"WHAT?" DELILAH SAID, NOT sure if she had heard him right.

"Yeah, you know," Niccolo said, mimicking a gun with his fingers and pointing it at his forehead," like boom, bullet through my brain dead. Unfortunately that doesn't work, I've already tried."

"Shouldn't you ask this question to someone who can die?" Delilah said.

"Mortals can't tell me anything I don't know," he shrugged, a smile curling his lips then," a soulless human however, now that's something I haven't seen before. If there's something that's making it so that you don't die, I can use that to do the opposite for me."

So people had been right after all when they had told her she would meet strange people in college.

"By the way," he said, amusement coloring his eyes," where's the worry, Delilah? I expected some of that human empathy, frantic protests telling me that life is worth living and I shouldn't give up. Don't tell me you're that cold?"

"Why would I argue with you about this?" she asked," I imagine it must be terrible not to be able to have the freedom to choose what you want to do, especially with eternity ahead."

He leaned against the wall, expression undecipherable. "You shouldn't be too nice to me, you know."

"You want me to be mean?" Delilah offered," I can be. Tell me, what do you want me to say?"

When he laughed it sounded like something holy, like she had been baptized by the sound alone, people turning to look at him. He placed his hand in front of his eyes, smiling as he looked up for a moment, the snake hissing faintly, before he pulled it back to look at her again.

"It's just funny," he said," you are so used to fulfilling requests for others, to listening. I don't know why I'm surprised, I saw your memories, the way you open yourself to others."

"Why is that funny?" she said, the only emotion lining her voice curiosity.

"You know," he said, his hands in his pocket as he leaned forward, voice soft like he was whispering a prophecy," considering that you don't care about anyone at all."

"Are you ill?" she said, placing her hand against his forehead," you're saying quite weird things."

His temperature was so high it felt like she'd burn simply by touching him, but he grabbed her wrist, holding her in place before she could pull back.

"Do I?" he said," or have you been taught how to care and kept that act up your whole life? Tell me, when was the last time you got angry, Delilah? When was the last time you cried?"

"I thought you said you looked at my memories," she said," why are you asking questions you know the answer to?"

He let her go, shaking his head. "Boo, you're no fun. The dramatic effect is always better if I say it like this. I am an oracle, I know what I'm talking about."

"So, you're suggesting I'm unable to feel anything?" she said," is that all?"

"I'm not suggesting anything," he said," I'm telling you that you can't feel anything. The thing that gives you the ability to care for others is your soul and you have none, it's no wonder, really. I'm sure you were a real nice person before you had it stolen."

She grabbed his hand, the snake seeming to come alive on his skin. It didn't move, but she felt it curl around her fingers, her wrist, her throat.

"You keep talking in spells," she said," what do you mean I've had my soul stolen? By whom?"

"I can't tell you that," he smiled, tugging a lock of her hair behind her ear," it would be no fun. I can however tell you this, a prophecy straight from my holy lips." He let his lips graze her ear, voice soft. "You are kissed by the scent of heartbreak and death, I can smell it from miles away. Don't fall in love with him, Delilah, or that will be the end of you, I promise you that."

There was no need to ask who he meant, the meaning of his words clear. She wasn't that fazed by them, but in a way that felt wrong too, now he had told her she didn't feel enough. Was he right? Had she been cold without noticing all these years? With a shake of her head the thoughts were gone as she chose not to dwell on it too much. There wasn't something she could do about it anyway.

"I'm going to head back in," she said," James is waiting for me. We'll talk later, alright Nico?"

He blinked, looking caught off-guard for the first time during their conversation.

"I can use your full name, if you prefer," she suggested," I just thought it would be nice to get closer, considering we'd be seeing each other until you die."

"It's fine," he said, something undecipherable flashing across his eyes," it's just that I haven't been called by that nickname in a very long time. I can see why he keeps thinking about you, even if he tries not to."

"You really have a habit of looking into other's minds, don't you?" she said.

If she hadn't paid close attention she would have missed the almost imperceptible way he winced, like the thought of his power made him choke on the air in his lungs.

"More like a curse than a habit, really," he said," people are dreadfully uneventful, you know. I'd rather not look if I could."

"What's wrong with uneventful?" she asked," don't you prefer seeing nothing rather than anything terrible happening?"

He laughed, the projection of the stars above reflecting in his eyes, shadows dancing across the hallway. The people around them walked past with big smiles on their faces as they looked around, in awe even by the little things, but he didn't seem to care for much at all. With everything he had said, he seemed to think she was the same.

"You truly have yet to know me," he said," nothing is terrible if you are a bad person yourself."

"That sounds like flawed logic," she said.

"Don't talk back to me, I'm the voice of the divine."

"Delilah? What's happening?"

James walked towards her, looking confused, but when his gaze settled on Niccolo it turned alarmed immediately.

"What's this crazy man doing here?" he said, hurrying to her side as he protectively positioned himself in between," how are you even alright after that fall the other day?"

Niccolo gave him one glance, before shaking his head.

"You bore me," he said.

"Wha -" James began, but at that moment a group of people started shouting at once, interrupting him.

"Augustine, there you are! We were so worried!"

The tension was sharp in Niccolo's jaw for a moment, before he turned around, flashing a bright smile towards the six people who were running towards him. They were all clad in crimson robes with snakes embroidered on their sleeves, lips parted in prayer and hands in worship.

"Holy One," the one at the front said as he dropped to his knees," thank you for blessing us with your presence -"

"You stalked me," Niccolo said," I'd rather not bless you with my presence at all."

The others followed the first one's lead, drawing the attention towards them as they all pressed their head to the floor in reverence, like they didn't even deserve to look him in the eye. Niccolo didn't seem fazed by it, not even gesturing for them to get up as he stretched out lazily.

"Oh my God," James said, eyes wide in horror," is this what I think it is?"

"Are you finally realizing?" Niccolo said amusedly," that I am a divine being -"

"You are running a fucking pyramid scheme," James said at the same time, grabbing Delilah's wrist," we need to go, he's trying to suck us into this weird cult as well, I feel it."

He pulled her away, Niccolo calling after them.

"Get back here, heretic! I'm going to prophesize something terrible for you, I swear -"

James took her along through the exit, as far away from Niccolo as possible, and she spoke up as they rounded the corner.

"What about the planetarium?" she said.

"We'll go to another one," he said," too many weird people. You shouldn't get too close with him, Delilah, I get really weird vibes."

Those were fully accurate, but still, she didn't think Niccolo was a bad person. He was easy to read at least and that had let the few concerns in her mind fade away. It seemed like all he was doing was finding a way to pass time before he could manage to die. Loneliness was drawn on his skin in a pattern different than the scales on his arms.

She thought about the Reaper for a moment, about how she couldn't read him at all for some reason. Hopefully he was doing alright and not overworking himself. It was too much to worry like this about someone she had only met this week, but somehow she couldn't help but think about it.

For a moment it felt like someone was watching her then and she turned around, gaze flicking towards an alleyway they passed by. No one was there though, so she continued on.

Only later did she notice the faint scent of lemons he had left in the air.