleton added with an amused but slightly embarrassed smile while looking over the brightly lit city.

Geno raised a brow at him. "How'd you know about that?" he asked.

"I was there." Reaper's instant sheepish reply, gazing down at Geno.

Geno narrowed his eye in suspicion. "Wait..." he mumbled as he pieces it all together. "That was you, too?!" The smaller skeleton balled his hand into a fist and hit Reaper on the shoulder. "You jerk! Momma was so scared!"

"Ouch," Reaper mocks. Rubbing the 'sore' spot where Geno hit him while holding back a snicker. Geno merely glares at him. "It's not funny." the smaller said, folding his little arms over his chest.

"I can't stop following you." Reaper reasoned, a playful smile adorning his face as he pulls the smaller closer to his chest, "Literally, though. I'm stuck with you. You have my soul, remember?"

Well, that makes sense, but... "Why didn't you just tell me?"

Reaper gave him an unimpressed look. "I would if it weren't for your mother who keeps freaking out and running away every time she sees me." he said, resting his chin atop of Geno's head. But Reaper thought that's a reasonable reaction. Who wouldn't freak out when they saw a stranger in their house in the middle of the night. Then seeing the same guy the next day following them around. He really should apologize to her.

"And I couldn't find a chance, everyone was all over you." he added, feeling a sense of jealousy after witnessing Geno's lovely family. Internally wishing that his family was the same. But it's a useless wish.

His father wouldn't even want to hear it. He's all about money and reputation. Reaper wonders how his mother was doing. He hopes she was okay. But the thought that she was with him, crushed his hopes to dust.

His father was insane. He'll most likely take his anger out on his mother after being informed of the news that his son died in a hospital from a 'mysterious disease'. Reaper grimaced. He wanted to see his mother, but that would only endanger both him and Geno's lives. And as an extension, Geno's family.

Reaper remembers the exact words his father would yell at him after his every failed attempt to hit the target; after every disappointment. A weakling, a blemish in their family name, and a worthless son.

Reaper bit back a retort. No matter how much he works, practice his skills to the point that his own body collapse from exhaustion, it was never enough to please his father. It was sickeningly frustrating.

A whimper snaps him out of his thoughts and Reaper looks down at the smaller skeleton. He loosened his arms around the other so as to take a closer look. Geno has his hands clamped over his ears and beads of tears appears on the corner of his sealed shut eye.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Reaper asked, worry lacing his voice as he brought up a hand and rubs soothing circles on the smaller one's back.

Geno looked up at him with big scared eye. "It's him." he said.

Reaper was instantly on high alert as he whips his head from side to side and behind to see if he was indeed there. When he saw no one, he squinted through the dark, eyes sweeping over the neighbor buildings to see if someone was there. But he didn't saw anyone.

Reaper turned his gaze back down on the skeleton in his lap, worry evident in his eyes as he planted a gentle hand on Geno's petite shoulder; successfully gaining the smaller skeleton's attention. "Where is he?" he seriously demanded.

Geno hiccuped before answering. "Inside my head," his voice quiet, whispering as if he didn't want him to hear it.

Confusion crossed the taller one's face but before he can inquire any further, Geno spoke. "Please tell me that wasn't you, too." he practically pleaded to the taller.

"I... I don't understand." Reaper said.

Geno tears up even more. He wanted some answers. He wanted to know who was that man speaking inside his head. He wanted to know what does he want. Why was he doing this?

Geno gulped, gathering the courage to speak. "I'm not-..." he paused as he let out another hiccup. "I'm not worthless, am I?" he questioned.

The taller was taken aback. "No! Of course, not!" came his instant reply. "Why would you think that?" he added.

Geno's teary eye hardened into a sharp glare. He pushes Reaper back by the shoulders and abruptly stood up from the taller one's lap. "You're lying again!" He screamed at him.

Reaper also stood up, towering over the other and unintentionally intimidating the smaller. And so he has to bend down slightly so as to appear friendly and understanding. He didn't want to start a fight with Geno. "I am not lying, I swear." Reaper said, propping his hands on his knees to look at Geno straight in the eye. "Do you think I'll give my soul to you if you're 'worthless'?" Reaper questioned.

