"Where are we going?"

"You'll soon see! Unless you'd like to go back to the hotel?"

"Absolutely not."

"Then have patience, my dear!"

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. Clover had returned to her room to rush through her morning routine and dress for the day, rejoining Alastor on the landing and following after his quick steps out the front door as she tugged her sweater over her head to fight off the morning chill. Alastor did not slow until they reached their first crosswalk, stopping suddenly to offer 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 anxious aversion to touch today; Not without revealing how the gesture made her swoon. Alastor was all manners, she knew it meant nothing to him, but that didn't stop her heart from skipping a beat as she placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her across the street. On the outside, Clover was a slowly but surely cracking mask of calm, thanking whoever still looked fondly upon her that his gloves would keep him from feeling the nervous dampness of her palms, but on the inside- Well, it was chaos. She overthought over step she took, trying to focus on matching his pace while her subconscious screamed the nonsense of her infatuation; The weight of Alastor's hand in hers gave her a focus, drawing her back to that naïve want for understanding, and she decided to approach the question it begged for.

"Can we have a conversation about something?"

"I thought we were already!" Alastor replied, chipper as ever.

"Something else, something that we've both mentioned but we've not properly talked about. I think it's something that we should address if we're to continue with- Whatever we're doing."

"Well, with a segue such as that who could resist!"

He'd let her hand go, but the feeling of it still sat heavily in her fingers as she hid them in the sleeves of her sweater. Clover hummed thoughtfully, searching for where to begin and deciding that being blunt was maybe her best bet.

"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- 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 thought about it like that- Actually our acquaintance has caused nothing but a bother from others with how worried everyone seems to be about it," Clover sighed, her irritation evident in her voice and echoed in the unsatisfied hum he gave in response; Her babbling continued, more rushed now that she was afraid she'd upset him. "Besides! I'm doing just fine on my own, it's not my fault that you're the only person who's seemed to notice."

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

Alastor's radio flickered thoughtfully through stations for a moment before he leaned 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 decade or so, my life has become mundane- So much so that I found myself stepping away from the limelight to contemplate what the future may hold. The hotel was one of many attempts to bring back the spark I once had, as 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 its journey will be a leisurely one. You, my dear, have provided immediate interest and exploration that I simply could not ignore. In short, our feelings are mutual; I am fond of your company."

Blood rushed behind her ears, and Clover had to shake her head at the sound so she wouldn't miss a word, feeling it shift to the surface as her skin as what he'd truly said sank in; Even if she was nothing to him but a fresh form of entertainment, the fact that Alastor openly admitted to enjoying whatever this acquaintanceship was turning out be on top of the fact that he'd taken her offer and sought out her companionship felt- Special, and Clover intended to treat it as such.

"Would you call us friends?" She said, immediately feeling a bit silly.

Alastor chuckled, and for a moment she felt like he'd found her out as he turned to look at her with an incredibly confusing crinkle in his eye and held out another hand. The street he helped her to cross was unfamiliar, the tight-knit alleyways opening up into an almost airy area as they turned into a small alcove and took the secret staircase within it.

"I would!" Alastor replied. "That title has been granted to very few people in my life, and even less in death."

"Maybe that's a good thing, too many people get hurt by those they call their friends."

Clover was quiet as they walked down the stairwell, too focused on not falling to talk. As she leaned into the railing, she became aware of the hand that hovered near the small of her back, ready to aid her should she need it. The phantom feeling disappeared as soon as her feet were back on level ground, and Clover rushed to the point before she lost sight of it.

"So, we've established that we both have an aversion to touch."

"I... believe so," Alastor replied slowly, sounding equally careful and curious about where this conversation was going.

"To explain better, mine comes and goes- It's much worse when I'm having a bad day, and heavily depends on how well I know the person attempting to touch me. Strangers touching me makes my skin crawl, and sometimes that never goes away, but most of the time I'll become better with accepting touch from someone as I become closer with them."

"I see."

"What I'm trying to say- I think- is that I have faith in your ability to respect if I say 'Not today', and I don't want you to second guess actions that you're comfortable doing, especially those done out of politeness. You know, since we're friends and all."

