She'd never taken a hotter shower than this.
Niffty had offered to draw her a bath, but Clover declined. She needed to put this day behind her, to watch it be washed down the drain, not sit and stew with it for any longer than was needed. That was to be left to whatever was going to happen once she went downstairs again, when she knew she would have her friends beside her to help her wade through it. Now, she was just focused on the feeling of false rainfall against her skin.
The burn was comforting despite the harsh red blossoming across her skin, and Clover only made it worse by attempting to scratch away the feeling of Valentino's touch. She'd cried herself out, thankful her tears were camouflaged by the water that streamed over her face despite the fact that there was no-one there to see them.
It was the sound of Angel's rustling from beyond the bathroom door that eventually drew her out of her steamy solitude. She'd been relieved when he'd asked if she wanted him to stay, Clover not in the mindset to voice her need and thankful that he'd taken her nod as enough of an answer. She could hear muttered voices over the sound of water rushing past her ears, but it stopped once the shower was turned off, and the soft click of her bedroom door closing sat heavily in the silence that followed. Even with the water gone, the warm steam lulled her into staying a moment longer to drag her fingers through the condensation that had collected on the glass doors. Lazy circles took shape as she focused into them, twisting into bastardized versions of sigils she'd seen reflected in broken television screens, before they were all smeared away with a swipe of her palm against the glass.
When she returned to her bedroom, the clothes that she'd tossed into the floor were gone and the room shined with the reflection Niffty's efforts; Her bed was freshly made, her bookshelf dusted and her laundry sat folded on her reading chair. Angel had taken a place perched on the edge of her windowsill, long legs stretched out in front of him as he fiddled with the edge of dark curtains. Wrapping a towel around herself and ignoring the dripping of hair that sent heavy droplets rolling over her shoulders before it fell into the carpet, Clover stepped out into her bedroom. Angel was on his feet again as soon as she'd opened the door, waiting until Clover had picked up her glasses from her dresser to speak.
"You, uh- You okay?"
Clover couldn't help but smile, watching as he shuffled awkwardly on the far side of the room and waited for her response.
"I'm okay, I feel better now."
"I neva' been on the otha' side of, well- This shit, the aftermath."
She knew what he meant, and as much as it broke her heart, she was thankful that she had someone who understood.
"It's okay Angie', I'm just glad that you're here."
"You pickin' up that nickname from Cherri?" Angel laughed, pushing himself away from the wall to join her in front of her open closet.
"Guess so, I dunno- I thought it was cute, is that okay?"
It wasn't until he'd moved out from behind her bed that she noticed Fat Nuggets circling his feet, snorting softly as he pawed at sagging striped socks. Angel bent to scoop up the squirming pig, cradling him in one arm and bouncing him softly as he leaned against the closet door beside her.
"Yea, I don't mind it, besides, I don't think I've called ya' your real name since ya' told me it."
"That's probably true." She smiled as she watched Nuggets twist in Angel's arms, the tiny demon piglet only pausing its squealing when she pressed a gentle finger against its nose and ran her knuckles across the soft skin of its underbelly.
Clover turned to her closet with a heavy sigh, staring into the dark mass for a moment before pulling her towel tighter around herself and beginning the task of finding something to wear that would not further irritate the raw nerves beneath her skin. Before the silence could become too grating, she decided to ask the question she probably already knew the answer to.
"So, I'm gonna guess everyone is going to want to know what happened?"
"Uh, yeah- Kinda, but we also guessed you'd wanna know what we was doin'."
Her ears fell against her spine as she craned back to look at him, her glasses sliding up her face and catching on her furrowed brow. In the moment it took for her to adjust the frames, she swore his eyes turned blue.
"What do you mean?"
"Alastuh' said you like knowin' stuff like that, that you were askin' questions on the way home. I honestly don't know why the bastard made ya' walk all that way-"
"I told him I could, don't blame him."
"Damn toots, that's a power mood if I eva' saw one."
