it could be lovely

Dev was moving slow. He'd called home. But he told them nothing about Izzy.

"I just needed to stay with uh.." He almost said him, but he said her. "She's you know, exhausted." Of course, he had had plans to make a run for it. Early on. Forget he ever knew Izzy. What would he say to the old timers down at the pub. That he'd gone gay?

He hated the thought of work. He'd have to be happy, and that wasn't exactly how he felt. Before he left himself a chance of meeting up with that sister of Izzy's, he got ready to go. But not home, just yet. Down to the boutique he headed. He had to see if Izzy was doing OK.

"What? You keeping the shop, alone?" Dev squinted. Of course, Izzy told him what was going on. Looked like the boutique could barely make ends meet.

"I wonder why?" He suspected it was the clientele. He hugged himself to think as he walked around the shop with Izzy. There were plenty people about on the street.

"It isn't working."

"When has it ever?" He knew the old queens Izzy catered too. "You need a new breed. Can't you make it sparkle?"

"Don't see how." Izzy looked at him blankly. He was quite stunning in that suit. Just get him someone giddy to come in and he just might sell her a dress.

"Don't you watch the tele?" Dev gave him an ominious look.

"Yeah." Izzy winced.

"You can't sell to the mums without getting through to the kiddies first." Dev told him the economics of it.

"What? We should sell kiddie crap?" Izzy winced.

"No. I'm saying. Lets think Lily Allen. What would she wear? What's cool on Hollyoaks?" Dev shrugged.

"They're slappers." Izzy reminded him.

"But who wouldn't want to dress like one, aye. At least for clubbing." Dev shoved his hands in his pockets. "High heels, alluring lacey thigh highs. Don't you get it? Anything to make the poor bloke horny."

Izzy just smiled. "I'd have to pitch it, to.. you know-"

"I'm just saying, you want to save the shop, you do whats got to be done." Dev gave him a serious glare.

Izzy just bit his bottom lip to keep from smiling more.