Geno's glare faltered for a moment. Only for a moment as the hard look immediately returned to his face. "But I heard you-!

"I didn't say anything!"

"-inside my head!" Geno yelled louder, not wanting to be interrupted. This caught Reaper off guard as he stared at the shorter skeleton with wide disbelieving eyes. He can hear his thoughts?

The lack of response from the other only serves as a confirmation that Geno was indeed right. More tears well up the smaller skeleton's only eye and his lips trembles in futile attempt to keep his emotions at bay. "Is that how you see me?" the glitched skeleton began, his voice high with a strained sob.

"Geno, wait-" Reaper began as well. But Geno won't give him a chance.

"I'm weak? I'm worthless?" these were the words Geno would never want to hear, much less came out right from his own mouth. It hurts because deep down, Geno knew it was true. He's been nothing but a burden to his mother and to his brothers.

And he was trying his best to stand up on his own, tackle on his own problems without relying on his mother all the time. He knew he wasn't doing a good job at it but to hear a direct insult from his best friend knocked him off his feet.

A sob escaped the smaller one's lips and only then, Geno realized that he's crying. Magical blue tears flowing down his face and he brought up his hand and wipes it away with his sleeve. A waste of effort. The tears won't stop.

"I know, okay?!" Geno brokenly said without looking at the other. Too busy wiping away the seemingly endless stream of tears on his face. "You- *hic*... You didn't have to rub it in my face."

Geno almost stumbled on his feet when he was suddenly pulled forward and engulfed in a heartwarming hug. Despite the resentment he felt towards the other, Geno couldn't bring himself to push him away; to fight back, pull away or even retaliate.

He can't because he knew he needed this. Another ugly sob escapes his lips as he clutches a fistful of the taller one's dark hoodie and buried his face on the taller one's broad shoulder. Then he wailed, let it all out and allow his weak knees to buckle underneath his weight.

Reaper tightened his hold around the shorter skeleton, bringing him closer as he once again sat back down on the cold concrete ground of the rooftop and setting Geno in between his crossed legs again. Rubbing comforting circles on the smaller one's back as he patiently waits for him to calm down.

"It wasn't me." Reaper said quietly, gazing onto the brightly lit city as the car horns echoes from down below the streets.

Geno didn't reply nor make any sort of indication that he heard him. But nonetheless, didn't discourage Reaper from voicing his explanation. "I'm sorry you had to hear that. I didn't know," the taller said solemnly, sympathizing with the other. "But those weren't directed at you." Reaper paused as his expression softened.

Geno hiccups before pulling away ever so slightly only to look up at Reaper. His big curious eye still welled with magical tears and face flushed red.

"It was about me." Reaper finally admitted and Geno didn't believe him in the slightest 'why does he kept lying?' but remained silent anyway. He's tired of arguing. He once again hid his face by pressing his forehead against Reaper's shoulder.

"I was remembering what my dad used to call me."

This caught Geno off guard as he went rigid in Reaper's hold. A silent gasp slips in between his teeth and unconsciously held his breath within. He pulled back, albeit without a conscious thought and gazed up Reaper's face to see his somber expression as he looks over the lit city with a deep longing in his eyes. "Why would he call you that?" the smaller questioned.

Reaper let out a shallow sigh as his shoulders visibly deflate. "I... I don't want to talk about it." he said without tearing his eyes from the scene before him.

A loud bam violently disrupts the quiet air and startles the two young skeleton, causing them to jump at the abrupt ear-piercing noise of something metal being hit. Reaper whipped his head behind to see the police armed with firearms flooding the rooftop through the metal door that leads inside the building.

Reaper was up on his feet in an instant while Geno stood behind him, pressing himself against the taller and gripping a fistful of the dark hoodie. Reaper placed a firm hand on Geno's shoulder for both comfort and protection.

The policemen surrounded the two young skeletons, cornering them on the edge of the rooftop before aiming their fully loaded firearms on the taller skeleton.

"Don't move!"

To be continued...

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AN: I'm finally done with this chapter!