Clover snorted, returning her posture to its proper place and reaching into her closet. She collected a few contenders, tossing them onto her bed with only mild guilt that she was ruining Niffty's hard work before moving on to her dresser. Feeling Angel's eyes on her, Clover turned to him, finding the spider demon staring down at the bare skin of her arms as she dug through the open drawers. Red lines ran from collarbone to wrist, crisscrossing across each other before disappearing beneath fuzzy black fabric. The same pattern covered her legs, bleeding together in red patches along the tops of her thighs where she wasn't covered by her towel. Once she'd located the pair of leggings she'd been looking for and tossed them into the growing pile of clothing on her bed, she reached out to him, patting his shoulder gently until his eyes returned to hers.
"I did that, don't start jumping to conclusions. Nothing like that happened."
"You already tell Al that?" Angel instantly relaxed, leaning into her touch as his concern shifted focus. He seemed content with her short hum of agreement, moving to fall back onto her bed as she grabbed her undergarments and ducked back into the bathroom. "Charlie ordered food, if you're hungry. I know sometimes that kinda' thing fucks ya' appetite for a while…"
The idea died on his lips, Angel's voice trailing off into a silence that spurred Clover's need to comfort.
"Angel, do you want me to tell you exactly what happened, or will it open up old wounds for you?"
From her spot leaning halfway out of the door, Clover watched as a thousand emotions crossed his face. She'd have run to him if she wasn't currently exposed, cursing herself that they were having this conversation now while she was currently undressed and rubbing lotion into the sore spots she'd scrubbed into her skin. Luckily, Angel was quiet for only a few seconds before he was leaning forward, planting his elbows on his knees and speaking to her with severe sincerity.
"Somethin' about the way you're handlin' this makes me feel like this ain't the first time you've dealt with someone like Val."
Clover felt every ounce of oxygen leave her system, her mouth falling open at the bluntness of his statement. She recovered as quickly as she could, ignoring the flashes to tainted memories that came forward as she struggled to get her undergarments to sit properly against her damp skin. Swallowing back the nauseous bubbling in her throat, Clover fought to steady her voice as she replied.
"It isn't. I- Well, I've told you I had some bad relationships, right?"
"Ya' mentioned it."
She sighed, taking the pins she'd left on the sink and twisting her hair out of her face before she returned to her room now that she was somewhat decent.
"To condense this collection of long stories into a slightly more palatable form, the tone for every intimate interaction with the opposite sex I've had in my life has been incredibly sour, as have a couple of my scattered interactions with the same sex, now that I think about it. There's a reason I'm so careful when speaking the language of consent, my childhood would have gone much smoother if I'd learned it earlier on." Clover did her best to ignore the panicked twist in Angel's expression, tugging a shirt she knew wouldn't rest too closely to her skin over her head.
"...So that's why ya' looked at me the way ya' did, when ya' came and got me from da' club."
"I can't imagine what you've been through, Angel, I don't think anything that I've experienced can compare-"
"Stop that, we've both been through some shit."
Clover sat beside him, now fully dressed, and took the hand that was offered to her.
"Valentino didn't do anything invasive. Hands wandered, he said some inappropriate shit, pumped my lungs full of pheromones, threw me around a little. I might have some bruises, but that's it."
"Those pheromones fuckin' suck." Angel chuckled, twisting her hand between his palms and stretching her fingers experimentally. "It's a fucked up powa' to give a person like him, bein' able to make someone outta' their mind horny at the drop of a hat."
"I didn't really have that reaction. It just kinda made me feel like I wasn't in control of my body, sluggish in an irritating way. Fucked up my breathing too, it felt like this one time I got too high in college but way worse."
The idle fiddling of his hands stopped, Angel leaning back to look at her properly as his face twisted in confusion.
"That's weird as fuck', no offense. His shit is like, patented. Used as a jumping off point for all these otha' drugs that they sell in his shops and on da' black market and shit. Supposed to work extra' well on us animal types too, I've been around Val for fuckin' decades and it still hits me like a ton'a bricks every time he turns it on."
Clover shrugged, scooting over to allow Fat Nuggets to worm his way between their hips.
"I dunno, maybe it's because my sexuality doesn't really work like yours."
