Siren's Son ASMR Oneshots

Living with a Demon - Part One

Rosa Sanchez couldn't sleep.
Not like that was anything new. She was well used to lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come. This time was frustrating, because she had actually fallen asleep at a reasonable hour for her (which is to say, 11:30) but she just HAD to wake up at 1:17 AM and lay. There. Staring. At. The. Damn. Ceiling.
She lay in the darkness. Her eyes burning, fingers laced behind her head, Rosa's thoughts churned sluggishly.
As the seconds ticked by, Rosa's throat began to hurt. She forced herself to climb out of bed and walk down the stairs for a glass of water.
As she walked barefoot down the stairs, clothed in a grey tank top and pink flannel pajama pants, she had to force her eyes to avoid falling shut.
She continued down the stairs as quietly as she could. She rounded the corner and started toward the kitchen, but as she passed the doorway to the living room, something caught the corner of her eye that stopped her in her tracks. What she saw was impossible.
There was a being in her living room.
She would have said man, but she wasn't sure that it was a man. The entity currently leaning on her couch with his back to her was extremely muscular and shirtless, with messy black hair, but here's where things get weird. The dude that she, again, found in her place in the middle of the night had bloodred skin speckled with shards of what looked like volcanic rock that glowed from behind. A set of short, thin horns stuck not-quite-straight up from his head, and they also had glowing cracks at the base. He was talking to himself as she spotted him.
Rosa stopped moving immediately. She probably should have been scared, but she was so sleep-deprived that all she felt was exasperation. Are you f*cking serious? Why me?
El diablo. En mi casa! Que diables, por que? Rosa thought, her mind whirling.
"...If not, maybe I can just hide my presence long enough until I can- huh?"
Then he looked up and saw her frozen in the doorway.
"Ugh. Well, speak of the devil." I'm not- you're the- "I should've known better. What, mortal, cat's got your tongue?"
Rosa had frozen with her mouth half open. None of the fear she should have been feeling had made its way to her yet, nor had any of her disbelief shown itself on her face. Rather, if she could have seen herself right then, she would have looked as through someone had hit pause on her right after she caught sight of something out of place and mildly disturbing, like a piece of moldy bread in her fridge.
She was dead still, eyes locked on him, but under the surface, her mind was racing.
The diablo laughed when she didn't respond, taking slow, threatening steps toward her. "Yeah, I'm pretty f*cking gorgeous, ain't I? I don't blame you for not being able to look away. It's not every day a creature made up of pure vice and hellfire stands before you." He was now directly in front of her, leaning over her and grinning a grin that sent sparks down her back. "Or over you."
If there was ever any fear, it was quickly fading, replaced by her favorite defense mechanism: feigned nonchalance.
"Are you frightened, little mortal?" the demon purred. "Worried that a demon has come to collect your soul and lead you down the path of sin and all that sh!t? Well, I might have some free time. And it looks like I'll have to stick around anyway." He laughed, but it cut off when Rosa finally spoke.
"Nah."
"Huh?"
"Gee, uh, I said... nah," she repeated, a hand placed on her hip.
"Wait, what? You're... not scared?" The diablo wore a face that suggested this hadn't happened to him before. Rosa looked impatiently up at him, one step away from tapping her foot.
"Uh, nope."
He scoffed, loudly. "What? Ugh- I'm a big fiery demon who just ripped a hole in hell and jumped into your living room. I'm towering over you right now, and my hands are literally the size of your face! I could destroy this entire building in seconds, if I so choose, with you inside it! And what, you're just not in the mood today?" he mocked.
"Yeah." The tiny Mexican woman looked bored.
"I'm a demon, for creator's sake. What the f*ck have you seen that can top this?" he demanded.
Rosa thought back to her three years at Westhaven Academy before the chaos freaked her parents out enough to move to the other side of Sapphire City. She laughed. "I've seen some sh*t, buddy."
"Oh, you've- you've seen some sh*t? Everybody's seen some sh*t. But never has anyone just seen a demon like me and been like, "meh.""
Rosa kept shifting, studying her fingernails, brushing her hair back, if only to keep the fear from gaining a grip. She shook her short, curly hair out of her face and tilted her head blandly. "If you were going to take my soul, why haven't you done it yet?"
"Huh? If I was going to take your soul, why haven't I done it yet?" He scoffed. "Shows what you know. I don't wat to just rip out your soul, oh no, no, no, no no no no no no." He leaned closer and bared his teeth. "I want you to beg me to take it."
Rosa snorted, her hackles rising. "Good luck with that."
"Hm? What, don't think I can do it? I could get your soul if I really wanted. I- I just- don't- want to. Right now. And your soul just seems... boring, anyway. Probably not worth much in Gehenna."
"Boring?" she laughed. This diablo was pettier than she expected.
"Oh, shut up," the demon spat. "I have better things to do than try to swipe some senseless mortal's soul."
"Then leave," suggested Rosa, waving to the hall behind her as if to say, "there's the door."
"Huh? Then leave?" he scoffed. "What if I don't want to? Will you get scared then? Try and fight me?"
