"Where are we going?"

"You'll see soon, you say you trust me, don't you?"

How her honest declaration of wanting to become closer to Alastor had ended her up on an early morning trip into town at his request was beyond her. She'd returned to her room to tidy up and pull her sweater on, joining Alastor on the first landing and following after his quick steps out the front door soon after. He only slowed when they reached their first crosswalk, offering a hand to help her down and smiling as she hesitated.

"You do not have to, but I will continue to offer, as it is in my nature."

Clover didn't know how to explain to him that her hesitance wasn't due to an aversion to touch for today, that instead it was due to her fluttering nerves and warming cheeks at the gesture. It was all manners, she tried to assure herself, but she still felt her heart stop in her chest as she placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her step down into the street. Thoughts began to form together, questions searching for answers and her naïve want for understanding between them overriding it all.

"Can we have a conversation about something?"

"I thought we were already!"

"I mean, another subject. Something that we've both mentioned but we've not properly talked about. I think it may be beneficial if we're to continue being friendly."

"Then, by all means, begin."

He'd let her hand go, but the weight of it still settled into her skin as it hung limply at her side. She took a breath, searching for where to begin.

"What do you get out of being around me, Al?"

"My, isn't this a heavy question. I could ask the same of you."

"You already know that answer, I think you're incredibly interesting, and I enjoy your company."

"So you've said, and I suppose becoming close to someone such as myself as a newcomer has its perks."

"I hadn't even thought of that, but you're not wrong. Though, you've been witness to the fact that I've been making it alright on my own, in my opinion at least."

She didn't want him to know that she knew what he'd done for her, not yet, and not like this.

"I suppose you're right, you are a tenacious young woman."

He sighed, flickering through stations for a moment before leaning into her to speak again, this time backed by a soft jazz instrumental.

"In the decades I've spent here, I've done many things in order to keep myself entertained. I will spare you the gory details, but in the last few years, my after-life has become mundane. The hotel was one of many attempts to bring back the spark I once had, existing only on petty rivalries and simple interactions was not allowing my abilities to be used at their full potential. And while that excursion has yet to reach its climax, I believe it's journey will be a leisurely one. You, my dear, have provided immediate interest and exploration that I simply could not ignore. I enjoy your company, in short."

Clover could barely hear the music over the sound of blood rushing through her ears, willing away the burn that was surely rising to her skin as she realized what he was saying. She cursed her weakness for words and vocal qualities, breathing evenly to attempt to quell the emotional rush that fell over her. Even if she was just a form of entertainment, the fact that Alastor openly admitted to enjoying being around her, and going far enough to seek out her companionship, felt heavier than it would coming from another person. The simplest things felt more special from him, and she intended to treat them as such. She cleared her throat and continued before he became aware of her state.

"Would you call us friends?"

Alastor chuckled, turning to look down at her before offering a hand to help her down a set of stairs that led down a street she wasn't familiar with.

"I would. That title is granted to very few people of my acquaintance, I'll warn you."

"That's fine, I don't call people a true friend very easily either."

She was quiet for a moment, focusing on walking down the stairwell without falling as she became aware of the hand that hovered near the small of her back, ready to aid her should she need it. The conversation continued as soon as the phantom feeling disappeared, Clover rushing to the point.

"So, we both have an aversion to touch, right?"

"Yes, we've established this I believe."

"Well, mine comes and goes, and it really depends on how well I know the person who I'm coming into contact with and my emotional state. People who I don't know touching me, makes my skin crawl, but people who I become close to tend to become more comfortable to touch as I develop… well, I guess trust, with them."

"I see."

"What I'm trying to say, I think, is that I have faith in your ability to respect me when touch becomes too much for me, but I don't want you to second guess actions that you're also comfortable doing. And I would like to be able to approach you the same. I won't touch you without asking or without your invitation, so we're on a level of mutual respect in our shared quirk. You know, since we're friends and all."