"This the "door with'a key" thing again?"
Giggling through her hummed agreement, Clover slid off her bed and reached for the cardigan that sat on top of her clean laundry.
"You know how Al is, right? How he doesn't really show interest in that kind of thing?"
"Yeah, what does that have tuh' do with you? I know you've got a sex drive suga' you can't fool- Oh!" Angel fell back onto her bed, covering his face with his hands as he huffed in irritation. Fat Nuggets crawled onto his chest, the tiny pig struggling to stay balanced as Angel threw his arms out beside him with a soft thud. "I'm a fuckin' idiot."
Clover couldn't help but laugh as she shoved her feet into the flats that functioned as her house shoes. She nearly tripped over her own toes when Angel suddenly exclaimed behind her.
"Wait! That means ya' only get it up for Al, right?"
"Angel."
"What? That's how it works, isn't it?" Angel turned his head towards her, pointing a finger accusingly in her direction. "Ya' did use the vibrata', that's why ya' won't tell me! When was it? Afta' ya' date? Did it work okay, I can get ya' somethin' else if ya' don't li-"
"Angel!"
Clover sighed, running her hands over her face before moving to stand in front of him. He blinked at her hands as she reached them out to him, Nuggets scampering off his chest as he took hold of them.
"Can we talk about this later? After, I dunno', a couple of shots or something." Pulling Angel to sit upright again, Clover ruffled his hair with a gentle pat when he nodded in agreement.
As tender as the subject they'd started this conversation on was, their talk was helping, Clover now feeling light enough to bounce away from him when he attempted to reach out and do the same to her bangs. She fixed them herself as they passed her mirror, taking deep breaths as she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.
"Oh."
She stopped as soon as she stepped outside the door, Angel running into her back and nearly toppling over.
"Apologies, darling, I did not mean to startle you."
Alastor stood with his back against the wall across from her doorway, the stripes of his suit clashing horribly with the swirling fuchsia brocade of the wallpaper behind him. He pressed away from the wall with purpose, straightening himself carefully before taking slow steps towards her. The movement was too human, too vulnerable, and it sent a flutter through her chest that was only heightened by the nervous rise of static that was slowly filling the hallway. She'd seen this Alastor before, but only in private. It was odd to her that he wasn't being his animated self now that Angel could bear witness, but she ignored it when a more concerning question fluttered across her mind, willing the flush that threatened to spread up her neck to keep itself hidden a moment longer.
"Were you listening to us?"
"Not this time, dear." Alastor's chuckle was a relief despite his knowing smile, as was the slow strolling melody that rose above them as they began their walk towards the staircase. "I was simply waiting to escort you to dinner. The only thing that was overheard was laughter, and I must say it is good to see you smiling once again."
"Aye! Nice job, Al, that coulda' been real creepy, but that was'a pretty good flirt!.'
The radio stopped as abruptly as Alastor did.
"Angel-"
"Hey Al, can you help me down the stairs?"
Both men turned to Clover with expressions of varying surprise. She'd seem to have shocked Alastor out of his irritation at Angel's comment, the Radio Demon blinking down at her before his smile returned and he offered her an arm. That only further raised Angel's brow up into his hairline, Clover watching as two-toned eyes shifted rapidly between them before she was forced to turn her attention to making her way down the staircase without incident. She supposed Angel's confusion stemmed from how casually she asked such things of Alastor, a man which had only ever approached the topic of touch with distaste when in the spider demon's presence, and expected that it would only fuel his endless teasing. A quick glance over her shoulder earned her a gleaming smile from Angel Dust lagging behind them, and it was gone again as her attention turned towards the fuller-than-normal lobby below them.
The bar was crowded with familiar faces, Husker slumped against the counter top with Niffty swinging her legs into the empty space below it beside him. Charlie on the bar's far side, the Princess wearing lines into the carpet as she paced circles around the bar stools Vaggie and Cyrus had perched themselves on. The group had grown in size with the addition of a new face, whose singular eye turned upward as Alastor, Angel and Clover paused on the landing to survey the scene.
