The days passed quicker when she was busy, when she wasn't wandering the hotel alone in the early hours before Angel Dust woke up and sought her out for entertainment, or when Husk stirred enough to share a drink. Some days when she would come home, Charlie would be waiting with an offer of some game or activity for them all to do, and as much as Clover loved the distractions to help her adjust, she'd begun to crave the entertainment of the unknown.

Working at the coffee shop felt almost too normal to Clover;

"Latte for, uh-" She squinted at the cup, her brow furrowing at the name she found scrawled there. "...Bimbo?"

"It's fuckin- You know what, I'll take it! Bimbo for a day it is!"

"...Have fun with that."

Well- Normal except for the demons and imps, obviously.

As the irritated imp stalked out of the café and attempted to slam the door behind him, Cyrus leaned against the bar beside her; His snickering snapped Clover out of the mindlessness monotony the rhythmic flow of work had lulled her into and his fanged grin sparked a conversation.

"You do that on purpose,"

"Do what, doll?" Cyrus grinned as he set his chin atop the brewing chamber, watching her with lazy eyes as she went about her work.

"Write the names wrong."

"I don't know what you're talkin' about."

A forked tongue flicked between his lips as she rolled her eyes, and Cyrus went chasing after her as she stalked away to fetch a hot tea, hands shoved into his pockets while he drawled into her ear.

"It's hell, sweetheart, and what's the most hellish thing about ordering a coffee? The barista gettin' your name wrong!" Cyrus refused to get off her tail as she slid the tea onto the counter and called out its, thankfully, correct name, and when Clover mistakenly looked in his direction, he looked far too satisfied with himself. "Besides, sometimes I catch 'em on a bad day, or I just happen to pick the hot head out of the crowd- And then I get to fight 'em."

"Fight?"

"Yell, throw s-s-shit, I even jumped the bar and punched a guy once- Keeps things interestin'."

"You're an asshole," Clover scowled as she picked up the next drink, reading the chicken scratch that was Cyrus's handwriting.

"I'm the asshole that's payin' you,"

"That's why I'm here!"

Cyrus slunk off into his office to do his midday money management with a sharp laugh, his head popping back out a moment later to tell Clover to "holler you need me" before he locked the door behind him. With the lunch rush behind them, much of the rest of the day passed without circumstances; As the afternoon went on the clientele turned darker, fewer and far between, and Clover had too much time on her hands. By the time Cyrus had returned she'd taken to running hot water over the syrup bottles to melt down seemingly centuries' worth of sugar stuck to the sides, and Clover got a heavy whiff of his specifically smoky scent as he reached behind the counter for a glass; He took a seat at one of the nearby café tables, popping off the cap of a bottle of beer with his teeth and tossing it into the trash can behind the bar and unwrapping a sandwich. Clover sighed, feeling herself become annoyingly fond of her new boss in the same way she had been for those she'd been close to in life.

Making friends was an unlucky talent, she guessed.

A small rush of what she would assume was of an "after work" variety picked up her pace soon after, but it was nothing Clover couldn't handle by herself- Being in hell meant she could make people wait, after all. She'd just finished clearing the line and begun to clean her station as things slowed down again when the ringing bell above the door drew an absentminded greeting from her, and the grating scrape of a chair against the tiles drew her attention.

Clover caught the toss of Cyrus's towel over his shoulder as he vacated the freshly cleaned table, his demeanor suddenly defensive; The frills of his ears seemed to flare as a loud hiss filled the room, his eyes narrowed slits that remained trained on the door as he walked backward away from whatever had spooked him. The single glance he gave Clover's incredulous expression offered no explanation, but then she caught the change beneath his incessant hissing- The soft upbeat pop playlist was gone, overtaken by the soft swing melody that grew louder with each click of hard-soled shoes that marked the passing seconds. Clover turned towards their newest customer, trying her best to mask the confusion still evident on her face with a trade-marked customer service smile.