Alastor hummed, and she hoped that wasn't a sign that he was reading her like a book. Most of what she had said was truthful, but what she had heavily skipped over is the fact that her comfort in being so close to him meant that she was indeed developing real feelings for him. Her approach to physical closeness was heavily rooted in how she expressed and approached her romantic and sexual inclinations; she was repulsed by most physical activities until she had a deep seated trust or emotions for the person in question. Alastor stopped suddenly, turning on his heel to smile thoughtfully down at her.

"You put more faith in me than anyone would ever dare to, I hope you realize that."

"You've done nothing to me that would make me think that was a bad idea."

He straightened, tilting his head at her before speaking again.

"So, you're proposing that as long as there is a mutual understanding between us, that we should stop pussy-footing around coming into contact with one another. Since we are friends, that is."

"If you're alright with that, then yes. I will continue to ask for your permission though, just to be polite, and I trust in your manner. Think of it as a sign of trust, and after all, I couldn't really do anything of harm to you anyway, so it's a win-win.. Sound like a good deal?"

His grin widened, his cane appearing with a twirl of his fingers before it tapped loudly on the empty cobblestone walkway they'd abruptly stopped on. The normal pink hue of hell was crushed by a blinding flash of green, Alastor bending at the waist to extend a hand to her. Clover was stunned for a moment, feeling a sudden wind whip her hair against her cheeks as her ears twitched at the sudden rise of radio frequency. She'd been abruptly faced with the full vision of the deal maker, blinking at the charming smile that looked down at her and the soft quirk of his brow as she gaped at him. His voice was amplified with full radio glory as he spoke, waiting patiently for her next move.

"So, it's a deal?"

Well, she said the wrong-right thing.

Clover rushed to get herself out of this situation. As innocent as this deal seemed, and as much good faith as she put in Alastor, she wasn't sure that she was comfortable signing anything with him at the moment. Her brain fumbled, rushing to find a way around this situation and finding a solution in the silliest way possible, but it was just silly enough to work.

She raised a pinky between them, tasting metallic on her nerve chewed lip as she spoke softly into the glimmering air between them.

"It's a promise."

Everything froze for a moment, Alastor's eyes flickering between her hand and her gaze quickly. She tried her best to hold her confidence, only breaking eye contact to watch the flicking of his ears. Her own shot forward when he broke, doubling over into a loud, barking laugh that echoed off the building around them. Long fingers intertwined with hers, linking their pinkies together in the promise for a moment before Alastor cupped her hand in his, placing it on his arm as he continued to lead her. Her feet moved before her mind caught up to the situation, feeling her forearm press into his side and her fingers twist gently in the sleeve of his coat as they continued their journey together.

Alastor continued their chatter, seeming more chipper than before as a swing melody began to fill the air around them.

"I'm very glad we've had this conversation, it is safer for you to be seen on my arm from this point on anyway. Stay close darling, and I will assure no harm will come to you. Not a soul would dare!"

The confusion at this sudden exclamation disappeared as she spied the sign signifying their entrance into the Cannibal Colony drawing near. Clover fell quiet as they wound their ways through the cobbled street, allowing herself to relax as the vintage architecture loomed above her and pristine restorations of beautiful gowns obscured her reflection in darkened windows. She felt completely underdressed for the occasion, feeling out of place in her jeans and sweater beside the fully-suited demon next to her and amongst the perfect representation of late 19th century Americana.

Alastor turned them into an archway, overgrown with vines, and her worries were left behind them. The courtyard they had entered was immaculate, a curving path leading out into a small park, winding around a single water fountain that had just begun to trickle to life as the sun rose on the horizon. Pentagram City was a concrete jungle, the trees that dared to grow in their small wire plots along the street usually twisted and dry. But the vision before her was one of life, bright green nearly blinding against the dark red brick of the building beside them. The stones beneath her feet were dotted in moss, weeds peering between the marked steps and curling around the dark leather of her boots. She could feel Alastor watching her, gauging her reaction to this secret garden as her fingers tightened around the crook of his elbow. It wasn't until he spoke that she realized the depth of her reaction.

"Are you alright?"