"Hey! Did'ja see the fireworks?" Cherri Bomb pushed off from her place leaning against the far wall with a wide smile.
"Fireworks? No, I didn't-"
"I believe that she's referring to the chaos we passed on the way home! Miss Cherri has proved herself to be a worthy ally, one with an equal bone to pick with our mutual acquaintance. With more time, she may turn out to be the Overlord that crumbles us all."
Cherri was practically beaming at Alastor's praise, and as much as Clover identified with the feeling, she was far too curious to let them carry on this conversation by themselves.
"That was you?"
"Hell yeah! Well, me n' Big Red, it was a dual operation, but once we realized ya' weren't there he kinda left me to wreck shit by myself."
"Okay- Wait. Start at the beginning." Clover sighed, letting go of Alastor's arm now that she was back on level ground and heading towards the bar with purpose. A drink quickly made its way into her hands, Husker sliding the heavy glass across the wooden bartop as she settled in. "How did you even know where to look?"
"When you didn't come back from grabbin' food like you usually would, I got worried. Ya' didn't ans-s-swer your phone after the third call, s-s-so I s-s-shut down the s-s-shop and went lookin' for ya'." Cyrus's lisp was getting worse with every word, scaly hands running through his hair as he ground his jaw. He sighed heavily, seeming to fight with his own tongue for control as he began to pat his pockets. "Can I fuckin' s-s-smoke in here?"
All eyes turned to Charlie for the answer.
"Uh-" The Princess shared a frantic look with Vaggie, before darting to look at the other demons in turn. "Well, technically it's not- We usually don't allow it inside, but we can make an exception for today."
A lighter was out before she could even finish her sentence, Cyrus pulling a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and quickly lighting up before offering it up to the rest of the group. She wasn't surprised that Husker and Angel quickly joined in, both demons ignoring the disapproving glare from Vaggie as they lit up, but the long glance Alastor gave Cyrus when he turned the pack in his direction piqued her interest. She was distracted again when the pack was offered to her, Cyrus watching over the lit tip of his cigarette as she regarded the collection of carcinogens.
"Cloves?" The nickname caused Alastor's ears to flick, Cyrus paying it no mind as he waited for her response. Once she'd declined, he tucked the pack back into his breast pocket and continued his explanation. "First thing I did was call the hotel, luckily that damn poster is-s-s still on the community board, and headed towards the s-s-sandwich shop, since that's the usual s-s-spot. Found ya' s-s-stuff on the sidewalk, and by that time this-s-s one-" Cyrus gestured to Husker, the barkeep holding his cigarette between his teeth as he poured. "Had answered the phone, all I heard of that side was a whole lotta' yellin', and I told 'em I'd call 'em back when I figured s-s-shit out."
A line of shots were set on top of the bar, and a rush of hands reached out to claim their poison. The clatter of now-empty glasses returning to the wooden surface was almost humorous, Clover taking a long sip of her mixed drink to chase the heavy burn of tequila that had invaded her throat. Her nose wrinkled at the taste, turning to watch Alastor's smile tighten as the demon regarded his own empty glass with narrowed eyes before he slid it across dark wood to join the rest. She tucked away the sharpness of his stance for later inspection, letting the protective bubbling of his static simmer as he braced a hand onto the bar beside her. Coughing through the leftover burn, Clover pushed them back into conversation.
"But, how did you figure out it had been Valentino? Alastor said -"
"Before this conversation moves any further, I must ask, have you all done as we decided and locked those pesky devices of yours away for the time being?" Alastor spoke up at the mention of his own name, idly swirling the drink he'd been provided as he looked at each demon in turn. His tone was gentler as he turned to Clover, leaning down to look her in the eye. "I trust you've left your mobile telephone behind in your private quarters."
Clover nodded, as did the rest of them, and Alastor's smile returned to its comfortable cheerfulness as he continued.