She held her breath for his response, watching the shadow of his ears flick as they slowed to static silence and hoping that it didn't mean he'd read 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 meant that she was indeed developing real feelings for him; Instead of the sharp pin and needle feeling of discomfort the touch of an unknown would have caused, Alastor's had become easy frighteningly early into knowing him, his presence almost soothing if not for the way it sent sparks dancing across her skin. It was yet another sign of the danger he posed to her, and yet another she was more than willing to ignore.

Alastor stopped so suddenly she nearly ran into him, Clover barely avoiding colliding with his shoulder as he turned on his heel to face her.

"You put more faith in me than anyone would ever dare to, I hope you realize that." He said, leaning crowding into her personal space as he regarded her with a curious tilt of his head.

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

He straightened with a small hop, and Clover found herself smiling at the tiny little wiggle of his ears as he did so.

"So! You're proposing that as long as there is a mutual understanding between us, 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'll ask for your permission or wait for you to offer!- And the next time I don't agree to your offers, you can assume I'm just not in the best mood- so we can both feel more comfortable that the other isn't agreeing just to be polite. Besides, I couldn't really do anything of harm to you anyway, so it's a win-win; Sound like a good deal?"

It didn't take long for her to realize she'd fucked up.

Alastor's eyes flashed with devious darkness, his smile stretching unsettlingly as the air around them grew heavy. His microphone twirled between his fingers before it dropped to the empty cobblestone walkway with an echoing "crack" that crushed the normal pink hue of hell with a blinding flash of green. Clover watched it all with wide eyes, her heart racing as she was overcome with an abstract mix of emotion and awe as she was abruptly faced with the true face of the deal maker; Fear was undoubtedly one of them, but this unexpected view into the darker sides of Alastor had also sparked an incredible sense of wonder that out shown any panic that might have risen from the realization. Clover blinked in the glory of it all, her eyes struggling to stay open so she could take in every detail as he spoke in a voice so charming it had to be dishonest.

"So, it's a deal then?"

Clover rushed to get herself out of this situation- As innocent as this deal seemed, and as much good faith as she was attempting to put in Alastor, she knew a bad idea when she saw one. Her brain fumbled, rushing to find a way around this roadblock and finding a solution in the silliest way possible, but it was just silly enough to work.

She raised a pinky, tasting metallic on her tongue as she spoke softly into the static between them.

"It's a promise?"

Everything froze for what felt like forever, Alastor's eyes flickering back and forth between her extended finger and the confident expression she was struggling to maintain; She tried her best to hold his gaze, only breaking eye contact to watch the confused flicking of his ears. Suddenly Alastor's display shattered, and Clover's ears shot forward as he doubled over into a loud, barking laugh that echoed off the buildings around them. Long fingers intertwined with hers, linking their pinkies together in the promise that lingered through his laughter before Alastor cupped her hand in his and placed it against his arm. Her feet moved before her mind caught up with him, feeling her forearm press into his side and her fingers twist gently in the sleeve of his coat as they continued their journey together.

"I'm very glad we've had this conversation!" Alastor said. "It's safer for you to be seen on my arm in the Colony anyhow, so stay close darling! You may never know who is feeling a bit peckish in these parts."

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 way 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 with her breath. Most of 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 unearthly life, luscious green nearly blinding against the background of red brick. The courtyard they had entered was immaculate, its single curving cobblestone path leading out into a small inner city park and winding around a single water fountain that had just begun to trickle to life as the sun rose on the horizon. Beneath her feet, the stones were dotted with moss, weeds peering between the marked steps and curling around the toes of her shoes. There was too much to take in, Clover's eyes unable to move quickly enough to drink in the details- She could feel Alastor watching her, gauging her reaction to this secret garden as her fingers tightened around the crook of his elbow, but she still wasn't prepared for the softness of his voice.

"Are you alright?"

Before she could ask him what he'd meant, the heavy dampness that had collected around her eyes began to fall; 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 now, of all times. Clover blinked back as many of her tears as she could and nodded when her throat clenched around her attempts to speak, turning her attention back towards the oasis he'd brought her to in an attempt to distract them both. A tiny gasp slipped through as she spied the flowers nestled into the bushes a few yards away, and before she could unwind her arm from his and take off on her own, Alastor took notice and led her towards them. He released her as they grew near, clutching his microphone as she hovered tentative fingers over the petals of red roses.