Rosa was tempted to say yes, but her practical side overrode her spite. "No."
"Yeah, that'll end well. I could destroy you with only my tail, mortal," he proclaimed.
She scoffed.
"But no. I don't think I can leave, even if I wanted to," he begrudged. "I'm kind of using your house as a refuge while I... regain my strength."
From what? Rosa quirked an eyebrow, trying not to look too curious.
"I was in an argument with one of my brothers, and he pulled some underhanded sh*t. as a demon, I respect that, but I'm not about to let him sit there and crush me and sell my spot to the next highest demon on the totem pole."
Next highest? That meant this diablo was powerful indeed. Her gaze sharpened.
"That's right, mortal. You don't just have any demon in your home." He spread his arms, looking like he expected her to fall to her knees and beg for her life. "I am Bael. Prince of pride and one of the ten demon princes of Gehenna, or your hell."
Okay, jeez. Wait, ten? I thought there were only seven vices. No matter.
"You should grovel in awe that you can even lay eyes on my true body. I bet you've never seen such... majesty. The horns... the tail... the fire of the hells glowing within me.... Aren't you mesmerized?"
Rosa forced herself to up the ante on her unimpressed façade. The more scared she should be, the more she buried any hint of fear under a mound of good old Gen Z apathy.
"Eh. No es impressionante," she said.
"Ugh. Really? Not even a wow?" he- Bael- grumbled. "Mortals these days are so desensitized to the supernatural."
"You can't be all that powerful if you're in hiding," she said smugly. If the devil reacted how she hoped, his response would be hilarious.
The demon's reaction was immediate. He nearly choked and looked at her incredulously. "What? I can't be all that powerful if I'm in hiding?" he repeated.
"Yup," she affirmed.
"Uh- ah- I- I'm not in hiding!" he sputtered. "I'm just... resting."
"Mmhmm."
Bael looked disgruntled. "Now I just want to take your soul to see if anything happens that husk of a personality you have."
"But you are in hiding," Rosa checked to make sure he knew he hadn't fooled her, smirking. Ages with her siblings had taught her the best ways to annoy someone, and she intended to use all of them to her advantage to scare this diablo off.
"Fine. Yes. I'm hiding," he snapped. "I'm staying here so that my brother doesn't find me and wipe me from existence. I'm... currently not allowed back in my home right now."
Several things sped through Rosa's mind. First, if he was telling the truth, he had just knowingly put some random mortal (AKA her) in a lot of danger. Second, if his brother could wipe him from existence, and Bael was his equal in strength, maybe she should be a bit more polite. Third, she decided that the second point was idiotic, and she should continue being a sassy little sh*t.
"So, I'm going to stay here, at least until I grow back enough power to get myself somewhere else. Got a problem with that?"
"I really couldn't care less," Rosa answered. She kicked herself internally for her quick reply.
"Good, because I wasn't giving you a choice," the demon retorted equally quickly.
Rosa's hackles rose, but she forced them back down. Even her fiery temper wasn't a match for his literal hellfire.
"Now, I hope you don't mind if I make myself comfortable."
"Just don't set anything on fire," Rosa sniped.
Bael ignored her, stretching his burly arms above his head and yawning loudly. Rosa rolled her eyes and finally allowed herself a moment to process everything.
"So. What do you have to eat?" Bael grunted.
"To eat?" she repeated.
He scoffed. "Yes, mortal. I'm hungry. Nearly dying can work up quite the appetite."
Something in his tone reminded her of her annoying tío, and she couldn't help giving him a "duh" look.
"You don't eat souls?" she mocked. She realized too late that she probably shouldn't encourage him, but thankfully, he only seemed annoyed by her ignorance.
"No, I don't eat souls," he scoffed. "Personally, I'm a fan of grilled cheese." Rosa couldn't stop her lips from quirking up. "Dipsh*t." She snorted.
Then Rosa realized she was smiling at this arrogant diablo and hurried her face back to its disdainful default.
"Now, where will I be sleeping, also?" the demon inquired.
Rosa quirked an eyebrow. "You sleep?"
Bael gave her a look that suggested she was an idiot. "Yes," he deadpanned. "Is that an issue?"
She considered, but his impatience outclassed even hers. "Fine," he interrupted her thought process, "I'll make it easy for you. Point me in the direction of the largest bedroom, and that'll have to do."
She smirked. If he wanted to try and push her around, she'd raise her spines a bit. She considered.
Bael grunted at her, cementing her resolve.
"Nah... you can take the living room floor."
He scoffed three times in rapid succession. "The living room floor? I'm not a dog, human."
She wanted to tell him he smelled like one, but she didn't want to die. Instead, she said, "Well, you can't have my room, and it's the only bedroom in this place."
He groaned, interrupting her somewhere around "bedroom." "But I technically can't refuse you, O gracious host."
He can't? Well, that's interesting.
"But fine. It's your home," he conceded, "But when I get my power back, I'll take what I want."
"The only thing you'll be taking is your leave," retorted Rosa.
"Until then," he continued, ignoring her, "I'll just have to rely that you're a good host."
