The following week or so went by without incident. She'd spent most of down time alone, with a few hours spent with the hotel's occupants scattered here and there; A drink at the bar with Husk, a cold sandwich shared with Niffty in the kitchen, idle chit-chat with Vaggie about their social media, and other small instances of interaction to keep her from squirreling herself away.

It was almost like the whole thing had never happened, which bothered her more than anything.

Clover wasn't sure what to make of her newfound quirk; Her camera had been tucked away into the refurbished bookcase she'd moved into her room, where it would remain untouched until whenever she decided how to move forward with it. The photographs of Alastor and Angel Dust had been tucked away into her bedside drawer, buried alongside the bulk of her paycheck beneath her laptop. She was steadily collecting a sad sort of shrine beside her pillow, the wilting flower she'd kept from their walk wrapped 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.

The two people she saw the least of, were perhaps the two she longed to talk to the most- Alastor was absent more often than not, Clover only managing to have short conversations with him when he came to the café for another cup of coffee or their paths crossed coming and going from the hotel. Angel had been called away nearly every night since he'd been unknowingly involved with their nonsense for work, but he seemed unbothered by the whole ordeal aside from the singular suspicious glance he gave Alastor and Clover when he caught them together.

That was until he walked into her room unannounced.

"Aye! C'mon, get dressed- We're goin' somewhere."

Clover jumped so hard she almost threw her computer off her bed, pausing the climax of her comedy with a sharp click as she blinked at the tall demon leaning into her open doorway.

"Where?"

"Out shoppin'," Angel replied. "C'mon, I'm buyin'."

"You don't have to-"

"Yeah, yeah , -' You don't have'ta do that'- I know. Now get your fluffy ass up and out'da door."

Angel disappeared abruptly as he had appeared, leaving Clover alone in her darkened room with only the glow of her laptop as company. Arguing with Angel Dust was never a good idea, not unless you were as stubborn as Alastor or Husk- Oh, what the hell, Clover thought as she untangled her legs from her comforter. Who was she to deny a good reason to get out of the house, especially when it was offered by one of the demons she'd been wishing for more time with?

When Clover walked out of her room, now properly dressed and hair combed, she found Angel pacing the hallway in front of his room- And suddenly she felt like a potato sack standing next to him in her casual attire, her dark jeans and long sleeves seeming so sloppy next to his suit jacket, skirt and sparkly sunglasses. Angel didn't seem to think twice about it, his impatient scowl switching to a wide smile as she joined him.

"I was wonderin' if I was gonna' have to drag ya' outa' that bed myself, toots!" Angel said as he linked his lower arm with hers and led her toward the lobby. "This won't take long, I promise!"

"It's fine Angel, I just wasn't really expecting to le-"

"Ah! There you are!"

The sudden, echoed exclamation when they rounded the corner to the staircase made them both jump, but while Clover had been startled into silence, Angel was much the opposite;

"Jesus fuckin' Christ Al!" Angel shouted. "Ya can't just pop out at people like that!"

Static popped against his frequency as Alastor regarded Angel's outburst with a tight smile before his attention turned to Clover.

"I have a proposition for you! If you would spare me a moment," The comment that followed seemed more for Angel's ears than Clover's, his voice thick with interference as he shot the spider a sharp look, but it still sent a chill down her spine. " Alone , preferably."

As that crimson turned back to capture her, Clover began to wonder if Alastor was naïve to his effect as she'd hoped he was; It was unnerving how no matter how used to him she thought she was, he somehow managed to flip the script at every turn. This was certainly no exception.

With a loud sigh, Angel pat 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 eye twitched at the wink that was sent his way as Angel slipped past, his ears pivoting to listen to the receding click of heels as Angel descended the staircase.

"So-" Clover cleared her throat, pulling Alastor's attention away from glowering after their mutual acquaintance as she attempted to cut to the chase. "Uh, what can I do for you, Al?"

With a click, Alastor's static switched to a soft swing, providing a pleasant backdrop to their conversation that would hopefully deter any eavesdropping from downstairs as dark claws took her by the arm and led her to a more shadowed corner of the landing. Alastor leaned into her as he spoke, his voice as hushed- As hushed as the Radio Demon's could be.

"I was wondering if you were free tomorrow evening. A friend of mine is hosting a special evening at her club, and I think you might find the 'aesthetics' entertaining- 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!"

Alastor startled at her sudden outburst of enthusiasm, his eyes as wide as hers as they blinked at each other. Clover fumbled to maintain some composure, her mind a mess of cursing and cooing over how adorable his surprised little expression was while she fought for some sense of rationality as the strangeness of the situation settled in. Was the Radio Demon asking her out , or was this just another friendly form of entertainment, like their walk in the park? Alastor talked quite a lot normally, but something about the excessive amount of explanation and the way he'd rushed through his words seemed- Strange, even by his standards. Even if Clover felt that she'd gotten to know him well enough to be a decent judge of his character, she knew better than to assume anything of Alastor.

