"Where are we going now?"

"We're just going to drop in on a friend of mine, to see what she might do for that hand of yours."

The hand in question was currently pressed against Alastor's side, his other laying over hers as he guided her along; The gesture was too insincerely romantic for Clover to stand, the nerves of her fingers buzzing in time with his radio static from where he'd trapped them beneath his glove. Alastor was walking her swiftly down the cobbled streets, winding through groups of grinning demons and gore with an uncanny ease and giving a gaggle of women who called out to him a short wave before crossing the road to avoid them. Clover's head turned at every sound, taking in the atmosphere as much as she could; On one turn of her head she thought she caught Alastor watching from the corner of his eye, but when she looked again his gaze had retrained on the road in front of them. Before she knew it they had stopped in the street before a large pink building, it's windows shining beneath striped awnings and a cursive sign reading "Rosie's Emporium" hanging from the second floor balcony.

"I feel like I'm painfully underdressed for this..." Clover mumbled.

Alastor's shoulders shook with a soft laugh as he led her to the front door, dropping her arm momentarily to open it with a flourish that ushered her inside- Her sneakers squeaked against the tile as she stopped short of the threshold, and she quickly glanced down to make sure she wasn't tracking anything across the clean floor. The feeling of being out of place grew worse as she stepped into the room, the corners crowded with cannibals in varying level of period appropriate attire that outshone her simple street clothes. A crystal chandelier hung from high ceilings, bouncing rainbows across the room and it's variety of products as the rising sun drifted in from outside and sending their shadows stretching towards the the front desk. Her heart leapt when she realized Alastor had waited for her to settle in before pushing further into the room, standing still beside her before he cleared his throat with a short cough. His microphone gently tapped at the backs of her knees to shepherd her forward, Alastor following close behind her as they headed for the front counter. A short tap of clawed fingers sent the bell on the desktop ringing into the quiet room, and Clover's ears twitched at the high pitched trill of it, but much less than they did at the clear voice that called out from the staircase above them.

"Alastor!'

The woman that came down the stairs instantly intimidated Clover, in more ways than one. She was tall, dressed in early 1900's clothing that accentuated the curves of her frame and leading her steps with a closed parasol that clicked against the tiles. Like the rest of the demons that seemed to stay solely in this section of the city she wore a wide razor-sharp smile that widened as she turned her head between them, oddly cheerful black sockets seeming to take in the unlikely pair before she turned to Alastor.

"What a sight for sore sockets you are! You've stayed away far too long, I was worried you'd run off again and-" The woman stopped short of laying her hand against Alastor's shoulder as she noticed Clover beside him, and instead planted it on her knees as she leaned down to look her over. "And who is this little darling? Oh, Alastor, she's much too sweet for you- And shiny like a new penny to boot! Looks like you can teach an old dog a few new tricks now and then!"

Clover could feel herself shrinking, becoming more self-conscious the longer she stood beneath the black depths of her gaze. Resisting her urge to hide herself behind Alastor and fumbling with the rose she clutched to her chest, Clover felt herself begin to blush at the implications between them and felt her tongue tie itself into knots. Luckily, Alastor came to her aid, seeming oddly comfortable with the assuming commentary of his friend as he swept an arm behind Clover and nudged her forward with a wild smile.

"This is my friend, Clover! She's quite the interesting young arrival that's found a home at my hotel. I was showing her one of the parks, you see, but those pesky rose bushes have proved problematic for us this morning. I was wondering if, perhaps, you had some first aid for her in your arsenal of supplies."

Alastor turned expectantly to Clover, and his eyes bright as he waited for- Something. Clover quickly realized he was waiting for her to say hello, so she swallowed the lump in hers throat with a gulp she hoped wasn't as audible as it felt and tried her best to remember her manners.

"It's nice to meet you, mam'."

The woman perked up at the polite greeting, placing delicate fingers under Clover's chin and tilting it up until they were more properly eye to eye. It took everything in Clover not to shrink away as dark depths looked her over, but just when the edge of unease had began to drag across her nerves, the woman's grin widened; Clover's face wrinkled as a gloved finger tapped the pink tip of her nose, the woman smiling brightly at her before looking up to address Alastor.

"She's absolutely adorable, I am so glad you're expanding your horizons Alastor. Now, if only you would allow me to properly mend that coat of yours…"

"Rosie, now is not the time. We have a busy day ahead of us!"

"I bet you do," The woman now known as Rosie turned back to Clover, still crouched down to her eye level as her toothy smile softened at each corner. "You'll have to excuse him, sometimes even the best of men have a lapse in manners. It's a pleasure to meet you, dear."

Rosie took Clover by the arm without another glance in Alastor's direction, pulling her towards the doorway into the backroom with swift steps as she called out over her shoulder for Alastor to wait there. The sudden onslaught of static on the room turned her head, and Clover caught sharp tilt of Alastor's head as he peered between the emporiums patrons before heavy curtains fell shut behind her.

The room she was swept into was as tidy as the one before it, the walls lined with boxes of spare merchandise and rolls of fabric. Clover was placed into a chair in it's farthest corner, her boots intuitively tucking beneath her as she watched Rosie drift towards a set of shelves and retrieve a small metal box. Her injured hand was timidly offered up to Rosie's waiting palm; The dried blood that stained her pale skin raised worry for a second, Clover still acutely aware of where she was, but it was wiped away with a small cloth and a bottle of alcohol. Rosie hummed as she worked, taking care to flatten the edges of the plaster she placed over the cut and patting Clover's hand affectionately once she was done.