When her smile was met with one just as wide but twice as sharp, her heart twisted into her lungs, but luckily she still found the air to speak.

"Hi, Alastor!"

"Hello!" Alastor seemed genuinely surprised to see her standing there, his brow rising high as his smile softened into something slightly more pleasant. "I didn't know you'd found an occupation- And so quickly! How ambitious!"

"It's not glamorous, but it's work. Would you like something?"

"I would indeed- A coffee, black, please."

"You got it!" Clover felt her chest begin to burn at how obnoxiously cheerful she sounded, her fingers crossed behind her back that he wouldn't take her tone as condescending. "Any sugar, or is it the dealer's choice?"

It was impossible to miss the small quirk that pulled his ever-present smile slightly wider on one side, especially when it did interesting things to the nervousness already sitting heavily in her stomach.

"Nothing too sweet, thank you."

Clover nodded, turning her back to him for a moment as she assessed the state of the coffee they had freshly brewed; She dearly hoped that dark roast would do, since she'd stupidly forgotten to make a fresh batch of medium before beginning the brewers cleaning cycle.

"Are you staying, or would you like to take it to go?" Clover asked over her shoulder, her fingers hovering between the cafe's trademark green ceramics and the paper cups used for takeaway while she waited for his answer.

"I prefer a mug, but I won't be long."

"Burning the midnight oil, huh?"

"You could say that, I suppose! Forgive me if I'm remembering incorrectly, but I believe it's been established that rest does not come easily to either of us."

"Oh, yeah- We did talk about that, didn't we? Sorry, it's been a few too many days and too fewer drinks since that conversation."

A lie, she remembered every single second of that night, but their witty banter was far too entertaining to give up. At this point, Clover would say anything to keep Alastor talking- She was too curious about the man that she'd somehow gotten herself acquainted with. The mix of spices they kept beside the concentrated teas caught her eye, and Clover made a snap decision to dash a bit into the bottom of the cup, swirling them into the steaming coffee as it poured; She'd flirted with death before, so what harm was a hopefully lucky-guess at the finer tastes of a demon?

"Has it?" Alastor replied as she turned around to find him still standing by the register, uncaring of the hesitant demons attempting to form a line behind him. "I hope the hotel is still standing in my absence."

The warmth of the mug was almost unbearably against her palms, but its sting settled the shake in her hands as she set it down on the counter between them.

"So do I- I'd like to be able to listen to the radio before going to bed tonight."

Another quirk of his smile had her heart hammering against her chest; Perhaps that was due to the taboo of talking so casually to the "Radio Demon" in the presence of an audience, or perhaps it was due to another reason she refused to acknowledge just yet- Either way, Clover fought to maintain the eye contact he'd established as Alastor held out a folded bill between two fingers, waiting patiently for her to take it with that ever present pleasant grin. Too high off the thrill of it all to second guess herself, Clover took the first thought that passed through her head and ran with it- At a full sprint, no less.

"It's complimentary for my guests, I can assure you."

The loud bark of a laugh that came from Alastor shook the café from its frozen state, Cyrus's tail whipping against the wall as looked frantically between them and the line that had begun to form fracturing as demons scattered to the corners of the room. The bill Alastor held made its way into the small jar beside the register, the quick wave of his hand almost unnoticeable as he picked up his mug- Unnoticeable to anyone but perhaps Clover, who had followed the graceful way he'd folded it between his fingers with rapt attention. Alastor made himself comfortable in the same spot Cyrus had vacated upon his arrival, his long legs crossing at the knees as he pulled a newspaper from thin air with a soft "pop!". The sound of radio stations flickering filled the room for a short moment before a pleasant jazz took its place, and the rest of the room's inhabitants tried their best to return to their charade of normality while giving the Radio Demon a wide berth.

Cyrus was on Clover in an instant, the door of the bar nearly catching his tail as he tugged her as far out of earshot as he could without drawing undue attention.