"What I mean is- I would love to go with you Alastor," Clover tried to sound collected, but the tiny twitch his ears did as she'd begun to speak made it much harder to hide the flush slowly creeping its way up her neck. "What time would you like to meet? And, what should I wear? I don't even know if I own anything nice enough for something like that."

He stared at her for a moment longer, his expression seeming slightly far off as his jaw fell slack around his continuous smile; Then the static that had filled his frequency cleared with a click, and Alastor rocked backward on his heels as his voice returned to it's usual radio-worthy volume.

"It's already all taken care of!" Alastor said with a smile that only grew wider at her confusion. "I will collect you from the lobby at eight o'clock, sharp! Until then, my friend!"

With a swell of shadows, he was gone, Alastor leaving in a rushed flurry of magic that she hadn't quite gotten used to yet; It left behind a chill in the air, Clover suddenly feeling somehow colder despite the humidity sticking to her skin. Strange, Clover thought with a shiver. The whole thing was strange, but also it was- Oddly sweet, the beginnings of giddiness building beneath the heavy layers of shock and embarrassment that were attempting to swaddle her lungs.

Angel Dust looked up from badgering the bartender as she stumbled down the last steps, setting down his martini as he and Husk both watched as she made her way towards them on wobbly knees.

"Ready to go?" Clover hoped she sounded more steady than she felt, sending them both a reassuring smile as she looped her tote back over her shoulder. "Sorry about- That."

"I got'a drink outta' it, so hopefully we can call it a win-win."

Angel downed the rest of his drink before pushing off the bar, waiting for Clover to wave a timid goodbye to Husk before he strolled out the door. With a little luck, and Angel's ear-splitting whistle, he waved down a cab from the main street, and soon enough they were on their way to the more shopping-centric part of town. The cabbies' cursing as they sat at yet another red light became muffled as Angel slid closed the partition, his many fingers tapping against the seat between them until he finally grew tired of the quiet.

"So-" Angel drew out the word as he leaned into her shoulder, his fluff bumping against her temple as the cab jostled. "Ya' gonna tell me what that was all about?"

"What was what all about?"

"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?"

With a sigh, Clover pushed back against his shoulder until he sat straight in his seat again, giving herself room to think. It was a coin toss on whether whatever she said would be kept in confidence, as it could very easily be either used to irritate Alastor during one of their occasional spats or be told to the rest of the hotel over a few too many drinks- On the other hand, Angel was one of the only people she'd told the whole truth of her untimely tumble into hell, and as far as she knew, he'd kept that between them. It wasn't right to expect the worst of him, especially not if he was to be the friend she so desperately needed in a place like this, and it certainly did not help that she was having a hard time resisting the adorable little pout he'd put on when she'd failed to answer promptly.

Clover sank into the door, resting her forehead against the cool, tinted glass as she whispered the impossible to her reflection.

"I think I have a date with the Radio Demon."

Clover's small admission had opened the floodgates of questions about Alastor that Angel had saved up, and he'd not stopped his interrogation since they'd stepped inside their first stop on their shopping trip. The store was an odd mix and match of aesthetics but obviously geared towards more explicit clientele and their specialties if the curtained section in the rear was anything to go by. When Angel had caught her wide-eyed look, he'd explained that his boss had set up a special performance at one of Hell's many strip clubs and promised that once he'd found something to wear they could go to the other, more PG rates shops nearby; Either way, Clover was just happy to be out of the house, and didn't mind that she had the time to talk while he browsed.

"Ya know you're playin' the long game with that one, right?"

She looked up from the silken nightgown she had been eyeing while Angel practiced walking in different pairs of shoes, and found him leaning against the wall beside the display. Her fingers walked back from where they'd been searching for her size, Clover deciding that she probably wouldn't be able to get away with wearing such a thing even in the privacy of her bedroom and shifting her attention to his question.

"What do you mean?"

"With Smiles! I already told ya', he's a hard nut to crack- If ya' know what I mean."

"I don't know what you're talking about. We're just friends."

" Uh-huh , sure," Angel rolled his eyes, tilting slim hips as he leaned down to her level and gave her a knowing grin. "Al's a good-lookin' guy, and I've seen the way you two talk to each otha'- It ain't hard to tell that you've got a thing for him, toots."

"...Is it really that obvious?"

"Don't worry, I'm not in the business of sharin' someone's secrets- Honestly, it might be a lot more interestin' to see how long it takes him to figure out that you're goin' all goo-goo-eyed over 'im."

"I'm sure I'm not the first woman who has shown interest in him that he's had to turn down."

"Aye! Whaddaya' talkin' about, 'turn down'? That man's a wild card, you neva' have a fuckin' clue what he's gonna do next- Not to mention that he asked ya' out', so he obviously doesn't mind being close to ya'," Angel's brow wiggled as he bumped his hip into hers on his way to past, his voice dropping to a low tease that twitched her ears back against her head. " Real close, if I'm remembering' correctly."

"What are you talking abou- Oh."