"I do hope you realize that he didn't have to bring you here," Rosie leaned in to whisper, watching as Clover's brow furrowed in confusion before continuing on with a knowing smile. "Even if you'd been fatally wounded, anyone our part of town would be a fool to try and take a bite out of you when you're attached to him at the hip. I'm sure he's just using this an excuse to introduce us."

Clover blinked at the comment, as much sense as it made, but her curiosity ate at her anyway.

"Our part of town?"

"Of course! Well- Technically it's my little corner of hell, but he's such a dear that I can't help but include him in all the fun. Now, why he's decided that we are meant to meet in this moment is beyond me, but who am I to deny an opportunity to cater to one of my most loyal clients, and for a belle of his choosing with such a fashionable figure!"

"Pardon?"

Rosie stood and returned the metal box back to it's proper place before producing a measuring tape seemingly out of nowhere- They both paused when the amplified sounds of radio static drifted through the curtain among the rest of the background chatter of the front room, and Rosie's eyes seemed much brighter than before she turned to Clover again.

"You heard me properly the first time with those charming ears of yours, I'm sure. Now, please stand."

Clover did as she was told, trying her best not to stare at the demon that was currently turning her by placing gloved hands on her hips and winding a blood red measuring tape around every limb. Rosie worked quietly, taking a pencil from a skirt pocket to write in curling numbers onto a spare piece of paper and mumbling to herself about darts and boning as she went; It was only when she'd crouched to take Clover's inseam that she spoke again, and it took everything for Clover not to jump at the sudden reintroduction into conversation.

"Ask your questions, it's alright."

"I don't-" Clover began, but the knowing look she was given stopped her excuses short; It seemed she had no choice but to let her curiosity get the better of her again. "So, you're close to Al?"

"We've been friends for a long time. A man of his kind makes pleasant company in a place like this, he's got such a sparkle about him!"

Clover's lip caught between her teeth, her worries working on tearing the soft skin to shreds as she thought. Despite assuming that Alastor had alliances in someway or another, it was a little different to be faced with it up close; Even more so when he'd admitted that friendship was something he didn't often come by. It was silly, to feel the way she was- She hadn't earned the right to have the sick feeling that was pooling in her stomach and making her blood run hot, feeling a familiar green ichor seep into her soul. Jealousy was one of her many emotional vices, and it never failed to come to her at the wrong moments.

"Now, is our mutual friend's signature color also to your liking?" Rosie looked over Clover's clothing as she stood, the end of her pencil tapping against her chin. "Or do you prefer a complimentary set to a matching one?"

"I couldn't possibly afford anything from you, not even a pair of socks, I'm sorry."

"Dear, you're not the one whose paying. You'll learn that about Alastor soon enough."

Rosie pulled a yard of fabric with a flick of her wrist, draping the silken crimson across her shoulders before stepping back for a moment to ponder the choice. When that swatch was returned, she pulled another, and another after that one, a pattern which continued until the nearby table was piled high with swatches and Rosie seemed satisfied. Her hands clapped together with finality as she began to wander back towards the door, and Clover sped across the room once she'd realized their encounter had come to a close.

"We'll be seeing each other again soon, I'm sure. I hope the rest of your day is as pleasant as mine shall be now that I've this little project to look forward to," Rosie said, her voice dropping to a whisper and her smile knowing. "And don't fret, dear. You've nothing to fear from me. As much as I adore him, Alastor is not my type; Many of us have known him for far too long to be taking those chances now, and the rest of us know that he rarely gives them. "

"I wasn't even thi-"

"Yes, you were, your heart is on your sleeve darling, and I suggest you take a little more care in concealing it. Now, off you go."

In the bright lights of the storefront, Clover's eyes found Alastor. She was thankful they did, for if she'd dallied a second longer she'd have missed the sudden shift in his demeanor. His pacing stopped as soon as the curtain had been drawn, his ears relaxing back from where they'd been pushed forward to better listen through the hustle and bustle as that signature smile snapped back into place; If she'd not known any better, Clover might had wondered if the warbled shape his smile had been before was a sign of concern.

"Ah, there you are!" Alastor said as they rejoined him in the center of the room. "It's curious how long it takes to put on a bandage, don't you think?"

"Alastor, dear, you know how ladies are, we were just talking about my fabric supplies!" Rose replied.

"Indeed. Well! We must be going, but I'll be sure to stop by as soon as I can."

Rosie's brow quirked upwards in interest as Alastor offered Clover his arm, as if she was surprised by the gesture, and Clover proudly linked her arm with his and allowed him to sweep her out the door with a hurried farewell. Once they were safely away from the prying eyes of the emporium Clover chanced a glance up at him, feeling herself falling more with every note of soft swing that played from his radio. He seemed utterly at ease with her, the weight of his arm sitting heavily against her side and his smile softer than it had been while inside. It took everything not to stutter and instantly avert her gaze when he turned to her, the filter of his radio dropping from his voice.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just-" Before he could read too far into her silence, she shook herself of her love-stricken gaze and focused on the road ahead so she could better think. "Thank you, for this. I really enjoyed seeing this part of the city, it's wonderful."

"Isn't it though? We can visit again if you'd like, I'm sure Rosie would be happy to host you again! Though I would avoid wandering too close without me at your side."

"That's alright," Clover said. "I think I'd prefer it with you anyway."