"Toni, get up," the next student in line whispered, hoping no one would notice the hold-up. The teen remained seated, eyes closed, a smile on his face. People stopped, turning to look, confused by the halt. The student grew annoyed and shoved the teen's shoulder, trying to wake him.

Instead, Antonio's head lulled to the side and blood leaked from his nose.

The students went into panic mode and the crowd watching went from confused to frenzied. The principal left the stage, ready to kick Antonio from graduation. As he came closer he saw the blood now staining the teen's clothing and he rushed over, pulling a phone from his pocket.

They couldn't wake Antonio. The ambulance arriving, however, did a fantastic job at waking the sleeping babies and grandparents waiting for the ceremony to be over.

The Carriedos kept to their word and moved away not long after the incident. They couldn't sell the house, now marked as a house of death by the superstitious community. The untimely death of Lovino Vargas was remembered again, now followed by the tragic death of Antonio Carriedo. A death by falling and a death by a ruptured aneurysm.

Antonio's death was unexpected. His family was torn, his mother deciding she had no reason to stay with Mr. Carriedo any longer, even blaming him for her baby's passing. Henrique convinced his parents to let him handle the fine details of burial, which meant contacting the strange Italian man from before and doing what he knew was right.

It was the same Catholic Church that Lovino had his service in that Antonio was remembered in. Afterwards he was buried in the same cemetery in an open plot next to another young man who passed away and was forgotten.

The funeral went by without a hitch, though most of the high school showed up and made it a crowded affair. Every other person wanted to go up to the podium to talk about Antonio. It's funny how as soon as you die you're everyone's best friend. The only problem was Antonio was everyone's best friend. He was nice to anyone he could be, he did what he could because it was in his nature to be loving.

Henrique moderated who could talk. He only allowed a handful, sniffling at the speeches of Francis and Gilbert, who went up together. It only made sense for them to remember their lost friend side by side. The room of attendees were confused when they saw the thin, pale Italian walk past Henrique to give a few parting words.

"I'm Feli," he told the room. "None of you probably know me, but I knew Toni. He was a close family friend. I'm no stranger to loss. My dad died before I was born, my mom died having me, and my brother died when I was little. Antonio was one of the sweetest guys I've met, and he gave me something I never would have had… a family. And I will never forget what he's done for me. I know he's in a better place, because when you think about it, anywhere with Antonio is automatically a better place. Now it has him. Toni had an angel looking out for him and now… now he's an angel looking out for us. I think he's going to do pretty good now that his spirit matches his personality."

Feliciano was given the keys to the house after the funeral. He came by, seeing only leftover boxes that the Carriedos hadn't moved out yet. He sighed to himself and climbed the stairs and stopped just outside the bedroom that haunted him. Mrs. Carriedo had already gone through, taking what she needed to remember her son, but allowed his friends to take anything left. Gilbert had taken the broken phone and the laptop, wanting to go through the memory to immortalize his friend. Francis had taken the bedspread and Antonio's old journals and old clothes, ready to pack it away when he missed the scent of sweat, sugar, and grass.

Feliciano found the old photo albums, left finished by Antonio. He took all the remaining pieces of his brother and the man who made his brother so happy. He packed up the picture frames, the books, the shoe box full of leftover items Antonio didn't know where to place. He packed the piece of cardboard with warning messages and the things he assumed his brother had broken. He carried the corner chair down to the front door and he found the homemade Ouija board in the guest room.

Once the car was packed up, he paused and took a final trip to the backyard where he swung on the lopsided swing for a few minutes. The sun beat down on his fair skin and he left the neighborhood with watery eyes.

He made his last stop of the day at the cemetery, carrying a grocery bag with him. He stopped at the two graves, one old and overgrown and one new with freshly packed dirt. From the bag he grabbed an old, ratty bunny doll and placed it on the old grave.

"Sorry," he whispered to the new grave. "I hope you don't mind sharing with fratello."

"He's an idiot."

…

"He's my idiot."

The summer went on, hotter than anything Feliciano had ever experienced. He had an easier time with his brother's passing than he did with Antonio's. He did manage to keep in touch with the deceased's friends, receiving texts every once in a while from Gilbert or Francis. He knew they saw him as a way to remember their friend, and they knew talking to Henrique would have only made him feel more raw and pained.

He almost cried when Gilbert told him that Elizabeth and Alfred had the baby, which he did cash his favor in to name… Romano Fernandez. Romano Fernandez Jones. Ludwig had called him later that night to check up on him, admitting he drove Gilbert to the cemetery to look at their headstones and use their middle names.

The young parents agreed to the name for reasons they wouldn't explain, but Francis had a feeling they felt they owed Antonio. He, and Lovino, did open their world to the supernatural.

Feliciano rolled over in his bed, trying to clear his head. On his nightstand was one of the awkward printed photos of Antonio and Lovino, now just Antonio holding his arm around no one. He closed his eyes, said a quick prayer that they find each other, and burrowed his head in his pillows. On the nightstand Antonio smiled from his picture, holding his blushing and pouting boyfriend.

