Days had passed since she'd collected her newest additions to the small shrine that was embarrassingly forming on her nightstand. The photo of human Alastor and Angel Dust had been tucked away into the drawer, the wilting flower she'd collected from their walk wrapped in the handkerchief that he'd given her and pressed into the book she'd chosen to occupy herself with before bed. It sat beside an empty tea mug, the photo of them together marking her place in the classic tale. She'd spent most of the time off work by herself, a few hours spent here and there with the rest of the hotel's occupants. A drink at the bar with Husker, a lunch shared with Niffty in the kitchen, but mostly she kept to herself. She still wasn't sure what to make of her new found quirk, the camera sitting untouched since that night. Alastor seemed truly unbothered by the events and didn't mention it again, and even though he'd roped Angel Dust into it as well, he hadn't shown any sign of caring aside from seeming more suspicious of Alastor and Clover than usual.
That was, until he walked into her room unannounced.
"'Aye, get dressed, we're goin' somewhere."
Clover nearly jumped out of her fur at the intrusion, peering over the laptop screen to look at the obscenely tall demon that was leaning against her door frame before responding.
"Where?"
"Out, shoppin'. C'mon, I'm buyin'."
"You don't have to-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. "You don't have'ta do that", just get your fluffy ass out of bed and out'da door."
She blinked as he disappeared as abruptly as he had appeared, leaving her alone in her darkened room with only the glow of her laptop as company once again. Arguing with Angel Dust was never a good idea, not unless you were as stubborn as Alastor or Husker. She found him again pacing the hallway in front of his room, dressed in his usual suit jacket and skirt but with the added accessory of round sunglasses settling over eight eyes. Clover had opted for her casual attire of dark jeans and one of the tee-shirts that Vaggie and Charlie had gifted her, but she instantly felt like a walking potato sack next to Angel Dust. He didn't seem to think twice about it, the impatient scowl he'd been wearing instantly breaking out into a wide grin as he linked one lower arm with hers and all but dragged her towards the front door as he began to chatter.
"I was wonderin' if I was gonna' have to drag ya' outa' that bed myself toots, this won't take long, I promise!"
"It's fine Angel, I just wasn't really expecting to le-"
"Ah! There you are!"
The rise in radio frequency when they rounded the corner to the staircase startled them both, Angel instantly falling into his classic hot-headed reaction.
"Jesus fuckin' Christ Al! Ya can't just pop out at people like that!"
Alastor ignored Angel's outburst, instead turning to Clover with his trademark smile.
"I have a proposition for you, if you can spare a moment."
Radio dials turned towards Angel Dust in a pointed request, unamused at the spider-demons salacious grin as he glanced between them. The comment that followed seemed far more for his benefit than Clover's, even as scarlet eyes turned back to hers, tilted with a smile.
"Alone."
The loud sigh next to them couldn't tear her from the shared gaze, Clover's ears ringing with a rush of blood that flooded her nerves. She was used to Alastor, or so she thought, but he still somehow found a way to send her into a spell at every turn. The idea worried her, causing her to wonder if he already knew how deeply enamored she was with him, but hopeful that his rumored natural reluctance towards human intimacy meant that he paid her fluttering no mind. Angel patted her head, flopping her ears downward and startling her from her red-tinted trance long enough to listen.
"I'll meet ya' at the door toots, don't take too long or I'll come lookin' for the two of ya'."
Alastor's smile sharpened at the wink that was sent his way as Angel swiveled around the red-demon's form and disappeared down the staircase, leaving them alone in the hallway. Clover cleared her throat, catching her lip between her teeth before she spoke softly into the heavy air that had settled between them, pulling Alastor's attention away from glowering after their mutual acquaintance.
"So, uh, what can I do for you, Al?"
Music picked up immediately, a lively swing that fizzled slightly before settling into the soft background noise that she was used to. There was never a truly quiet moment around the Radio Demon, and it was something her anxious mind was thankful for. Alastor fell back into his normal charming air quickly, smiling widely as he leaned forward to speak to her in hushed tones.
Well, hushed for Alastor at least.
"I was wondering if you were free tomorrow evening. A friend of mine is hosting a soiree at her establishment, and I believe her "aesthetics" would be of interest to you. It is expected to attend these things with a plus one, you see, and though Rosie would be my usual accomplice for such adventures, she's been to so many of these things that-"
"Yes!"