"We'll see."
Bael hmmed in reply. Silence fell, which apparently the demonstrators was uncomfortable with. He shifted on his heels, drawing Rosa's attention from his horns back down to his face.
"So, I told you my name. What do I call you?" he asked, sounding like he didn't care.
"Rosa," she replied shortly.
"Hmm. Is that so."
"...Yeah," she said sarcastically.
"Well, now that we're properly acquainted, I hope you don't mind a creature beyond your fathoming residing here for the foreseeable future." Bael's horns seemed to glow brighter in the dim light.
Rosa gave him a look. "I have a cat."
Bael started to chuckle quietly to himself. "I might actually enjoy this."
"That makes one of us," she muttered.
"It's been a while since I came across a human who might put up a challenge against all of my... allure."
Rosa gave him a disgusted look.
"Well, isn't it obvious to see why?" he said, looking offended. "I'm a prince of pride for a reason."
Demon prince. Vice: pride. Weakness? Have to see, Rosa thought.
"It's just a shame that your mortal mirrors may not be strong enough to handle my form without shattering into dust," Bael bragged. "True splendor is hard for your realm to contain." He looked at her with a calculating gaze. "Except for you, evidently."
She raised an eyebrow. Hah.
"You don't seem bothered any the slightest that a creature of hell is demanding to be your roommate for the foreseeable future."
"Again, I have a cat-"
"Have you just given up that much?" he continued over her.
"Well if you would let me talk," she snapped, "...kinda."
He sighed heavily. "Almost irritating, if it wasn't so convenient for me." He appraised her house. "I like this place. Spacious, yet... quaint."
"Thanks, I was really looking to appeal to the demonic audience," Rosa deadpanned.
"It's no brimstone palace of fire and luxury, at least for a prince like myself, but it'll have to do."
Rosa held her tongue, watching the demon prince.
"And, in the meantime," Bael said, turning his head to look her right in the eyes with a devilish (no pun intended) grin, "I'll have fun trying to creep my way into that tone-deaf little head of yours. Will I like what I find?"
"You'll never know," she retorted smoothly.
Her heart accelerated as he laughed. "Don't worry. I don't bite. Too often," he smirked.
Rosa gave him an unimpressed stare.
"Hmm," he grunted. "Now, leave me. I need to rest up so that I may regain my powers as a lord of Gehenna."
"'Kay." She turned and went back up the stairs, waiting until her back was to him to even acknowledge the thoughts swirling in her head. Even then, she kept her face a blank, unruffled mask.
"Hmm. Just like that," he said to himself. "Goodnight, mortal."
"Night," Rosa called from upstairs.
...
She lay on her bed for hours, staring up at her ceiling much like she had been before Bael arrived. She wouldn't close her eyes, preferring instead to try to bore holes into the ceiling with her eyes.
Finally, she got sick of laying still and rolled onto her feet. She grabbed one of her pillows and a folded, soft blanket from her closet and tromped downstairs, figuring the best thing to do while she couldn't sleep was to check on her new demonic roommate.
As she entered the kitchen, she heard soft grunting from the living room, like he was trying to find a comfortable spot. She crossed the hallway.
"Bael?" she said softly.
"Huh? Why are you disturbing me? I was trying to sleep," he grumbled arrogantly.
Well, there went her nice inclinations. "'Why are you disturbing me?'" she mimicked. "Pequeño idiota grosero. I brought you these, you ungrateful..." she dissolved into muttering, holding up her offerings.
"Huh. "A... pillow- and a blanket? You want to give these... to me?" Bael looked perplexed.
"Yes," she growled.
"Why." He sounded suspicious, which raised her defenses. Had this demon prince not known kindness once in his long life? "You owe me nothing. And I'm not begging for your goodwill," he spat.
"I just thought you looked cold," she murmured, her tone softening.
"You... just thought that I looked cold," he repeated. "Well, perhaps that's because your realm isn't as warm as Gehenna. But... s-sure, I'll- I'll take it." He snatched the objects from her grasp, and she wasn't quite sure why she let them go without a fight when he took them so rudely.
"Is this the part where I thank you?" he said grumpily, looking like a child on the floor clutching the blanket and pillow to his chest. He dwarfed both of them, making the scene even more ridiculous.
"That'd be nice."
He sighed. "I'm not good at that. And I don't feel like being in your debt either, so... here. With what little power I have left..."
He held one hand just above the other, palms nearly touching, and squeezed his eyes shut. Golden-red light condensed there, so bright that Rosa had to squeeze her dark-adjusted eyes shut. When the spots cleared, Bael held a tiny golden ball of light. Before she could react, he chucked it at her, rolling his eyes when she swatted at it as it sunk into her chest.
"There. That'll protect you from nightmares and ensure you have a pleasant dream." Bael looked disgruntled, like he wasn't used to giving instead of taking. "A gift for a gift, human. Use it well. And... sleep peacefully, mortal." Something in his new tone made Rosa force her smug eyebrow back down. "Goodnight."
Not knowing how to react, she turned and went back up the stairs without a word.