As soon as I walked into the library, Nico was at my side. Pale hands clasped onto my arm, bloody nails dug into my skin.

Sure, angels are meant to be holy, but it's never said that they're innocent. Just like soldiers, they kill in the name of war. They carry out unspeakable acts and claim it for a good cause. They're warriors, they're soldiers. They're far from innocent.

Holy, holy, holy. The choirs sing it and it echoes through the church. Holy, holy, holy, is the war they fight. Holy, holy, holy is the way they kill.

Harsh

Outlandish

Loyalty for

Years

"Did you find out anything?" I asked, though his face said it all. "You've had a good seven hours."

Nico glanced around the room as if demons were lurking in the bookcases. "You're the only one that can see me."

"What do you mean?"

"No one can see me," Nico spoke again, this time with more passion. "I try to talk to people and they can't hear me. I walk in front of them and they can't see me. One person walked through me. He walked through me, Will."

I looked around, saw the librarian giving me confused looks. "Let's get home so I'm not seen as insane."

"That's fine by me." Nico moved for the exit, dragging me by hand, pale wrapped around tan. As I followed, I watched each of his steps, noticed each of his movements.

It wasn't holy to love an angel, wasn't glorified. If anything, it was my own form of Hell. ~Our lives didn't fit together, but oh did our souls know how to dance.~

When we got home there wasn't much talking. Only bare skin and the taste of his lips. The halo around his ankle cut my shin.

The sun was about ready to set when I looked at the angel in my arms, ran my fingers through his thin hair. "Nico... Did you find anything else out? We...we need to get you back home eventually." Home... Why wasn't his home with me?

"I know..." Nico didn't seem as excited as he should be. "I need to go back, I know... But can't I spend a little more time with you here?"

I could feel his cheekbone dig into my chest, could see how skinny he had become over a 24-hour span. "Neeks... You'll die. Look at you."

Nico held up his wrist to glare at the bones. "Stupid."

"Huh?"

"It's stupid." Nico rolled onto his back, his head falling onto the pillow. "This whole situation is stupid."

"Yeah but that doesn't help us." I turned on my side to watch him. "Did you find anything out besides the fact that you're invisible?"

Nico took a minute before shaking his head. "No..."

I raised my eyebrow. "You're a bad liar."

"I've never lied before." Nico stared at the cracked ceiling. "Why is sinning so easy..."

"How am I supposed to know?" I held one of his hands, felt his cold skin beneath my own. "What did you find out, Nico? Why don't you want to share it with me?"

"Because I don't." Nico snapped. "Leave it alone."

"How am I supposed to help you if I don't know?" I questioned. "Because that's near damn impossible."

"Just don't worry about it." Nico covered his eyes with his forearm. "Everything will be fine. Just don't think about it."

"Don't think about how you're dying?"

"Don't think about my home." Nico corrected. "Just pretend I'm human like you are."

"But you're not." I reminded him. "You're an angel. You don't belong-"

"I know." Nico snapped. "You don't think I know that? I know I don't belong. I know I'm not human. I know you don't want to love me. But I love you. I love being human. I love being able to lay beside you." He uncovered his eyes to reveal tears, tears that looked like they came from any other human. "I don't want to go back home. I'd rather stay here with you."

Love. A silly emotion, an emotion most would rather not have. But it kept me sane that day, kept Nico beside me. For the week, at least. If it hadn't been for love, he would have already been gone.

Did I love him? I hadn't known him long, hadn't known him good. But the love I had stopped believing in suddenly came back in my head, suddenly wouldn't disappear from my thoughts. Nico... He was in my heart for good.

"You love me?"

Nico coughed through the tears. "That's all you got from that."

"It's pretty important, in my defense."

The cough turned into a chuckle. God, did angels have amazing laughs. "Well... I guess I do. I love you. Love comes easily to things like me."

To be loved... Damn, that felt amazing. "I love you, too."

Nico's eyes landed on mine. "You're being serious?"

"Why wouldn't I?" I flashed a smile, a smile that actually felt good. "I love you, Nico di Angelo."

Nico reached a hand out to touch my face, his thumb rubbing against my skin. "You know that's not my real last name."

"I figured. It means of the angels."

Nico cracked a smile. "Nico isn't my actual name, either. I never had one."

I raised an eyebrow. "Where'd you come up with Nico, then?"

"I saw it on a grave." That suited him just fine. "What's for dinner?"

I thought of the empty kitchen, thought of the tap water that probably wasn't clean, nor was the milk any close to being fresh. "Raman."

"Guess I'll have to get used to it," Nico commented.