Clover fumbled to maintain some composure, the fluttering in her stomach as overwhelming as the rush of fondness she had for Alastor as he blinked at her in surprise, sharp teeth nearly catching on his lip as he fell quiet, startled at her sudden outburst of enthusiasm. Something about the situation thickened the blood that pooled beneath her skin, leaving her feeling slightly unbalanced as she stood in front of him. Was the Radio Demon asking her out, or was this just another friendly form of entertainment for him? Alastor talked quite a lot normally, but the way he rushed through the words and over-explained himself seemed off, even for the mysterious man that she'd grown so attached to in the weeks prior. Clover felt that she knew him well enough by now to be a decent judge of character, but with someone like Alastor, you could never know for certain. Shaking herself from her flustered frenzy of thoughts, she answered again, as calmly as she could.
"I mean, I would love to go with you Alastor. Is there anything else I should know? Like, what time? I don't even know if I have anything nice enough to wear."
He continued to blink at her for a moment, his expression glazed as his jaw fell slightly slack around his continuous smile. The static around him cleared, Alastor jolting back to life, his words more measured.
"Do not worry about all of that, it will be taken care of. I will collect you from the lobby at eight o'clock, sharp! Until then, my friend!"
The swell of shadows that consumed her only lasted a moment, leaving behind a chill that sunk into her skin. She now stood alone in the hallway, Alastor leaving in a rushed flurry of magic that she hadn't yet grown fully accustomed to. Something about it didn't sit right with her, but she tried her best to leave those questions for another time in favor of returning to her impromptu shopping trip with Angel Dust to quell her slowly building nerves.
Angel Dust was leaning against the bar, fiddling with the bowtie of a grumbling Husker with one hand, a martini glass in the other, when she found him in the lobby. Both men looked up at her as she stumbled the last step, taking a moment to recenter herself before joining them with what she hoped was a reassuring smile and a soft hello.
"Ready to go?"
Ten eyes looked over her suspiciously, and she suddenly felt as if she'd interrupted a conversation she wasn't meant to be part of. The moment ended quickly, Angel downing the rest of his drink before pushing off the bar with a smile and strolling towards the door. His many fingers twitched as they sat in the slow cab ride to the more shopping-centric part of town, Clover vaguely aware of the shift in air that was him sliding closed the partition between the driver and themselves before he turned to her.
"So, what was all 'dat about?"
"Huh?"
Clover had only half listened, too lost in herself as she stared at the window. The smile that she turned to meet was nearly as sharp as the one that haunted her thoughts, but punctuated with a glint of gold instead of a peak of black gums as the grin widened. Angel fell into her shoulder lazily, fluffy head bumping against hers as the cab jostled and he continued his inquiry.
"Ya' know, between you and Smiles! You twos seem tuh' spend an awful lot of time tuh'gether, but what's with the secret conversations?"
She paused, feeling heat rise up under her skin. Angel was probably going to use this to irritate Alastor, it was one of his favorite pastimes when they both happened to be at the hotel, so it was likely he was fishing for information to use in his own games with the Radio Demon. Still, Angel was her friend, and she'd trusted him with one of the most secret pieces of information she had. She couldn't resist the small pout that formed on his face at her silence, sighing softly before turning back to press her forehead against the cool glass of the window. Her reflection wavered, staring back at her with slowly flushing cheeks and nerve-bitten lips as she finally gave him her hushed reply.
"I think...I think I have a date with the Radio Demon."
"Ya know you're playin' the long game with that one, right?"
Angel hadn't let up on asking her questions about Alastor, even as they'd stepped inside the fluorescent pink of the eclectic store Angel had directed their driver towards. The store was an odd mix, obviously geared towards more explicit tastes and with a curtained section in the rear. Angel had explained that he had a new performance planned for his next night at the club and wanted a new outfit for the occasion, but they could also go to the shops nearby if she wanted to. Clover looked up from the silken nightgown she had been eyeing while Angel practiced walking in different pairs of shoes, finding the taller demon leaning against the wall beside the display and tilting her head at the comment.
"What do you mean?"
"Smiles, I told ya' he's not exactly the intimate type."
"It will never come to that. We're just friends."
"Yea, for now. You have a thing for him, toots, it ain't hard to tell. I can't really blame ya', he's a good lookin' guy."
"...Please, don't tell him."
He laughed, strutting over to the plush chairs that dotted the store and began the long task of unlacing the boots he'd been trying out. Clover sat beside him as he continued their conversation.
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna spill your little secret to Al. Honestly, if he's not figured it out by now then it's gunna' be more interestin' to see what happens when he does. This may throw Deer Daddy for a loop, Al is kind of a wild card, ya' know?"
"I'm sure I'm not the first woman who has shown interest in him that he's had to turn down."
"Aye, what is this "turning down" business? You don't know what he's gunna' do, he obviously likes bein' around you if he's askin' you to go to a party with him. Not to mention, the last time I saw you twos togetha' you were in an interestin' position."
"Huh? What do- Oh."