"What the fuck was that?"

"Look- I'm sorry, I'll pay for the coffee," Clover held up one finger to the impatient customer glaring at them from around the cash register, and Cyrus held up one of his own alongside her, though that one was much ruder- It was his shop, so instead of addressing his attitude, Clover tried to explain. "I know him, I was just repaying a favor."

"Yeah, I got that," Cyrus hissed. "How the fuck do you know him?"

"He helps at the hotel."

"And you're just- friends with the Radio Demon because of that."

"I don't think we're friends," Clover rose up onto her toes to peer at Alastor over the espresso bar, the red demon seeming thoroughly distracted with his newspaper. "But we've like… talked?"

Cyrus blinked at her, a vertical membrane crossing grey sclera one at a time before he squeezed his eyes shut and hissed a sigh.

"...You're gonna' get your s-s-soul stolen."

"Very funny," Before Clover could punctuate her flat response by returning to her work, Cyrus caught her arm.

"I'm s-s-serious! That is a deal maker, an Overlord, that is someone who has gotten his power through bloodshed and empty promises. That creepy fucker is exactly who you should s-s-stay as far away from as possible."

A flame flared somewhere deep inside her chest, its heat burning to the tips of her ears as they fell flat against her skull; Overlord or not, Alastor had been nothing but pleasant towards her since they met, and if his intentions turned out to be truly sallow, that was her cross to bear- Not Cyrus's. In addition, Clover was absolutely certain that Cyrus had most likely never spoken more than two words to Alastor after the way he'd reacted to him walking into the shop, and while she could do little to control how he chose to run his own coffee shop, she had every right to defend against his accusations. Clover's heart raced as breathed hard through the tension, fighting back the sick feeling of upset that had settled into her stomach the best she could and leveling her voice.

"Cyrus, I know you're trying to look out for me, and I appreciate it- I really do. But I don't want to talk about this anymore, and I would rather you not speak of people I'm acquainted with like that while I'm here- Besides, if what you're saying is true, then perhaps it's safer for all of us that I'm on good terms with him."

"...Fine," Cyrus said reluctantly, his arms unfolding from his chest as the group of chatty demons that had gathered by the door moved their way toward the bar. "But don't come cryin' to me when it all blows up, 'cause all I'm gonna say is 'I told you so'."

With a line beginning to form, Cyrus stepped away to take his place at the cash register; Clover quickly marched back behind the espresso machine, tugging down on the steam wand and relishing in the cloud it created. She didn't know why she was so aggravated by their conversation, but the tension tying her nerves in knots had her ears twitching at every noise, and she threw herself into her work with the hope that it would relieve her of it. The gaggle of girls giggled through their orders and collected by the end of the bar, and Clover found herself simply going through the motions, making drink after drink as her mind whirred alongside the grinding of espresso- Being in Hell was becoming far more confusing than she'd imagined, functioning more so as a continuation of the monotony and emotional turmoil she'd experienced throughout her life than fiery depths of suffering she'd been scared with as a child.

The phantom pinprick feeling on the top of her head pulled her from her frustration-induced disassociation, making her aware that she had fallen back into the bad habit of setting things down far harder than she needed to as the bang of her steaming pitcher rang in her ears; It was tossed onto the washer, Clover counting the seconds with her breath before she dared to seek out the eyes she knew were watching her every move. She looked first to the group of women loitering by the bar, her eyes hidden beneath the mess of her overgrown bangs as she leaned over to clean the countertop, but they were too caught up in their own whispering and giggling while they waited for their final drinks. Cyrus was also otherwise occupied, too caught up with walking the customer at the register through the menu to concern himself with her, and the only other person of interest in the room was-

"Thank you."