"Good! For now on, I must ask that any conversation regarding what has happened here, or what may occur going forward, be done in utter privacy. This establishment is technically under the domain of Miss Morningstar and myself, a fact that when paired with the hotel's primary function should mark this as a place of refuge, but that has not stopped that pompous projector so far. Nothing is fair in war, and all that. Anyway!" Alastor clapped a hand against the bar top, the sound echoing through the otherwise silent room. "Our immediate assumption was that the Vee's had decided to be more forward with their attempts to contact you, but I believe your employer gained information by- How did you put it?"
"Beatin' the s-s-shit outta' the dealers down the s-s-street." Cyrus spoke up, sharing a long look with Alastor before continuing. "Everyone knows Valentino's car, it was-s-s a bold fuckin' mood for them to pick 'ya up in it. I called back the hotel as s-s-soon as I knew."
Angel perked up from his place reaching across the bar, lifting the bottle of tequila from the other side and refilling his glass before offering it to Clover.
"By that time, Alasta' had nearly dragged me outta' bed and had me callin' up anyone I could t'ink of, which was basically just Cherrie n'-"
"Lollie." Clover waved off the bottle, turning her head around to see if the demoness in question was among them. "She called Valentino. Where is she?"
Her heart began to sink as it became clear that Lollie was absent from this meeting of miss-matched demons that had somehow come together to form a makeshift rescue party, but her worries were soothed by a soft smile and a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Your candy coated companion is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, my dear. The last I saw, she was preparing herself for the performance of a lifetime in the proprietor's private room. I assume she is still there now, or she has retired for the night. The work of a double agent is twice as hard as any other, you know!"
"She's fine suga', that broad's real good at handlin' Val." Angel clarified once Alastor's laugh track died away, setting his once again empty shot glass back down onto the counter with a sharp clack. "She n' Cherri jumped at the chance to fuck with 'em."
"They did indeed! The obscene Overlord has made many enemies, more than I believe he is aware of. Even so-" The tightening of claws against her skin called to her, Clover's fingers twitching up to press against them with no resistance from her liquor-addled mind. Alastor continued on without acknowledging it, his fingers barely twitching beneath her own. "Your friend plays a good part, but the only information she could provide was that the night before, the two had spent many hours in Valentino's private box, and had plans to meet this morning at Vox's newly established studios to discuss further business. This operation seemed to have been planned solely by Vox and Valentino overnight, as I would expect more involvement from the third of their trio should she have been involved."
"Velvet's s-s-seen her, she came by the coffee shop the other day, which isn't that weird in itself but considering what I know now-"
Cyrus's interjection trailed off as he took a long, final puff off his cigarette before he crushed it into the ashtray that Niffty had retrieved from beneath the bar's countertop. Yellowed eyes focused in on where Alastor and Clover had become connected, the slightest brush of fingertips disappearing under his scrutiny. Her hands returned to the bar top, Clover downing the rest of her drink before sliding the empty glass back into Husker's waiting palm and watching as he mixed her another. Alastor's grip on her remained unmoving, his thumb pressing into the knot that was developing between her shoulder blades unintentionally as he leaned forward into the conversation.
"Velvet is- Unruly. We will have to keep an eye on her moving forward. As for the other two, I believe we have earned ourselves a reprieve for the time being."
"Can we get back to the part where you tell me what was happening while I was locked inside a warehouse?" Clover's ears were twitching with irritation, turning between the two demons currently discussing these events over the top of her head.
"Pace yourself, dear." Alastor's hand finally left her shoulder as he sat down beside her, taking the glass from her as she swallowed a good half of her newest drink. "Once we'd corroborated with Miss Pops that you had not been taken to the Red Light District, her information led us to Vox's territory, and to the phone call to Valentino. Splitting apart the duo seemed like an obvious choice in securing your safety, as Vox is less prone to acts of physical violence than his insectoid counterpart. With Miss Cherri providing ample distraction on her own,-"
Cherri made the noise of a feigned explosion to emphasize the point, twirling a lighter between her fingers and sending her a wide smile. Alastor regarded her briefly, an echoed sound of an air raid siren lacing itself between his static as he continued.
"Husker and I set our sights on the Entertainment District."
Husker merely grunted in agreement, and as much as Clover wanted to press for further information of his involvement, she knew she wouldn't get much out of him with an audience.