"You may take one if you'd like!" He said, his voice a thunder crack through the scene's serenity. "I would collect it for you myself if not for- Well..."

Alastor's hand passed over an already wilting rose, gloved fingers barely brushing one of the petals before the flower curled into itself and began to turn black. She watched in stunned silence as its corpse fell to his feet, unsure of how to respond to this new, heart-aching quirk he'd shown her. Turning back to the flowers still blooming brightly from their bush, Clover chewed it over until her cheek turned bloody beneath her teeth, before reaching out with decided confidence; Clover took care as she wound her fingers between the bush's lush leaves, dodging the flower's thorns as best she could and snapping the stem. Her hands shook as she pulled the plucked flower from its home and looked again to where Alastor's gaze was still stuck 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 up to turn his attention to her, freezing her quivering fingers into stillness as his brow furrowed at her request. She was afraid he'd deny her completely from how heavily he regarded her, his eyes flickering to every anxious shift of her feet while he stood in utter stillness. When he finally gave her the grace of a response, Clover could have dared to call his tone timid, the words spoken carefully into the space between them.

"You may."

Clover took one step forward, pausing just in case he'd change his mind and pull away before hesitant fingers slid beneath the lapel of his coat, finding the single buttonhole that sat above the rest and quickly pressing the stem of the rose into it with her thumb. The feeling of his chest pressed against her knuckles sent strange stirrings into the pit of her stomach that she fought to ignore, and Clover tried her best to continue breathing; Alastor didn't dare to take a breath until she was done. The solid feeling of him against her skin lingered as she pulled away, her hands wringing together hopefully as she waited to see if her hypothesis had been correct. Alastor was similarly intrigued, his head turning down to look at the flower now neatly tucked against his lapel with a furrowed brow. When the flower remained unchanged, a collective breath was released between them.

It felt like an eternity before he spoke again.

"How…charming." Alastor's eyes darted up to hers, his expression softening as he nodded his head toward the remaining roses. "I think you deserve one as well."

Breathing slowly through her nerves, Clover turned back to the rose bush to pick her prize. She wandered down its expanse, looking for a bud that called to her; She found it far away from the rest, a single white flower proudly blooming in the most shadowed part of the park. She plucked it as she had the other one, attempting to carefully wind her fingers around the thorns, but a rustling from the bushes beside her as she snapped the stem startled her.

"Fuck-"

Watching the trickle of blood that sprung from her fingertip as it leaked into the lines of her palm, Clover quickly moved to tug the sleeve of her sweater down over her unmarred hand as she shifted the flower over and lifted the broken skin to her lips to suck the wound- She was stopped by the firm grip of Alastor taking hold of her wrist. She blinked in surprise, her hand going limp in his as she looked to him for an explanation. His gaze was unreadable, trained on the trail of blood that had run over the cup of her palm and began to drip down her wrist, its bright red contrasting against the paleness of her skin. Alastor's smile twitched at one corner, his eyes flickering between the scarlet staining her skin and the open area around them before the slightest glimpse of tongue against his teeth as his gaze fell to the blood pooling in her palm stalled her frantically beating heart, and Clover understood.

Cannibal.

A thousand thoughts crossed her mind, most of them shoved into the depths of shame to be blamed on her darker tastes in personal media- None of them contained the fear she was sure she should have felt, just that aching curiosity that she had let lead her to this moment, and when their eyes met again she knew that he had seen it in her. A handkerchief was quickly produced from his pocket, dark red and silken, and the breath she'd been holding escaped so abruptly that she wavered on her feet; Alastor held her fast, grasping her elbow as he cradled his microphone into the crook of his arm so he could free his hands. Goosebumps were scattered across her flesh as he gently wiped the blood from her skin, making sure no drop was left behind before he pressed the fabric against her wound and closed his fist firmly around it. When he was satisfied that she had stopped bleeding, he released her, leaving the handkerchief behind as he retreated with measured steps.

"Perhaps you should use that to hold your prize until we return home," Alastor said, and she could have sworn he sounded a bit out of breath. "We wouldn't want any more accidents, now would we?"

Clover couldn't think of how to respond to that, so instead she took the advice and wrapped the handkerchief around the sharp stem, double-checking that she'd not stained the flower petals. Once she was done, she looked to Alastor again and found him already offering her his arm;

"Shall we?"