Clover's stomach swooped as she thought back to that moment locked away in his darkened room; She'd tried to push all of her more distracting feelings aside to focus on the issue of her mysterious talent with photographs then, but as time went on it had become impossible to ignore the fleeting affects of his actions. The feeling of him boxing her in, so close that she could his breath on her skin had managed to linger through her attempts drowning her deadly attraction to the man who had sat himself at her side with too many cocktails and the distractions of his explanation of the finer points of pocket dimensions. Her booze-bubbled mind had overanalyzed every move he made that night, watching long fingers drum against the bar top and trace the rim of a glass with far more intent than her sober mind had ever managed before. When her overconsumption had begun to blur the image of Alastor crowding into her personal space with the thought she'd only dared let her mind wander to in the dead of night, Clover had decided to excuse herself. Boiling herself in her shower that night had been enough to sober her, but not enough to match the heat that settled under her skin.

If nothing else, that night had solidified that her stupid, curious crush on the Radio Demon had grown into something more, into feelings that did not waver when he came too close or when she dared to wonder what it would be like to touch his skin. Bringing herself to do anything about it was out of the question; It would be a risk, not only to their friendship but to her mental state, and Clover was not sure she would be able to survive the embarrassment of it- She was barely able to withstand the nervous nagging in her stomach as Angel Dust's smile turned more salacious with each passing second of her silence.

"You know how Alastor is," Clover said quickly, cursing the way her voice quivered. "He doesn't 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, that's all."

"No, what you have is the hots for the Radio Demon. I can tell when someone's horny toots, it's kinda' my job."

"Angel! That's- Not something we should be talking about."

Angel laughed, a loud wheeze that echoed in the high ceilings of the store as he slid back into his boots; It continued to ripple his words as he talked, his long arms reaching out to pull her down into the seat next to him as the conversation continued.

"Listen, I get it- But if you're gonna' 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 even if he doesn't at all, that won't matter when you're lyin' in bed at night tossin' and turnin' thinkin' about him shovin' you up against a wall or whateva' else you're into " Clover buried her face in her hands at that, and Angel didn't miss a beat, leaning into her side so she couldn't escape his teasing even as his shoulders shook with soft laughter. "And who knows, maybe Al just doesn't do the casual thing- He's gotta have somethin', all you mammal types do in one way or anotha'."

Her fingers parted so she could peer sideways at him, her brow furrowing as she tried to wrap her head around whatever the fuck he was alluding to.

"I have so many questions."

The couch shifted beneath her as he stood and stretched, sinking her further into it's deflating pleather fluff. Angel gathered up his choices of clothing and took them to the front counter, kicking whatever he didn't want back behind the dressing room curtain before helping her up from her seat.

"I think-" Angel said as he linked his arm with hers and began to drag her towards the curtained-off section at the back of the store. "That you need somethin' to take the edge off if you're gonna deal with that charismatic bastard for a whole night- Which reminds me, do we need tuh' get ya' something 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 strawberry suga' daddy- You got shoes you can 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. I'd bet the house that whateva' shindig he's takin' ya' to is at one'a those old fashioned type joints, so expect booze, a band, and a whole lotta' dancin'."

"I- I cannot dance like that, 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.

"Okay, okay! Calm down. Once we're done doin' a little retail therapy, whaddaya' say we grab somethin' to eat on the way home? And then, you and I are gonna' do a little crash course in dancin'- Now, ya' never answered about the shoes. Do you have anything you can wear?"

"Do sneakers and combat boots count?"

"Nope," Angel snorted, ruffling her hair in good humor. "Sorry toots, but you're gonna need somethin' with a little more heel than that."

Her shoes skittered against the floor as they neared the heavy curtain that blocked off the back of the store from the front windows; Clover had spent enough time in the alternative stores that dotted Earth shopping malls to know what was back there, 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, and speaking of it so freely with others wasn't something she found easy to do- That was not helped by the many people who had tried to convince her that she'd simply not found the right person, or that she was broken, on the rare occasion she did open up. Her desire was locked behind an iron door, and the appearance of its key was as fleeting as the few she'd mistakenly given it to; The fact that the physicality of her feelings was only brought forth by the deadly combination of trust and communication had been the final nail in the coffin that was her dreadful history with sex. If Clover was going to have that conversation with anyone now that she'd wiped that slate clean, Angel Dust seemed like her best option, but only time would tell if she'd take up his offer.

Angel unlinked his arm from hers when she hesitated and disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Clover to linger with her thoughts while the sound of heels and shuffling boxes piqued her curiosity. When he reappeared he was holding an opaque box with red lettering behind his back, juggling it between all four arms as she fought to catch a glimpse at its label as he took off for the front counter; He only stopped to circle the display she'd been looking at before, Angel giving her a quick once-over before he pulled one of the nightgowns from the rack and tossed it over his shoulder. Clover followed at a crawl, knowing that she wouldn't be able to argue with the hot-headed arachnid now that she'd given in. They stepped out into the street arm and arm, Angel swinging the heavy pink bag of his purchases at his side as they headed off to their next destination.

"C'mon sweetheart, let's get you some dancin' shoes."