Alastor was happy to provide entertainment, at least.
A song made itself known between the rise and fall of radio interference, a slow, heavy crime jazz that nearly disappeared into the background as Alastor continued to weave his tale.
"My shadow is well trained to seek out people of interest within a limited area, even more so those that are familiar to it. Once it had found you, as well hidden as you were, it was only a matter of waiting."
"Waiting? You're saying you were there and you didn't do something?"
She winced at Vaggie's outburst, but didn't turn her eyes away from the demon beside her as his record scratched. The irritated twitch of Alastor's eye had her reaching out to him again, Clover leaning onto the countertop beside him, just close enough that his sleeve brushed the raw skin of her arms. She could feel the static that radiated off of him growing thicker with each passing second, buzzing with an odd warmth that banished the leftover memories of Vox's cold electricity. Its rise and fall reminded her of a racing heartbeat, Alastor's voice became warped with it as he turned to address Vaggie.
"My dear, I know you do not understand the finer points of Overlord politics, but do try and keep up. To simply barge into a delicate situation such as this would prove ineffective in quelling Vox's interest, or in simpler terms, it would only heighten the thrill of the chase." Alastor took a long breath, blinking until the radio dials that had threatened to overtake his pupils disappeared once again. "Vox is a fanatic, once he becomes focused on an advancement it is difficult to distract him from it. It is why he has labeled himself as my rival, despite every indication I have given otherwise. What Clover did in that studio today was vital in ensuring that he cannot continue to convince himself that swaying her in his favor will be a simple affair."
"She was in danger and you just left her there! She wouldn't be in this mess in the first place if it weren't for you and your trickster, voodoo Overlord bullshit!" Vaggie yelled, the bottles and glasses behind the bar top rattling as her fist made contact with its dark wood.
"For someone who seems so hell-bent, pun intended, on spreading tales of my terror to all that will listen, you're painfully misinformed when it comes to the true manner of my business practices. I would advise you to tread lightly in these matters, Vagatha, for if it is a battle among us you would like, then you need only ask." The Radio Demon spoke slowly, thinking through every word as his lip curled in distaste, peeling back to reveal glimpses of black gums and grinding teeth. "Personally, I do not intend to wage war upon this hotel, not today."
Alastor paused, squeezing his eyes shut as his smile twisted in on itself. The violent static that had backlit his outburst fizzled back into gentle background noise as he tapped his claws against the counter, staring down into the small sliver of space that remained between Clover's arm and his own. His voice was still warped as he continued, the lack of the echoed quality his microphone's broadcast usually provided causing his voice to lay flat against the heavy air.
"More importantly, Clover has cemented herself as a more difficult acquisition than the Vee's may have thought. Now, whether this will cause Vox to take pause or provide fuel to his fire is yet to be seen, but standing her ground against not one but two Overlords, as well as making the decision to walk away from all that has happened today with her head held high is something that should not be taken as anything less than an incredible display of her character."
Before Clover had the chance to think too hard about the praise he had hidden under an incredibly thin veil, and before Vaggie had the chance to completely boil over, Charlie spoke up between them.
"He's right Vaggie, it's like what my dad always says. "You don't take shit from other demons!" Charlie's voice dropping in what Clover assumed was a mimic of the famed Kind of Hell was almost as humorous as the confused twist of Cyrus's face as he watched the exchange from the sidelines. The princess ignored the questioning glances, instead turning to Clover as her own brow furrowed. "I'm very proud of you, not giving into something like that can be really hard, especially for newer demons. I believe Alastor when he says he didn't knowingly get you into this, but that doesn't explain why Vox wants you to join his side. I mean, you know a lot about movies, and you're pretty good with a camera but that can't be-"
The resounding snort that Clover, Angel and Alastor let out alongside the roar that was Alastor's laugh track stopped Charlie dead, blonde hair whipping around her shoulders as she looked between the three demons. Alastor knocked back the rest of his mixed drink, setting the glass down enough to vibrate the wood beneath Clover's palms before he let out another barking laugh and turned to Charlie with a wide swing of his arm.