There was something poking him and he didn't like it. Antonio groaned and rolled over, grabbing for blanket and finding none. He hummed in confusion before opening his eyes.

"What?" he asked no one. He sat up, feeling refreshed, and examined his surroundings. He was in an open field of soft grass and sweet, colorful flowers scattered about. In the distance he could see some houses and, on the hills, a city. There were no cars or smoke, no air pollution or ugly construction sounds. It was like a painting and Antonio loved it… and was also highly confused.

"Hey, jackass!" A voice behind him called. Antonio felt heat rush to his cheeks and he sprung up from his spot, turning on his heel. Behind him was Lovino, the person he had been dying to see for… an entire day! A day doesn't sound like much, but it was an eternity for someone who died twenty years before you were born.

"Wait, Lovi, what's going on? Am I high?"

Lovino looked at him like he was an idiot (as usual), and laughed. "No, you stupid little fuck. Try to do some mental math."

"Okay!"

"What was I when we met?"

"A ghost."

"What am I now?"

"…Real?"

"Very good," Lovino laughed. Antonio's smile broadened at the sweetness he felt coming from Lovino for the first time. "Now, Toni, what were you when we met?"

"A soccer player!"

"No."

"Seventeen?"

"No."

"Drop-dead gorgeous?"

"I swear to god, Antonio!"

The Spaniard laughed and saw the amusement reflected on the Italian. "Alive."

"And now?"

Antonio's eyebrows furrowed together and he stared at the other man with the look of a lost puppy. Lovino was ready to burst out in laughter at the defiant lack of understanding. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"How?"

"Aneurysm."

Antonio frowned. "I was about to graduate! I—oh god, I died in front of the entire room?"

Lovino giggled darkly. "Such a fucked up prank, Toni. I knew I liked you for a reason."

Antonio turned red and cried, "It wasn't a prank! I didn't—I wasn't trying to—it was an accident!"

Across from him Lovino was laughing, bent over and holding his sides. "I'm fucking with you, Toni! It was just your time, so don't feel bad about it." He straightened up and gave Antonio a compassionate look.

The two walked side by side, Antonio silently taking note of how short Lovino actually was. They stopped by a large tree, sitting beneath it. Antonio observed the beauty of his best friend, his love, and those magnetizing eyes that now looked more golden than the emerald he first met in the mirror.

"Is this like the tree in the Garden of Eden?" Antonio asked innocently.

"What? No. It's just a fucking tree."

They laughed and talked for hours. Lovino shared his secrets, explaining everything he learned when he finally passed. He spoke of his grandpa coming out to the field he woke in, telling him he missed him. He learned he was trapped in the house and Francis was right—he could only move around the direct area he had died in. He told Antonio how untimely deaths result in ghosts, bound to earth until they were done with the living. He then explained that Antonio wasn't untimely, and he was always meant to die like this. Lovino didn't meet his predetermined death like Antonio did.

"And this is the afterlife," Lovino said, his voice lighter than when he was the grumpy poltergeist. "It's… actually pretty nice here. Very relaxing. I don't even swear as much."

"Yes you do."

"Shut the fuck up."

Antonio giggled and something mischievous struck his face. He turned to take in Lovino's image, now a full person with depth and weight.

"What the fuck are you looking at?"

Antonio smiled and leaned in, brushing his nose with Lovino's. The Italian understood instantly and moved in closer until they were touching. Lovino moved to wrap his arms around Antonio's neck and Antonio placed his hands on his hips before gently kissing for the first time.

"Your lips are warm," he breathed against Lovino's cheek.

"Your hands are cold," Lovino said back playfully.

They laid together in the shade, refusing to break contact. This felt like an amazing dream neither wanted to end. It was warm and sunny and bright. Lovino's hair was soft against Antonio's skin and Antonio was warm and electrifying against Lovino's body.

"My nonno wants to meet you. And my parents. And Toris. Pretty much everyone's been dying to meet the man they think made me happy. As if they know shit."

"Lovi, that's a little harsh," Antonio teased. "And I'll be more than happy to meet your family."

Lovino hummed and nuzzled his head into Antonio's shoulder. "It'll be a while before Feli or your moron friends can come here." Antonio nodded.

"So, what now?" Antonio asked, running his fingers through Lovino's hair. "What do we do?"

With a smile and bright eyes, Lovino replied, "Everything."

A/N: That's it! We're done! Time to get off Mr. Bones Wild Ride!

So I don't know the extent to aneurysm based deaths, so my apologies for any inaccuracies. I planned to kill Antonio since the beginning, more apologies if it seemed rushed.

My first complete chapter story. It almost warms my cold, black heart.

I'm considering a sequel if I can find a good undead plot-line. This story isn't necessarily as dead as Antonio!

Thank you for taking your time to read this nonsense. It means a lot to me! And always be careful when walking down stairs.

"I never said I'd lie and wait forever / If I died we'd be together"

"And all the wounds that are ever gonna scare me / For all the ghosts that are never gonna catch me"

- My Chemical Romance, "The Ghost of You"