Clover squeaked, looking up from her constant cleaning circles so quickly that it sent her still-new-ears flopping into her face, and she scrambled to sweep them out of her way so she could better see the person who had crept up on her; Alastor's head tilted as he watched, his ever-present smile seeming slightly more amused as he placed his now empty mug on the counter between them. The first attempted response fumbled and fell flat, Clover's attention diverted halfway through by another order being slid her way- She quickly queued her shots into the cup, thanking what little luck she had left that it was simple enough to be left alone long enough for her to address the red suit that had refused to move from his place at the end of her bar. His eyes watched her every movement, head still dropped to one side in an almost endearing but unnerving angel while he waited.

"You're welcome!" Clover replied. "I hope it was alright."

Seeming very pleased with her manner, Alastor's uncanny stillness shattered with a sharp breath, his coat swishing as he rocked forward his heels and waved a hand towards the mug in a graceful gesture.

"Usually, I would be wary of another person altering something I'm consuming, but I admire your tastes! It was very pleasant, I shall have to ask you for it again!"

With the way he looked at her, she began to wonder if he could hear the stop-and-start pounding of her pulse; The tone of his voice had almost sounded like a warning, tuning her into the fact that she'd barely escaped an error so grave she didn't dare wonder the consequences-But his approval made her heart sore, her head spinning as her blood raced in her veins, and she hoped that her growing flush was hidden beneath the velvet down that dusted her skin. The sound of espresso finishing its extraction tore her from his unblinking stare, allowing her to turn away and compose herself while she finished the drink. Clover was pleasantly surprised at how calm she sounded as she called the name on the cup and set it on the counter, her attention returning to Alastor as soon as she was done.

"I'm glad you liked it, I'll make it for you anytime."

"Noted! I-"

A record scratch accompanied Alastor's sudden silence as a shuffle of feet and heavy, irritable sigh turned their heads to the demon that had inserted himself between them; He was a slender man with features of a hyena, wild eyes looking shifting between Clover and the cup of coffee she'd left on the bar, as if their conversation was stopping him somehow. Clover quickly moved to busy herself, watching carefully over the bar as radio static fizzled the music to its death. The cream she steamed did not do as she'd hoped, its screeching unable to drown out the heavy silence that had fallen over them without the backdrop of Alastor's radio- She was thankful when he turned back to her with his trademark smile and a flourish that reminded them all of the microphone he clutched between his claws.

"I'm terribly sorry, but it seems our conversation must be cut short!" His tone was somehow still incredibly chipper despite the way he clipped his words, his pupil's thin slits as they turned back to look at her over the top of the espresso machine. "I suppose we will continue another time."

"I'll see you around the hotel, have a good night."

Alastor hummed his reply before he gave the other demon a sideways glance and turned sharply on his heels, his shoulder barely missing catching the red bandana that decorated the hyena's arm as passed him by. Clover's linger gaze dropped to her hands slim shoulders coated in scraggly fur slid in front of her, the customer removing the lid of his to-go cup and snarling at the contents before jerking a claw in the direction of the warm cream she was slowly pouring into her cup.

"Can I get some of that- I can't drink this black."

Clover stopped her swirling, setting down the half-melted mocha and looking up again just in time to catch his snarl switch to a sickening grin; She blinked at the request, recalling that she'd definitely heard him say "no milk" despite being distracted with Alastor, before moving into pure customer service mode.

"Sure thing!"

Something about the gleeful way he watched as she stepped away from the barrier of the espresso bar and back into the open churned her stomach, her ears alert as she slowly picked up the cup from the counter and tipped it towards the sink to make room for the extra liquid.

"Ah, ah, ah! Don't dump that out! Get a bigger cup, I paid for that."

Clover jumped as his voice raised, acutely aware that the retreating tap of hard soles had abruptly stopped but too afraid to look anywhere but the steaming cup of coffee clutched in her fingers. It was too quiet, the sound of her breath hanging heavily from the tension in the air as she did as he wished and poured his drink into the slightly larger size, being careful not to spill or stumble. The paper cup was placed back on the counter once she was done, her fingers shaking as she reached for the pitcher of cream and topped it up so he could leave-

The pathetic shriek that was then ripped from her throat echoed off the café walls, but it was nothing compared to the sharp rise of radio static or the rising hiss that came next.