"Now that, that was an incredibly apt voice of words, my dear!"
"...Whaaat's going on?"
Alastor looked to Clover at Charlie's question, and Angel quickly followed suit. One by one, every demon turned their attention on her, and the familiar heavy hands of stage fright set themselves upon her lungs. Breathing out hard through her nose, Clover dropped her head to the countertop for a moment with a satisfying rattle, hoping the shock to her system would be enough for her to properly collect herself. The squishing of her cheek against the cold wooden surface as she turned her head to look up at Alastor caused her voice to slur, but she couldn't find the energy to care, especially not when the fondness in his eyes crinkled them at the corners.
"Should I?"
"Would you rather I do the talking, or do you endeavor to continue to speak for yourself today?"
The softness of his voice felt too intimate for this public affair, and Clover had to pull the curtain or they would risk another round of pressing questions. She turned her face back into the safe darkness of the bar top while she thought, her feet bouncing against the wooden bars that supported the stool beneath her. Her ears flopped against her shoulders as she sat up straight again, emboldened by the gentle brush of claws against her elbow as Alastor reached out to move her forgotten glass.
"Charlie, do you remember that camera I brought home, the day you offered to let me control the hotel's Sinstagram?" Clover barely paused to let the princess confirm, too worried that her train of confidence would derail. "Well, a couple of days later I took a photo with it, and it didn't come out quite right."
She could feel the static growing beside her, melding into the sharp tones of a weather warning and settling heavily over her shoulders as she continued to talk.
"I- I took a photo of myself, but it wasn't me, not the way you know me at least. It was how I looked before I, well- before I died, and then-"
"Then she took my picta', to ya' know, test it out, and mine turned out the same. Cept' my stupid ass ended up accidentally takin' it tuh' work with me on the fuckin' night where Val n' his bad mood would end up in my dressin' room. The bastard ended up goin' through my shit n' found the photo, and then when Clover showed up to save my sorry ass, Val saw the camera n' put two n' two togetha'." Angel chimed in, all eight eyes turning upward with a small, understanding smile. "It's alright suga', you can tell da' rest, just maybe leave out the horny details, 'kay?"
The tension radiating off of Alastor broke with a near audible pop, that heavy jazz revived with a swell of piano before its volume rapidly decreased.
"I told Alastor, and-" Clover made the mistake of looking up, catching the slow shift of Husker's expression as he looked between them. She fumbled through her lie when his gaze turned knowingly to Alastor, feathered brows rising higher than she'd ever seen them. "And he figured out that the camera only works on sinners, after I told him that I'd taken a photo of you, Charlie, and it turned out fine."
"You told Alastor before any of us?"
In her rational mind, Clover knew Vaggie wasn't meaning to sound as disappointed in her as she did, but it felt like a kick to her already tender stomach anyway.
"Yes, I did. Wouldn't you tell the person you're closest to if something like this happened?" The silence that followed felt like it was incubating something too big for her unpack at the moment, so she pressed on. "Anyway, Valentino told Vox, and that is what put me on his radar. At first it was some spam messages, basic telemarketing shit, so I cut down my screen time until it stopped. Everything seemed back to normal until, well, today happened."
There was a part of her that felt sickened by how easy it was to twist the truth, but the rest of her couldn't have dealt with the guilt of revealing Alastor's secrets to them without his consent. He'd made no moves to correct her, not even as he became locked into a rather intense staring contest with Husker from across the bar, so she was comfortable that she'd made the right choice.
"So, the camera is black magic or some s-s-shit?" Cyrus hissed, scaled fingers pressing into his temples.
"That's the thing, we don't know if it's the camera, or if it's me. My cell phone camera works like any other, the photos I took for the hotel's social media work turned out normal. Luckily, Vox doesn't seem to know either, he offered to just let me give him the camera instead of signing a contract or whatever the fuck he wanted from me. But also- He seems to think that I could do more, with time. At least that's what it sounded like, it was hard to tell with all the promotional bullshit, and he's- He might not be wrong." Clover's stomach twisted as Alastor broke his impromptu start down with Husker and turned beside her, the warm glow of those backlit eyes dancing across her cheek as she looked to Angel for a final confirmation. Stretching across the bar for her hand, Angel gave his blessing the the form of a short, reaffirming squeeze. "I was talking to Angel after I took the photograph, and I- I accidentally called him by his name. His human name, I don't know where I came from or how I knew it, but I did it. It's not happened with anyone else since."