She turned to him abruptly, brow furrowed in confusion at the question, but before she could speak she felt the heavy dampness that had collected around her eyes. Tearing up at the oddest of things wasn't unheard of for her; Clover regularly cried at children's movies, small animals, and other such things, but she was shocked that the trait had shown itself in this moment. Blinking through the tears, she only nodded, turning her attention back towards the oasis before them. She gasped as she spied the flowers nestled into the bushes a few yards away, and before she could take a step herself, Alastor was leading her towards them with confidence. He dropped her arm as she moved closer, clutching his cane with both of his own as she hovered tentative fingers over the petals of red roses.

"You may take one, if you'd like. It shall not be missed, I would collect it for you myself if not for, well..."

Alastor waved a hand in front of an already wilting rose, barely placing a gloved finger to a single petal before the flower curled into itself and turned black. She watched it fall to his feet, blinking at the sudden information she'd been granted before thought began to form again. Clover carefully wound her fingers between the leaves, dodging the flower's thorns as best she could before twisting the stem to snap it from the rest of the vines. Her hands shook as an idea crossed her mind, looking again to Alastor's gaze still staring down at the wilted rose at his feet before taking measured steps towards him. Her voice felt as small as she did looking up at him.

"Can I touch you for a moment?"

Scarlet snapped to attention, his gaze freezing her quivering fingers into stillness as his brow furrowed at her request. It was only a moment later that he was nodding, eyes still trained on her movements as she began to shake again.

"You may."

Clover's fingers hesitated before they slid beneath the lapel of his coat, finding the single button hole that sat above the rest and quickly pressing the stem of the rose into it with her thumb. His chest pressed against the back of her fingers, and he didn't take a single breath into them as she worked. The solid feeling against her skin didn't leave even as she pulled away, wringing her hands together as she hopefully watched. Alastor did the same, turning his head down to look at the flower now neatly tucked against his lapel with furrowed brow. When the flower remained unchanged, a collective breath was released between them.

It was a long moment, or at least, it felt like an eternity, before he spoke again.

"How…charming."

When he looked at her again, his gaze was softer than before.

"Well, you should get one for yourself as well."

Clover only nodded, breathing slowly through her nerves as she turned back to the rose bush once again. She wandered down it's expanse, looking for a bud that called to her. Finally, she found it, reaching out for a full, white petaled flower. She plucked it as she had the other one, attempting to carefully wind her fingers around the thorns, but a rustle as a crow took off from the leaves a few feet from them startled her.

"Ow! Oh well.."

Watching the trickle of blood that sprung from her fingertip for a moment, Clover sighed and moved to tug the sleeve of her sweater down over her hands to put pressure on the wound and keep it from staining the petals of her flower, but Alastor moved quickly. As soon as the white rose had moved to her other hand, he had taken hold of hers. She blinked at the action, looking quickly to gauge his expression. His gaze was unreadable as he watched the trail of blood that had made its way down her fingers to curl around her wrist, red standing out starkly against the paleness of her skin obscenely. A twitch of his smile and the near-nervous glance around them reminded her of where exactly their oasis stood, and the heavy gaze that returned to the blood pooling in her palm settled deep into her core as another realization set in.

Cannibal.

A million different outcomes flooded her mind, most of them shoved into the depths of shame to be blamed on her darker tastes in personal media, as she waited for his next move. Not a glimmer of fear entered her, just an aching curiosity, and when their eyes met again she knew that he had seen it in her. A handkerchief was quickly produced, dark red and silken, and the breath she was holding escaped so abruptly that she wavered on her feet. Alastor took hold of her quickly, grasping her elbow as his cane disappeared and the soft fabric was pressed against her skin. It moved across her skin slowly, sending goosebumps across her flesh before it was pressed tightly to her marred finger and his hand closed around hers. When he was satisfied that she had stopped bleeding, he released her, leaving the handkerchief behind and stepping away from her with a sigh. She swore he seemed slightly out of breath as he spoke.

"You should be careful, cher. Perhaps you should use that to hold your prize until we can find it a home back at the hotel."

Clover could only nod, wrapping the fabric around the sharp stem before looking to him again. Alastor only smiled, turning towards the path and offering an arm to her once again.

"Shall we?"