Claws pressed dangerously into the soft skin of her arm, almost hauling her over the counter's marble edge as it pressed painfully against her hips; Clover had to fight the urge to gag as the hyena's maw opened, overwhelming her with the perfume of its poor hygiene backlit with notes of sulfur as it's tongue rolled across it's rotting teeth. It took all of her will to not wince away as he spoke, forcing herself to look him in the eye as droplets of spit splattered across her clean countertop.

"Do I get to see you later too, little rabbit?" The hyena growled, his fingers brushing along the tender skin of her throat as he gave her arm a painful tug. "A hotel sounds like a good time- I bet they charge by the hour."

"What did you just say to me?"

Clover squeaked as she was lifted onto her toes, her weight bearing down into the sharp rim of her steaming pitcher as she fought fiercely against gravity.

"C'mon, don't be like that. You better give me a smile too, or I'll start thinking you're playing favorites," His grip on her arm tightened, but she said nothing, her teeth grinding down into a sharp scowl that only made him angrier. "The customer is always right, right? Just smile, and I'll give you a really big tip."

The flash of green scales Clover caught from the corner of her eye as Cyrus stepped out from behind the bar snapped her out of her terror, their earlier conversation rushing back to her as the nauseating fog of fear thickened into fury. The forgotten cup of coffee sitting between them came in handy, the familiar sting of scalding coffee splashing over her hand nothing but an afterthought as Clover threw it into the too-close face of the demon holding her captive. His howl of pain was cut short by the sick clunk of metal meeting bone as she slammed the steaming pitcher into his skull- She felt the fabric of her button-up shred as he recoiled, the bloodied tips of his claws clutching the side of his head as he crumbled into the countertop with a pathetic whine, boiling liquid soaking into his fur and clothes. Cyrus was on him in a flash, fangs bared and dripping with venom as he hauled the beast up by the back of its shirt and manhandled him out the front door before it could recover.

When the lock clicked into place, and Clover could finally breathe again- She began to laugh.

She stared at the mess of the countertop, the metal pitcher and cup tumbling to the floor she pressed her shaking fingers to her face. No matter how hard she tried, or how aware she was of the demons currently watching her succumb to something that most certainly could qualify as insanity, she couldn't help the breathless giggles that overtook her- She'd given herself one hell of a shock. Cyrus's hands came into her view, the hesitant hover of his palms between them as he stepped up to the counter snapping her out of her spiral.

"I-" Clover's voice shook, her eyes wide as she looked up at him. "I've always wanted to do something like that."

A laugh track echoed through the room, and Clover's attention returned to Alastor; He stood just to the side of the door, arms folded behind his back as followed the predatory pace of the demon outside with a slow turn of his head. The hyena's gaze was trained on Clover, his lips pulled back into a feral snarl as outrage dripped to the sidewalk in thick, foamy clumps. His fur still steamed, the red of the bandana ties around his arm straining beneath the flex of muscles as it stalked on all fours- A sick crack of the Radio Demon's neck drew the beast's attention to him, terror turning predator into prey as backed away, tail tucked between it legs, and disappeared into the long shadows of the setting sun. With a harsh cough, Cyrus cleared his throat, laying a hand over Clover's on the countertop as he surveyed the chaos.

"I think we're clos-s-sin' early tonight," Cyrus awkwardly pat the back of her hand as he spoke, running a free hand through his hair so roughly it tugged at the roots. "You can, uh, head home."

Alastor turned from the window, his intimidating, twisted grin dropping to his normally pleasant demeanor as their eyes met. A moment of quiet returned the nervous flutter to Clover's chest, and then a decided breath rose his shoulders as he nodded towards the door.

"Perhaps, it would be best if you had an escort."