There was so much more she could say, so much more she wanted to say as she turned to look at Alastor beside her and once again saw the flash of warm brown warped by the smudged lenses of her glasses. Were her phantom glimpses of the dark haired, human version of her dearest friends truly just the projections of her hopeless obsession, or something darker developing beneath the surface? If she were honest with herself, she could admit that she worried that Alastor wouldn't approve of her constant glimpses into his past, but she hoped that whenever she decided to tell him that he would continue to be understanding of her slip ups as her power, or whatever this was, continued to develop. For now, Alastor's expression was one of intrigue, crimson eyes looking over her as his radio rapidly adjusted its frequency.
Cyrus was the first to break the static infused silence that followed.
"...That's some spooky shit, Cloves."
"That's what I said!"
Sighing almost-fondly at Angel's outburst, Cyrus stood with a roll of his shoulders, his spine popping loudly as he stretched.
"That ain't fair, ya' s-s-shouldn't have to deal with this fuckin' Overlord bullshit your first year in hell. The only thing ya' should be worried about is livin' through your first extermination."
"...My first what now?"
There was so much noise all at once it made Clover's head spin, from the slow build of the hiss that came from the reptile standing beside the bar, to the loud screech of a record scratch that came from Alastor beside her, she couldn't get her hands over her ears fast enough as the demons around her erupted into argument.
"You didn't fuckin' tell her about the ex-s-s-stermination?! What kinda' place are you running here, your whole goddamn schtick is s-s-supposed to be about saving sinners from Heaven's bullshit!"
"We didn't want to scare her!"
"So what, when were ya' gonna' tell her? 'Merry Chris-s-stmas, your days are numbered, have some eggnog!' Are you kidding me?"
"Ay, dios mio! We were going to handle it! Weren't you the first person she met when she got here, why didn't you tell her?"
"Because I s-s-sent her to you!"
"We just kinda of- Forgot for a minute, in all the excitement! Honestly, I thought that Alastor had-"
"I would prefer that you keep me out of his little spat. Besides, I had assumed Miss Vagatha had taken it upon herself to teach our new arrivals the many terrors of hell, as she is usually wont to do."
"No, ya' know what, she's-s-s right. Why didn't you take the time outta' your busy s-s-schedule of scarin' away my customers and paradin' her around the Colony to tell 'er the truth? She's with you more than any of us!"
"Well, there goes that peace treaty."
Clover sighed as she turned to the only demons not currently engaged, the knock that echoed through the room falling on deaf ears as the rest of them continued to squabble.
"Food's 'ere, c'mon, we can grab all the good stuff before they notice." Husker nodded towards the kitchen before he ducked under the bar flap with a grunt, lifting it for Niffty as she swifty scampered away to answer the front door.
Hopping off her seat and taking Angel's waiting hand, Clover turned to send Alastor a look that she hoped effectively portrayed her intended message; That whatever came of this conversation, she expected to still have a job come morning.
She was satisfied with the soft, static laced sigh he gave her in lieu of a response, his grin growing as he returned to sewing further discourse in the drama that was continuing to unfold in her absence.
"Ya' hungry toots?" Angel's smile was a welcomed change from the tension, her soft giggle at his attempt at casual conversation loosening the knots that had formed in her windpipe.
"Starving, but what about the extermina-"
"Don't worry kid, you've got nothin' to worry about. I'll tell you all about it." Husker untangled himself from their almost Wizard of Ozian linked-arm-lineup to kick at the kitchen door, holding it open with his foot as Niffty rushed by balancing a comically large array of Chinese takeout in her arms. "Now, where the fuck is my fried rice? Those assholes better not have forgotten it again…"