The memory of Alastor towering over in the library hit her with a sudden rush of blood pooling in her gut. In the moment she'd tried to push all of her more distracting feelings aside to focus on the issue of her mysterious talent with photographs, but she'd had to come to terms with it soon after. It was now solidified in her that she did in fact have feelings for Alastor, feelings that didn't waver when he came too close or when her mind wandered to more inappropriate thoughts in the dead of night. The memory of having him close enough to feel his breath against her cheek hadn't left her, even through idle chatter at the bar and a few too many cocktails that didn't succeed in drowning her deadly attraction to the man that had sat himself at her side. Her booze bubbled mind had over analyzed every move he made that night, watching long fingers drum against the bar top and trace the rim of a glass with more intent than was normal. When her vision began to blur and the image of Alastor crowding into her personal space against the library door morphed into them being drawn closer before falling together in a mess of teeth and heavy breath, she excused herself for the night. Boiling herself in her shower had been enough to sober her, but not enough to match the heat that settled under her skin.
Bringing herself to do anything about it was too embarrassing for her to handle, and the feeling became familiar to her once again as Angel Dust's smile turned more salacious with each passing second of her silence. She tried to speak before the moment became too long, feeling her voice quiver.
"I mean, you know how he is. He, uh- He doesn't really respect anyone's personal space but his own."
"True, but you seem pretty comfy with him bein' so close. Kinda seems like you're wantin' him closer if ya' ask me."
"We have an understanding."
"Ya' have the hots for the Radio Demon, that's what ya' have. I can tell when someones horny toots, it's kinda' my job."
"Excuse you!?"
Angel laughed, a loud wheeze that echoed in the high ceilings of the store as he slid back into his own pair of black boots. His voice wavered with more laughter as he continued.
"Listen, if it's somethin' you don't wanna talk about, that's fine. But if you're gunna' have the demonic sex talk with anyone, I'm your guy."
"It doesn't even matter, you said he doesn't do that kind of thing."
"I said he didn't want that kinda' thing with me, but either way, it doesn't change what you wanna do while thinkin' about him. Plus, the guy has to have somethin', most of you kinds of demons do."
"I have so many questions."
The spider demon stretched, gathering up his selection of shoes and lingerie and tossing them into a heap on top of the counter before linking his bottom arm with her own and leading her towards the back of the store.
"Listen toots, you need somethin' to take the edge off, at least so you can get'cha head on straight enough to deal with that charismatic bastard tomorrow night. Speaking of which, ya' got anythin' to wear?"
"Alastor said not to worry about it, but I'm not really sure what that means."
"Sounds like you've got yourself a sugar daddy, but it aint' really surprisin', Al's got the power after all. You got shoes to dance in?"
Clover froze, looking up at Angel Dust with renewed anxiety.
"Shit, you don't think I'll have to dance with him, do you?"
"Abso-fuckin'-lutely babe, this is Alastor we're talkin' about. Whateva' shindig he's takin' you too, there's gonna be dancin'. It's probably in one of them old fashioned places over in the colony knowin' him, so expect lotsa' booze, jazz and every otha' thing them old fashioned sinners are into'."
"I cannot dance, like, at all."
Her face must have said everything, because Angel's eyes softened from their normal teasing slant. The arm not linked with hers laid gently on top of her head as he stopped them in their tracks and turned to look down at her.
"Alright, calm down. Once we're finished here, we're gonna get somethin' to eat on the way home, and then you and I are gonna' do a little crash course in dancin'. Now, do you have any shoes you can dance in?"
"Do sneakers and combat boots count?"
"Sorry sweetheart, but you're gonna need something with a little more heel than that. But first-"
Angel unlinked his arms from hers, disappearing behind the heavy velvet curtain that separated the front of the shop from the back. It was obvious what was in the back of the store, she'd spent enough time in the alternative stores that dotted living world shopping malls to know that much, but she wasn't sure she wanted to have that interaction with Angel Dust at this stage of their friendship. Her sexuality was her own, speaking of it to others wasn't something she did often. It was almost entirely reliant on trust and deep-seated feelings, so it was something that really only ever existed between herself and whoever her heart was currently fixated on. It had gotten her into more than one bad situation, so she'd become more guarded with it since her last relationship debacle pre-Hell, but if there was anyone to talk to about it eventually, Angel Dust was the only person she would be able to have the conversation with. It was easy to determine that he worked in the sex industry, or at least he did before falling into whatever deal he'd made with Charlie and her plans of demon rehabilitation.
Appearing a moment later, Angel wore a familiar devious smile as he sped past her towards the check-out counter while juggling something between all four arms. She followed at a crawl, knowing she couldn't argue with whatever the hot-headed spider demon had planned. A set of arms was soon filled with shopping bags, Angel linking his free arm with hers again before smiling sincerely down at her with a nod towards the busy street.
"C'mon sweetheart, let's get you some dancin' shoes."