Page 71 of How Not to Date an Angel

Rami thinned their lips and nodded.

“I’m just saying, you want to impress them, look good for them, professional. Some people like to dress up for their partners, play around. These clothes make them feel good, powerful, just like your fancy little loafers and sweaters do. It’s supposed to be fun.”

“Fun,” Rami repeated, glancing around the room at all the colorful fabrics. The fuzzy necklines and the flowing gowns. “I suppose, to some, these things could be considered fun.”

The characters in their books certainly seemed to enjoy it.

“See? Now you’re getting it,” Julian encouraged.

Rami couldn’t look directly at his smile. It was a little too close to the sun.

As they averted their gaze, their attention caught on a red and white display across the room.

“Julian,” Rami said suddenly.

“Yeah, Feathers?”

Rami pointed across the room. “Is that what I think it is?”

Julian followed the direction of his finger, and snorted as he finally saw the display. With a bark of laughter he crossed the room and tugged Rami with him.

“That is exactly what you think it is.”

Before them, two mannequins with voluptuous breasts were dressed: one in a white sheer number with feathers, and one in red. The white one had a matching feathery halo suspended over the shoulders with a pair of wings visible behind it, and the other had a pair of horns and a tail.

Rami turned a dead stare to Julian, who lifted his hands. “Hey, I didn’t make the display.”

“How dare they,” Rami muttered, glaring at the sexualized version of what humans thought angels were. Sure, they’d seen adverts for this kind of thing during America’s Halloween, but they’d thought it was just that. An advert. “This is… so silly.”

“Exactly. But it’s also sexy,” Julian countered.

Rami arched a brow at that, forgetting to be embarrassed in their surprise. “If this is the type of angel you think is sexy, you do not think angels are sexy,” Rami told him.

“Well, I mean.” Julian waved a hand at the mannequins. “Do you not?”

Rami made a doubtful noise. “No! Angels don’t even have—” They waved a hand at the exaggerated breasts of the mannequin. “That!”Angels certainly didn’t have nipples, for heaven’s sake. “And as for the demon? Well, your horns and wings don’t look like that.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Rami shrugged. “Surely you’re not asking me to judge the attractiveness of these plastic horns? Because the answer is no. I think this is a cheap imitation. Besides, we all know demons aren’tred.They’re gold. Which is much prettier than whatever this is.” They waved a dismissive hand.

“Tell me how you really feel, Feathers.”

Rami sighed. “I justdid—oh, I see.”

Julian’s lips twitched before he nodded and turned away from the angel and demon costumes.

As they left the room, a stand caught Rami’s eye. “Ooh, jewelry?” Rami asked, pausing by the display. They spun the wheel, watching the twinkle of the jewels reflect back at them. As it came to a stop, Rami squinted at the text and the crude image of where the jewelry supposedly went.

Rami dropped their hand, aghast. “You mean it goes… there?” Rami asked.

Julian nodded, looking particularly proud of himself. “Sure does.”

“Does it not hurt?” Rami hissed. Why would humans do such a thing?

“Of course it hurts. It’s a needle going through your—“

“That’s enough! I don’t need to hear anymore,” Rami cut him off, shaking their head.

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